tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84302783065836148982024-02-07T02:28:38.595-04:00MS TruthsI tell the truth about Multiple Sclerosis. Every MS Specialist became one by studying books written by doctors that interpreted what patients told them. Therefore, the only expert can be the patient. I AM AN MS EXPERT.Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-69191526238296950662011-05-20T23:05:00.000-03:002011-05-20T23:05:57.050-03:00Participatory Medicine - Do's and Don'ts.Recently I was featured in the National Post in regards to Participatory Medicine. You can find the article here... <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/05/14/the-expert-patient-who-knows-best-the-doctor-or-the-patient/">the-expert-patient-who-knows-best-the-doctor-or-the-patient</a><br />
<br />
The article of course like many only touched the tip of the iceberg. I don't blame Mr. Blackwell that the article makes me look like an arrogant ass, because I am one, but I have good reason to be the way I am. The concept of Participatory Medicine is sound. Doctors and patients working together for the best interest of the patient. It is great when it works. But not everyone can participate without understanding how the Business of Medicine works.<br />
<br />
*WARNING - some of the stunts performed here were done by an untrained professional. Do not attempt these types of stunts unless you are sure of your abilities.*<br />
<br />
I will apologize now to my friends dealing with 'cog fog'. I have a feeling this will be long.. but I will keep it in short paragraphs to help ease the eye strain. But if you want to survive the medical system, you should read it all.<br />
<br />
I learned Participatory Medicine the hard way. I was never sick before in my life. I have had plenty of injuries. Injuries are different. If you go into a hospital emergency room with your arm hanging off, you get treated. If you go in having a heart attack, you will be treated. Now if you go in with a stroke, and they deem it is not one, then you are sick, and you are not treated. You are tested.<br />
<br />
The test starts as soon as you walk in, or are carried through the door. How you respond will determine the outcome. Start by thinking of it as a game. You need to play to survive. But no where does it say you have to play by the rules. For most people with MS, it can take more than 10 years to get a diagnosis from onset. This is only due to not knowing how to play the game. Or playing on the wrong field.<br />
<br />
You first need to realize that doctors do not know everything about medicine. It would be impossible. They are taught a basic understanding of medicine and how to look up information. At one time it was big books. Now it is a computer and they use Google and sites like <a href="http://www.webmd.com/">webmd.com</a>. I once had a doctor lay a great big book on my legs so he could see it as he put the top of my arm back in place from the the middle of my chest. Now I have a doctor that uses the Symptom Checker on webmd. Is there a difference? There is one major difference in that the information found on the internet is current.<br />
<br />
Doctors are suppose to stay current with their medical training. But, not all do. Many rely on others to teach them. And as far as doctors are concerned, patients are not smart enough because those old books and their teachers say so. Doctors rely on other doctors for information on occasion, but take more information from people that know less than the patients in most cases. These would be the pharmaceutical reps. They are not medical people, they are sales people. Nothing more. They will also sell other things when they can't get work pushing a drug. As reps they are sent pamphlets and brochures, and in some cases may even be given some basic classes on how to best sell that particular drug. Two weeks after they have exhausted the market and are no longer needed, they could be back to selling vacuum cleaners or pet food. (not knocking those industries as I have worked in both)<br />
<br />
The problem doctors have now is that patients have access to the same information as the doctor. A patient that is suffering from a particular illness, will undoubtedly have access to even more information as they will be looking for it. One patient is a very small percentage of a primary care doctor's practice. You may have MS, but he also has patients with heart disease, diabetes, cancer and so on. He can not know everything about your illness, and if you take the time to learn, you will know what he never will unless you are prepared to teach him.<br />
<br />
There are good doctors and there are bad ones. An example of a good doctor is one that answers a questions with, "I don't know, but I will find out." A great doctor would say, "Let's look it up together." A bad doctor leaves the room, (to check webmd), and come's back and says, "this pill should help." A shitty one just says, "You need this prescription." that just happens to be the same as the brochure on his desk. Now which doctor do you have? I have had them all.<br />
<br />
Now the difference between myself and Tom Blackwell, is that he has editors, a legal team, and advertisers to worry about. I don't. As long as I am not lying, I can say anything I want. When people get upset with it, it is only because the truth hurts and they know they can't stop it. Unless they want to shut down the internet.<br />
<br />
I came into this illness knowing nothing, I played the game and they played mine, but I have maintained one stipulation. No narcotics. Doctors are taught that patients will lie and fake illnesses to get pills. I am very upfront in the beginning with any doctor. I do not want a prescription for narcotics. Every doctor I have met is told that. The only narcotic prescription I have ever had filled in my life was for Sativex. It is not a drug, it is a cannabis extract that is legal in Canada if you have MS, but stupidly is treated as a narcotic. My reason is simple. I do not drink to excess because I do not like losing my cognitive function, I refuse narcotics for the same reason. Also not surprising is that both alcohol and narcotics are easily addictive. I already have enough problems.<br />
<br />
I have little tolerance for stupidity and even less patience with a 'wait and see' approach to anything. I am more than sure that I have pissed off more doctors than have pissed me off. But I played their game and made them play mine. From the emergency room I left with 5 Prednisone pills in my hand and no explanation of what it might be causing this major meltdown. I then went home and looked the drug up, before I put the first one into my mouth. I checked the side effects and what it was used for. Then over the next five days I started looking up all of the symptoms online. When I went back, I had an idea of some of the things that it could be, so I wasn't overly shocked to hear him say it could be ALS or the worse case of MS he had ever seen. The only thought that came to my mind was, figures.<br />
<br />
I was then informed that it could take me years to get an actual diagnosis. That become an instant concern that I was not going to tolerate especially in this day and age. Waiting years to get a diagnosis creates a major inconvenience when your company's long term disability has a clause that says no payments until a confirmed diagnosis. Being unable to work, makes survival hard, so I had to resort to other means. I had a family doctor at the time as I was given a prescription for Effexor a couple years earlier for what I know know was my first MS attack. So this family doctor was only ever used to refill the prescriptions. I went to him from the hospital with report in hand with the recommendation that I be sent as soon as possible for an MRI.<br />
<br />
His response was that it was a waste of time as he knew exactly what was wrong with me and that an MRI would show nothing. So I told him I wasn't asking for a referral, but that he was writing it regardless what he thought. He wrote it, but then proceeded to tell me that it wouldn't help as I was only depressed. My instant response was, "So you are telling me that depression causes physical pain?" He said .. "yes". So I had to ask, "does physical pain causes depression?" Not in my case as he told me he was 99.9% sure he was correct as we walked to the reception desk. Where he proceeded to write me a prescription for Oxycontin for my imaginary pain. He was fired very loudly in a filled waiting room, and actually ran away as he thought I was going to kill him.<br />
<br />
Thankfully he has been removed from our medical system, but not before he let someone die of cancer by continually telling them it was all in their head. So Dr. Zaman would be an example of a really shitty doctor and that is where I started. Walking out of his office I realized that the only one that was going to look out for me was me, and they were in for a big surprise.<br />
<br />
One week after the referral was sent, I called the Imaging Department at the hospital. It normally takes 3 to 6 months to get an MRI from the time the referral was sent. A week later, I was in the machine. I called and asked if my referral had been received and if so what day that week would my appointment be and that the time didn't matter. I did that 5 more times to the same place over the next year and a half. I was polite and firm and they were more than willing to accommodate. MRI machines are not used all the time, in most cases they are not utilized to even half their potential. You can be fit in.<br />
<br />
So I got a new doctor, that seemed to be in the good category as he was the one that met me in the ER when I first went. He later turned out to be a great doctor when he started admitting what he didn't know, and realized he wasn't going to be able to lie and researched along with me. I used myself as a guinea pig. Out of desperation. We started with symptom management going on the assumption that is was MS and not ALS as I was having pronounced relapses on top of rapid rate of decline in motor skills. I was getting some relief illegally by using cannabis. My doctor knew this and understood my reasoning but would not sign my required forms for Health Canada without an official diagnosis. So I played the game. I took the pills that didn't work, but only after I checked the safety of them. But I also went to him with medication suggestions that we could try. We discussed everything and tried some crazy shit. But I played and I learned and I taught.<br />
<br />
I saw two neurologists that both said it looked like MS, but they could not give the diagnosis as only a 'specialist' from the clinic in Halifax could do that. So Mr. MacDougall (not qualified for Dr. title) as a so-called specialist tells me that it is impossible for me to have MS as I am not a female and MS does not cause pain. Now that is what he told me and my better half, which I relay to my doctor which of course stuns him. Then Mr. MacDougall sends his report that was nothing but complete lies. Meanwhile during all of this, I am getting progressively worse and still have no money coming in on top of weekly trips to the hospital for blood work to rule out other diseases that could cause neurological symptoms. Yahoo... I don't have HIV or anything else for that matter other than an expected decrease in vitamin D.<br />
<br />
So off I go to the neurosurgeon on another referral to see if he could make sense of my very strange MRI report. He couldn't help me as he could not understand it either. And there lies the biggest part of the problem with the medical industry. No one understand how an MRI works. MS diagnosed by MRI is by the appearance of several bright white spots known as lesions. These are considered to be the scars from the supposed auto-immune system attacking it. I have never had several white spots, I have one that covers the entire right temporal lobe. I asked myself a simple question of how does an MRI work, then I went looking for the answer. I found it and I also found out that those white spots were in fact deposits of iron. This was also later found to be previously proven with a study on MS cadavers.<br />
<br />
Within the first year I had seen two neurologists, a neurosurgeon, a hearing and an eye specialist, a pain specialist, two surgeons and a quack from the MS Clinic. Of that group, one helped me and I almost had to beg to get that, but instead of begging, I worked out a deal. She could do a nerve block if the CT-Scan showed stenosis in the nerve, but if it didn't, then she had to do a lumbar puncture for me so I could get a definitive diagnosis regardless the pain and difficulty wit compressed disks. I had the lumbar puncture 2 months later and a confirmed diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis 2 weeks after that.<br />
<br />
So in one and a half years, I went through all of those medical professionals, over 200 blood tests, x-rays, CT-scans, 6 MRI's and biopsies taken to rule out things like Lupus. I literally took thousands of pills with the highest being at the end with 27 per day which 5 were for the side effects from the other 22. And the only thing I found out in that time was that I was becoming much smarter than they were and that cannabis was the only thing that worked. I have read over 10,000 medical websites and publications. Mostly to do with MS and neurological disorders but a big slew of other disorders as well. I asked questions on over 350 websites and forums to try and get answers of why I have MS but only 1 giant lesion.<br />
<br />
It paid off, I got an answer from a very nice retired gentleman that told me I was looking in the wrong books and that I should be looking in forensic pathology books. So I did and that is where I started to find it, which is probably what put me into the hospital and resulted in my useless surgery. But seriously, it throws you for a loop when you find out that all others with your condition have all died within six months of onset and you have beaten them by over a year. It then becomes the constant thought of, is this the last day?<br />
<br />
So another relapse and I end up with what I think is a ruptured appendix, which they diagnosed as multiple cancer tumors on my small intestine, which actually turned out to be my MS closing off the small intestine making digestion impossible. So now not only do I know I am going to die, I also know how. Just not when. I got the staples out a week later and we went out west on vacation. We spent a week with awesome people and had a great time. Remember, in an earlier blog, I stated that people with MS are great at lying, well I pulled off the best one in that in all the time we were having fun, I was the only one that knew how bad it was, and that this would be my last vacation ever. I just made sure I didn't ruin it for anyone else. And now that I have written it, they might see how much I really did appreciate that trip and the importance of that continual blue cloud of smoke hanging around my head. <br />
<br />
We come back from our vacation and met Mr. Leckey, who actually started out as a doctor with the confirmation that I have a very aggressive form of the disease. In fact the worse he had ever seen. He became a Mr. when he tried to give me very high doses of a drug that has proven never to work for any progressive forms of the disease, but comes with a very high price tag. When I questioned him on this, his response was that, "false hope is better than no hope." Personally, I think you would be pretty stupid to lie to yourself and that is all that false hope is. But it was Mr. Leckey that actually saved my life, kinda, not really. He pissed me off.<br />
<br />
I went home and started ingesting 1 gram a day of concentrated cannabis and started weening myself off all the pharmaceuticals. I no longer needed a wheelchair and I felt great, with all things considered. I continually progressed but I never stopped learning. I learned the triggers for my flares, and how to ease them by using low doses of steroids before the relapse actually happens. It didn't stop the relapses but it did ease the suffering to an extent. I learned that I was deathly allergic to methotrexate and that it will never be near me again.<br />
<br />
Then I started to learn how corrupt the medical industry was. I learned that pharmaceutical companies bribe doctors to prescribe their medications, but call it honorariums and such. I also learned that no doctor will risk his career for a patients life. Even a great one. I learned that small pharma companies that want to bring products that work to market can't because the big pharma companies wrote the criteria for clinical trials to ensure they could maintain market share. These are the ones that are now making governments pass laws to make the natural remedies which work and are safe, illegal.<br />
<br />
I also did online courses through McGill University and became accredited in the Therapeutic Uses of Cannabinoids in a Clinical Setting. I became an associate researcher and now answer questions for doctors. I also make sure I pass on everything I learn.<br />
<br />
I learned the vascular theory of MS and that made by far more sense than any theory put out by the so-called specialists that had already lied to me. Then I learned the corruption in politics with my Health Minister condemning me to death without ever speaking to me or without, as she now admits ever talking to anyone that actually knew any thing about the vascular issues. She admits to only ever talking to the neurologists from the MS Clinic. Who are funded by the pharmaceutical companies making billions of dollars a year on drugs that have never been proven to work and in many cases have caused death. The cost for drugs for MS patients has increased by 150% in the last five years. The cost of living only increases 4% per year, if you are healthy.<br />
<br />
I had already proven to myself the benefits of cannabis, so I proved the vascular theory. I proved both on myself, and whether one agrees or not, I only have to prove something to myself to know. Any opinions would be moot. You may not believe in ghosts, because they have never been proven to exist, but if you saw one, you would have your proof. Regardless what anyone there after tells you, you know the truth because you have seen it. We are no different. If you denied it to yourself, you would be one of the stupid ones I mentioned earlier. You can not lie to yourself.<br />
<br />
I can call myself an expert in MS because I am. I know more about my MS than any doctor. A doctor does not know how it feels to have MS. I do. A doctor does not know the mental impact of MS. I do. A doctor can not tell me when a relapse is going to hit me. I can. Every person with a disease like this will in time become an expert, if they are involved in their health care. If they are not involved, they are not considered patients, but guinea pigs. Expert patients exist and are easily recognized as they are the ones calling the shots and not trusting a greed driven industry.<br />
<br />
It can be fixed.<br />
<br />
It will be messy, but you can do it. You first need to learn the truth. Then you need to be prepared to speak out and have the politicians do their jobs instead of working for big corporations. Instead of paying the government $44 million to keep from going to court for getting caught paying off doctors, Serona Merck should have had all of their products removed from the country, with no chance of repackaging it for sale again. Anyone else would have been put out of business. Send a message to the pharmaceutical companies to start helping or to get out now.<br />
<br />
Have doctors be willing to learn and help and not book 15 minute appointments with only one question to be asked that gets answered with a pill, in order to push through a continuous source of income. Set up advisory committees made up of medical professionals and the people with the life long illnesses to make informed decisions and not base them on hidden agendas.<br />
<br />
The idea behind Participatory Medicine is participation between the patient and the health care professional. If one won't participate, it is doomed to fail. For obvious reasons many would want this to fail and would therefore not participate. Not patients. Patients that learn will participate as it is in their best interest. Any doctor such as the ones in our MS Clinic that do not want to participate could easily get work in a different country. Call it taking out the trash and cleaning up healthcare.<br />
<br />
We are treated as lower life forms with diminished intelligence, because that is the way it has always been. We are discriminated against and left to die. Or in many cases, rushed to die with ineffective or unsafe medications. All for someone else's personal gain. The only way you will survive is by becoming an expert of your condition.<br />
<br />
I didn't start out as an arrogant ass.. they made me that way.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-46971926326532764182011-05-09T14:12:00.001-03:002011-05-10T10:49:14.272-03:00My Final Blog of the Real Truth of MSI Win!<br />
<br />
All my life I have had to prove myself. Never to anyone else, only to me. We all do it. It would either be to prove that I could do something like jump out of a plane, or better yet, to prove what I thought to be true. In life the only person you ever have to prove anything to is yourself. No one else matters.<br />
<br />
Six months ago, I decided against my better judgement, to prove if in fact CCSVI was a key to understanding Multiple Sclerosis and whether or not it could actually prevent death. I made the claim that it would take me 6 months to prove this. I did not do this to save my life, to be honest, I had hoped I was wrong, but I had done my homework and knew that was just wishful thinking. So I had the procedure and proved both now 6 moths later.<br />
<br />
Previously, I had already proven that cannabis in sufficient doses could be a safe and effective form of symptom relief in MS. I did this by using Rick Simpson's recipe of extracting all of the essential oils in the cannabis sativa plant and reducing it down to a pure concentrated form. I put this into capsules and each .25 gram capsule delivers the equivalent cannabinoids that you would get by smoking 80 .5gram joints. For the last 2 years, I have been eating four of those pills per day. I lived and more importantly I proved to myself that eating a gram a day of pure concentrate worked to allow me to function. To prove the safety of it, I ate 5 grams per day for 5 days or the equivalent to smoking 8000 joints in 5 days. Yes, that says eight thousand.<br />
<br />
Also quite surprisingly, 6 months ago I had informed some very close friends that if the procedure did work, then they would get about 6 months out of me to help find the truth. I feel comfortable in in saying that I have done what I set out to do. In that time I have helped dig out and explain some of the atrocities that people with MS are faced with. But I have also hidden a lot as some of it is even too scary for me to believe. <br />
<br />
On May 5, I explained in my blog why I was not allowed to attend the meeting with the Health Minister. I also said it didn't bother me as much as one might think but never explained why. My reasoning for not being upset is that I knew the outcome of the meeting before they even had it. Unlike everyone else that went to those rallies, I had an email a few days before that gave me the Province's official stance on CCSVI and more importantly, aftercare. I sat on this on purpose and I apologize to no one for it. Knowing who was going to be at the rally, this was not released to prevent an escalation of violence. In actuality, I probably saved a life that day because of the lies being fed to us. There will be acts of violence against neurologists and politicians, but they won't be perpetuated by me.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lBVnyPUC8k4DU7Yxu21UzJx0HMK40Lq-nuPQ9lMKy-nTMpbi3rGfAMk4X4KIRVILPuuQWQDT-Qo04FpfkY_8U5ynwhMahPzP2YlSqB0Y7XbRH3_jSCnIo3KlCAuU79yr2ovlUwaag85b/s1600/N.S.+Health+%2526+Wellness+Patient+Info+%2528CCSVI%2529+-+Feb.2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lBVnyPUC8k4DU7Yxu21UzJx0HMK40Lq-nuPQ9lMKy-nTMpbi3rGfAMk4X4KIRVILPuuQWQDT-Qo04FpfkY_8U5ynwhMahPzP2YlSqB0Y7XbRH3_jSCnIo3KlCAuU79yr2ovlUwaag85b/s320/N.S.+Health+%2526+Wellness+Patient+Info+%2528CCSVI%2529+-+Feb.2011.jpg" width="232" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWag18HQq7TfEeFTYi62sEFjKLtzFzYqRn-BNpMHJN1_AXpotI-GSa5F7oJThtL6VYpCf-3toVG57ff24ZJnu6wIHi2nnP3SFZdyaUXC1Eq9Cx0R2U4dm7yTSe0wpjFkGdd1bxWpmtBzpQ/s1600/N.S.+Health+%2526+Wellness+Position+Statment+on+CCSVI+%2528pg+1+of+3%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWag18HQq7TfEeFTYi62sEFjKLtzFzYqRn-BNpMHJN1_AXpotI-GSa5F7oJThtL6VYpCf-3toVG57ff24ZJnu6wIHi2nnP3SFZdyaUXC1Eq9Cx0R2U4dm7yTSe0wpjFkGdd1bxWpmtBzpQ/s320/N.S.+Health+%2526+Wellness+Position+Statment+on+CCSVI+%2528pg+1+of+3%2529.jpg" width="232" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit2GVzIjyB0Hh7PfvdM9HJsYpRz-x7AT03Gi7bYJLDoj6cKbccUp9K1TWcEmRTr1RCGjixFbCnRBA6Z6OgtyWcZjI_xzeqkKhWB4acu3mH1K03cAgk1x_q6780rIyvFfnlRt1s7-Xelv24/s1600/N.S.+Position+Statement+%2528page+2+of+3%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit2GVzIjyB0Hh7PfvdM9HJsYpRz-x7AT03Gi7bYJLDoj6cKbccUp9K1TWcEmRTr1RCGjixFbCnRBA6Z6OgtyWcZjI_xzeqkKhWB4acu3mH1K03cAgk1x_q6780rIyvFfnlRt1s7-Xelv24/s320/N.S.+Position+Statement+%2528page+2+of+3%2529.jpg" width="232" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlF_V_V-lWHMjIArmK0p4qcox8_dUVgKquCcuXGSpMpEtNBwONYwmwb83ryzwQbd6rZPqCG-p4nUuAiuAGF_TwRAThXfXVvx6FQXD3Q2ReWxgVIYktUVtOm40hSaXodm2MArQTR495fe7E/s1600/N.S.+Position+Statement+%2528+page+3+of+3%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlF_V_V-lWHMjIArmK0p4qcox8_dUVgKquCcuXGSpMpEtNBwONYwmwb83ryzwQbd6rZPqCG-p4nUuAiuAGF_TwRAThXfXVvx6FQXD3Q2ReWxgVIYktUVtOm40hSaXodm2MArQTR495fe7E/s320/N.S.+Position+Statement+%2528+page+3+of+3%2529.jpg" width="235" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There will be CCSVI in Nova Scotia. But only after the neurologists and pharmaceutical companies have lost all credibility. That will happen when the trials end to prove it. The only problem you as patients face is that those doctors will continue to try to block these trials from being properly preformed. They already know the outcome and have known from day one. At best, you might be looking at 5 years. Unless other action is taken.</div><br />
There will not be effective aftercare in Nova Scotia until the trials have passed. Effective care would include testing and in the event of restenosis, angioplasty, These are both specifically excluded as they alone can prove the effectiveness of the CCSVI treatment. In the meantime, this means any of the hundreds of people that have been treated, will not be treated in this province if they experience any restenosis. They will again be forced to leave their country to save their lives because of the greed of our doctors. I won't. I didn't want nor should I have had to leave the country the first time.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>People can not understand how a Health Minister could let their constituents die. It is not that hard to understand, when you realize that she admits to never speaking to anyone that actually knows about CCSVI. Her advisers come from the MS Clinic in Halifax. If CCSVI is allowed to be preformed in NS, this place will be closed and that is a ton of money lost. Keeping CCSVI from being allowed is so important that they actually convinced Jock Murray to come out of retirement to help them. For the ones that don't know, Jock is supposedly the country's top MS Specialist. Jock Murray is nothing more than a murderer that got rich off the backs of sick and dieing patients. Nothing more. You can read his bullshit lies .. <a href="http://thechronicleherald.ca/Letters/1242152.html">HERE.</a><br />
<br />
I suppose I could offer a challenge to prove this, but I also know there is no way in Hell he would ever accept it. But if Jock Murray would ever like to meet me in a public form, I will prove that I know not only more about Multiple Sclerosis than him, but that he also is willing to kill people for money. That offer could easily go to the entire clinic as Drs. Leckey and MacDougall have both already proven to be either incompetent or liars, or most likely, both.<br />
<br />
Then we come to dear sweet Trudy Campbell whom I have never had this displeasure of meeting. She is not a neurologist, she is the one that actually shoots the poisons into the veins. She is also an advisor/spokesperson to numerous pharmaceutical companies. She actually promotes the off label use of medications that goes directly against Health Canada's policy. She, undoubtedly will be one of the so-called expert advisors. You can read more about Trudy and her friend Freedman .... <a href="http://www.seronosymposia.org/en/Neurology/Symposia/10thinternationalmsnurseworkshop/facultydisclosure/page.html">HERE.</a> Now knowing how much money is actually passing hands through the Halifax MS Clinic, all I can say is if Maureen MacDonald is not getting a cut of it, she is an even bigger idiot than I thought she was.<br />
<br />
It is without a doubt that I upset these people, but I know stuff. They don't get mad because of what I am saying about them. They get mad because they know everything I am saying about them is true and it is getting harder for them to hide behind the lies. The first year of medical school does not cover real medicine. It is used to drill into the doctors' heads that their medical boards are God, making them always right and to never go against them, and that patients lie. I have proven that both are untrue. I have no reason to lie and I have yet to meet any doctor that will not let you die to save their own career. There may actually be one or two out there, but I won't meet them in this country.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have no desire to go through life worrying about restenosis and having to raise thousands of dollars to go break laws in another country just to save my life. I have no desire to commit suicide. But suicide is a symptom of MS and the one that most of your neurologists hope you will take, when you as well run out of drug options. If they can't make anything off you, they don't need you around. Harsh but true. For the last 3 years I wake up each morning looking for reasons to stay alive and not let this disease kill me off just making me another statistic. It is an exhausting search everyday, but now as I feel the restenosis happening and the progression of disability advancing again, I also know I was under treated and have faulty valves. I don't have 5 years left.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have no reason to look for excuses to stay alive when I have so many more reasons to just end it now. I have lived longer than any known person with my form of MS. I figure I have lived 3 years longer than the ones before me. I have permanent neurological damage in numerous places that won't be repaired. I will never work again which means the three years of teeth shattering seizures, is leaving me with a mouth full of jagged edges that do a great job of ripping my flesh apart because I can't even afford to have them pulled to be able to gum my food. And yet I smile. But I smile because I feel the progression returning and that means I won't have to put up with it near as long as I thought. I am thinking at best, a year, but that might be wishful thinking because no one knows more on how fast this can progress than me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I no longer go to the doctor because there is nothing he can do for me or would if he could. Yes, even my doctor would let me die before risking his career. I know this and I accept that he is a coward like all other doctors. I no longer care about blood tests and MRI's to prove I was right. Those along with many other secrets will die with me. I don't take vitamins or eat healthy. I have no reason to. My entire life, anything I have done, was done for someone else. It has never been in my nature to be any different. Now I am. I have lived up to my promise and now I will do something for me. Rest before I die. I will never get away from the daily stress that is killing me faster, but I also don't need to pile more onto me making me miserable, killing me faster, and will be of no benefit to me. I am sorry if that seems selfish to some, but I think I have more than deserved this.</div><br />
People are not born smart. They are born with a brain. How that brain develops and how it is used is the key. If you feed a brain lies and propaganda, and not teach it to learn for itself, you get an idiot with an under developed brain. A good example of this would be George W Bush with a published IQ of 95. An IQ of 120 is considered average intelligence. My IQ tests since high school have ranged from 142 to 165. On a bad day, I am still above genius. But I am still stupid. Instead of living a life by making other people rich, I should have done it for myself. My only true regret in life now out in the open. That way I could at least leave Chrissy with something other than debt.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Humanity as a whole has pretty much run it's course. Greed has proven to be our downfall. Stupidity feeds that greed. And the stupidity comes from the under developed brains that believe what they are told. I have no other word for these people other than idiot. Se here are some blunt truths, like it or not.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you believe your doctor has your best interest at heart.. you are an idiot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you think that poisons like Tysabri, being injected into your veins is helping you.. you are an idiot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you think pharmaceutical companies are here to help.. you are an idiot.</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you think that your government would never hurt you... you are an idiot.</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you think that your government would never lie to you... you are an idiot.<br />
If you believe that charities for MS. Cancer, etc. help people ... you are an idiot.</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you believe the War on Drugs is a good thing... you are an idiot.</div><div style="text-align: left;">If you think that Osama Bin Laden had anything to do with 9/11 ... well... you are the ultimate idiot.<br />
<br />
Now as harsh as that may be, you will notice that the only way these people became idiots is because they have that whole under developed brain thing going on. It is not their fault. Someone needs these idiots. Without the idiots, you would only have a bunch of greedy people trying to screw each other. Remember, we may not be born smart, but we are born greedy. But the cool thing about a brain is that it always wants to learn, and a lot of these 'idiots' are getting the lights turned on and also seeing the truth. Unfortunately as the truth emerges and develops so does the risk of retaliation for being lied to so long. It isn't a prediction, it is inevitable that greed will drive the people against their governments with violence. But that is okay as the governments are already preparing for this as well. The US is getting FEMA internment camps and Canada is getting super prisons.<br />
<br />
So I am going to quit while I am ahead and still the winner. I will no longer be spending 80 hours a week digging out the truth. I have nothing else to prove. I will leave the hundreds of Facebook groups and other forums I belong to. I have committed myself to helping finish 2 projects, one for my brother and the second one being the sequel to the first Rick Simpson movie <a href="http://www.phoenixtearsmovie.com/">Run From The Cure</a>. Their time is limited. I will still use my Facebook account to converse with friends. I will answer questions truthfully with continued sarcasm, but if you are an idiot, I will also tell you so. If you want on my friend's list, add me. If you no longer want to be on my friend's list, goodbye.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"> Now, I am going to sit back, relax, and enjoy what time I have left until the progression hits my internal organs again. I actually said this years ago and at the time I said when the time comes I will be making sure I am sitting back comfortably to watch it all unfold. While smiling and quietly saying, "I told you so."<br />
<br />
It's time for the fight to continue without me.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-8931899977168324072011-05-05T13:51:00.001-03:002011-05-06T09:09:58.185-03:00The Most Feared Man in the Province of Nova Scotia has MSToday, it became official. The most feared man in this province is not some gun toting terrorist, nor is it a corporate big wig raping the province of it's resources. It isn't even one of our fine police officers that use tazers and kill sick people. It is me, a dieing man that speaks the truth.<br />
<br />
Today across the country, people with Multiple Sclerosis are rallying at their respective Province Houses to raise awareness that the neurologists and Health Ministers are allowing people to suffer and die without allowing them to even have a chance. Every group across the country invited their respective Health Ministers to meet with them, except for the province of Nova Scotia. Maureen MacDonald instead requested to have a "secret private" meeting with some of the attendees at the rally with the sole stipulation that I not be there. This request was made in realization from following our Facebook pages that we would not be asking for a meeting. We have no need to meet with her as we already know the outcome.<br />
<br />
What makes me now the officially most feared man in the province is because others have been threatening the life of Maureen MacDonald and I am erroneously being blamed for it. That doesn't bother me as much as you might thing it would. I freely admit to insulting her, exposing her lies, and yes I have even gone so far to make nasty pictures and cartoons of her, but I can also stand before God and make the claim that I have never threatened her. I have maintained from day one that I am more intelligent then her and her supposed expert advisers. It would be very stupid of me to prove myself wrong by breaking the law.<br />
<br />
I am not stupid. I know I have been investigated, and probably still am. That just means that they also realize that, 1. I have not broken any laws or I would not be here writing this to you, and 2. I have not lied.<br />
<br />
Yesterday during an interview with the National Post, the reporter made an astonishing realization. Although what I write in this blog might look like the rantings of an idiot at times, I am in no way one. My writing looks like it is filled with rage and emotion but never is. So my answer to the reporter was, "I write to provoke emotion, it must work as I didn't call you for this interview." His response was that I was right. People that know me from the internet who do get to meet me online are usually a bit stunned at first as I am not what they expect. I am quiet, reserved, and extremely laid back. Until I am provoked. But I am also much funnier in person.<br />
<br />
Unlike many of the people I have been forced to deal with, I have morals that I live by. One is to never cause a violent act against a woman, and in 48 years, although many deserved it, I have never physically harmed any female. Hurting some emotionally I sadly admit to, but never physically. So while my friends are educating the masses on the lies they are being fed, and the Health Minister is explaining how dangerous of a threat I am to her trigger happy police officers SHE called to protect her, she is actually fearing the wrong person. And that makes her an even bigger idiot. I am staying home and writing this to you instead.<br />
<br />
Call it a dawning realization, or total paranoia, but knowing they watch our Facebook groups with either their spies or hacking, (yes the police do hack Facebook accounts), I realize why I am feared. The reason for this also causes me to be concerned. The NS Health Minister condemned me to Death last November. I cheated her and lived. She did the same thing to Bill Peart and he died. I am the living proof that she committed murder and proves her 'experts' wrong. Knowing this, I am not sure I want to be in a room full of armed people that in this Province shoot first then ask the questions. And surly not when I can be that damaging to that many peoples credibility and reputations by Heaven forbid, staying alive.<br />
<br />
My private laugh comes in the form that while she is fearing big bad ol me, the people that truly may want to harm her are still out there and she is hiding from the wrong person. But regardless, we never wanted a meeting with her because from day one she has only ever been a puppet doing what she is told. I know this and so do most of the ones at the rally. The ones that she should be fearing are the ones that think she is the one controlling the strings. In actuality I don't think I will need to do much more anyway. As the truth emerges, her stupid stance of hiding behind semantics will be her downfall.<br />
<br />
So what happens now? Not a damn thing. I have told her time and time again that I do have the out for her that can save lives, her reputation, and even her political career. She refuses to listen and now fears me. At one time I could also have saved the neurologists, but they have been too greedy and have gone too far to be saved. Of course that will die with me as in the end we will win anyway and she will get what she deserves.<br />
<br />
Contrary to popular belief, I do not have a death wish. I am not going to make myself be an open target to the ones that fear me. If I was suicidal, I would have been gone long before now especially knowing that with my condition I can be dead in less than a week by "natural causes" anytime I want. It would be an extremely horrid and painful death, but in the end would have have the lasting comfort of not being subjected to the lies and greed destroying the lives of the people in this province. I may not want to live, but I don't want to die... yet.<br />
<br />
Whether it is ever allowed in this country or not, I have no intentions of ever having the procedure done again. As upsetting as that may be to some, you also must realize that the only reason I consented to the first one was to prove if it could actually save someone from dieing. Well, with the procedure done on Nov. 20, 2010 and it now being May 2011 where I was not supposed to live past April, I have proven exactly what I wanted to prove. The CCSVI treatment CAN save lives. Living like this is just not for me.<br />
<br />
This just means that at the current rate my disability may be progressing possibly due to restenosis, I will try to enjoy what little life I have left. Unfortunately for you all, it also means you are stuck with my ramblings for at least another six months or so. Maybe longer even longer if I stay away from the insanity.<br />
<br />
I am just not backing down from this fight until the truth is known to all.. because I am already killing myself by participating, I have nothing to lose.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3ncRB9EOZfxjJvxruS7mKNsQlZRIqjExXgsD0uOxy5Mv_Eo6ge45dYCop39IhyphenhyphenVsFzouVb8I_aUxNX09tb6gb7YFvDHgF3dz44yBXt0VJYF6qXatbspLbHHWxjagwaV_pOmMJV5dvBit/s1600/mouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk3ncRB9EOZfxjJvxruS7mKNsQlZRIqjExXgsD0uOxy5Mv_Eo6ge45dYCop39IhyphenhyphenVsFzouVb8I_aUxNX09tb6gb7YFvDHgF3dz44yBXt0VJYF6qXatbspLbHHWxjagwaV_pOmMJV5dvBit/s320/mouse.jpg" width="307" /></a></div>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-61203949833965840652011-05-04T11:03:00.000-03:002011-05-04T11:03:03.102-03:00Reasons to NOT get angioplasty for MSRecently I ran a poll on Facebook asking for reasons given to NOT allow/recommend angioplasty to correct disrupted blood flow known as CCSVI (Chronic Cerebral Spinal Venous Insufficiency) for people with Multiple Sclerosis. For fun, I left it open to allow others to add reasons for others to vote for as well. I am not going to go through all of them as some were obviously the "true" answers and would never have been told to a patient.<br />
<br />
I will take the top five and answer them with some simple logic.<br />
<br />
1. <b>MS is not vascular.</b> - There are two theories on MS, Vascular and Auto-immune. The vascular theory is the older and was first identified in 1868 by French physician and anatomist Charot. In 1882, Ribbert suggested the cause of MS lay in the blocking of capillaries by minute thrombi. <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9566.ep11340153/pdf">Social Constructionism and Medical Sociology: a study of the vascular theory of multiple sclerosis.</a> The auto-immune theory emerged much later, coincidently during the chemical pharmaceutical push in the 1940's and 50's when it was realized that a lot of money could be made with drugs. Due to the Neurological Societies position of placing themselves upon the pedestal proclaiming themselves God based on the fact that everything is controlled neurologically, they successfully caused the Vascular Theory to be ignored. In 2008, it was revived with the ability to test, diagnose, and treat a vascular condition that may or may not be linked to MS, but has improved the quality of life for over 90% of the patients treated. The drugs for the auto-immune theory, have never been able to make that claim. Ever. The vascular theory may not be proven yet but it works better than the auto-immune theory that has never been proven as well.<br />
<br />
2. <b>It is not proven safe.</b> - The CCSVI treatment is a simple out patient routine medically referred to as Angioplasty. The first angioplasties done were performed about 3000 BC in Egypt. In 2001, almost 2 million angioplasties were preformed worldwide, with an estimated increase of 8% annually. In 2002, they celebrated their 25th anniversary of doing angioplasty on patients that were awake for the procedure. <a href="http://www.ptca.org/history_timeline.html">History of Angioplasty</a> This procedure is performed daily in hospitals for both the arterial and venous systems, but is only considered unsafe if you have Multiple Sclerosis.<br />
<br />
3. <b>Relief is from placebo effect.</b> - Placebo usually implies drugs and they are used very often in trials. By taking half of the patients in a drug trial, and giving them a placebo while the others get a real drug, for some reason makes it correct as no one would know if they got the drug or the placebo. When this happens, some patients on the placebo claim they feel better since starting the drug. This is known as the placebo effect. A surgical placebo is the result of a doctor doing a surgery on a patient, then informing the patient that it was successful and they are all better now. In both cases, the placebo is talking about subjective symptoms such as pain. Neither have been proven to act on un-subjective symptoms. The best example to dispel the placebo theory.... If a person with MS can not stand up with their eyes closed due to balance issues, they are not falling over because they "think" they should. They fall because the centre of the brain that controls balance is in distress. I was one that was never able to stand in the shower and close my eyes without causing serious damage in the fall. Immediately after the CCSVI procedure, I like many others regained full balance which is an impossibility with any placebo effect.<br />
<br />
4. <b>Not proven effective.</b> - Not proven effective for who? The 12000 plus treated patients with over 90% claiming an improvement to their quality of life will disagree with this statement. On the flip side of the coin, no MS drug has ever been proven effective, but have effectively killed some of their patients. By not allowing the procedure, it will help make sure it can never be proven effective.<br />
<br />
5. <b>No relation between CCSVI and MS.</b> - Of course the same could be said about the auto-immune theory and MS. They have had 70 years to prove that relationship and have dismally failed. Being that the CCSVI procedure is still in it's infancy and more time will tell, initial testing shows that over 90% tested with confirmed diagnosis of MS do in fact have blocked or disrupted venous outflow from the brain. Around 40% of the "healthy" (mostly patient family members) ones tested also showed evidence of CCSVI. Unfortunately, that could also mean that those 40% are people just waiting for symptoms to manifest.<br />
<br />
Those would be the top five. I purposely left one obvious answer out in hopes that someone else would say it but no one jumped on it so I will add it now.<br />
<br />
a. <b>No clinical trials done for proof.</b> - That would be because they do NOT do clinical trials for surgical procedures. The only evidence of a surgical clinical trial that I can find documented evidence on was for Carpel Tunnel Syndrome. No they did not operate on healthy controls. They surveyed treated patients in order to find which of the many styles of the procedure would be most effective. Exactly one of the things treated patients want done but are being ignored. Following is an excerpt of a conversation with my neurologist;<br />
<br />
Me: They do not do clinical trials for surgical procedures.<br />
Dr: They do so! <i>(actually yelled it at me)</i><br />
Me: Really? Where do they get the healthy controls for the brain surgery trials? <i>(No one is that stupid except maybe my neurologist.)</i><br />
Dr: *dumbest look I have ever seen on a person.*<br />
<br />
There is only one reason why people with MS are being denied this treatment... greed. MS patients are cash cows so of course the ones that stand to lose the most will fight the hardest. The neurologists and pharmaceutical companies are fighting as hard as they can to keep the truth hidden in order to save their sources of income. The patients like me are fighting to save their lives.<br />
<br />
Who do you think is going to fight harder?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTECOR5aHXJsGNmJT1zywOTiyO-EiNVfNjOcVaxQPIwxbfXWWoRQMP14BQZqpeHWZZNZz7UxAKV9GcSG7L_psK_i4kbEbz1PqGxUrisgK-BgHmS3xbShFZ-8IRF5IC_r8JN46tTAv42L76/s1600/HELP+NOW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTECOR5aHXJsGNmJT1zywOTiyO-EiNVfNjOcVaxQPIwxbfXWWoRQMP14BQZqpeHWZZNZz7UxAKV9GcSG7L_psK_i4kbEbz1PqGxUrisgK-BgHmS3xbShFZ-8IRF5IC_r8JN46tTAv42L76/s320/HELP+NOW.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-53390257892213038562011-04-29T17:28:00.001-03:002011-04-29T19:01:20.317-03:00CCSVI RALLY- HALIFAX, NS - MAY 5, 2011<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">PRESS RELEASE</span></div><div style="text-align: center;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">MS PATIENTS TO RALLY NATIONWIDE ON MAY 5TH, 2011</span></div><br />
HALIFAX, NS : MS patients Rally on Thursday, May 5th, 2011, at Province House in Halifax, at 1726 Hollis Street from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Patients who seek the right to have venoplasty to restore proper blood drainage from the brain will be rallying in cities across Canada to ask for the discrimination against MS patients to stop.<br />
<br />
It is estimated that approximately 150-200 MS patients across Nova Scotia have undergone what has been coined as the “Liberation Treatment”. Many of these patients have experienced improved quality of life after undergoing treatment.<br />
<br />
We are asking for:<br />
1. The right to be tested and treated for CCSVI in Nova Scotia.<br />
2. The right to have proper follow-up upon returning from foreign clinics which include:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>a. Doppler ultrasound imaging of the drainage veins from the brain;</li>
<li>b. the right to be referred to appropriate vascular specialists;</li>
<li>c. the right to have a non-biased registry for MS patients who have undergone treatment.</li>
</ul><br />
3. The right to chose quality of life over unproven or unavailable medical treatments.<br />
<br />
<br />
Several MS patients who have undergone liberation therapy are being told by their physicians that they cannot be referred for proper follow-up as their doctor`s license to practice medicine could be revoked. These unfounded threats against our primary care physicians and this systematic discrimination against MS patients who have been treated for Chronic Cerebrospinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI) must stop.<br />
<br />
On May 5 we will stand, “… UNITED IN SOLIDARITY, FROM COAST TO COAST, WITH OUR MS COMMUNITY! “<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><br />
CONTACT INFORMATION : Crystal Bruce <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=134223666650990">CCSVI RALLY - Halifax</a>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-17818774736106846342011-04-20T09:49:00.000-03:002011-04-20T09:49:22.003-03:00If I Wanted To Commit Suicide... I Would Go To My MS ClinicWhy would a noted professional such as Dr. Mark Freedman promote a drug that had a death rate of almost 2% in the initial trials? This doctor is supposedly an expert in Multiple Sclerosis, so I am sure he must have read the <a href="http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/EPAR_-_Public_assessment_report/human/002202/WC500104529.pdf">EMA Assessment Report on Gilenya</a>. Being an expert, he must also be aware that this drug poses the risk to the patient of adding Herpes, Cancers, and organ failures to their suffering.<br />
<br />
His only response seems to be, "But it is an oral drug".<br />
<br />
That just means they have found a way to make you sicker with a pill instead of a needle.<br />
<br />
Luckily for me, I am not eligible for this medication as it is designed for Relapsing Remitting forms of MS. Supposedly, it reduces the number of relapses. But, how would you know? Relapsing remitting means it comes and goes. People can literally go years without a relapse without medications. Gilenya does NOT stop relapses, it just supposedly slows them with no way of knowing.<br />
<br />
The side effects for Gilenya are long and serious. All drugs have side effects, but most don't realize the risk they are taking. A good example of the risk is the instructions for your first dose of this medication. "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 16px;">Your first dose of Gilenya will be given in a doctor's office, hospital, or clinic. You will be observed for 6 hours following your first dose." <a href="http://www.drugs.com/cdi/gilenya.html">Drugs.com/Gilenya</a></span><br />
<br />
If you don't have a heart attack and die.. you get a prescription.<br />
<br />
Seems safe enough to me. With the added price tag of approximately $48,000 per year, this is probably one of the most expensive forms of Russian Roulette you could play. And supposed experts such as Dr. Freedman, are pushing this poison on patients that don't know better.<br />
<br />
I am not sure if this is much better than the risk of Tysabri and PML infections. But, since no one would answer my big Tysabri question on why so much phosphate is added to the infusion. I think I have my answer now. People that stop Tysabri, will forever be trying to increase their phosphate levels with supplements as it seems that Tysabri eats phosphates. Too bad you need phosphates to live.<br />
<br />
Not surprisingly, the two most dangerous drug treatments, are also the most expensive, and have never been proven effective. They only way they could be proven effective is if they STOPPED the relapses. They don't. Why would they push a drug like this? Simple economics. RRMS is the most common form of the disease with approximately 85% of all people with MS. Roughly, 1 million people easily world wide. If Novartis could get complete market share meaning that every person with RRMS was "forced" to use it's drug, they could look at revenues of almost $50 billion. PER YEAR!<br />
<br />
They don't make drugs for my form of MS. People with RRMS should take particular note of that. If they can not make an effective drug for progressive forms of the disease, what are the chances they can make one for your form? The answer of course is slim to none but they do appreciate your money.<br />
<br />
Welcome to reality. The CCSVI treatment has more than proven itself with evidence and is deemed unsafe. Unsafe compared to what? Our other choices?<br />
<br />
Every month we have to pay a bill to the hydro companies for the power we use. We don't like it, but we really have no choice. This of course goes on for many years, and as long as we want to have power, then we have to pay. Then one day along comes a man that has designed a process that allows you to convert all the wasted power back into energy that you can use. Instead of having to pay for power every month, you can eliminate that bill altogether with one simple conversion. It may not be permanent, but at less than the cost of one month's power bill, having to redo it in a few years would still be livable. <br />
<br />
The hydro companies would go ballistic. They would say it is unsafe or illegal. They would call the people that promote this technology scammers and charlatans, and the people that use it would be treated as criminals. Important to note would be if you had any issues following the conversion, the hydro company would refuse to help you because you didn't want to pay a monthly bill.<br />
<br />
Welcome to the world of Multiple Sclerosis and our neurologists.Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-20432040608046984112011-03-19T16:59:00.000-03:002011-03-19T16:59:15.363-03:00How Many Have To Die Canada?With the current rate at 400 per year in Canada, an average of just over 1 patient dies every day in this country as a result of Multiple Sclerosis. On a grand scale, that doesn't mean much, unless you look around the room right now as you read this and select one person you love. Now imagine that person dieing a horribly violent death after years of suffering needlessly. Death from Multiple Sclerosis is not like death from a heart attack. It is a slow, painful, debilitating disease with death usually resulting from organs being shut down by damage done to the nervous system.<br />
<br />
Today was Bill's turn. Although we had never met, Bill is my brother. Not biologically or even by choice, but because we were forced to endure our pain and suffering. Bill's wife applied to the same heartless Health Minister to plead for a compassionate request to save Bill's life, like like my family and I did. And again she refused. Out of pure luck, I was able to be treated, proving in fact that this procedure will save your life, to now have to live with the death of Bill that could have been easily prevented.<br />
<br />
For months, thousands of people with Multiple Sclerosis in this country have been screaming about the deplorable inactions of our elected officials with their "wait and see" approach to allowing venoplasty on MS patients. Nova Scotia Health Minister Maureen MacDonald (NDP), has taken inaction and turned it into murder. Twice now she has denied legitimate compassionate requests to save lives. Both times she denied them in hopes that they would die forever leaving the question unanswered of whether it would work or not.<br />
<br />
William Peart's death this morning and my being able to write this now, prove that it could have worked. It has also proven to the people of Nova Scotia that this elected official that is supposed to have our best interests at heart, only cares for her own personal agenda. She made a choice and chose to let Bill and I die. I fought back, because we all have choices.<br />
<br />
Bill's family now has the choice to pursue legal action against Maureen MacDonald for a wrongful death. I will gladly hand over the paperwork I have as I didn't like the thought of my family having to do it all. So I did it before I died.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnq0Biiiuz1_tR6TP_VOInQGHOeUST7FErmbIt7gkA_5S5jBLaaZiIkznhNY7-267H0AGgNekA31ahmyn7S2miU4mYK-QyiXvtRTYVmwQcQioMcxOD3zL4N8IMYMvV7uoQvUCxg04H3BFN/s1600/angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnq0Biiiuz1_tR6TP_VOInQGHOeUST7FErmbIt7gkA_5S5jBLaaZiIkznhNY7-267H0AGgNekA31ahmyn7S2miU4mYK-QyiXvtRTYVmwQcQioMcxOD3zL4N8IMYMvV7uoQvUCxg04H3BFN/s200/angel.jpg" width="133" /></a>The people of Nova Scotia have the choice of calling for an election, removal due to conflict of interest, or have the the Nova Scotia Attorney General do the right thing and file charges against Ms. MacDonald.<br />
<br />
Sadly, Bill didn't get to have a choice. Maureen MacDonald took that away. So while Bill is watching over us that continue to suffer, we can only be comforted at the thought that he no longer has to. His family are now still forced to suffer knowing that the one person that could have saved his life, refused.<br />
<br />
Of course Ms. MacDonald can also make another choice, but the intelligent one for her and her party now would be to allow the procedure once and for all in this province, quietly resign her position, and move very, very far away.<br />
<br />
Our province's elected officials have been caught stealing from our public coffers and now our Health Minister commits murder. How many more have to die?Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-87501297165967254662011-03-11T09:42:00.000-04:002011-03-11T09:42:36.894-04:00It's Time for AnswersBill and Donna Peart live in Nova Scotia. Bill has has fought hard and suffered with Multiple Sclerosis for 16 years. Now the disease is winning. Bill even has an appointment outside the country to get the CCSVI treatment that will undoubtedly save his life. Sadly, this appointment is over a month away and Bill can no longer travel.<br />
<br />
Appeals again sent to the Nova Scotia Minister of Health to save his life were like mine met with the same basic response. She would rather let him die a painful death. The part she doesn't realize is that some of the people getting this treatment are now again returning to the work force, paying the taxes that are keeping her employed.<br />
<br />
Bill is now unable to eat and is looking at a feeding tube to pump food directly into his stomach. Because I have been there, I can tell you now as this disease progresses he will ask to be euthanized to end his torture. That also will be denied. Remember you are allowed to put down an animal to keep it from suffering but humans are forced to endure it because of stupidity. Donna and the rest of Bill's family will also be forced to endure this torture as well without ever knowing why.<br />
<br />
I cannot comprehend how someone could display so much intelligence to be put into such a powerful position, yet is making such an asinine decision. There is no logical reason for her to do this unless she has a hidden agenda. So I have asked her boss, Nova Scotia Premier, Darrel Dexter. I suggest everyone else do the same. Let's see if they have the balls to be honest or continue to be murderers hiding behind a thin veil of political bullshit.<br />
<br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">Dear Mr. Premier,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">By now I am sure that you as well as the rest of the people in this province realize that your Party made a grevious error with your selection for our Minister of Health.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">Your selection for our Health Minister has just condemned another taxpayer in this province to death. The first person was me and that is yet to be dealt with. I have my death sentence in writing that states that her reply to me was only to appease you. Fortunately for me with the help of many friends and being forced to break a few laws, I was able to be successfully treated and am still alive.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">Last night CTV news reported that your Health Minister is going to force Bill Peart, another patient with MS, to die. This patient is no longer able to travel, meaning he can't even take the risk that I took. His only option will now be to suffer and die to only add another nail to your political coffin.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">There is no logical reason to deny this treament in Nova Scotia other than to further a corporate agenda. The NDP is all about taxes in this province, so let me enlighten you to what the 3000 people with MS and their friends and family know and are teaching your voters.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">People in this province on fixed incomes can not afford to live here because our taxes are higher than anywhere else and we are provided less services. The amount of taxes that are collected and handed over to the Department of Health is exorbatently deplorable. The current average cost that MS patients in this province face is upwards to $50,000 per year in medications. The average lifespan of someone using these drugs might be at best 20 years. This is paid for by you from us and we have 3000 patients.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">The cost to do one angioplasty treatment on one MS patients would be less than $5000. Even if this treatment needed to be performed every 6 months, it would still be a considerable savings while offering an improved quality of life for the patient and their family. This alone would be a major win for the rest of the province as taxes could be lowered and I could stop doing all of my shopping in NB. We save approximately $150.00 per shopping trip by driving 10 minutes out of the province.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">There are very little risks to this treatment and it is proving to be more and more effective every day. The only risk has been political inaction and the refusal by Canadian doctors, including to myself, to have proper aftercare. Simply put, you could actually save lives and a lot of money by just doing the "right" thing for the people of this province. We aren't asking for this to be etched in stone that every MS patient will get this treatment. All we want is to be able to make our own informed choices. We can't do that if your Health Minister is mis-informed by the very people that stand to lose the most.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">You can fix this and possibly save your Party in the process. The Health Minister is refusing to take a risk in fear that something bad might happen. This is recified by having Mr. Peart and his family sign a waiver assuming all risk in the unlikely event that something should happen. If there is a cost associated that the Province does not want to cover, I am more than sure that Mr. Peart and his family with the help of friends could cover that. The procedure could be done in Halifax by a vascular surgeon such as Dr. Patrick Casey who has staff trained in the procedure. If Dr. Casey had any misgivings about performing the procedure, I am more than sure we could get an expert such as Dr. Sandy MacDonald to be on site with a simple invitation.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">The pay off for this is that Bill's wife and family will get to enjoy his new found quality of life along with him and not have to watch him suffer to his enevitable end, while you and the Nova Scotia NDP party become the country's hero instead of the disgrace it has become. Or your could ignore us as we have become accustomed to and be willing to commit murder along with your Health Minister.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">For months I have been racking my brain to figure out why our Health Minister would take such an inane stance that would cause people to suffer and die. I can only come to one conclusion and I will ask it right out, because you know we will find out regardless.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">Mr. Premier, is your Health Minister Maureen MacDonald or any other party member receiving incentives to keep this procedure from happening in Nova Scotia? I can see no other logical reasoning for this treatment to be denied just in the impact to quality of life and savings in taxpayers monies. The people suffering in this province deserve to know the truth.</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://premier.gov.ns.ca/contact/">http://premier.gov.ns.ca/contact/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.maureenmacdonald.ca/">http://www.maureenmacdonald.ca/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
Maureen MacDonald has solely removed the title of Honorable from the position of Minister of Health by committing the most dishonorable acts imaginable to the people of Nova Scotia.Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-51169612377321817082011-03-09T14:18:00.000-04:002011-03-09T14:18:35.968-04:00Things You Probably Don't Know About Multiple Sclerosis (and maybe shouldn't)People die every day from MS. It's true. The reason you don't hear much about these deaths is because of semantics. When you are diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis it is considered an incurable disease. When you die, an autopsy may or may not be preformed. Regardless, the outcome is the same, once you are labeled with MS, it doesn't matter if the neurological damage stops your heart from beating or your intestines close up not allowing food in, death will always be listed as "Died of Natural Causes." Therefore the claim that MS rarely kills is a blatant lie, everyone with MS will die, the aggressiveness disease just dictates how fast it will kill you.<br />
<br />
No one know what causes MS, or how it actually functions. Over the last 150 years, there have been two theories that are completely unrelated from two different branches of medicine. The original theory is that MS is a disease caused by vascular malformations blocking or disrupting blood flow from the brain allowing the blood to oxidize leaving trace elements of iron in the brain causing neurological damage. The second theory to emerge is that MS is an auto-immune disease. Meaning for some unknown reason the body's immune system starts to attack the insulation called myelin that covers the nerves. Neither are correct nor are they wrong, although this last year has proven some remarkable headway into the vascular side with the use of venous angioplasty by clearing obstructions and relieving some symptoms and possibly slowing or stopping progression.<br />
<br />
Multiple Sclerosis is one of the hardest known diseases to accurately diagnose. The disease can have over 50 different symptoms associated that can come and go at anytime. Symptoms can be as minor as a small patch of itching skin to a suicidal level of pain. Symptoms may persist for weeks or months, then suddenly stop for years. Also making diagnosis difficult are the number of other disorders that mimic many of the MS symptoms. These include Lyme Disease, ALS, stroke, as well as many others. Therefore the diagnosis criteria is a nightmare as you first need to rule out all the other disorders it could be.<br />
<br />
It is said that women are more than double than that of men in having MS. This I also don't think is entirely accurate. This is more likely due to mindset. Males of our species grow up with a slightly different doctrine than our female counterparts. "Suck it up and be a man." As children we are taught not to whine about minor aches, pains, or discomforts as it may show a sign of weakness. I myself went for years with my hands falling asleep every time I tried to hold on to a vibrating steering wheel. I ignored it. It got worse.<br />
<br />
For the most part, MS patients are the biggest liars in the world. They will try to walk, talk, and act normal just like everyone else. At least in the beginning. This is not a bad thing. It is only bad that they try to hide what is happening to them in an effort to appear normal to others. The good thing is that they also hide it from their loved ones. MS patients also have very evil thoughts when they hear the words, "Well you look so good", or "Maybe you just need some rest." Another lie that is hard to get them to admit to is wishing their disease on anyone else. It happens. It really is okay to be yourself now. They no longer lock us up in insane asylums for having this disease like they used to.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">MS patients get called names. Unfortunately, most of the name calling comes from friends and family members and starts even before you are diagnosed. I hear that in some instances, the name calling stops after the diagnosis, but not in my case, so I just take that as a rumor. Some of these names will be "lazy", "useless", "hypochondriac" and many more.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Every person with MS has an "expert" that knows exactly what they need. Again this is usually friends and family and sometimes it can be very contradictive. You should eat this or not eat this. You need to exercise, you need to rest more. The best thing to do is tell these experts to "shut up and leave you alone". The information they provide is useless to you and you won't get in trouble for being mean to them. (This is covered below with "mood swings.")</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span>The scariest aspect of MS is that any part of the body that is controlled by nerves (try to find one that isn't) can be affected. Imagine if you will that the meylin sheath covering the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">inferior anal nerves and or the inferior hemorrhoidal nerve becomes damaged. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">It can happen. These nerves are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">extremely</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"> important in the human body as they are the nerves that </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">distinguish</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"> the difference between a fart and a poop. Nothing more needs to be said. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">The medications they give us are actually doing more harm than good in most cases. A lot of the chemicals used in our medications are classified as carcinogens. The side effects of these medications can actually be worse than the disease and yet have never been proven to be effective. In some cases, these drugs actually caused the deaths of patients during clinical trials, yet are still approved. For example, one well known MS drug therapy for some reason also contains very high concentrates of </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">phosphorous which actually causes neurological damage on top of liver and kidney damage</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">The number one drug that has proven time and time again to be most effective is illegal for MS patients everywhere in the world, except Canada. Since Canada has the highest incidents of MS in the world, this is good for Canadians, but sucks for everyone else. Health Canada has approved cannabis for MS patients. Of the 60 known medicinal compounds in cannabis, over half can be directly </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">beneficial for symptom relief and disease management. Some of these benefits are from the CBD's in the plant that act as vasorelaxants, antispasmodics, neuroprotectives, and analgesics. It works and there is no chance of overdose.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"> As a patient you will also be called and treated with two new nanes. Guinea pig and cash cow. Doctors will provide you with experimental medications in an effort to make you feel better while making them more money. The drug therapies that are approved for MS have a very high price tag. The newer therapies are costing $50,000 per year. This make an MS patient a very lucrative </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">commodity. Because of the competition of other drug manufacturers, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">sales representatives resort to incentive programs for doctors and clinics that prescribe their medications. When your MS doctor suggests a medication that you refuse, he isn't getting mad because you don't believe it will work, he is mad because he is making nothing off you. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"> You would also think that a person with MS would have a place to turn for help. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">Sadly</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">, this is also not true. Each country has a Multiple Sclerosis Society in one form or another. These organizations collect donations and do fund raising in the hopes of one day finding a cure. Their executive </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">positions</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"> are very well paid careers. The majority of the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">money</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"> they collect goes to </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">administration costs. The majority of the rest is used for advertising, and donations to pharmaceutical research in the form of grants. The last thing they would ever want is a cure for MS. For them to say otherwise is a lie as a cure means they will be unemployed. With the remarkable results by using angioplasty on MS patient's veins, you would think the MS Societies of the world would be embracing this as the most remarkable advancement in 70 years for MS patients. Sadly, evidence is showing that the societies sat on and deliberately hid a neurologists paper written in the 1970's that stated MS is vascular in nature and could be corrected. The societies' new tactic if you question this on their online forums, you will be banned and the question deleted. Ignoring the truth does not make it go away.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">Having MS is not the end of the world. You may wish for it at times, but it really isn't. You can also have a lot of fun with your MS. My favorite saying when someone wants me to do something that I don't particularly care to do has become, "I'm sorry, I'll be sick that day." MS can get you out of anything including jury duty. Doing this is actually more beneficial for your health than you may think. The most common trigger for MS relapses and flairs is stress. If you have to go to some function that you don't want to be at, you will become stressed. Stay home and your body will thank you for it. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">Although the cognitive impairments may prove to be disheartening and disturbing at times, you can still have fun with it. Especially if you have kids around. I myself successfully convinced a 10 year old that it is only logical to keep your liquid dish washing soap in the refrigerator. I still have no idea why I kept putting it in there. But I have a friend that keeps putting her laundry into the dishwasher. It happens, have fun with it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">You can also have a lot of fun with "mood swings" It is no wonder we get them. Our bodies and brains are wreaked with neurological damage. We are treated as outcasts and malingerers. With MS you can actually say all the things that you would never have said before because someone might think badly of you. So when you are standing in front of your doctor and he says something stupid, make sure you tell him so. Say what you want, when you want, and to who you want. If they don't like it and you feel bad, blame it on the mood swings, you can't help it as they are actually brought on by other people's stupidity. Plus keeping it bottled up in you just adds to the stress that is killing you. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">With an MS diagnosis you are given two choices. You have to decide which path to take. You can take the "curl up and die" attitude which would be just accepting that you are going to suffer and die, or you cling to that last hope that that pharmaceutical which is actually killing you faster, will eventually work. Or you can take the "fight back" attitude. This one may take a bit more effort but will be well worth it in the long run. This includes not listening to someone with a hidden agenda, researching information and double checking all that you find, and understanding your own disease. Then and only then, you will be able to make an informed decision on what form of treatment you want to attempt.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">Guess which choice I took? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-45488603540789907492011-02-27T23:56:00.000-04:002011-02-27T23:56:09.417-04:00Open Letter to the Nova Scotia MS Clinic<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Feb 27, 11</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr. Verandar Bahn</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dept. Head NS MS Clinic</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dear Dr. Bahn,</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would like to bring to your attention that my life has been threatened by one of your clinic's doctors.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If at anytime you think the content of this letter is insulting or condescending, please rest assured that this is a pale comparison to how I was treated at your clinic on Thurs. Feb, 24 by neurologist Dr. Richard Leckey.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I never asked for this appointment, my requests for an appointment with you were ignored last fall when I was dieing. Therefore, the bill for my consulting services and travel expenses to attend this meeting will be sent by postal mail. </span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr. Leckey was insulting and condescending, but what concerns me more is his statement of not knowing what stenosis is. His credentials are now questionable as stenosis is covered extensively in your first years of medical school. Dr. Bahn, I learned stenosis in my military first aid training. Or possibly Dr. Leckey was acting that way he was to impress the uninvited guest to that meeting, that I can only assume to be a pharmaceutical representative. Regardless, it was unacceptable. If Dr. Leckey does in fact know what stenosis is, then he blatantly lied to me. This is also not the first time I have been lied to by a neurologist from your clinic.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have also had the displeasure of meeting neurologist Dr. Alex MacDougall who told me that, “it would be impossible for me to have MS as the disease does not cause pain and only affects females”.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your clinic doctors are obviously not qualified to be practising medicine in this country. And you Dr. Bahn, are guilty of misconduct yourself by purposely modifying medical documents on a patient that wanted to travel for the CCSVI procedure. You did a very good job of assessing her as being much healthier than she actually was. Unfortunately, those records do not coincide with your previous observations. So that patient and her husband are anxiously awaiting her next appointment with you.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is all fine and good for you and your doctors to make your own rules, besides being treated the way I was, I have been denied aftercare by Dr. Richard Leckey because I left the country to save my life. This is a direct contradiction to what was said to us as patients by our Health Minister and is a direct threat against my life. As much as it pains you, you do not have all the facts and we know it as well as you. Your agenda now is to try to rake in as much money as you can off the backs of the sick and suffering people in this province while you still have time. Congratulations on being awarded two new clinical trials that should help with that.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, I am the person that exposed what the Novartis Gilyena sales reps were saying to and about MS patients. You can read it on my blog here <a href="http://savemarcelnow.blogspot.com/">http://savemarcelnow.blogspot.com/</a> as well as this letter and plenty of other tidbits proving that you do NOT have the MS patients' best interests at heart.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This new wonder drug that you are now going to push on the people of this province is responsible for the deaths of two people in their clinical trials. At a yearly cost of $50,000 per patient, and almost 3000 people suffering with MS in this province, you stand to lose a lot of money if the CCSVI treatment is allowed to be performed.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What this has boiled down to is a difference in Religious beliefs. You and your neurologist friends think you are God. Even other doctors bow down to your arrogance while secretly laughing behind your backs. Dr. Bahn, you are no god. You are nothing more than a man profiting off the sick and dieing while standing behind a glass wall.<br />
<br />
As a person living with a fatal form of MS, I will not be treated the way I was treated by your doctor. I have bowed down, begged, and pleaded for help from the Health Minister and people like you Dr. Bahn. I have received nothing. That ends now. </span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last November while at death's door, I, with the help of many friends, snuck out of this country to get a procedure that you condemn in an attempt to save my life. This was a calculated risk that paid off. I am still alive and getting stronger everyday. The Health Minister sent me a confirmation letter of her denying my compassionate request, with that, she gets the $12,000 bill for my procedure. Her refusal to even acknowledge my request will be her political suicide. You, on the other hand, may be facing criminal charges. </span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You and your doctors think the people in this province are uninformed. Rest assured you couldn't be more wrong. I would expect your doctors to start having more visits similar to what happened Thurs. The MS patients worldwide are banding together to teach others of the lies and destructive actions you and your colleagues are pulling. </span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seventy years ago, the Neurological Societies convinced some obviously ill informed people that MS was an auto immune disease. You have had 70 years to prove that, and all you have proven is that you give us drugs that kill us and at best case are no more than 30% effective for less than 10% of the people using them for our progression. Even that is subjective. The poisons you were feeding us weren't killing us fast enough, so you moved patients that didn't know better into trying chemotherapy treatments. Everyone of those patients is doing worse and will die. Chemotherapy actually kills more people than cancer, but is a great source of revenue for you. The offer made to me was for “high” doses.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We as patients have tried the diplomatic approach with you and the Health Minister. We have asked for meetings, we have shown proof, yet you continue to ignore and insult us. As well as insult other doctors for having the decency to help us. We will not stand to have our lives threatened and jeopardized for your personal greed. You should consider the hundreds of patients that have left or are leaving for treatment as the rock that is going to break your glass wall. </span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If Dr. Gerald Mckean and the other vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists in this province that are qualified to perform the procedure continue their cowardly actions of not standing up for us as patients because of fearing a bunch of misleading neurologists, they will be dealt with accordingly. Thanks to the actions of you, your doctors and the Honorable Maureen MacDonald, the time of diplomacy has ended and if you won't help us, it is time for you to step down.</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr. Bahn, all we as patients have ever asked is to be heard. The Hippocratic Oath states that a doctor is to do no harm. Dr. Bahn, ignoring us will kill us. Those of us that have had the treatment have for the most part, regained some quality of life and dignity. More and more are getting better everyday. Some of us like me, are now able to live a bit longer with our families. But we still have MS and we still need help.<br />
<br />
We need proper follow up care such as venous ultrasounds to ensure proper blood flow is being maintained and monitoring for blood clots. This is already done in this country for patients that have had the same procedure for non-MS related issues. When we complain, we do not need a drug. We need you to listen to us as it is the drugs that we are complaining about. We know CCSVI is not the answer, but the benefits have more than proven it to the patients that you should be following and tracking those of us that have had it done. Above all, we need you to start treating us with at least the respect we deserve as humans trying to stay alive.</span></span></span> </span></span> </div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Marcel Gignac</span></span></span></span></span></div><div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></span></span></div>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-69079663403900816922011-02-16T09:22:00.000-04:002011-02-16T09:22:19.729-04:00Gilenya (Fingolimod) - New Oral MS Drug... "Warning"For the last few weeks, I have been working hard at avoiding stress in an effort to get better. I literally have tons of snow to move and it just keeps coming. So I am forced into exercising my body while giving my brain a much needed rest. Well the stress came back yesterday.<br />
<br />
As most people with MS know, before Dr. Zamboni came along, the biggest news to hit for MS is the development of new oral drugs to "help" control the progression of MS. This is important as up to this point the Disease Modifying Drugs (DMD's) have been either self injections or intravenous drips monthly in a hospital or clinic. These drugs actually do more damage than good in the long run due to their toxic nature. The side effects for most would be comparable to getting the flu. Not very fun when you get to feel like that 3 times a week.<br />
<br />
After years of using these drugs, most have found little benefit. At most, 30%. They claim this as a good thing while ignoring that 70% actually got worse or died. Tysabri, the newest of the DMD's has been pulled for being linked to causing PLM, (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">progressive multifocal leukoencephalopath<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">y)</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> a potentially deadly brain infection. Then obviously with enough money passing hands, it is again allowed to be risking peoples lives.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So the pharmaceutical geniuses decided to come out with a pill that could do the same thing as the rest of the poisons. Well, with 2 deaths during their clinical trials, they succeeded with their goal. At least the PLM wasn't identified until after trials, this new one we already knew would kill you before it went to market. Luckily for some of us that have been able to get the CCSVI treatment we won't have to worry about being poisoned to death.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For the last few years, I have been stressing that we as patients are nothing but "cash cows" for doctors and pharmaceutical companies. A lot of people have a hard time believing this. I have even been openly attacked for saying such things by people that trust their doctors and they poisons they are fed. Of course these people have never bothered to verify or even ask if a drug is safe. They just take it and when they die they blame it on God. Probably why so many doctors think they are God, they are doing His work... </span>prematurely of course.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> So for the people that believe the crap they are fed I am more than happy to share the following.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Yesterday I was sent a link to a message board thread on the pharmacafe.com website. This website is set up for </span>pharmaceutical<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> reps to.... well... basically discuss how to screw over other reps and patients. An MS patient looking for information on the new drug, Gilenya, and found something much more disturbing than just an unsecure message board. So in an effort to promote honesty, I will share some of the gems posted by the reps that visit your doctors. Also important to note is these cowards post as anonymous for their own safety.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">The conversation is in regards to a story here </span><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-19/doctors-prescribed-novartis-gilenya-ms-pill-13-times-citi-says.html?cmpid=yhoo">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-19/doctors-prescribed-novartis-gilenya-ms-pill-13-times-citi-says.html?cmpid=yhoo</a>, that showed the dismal failure out the gate of the launch of Novartis' new "Wonder Drug".<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" class="tborder" id="post3696042" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #cccccc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: black; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eaeaea; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3"><tbody>
<tr><td nowrap="nowrap" style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div id="postmenu_3696042">Anonymous</div></td><td style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" width="100%"> </td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" valign="top"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>Posts: n/a</div><div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
<tr><td class="alt1" id="td_post_3696042" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Default" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/images/icons/icon1.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" title="Default" /> <strong>Re: Gilenya in trouble already?</strong></div><hr size="1" style="color: #cccccc;" /><div id="post_message_3696042">Don't forget, 13 Rx = $650,000 a year. First week is meaningless. Know how long it takes to get an appointment to see your neuro? Think general neuros want the waiting rooms filled with patients before they even get a grasp of monitoring and how to do it? We'll find some way to screw it up (like every launch), but this drug will make $$, and any rep who can't make a great bonus on this initial incentive plan is an idiot and should be made to trade places with any CV or neuro or Fanapt rep waiting for the ax to fall....</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" class="tborder" id="post3700440" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #cccccc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: black; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eaeaea; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3"><tbody>
<tr><td nowrap="nowrap" style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div id="postmenu_3700440">Anonymous</div></td><td style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" width="100%"> </td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" valign="top"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>Posts: n/a</div><div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
<tr><td class="alt1" id="td_post_3700440" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Default" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/images/icons/icon1.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" title="Default" /> <strong>Re: Gilenya in trouble already?</strong></div><hr size="1" style="color: #cccccc;" /><div id="post_message_3700440">I along with many collegues are not seeing the Rx's come in. These doctors are as frightened as they comen many more are not writing than are. And the folks that are writing a lot are very few and far between. Not hitting the panic button yet, but for a drug so anticipated no one is using it. MC tiers is not helping the situation either, but that's no excuse at the end of the day.<br />
<br />
And here come all the barrage of your a loser comments. I know, I know. But that doesn't change the fact nationwide this med is currently sluggish at best.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" class="tborder" id="post3701078" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #cccccc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: black; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="alt1" id="td_post_3701078" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eaeaea; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3"><tbody>
<tr><td nowrap="nowrap" style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div id="postmenu_3701078">Anonymous</div></td><td style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" width="100%"> </td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" valign="top"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>Posts: n/a</div><div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
<tr><td class="alt1" id="td_post_3701078" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Default" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/images/icons/icon1.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" title="Default" /> <strong>Re: Gilenya in trouble already?</strong></div><hr size="1" style="color: #cccccc;" /><div id="post_message_3701078">This is what you get, when you hire a bunch of idiots who know nothing about the MS market, reimbursement nor biologic therapy. I bet you, all 13 pts were from clinical study centers. Gilenya is priced 10% to 15% higher than Tysabri, and Neuros make money off its infusions. Next, over half the sales force has never sold MS products, let alone Biologics. But that's Novartis for ya, greed always rules the day.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" class="tborder" id="post3708073" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #cccccc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: black; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eaeaea; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3"><tbody>
<tr><td nowrap="nowrap" style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div id="postmenu_3708073">Anonymous</div></td><td style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" width="100%"> </td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" valign="top"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>Posts: n/a</div><div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
<tr><td class="alt1" id="td_post_3708073" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Lol" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/images/icons/lol.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" title="Lol" /> <strong>Re: Gilenya in trouble already?</strong></div><hr size="1" style="color: #cccccc;" /><div id="post_message_3708073"><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 5px;"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 2px;">Quote:</div><table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eaeaea; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: inset; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: inset; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: inset; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: inset; border-top-width: 1px; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>Originally Posted by <strong>Anonymous</strong> <a href="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/showthread.php?p=3707756#post3707756" rel="nofollow" style="color: black;"><img alt="View Post" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/images/buttons/viewpost.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" title="View Post" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic;">This is why this industry sucks. Here we have a guy who is happy to see a good drug fail because he wants to make money. I hope you get cancer and the drug that is saving your life get pulled because of bradicardia.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>I know! Come on every patient is different and there is a therapy for each patient. Maybe it's a weekly IM, or an every day or every other day injection. Maybe it's an oral. This launch means there is one more option for patients. Would I make the oral my first choice if I was an MS patient. Probably not unless the existing therapies with a safe track record did not work then I would take the risk.........my point is there are patients for this drug.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
Just some of the interesting things they say when they don't think anyone is watching. But of course, MS patients will always speak up.<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" class="tborder" id="post3810981" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #cccccc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: black; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eaeaea; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3"><tbody>
<tr><td nowrap="nowrap" style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div id="postmenu_3810981">Anonymous</div></td><td style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" width="100%"> </td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" valign="top"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>Posts: n/a</div><div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
<tr><td class="alt1" id="td_post_3810981" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Default" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/images/icons/icon1.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" title="Default" /> <strong>Re: Gilenya in trouble already?</strong></div><hr size="1" style="color: #cccccc;" /><div id="post_message_3810981"><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 5px;"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 2px;">Quote:</div><table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eaeaea; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: inset; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: inset; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: inset; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: inset; border-top-width: 1px; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>Originally Posted by <strong>Anonymous</strong> <a href="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/showthread.php?p=3810942#post3810942" rel="nofollow" style="color: black;"><img alt="View Post" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/images/buttons/viewpost.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" title="View Post" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic;">Real MS patient. Found this board when researching the cost of Gilenya. I was rx'd this drug by my neuro. I've gone through all the tests and qualified. Just got a call from a Gilenya rep about my insurance coverage. I have excellent insurance but this drug is still classified as a "non-formulary" drug. As such, my co-pay would be 60% making my out of pocket cost $2351.53 per MONTH. I qualify for the Novartis assistance of $800 per month or $10,000 per year. This still does NOT in any way make this drug affordable. So, this will be a script that will NOT be filled. I know many other MS patients in the same boat. If this is any indication, this drug is in trouble until the insurance companies add it to their formularies.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>Other MS patient. Your out of pocket balance after $800.00 reimbursemet is my mortgage, property taxes, car payment, car and homeowners insurance rolled into one monthly payment.<br />
<br />
No wonder the drug isn't selling.<br />
<br />
What gives anyone the right to charge nearly $50,000/year for a drug regardless of its cost, to develop, orphan status, marketing expenses, doctor payoffs, etc. And you wonder why the medical care, insurance, pharma, biotech are so screwed up. Something is terribly wrong.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
The drug costs more than any of the other drugs. It is not covered by insurance. And it CAN kill as proven in their own trials. And they will keep pushing it with lies just like every other drug they sell.<br />
<br />
So for the ones that still believe that the pharmaceutical companies are in it for you and not the money, you should seriously rethink the rest of your life. You can die a slow suffering death brought on by poisons and toxins. Remember, Ibuprofen is made of known carcinogens. Do you think they care what you take as long as they make money? The next option of course could be suicide as this would prevent some long term suffering as well as free up valuable breathing space. Or, you could grow a brain and see what these people are doing to you. Get off your anti-depressants. The reason they push the pills on you is to shut you up.<br />
<br />
The entire thread can be found here <a href="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/showthread.php?t=441892&page=2">http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/showthread.php?t=441892&page=2</a>, and I will forewarn you that the MS patients have taken it over. But you can find gems like....<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1" class="tborder" id="post3853039" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #cccccc; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(11, 25, 140); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; color: black; font-family: verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="alt1" id="td_post_3853039" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eaeaea; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="3"><tbody>
<tr><td nowrap="nowrap" style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div id="postmenu_3853039">Anonymous</div></td><td style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" width="100%"> </td><td nowrap="nowrap" style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" valign="top"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>Posts: n/a</div><div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></td></tr>
<tr><td class="alt1" id="td_post_3853039" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Default" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/images/icons/icon1.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" title="Default" /> <strong>Re: Gilenya in trouble already?</strong></div><hr size="1" style="color: #cccccc;" /><div id="post_message_3853039"><div style="margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 20px; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 5px;"><div class="smallfont" style="font: normal normal normal 11px/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 2px;">Quote:</div><table border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
<tr><td class="alt2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #eaeaea; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border-bottom-style: inset; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: inset; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: inset; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-style: inset; border-top-width: 1px; color: black; font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><div>Originally Posted by <strong>Anonymous</strong> <a href="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/showthread.php?p=3852980#post3852980" rel="nofollow" style="color: black;"><img alt="View Post" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/images/buttons/viewpost.gif" style="vertical-align: middle;" title="View Post" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic;">I do not care about the MS patient or any type of patient. My job is to make money to put food on the table for my family. I will do anything to make as much money as I can make. I could care less about MS, patients, future therapies. I need to make money today and the MS patient allows this to happen.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>You're disgusting!</div><div><br />
</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>We are all Cash Cows.</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutTb7oImRYGcf9mjvBOrDanEXLgExO0h9PxsTfoclefZLSuKLKD0qC7Y09j3KeRhNGq8QxmFC9Q3g0rLrvkz-LbL1d0nIgWbCBpsfJAOG4r1iH57oYn_qyxEyTl0vE2Uqsn8TdmuHqODN/s1600/cashcow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhutTb7oImRYGcf9mjvBOrDanEXLgExO0h9PxsTfoclefZLSuKLKD0qC7Y09j3KeRhNGq8QxmFC9Q3g0rLrvkz-LbL1d0nIgWbCBpsfJAOG4r1iH57oYn_qyxEyTl0vE2Uqsn8TdmuHqODN/s320/cashcow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-79578339431466239302011-01-18T10:47:00.000-04:002011-01-18T10:47:08.191-04:00Why Do We Need Clinical Trials For CCSVI?Am I the only one having a problem with this?<br />
<br />
Clinical trials are designed to test the effectiveness and safety of pharmaceutical products. It also serves as a great way to make a lot of people a lot of money. The cost to bring a drug to market through trials range to about $100 million. When you are a patient in a clinical trial, you essentially give up your rights as you are taking these drugs at your own risk. If you die.. the only outcome is that the drug "might" be considered unsafe. It doesn't mean it won't go to market, it just means they may have to add a couple more warnings to the label.<br />
<br />
As a patient in a clinical trial you become nothing more than a guinea pig for a pharmaceutical company. The only difference, you have to go home and feed yourself, while the actual lab animals used for testing get to be fed by their handlers.<br />
<br />
Clinical trials for surgical procedures to be allowed is unheard of. How many patients went through clinical trials for heart transplants before other patients were allowed to get new hearts to be able to live? Where are the results of these studies? I can't find them. Nor can I find any results for clinical trials for angioplasty, any transplants, venoplasty for diabetics, appendectomies or even tonsillectomies. It is unheard of for a surgeon to need a clinical trial to do an operation to save someones life.<br />
<br />
So my bigger question would be, "Who is the stupid ass that even mentioned the words 'Clinical Trail' for CCSVI?<br />
<br />
The CCSVI procedure is the same procedure used in hospitals around the world every day. A wide range of patients need and receive the simple angioplasty procedure. The same procedure that I had done in my jugular and azygos veins. And I lived. Actually, I got much better. I never got cured and I never got fixed. I got better.<br />
<br />
The world runs on greed. It is a sad fact and a lot of us refuse to admit it. But it's true. It is no secret that MS is big business. A life long incurable disease that causes major suffering. A pharmaceutical companies dream. An endless supply of guinea pigs. It is no secret that the Neurological Societies of the world have taken the medical world by the throat displaying some of the most outrages God complexes ever seen. It is also no secret that the CCSVI information came out just before the clinical trials for several oral MS medications were to be released.<br />
<br />
For MS patients, Disease Modifying Drugs (DMD's) such as Rebif, Avonex and all the others need to be injected. A major complaint for these patients is adverse reactions like flu symptoms to injection site issues such as scarring. After about 20 years of complaining, the pharmaceutical companies started to develop the same poisons in a pill form. These are the kind of drugs that cost a $100 million to run trials on. The cost of these drugs are no different than the cost for the injectables and in some cases they are more expensive. The payout for these drugs will exceed $ trillions. Or so they thought.<br />
<br />
Then along comes a vascular surgeon in Italy who was tired of seeing his wife suffer from this disease. I have no doubt that he read the theories about MS possibly being a vascular condition. They have been around for almost 130 years. Even German Neurologists suspected this, but had no way to prove it. Until Dr.Zamboni comes along thinking outside the box. He found a way to image it so it could be seen. Though not yet perfect, major obstructions/constrictions can be seen. He showed he could see blood not properly draining from the brain due to anomalies to the veins returning blood back to the heart. Then he figured out a way to correct them. And it worked.<br />
<br />
Since then, literally thousands of MS patients have had this procedure done. There have been very few complications. Although a couple have actually died and that could be upsetting, until you see the results of what killed them. They died because their doctors at home refused to treat them because they had a simple angioplasty procedure. So it wasn't the procedure that killed them, it was their own greedy doctors that did it. Regardless, this procedure has killed a lot less than heart transplants did until they got that right. The procedure is safe, it's our politicians and greedy doctors that are trying to kill us.<br />
<br />
The Clinical Trial for CCSVI is a cash grab. Researchers will make a ton of money in grants. The researchers that are running these trials for the most part are running them to prove they don't work. This could be a stall tactic to allow time to generate more revenue for the losses about to be incurred. It could also be designed to fail from the beginning. There is no way that a DMD would go to market if the facts were presented honestly. A trail that shows 30% may have had some improvement looks a lot better than the 70% of patients experiencing no change/worsening/dieing of disease/drug. So it is easy to leave out the 70% who got worse or died. Regardless, it is still greed driven.<br />
<br />
But the greed doesn't stop there. Now MS patients are flying all over the world and paying upwards to $25,000 for a simple procedure that could be done at home for less than $5000. And $5000 is being very generous as the cost in Canada is closer to $2500. Patients are also finding out that some of these clinics doing these procedures are not all the end all to be all. Some find they are paying $15,000 to only have one side done then need to return in a couple months with another $15,000 to get the other side done. Medical Tourism has always been a great cash cow. Now they get to add MS to their portfolios.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgDvMntyir6MGjSknx_0MLsiFmUv491q9xymKAq5bVfWUJU3XiXnsfiB-OZB0WC2qldbm2v9jXC474vP45JAwLS7Nwyd8dVcWrOq6FKHxaB2bGu8mvGSiw8IHx59W1Hgz7OwKAhNnPrN7/s1600/ccsvi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgDvMntyir6MGjSknx_0MLsiFmUv491q9xymKAq5bVfWUJU3XiXnsfiB-OZB0WC2qldbm2v9jXC474vP45JAwLS7Nwyd8dVcWrOq6FKHxaB2bGu8mvGSiw8IHx59W1Hgz7OwKAhNnPrN7/s320/ccsvi.jpg" width="286" /></a>I did find one Clinical Trial for a surgical procedure. It was actually done the same way that we as patients are asking for. They didn't take a bunch of patients and controls run them a bunch of tests on them. They went to the patients that had the procedure done. Then they used the data to find the BEST surgical procedure to achieve the BEST results. The results were, no change regardless of the procedure method and the surgical condition was Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.<br />
<br />
There are literally thousands of MS patients worldwide that have had this procedure done. They are all screaming to be heard that this works so others don't have to suffer. Their doctors and politicians refuse to listen. We as patients know this works. We also know it is not a cure and we still need help. But our doctors refuse to listen to that also.Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-90620661969837624732011-01-07T20:08:00.000-04:002011-01-07T20:08:11.383-04:00How Many Have Ignored This As Well?I spend a lot of time online. I have no choice because I am always searching. Sometimes, things just appear that catch my attention. The following is a letter that was posted online that I received permission from the author to share with you. When I read this letter I actually smiled, and I am sure most of you won't. But after you read the letter, I will explain why I am smiling.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>When I was a young man, (Well around the age of 8 years,) I remember one summer afternoon, I was playing with my Tonka trucks on the front yard with one of my friends. Then, out of nowhere, a town police cruiser pulled over a middle-aged man driving a big blue car. The sirens & bubbles really caught our attention because we spent most of our childhood watching the show COPS on television. We walked over to the very end of the yard where we weren't allowed to go any further, to watch the interesting situation. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>The police officer walked to the drivers side door of the big blue car, and started asking the man questions, I couldn't quite hear what they were discussing due to the loudness of the busy street, but we had a front-row seat to see what was happening. After a few minutes, the policeman opened the door and was telling the man to step out of the car, the man did not hesitate, and it looked like he was very cooperative. Standing on the side of the road, the man seemed very embarrassed. As the police officer searched through his car, he noticed the two of us watching what was happening and nicely waved to us with a big smile on his face. As kids, we were told to never talk or communicate with strangers, so we just starred at him blankly. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>We changed our attention over to the police officer again, who was looking through the trunk. All of a sudden, the police officer gets out his weapon and points it at the man, immediately the man raised his hands in the air and knelt down on the pavement. The police officer walked up to him (still had his pistol pointed at him) & handcuffed the man, and made him lay on his stomach. The officer walked to his car, and started talking on the radio. After five minutes, two other police cars were on the scene. The officer who pulled the man over, showed the other policemen what was in the trunk. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>By this time, the traffic had calmed down & we could hear what they were saying. One of the officers, pulled out a big bag of marijuana from the trunk, I didn't know how much there was in the bag then, but now with a little experience I'm positive that he had about a half pound. The officer put the bag on the hood of the man's car & lifted him off of the pavement, they stood him in front of the car and asked him "Sir, what are you doing with this?" He replied "It's my wife's medicine." </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>The officers, after they shared some words, they started pulling him to the police car, I remember the look on his face as he shouted "You can't take her medicine! She needs it! Don't take her medicine!" They tossed him in the back of the cruiser like he was a murderer, the officer slammed the door closed & drove away. As the car drove a few feet in front of us, the man looked at us, with tears in his eyes. The other officers took the bag with them, and left. Later on, a tow truck picked up his car and that was it. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i> I'll never forget that experience, the man was kind and respectful but the police treated him like dirt. They took his wife's medicine, which the couple worked hard for & the police just threw it away, leaving the husband with a jail sentence & the wife with pain & sadness. </i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">This needs to end.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">-Adam J. Carpenter, New Brunswick.</span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br />
</span><br />
***Adam is a high school student from New Brunswick, Canada.<br />
<br />
Sadly this is a tragic story all way round. An 8 year old child witnesses a man humiliated and treated like a dangerous criminal. The man was not guilty of any crime, unless trying to save a loved one has become against the law. And many of you are probably not smiling after reading a story like that.<br />
<br />
Now, I will explain why I am smiling. This was written by a high school student. He saw this atrocity with his own eyes and it affected him. Whether he knew it at the time, he now realizes that he never should have seen anything like this. At his young age he actually understands. He's brave enough to come forward. Now imagine how many have also seen or known of these atrocities yet continue to ignore them,<br />
<br />
So of course I'm smiling, he's our future. We may still have a chance.Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-27412791747562649992011-01-06T07:22:00.000-04:002011-01-06T07:22:26.771-04:00A Candid Chat on MS, CCSVI, Cannabis, and More.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;">This is what happens when I get bored and start to ramble. I apologize that it is in 5 parts, but it is also being used in clips and sound bites by a few other people for projects in the works.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1-5</span></span><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/bvy8d49iBVQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2-5</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/WVh-vvk9jEo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">3-5<br />
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/_9TTeI70kCg/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_9TTeI70kCg&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_9TTeI70kCg&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">4-5<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/pp70PRPWYRc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">5-5<br />
<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://0.gvt0.com/vi/dVo_6FxXw6A/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dVo_6FxXw6A&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dVo_6FxXw6A&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the information that the healthy people need to stay healthy and the unhealthy people need to get there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-24632522292407478392011-01-02T21:39:00.000-04:002011-01-02T21:39:36.952-04:00Even I Can Be AmazedThis isn't really an update. It isn't even a story with a happy ending, nor a sad ending as the story is far from over. Nor is this an excuse for not updating more on my MS and recovery from the CCSVI procedure. Actually this isn't even about MS. But it does explain why I haven't been updating as much as I and others would like.<br />
<br />
I have no job. I have no money. But I do have a thirst to keep people from suffering. I should have become a doctor but I didn't. (Probably would have had my license pulled for caring about patients.) So I help by passing on knowledge and contacts. I am a consultant. I consult to a number of patients, groups, and doctors.<br />
<br />
I do not sell drugs. I don't even give them away. I help patients and their families secure a safe supply, and I provide the information on how to best administer. I work with the patients and their doctors on filling out the required paperwork for Health Canada as well as educate.<br />
<br />
A week before Christmas I was contacted by email about a patient needing some assistance and the referral came from a doctor I work with quite often. The one requesting my help was her husband and I will call them Mr. and Mrs. H. Mrs. H. was diagnosed with breast cancer last spring. She underwent a double mastectomy and 30 different radiation treatments. This fall during the last of the radiation treatments she was advised that she also had a brain tumor that was spreading rapidly. The morning I was sent the email the family were just advised that there would be no way that she would make it home for Christmas and being that their family lives overseas, it might be time to start making some of those calls no one wants to get.<br />
<br />
Quickly I realized I wasn't going to have a very good Holidays if she was suffering. By Monday morning, Mr. H had all of the paperwork filled out and signed by both his wife and a doctor and were sent priority rush to Health Canada. On the Sat. Mrs. H. had her first ever medicated cookie. Then again on Sunday, then again on Monday when I got a call from Mr. H. that his wife was doing much much better as she was eating again and joking with the nurses, and they expected her to be home by Wed.<br />
<br />
So the family that was told they better start calling the rest of the family on Friday brought their mother home on Wednesday so she could spent Christmas at home with her family. Even I was stunned. Her husband told me that she was a strong woman, but I was still shocked. And of course extremely excited and happy for the family. But I have also been around long enough to understand the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Prednisone "Superman Effect" and any drug including cannabis can do this. If you get relief from pain, you may just feel like Superman, but you will hurt yourself if you are not careful.</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I wished them well, made them well aware that even though she felt good, she had to take it easy, and made arrangements to meet with them at their home today. Except things never work out as planned. Instead of getting to meet her at her home, I am rushed off to the hospital to meet her.</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Over the Holidays the one thing I hoped wouldn't happen, happened. She started to taste the medicine. I can totally understand how she feels. As much as I love the baked goods, the underlying flavor reacts with my gag reflex, and it happened to her. Because they didn't want to ruin my Holidays, (grrrrr) they decided to wait until today to tell me that she stopped eating the medicine and was back in the hospital.</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We got to the hospital, and were met by a nurse that informed us that she did not have a very good night and that they have called in her doctor because it doesn't look good. Her husband and I went to her room and I found me. Or basically what I looked like a few months ago. I have lived with so much pain that I know pain and better yet, I know when someone else is in pain. My heart ripped. Unable to sleep, unable to be awake, and unable to keep even a sip of water down. I more than know what that is like. I also realized that there was no way we would be discussing whether she wanted to try the same medicine in a different form. </span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Except her husband asked her, and her fear was not being able to keep it down and whether or not it would react with the high doses of morphine they were pumping into her. First and foremost, I never push anyone to do anything. Even in distress, a patient should have a choice. We left to bring me home so he could go back to be with her. On the way out we meet the doctor on the way in, that drags us into a private meeting room.</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I will call this doctor, Dr. B. because we have a few of them here. Dr. B proceeds to tell Mr. H. that it is very bad and they are pretty much out of options. Dr. B. and I had met before one time when I was the patient in distress, and he found out that I could help myself better then he could, but still insisted I was wrong. I have been given that prognosis by a doctor and it is devastating. The one thing I am thankful for is that it was given to me and not Chrissy. It was much easier on her for me to tell her than someone else. So I spoke up.</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Pretty much word for word I said the following....</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"I know how you doctors in this town feel about Rick Simpson and his claims of curing cancer, and anecdotal or not, the man regardless of his approach is proving to be right. I will not make a claim that it will cure cancer as I, no matter how many times I have been told I have it, do not have cancer. So I can't make that claim. But I do know pain and I know what it can do for pain, and I can back that up with Dr. Marc Ware's study that proved that more is better to remove pain. Narcotics do not remove pain and you as a doctor know this, you also know that the mechanism is designed to trick the brain and nothing more. Cannabis removes the pain. We are not asking you for permission, nor even a prescription as it is already secured. We are informing you that this will solely be her choice. My purpose is to not cure her of cancer but to make her more comfortable. We can do this with cannabis, and the other medicinal benefits of the plant can go without saying while knowing there will be no reaction with anything you prescribe. Will there be a problem with this?"</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">His response.... "Do we cut back on the morphine then?"</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">And again it is her choice. I explained that if it works for her pain then she will let them know that she doesn't need the morphine. We quickly discussed some signs that should be watched for and I was taken home. Mr. H. returned to find out his wife had a great chat about her using cannabis to see if it would help with the pain to at least help her be a bit more comfortable. She said he basically gave her his blessing to go ahead and try it.</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">That in itself could be the end of a story with an amazing ending, but of course, the show always goes on. I just got off the phone with Mr. H. I think if he could have gotten through the phone he would have kissed me. I gave Mr. H. the idea this morning to wait for about 10 minutes after a shot of morphine to see if she could keep a small sip of water down, if so another sip with a small dose. Well, just before noon she did. Mr. H. sat and watched her and right on schedule at about the 45 minute mark she started to change. She melted into her bed and rested. Then she woke up, and from the sounds of it proceeded to eat them out of house and home.</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Each dose will last 4 to 5 hours. Mr. H. was on his way back in to see her to give her another one and to grill her about how she felt after the first, with plans for another one at 10. You have to bow down to a man that loves his wife this much. Better yet, Mr.H wants to be there for when Dr. B. goes in again. To see if he wants to change that shitty prognosis yet.</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">So like I said, this story is far from over. Mr. and Mrs. H. still have a long hard road ahead of them, and we can only hope we still have time to pull off a miracle. But take it from someone that has been there.... when you can no longer eat, you no longer have the strength or will to fight. As long as she keeps eating she at least has a fighting chance. Stay tuned, this story is far from over and that is why I have been so busy. I really am out there trying to do my part.</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></em></span>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-36171895153499323202010-12-21T13:52:00.000-04:002010-12-21T13:52:12.132-04:00Canada Does Have Medical Cannabis For Patients<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/b6S5fQENC3I?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
While Health Canada promotes the propaganda of the prohibitionists by using media filled lies directed at our youth, they also run and control the Medical Marihuana Access Program that allows patients with debilitating diseases or disorders to medicate legally and safely.<br />
<br />
Many think there is no medicinal benefit to cannabis and they could not be more wrong. It is safe with no chance of over-dose. No one has ever died from it. Instead of destroying organs like chemical drugs, it rebuilds them to make them healthier. More than anything, I no longer have pharmaceutical bills surpassing $60,000 per year for MS medications that don't work like many others. We don't make that much money, so you as a tax payer would get to pay that bill for us.<br />
<br />
Instead, my medication works and it costs you nothing. In fact, it virtually costs me nothing. So you are welcome.Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-18833522515470337212010-12-20T10:17:00.000-04:002010-12-20T12:17:20.355-04:00Does This Help Explain Cannabis and Health?As a Cannabis Consultant that is quite vocal about the medicinal use of cannabinoids and what it has done for me and others, I do get a lot of email. It may not be possible to respond to every one, but I do read them all. I also get pretty much every manner of question from doctors, patients, and family members looking to help a patient. Sadly, people like me are usually the last ones to be contacted for help when in fact, we probably should be the first. But trust me, the doctors in Canada are slowly learning.<br />
<br />
Most recently I was asked a very simple question by a patient with Multiple Sclerosis. It only makes sense to share it and my response with you.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So how does cannabis help you?</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To understand how cannabis can help you, you first have to have a little understanding of the plant itself. The medicinal compounds in cannabis are in a group called cannabinoids. These would be THC, CB1,CB2, and different turpenes found in plants. The different strains of Cannabis Sativa are the result of breeding to achieve differing levels of active cannabinoids and turpenes. All strains can have a slightly different effect.<br />
<br />
While the governments' (mainly US), contend that there are no medicinal benefits to cannabis, the US Department of Health applied for and received a patent for Cannabinoids to be used as an Anti-oxidant and a Neuro-Protectant in 2003.<br />
<br />
Because the human body produces the same cannabinoids naturally, the body has receptors specifically designed to process the active ingredients. For the most part, these receptors are only used for cannabinoids. Because the body produces it naturally, it is not filtered through the renal system such as chemical pharmaceuticals or opiates. The highest concentrations of THC found in humans is in women during pregnancy in the breast milk. This has long been speculated to be an immune system boost to the newborn with it's first feeding.<br />
<br />
When you use it for the first time, the effect has a lot to do with the mode of use in how the side effects effect you. Inhalation either by smoking or vaporizing is by far the fastest route, with a maximum of side effects, but not very efficient due to the lung expelling 2/3rds of anything inhaled not being absorbed by the body.<br />
<br />
Ingesting with the right preparation is by far the most effective way as it allows virtually all of the medicinal ingredients to be used. Humans are not designed to digest plant matter in the way that grazing animals are, therefore just eating dried plant could end up being more detrimental than good. Therefore, since 2003 a grey area has existed in the Canadian legal system in regards to the Medical use of Cannabis in Canada where the Supreme and Appellate courts in Ont found that the Criminal Code in regards to Cannabis is of no force or effect when dealing with medicinal use. The part of the law that does come into effect is Trafficking.<br />
<br />
Essentially the many benefits of cannabis are still being found but regardless the condition, the cannabinoids are doing multiple jobs at the same time.<br />
<br />
Ignoring side effects as with a proper dosing schedule, a patients may only feel relief and no other side effects, the active compounds start to work within minutes.<br />
<br />
The first noticeable sign may be a slight increase in heartbeat, by approximately 10 to 15 bpm. This is normal and proving to be very therapeutic as the cannabinoids also act as a vasodilator improving blood flow through veins and vessels. This acts as a flushing system for the body. Unlike pharmaceutical blood thinners such as those used in stented angioplasty patients, cannabinoids do very little to the actual blood or vein walls. Instead it acts as a vasodilator by relaxing the muscles surrounding the vein making it very effective as well as very safe with red eyes. The red eyes really is a good thing.<br />
<br />
The vasodilation effect that relaxes the muscles for the veins is the same effect that relaxes spasticity, tremor, and muscle spasms in patients with neurological disorders. This of course also helps with pain. But the mechanisms of cannabis for relieving pain do not work like any other compound.<br />
<br />
Narcotic drugs such as opiates do very little to control pain. In fact, they are designed to do nothing for pain. Narcotics work by triggering pleasure sensors in the brain in order to trick the patient into thinking they are no longer in pain. If you ask the patient, they will freely admit that they still feel pain, but because they are high, they can deal with it.<br />
<br />
Cannabinoids actually help to shut off the pain sensors neurologically. This works very well for chronic pain, which is the pain that most patients can't describe. Acute pain will still be felt. This is important, as acute pain is designed to be a warning that a part of the body is undergoing trauma and needs attention. The importance of acute pain is most evident in patients with Leprosy. The leprosy damage is done to the nerves. The deformities to limbs are the result of not feeling pain. A stubbed to really hurts enough to help prevent you from stubbing it again until you have no feeling.<br />
<br />
Those are the best and most documented effects that can be felt. What cannot be felt is usually more important.<br />
<br />
Once in your system in a large enough quantity, cannabinoids, work even harder behind the scenes. Cannabis has been proven to destroy cancer cells. Not in the same was as radiation by going in and destroying both healthy and damaged cells, but instead by making the cancer cell destroy itself, while repairing the damaged cells around it.<br />
<br />
It has also been found to be very effective in controlling blood sugar, hormones, the digestive system, anxiety, and a host of other maladies. It will raise or lower blood pressure to normal values in many patients, while also helping to keep cholesterol levels in check. It is also used to help prevent nausea and increase appetite in patients undergoing cancer treatments.<br />
<br />
Topically, it has been very useful for removing warts including plantar's, as well as removing cancerous tumors. Application of a pure concentrate to a cut or burn usually results in much less pain or scarring with a faster healing time. The plant properties designed to protect itself in nature also prove beneficial to humans with the anti-bacterial and UV radiation protection properties.<br />
<br />
Because of Government stupidity fueled by greed, the most effective medicine known to man that has been used longer than any other medicine remains illegal. Meaning everything you have just read is medically considered anecdotal at best and only furthers the need for more studies.<br />
<br />
Except... Anecdotal or not, I am alive because of it and so are many, many others. The only way for anyone to know for sure is to try it themselves. And with the truth, they can try it themselves safely knowing that not one death in over 5000 years has been contributed to cannabis.</span></span>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-1232898047218398322010-12-18T18:36:00.000-04:002010-12-18T19:38:11.263-04:00Unsung Heroes in the Fight for CCSVI -- Dali Van Gogh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zruBHCyxnL5Ligmqf6gnnoQEyRpTP1LvwLzbRkpmel2KzBRoM22VuAnLMvpD_Y_OLFiZ1UlYPUK5cyr-ayk4YVwu7i2ZGJB7XdQ3LwXO6TBGJ2suXtNuJ5IXpwvv_h6C5ArLbaIWoJ4R/s1600/Dali+van+gogh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zruBHCyxnL5Ligmqf6gnnoQEyRpTP1LvwLzbRkpmel2KzBRoM22VuAnLMvpD_Y_OLFiZ1UlYPUK5cyr-ayk4YVwu7i2ZGJB7XdQ3LwXO6TBGJ2suXtNuJ5IXpwvv_h6C5ArLbaIWoJ4R/s1600/Dali+van+gogh.jpg" /></a>A couple weeks before my procedure, I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a fundraiser for our friend Crystal who was also getting the same procedure a week later than myself. The fundraiser itself was great and very well organized, but the music is what made it happen. One band in particular, Dali Van Gogh, intrigued me and not because the lead singer's name is Marcel, although that is pretty cool.<br />
<br />
This is a band that plays music I like. Old style rock that I loved growing up with. Probably not for everyones taste being along the style lines of old AC/DC and led Zeppelin with a hint of some Black Sabbath I think. You can of course get more information on the band here ... <a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/dalivangogh" style="background-color: white;">http://www.reverbnation.com/dalivangogh</a>.<br />
<br />
But it wasn't the music that intrigued me, it is the story behind why the band was there to begin with that caught my attention. Crystal was having a fundraiser and needed bands to play, Marcel (the band one) being a personal friend, was asked if his band could play. Marcel of course informed Crystal that he would have to first check with the band. They agreed and the fundraiser was a success.<br />
<br />
Now that in itself makes someone in my books a hero in the cause if you want to call it that. But of course, most things have a secret behind them, this being one.<br />
<br />
Marcel had to first check with the lead guitarist, Isaac Kent for a very good reason. The fundraiser is to support a patient with Multiple Sclerosis to raise funds for a procedure that could be easily done in Nova Scotia, but is being blocked by the current NDP provincial government. There wouldn't be any real controversy to this, except Isaac's mother is Becky Kent and she is an NDP MLA for Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage. And she voted no to letting Crystal try to save her life here like so many others need. More in this province still need care and are not going to be as fortunate as myself, Crystal and others. Which means they will suffer and die at her and her Parties hands.<br />
<br />
Now that could be controversial. But like most families, not all children see eye to eye with their parents and I am more than sure these two have discussed it in great detail. Isaac is quite open in his stance against his mothers decision to side with her Party. And for that, him and his band are HEROES.<br />
<br />
Plus.. Isaac, like many others here, also has a relative with this shitty disease. You figure it out.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, you should head over to <a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/dalivangogh">http://www.reverbnation.com/dalivangogh</a>, check them out, support them by buying a CD, or more importantly, thank them for what they do.Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-87430032208959678142010-12-17T11:45:00.000-04:002010-12-17T11:45:05.883-04:00Fat is Where It's At!In April of 1982, war broke out between Great Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands. Argentina's military invaded the Falklands and Britain responded by sending in a navel task force and amphibious assault. The war lasted for 74 days and resulted in 257 British and 649 Argentinian military dead. At the time I was full of piss and vinegar in Canada having been placed on Ready Alert for the event. We in the military watched this closely.<br />
<br />
Shortly after the war, we started to receive reports back. The one that caught my eye the most was a medical report in regards to troop performance. The Falkland Islands are a great place to raise sheep, but a terrible place for an armed amphibious assault. It is made up of a lot of hills with steep banks and a lot of rocks to climb over making it very exhausting for a soldier to climb a hill, run, shoot, etc, all while carry more than 70 pounds of gear.<br />
<br />
Soldiers of course were dropping due to fatigue brought on by physical exhaustion. Where it got interesting was the ones that were dropping first were the body builder types with very little fat. Where as the ones that would be considered overweight were in fact able to travel further distances for longer periods. This of course only makes common sense as the human body uses sugar to short bursts of energy and stored fat for energy when the sugar runs out.<br />
<br />
From that day on, I stopped going to the gym. I refused to replace energy for looks.<br />
<br />
Fast forward 30 or so years and I find that I made the right choice. I stayed large but not to the point of what I considered un-healthy. When that happened I would diet and get back to my comfort zone. A little over a year ago, I read a report that one of the specialists had written. The part that upset me was his description of me as being obese as I have never felt obese a day in my life.<br />
<br />
Over a period of 8 months, I lost weight at the rate of 10 pounds per month due to not being able to eat caused by the advancement of my MS. I am no longer what one could consider obese after having lost the equivalent of a small person. My weight hasn't been this low since I was in high school. But on the bright side, I have gained a pound back since my CCSVI procedure and am able to eat.<br />
<br />
I am not the only one that has been saved by being overweight. I do not believe anyone should be obese to the point where it is detrimental to their health, but society has made a grievous error by promoting thin as beauty. The conventional treatment for cancer is the same way. Patients that are overweight have a much better chance to survive than an underweight patient.<br />
<br />
Personally I think the worse thing ever was the inception of the Body Mass Index when it seems pretty obvious that that little bit of extra fat, could indeed save your life.<br />
<br />
I may not gain back all that weight. I may just accept this weight and go out and buy clothes that fit. But I have to wonder, if I didn't have that extra weight, would I have made it long enough to get the treatment that has obviously worked?<br />
<br />
The next time someone calls you fat, take it as a good thing. It really is.Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-60149800857401213132010-12-15T17:41:00.000-04:002010-12-15T17:41:35.962-04:00A Change in DirectionI am in what most would call recovery.<br />
<br />
I call it waking up from a four year nightmare to find out it was all true. For the last three years people have been telling me to write a book. The problem is if I wrote a book about the last four years and what I went through, it would look more like a fictional work along the lines of the Saw series of films. I lived it and I have a hard time believing it.<br />
<br />
A non-fiction book requires a lot of preparation work. That I can do. I have been researching so-called autoimmune disorders for the last four years. Unlike most doctors, I have actually listened to thousands of patients. Knowing how Medical Textbooks are written and how the information is derived makes it pretty easy to write a manual of corrections when you have the proper information.<br />
<br />
So instead of writing a book about my experience that would emotionally scar many, I will write a book on understanding MS. I just can't do anything with sugar coating, so it will be an MS Truths book. But a complete understanding of the disease as we as patients know it and not as our doctors think. How I am doing the book has not been completely decided. But initial thinking is it will be released by chapter in a separate blog attached to this one. Once completed, it may then be compiled and printed. Or the entire book will be kept hidden until completion. Regardless of the outcome, the book is about to become my job since I can't have a real one. I just won't get paid for it other than the satisfaction that hopefully someone can learn something.<br />
<br />
Now for the fun stuff. I still have a lot of recovery to do. Mentally I am going in leaps and bounds, physically it is still a challenge. This blog is going to continue in the direction I started except instead of bringing attention to my plight, I will use it to bring attention to everyone else. I still have a personal fight with the Nova Scotia Health Minister and I will continue with that path and share it here. But more importantly I will show you more that are going through what I have gone through and others that are helping pave the way.<br />
<br />
I do not hide that I have a problem with Pharmaceutical companies profiting off patients and doctors that are in it for the wrong reason. We as patients are obligated to inform other patients so they don't have to suffer like we have.<br />
<br />
I am alive because 1. a lot of amazing people helped donate funds for a procedure that goes against conventional medical thinking, and 2. I went against conventional medical thinking by using cannabis instead of just accepting a fatal disease and dying.<br />
<br />
Because I went public and told the truth that people do in fact die from this disease, I am now getting on average 5 messages a day from people or their loved ones that are also dying and have given up hope. The comments that have been made to some of these patients by their neurologists sicken me. And I am going to help all I can.<br />
<br />
I will try to keep the confusion to a minimum during this process and can only guarantee that it should have something for everyone.Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-71126080240438226842010-11-30T13:13:00.000-04:002010-11-30T13:15:52.029-04:00My Response to Maureen MacDonald's Email<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px; white-space: nowrap;"><span class="cgSelectable cgSelectable-over" cmd="msgaction_ext:subjectSearch" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: underline;" title="View all emails with this subject" widget=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Re: Correspondence - 102010026 - Marcel</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dear Ms. MacDonald,</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is in response to your email included below received on Nov. 18, 2010. Because of the timing of this letter and my worsening condition, I took this letter as it was intended, as a further attempt to shorten my life by adding more stress to my already compromised system. You have never hidden the fact that you are willing to let patients die in this province. You just conveniently skirt the issue so as to not look like the murderer.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It is no wonder why you are probably the most hated person in the province of Nova Scotia right now. MS patients do not take this disease lightly. Until you decided to take a stance that would kill patients, MS patients would never have wished their illness on anyone. From the comments that are being made, I do hope wishes do not come true for you and your family.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Because you have taken the liberty of condemning me to death by refusing treatment for a known fatal form of Multiple Sclerosis. I will also take the liberty to reply to your letter publicly to point out your errors and the importance of having you removed from your position as Minister of Health.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For simplicity sake, I have colored your email in red.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dear Mr. Gignac:</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Thank you for your e-mails dated September 13, and October 10, 2010, to</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">the Honourable Darrell Dexter and me, regarding the experimental</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">treatment for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The Premier requested that I</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">respond on his behalf.</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">First and foremost, the letters sent were directed to you and copied to the Premier. They were an official request for a compassionate intervention to possibly save my life. Your comment of responding for the Premier would infer you have no intentions on doing your job as mandated. This of course is only one of the reasons there is now a petition at </span><a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nsccsvi/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nsccsvi/</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> requesting you be removed as Minister of Health.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I mention the petition as it may look similar to a letter that was hand delivered to you by Mr. Alfie MacLeod (PC) that I wrote. The petition itself is not mine, it is based off that letter. The letter was shared and the petition was born. So a fair warning would be, that you are no longer dealing with me and a few of my friends, but more like 75,000 patients and their families and supporters.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I understand that you have spoken with Ms. Kathryn Morse, my Executive</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Assistant regarding your concerns. The Nova Scotia government is</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">concerned about citizens suffering from MS, and I want to reassure them</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">that we have their health and safety in mind as we make these difficult</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">decisions.</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have spoken to Ms. Morse several times, as you refuse to speak with me. Ms. Morse was also the one that suggested I try to find a doctor in this province who could do the procedure. We found several. We also found that they were t</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">r</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">ined in the exact procedure for treating CCSVI. Of course you also know we found out that the province was paying to have these doctors and technicians secretly trained. If the Nova Scotia government was concerned about citizens suffering from MS, I would not be expending the energy in writing this reply.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Currently no province in Canada is offering this treatment or doing</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">clinical trials yet. Here in Nova Scotia, there are no doctors prepared</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">to provide this treatment.</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is a blatant lie. The media reported on Dr. Gerald MacKean and his assistant being trained to do the procedure. These are the only names that were given and we apologize that they had to be named, but your Executive Assistant should have relayed the information to you instead of leaving us to pass it along as we did. Or you should have done your job and spoken to me. The only reason other doctors were not named is because I do not think it is right that they should be harassed by 3000 patients trying to save their lives, when you are the one responsible.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>At the recent Annual Health Ministers’ meeting, we agreed that the</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>best thing we can do at this point is to ask our staff to help</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>accelerate the research being recommended by the Canadian Institutes of</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>Health Research, without undermining the medical research. As Health</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>Ministers we want to be helpful, but require the medical and proven</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>scientific research and clinical results, before making decisions on</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>this important issue. We want to be sure that what we recommend is safe,</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>and proven.</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The meeting was a farce. The recommendations were taken from a panel of so-called experts all which have a vested interest in CCSVI not being offered. I also have to point out what your so-called experts are. They are readers. Nothing more. Every MS Neurologist became one by reading textbooks written by other doctors. Because this was written by doctors it is taken as Gospel. The part that you and others do not realize is that the information in those books, came from the interpretation that a doctor made about what his patients told him.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have read these books. I know where the mistake were made. If a patient can not effectively describe the 'feeling' of the symptom, then the doctor makes an assumption. And like you have done in your role as Health Minister making the assumption that you were listening to the real experts, are also wrong.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The only true experts in Multiple Sclerosis are the people that suffer from the disease. This goes for any disease. In this day and age, most people know enough to get second opinions. Like Health Ministers, doctors make mistakes. It happens everyday and is usually the result of making an assumption. You ma'am are getting your information from the wrong source.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It is clear to me that we need that research to balance safety with the</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">need for new treatments. We want answers as quickly as possible, so that</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">we can collectively move forward to determining what is in the best</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">interests of MS patients.</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It is clear to me that this province wants to move as slowly as possible in doing what is best for the people. It is no secret that Nova Scotia sits in the industrial armpit of North America. Our location is ideal for all of the airborne toxins from the west of Canada, as well as the Gulf Stream pushing the air up from the Eastern US Seaboard, to eventually swirl above Atlantic Canada until it is pushed to sea.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have always been proud to be from Nova Scotia, our province has had a great history and we hold many great records. Unfortunately we also hold some not so great records. Because of our location we have some of the highest rates in the world for neurological disorders and cancers. One record that NS should not be proud of is having the highest incidences of MS in the world and a Health Minister that refuses to help patients. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Instead of being famous as the <u>last</u> province in the country to approve </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Lucentis, do you not think it is time that we do something right for the people for a change and maybe be the first province to help MS patients? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This approach is consistent with the North American panel of experts</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">assembled by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Multiple</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sclerosis Society of Canada, who concluded in August that “there is</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">overwhelming lack of scientific evidence”.</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There was overwhelming lack of scientific evidence that the H1N1 vaccine would work. There were no trials. Billions of dollars were spent. Like the feared pandemic, there was little effect. There are also no trials for the flu shots given out every year, yet that is allowed to happen. The angioplasty procedure that is used has been used for over 30 years. It is quick, safer than any drug without a trial, and very effective. It is preformed in Canada for heart patients to correct arteries, as well as used for kidney patients to correct veins. This is nothing new. The part that is new now in this country, is a patient that is diagnosed with MS and needs to have angio to correct a heart or kidney, will die because of stupidity.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">While I was being treated for CCSVI a fellow patients also from NS was being treated. That treatment definitely saved her life. I will admit that her MS would not have killed her as fast as my own, but the blood clot they found during the procedure would have killed her. If the clot had come dislodged while she was in NS, she would be left to die because of YOUR position in thinking it is ethically proper. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A lot of hope has been placed on this treatment. I’m hopeful too, but</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I realize we need to ensure appropriate trials are completed, and</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">evidence is available, before providing this treatment in Nova Scotia.</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We have to ensure the treatment is safe for patients, and that it works.</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We’re still quite early on in this process.</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">For the first time in 150 years, MS patients have been given hope. I agree, that nothing should be jumped into lightly especially when you are dealing with someone's life. With the attitude taken by the Neurological Societies being backed by the Health Minister's then the patients in this country will continue to suffer and die. The MS Clinics in this country have no desire to help the patients. Every trial they use try to prove or dis-prove the CCSVI theory, has been purposely designed to fail. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Neurological Societies are being blinded and do not see the hidden potential available to them. The purpose of the CCSVI treatment has never been to cure Multiple Sclerosis. The purpose of the procedure is to slow or stop the progression in hopes a cure may be found. The treatment is only part of the solution. Patients that have had the treatment still have MS. Whether they admit it or not. In time they will need help. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">With the attitude of some of the neurologists in the Halifax Clinic making comments such as, "Zamboni should have stuck to cleaning ice and not get into things he doesn't know.", to their patients, is beyond comprehension. What makes this doctor qualified to discredit another professional? This doctor is now finding out a valuable lesson. In sales, a cardinal rule is to never bad mouth a competitor. When you do, you will lose a customer. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yet some of the pompous neurologists are finding out that this is exactly what happens.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">While I recognize the severity of the health crisis you face, it would</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">not be ethical for me to agree to provide a procedure that is not</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">accepted by the medical profession.</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Thank you for recognizing that I am going to die and that it is ethically right for you to let that happen. The procedure is already accepted by the medical profession or it would not be preformed in hospitals now. Your argument holds as much weight as any serial killer's argument. Denying someone the chance to live is criminal. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Because of my worsening condition, I was not able to use the law to my full extend. Surprisingly, a week after secretly left the country to have the procedure done, I find now that I do have the energy as well as no longer fearing that I will be dead by Christmas as you intended. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Having had the procedure done, I now know that we as patients need your help as well as the help of the MS Clinics more than anything. Because of this need, I have no choice but to remove my personal vendetta against you for trying to kill me. For now.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Thank you for writing to me and advocating on behalf of MS sufferers in</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Nova Scotia.</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yours truly,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>Maureen MacDonald</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i><br />
</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><i>Minister</i></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My initial correspondence to you was not advocating for all MS patients. It was a compassionate request which you ignored. Now I am advocating for everyone else. Other patients, friends, and even strangers made it possible for me to continue living. These, unlike the politicians in our government stealing from us as taxpayers, are not rich people. They can not afford to help pay $10-20,000 for a procedure that could be done here for less than $5000. But they have helped me and I am helping them. This is just a small taste of what we as patients have planned for you and your party. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As you are reading this now, people are looking through the financial records of you and your party members. We as patients have found out how much the MS Clinic neurologists get in perks from the pharmaceutical companies. Now we will find out how much our elected officials get for taking such a stance in their contributions. Recently the largest petition to ask for help was presented to the House. You and your party have ignored every request for help. Not surprisingly not one member in your party can look an MS patient in the eye. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You have the power to correct this. We have solutions. The longer you wait, the more embarrassing this will be for everyone but the patients. According to the statistics, over 125 people have been treated in this province so far and all will improve. That is more than enough for a trial. To date, we can identify at least 5 more patients in this province that will not live a year. I already know that you are prepared to murder these patients. I'm not prepared to let you do that.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A simple solution is for you to meet with me. I may bring a doctor, or another patient, to verify my findings. All I ask is you bring your experts and let us give our position. It can be called a debate, or a lesson, or even a focus group. Call it what you will, it will be the truth. I have asked that a media personality be involved to act as mediator if need be, as you can see from my reply, I am not hiding anything from anyone.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We have the information you and your experts need to hear. Having you both together at the same time will stop you from saying it is up to the Experts, and the head of the Halifax Clinic saying it is up to you.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As the Minister of Health, this is your call. I am hoping you make the right decision soon, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">at least before the movie comes out.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> One point to keep in mind, I will not let any politician get away with murder including a Minister of Health. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I will include your email address and phone number in case any of your constituents might like to also let you know you should take advantage of this opportunity.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My warmest regards and awaiting your speedy reply.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Contact Information:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Honorable Maureen MacDonald (NDP)</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nova Scotia Minister of Health</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(902) 455-2926</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(902) 424-3377 </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1-800-387-6665 (toll-free in Nova Scotia)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 13px;"></span></span><br />
<div class="ellip headerSender" id="0_messageHeaderSender" style="cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; float: left; margin-right: 2px; position: relative; width: 214px;"><div class="cgSelectable ellip_text" style="overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; width: 214px;"><nobr class="cgSelectable" id="0_messageHeaderSender_text"><span class="cgSelectable cgSelectable-over" cmd="msgaction_ext:senderSearch" style="vertical-align: top;" title="View all emails from this sender " widget=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Health.Minister@gov.ns.ca</span></span></span></nobr></div><div class="cgSelectable ellip_text" style="overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; width: 214px;"><nobr class="cgSelectable" id="0_messageHeaderSender_text"><span class="cgSelectable cgSelectable-over" cmd="msgaction_ext:senderSearch" style="vertical-align: top;" title="View all emails from this sender " widget=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span></nobr></div><div class="cgSelectable ellip_text" style="overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; width: 214px;"><nobr class="cgSelectable" id="0_messageHeaderSender_text"><span class="cgSelectable cgSelectable-over" cmd="msgaction_ext:senderSearch" style="vertical-align: top;" title="View all emails from this sender " widget=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; line-height: normal; white-space: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">mmacdonald@navnet.net</span></span></span></span></nobr></div><div style="color: #777777; font-size: 11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><nobr class="cgSelectable" id="0_messageHeaderSender_text"><span class="cgSelectable cgSelectable-over" cmd="msgaction_ext:senderSearch" style="text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: top;" title="View all emails from this sender " widget=""><br />
</span></nobr></span></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><a class="textLink msgHeaderLink fontT3 fontLink" cmd="msgaction_ext:addContact" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8430278306583614898&postID=7112608024043822684" id="0_messageHeaderABText" style="color: #0081c2; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 20px;" title="Add Sender to Contacts" widget=""></a><a class="textLink msgHeaderLink fontT3 fontLink" cmd="msgaction_ext:addContact" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=8430278306583614898&postID=7112608024043822684" id="0_messageHeaderABText" style="color: #0081c2; cursor: pointer; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; line-height: 12px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 20px;" title="Add Sender to Contacts" widget=""></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-87326397853802989612010-11-28T09:28:00.000-04:002010-11-28T09:28:09.408-04:00Here I Am and This is What I Think of CCSVIWow.. it is hard to believe that a week ago today I celebrating by eating steak and lobster in New York State. Of course the reason for celebrating was the fact that I was actually eating the steak and lobster and not trying to force another Ensure into me. For me, drinking an Ensure is no different than trying to gag down that glow-in-the-dark shit they give you for x-rays.<br />
<br />
So how does it happen? How does one go from the hobbling dead to eating steak and lobster?<br />
<br />
I am still trying to figure that out. It never could have happened without the help of amazing friends, family and even strangers that I will never know nor be able to repay. My family and I can never thank them enough. But just to say I had help and leave it as that is the ultimate in understatements. My trying to stay alive was a logistical nightmare that I would never have survived on my own. My problems were never just about trying to raise funds.<br />
<br />
So, before we go any further... 1 year ago I wrote that CCSVI was not a cure but was a key. I stand by that.<br />
<br />
Now for the parts of the story you didn't get. Fundraising efforts were started long before a location was found in hopes that they would never be needed. We did hope that our Health Minister Maureen MacDonald would have done the right thing, but instead it became obvious it would be in her best interest if I was dead. A person with a rapid progression cannot prove if the progression can be stopped if they are dead. But, instead of letting herself be known as the heartless person she is, she ignored my requests for a compassionate intervention as well as ignored any request to speak with me. The stress took it's toll.<br />
<br />
I was down and I was out and I was ready to give up, but of course friends and family don't let you do that. I was literally doing everything I could to stay out of that wheelchair as I knew that if I landed there, it would have been the end. With no hope from my own government I had to concede to travelling. Having a need for Cannabis makes it very hard to just go off to foreign countries. As you scoff at the word 'need' in reference to Cannabis, that will be explained later.<br />
<br />
And the nightmare begins. The ideal location of course would be with Dr. Siskin in Albany, NY. (No offense.. I am sure other Dr.'s are great... but having fatal form of MS with one chance.. I want the one with the most practice.) The problem with NY is they have this problem understanding that Cannabis is actually a medicine and shouldn't be a cash cow for organized crime like the DEA. Of course, I could just show up, and buy some crap off the street paying way more than it's worth, but then it would have to be processed. Any other state and this would not be a problem as I think I probably know someone in every legal state that makes a similar recipe.<br />
<br />
So we tried to get an appointment fitted in somewhere in a legal state on a rush basis. Then it happened, a combined effort on about 20 different fronts from both doctors and patients resulted in a Clinic having staff that are compassionate book four serious patients for a Saturday. OK, it cost us an extra $1000 to pay that staff's extra day of compassion, but we figure it makes a great Xmas bonus and it is still more compassionate than our country. Everyone does a happy dance because instead of months to wait we have only have a few weeks.<br />
<br />
The only real issue, it is with Dr. Siskin's clinic in Albany, NY. The dream suddenly took a turn for the worse. Until a friend came through. And this friend had a friend who had a friend who knew what I needed. And if I am ever questioned... I believe that list has about 4000 names of friends of friends to go through. So needless to say, the "Tooth Fairy" met me on arrival which allowed the nightmare to again be a dream and we will just leave it as that.<br />
<br />
So, knowing that I was pushing myself and the fact that I had realized what happens to almost every other patient about two weeks before the procedure, I went for downtime. A relapse would have killed me and the stress was there. It was time to hide and I hid pretty well. I did a great job of avoiding the stress. Then, two days before we are to secretly fly out to NY, I get an email from Maureen herself. I took the email as an attack to cause more stress to my already compromised system. Then I smoked a joint and had a nap thinking how pissed she would be in a few days. No stress means no stress. That email is a blog in itself and is coming soon.<br />
<br />
We arrived in Albany last Friday night. Had a quick meeting. Then checked into our hotel. It was nothing special but was ideal for an interview. About an hour or so later the room was full of cameras and people. We shot interview footage until about midnight. I may have said some not nice things about our Health Minister, that will hopefully make it into the movie. Because I am such a nice guy.<br />
<br />
Saturday was procedure day! I was pumped. I had a few hours sleep. I was medicated. And I was curious. I went in with no expectations. I was curious. I wanted to know if I was right first and foremost. I also wanted to know if there would be changes I would notice. I figured it would be pretty easy since I only have about a million different symptoms. Plus, I had my little brother with me, worse case scenario he could carry me. It was a half mile and we walked. It was slow, painful, and extremely tiring. But I made it. Barely.<br />
<br />
On the way in we grabbed a prescription waiting for me at the drugstore, then did the paperwork and hesitantly handed over an exorbitant amount of money up front. I would never even give a dealer that much money up front. So off to the procedure. I had to change into a dress but got a really cool pair of socks that will now be hung up on my wall. Got to pop a couple Valium from the prescription then laid back and waited.<br />
<br />
Now, one thing I did not do was medicate before I went for the procedure. I did this on purpose to see how good this whole CCSVI hype was. That may have been an unseen mistake as I did not realize that I would be perfectly flat as long as I was. That makes a bad back very bad, but the Valium kept them laughing. All the staff were great and we were having a ball. But, they were still having much more fun than I was. The catheter is placed inside the groin, the feeling is very similar to that of a vasectomy. Speaking from experience.<br />
<br />
Now it is my understanding that you can not feel the catheter as it is being moved through your body. Or should I say I WAS under that impression. I now know this to be false. In fact, they didn't believe me until I started telling them when they were stopped or going around turns. This actually just feels like pressure. But, if you can feel that, then you will feel the next part. They then inflated the vein 500 times it's diameter. Probably not, but then again. I kinda of lost count of how many times. I do know at one point they were wiping sweat off me and there was a lot of apologizing. I am still waiting for the official reports to be mailed, but I count 5 areas of stenosis on the images they gave me.<br />
<br />
After the procedure is not much fun. You have to still lay flat on your back. And by this time they know you enough that they just smack your head back down every time you lift it. I have dents now. So for an hour you lay and stare at the ceiling wondering if anything is different. Especially since you don't feel any different than you did before the treatment. Then it comes time. Now of course because you are medicated they make sure they help you to your feet in case you may be dizzy. I figured what better way to test it.<br />
<br />
I asked the tech to let go of my arm and for the first time in 4 years I never moved wobbled or even teetered, with my eyes closed. So I stood on one foot, then the other with my eyes open and closed and said "Okay, I'm fixed we can go home now." I had balance and I had energy. I also thought I had strength that I now know was nothing more than adrenaline. After I got dressed we headed out. We got tired of waiting for a cab at an empty building so we walked back to the hotel. It was great. Less than a couple hours out of surgery and I am walking better and faster than I have in years. We grabbed a coffee and a donut on the way back for the next test.<br />
<br />
I found out quickly that while the pain stopping me from eating and drinking was not gone it had lessened greatly. Then I also realized that I had also missed some medicine. It worked. We went to dinner and I ate. I also did not eat all the food in the picture. I also did not drink all of the beer. But I did eat and drink and it was great. We spent the rest of the time walking. Pretty much everywhere like the mall all day Sunday.<br />
<br />
Monday morning I still got up at 5 which is 4 in NY time so I lazed until we walked back to the clinic for the follow up ultrasound. All went great. So great we walked back by way of a giant Target store. Then back to the hotel to pack and get ready to leave. The flights were on time, it just sucked coming home so late at night in such bad weather. Friends and family met us there with cookies but because the weather was so bad we never got a chance to really visit or even say hi in some cases. (Sorry Crystal's dad.) So we all braved our way home in the storm. I am not even sure what time it was when Yvonne dropped us off at the car in Truro, but I crawled into bed at about 3.<br />
<br />
I think the flu hit sometime late Tuesday afternoon or early evening. I do know by 11 Chrissy was ready to call 911. Since then, I have been recovering from the flu. Now that that is over I can start recovering from the CCSVI. Then I can start recovering from the MS. The recovery process will just take time and a lot of work.<br />
<br />
I already know what it is going to take for recovery and I had started the recovery process over a year ago.<br />
<br />
To put it as simply as possible. Dr. Zamboni's theory states that blood trapped in the brain causes iron deposits left behind causing the immune system to attack. The CCSVI procedure uses balloon angioplasty or in worst case stents to correct deformities in the Jugular and or Azygos veins. The increased blood flow allows proper drainage from the brain thereby stopping the progression. Or does it?<br />
<br />
More than one doctor will admit that I am only alive because Cannabis is a vasodiltor. Meaning it allows for more blood flow through the veins. The CCSVI procedure should then correct that blood flow for me to no longer need to use Cannabis. Or so one might think.<br />
<br />
The catheter used feels like it is about four feet long. It's diameter is slightly smaller than the actual vein to allow it to travel. When the vein comes to a branch that is a smaller diameter, it has no choice but to be bypassed. This means that the only stenosed veins that can be treated are the bigger ones.<br />
<br />
I have always maintained that people will still have MS after the procedure and they will still have symptoms and may even progress in disability over time. They will also need follow up care. I didn't say this because I just pulled it out of the air one day. I say this by watching others and using common sense.<br />
<br />
If one has an easily seen stenosis in a large vein such as the Jugular or the Azygos, it only stands to reason that smaller veins will also be stenosed. If these smaller vein cavities can not be reached by way of catheter, they will continue to cause progression and symptoms. My greatest concern of having the procedure was the effects of a vasodiltor such as Cannabis being used with stents. This apprehension was in not knowing the mechanics of the plant. Luckily, I had a doctor with the same concern who was able to do some checking for me. Most vasodiltors work by weakening the vein wall, while Cannabis does nothing to the actual vein. Cannabis relaxes the muscle surrounding the vein allowing for proper blood flow making it probably the safest vasodiltor. And that is why your eyes get red when you smoke a joint.<br />
<br />
As I have stated before, Cannabis was not approved for MS in Canada because patients said it worked, it is here because they proved it. At the time, no one knew how or why it worked, just that it worked. I wanted to know why. As well, since the US Department of Health patented Cannabinoids as an anti-oxidant as well as a neuroprotectant, it only makes sense to use the medicine they suggest for someone with a neurological disorder brought on by a problem with oxidized blood in the brain.<br />
<br />
Until technology advances to be able to correct the deformities that will be in the smaller veins, people will continue to have MS.<br />
<br />
I will stand behind Dr. Zamboni's theory as a needed start to treating Multiple Sclerosis by correcting the major areas of concern. And until I can be proven wrong (not likely), I will stand behind my theory that the ingestion of whole plant Cannabis will be needed to correct the smaller areas of concern allowing for a much better quality of life. But better yet, this combined treatment will offer life instead of misery followed by death.<br />
<br />
Thank you all that helped keep me alive this far. Now it's up to me to keep it going.Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-90881202137848107792010-11-12T12:02:00.000-04:002010-11-12T12:02:12.281-04:00Playing the OddsIn the very near future I will be embarking on yet another adventure. This isn't new to me since my entire life has been nothing but one adventure after another. I have to admit that I have done some pretty cool things over the last 48 years and of course not all of them could be considered sane. But regardless how close I have come to death, it never happened and I had fun.<br />
<br />
This adventure is different. Instead of risking my life by cave diving off Cyprus or watching a polar bear eat a seal, this adventure is suppose to save my life. The only thing is, we don't know if it will work or not.<br />
<br />
The disrupted blood flow theory in Multiple Sclerosis patients isn't new. It has been published before. The problem was there was never a way to prove it. Along comes Dr. Zamboni from Italy after proving he could identify and repair the blood flow anomalies providing relief for patients. He then did what very few doctors are willing to do. He made it public.<br />
<br />
Any doctor that brings forth information that radically changes the way medicine is perceived is subject to career ending ridicule if he is proven wrong. But to have a doctor bring it to the public and then stand behind it with such conviction is nothing but amazing. Dr. Zamboni didn't do this for personal gain, he didn't even do it out of compassion for others suffering. He did it out of love for his wife.<br />
<br />
In my research, I had seen the theory in passing but didn't really look into it again until the W5 episode that is now basically destroying the Neurological Societies of the world. My reasoning was pretty simple, I had a fatal form of the disease with a short prognosis. I needed some proof. My efforts in using high doses of cannabis were proving effective at helping to slow the progression, but were by no means stopping the damage from happening. If anything it was proving to repair previous damage better than actually slowing the progression.<br />
<br />
The problem was getting the proof that Dr. Zamboni's theory would work. Knowing that clinical trials would take years that I didn't have, I needed to try a different approach. I ran my own unofficial clinical trial. I used my friends, my friends friends, and complete strangers. I was asking some of the strangest questions, but I was getting answers. Finding the information proved to be very easy thanks to social networking as everyone was posting their stories of success.<br />
<br />
Except I was looking for the failures. I had far more questions for people that were unhappy with the procedure than I had for the success stories. By July, I had started to see a trend where patients were actually falling into three groups. A very small group of patients that said they felt worse, a slightly larger group that found no blatantly noticeable improvements, and the biggest group of patients that were doing much, much better after the treatment.<br />
<br />
I watched videos, read blogs and posts that numbered in the thousands. I educated myself. All while planning for my own death. Every morning I woke up would start with wondering if this would be the last. I fought back. I fought against pain and fatigue. I didn't always win every battle, but I never gave up the war. My reasoning for continuing is really the same as Dr. Zamboni's. What most people don't know is that Chrissy and I have only had one healthy year together. A year after moving in together we find out that I am going to die, but before that happens, I get to suffer.<br />
<br />
The problem is that it isn't just the patients that suffer. Everyone gets to share in the pain. I've had to miss family functions and birthdays, holidays and friends weddings. I have had to miss Lily's school concerts and playing in the sun. Going to the beach is a thing of the past. Then throw in the odd mood swing and life becomes a living hell for everyone.<br />
<br />
I have been prepared to die for a long time now. What I am not prepared for is living. I figure I have one crack at pulling this off. I am a realist, I know the outcome of not having the procedure. But, I also have to look at the future if it does stop the progression. No matter how you look at it, I will still be sick. My body has basically gone through about 30 years of disabling progression in the last 4 years. I now have a hard time recognizing old injuries from disease damage which is going to also hamper my recovery.<br />
<br />
I have to regain strength and balance. I will need to reteach muscles to work properly again and I may never be able to walk without a cane. But I need to get better as I will have no choice but to eventually go back to work to be able to afford my recovery. On top of all of this, I also have to figure out how to afford to fix four years of teeth shattering seizures. And there is no one I love more than a dentist.<br />
<br />
But giving up would be too easy and I never get to take the easy way. I need this procedure to work. For the last four years because of this disease, I have watched Chrissy risk her own health for me while family members who will never be forgiven treated us like garbage. I came into this relationship with full intentions of me taking care of her. Not the other way around. I know I will never be able to repay her but I at least want to try. She really has kept me going this far so it would be pretty selfish of me to let her down.<br />
<br />
Of course the real bonus of this procedure isn't me living, it's proving that the treatment stops the progression. Simply put, if I live a year after the procedure, then it will have stopped the progression enough to make my form of MS no longer fatal for anyone. If my friends and I also get better faster than others because of our follow up treatment plans, then even less will suffer in the future.<br />
<br />
Best of all, if it works, it will allow me to have the energy I need to make sure no other patients suffer from this disease again. No animal should have to endure what I have been put through. Actually, no animal suffers like this because "humane and compassionate" people put them out of their misery. We aren't that lucky. As patients we have no one in our corner fighting for us. We are doing it ourselves. As more and more patients get treated and start recovering, they too are joining the ranks against the Neurological Societies and politicians.<br />
<br />
I am playing the odds. I know this, but I plan on being on the winning end. I am already planning my battles for the new year. I may be going into this with a 50/50 chance, but I am smart enough to plan for a good outcome since the bad outcome is taken care of.<br />
<br />
I am also glad that I did my homework, one thing I noticed very quickly with people going to get the procedure, stress is bad. Yes I know all stress is bad, but did you know that very few people that have gone through fundraising and wait times for clinics got away without a relapse within the last two weeks before the procedure? Check it out and see how bad some of them get. I know this and prepared for it. Other than going to a fundraiser on the weekend, I am pretty much booked to be in bed avoiding stress at all costs until my appointment.<br />
<br />
Hang in there folks.. I will be back to fight for everyone else soon.Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-19276892827301026882010-11-09T07:39:00.000-04:002010-11-09T07:39:21.018-04:00Fight For My Life<object style="background-image:url(http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/S_rNoUWhyYE/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/S_rNoUWhyYE?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/S_rNoUWhyYE?fs=1&hl=en_US" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8430278306583614898.post-80951864623489457042010-10-21T06:35:00.000-03:002010-10-21T06:35:12.755-03:00How Well Do You KNOW Your Medications?<div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Once upon a time I decided to see how bad pharmaceutical medications actually are for you. At the time I was taking 27 pills per day. Five of those were to help deal with the side effects of the other 22. I understood the purpose of the medications and even the functioning of the active ingredients in most cases but was more concerned with long term effects.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">I have a number of books on medications, and one common factor with most medications is the claim of “It is unknown how this drug actually works”. This makes sense as no one knows how the human body works. But that wasn't my real concern. I was curious about the supposed “inert” ingredients.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Curious people will get a new prescription and read the product sheet. They may even look it up online to get an idea of how safe it is or isn't. But how many would actually Google every one of the active as well as inactive ingredients?</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Me.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Except, I started with one of the most common over the counter medications used world wide. Literally 100's of millions of people world wide use this medication everyday and there is a 99% chance that you have used it as well. The question now might be how much have you used, how much will you use, and what is it doing to you as you read this?</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">This is what I found..... </div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Ibuprofen </strong><strong>- </strong>is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) originally marketed as Brufen, and since then under various other trademarks , most notably Nurofen, Advil, and Motrin. It is used for relief of symptoms of arthritis, primary dysmenorrhea, fever, and as an analgesic, especially where there is an inflammatory component. Ibuprofen is known to have an anti-platelet effect, though it is relatively mild and short-lived when compared with that of aspirin or other better-known anti-platelet drugs. Ibuprofen also generally acts as a vasodilator, having been shown to dilate coronary arteries and some other blood vessels. Ibuprofen is a <em>core</em>medicine in the World Health Organization's "Essential Drugs List", which is a list of minimum medical needs for a basic health care system.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Active Ingredient:</strong></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>(±) - 2 - (p - isobutylphenyl) Propionic Acid</strong> - Propionic acid is an organic acid that acts as a fungicide, inhibiting the growth of aerobic micro-organisms that can cause heating and moulding. Other organic acids, such as acetic and citric acids are sometimes also included, but propionic acid is the most effective as a mould inhibitor. </div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Inactive Ingredients:</strong></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Carnauba Wax</strong> - has a much harder melting point than other waxes, and is also extremely hard. This makes it ideal for creating extremely strong coatings for floors, automobiles, and other things which see hard wear. In addition, carnauba wax appears in candies, polishes, varnishes, cosmetic products, and in many other places. </div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Colloidal Silicon Dioxide</strong><strong> </strong>- is used as a wine and juice fining agent when in liquid form. Many other uses include, a moisture absorbent, an abrasive, and as a concrete polisher.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Croscarmellose Sodium</strong> - is an internally cross-linked sodium carboxymethylcellulose for use as a disintegrant in pharmaceutical formulations. Linked to migraine headaches.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Hypromellose</strong> – short for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is a semi synthetic, inert, viscoelastic polymer. As a food additive, hypromellose is an emulsifier, thickening and suspending agent, and an alternative to animal gelatin. Although non-toxic, it is combustible and can react vigorously with oxidizing agents.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Lactose</strong> - a sugar that is found most notably in milk and is formed from galactose and glucose. Lactose intolerance is the inability to metabolize lactose, because of a lack of the required enzyme lactase in the digestive system. It is estimated that 75% of adults worldwide show some decrease in lactase activity during adulthood. </div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Magnesium Stearate</strong> - also called <em>octadecanoic acid, magnesium salt</em>, is a white substance which is solid at room temperature. Magnesium stearate is often used as a diluent in the manufacture of medical tablets, capsules and powders. Magnesium stearate is a major component of "bathtub rings". When produced by soap and hard water, magnesium stearate and calcium stearate both form a white solid insoluble in water, and are collectively known as "soap scum". </div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Microcrystalline Cellulose</strong> - is basically cellulose and is derived from high quality wood pulp. Microcrystalline Cellulose revolutionised tableting because of its unique compressibility and carrying capacity. It exhibits excellent properties as an excipient for solid dosage forms. It compacts well under minimum compression pressures, has high binding capability, and creates tablets that are extremely hard, stable, yet disintegrate rapidly. </div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Propylene Glycol</strong> - A colourless, volatile, flammable liquid produced by fermentation of yeast and carbohydrates. Alcohol is frequently used as a solvent. As an ingredient in ingestible products, alcohol may cause body tissues to be more vulnerable to carcinogens. Propylene glycol is commonly used in acrylic paints, brake fluid, antifreeze, tile grout, primer, sealant paste, floor polish, tire sealant and shoe polish. <strong>Known health effects</strong>: throat irritation, headache, backache, kidney problems, oedema (swelling), necrosis (cell death). If swallowed, can cause drowsiness, and slurred speech, possibly stupor, vomiting, respiratory failure, coma, convulsions, and <strong>death.</strong></div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><strong>Titanium Dioxide</strong> - is the naturally occurring oxide of titanium. It has a wide range of applications, from paint to sunscreen to food colouring. Titanium dioxide dust, when inhaled, has recently been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as an IARC Group 2B carcinogen <em>possibly carcinogenic to humans</em>. </div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">Is it just me or does anyone else see something wrong here? The medication that is being sold to you has known carcinogens and literally eats the stomach lining. Long term use has proven organ toxicity and damage to fine mucous membranes. For people with diabetes, hypertension, or kidney disease, ibuprofen may increase the risk of kidney damage.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">And your Doctor will be the first one to tell you to take it.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">This obviously proves the adage that the cure is much worse than the disease. I even bet the adage came from the pharmaceutical industry themselves as they obviously know their own list of ingredients.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">I never bothered to look up any of the other drugs. I didn't have the stomach for what I might find. Instead, I weened myself off all of them. I honestly believe that was a major factor in me being able to live as long as I have now. That and natural medicines have hopefully bought me the time to get a simple procedure done that may completely stop my progression. </div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">But regardless, I can assure you that I won't be popping cancer causing pills anytime soon.</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">I suggest you look you the drugs that you put into you then you can be afraid... very afraid.</div>Marcelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06061223748898636119noreply@blogger.com2