Others with Auto-Immune Disorders (or Anyone with Cancer, HIV, or Infectious Disease), Please Watch

[CorpGovActivist]

The http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxq3A2FHBh8">Coda of Gattaca - cut from the film but available as an extra on the DVD - is a stark reminder of the hope that newly depoliticized scientific research could offer to millions of Americans. The Coda is only 1 minute, 42 seconds long.

I have friends who work as senior researchers at the FDA, NIH, NICHD, and CDC. I have friends who teach medicine in some of the most prominent teaching hospitals in the country. The stories they tell of how this Administration has politicized medical research - and how the research community has fought back and subverted those efforts, in order to obtain Federal funding anyway - puts me in mind of the society depicted in Gattaca.

For those suffering from one or more auto-immune disorders, for those who have developed a rare cancer, and for those who suffer from any lingering stigma, silence, and shame associated with HIV/AIDS or any other infectious disease: Please watch. Please hope.

The convergence of research in specialties thought to be completely unrelated just 10 years ago are producing exciting new breakthroughs.

For instance, I have Crohn's, a condition in which the immune system goes haywire and attacks the digestive tract and connective tissue throughout the body (joints, spine, eyes, etc.). Just a few years ago, the thought of ***http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=crohn%27s+gmcsf">stimulating*** the immune system even further would have been likened to throwing gasoline on an already-burning fire.

Now, thanks to research into rebooting the immune systems of http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=cancer+gmcsf">chemotherapy patients and http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=hiv+gmcsf">HIV/AIDS patients, Crohn's and other auto-immune disorder researchers have rethought that, applying exciting new methods. As I am about to begin my 20th year since onset of symptoms, I am genuinely, rationally, and exuberantly hopeful of new breakthroughs. I dare to think I may live to see the cure.

Medical conferences that were once tightly airbubbled and hermetically sealed against non-specialty outsiders now welcome other specialties, and cross-pollinate each others' thinking and research.

This, *in spite* of the http://www.google.com/search?as_q=waxman+political+interference+research&hl=en&num=10&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&cr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=house.gov&as_rights=&safe=images">political interference from Bush 43's appointees - a pet issue of Chairman Waxman's.

If you have not seen the movie Gattaca, I highly recommend it. Besides the Coda, there are a few other deleted scenes that bear watching.

For other DUers who suffer from one or more of these disorders, and for DUers who have family members and loved ones in the same boat: let us dare to hope, let us dare to love life, and let us dare to make the choices this year and this November that will make the movie Gattaca look like nothing more than a smart - and heeded - warning of a society that could have been (but never was).

:hug:

- Dave

[babylonsister]

1. Recommend for enlightenment; I've been clueless. Thanks, Dave. nt

[CorpGovActivist]

7. You? Clueless? NEVER!

:hug:

About what, specifically?

- Dave

[ursi]

2. I have a loved one who suffers from Crohns and I have celiac disease

thanks for posting. And best to you ...

[alfredo]

4. Crohn's since 1984. I'm Ok.

[CorpGovActivist]

9. '88; Glad to Hear You're Managing n/t

[alfredo]

17. My last scope found no evidence of Crohn's. I didn't think it

could go away on its own. I'm living with the attitude that it is still there and I should live my life accordingly.

[CorpGovActivist]

19. Weird...

... but glad to hear it!

My partner burst out laughing after my last one. I was still doped up, and woozy, and the doctor was going on and on about which sections were exhibiting what, and then the doctor said: "But this section is pristine!"

Without missing a beat, my partner said: "That must be the section where the gold leaf gets applied."

- Dave

[alfredo]

21. My wife punked me bad while still stoned. We got on the elevator

with an elderly couple. I had my sunglasses on and I guess that's what gave my wife the idea. Right there in the elevator she asked me to do my Stevie Wonder impression. I did it and I do not do a Stevie Wonder impression, but she said I did. I didn't remember the impression, but I do remember the look of fear on the eyes of the elderly couple.

[CorpGovActivist]

22. Not Cool, Man!

When I was undergoing all the testing as a teen, my parents twice regretted not having a video camera.

Once was at Johns Hopkins, when I had my first c-scope. I was in so much pain, and was so determined not to feel *this* test, that I asked the nurse how they'd know I was properly sedated.

"Well, usually when a patient stops talking, we know."

*snicker*

When they started administering the stuff, I started reciting the British monarchs, backwards. I figured (correctly) that I'd keep going and going.

The after-effects when my parents tried to help me back to the hotel were a video they still try to paint with words.

The other time, they sent me home with painkillers, but my mouth was still numb from local for tube. I spent (well, the time amount grows every time they tell it) but quite a while trying to get a pill out from under my tongue, carefully trying - and trying again - and trying again to get the pill.

"Vwhat's this?" I'd ask them, holding my tongue each time. I wanted confirmation that I had the pill, not my tongue.

I know it took multiple tries before I got that capsule out from under my tongue. They were incapacitated on the floor, no help at all - but also unable to rush to grab the camcorder.

- Dave

[alfredo]

23. The best thing in the world after the test is a hot cup of coffee and a

apple danish. Nothing tastes better in that state of mind.

[CorpGovActivist]

24. While Looking at the Pretty Flowers..."I Can Hear Purple" n/t

[alfredo]

25. yeah, watch out for that brown Mescaline, it is four way.

[CorpGovActivist]

27. OMG...

... OK, I quickly get out of my depth on drug culture. So, I looked up http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mescaline">mescaline, which includes a reference to the Peruvian torch cactus, which just sounds funny.

*snicker*

I SWEAR - hand on the Bible - one of my best friends grows http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peruvian_Torch_cactus">these.

I am so gonna tag one for signs of cuts or other visible signs of extraction, and bust him on it.

- Dave

[alfredo]

32. Another secret, all poppies contain opium.

http://opioids.com/jh/gardening.html

I left that world behind a long time ago. A shot of Rye or a glass of beer is my walk on the wild side now.

[CorpGovActivist]

33. If I Were So Inclined...

... I'd grab the domain name wonderlandgarden.com, and invite users to come down the rabbit hole.

You could have a http://video.google.com/videosearch?hl=en&q=jefferson+white+rabbit&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wv">White Rabbit logo, a caterpillar with a hookah, etc., etc., etc.

I imagine that would get audited by the IRS about every year, though!

:rofl:

- Dave

[alfredo]

38. Oh and don't forget the sneak and peek searches while you are out

at the grocery.

[CorpGovActivist]

39. LOL...

- Dave

[alfredo]

40. A diet high in pork is bad for plants and animals.

[annabanana]

59. Sounds like my kind of place!

[CorpGovActivist]

62. *Who* Are ***You***?

; )

- Dave

[annabanana]

68. !

"I... I hardly know, sir, just at present - At least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I must have changed several times since then."

[CorpGovActivist]

69. C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien Were Inklings, You Know

Can you imagine going back in time, and sitting with your head huddled down over a pint at the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inklings">next table?

*sigh*

- Dave

[librechik]

34. teehee--etheogens are cool!

http://www.amazon.com/review/R17RBCJQU9JTZ7

I too have a rare autoimmune disease there is no cure for. They aren't sure what it is, probably lichen planus, but it might be pemphigus. I haven't had an outbreak in a long time, but I so sympthize with your mouth experience. That was very much like the intial onset of my symptoms. My mouth suddenly swelled up with painful blisters to the point where I couldn't close my mouth. Nobody knew what was happening to me. My tongue was so swollen it started to block the breathing passage. Fortunately someone just filled me with steroids for awhile, and it subsided.

CGA, so sorry for your suffering. Crohn's is horrible.

[CorpGovActivist]

36. I Really Wanna See Chris Matthews When I'm Jacked on Demerol...

... not that I'm looking forward to my next hospital stay, but I try to find the silver linings in these things.

I'm sorry to hear that they haven't been able to give you a definitive diagnosis. The uncertainty was what got to me. Are you OK, though?

- Dave

[alfredo]

60. Prednisone?

[librechik]

91. yes--it took a couple of years to wean off completely

now I just have a steroid cream I use if I get an outbreak. That keeps it under control.

[alfredo]

92. It really does the job. With me it lowered my immune response and

allowed an infection to take hold. Still, in a day or so I went from not being able to climb stairs without exhaustion, to running up the stairs. I went from a person starving to death, to a healthy happy person. Happy is defined as manic in my case.

I had to carry a pillow with me so I could sit down. I had lost all fat and was eating my muscles to stay alive.

[librechik]

93. dangerous medicine indeed

they were very careful with me, and I never developed any of the bad side effects--AFIK--Sounds very disturbing.

[alfredo]

94. I was in pretty sad shape by the time they figured out what I had.

Crohn's is not the easiest of diagnosis. That may have changed after twenty odd years.

[CorpGovActivist]

96. "I had to carry a pillow with me"

Restaurants with good, sturdy, wooden chairs and benches build character.

:rofl:

- Dave

[CorpGovActivist]

95. Now There's a Wonder Drug

:sarcasm:

- Dave

[ACapsizingBoat]

115. I hate that drug so very much.

If you have a bad, careless doctor, a drug like that can really fuck up your life. That's what happened to me.

[CorpGovActivist]

116. Couldn't Stand It

Since insisting to be taken off it, after only two months, I have heard too many horror stories.

:hug:

- Dave

[ACapsizingBoat]

129. Me either.

I was 19 when I was diagnosed and had never heard of prednisone; during my week-long hospital stay, my doctors couldn't be bothered to tell me anything about it either. They were mainly focused on staring at me and telling me "diet doesn't matter."

When I learned about all the side effects, wanting to get off it, wishing I had known all this before I was put on the drug, my doctors told me I could die if I stopped using it.

Among other side effects, by then I already had cystic acne all over my face; I asked my doctor if he could write me a prescription or refer me to a dermatologist; he said not to do anything, that it would just go away on its own.

I trusted him and was relieved that it'd go away eventually. But that didn't happen: I ended up with scars all over my face. And for what? For nothing. Prednisone had no positive effect whatsoever on my disease. I was just as sick on it as I was when I was hospitalized in the first place.

It is, as you said before, a wonder drug--especially when administered by a careless asshole.

[CorpGovActivist]

133. I Know It Saves Lives...

... but it is such a blunt instrument.

I am so sorry to hear about the lasting effects this has had for you. As if all the other stuff that goes with it weren't enough!

:hug:

- Dave

[JerseygirlCT]

44. I loved the valium they used the first time I had a colonoscopy

I remember talking to the dr. through the procedure, getting a tour of my insides. But I was so calm and happy!

I asked the nurse if I could have some to go, but I don't think she thought that was funny.

[CorpGovActivist]

46. Next Time I'm Jacked up on Something...

... during a hospital stay, I'm gonna try to see if I can bring my "political TiVo" in to see if Chris Matthews, et al. are funnier "under the influence," ya know?

; )

- Dave

[JerseygirlCT]

55. Yeah, right about then, my intestines were quite entertaining

so maybe Tweety would be, too!

[alfredo]

61. I always fell asleep. When they put me under I looked at the needle and

asked if this is Texas.

[JerseygirlCT]

71. 2nd time I just conked out

Never thought I was in TX, though!

[alfredo]

73. I wanted to make sure because needle happy bush was killing

as many prisoners as he could.

[JerseygirlCT]

74. Oh good heavens!

They need to give you some different sedatives next time!

What an awful thing to be thinking just then!

[CorpGovActivist]

75. Yup! Sounds Like a Bad Trip! n/t

[alfredo]

80. A bit of graveyard humor is acceptable

considering my butt is sticking out, the room is full of students, and the doctor is getting ready to shove a hose up me.

[JerseygirlCT]

112. So long as you're laughing, that's cool! nt

[alfredo]

113. Crying in terror would have been distracting.

[CorpGovActivist]

63. The Voices...

... in your tummy?

; )

- Dave

[JerseygirlCT]

70. Hmm...

I think there are a couple of answers, one for when I've eaten something I shouldn't, lol.

I'm sure my dr. thinks I'm a nut, but he's very sweet. But the 1st one, I do remember talking with him, and him giving me a guided tour as it were. I didn't feel any pain, as they say.

2nd time they must have used something different, and I did fall asleep. Not nearly so much fun!

[CorpGovActivist]

72. You Too?

"I think there are a couple of answers, one for when I've eaten something I shouldn't, lol."

LOL. You, too, huh?

"I'm sure my dr. thinks I'm a nut, but he's very sweet. But the 1st one, I do remember talking with him, and him giving me a guided tour as it were. I didn't feel any pain, as they say."

I enjoy watching for other procedures; but this one, I like to be full-out looped.

"2nd time they must have used something different, and I did fall asleep. Not nearly so much fun!"

Try memorizing something before the next one, and make them keep giving it to you until you quit talking.

; )

That's the ticket. Well worth the effect after it's all said and done.

- Dave

[IdesOfOctober]

48. I'm calling your mother. Her version is undoubtedly funnier.

[CorpGovActivist]

66. I Programmed Her Cell to Block Your Calls! n/t

[JerseygirlCT]

43. I was dx in 2000 - fortunately, mostly under control since then

I can't take most of the usual drugs the GI doc would use, so I just hope to keep things in check by taking care of myself and watching what I eat. So far, so good.

But a big break would be a great thing!

[CorpGovActivist]

8. Hope You're Both Managing...

... and keeping up with the latest.

Nothing like this equation, huh?

Food = Pain

- Dave

[Manifestor_of_Light]

3. Autoimmune disorders run in families.

And there are many of those diseases. The most common are diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis and allergies. The body uses its antibodies to attack itself.

RA runs in my family but I don't have it. I do have Hashimoto's disease which is the most common form of low thyroidism, there are millions of people who are undiagnosed and untreated/undertreated with thyroid hormones. More info: www.stopthethyroidmadness.com

[buzzard]

5. I have recently been diagnosed with thyroid disorder and am currently taking synthroid but I have

not noticed any relief of the associated symptoms. I know it has been only a few months but I thought I would have noticed some change by now. Any thoughts?

[Missy Vixen]

10. buzzard, I'm not a doctor

but I can't urge you strongly enough to pick up Mary Shomon's book, "Living Well With Hypothyroidism" and read it. She's a patient that did ten years of research on thyroid disease and wrote a book on how to manage it.

Doctors treat to lab scores. They don't treat to symptoms. Unfortunately, even if your thyroid is being treated, the symptoms go on.

Seriously -- check out Mary's book. I think you'll find it helpful.

Julie

[CorpGovActivist]

11. "They don't treat to symptoms."

"She's dead."

"Her labs look fine."

; )

- Dave

[Missy Vixen]

41. Dave, isn't that the truth?

The symptoms of thyroid disease are fairly nasty and debilitating, but the medical community believes that those of us who suffer from it can just STFU, take our Synthroid, and keep paying for the doctor visits. If we complain loudly enough, they either write a prescription for anti-depressants or send us to an endocrinologist, which is more of the same.

Did I mention that Synthroid recently went through clinical trials? It seems the drug was approved without them, and prescribed for many years without them, too.

I am hoping that you have a wonderful doctor and that the recent research into the causes of Crohn's brings answers. We have a friend who suffers from it; it's horrible. I hope that there will be a cure ASAP.

Julie

[CorpGovActivist]

42. Yup, It Can Be Hard to Find a Good Doc.

I've been immensely fortunate in that regard.

"The symptoms of thyroid disease are fairly nasty and debilitating, but the medical community believes that those of us who suffer from it can just STFU, take our Synthroid, and keep paying for the doctor visits. If we complain loudly enough, they either write a prescription for anti-depressants or send us to an endocrinologist, which is more of the same."

One of my college friends was diagnosed with Grave's our senior year.

As for the pain/depression connection: I had the strangest experience during my first major hospitalization as a teen. I was treated by a Dr. Mudd (I was hospitalized, total IV nutrition, only ice chips allowed). He was descended from (and delighted I knew the story of) the famous http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Mudd">Dr. Mudd.

He kept me an extra day, so that the head of his department - who was away at a conference, presenting - could examine me. Dr. Mudd thought that his mentor would want to take me on as a new patient. Why?

Because he (Mudd) had never encountered such an upbeat Crohn's patient before. He said it could be due to how recently I'd begun exhibiting it, and that most of the patients he saw at his location were severe, long-term cases. I was none too pleased at being kept an extra day, but in the end, his mentor took me on as a new patient for the very reason Mudd put forward.

Anyhow, flash forward many years later. I'm still an optimist, and I still cope with humor during flares. However, interesting data emerges: lo and behold, Crohn's patients in the UK and Australia who are placed on a new SSRI for depression begin reporting a near-overnight reduction in the agonizing daily pain. At first, researchers suspect a placebo effect.

Then it emerges that more than http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=serotonin+gut">90% of the body's serotonin is produced in the gut. Serotonin bathes pain-signaling nerve endings with a message of, "Danger/pain over. It's OK." Hence, the almost immediate pain relief for Crohn's patients.

The link gets studied further (mostly in the UK, Europe, and Australia), and now many docs prescribe the whiz bang newer SSRIs "off label" to Crohn's patients.

Now, I'm not saying that the docs who push anti-depressants on thyroid disorder sufferers are wrong or right, but the complex interplay of the glands, the digestive system, and the brain are only now beginning to be understood at an elementary level.

So maybe that's worth looking into.

"Did I mention that Synthroid recently went through clinical trials? It seems the drug was approved without them, and prescribed for many years without them, too."

Provisional approvals frighten me. I've heard too many horror stories.

"I am hoping that you have a wonderful doctor and that the recent research into the causes of Crohn's brings answers. We have a friend who suffers from it; it's horrible. I hope that there will be a cure ASAP."

I have a great team. Sometimes, it feels like a pit crew. If your friend wants to contact me, I'd be happy to compare notes. Also, I hope you're under the care of a good team, too.

:hug:

- Dave

[uppityperson]

52. I took Synthroid brand for a month.

I was reacting to different fillers, so tried all sorts of brands. After a month on Synthroid brand, my temp and pulse were low, I wasn't eating, could hardly move, barely able to talk, severe eye lag, etc. This was when my doc said "odd, lab work within normal", but at least he switched my meds.

Edited to add, within the next week of having a med my body would absorb (or a med with proper dosage), I went a day with severe depression, a day with severe fibromyalgia symptoms, it was very interesting seeing what all thyroid affected.

[Eurobabe]

98. I used to have a great list of all excipients/binders

for top thyroid meds. These agents, added to all meds make a huge difference in how the body absorbs the medication. As does, how and when you take your meds, don't take it with multivitamins.

For a year now I have split my dose (50mcgs, I am very sensitive to medications) take half in the morning, and the other half at bedtime. My TSH has been between 2.0 and 1.3 for a year now. (I feel really good, but I am not taking Synthroid. That stuff made me bloat up like a tick.)

Mary Shomon's site is great, the forums there are filled with alot of suffering people, I post rarely.

[uppityperson]

101. That would be interesting list to see. About reacting to different binders...

I went to an Endocrinologist who told me "that won't happen" I was having recurring eye infections which only coincided with changing my meds and I needed to see an opthamologist. I went to an Allergist who told me he couldn't find much of anything I was allergic to and was stumped since "that won't happehn". I went to my primary care provider who said "I dunno, but that won't happen". I went to an Accupuncturist who was also a ND who said "you have other options, try armour".

Sigh.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

103. The co. that makes synthroid was sued some years ago.

They were sued for not having an effective drug. Apparently they faked their data, or some such. The doc who put me back on Armour after five years off of it and nearly dying told me this.

Armour has T1, T2 T3 and T4, all of which are needed by the body.

[uppityperson]

51. Here are websites, Mary Shomon. I'd recommend her stuff too.

It is based on years of personal experience, including how to work with docs, where and how to find good docs, etc. Having had docs who treat off lab results (even when severely hypothyroid to the point of almost needing hospitalization and having doc say "this is really odd, your lab results are in normal limits but you're severely hypo"). Nothing is right for everyone, but she's a good resource for ideas and support.


http://thyroid.about.com/library/weekly/mpreviss.htm

http://members.tripod.com/thyroidinfo/

[Manifestor_of_Light]

53. I posted Mary Shomon's website.

She is a patient who is a real expert. I've been thru a lot of the same arguments she's been thru with doctors. They do NOT want to prescribe Armour thyroid, which is cheap and effective. It's a byproduct from the slaughter house -- hence the name Armour. It's usually dessicated sheep or pig glands.

I once had an endocrinologist tell me "but Armour isn't consistent in the dosage -- you don't know how much of the hormone you'll get in each pill".
I said "Well, I read the label and it says 'Biologically assayed USP Pharmacopoeia".

He shut up. The drug companies brainwash them to prescribe Synthroid and Cytomel,which are not nearly as bioactive as Armour. The drug companies tell them that Armour is "old-fashioned" (because it's an animal product and used to be the only drug they had) and "inconsistent in dosage".

They don't treat people by symptoms, they go by the almighty blood tests. People who have low thyroid have low energy and are easy to push around, so a lot of them go on the synthetic stuff.


www.stopthethyroidmadness.com

Armour thyroid works, and there are tons of resources on Mary Shomon's website.

I had a stupid doctor in San Antonio take me OFF thyroid. I was off of it for about five years, and I finally went to a doctor who said I was within a month or two of going into a coma and dying from it. I had myxedema, which is a swollen, round face, caused by fluid retention.

This doctor started me on one grain a day, gradually I kept going up in dosage until I got to eight grains a day (which the average doctor would just shit bricks over, and swear the top of my head would blow off). He said where do you feel good? At what dosage? I said "Four grains". So that's what I take. We were titrating the dosage based on how I felt, not on the almighty blood tests. The guy is retired now, so I INSIST with all doctors I go to that I take Armour.

My mother got the exact same disease at the same age -- about 11 or 12 years of age and she started taking Armour in the early 1930s, when she was a kid.

[Duer 157099]

81. Is there a forum/thread here on DU about thyroid issues?

I've been taking synthroid for several years and am about to start trying Armour, finally.

[Eurobabe]

97. some people post in health issues

Maybe we should start a thyroid group, all we need is 10 people, who's in?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

104. I'm in! n/t

It sucks to be told how lazy and stupid you are all the time, when you're really sick and tired.

[Duer 157099]

134. Me too n/t

[uppityperson]

102. I've had to fight with my PCP to continue on Armour.

They tell me I'm over medicated (TSH below 1) and "keep doing what you are doing" which happens to be a bit different than prescribed. I take 2.5 grains/day vs the 2 they want, but at 2 I feel like crap. Muscle aches, constipation, mental fog, but hey! My labs are normal then so I must be ok. It is frustrating. I was almost comatose at one point while on Synthroid brand, yet my labs were in normal range. (cold, slow pulse, could barely move)

Thanks for the ("Well, I read the label and it says 'Biologically assayed USP Pharmacopoeia") since I hear this also, "it isn't consistent" and am really tired of it. Yes, for some people artificial works fine but for some it doesn't. I really really wanted to be one of those people who took 1 little pill a day and was fine. Really. Mr.UP has started going through it all recently and is benefitting from my experience and uppitiness.

[Eurobabe]

105. You are not overmedicated.

With combo of T3 and T4, the TSH often goes below 1.0, the T3 drives down the TSH quicker than the T4 will -- I was on NaturThroid for about a year (?) and the lowest my TSH went was .020. The important numbers are your free T3 levels, for me, I didn't have enough T4, and we added a little bit of synthetic. Problem was, I convert the synthetic well, and I had too much T3 in my system and that in combo with too much caffeine, I developed a panic disorder from my T3 being too high. Ended up having to go off the natural meds.

I never felt more alive than when I did taking the NaturThroid. My brain was cranking on all 4 cylinders, colors were vibrant, I lost weight, I had energy, my hands and feet were warm. But for me, the heart issues were much to scary to ever have to go through as a trade off, so here I sit on synthetic, this brand suits me (Euthyrox by Merck, from Europe). I guess I can live with it.

[uppityperson]

107. Thank you for that information also.

The more I can hand my PCP, the better. Although we have the routine of "check your TSH, you're over medicated, keep doing what you're doing". I'd like to find a WA MD who could work with me, or a ND that wouldn't charge $400 for initial visit, but it's asking a lot.

[Eurobabe]

109. Try to find a D.O. (doctor of osteopathy)

there is a website (google what is a D.O.) I think you will be able to get a list of docs from that...D.O.'s look at the body as a whole instead of treating symptoms like MDs.

And you need to go by how you feel when taking the naturals. Do you feel good? no racing pulse? If you feel good on 2.5 grains, then it is probably the dose for you. Also check out Dr. Derry from Canada, (again google him) he has tons of info on the natural medications and why so many docs hate it. Too much work for them, and the TSH test results scare them silly!

:hi:

[CorpGovActivist]

12. If You're New to Chronic Illness, Learn to Take Charge Early

I'm very sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. A good friend in college has http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grave%27s">Grave's. He was diagnosed our senior year, and it really threw him at first. By then, I was many years past my Crohn's diagnosis. In a lot of ways, his diagnosis helped me to finally "redeem" all that hard knock experience.

For what it's worth:

1. Don't shut others out. Tell your loved ones and close friends.

2. Educate yourself from reputable sources.

3. If/when those you tell in step 1 intrude with every clipping they can find, remember: (A) they love you, and (B) you can establish and maintain boundaries about where, when, and how they can share or discuss with you.

- Dave

[Eurobabe]

29. Hey buzz, I have auto-immune thyroid PM me if you'd like

:hi:

[BluePatriot]

78. Ah, the demon synthroid.

1. Seconded on Mary Shomon's book
2. Ask for copies of your labs every time you get one, don't let them give you crap about it, whose darn blood is it, anyway?
3. Ask what reference ranges your doctor is using, this was recently revised and not all of them know, you may be under-treated.
4. If the doc keeps brushing you off, try out someone on Mary Shomon's Top Docs list. (However YMMV, my doc has since been removed from the list for some reason, and I sort of suspect why) http://thyroid.about.com/cs/doctors/a/topdocs.htm

Synthroid...eh, I'm like 80 pct better after 5 mos on the same dose, I think I need to throw in some low dose T3, hair loss is a problem, fatigue/depression, although all responding well to herbal remedies / supplements. The book is really helpful on this and there are things you can do to control your symptoms with alt. medicine...PM me if you want. Mostly I am avoiding any drug switch due to "hyper" reactions to dosage changes, and internal groaning/fear of the inevitable runaround that ensues with docs brushing off how I feel/treating me like a Googler/tossing antidepressants my way, etc. I am not really fond of my doc but they are doing a lot of things right per my second-opinion research (esp. referring for a TRH test and taking care of my nodule) so I tolerate them.

Best of luck feeling well. You CAN feel well again.

[gkhouston]

106. I wasn't a Synthroid fan, but a combination of Levoxyl and Cytomel

seem to work for me. I get my Cytomel from a compounding pharmacy so it's slow release -- I find that far more satisfactory than taking smaller amounts of Cytomel throughout the day and no problem with late-afternoon crashes.

As for docs, most of the endos I've encountered comprehend diabetes but not thyroid issues. I've had better luck with internal medicine specialists who understand that fatigue may be a vague symptom but there's nothing vague about what it can do to your life.

[BluePatriot]

123. Yeah, a decent internist wouldn't be bad.

I actually started out with an internist...they were the first to really screen me on the thyroid. I left them b/c they did something pretty dumb - MAILING me a prescription for Synthroid 88 based on weight, which was way too much, and then when I took it and inevitably went off the deep end they told me to discontinue it. Immediately. With no tapering off. (Endo at least had good sense to be horrified at this) And then after going hyper I crashed really bad. Called internist in panic. Got thyroid panel. Got fax of said panel. "Labs normal sched appt!" Pissed me off. And then by the time I saw an endo everything was, of course, testing "Normal," because my TSH was still in range from the overdose on the 88, and I only got further testing after the ultrasound doc saw me weeping and convinced the primary endo to run a TRH. And this is the doc I still have! Ugh. Mostly I stayed b/c the PA there was really great but I didn't get to see her last time and I wonder if she's moved on.

I had a similar hyper reaction to the Synthroid 50 but it went away after 2-3 weeks. And was very scary. Chemically induced anger, violence, weeping, impulsive behavior. This was, of course, met with utter disbelief that it could be from the drug and suggestions that I seek psychological help. I was SO lucky our HR person had taken a drug that caused mood change for her Crohn's disease (sp?) before, our I would have been fired, I am sure.

I just honestly don't feel like going through the trauma of confronting another condescending, disbelieving, "it's all part of being female" doctor. I really want to know that if I change meds I won't get adverse reactions either. It's taken all I have to rebuild a reputation here at work and I really need the insurance.

[gkhouston]

125. Yeah, you really have to gird on your armor (Armour?) to face a new

doctor. I hate it -- the forms, the waiting rooms, the upward spiral of hope, the inevitable letdown. It's not pretty. I had to switch to a new endo many years ago and she immediately decided that I was taking "way too much" Cytomel and cut the dose in half. Six weeks later, when I could sing baritone(!), she admitted that perhaps I did need all that T3. :mad:

One of the things that helped me when I was trying to bring my migraines under control was keeping a simple diary of symptoms, together with the medications I was taking. That way, I had data I could take to my doctor to show how different dosages of different medications seemed to work over time. It also gave me a sense that I was methodically checking off possibilities, instead of aimlessly wandering through a maze.

[BluePatriot]

127. *nods*

I have this green binder I tote around with my whole medical history and labs in it. What gets me is that I remember how bad I felt looking at labs that fall smack in the middle of normal ranges. Maddening. Best (best?) horror story of mine is refusing an antidepressant script for what was obviously metabolic neuropathy, because "you seem awfully anxious about your thyroid disease and it's really minor and I deal with people with strokes and cancer so you need to get perspective" Gotta love neurologists. I ran out of there to the Endo and finally FINALLY got put on thyroid meds after that point.

Anyone reading this having trouble getting a Dx please find someone to get you a TRH test. It shut all my detractors up.

And honestly I'm not doing that badly right now. I've got some great helpful supplements I take. I suspected I had an autoimmune attack around Christmas but was able to get over it faster and better than in the past. I'm even having success losing a few pounds on my new diet (higher fiber / lower sodium) I'd still like to try T3 though.

You in Houston? If you have a doc you like, would you PM me? I'd love that.

[gkhouston]

128. I can remember a doctor telling me that the problem wasn't my thyroid

and I wasn't that ill at a time when my husband and I had begun to look for a smaller apartment because we realized I was rapidly reaching a point where the fatigue would be so great that I would be unable to hold down a full-time job. Two months later, another doctor told me I had Hashi's and, based on my history, had probably had it for a decade. The thing that just kills me? If today's reference ranges had been in effect years ago, I could have been diagnosed two years earlier. When I think of all the doctors I saw during those two years, and everything I went through and how lousy I felt, I could just scream.

[BluePatriot]

130. Ditto

Yeah, I'm too "young/thin" to have thyroid problems, and it's just stress....then it's all in my head...then I'm a hypochondriac...then I'm depressed or anxious or bipolar...boy, I hear you loud and clear. Still trying to get people to believe I'm losing hair! Arrrrgh.

Luckily thanks to the Internet I finally got a dX but I think I was suffering through this for at least 4-5 years. Probably genetic in my case, my grandma has been on thyroid replacement since the 50's.

[gkhouston]

131. Once you've been on an even keel for a while, the hair loss thing will probably

improve. At the very least, your hair becomes less dry; mine used to be crunchy. :puke:

My hair seems much healthier now, but one look at my favorite fleece jacket or wool blazer convinces me that a Life of Crime would not be prudent: I'm still leaving too much trace evidence behind me.

[BluePatriot]

132. Yeah...

The hairs that wind up growing like a coiled spring are really odd. And I'm watching how the part down the middle of my head is feathering out with increasing alarm...anyway...

As far as hair care Nioxin was really helpful but when their price almost doubled I gave it up. I might still spring for their hairspray, though, it's really light with good hold. I sort of wonder if my increased shedding is due to quitting their shampoo 5-6 weeks ago. I just upped my biotin dose to 5000 mg to see if it would help. Another really good help to me has been lysine. Evening primrose...can't say it does much for me but I still take it. I have a great product I use now called Bed Head Superstar Blow Dry lotion that makes my hair really puffy. And periodic V05 hot oil treatments leave my hair feeling really soft. After I got my hair cut short I get so many compliments on it now. It means a lot! That Toni and Guy salon did great work. Still wish I could grow it past chin length w/o it looking all stringy.

On the plus side, my bikini line has fallen out. IF I want to be seen in a bikini, that is. LOL.

[uppityperson]

108. ALWAYS get copies of your lab results, and ranges also.

You have to take care of yourself and most med facilities are too overworked these days to do so. Most places will give you lab results, but make sure you get the numbers and the reference range numbers as "you're in normal range" is too vague since "normal range" can be very broad. I started with a doc on topdoc list, but she moved away, am dealing with "not covered by insurance" now and ready to just go pay someone.

[CorpGovActivist]

6. Yup, and Some Interesting Research on Sex-Linked Genes...

... is beginning to cross specialties now, too.

"RA runs in my family but I don't have it."

That often tag-teams Crohn's sufferers, along with http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankylosing_spondylitis">ankylosing spondylitis.

"I do have Hashimoto's disease which is the most common form of low thyroidism, there are millions of people who are undiagnosed and untreated/undertreated with thyroid hormones."

A college friend has Grave's. Hope you're doing well.

- Dave

[TZ]

13. Don't forget Lupus...

Which runs in my family (sister and Grandmother). As nasty an autoimmune disorder as there is anywhere, but since most people who suffer look healthy, its hard for those who aren't familiar with it to understand it.

[CorpGovActivist]

14. One of My Dearest Friends...

... has severe lupus. She was not supposed to survive out of her 20s.

She and I send each other updates about related breakthroughs all the time.

:hug:

- Dave

[TZ]

15. Interesting research

Believe it or not, there are some far seeing biotech companies that are interested in novel research like this. I should know, I work for one which is doing research in VERY similar areas. So even with the nonsense with federal research grants there is good and interesting work being done in the private sector as well.

[CorpGovActivist]

16. Yup, and Waxman's "Orphan Drug" Work Helps Some Private Companies, Too!

Whereabouts are you located?

: )

- Dave

[TZ]

18. I work in the Biocapital/science hub of the US...

Maryland, Suburban DC. More scientists per capita than almost anyplace else....

[CorpGovActivist]

20. Down around the Beltway from Ya...

... and I bet you guys have a healthy rapport with some of those agencies in the OP, huh?

; )

- Dave

[Individualist]

26. After 13 years with RA, I still hope

Thanks for posting this.

[CorpGovActivist]

28. The "Co-Morbidity" - Wretched Medical Term - of RA and Crohn's ...

... is http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=crohn%27s+comorbidity+rheumatoid+arthritis">very high, as you probably know. A lot of the recently approved treatments for one have gotten subsequent approval for the other.

Where does it hurt the most? Have you benefited from any of the recent treatments? It's not wholly rational on my part, but there's something about "http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=chimeric+monoclonal+antibody+crohn%27s">chimeric" molecules that give me the boo boo jeebies.

One too many Loonie Tunes, I guess. I keep imagining sprouting mouse whiskers.

- Dave

[Individualist]

35. I am aware of the co-morbidity,

having researched info about RA since being diagnosed with it in '94.

I can certainly understand your concern about chimeric molecules. The decision to take anti-TNF drugs should be entirely up to the patient. Only you can decide whether you think the benefits would outweigh the disadvantages.

As for me, I had read about Humira while it was still in the clinical trials stage and was impressed by what I read. When it did become available the price was outrageous, but I found out my insurance would pay most of the cost (and breathed a big sigh of relief). I talked to my rheumatologist about it, and he prescribed it for me. It takes a while for it to be effective, about a month and a half for me, but I've been almost pain free since being on it. I can't tell that it has done a lot to slow the progression of joint damage or alleviate fatigue, but you can imagine what a miracle drug this is for me after being in continuous pain for 10 years. The downside is that it weakens the immune system to the point that you're very susceptible to contagious illnesses, and it takes longer to get over colds, flu, etc. than the average person. However, I'm more than willing to cope with these other illnesses than experience the intense pain I often had in both hands and feet. There are also more serious possible side effects, including lymphoma, but the percentage is very low. And no, I haven't sprouted mouse whiskers in the three years I've been taking it. :)

If you have any questions about it, PM me.

[CorpGovActivist]

37. Thanks for the Firsthand Report...

... and you might want to look into the ***http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=gmcsf+rheumatoid">immune boosting*** research implications for RA (counterintuitive, I know, I know).

- Dave

[KitSileya]

30. That was incredible.

What burns me, tho', is that even should we ever get a society with genetic engineering, it still won't get rid of all such problems - as evidenced by my twin brother, who was oxygen deprived at birth, ended up with cerebral palsy, and is the most intelligent person I've ever met. No one has a genetic predisposition for being hit by a bus, or being injured in a workplace accident. At no time will all humans on earth have perfect health. But it is such a great thing to see the development in medicine these days - how rapid the progress has been in the last 200 years, and imagining the things that will be curable in another 200. Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes, auto-immune diseases - it's like we're on the brink to finding the cures, and that is really exciting.

(I myself have disgustingly good health - now that surgery has fixed my severely sprained ankle, I'm feeling better than ever.)

[CorpGovActivist]

31. Wow...Well Said

How'd you sprain your ankle?

It is, indeed, an exciting time to be alive.

What does your brother do and enjoy doing?

If you've not seen Gattaca, I highly recommend it.

- Dave

[KitSileya]

56. Isn't that the Chinese curse - may you live in interesting times?

I saw Gattaca when it was in theaters - as a long-time sci-fi fan I had to.

My brother works at a state unemployment agency, helping unemployed people get jobs. He seems to like it. It hasn't been, and isn't easy for him, because there are other issues at work as well, but I hope that he'll be happy.

My sprained ankle was caused by newly fallen snow disguising the edge of the pavement as I stepped off the bus - I thought I was stepping onto flat asphalt when in reality I stepped onto the edge - resulting in second-degree sprains on both sides of the joint. This was a year ago less a week and a half, and has taught me the wonders of living in a country with universal health care. (I live in the country Michael Moore decided not to use as an example in his movie Sicko, because he thought no one would believe there was such a country.)

[CorpGovActivist]

64. Proverb/Curse; Heads/Tails

"I saw Gattaca when it was in theaters - as a long-time sci-fi fan I had to."

Ditto.

"My brother works at a state unemployment agency, helping unemployed people get jobs. He seems to like it. It hasn't been, and isn't easy for him, because there are other issues at work as well, but I hope that he'll be happy."

I imagine that despite the workplace guff, he's very good at it.

"My sprained ankle was caused by newly fallen snow disguising the edge of the pavement as I stepped off the bus - I thought I was stepping onto flat asphalt when in reality I stepped onto the edge - resulting in second-degree sprains on both sides of the joint. This was a year ago less a week and a half, and has taught me the wonders of living in a country with universal health care. (I live in the country Michael Moore decided not to use as an example in his movie Sicko, because he thought no one would believe there was such a country.)"

Blame Canada?

; )

- Dave

[dysfunctional press]

45. my autoimmune disorder is ankylosing spondylitis...

and it sucks.

years and years of different meds and treatments, but the best course i've found is a completely starch-free diet, plenty of pot, and different combinations of these daily pills- methadone, vicoprofen, flexeril, prednisone, and 222's(from canada, eh).

gattaca as a film didn't do much for me.

[CorpGovActivist]

47. Mentioned Akylosing Spondylitis Upthread...

... and it frightens the be-hay-sus out of me. Back problems plague my dad's side of the family, and the co-morbidity rate with Crohn's is very, very high.

Though "crackly," I don't yet have the signs. I can only imagine what you must go through. My dad ruptured several discs in a mining accident when I was very young, and I've seen how he has struggled with the pain.

:hug:

Favorite movies? Or recent good ones?

- Dave

[dysfunctional press]

99. my condition went un/mis-diagnosed for over a decade...

when i was 19, i had a bad case of iritis,(i had to get a needle in the eyeball over that one) the eye doctor did a blood test, and determined that i had reiter's syndrome- based on finding that i carry the hla-b27 gene. so- i went about my life, making life-decisions based on that diagnosis. but years later when i was 32, i was involved in a car accident; i went to a chiropractor due to back pain that wouldn't go away- she took x-rays and made the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis.

i am now on total and permanent disability.

i've been on various meds, mostly different nsaids- but they don't do much for me, and i'm very sensitive to some of the side effects, so it's mostly about using narcotics to ease the pain anymore.

BUT- in researching my condition on the internet, i discovered the work of an english physician/researcher, alan ebringer who has made a connection between dietary starch and ank. spond., by way of molecular mimicry and the klebsiella bacteria.

SO- by completely eliminating starch from my diet, i have greatly reduced some of my pain levels, and brought the condition somewhat under control, but the pain caused by the mechanical damage that has already occurred isn't going to go away.

more info available here- http://www.kickas.org/londondiet.shtml

[CorpGovActivist]

100. Thank You for Sharing This Info...

... I'm worried about this one; so are my docs.

I hope you're the beneficiary of new advances, and you can borrow my old fashioned hot water bottle anytime.

:hug:

My dad's back problems make me especially frightened; I've seen what back pain does.

- Dave

[dysfunctional press]

110. the rheumy's kept trying to push me toward enbrel...

but i wasn't interested- it has some nasty side affects, and wasn't really designed for AS, but for RA.
it basically turns your immune system OFF, and i decided i'd rather try a more "natural" approach...i.e. changing my diet, and using narcotics for pain.

[CorpGovActivist]

111. The Tamping Down School of Thought...

... has been revolutionized by the work of those researchers in St. Louis. Basically, for many auto-immune disorders now, they're finding that a first-line defense deficiency (e.g., in neutrophil production) is what causes the second-line immune system to jump in and overwork to tend to a latent and persistent pathogen.

By bringing the first-line defense back into proper alignment and production, the overactive (and inflammatory) second-line defense kicks off.

It's sort of like shutting the windows after fixing the thermostat, instead of leaving the windows wide open to vent the excess heat: fixing the root problem, instead of letting the vicious cycle continue.

- Dave

[unapatriciated]

84. Plenty of pot

20 years ago I would have objected to any medicinal value attributed to that nice little plant.
Chronic illness changes a persons perspective. My son was diagnosed in 1991 with Dermatomyositis an autoimmune disorder where the body attacks muscle and skin tissue. He spent the next ten years in and out of Children's. Now he deals with the daily pain of calsianioses (sp?) and severe muscle lose. That little herb helps him deal with daily pain without the nasty side effects of pain meds. Dermatomyositis is very rare and similar to Lupus. I have an aunt with systemic Lupus and a sister with a milder form. I believe there is a genetic connection or a predisposition to develop an autoimmune disorder if triggered. Much like the soldiers who came back from the first Gulf War, some became ill from DU exposure and some didn't.

[OzarkDem]

49. Politicizing research - saw it coming in 2000 - I don't feel sorry for them

I'll never forget the time I served on a panel discussion w/ a Nobel Prize winner and a clinician presenting a discussion of election year politics to a group of academics, researchers and clinicians from Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Univ. and Univ. Hospitals.

It was a partisan event and we spent a lot of time talking about how our slate of candidates would do a better job protecting and advancing their interests in health care and research. During my presentation, I told them specifically of the events I'd seen that indicated with 100% certainty they would see their field of research become politicized, that they would begin to fear whether they could get funding unless they were adhering to the beliefs of GOP'ers who wanted to advance a political agenda. In the world of breast cancer, we had already seen hints of it with GOP legislators bringing increasing pressure on NCI and NIH to declare that abortions cause breast cancer. They said "surely that can't happen. Do you really think it will?" I assured them it would, that these politicians cared nothing about the sanctity of maintaining unbiased quality research, only about wielding power over government funding to advance a right wing political agenda.

But you know what? A bunch of the same idiot clinicians in that crowd later did a stupid photo op int their white coats standing with a GOP leader in a mock protest against high medical malpractice rates. The local medical community stood united on the front page of the daily paper swearing their allegiance to the GOP who was going to limit frivolous lawsuits for medical malpractice. We were treated to a summer of news stories about all the doctors who were going to leave practice because they could no longer afford insurance. They launched aggressive campaigns in their practices, handing out literature and telling their patients to vote for Bush and other GOP candidates.

All they got was a few tax cuts, med mal reform that didn't stop their premiums from rising, growing levels of uninsured patients and the politicization of medical research, in addition to cuts in funding for basic research and clinical trials. When they show their long faces to me now, I try to muster some sympathy but its hard.

They only appear to learn from failure. They insist on being politically naive and pay a pretty high price for it. But they're also too arrogant to believe laypersons who try to give them good political advice. I'm always shocked at how politically naive these brilliant people are. They fall for the cheapest silliest GOP spin. Its their choice, they have to decide for themselves. When the situation gets so bad and the research funds dry up so drastically, they'll eventually get the message. Until then, maybe its time for all of us to have this political discussion with our doctors the next time we see them.

[CorpGovActivist]

50. Repugnant and Naive

You hit the nail on the head.

It's not as if there wasn't already a track record under Reagan/Bush 41.

- Dave

[TZ]

54. "Scientists are at the bottom of the barrel for political funding"

That was something one of my superiors at NIH always complained about. I agree that there are a lot of very politically naive scientists out there. I would also say, based on my short but VERY politically charged stay at NIH that there are many scientists whom are willing to follow a leader based on promised funding without understanding what that entails.
I did malaria vaccine research and watched as my boss ( a damned "furriner" from Australia who wanted to fire people who were, you know incompentant and lazy) was pushed out. Right after that, the WH announced a huge new funding bill for malaria vaccine research. It really smells of a quid pro quo as a reward to someone who pushed out an obstacle. And I am betting that like much of the funding the Admin talks about for AIDS and Malaria and TB its going more towards things like abstencance programs and faith based "health" initiatives, rather than actual medical research.
Yeah. Scientists can be VERY naive at times.

[OzarkDem]

67. NIH has problems,

some of the breast cancer research that comes out of there is horrific, a joke. Many legislators that I lobby or canidates that I question don't realize when they tell me they voted for or support more NIH funding of breast cancer research I actually think much less of them, either because they haven't done their homework or they're part of the politics. The national breast cancer advocacy group I belong to doesn't like to lobby for NIH funding. They were trying to create a new environmental breast cancer research program at NIEHS that would work around NIH politics, but we haven't had much luck.

The legislators like NIH because its easy to influence how the money is spent. All the researchers whose proposals are to crappy to pass scientific scrutiny at higher levels are happy to let a Congressman fund their project if it makes them look good back in their district. People don't realize how much pork-barrel spending is done on junk research.

[shanine]

57. Thank you for this thread

My daughter also has crohn's and I am constantly researching everything I can get my hands on.

[CorpGovActivist]

65. You're Very Welcome, and Please PM Me If There Is *Anything* I Can Do

Nice to make your acquaintance!

: )

How long since diagnosis?

- Dave

[Kurovski]

58. K&R. (nt)

[lala_rawraw]

76. Lupus checking in...

There is a Lupus bill that has been stuck in the Commerce committee for several years now... the bill asks more money for research... but instead of either dropping it or voting on it, they have simply buried it.

[CorpGovActivist]

77. One of My Best Friends Has Lupus...

... see #13 and #14 upthread.

More lawmakers are beginning to understand the convergence of "popular" disease research and "obscure" disorder research.

Maybe we can work together to unbottle a few of these, while the GOP is otherwise occupied?

Thank you for all you do to enrich our discourse here and elsewhere, while combatting one of the most insidious of those obscure, more-research-needed disorders.

- Dave

[lala_rawraw]

79. thanks Dave...

it is a horrible illness. most the time i am just in pain and stiff as a board:(

[CorpGovActivist]

82. C'mere...

:hug:

PM me any time it's really buggin' ya.

Chronic pain sucks!

Let me check with my pal and see what she can tell me about the latest.

- Dave

[lala_rawraw]

117. thanks

[lovuian]

83. K& R

:kick:

[unapatriciated]

85. dave here is a link that explains Dermatomyositis

Unfortunately my son's case was severe did not respond well to treatment and took ten years to control it.


http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/dermatomyositis/dermatomyositis.htm

[CorpGovActivist]

86. The NIH Sites...

... are among the best sources of info. The campus in MD has a great medical librarian staff, too. One of my research pals gave me the orientation tour; I take to most libraries like a duck to water, and the librarians there are angels.

I'm so glad your son is faring better now, and hope that he benefits from any reparative treatments that come along.

:hug:

Good weekend so far?

- Dave

[unapatriciated]

87. today is my friday so it just started

lame and I actually have Sunday off together so probably take dogs for a walk. Oh oh I have more pics.:bounce:


http://youtube.com/watch?v=O7A4NqFBwsk

[CorpGovActivist]

88. Adorable!

Awwww...is the puppy a Jack Russell? I couldn't quite tell.

- Dave

[unapatriciated]

89. jack russell-rat terrier mix

but we just call him our little terror. Such a needy little guy and persistent. His name fits him he never shuts up. While snootchie is laid back and quiet she puts up with him. If you couldn't tell we are fans of Silent Bob.

[CorpGovActivist]

90. Ho Boy!

I need to have you have a heart-to-heart with Patrick about what it takes to keep up with a JR.

:rofl:

"we are fans of Silent Bob"

So is my younger brother, but I've thus far managed to miss all the movies.

He thinks this gap in my "cultural literacy" borders on social coma.

; )

- Dave

[ACapsizingBoat]

114. Thanks for posting this.

I have Crohn's, too.

BTW: Have you tried LDN? It boosts a person's immune system. It's not FDA approved for the treatment of CD, but if you have a doctor who's not a complete ass, he or she could prescribe it for you if nothing else is working for you...

[CorpGovActivist]

119. No, But Thanks!!!

My principal doctor and I have dueling news clips every visit.

: )

I'll see what he has to say about this.

- Dave

[0007]

118. The next best is AHCC. Check it out!

[CorpGovActivist]

120. AHCC = ??? n/t

[unapatriciated]

124. My thoughts too, so I found a few links on AHCC

http://ahcc-nutrients.com/

http://www.ahccpublishedresearch.com/wwwroot-ahcc/default.htm

http://ahcc-nutrients.com/casestudies.html

[CorpGovActivist]

126. Thanks! n/t

[seemunkee]

121. A lot of NIH money is going to biowarfare defense

The NIAID is getting a big boost in money for their research in Biowarfare. Unfortunately that means that other NIH branches are loosing out. NCI has had to limit the number of clinical trials they open due to funding issues.

[CorpGovActivist]

122. I Don't Rule out...

... the possibility that this "priority" research will have applications for "civilian" use, but it still is a bitter pill to swallow, huh?

- Dave