Why Doctors Opt Out On Treating us

[tcmgpt13]

I heard of this doctor when I was a new poster here. I think he may have been the one that Bubba (old mod) saw for treatment when she was sick. She went into remission. It appears that this doctor had some trouble with the medical board in his state and was required to do extra study to retain his medical license. This is how we lose doctors willing to treat us and who express interest in trying new protocols to see if they will help. Curiosity is not welcomed in the medical community:

jamesmatthewsmd.com/Ethics-Paper.html

[jeanlong]

Thanks. interesting.do you know what treatment was given?

well doctors and licensed medical providers do have standard procedures they must adhere to - that is normal. like a drug should be prescribed if a diagnosis is made based on a test. so, since I'm negative on everything so far never has a drug been prescribed for any of my M symptoms.

I see things from both view points; I'm both licensed as a primary care provider, and also a patient of licensed doctors.

My new doctor has helped me with non-M problems and taken a serious interest in my frequent skin eruptions. another round of labs are in, with all the tests negative, as in the good news is nothing has tested positive for any biopsy or lab work showing what pathogen or allergen is triggering these M problems, severe itching and related skin eruptions. I am relieved I'm negative for lyme, bartonella and CM virus.

This doctor and I have never discussed M per se but at each office visit we have discussed possible directions to go to sort this out more. Specialists have not found anything wrong yet either. Anyone with suggestions who has follow my M problems and could suggest what to test for feel free to share thoughts. from the other end, as a primary care provider if I had not heard of M , in western terms - - - I would have suspected an allergy or environmental issue with exposure a toxic material, or perhaps some endocrine problem....or an unidentified infection or a parasite, or the last two together. the doctors I have seen haven't said it is not any of these, but for the tests done, nothing has been positive so at least a number of things are ruled out as a cause.

feeling thoroughly frustrated about what to explore next.

Still on: TCM herbs, vitamin c, and zinc. [ Some days ago finished a vitamin, bottle, - did few days on high doses of b6 and saw nothing change during the days I did that so am back on 15mg/day of VitB6.] If I don't take one of those something else feels bad or I feel very exhausted. My assumption is these 3 things each help something that is wrong, most likely some kind of unidentified infection or parasite or both. Unable to prove it.

In terms of TCM I have a diagnosis of toxic-heat syndrome and some internal-damp. This is my take on it, and I'm seeing an OMD who thinks the same. the TCM formula I am using is based on these root causes.

sure wish I could totally be well from M.

Originally Posted by tcmgpt13

I heard of this doctor when I was a new poster here. I think he may have been the one that Bubba (old mod) saw for treatment when she was sick. She went into remission. It appears that this doctor had some trouble with the medical board in his state and was required to do extra study to retain his medical license. This is how we lose doctors willing to treat us and who express interest in trying new protocols to see if they will help. Curiosity is not welcomed in the medical community:

jamesmatthewsmd.com/Ethics-Paper.html

[tcmgpt13]

Can't remember Jean, but have you ever done the Igenex panel for lyme and other co-infections? I did test positive for lyme. It's one infection I think nearly all with M have, even if their testing is negative (lyme testing is unreliable as I am sure you know). I hope we will soon learn more about that new testing which might be a bit more reliable, but before plunking down money it would be good to know it is an accepted test.

I just got some interesting results on some of my more standard blood testing, something which tested very high this time for me, eosinophils. This has never been shown on any test prior to this over the course of the six+ years I have had M. I know my TCM guy is trying to bring out parasites and interior dampness. I think this could be the result of what he has accomplished thus far. So perhaps this is better news than I think right now? No wonder I have been sneezing though. He's been treating the lungs, Jean, and I think this is helping my energy levels as I have coughed up some phlegm. It is lung time so perhaps treating your lungs might help? If you think they could be at all involved, TCM wise. So many people have old phlegm in this area of the body. Oh, and some good news, for the first time in years my white blood count was more in the normal range than it has been in the past when it was just above the low range.

Then, just when saying to myself, yay, progress, this last week I developed something else, a blockage in my ear so now I am currently taking some Cipro (and easing off on the herbs somewhat). After three days I am feeling even more energy, so I think peeling the layers of what we are experiencing as far as symptoms is very important. I just hope this energy does not end entirely when weening off of these antibiotics (no fan of them, but...the ear was very clogged and the ringing in it was awful, that's easing off too). I had been on an anti-viral longterm in the past for two reactivated viral infections. These can also rob one of energy. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed that all of this over time is helping me to recover from whatever this is. Not that I expect a total cure, but a bit more energy would be welcomed as I have been very fatigued since I became ill. Of course the chronic effects of ciguatera did not help me either.

Meanwhile, to return to the original subject, I feel sorry for Dr. Matthews who tried to think outside the box when treating those who have M. It is difficult for us when most doctors have a very stodgy way of thinking and treating (if indeed they will treat at all). Many are more interested in towing the line to keep their licenses than in helping patients. Most medical boards these days seem tyrannical. I think this guy is at least honest to post this information about what he did on his site. Most doctors would try to keep it hidden, so if and when he ever does go into practice perhaps he might at least be more open with his patients than most doctors are these days.

quote=jeanlong;84777]

Thanks. interesting.

well doctors and licensed medical providers do have standard procedures they must adhere to - that is normal. like a drug should be prescribed if a diagnosis is made based on a test. so, since I'm negative on everything so far never has a drug been prescribed for any of my M symptoms.

I see things from both view points; I'm both licensed as a primary care provider, and also a patient of licensed doctors.

My new doctor has helped me with non-M problems and taken a serious interest in my frequent skin eruptions. another round of labs are in, with all the tests negative, as in the good news is nothing has tested positive for any biopsy or lab work showing what pathogen or allergen is triggering these M problems, severe itching and related skin eruptions. I am relieved I'm negative for lyme, bartonella and CM virus.

This doctor and I have never discussed M per se but at each office visit we have discussed possible directions to go to sort this out more. Specialists have not found anything wrong yet either. Anyone with suggestions who has follow my M problems and could suggest what to test for feel free to share thoughts. from the other end, as a primary care provider if I had not heard of M , in western terms - - - I would have suspected an allergy or environmental issue with exposure a toxic material, or perhaps some endocrine problem....or an unidentified infection or a parasite, or the last two together. the doctors I have seen haven't said it is not any of these, but for the tests done, nothing has been positive so at least a number of things are ruled out as a cause.

feeling thoroughly frustrated about what to explore next.

Still on: TCM herbs, vitamin c, and zinc. [ Some days ago finished a vitamin, bottle, - did few days on high doses of b6 and saw nothing change during the days I did that so am back on 15mg/day of VitB6.] If I don't take one of those something else feels bad or I feel very exhausted. My assumption is these 3 things each help something that is wrong, most likely some kind of unidentified infection or parasite or both. Unable to prove it.

In terms of TCM I have a diagnosis of toxic-heat syndrome and some internal-damp. This is my take on it, and I'm seeing and OMD who thinks the same. the TCM formula I am using is based on these root causes

.[/quote]

[jeanlong]

thanks for suggesting this. I was just tested for lyme - all negative. My symptoms don't match up to lyme really but I have the M problems with severe weird stinging, itching and swelling with M objects popping out of my skin in episodes that cause severe suffering.

for your blood work, there is info on my webpage - I'll recap here too.

Eosinophils are normally active in specific locations in the body where parasites are active. It probably means there is an active and healthy immune system response to parasites.

For example if there is a parasite that is going through a lifecycle and there is hatching with little tiny parasites moving around, the immune system is capable of killing them all off when they are small. When that happens, the eosinophils also appear and those will look like an allergy because inflammation is a reaction to the eosinophils.

Eosinophil... are white blood cells that are one of the immune system components responsible for combating multicellular parasites and certain infections in vertebrates.

from
Eosinophil granulocyte - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

also see
Effects of nickel on eosinophil sur... [Int Arch Allergy Immunol. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI

conclusion: avoid nickel (cookware, food, jewelry etc).

hope your ear clears up. with weather changing it is easy for the spleen to be overwhelmed, leading to excess damp and phlegm, causing all sorts of new infections.

I like your idea of treatment for the metal element, giving special attention to lungs and colon channels/collaterals during this fall period. thanks for the idea.

Originally Posted by tcmgpt13

Can't remember Jean, but have you ever done the Igenex panel for lyme and other co-infections? I did test positive for lyme. It's one infection I think nearly all with M have, even if their testing is negative (lyme testing is unreliable as I am sure you know). I hope we will soon learn more about that new testing which might be a bit more reliable, but before plunking down money it would be good to know it is an accepted test.

I just got some interesting results on some of my more standard blood testing, something which tested very high this time for me, eosinophils. This has never been shown on any test prior to this over the course of the six+ years I have had M. I know my TCM guy is trying to bring out parasites and interior dampness. I think this could be the result of what he has accomplished thus far. So perhaps this is better news than I think right now? No wonder I have been sneezing though. He's been treating the lungs, Jean, and I think this is helping my energy levels as I have coughed up some phlegm. It is lung time so perhaps treating your lungs might help? If you think they could be at all involved, TCM wise. So many people have old phlegm in this area of the body. Oh, and some good news, for the first time in years my white blood count was more in the normal range than it has been in the past when it was just above the low range.

Then, just when saying to myself, yay, progress, this last week I developed something else, a blockage in my ear so now I am currently taking some Cipro (and easing off on the herbs somewhat). After three days I am feeling even more energy, so I think peeling the layers of what we are experiencing as far as symptoms is very important. I just hope this energy does not end entirely when weening off of these antibiotics (no fan of them, but...the ear was very clogged and the ringing in it was awful, that's easing off too). I had been on an anti-viral longterm in the past for two reactivated viral infections. These can also rob one of energy. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed that all of this over time is helping me to recover from whatever this is. Not that I expect a total cure, but a bit more energy would be welcomed as I have been very fatigued since I became ill. Of course the chronic effects of ciguatera did not help me either.

Meanwhile, to return to the original subject, I feel sorry for Dr. Matthews who tried to think outside the box when treating those who have M. It is difficult for us when most doctors have a very stodgy way of thinking and treating (if indeed they will treat at all). Many are more interested in towing the line to keep their licenses than in helping patients. Most medical boards these days seem tyrannical. I think this guy is at least honest to post this information about what he did on his site. Most doctors would try to keep it hidden, so if and when he ever does go into practice perhaps he might at least be more open with his patients than most doctors are these days.

[tcmgpt13]

Yes, I, too, think it is the parasites moving out of my body which caused the elevation in my eosinophils. I developed a lesion on my face about six weeks ago which I knew was an area of involvement from when I first became sick with Morgellons (at the time pus was running down my face in that area). It took over six years for that area to open up. Wow, yes, loads of parasite activity, in the lesion (where it looks like egg shapes) and around the edge where I have a more adult version of whatever this is. Anyway, this is the first time my body indicated parasitic involvement by raising the eosinophil levels in a blood test. It's very high.

Some of this infection seems to be inside my nose which was what was making me sneeze. I am probably allergic to the protein found in these parasites. The parasites are not as big as when I was first sick, but they are still hooked and still able to push out some thread to hold onto the next one in line. I use Sunspot ES on my face to help dig out these guys. It has worked for me over the years and they definitely do not like it. It's sold on many websites. Although this product is sold to help remove those brown spots often found on aging skin I find it helps to get out these critters from the lesions. Not that it is an easy task. Nothing about Morgellons is easy. It often takes months of treatment of the lesions to finally get it to heal up. You just have to exhaust what is inside the lesion. I should have bought stock in the company which makes Q-tips. And Sunspot ES. I have used box after box of Q-tips when treating lesions (and wow they bleed profusely when treated). This product helps minimize scaring (in my experience).

Jean you mention nickel in foods? Could you please tell me what to watch out for as far as that? I do not wear jewelry since very I was young as I had an allergic reaction to it. And do not use my stainless steel pots anymore.

[jeanlong]

Bravo re the stainless kitchen items. I totally purged my kitchen of stainless cooking utensils and scour thrift stores and garage sales and have a totally retro kitchen loaded with pyrex and corningwarevisions etc. the research also shows a quick saute in stainless corrodes almost zero chromium and nickel, but even a brief simmer with any acidic food (citrus, tomato, vinegar etc) corrodes the toxic metal into the food.

In a more primitive world nickel appears in food in trace amounts only. the body needs miniscule amounts and recycles it. larger amounts become toxic. so the main thing is to avoid things like mineral supplements, seafood and cookware that inadvertently shove chromium, nickel and other unnaturally high amounts of metal into the human system. Then if you get this the metals tend to get stuck in the gall bladder or liver or both and it is very hard to get them pushed out. then the immune response literally becomes gradually paralyzed and then frozen.

Seafood in particular, whether vegetarian, shellfish, freshwater or saltwater fish can all have too much metal, especially nickel and chromium. vegetables will have trace amounts but generally we don't have to worry about those at all because they are tiny amounts only. vitamin supplements, mineral supplements and contaminated manufactured foods can have nickel in them from the cookware. for example even beer is brewed in stainless vats. we toured a couple of breweries during summer vacation recently and they all are bottling beer in glass,but we realized it is all brewed in metal vats that are alloyed with chromium and nickel.

the human system is capable of expelling the tiny parasites, so if a drug or herb can kill off the large ones that's a first step.the second part is to ensure the immune system is not paralyzed by metal or other mutagenic substances and then when it works well it can kill off the tiny offspring of the parent generation.fall and spring are particularly difficult for mammals wtih parasite infections and the internal immune response must modulate each fall and each spring to combat the new mutations.

I'm learning more all the time and wish to heal, and wish you all the best. everything you explain about your problem points to the ciguatera as a trigger, and now that I think back I have had periods of the hot-cold reversal too so may have had a prior ciguatera poisoning. These toxic conditions can be cleared by the wei-qi but it takes time and an appropriate environment. glad to hear you are cooking with inert pots now.

ditto here about the swabs. I uses them with topical herbs I make and have similar experiences during flare ups.

Originally Posted by tcmgpt13

Yes, I, too, think it is the parasites moving out of my body which caused the elevation in my eosinophils. I developed a lesion on my face about six weeks ago which I knew was an area of involvement from when I first became sick with Morgellons (at the time pus was running down my face in that area). It took over six years for that area to open up. Wow, yes, loads of parasite activity, in the lesion (where it looks like egg shapes) and around the edge where I have a more adult version of whatever this is. Anyway, this is the first time my body indicated parasitic involvement by raising the eosinophil levels in a blood test. It's very high.

Some of this infection seems to be inside my nose which was what was making me sneeze. I am probably allergic to the protein found in these parasites. The parasites are not as big as when I was first sick, but they are still hooked and still able to push out some thread to hold onto the next one in line. I use Sunspot ES on my face to help dig out these guys. It has worked for me over the years and they definitely do not like it. It's sold on many websites. Although this product is sold to help remove those brown spots often found on aging skin I find it helps to get out these critters from the lesions. Not that it is an easy task. Nothing about Morgellons is easy. It often takes months of treatment of the lesions to finally get it to heal up. You just have to exhaust what is inside the lesion. I should have bought stock in the company which makes Q-tips. And Sunspot ES. I have used box after box of Q-tips when treating lesions (and wow they bleed profusely when treated). This product helps minimize scaring (in my experience).

Jean you mention nickel in foods? Could you please tell me what to watch out for as far as that? I do not wear jewelry since very I was young as I had an allergic reaction to it. And do not use my stainless steel pots anymore.

[annesco]

Originally Posted by jeanlong

Bravo re the stainless kitchen items. I totally purged my kitchen of stainless cooking utensils and scour thrift stores and garage sales and have a totally retro kitchen loaded with pyrex and corningwarevisions etc. the research also shows a quick saute in stainless corrodes almost zero chromium and nickel, but even a brief simmer with any acidic food (citrus, tomato, vinegar etc) corrodes the toxic metal into the food.

In a more primitive world nickel appears in food in trace amounts only. the body needs miniscule amounts and recycles it. larger amounts become toxic. so the main thing is to avoid things like mineral supplements, seafood and cookware that inadvertently shove chromium, nickel and other unnaturally high amounts of metal into the human system. Then if you get this the metals tend to get stuck in the gall bladder or liver or both and it is very hard to get them pushed out. then the immune response literally becomes gradually paralyzed and then frozen.

Seafood in particular, whether vegetarian, shellfish, freshwater or saltwater fish can all have too much metal, especially nickel and chromium. vegetables will have trace amounts but generally we don't have to worry about those at all because they are tiny amounts only. vitamin supplements, mineral supplements and contaminated manufactured foods can have nickel in them from the cookware. for example even beer is brewed in stainless vats. we toured a couple of breweries during summer vacation recently and they all are bottling beer in glass,but we realized it is all brewed in metal vats that are alloyed with chromium and nickel.

the human system is capable of expelling the tiny parasites, so if a drug or herb can kill off the large ones that's a first step.the second part is to ensure the immune system is not paralyzed by metal or other mutagenic substances and then when it works well it can kill off the tiny offspring of the parent generation.fall and spring are particularly difficult for mammals wtih parasite infections and the internal immune response must modulate each fall and each spring to combat the new mutations.

I'm learning more all the time and wish to heal, and wish you all the best. everything you explain about your problem points to the ciguatera as a trigger, and now that I think back I have had periods of the hot-cold reversal too so may have had a prior ciguatera poisoning. These toxic conditions can be cleared by the wei-qi but it takes time and an appropriate environment. glad to hear you are cooking with inert pots now.

ditto here about the swabs. I uses them with topical herbs I make and have similar experiences during flare ups.

Since I don't have the immediate wherewithal to switch all of my cookware over to Corningware or Pyrex, please give me your opinion as to whether it's better to microwave veggies in a pyrex dish, or steam in stainless steel?

[jeanlong]

pyrex in a microwave is safe from metal contaminants.

stainless corrodes an incredible amount which I was unaware of. you don't need a lot of pyrex - we started with one soup pot and one skillet found at thrift stores and used just these two items for many months.

Originally Posted by annesco

Since I don't have the immediate wherewithal to switch all of my cookware over to Corningware or Pyrex, please give me your opinion as to whether it's better to microwave veggies in a pyrex dish, or steam in stainless steel?

[Baraka Obam]

There are many many many articles on bad situations with microwave

Here are several, I will not STOP using my microwave, then I do not use it often except to heat water because of articles such as this below and their are a 1000 more. Is it for real, I do not use the microwave often unless I am in a REAL hurry.

Microwave Ovens Destroy the Nutritional Value of Your Food


Microwave Cooking is Killing You!


The Hidden Hazards Of Microwave Cooking

[tcmgpt13]

Since Christmas is approaching you may find some sales on Pyrex Visions, and Corningware sets in Walmart or the discount clubs. Also there's a site on the internet which sells these products, often at discounted prices (I think they bought out some of the companies they now represent):

shopworldkitchen.com/

This site also has closeout sales on these and other products where there are at times some very good deals. They also have retail stores in outlet malls for these products. So you might look there as well as in the thrift stores Jean mentions.

quote=annesco;84902]Since I don't have the immediate wherewithal to switch all of my cookware over to Corningware or Pyrex, please give me your opinion as to whether it's better to microwave veggies in a pyrex dish, or steam in stainless steel?[/quote]