Wednesday, March 28, 2012

BCIR - The Barnett Continent Intestinal Reservoir - Information



Barnett Continent Intestinal Reservoir   otherwise called:

B.C.I.R.
 

I just learned of this kind of intestinal pouch for people that must undergo the removal of their large intestine or for people that are having complications from previous surgeries OR for people that have had an external bag and would like to have more freedom to live a more normal life.  I posted this video because the patient previously had an external bag and she discusses her life after the BCIR surgery.  From what I gather, she talk about the freedom she now has compared to the restrictions she had living with the external option.  I know of the internal pouches and the various kinds of surgeries, but never heard of this method before.  
Any surgery that allows a person to function and feel "normal"; living their life in a way that is the closest to the way they previously lived when they did not have a disease is a blessing.  This is a pretty good alternative for people that are good candidates for this type of surgery.   


Just what is a BCIR anyway?

A BCIR, (Barnett Continent Intestinal Reservoir) is an intra-abdominal continent pouch - all constructed from your small intestine. Also, you will have a very small skin-flush stoma on your lower right abdomen. No external appliance is necessary. The late Dr. William O. Barnett devised the BCIR in 1979 based on the Kock pouch. 

Who is a candidate for the procedure?
1. Individuals who have problems associated with the conventional ileostomy.
2. Individuals who have a failed continent (Kock) pouch, failed ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) or other similar procedure.
3. Individuals with poor anal sphincter control and are therefore judged not to be a candidate for the IPAA or who elect not to have the IPAA.

How do you decide when it is time to have surgery, especially if colitis is controlled?
Determining whether or not you should have surgery will depend upon you and your physician. The usual indications for surgery would be:
1. If you are one of the people who are no longer responding to medical therapy.
2. You are experiencing complications associated with the disease or medications.
3. You are experiencing tissue changes, or dysplasia, a pre-cancerous condition.

What is the success rate of the BCIR procedure?
Success can be defined in many ways since it can mean different things to different people. In our series of 510 patients with diagnosis of ulcerative colitis or familial polyposis, 477 patients had their BCIR pouches intact at the end of the study period. 

What is the mortality rate for the BCIR procedure?
The risk of death for the BCIR procedure is no different than the risk of similar major surgery. Potential complications are dependent upon the particular patient's history. You should discuss your entire medical history with your surgeon to be fully informed.

Is there a large blood loss during the BCIR surgery?
No, it is rare for a patient to require transfusions for surgery to convert a malfunctioning Brooke ileostomy to a continent ileostomy. However, if a person desires, one or two units (pints) of blood can be donated in the three to four weeks prior to surgery, as long as the patient takes iron to restore their blood count.

What are the ages of your patients?
A person needs a certain amount of maturity to have a continent ileostomy and the growth period of adolescence should be finished before surgery. The youngest patient was 13, the oldest patient was 74.

Are there any contraindications for having this surgery?
The two absolute contraindications are active Crohn's disease or an inadequate length of small intestine. Also, if you have a permanent colostomy, you would not be a candidate for a BCIR.

How long would I be in the hospital for a BCIR?
The average length of stay varies, depending on the individual circumstances and details of surgery. Generally it is between 16 and 21 days.

How can you tell the difference between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's?
In the majority of patients, the difference between ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease can be made upon the basis of a colonoscopy and biopsies. However - as you probably know - it is sometimes difficult to render a 100% definite diagnosis between Crohn's and ulcerative colitis.

What is pouchitis and is it a major problem?
Pouchitis is a nonspecific inflammation occurring in the pouch. The true incidence of pouchitis is difficult to identify because of variable criteria for diagnosis and severity. However, 73% of the 510 surveyed patients said that they did not consider pouchitis to be a major problem. It is fair to say that most patients experience pouchitis to some degree. However, in a majority of these cases, the symptoms are managed at home with oral antibiotics.

Will I be able to eat anything I want after the BCIR?
When you first leave the hospital, you should avoid fruits, nuts and vegetables that may clog the catheter. Once you are all healed and your pouch has expanded in size, you will be able to eat most any food.

If you chew your food very well, you should be able to eat just about anything. However, many of our patients avoid the tough 'skins' of apples, potatoes and tomatoes, and foods which do not digest well like corn, mushrooms, and peanuts, simply because of the difficulty in passing them through the catheter. Each individual seems to have a somewhat different tolerance for these types of foods.

Will I have to get up in the middle of the night to drain the BCIR?
Once your pouch is matured there should be no need to get up in the middle of the night unless you have eaten late or had a large meal which you are not accustomed to.

Where is the stoma located?
The stoma is small and skin-flush with the abdominal wall. It is usually located low on the abdominal wall. It can be located in close proximity to bony structures since one does not have to secure an external appliance.

Is there pain involved with intubation (process of draining) the BCIR pouch?
There should not be any pain with intubation because the BCIR pouch does not have any nerve endings. Using adequate lubrication helps with the process. Some patients use a little bit of K-Y jelly and some just use a bit of tap water on the catheter before intubating.

What happens if you lose a catheter or forget to take one on a trip?
Many hospitals in the world have Foley catheters of various sizes which can be used temporarily instead of the usual '30 French' silicon type intubation catheters. The standard catheters you will use are easily attained through medical supply houses. They can be used over and over and most cost about six dollars each.

What do you wear to cover the stoma?
This varies greatly with individual patients. Depending on your body's individual tendency to produce mucus, the amount of mucus drainage varies greatly. Some patients use something as small as an adhesive bandage, or a small gauze pad, while others use maxi-thin pads cut in half or small absorbent towels to contain the mucus.

Will I be able to wear tight fitting clothing with my BCIR? And what kinds of activities can I engage in?
Yes to the first question. This is one advantage of the continent ileostomy. Our patients wear tight bathing suits, sports wear and the like. Once your doctor and surgeon give you the green light after surgery, you should be able to resume activities you enjoyed before the surgery, such as swimming, biking, exercising and most all sports. (You might want to wear a protective device to cover the stoma area if you play softball, etc.)

What happens if I get a GI bug and have diarrhea?
The BCIR should remain continent. However, you may experience cramps which is your body signaling that you have to go to the bathroom.

During a normal day, how will I know when I need to go to the bathroom?
When you first leave the hospital, you will be on a schedule of intubating every couple of hours or so and gradually extending the time between intubations in order to let the pouch expand in size gradually. When the pouch has matured, you may go to the bathroom when you feel the need.

Most patients say they experience a 'full' feeling. It is similar to the signal you get when you have to urinate. You'll know when it's about time to empty the pouch, but most times you can wait until it's convenient for you to intubate. If you wait too long, you may have a more intense feeling or slight ache in the pouch area.

What is the recovery time?
The recovery time after major abdominal surgery is 12 weeks to return to strenuous activity and to have normal energy levels. Many people recover much sooner than 12 weeks and return to non-strenuous employment within four to six weeks of surgery.

Do you have to take any supplements or routine medications after the surgery?
Most patients do not require supplements or routine medication after surgery. Just eat a well-balanced diet and you should be fine.

Can you have children after you have the BCIR procedure?
A women may have children through normal vaginal delivery or by Caesarian section with a BCIR. During the pregnancy we request your OB doctor be in contact with the BCIR surgeon.

Are blockages as common as with other surgeries?
Blockages can occur from adhesions after any abdominal surgery, but are no more common with the BCIR.

If you are unhappy with the BCIR, can you revert back to any other surgery?
If the BCIR is not satisfactory for a given person, and this can happen for a variety of reasons, then it may ultimately be removed, reverting to a permanent, conventional Brooke ileostomy with an external appliance.
Reference: http://www.bcir.com/faq.php#q0


Sunday, March 25, 2012

Study Significance of Probiotic implantation w/ Hydrotherapy Treatments.... A+ Read

Getting my read on today or whatever you want to call this thing that I do on a constant basis.  Call it what you will; exploring/fact finding/ research /absorbing some knowledge, investigating / studying/ obsessing, hunting. This was such a good read, I posted the entire contents of the article.   Enjoy
The proposed study is anticipated to examine the differences in patient response to probiotics taken orally or through direct implantation to the large intestine using colon hydrotherapy in patients with controlled UC.



New Study to Examine Colon Hydrotherapy's Use for UC


By Melisa Bunderson-Schelvan, PhD, DCT(P)Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects individuals of any age group with symptoms that can range from mild to severe. Extreme cases often result in total proctocolectomy with ileostomy in order to prevent colon cancer, which has an increased occurrence in uncontrolled UC patients. There is a significant need for alternative strategies for treating UC, and this need has resulted in the development of a new study to examine the efficacy of a direct method for probiotic delivery on severity and length of remission in UC patients. The goal of the study is to extend the periods of inactive disease and reduce the severity of subsequent flares.
The proposed study is anticipated to examine the differences in patient response to probiotics taken orally or through direct implantation to the large intestine using colon hydrotherapy in patients with controlled UC.
While it is unknown precisely what causes an episode of active UC, research has indicated that an aberrant immune response against the populations of resident microflora may play a role.1 Accordingly, both anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drug therapies have been used to treat UC. However, these treatments have potentially serious side effects and have been used only with limited success. Alternatively, probiotics have been successfully used both to induce and maintain remission of UC patients in a number of studies with minimal side effects.2-4Therefore, the use of probiotics in the treatment of UC is arguably one of the most promising therapies due to its demonstrated efficacy and lack of side effects. Nonetheless, there are inherent difficulties to oral administration of a “living" therapy which must reach the large intestine in a viable state. Such factors include known differences in pH, transit time, pancreatic enzyme activity and liver status which may affect the environment within the GI tract of individuals.
These differences likely interfere with the viability of the probiotics once they reach the target area of the large intestine and contribute to the unreliability of patient response associated with their use. Consequently, probiotics are not currently a first line therapy for the treatment of UC.
However, it is possible that bypassing these factors and directly applying the probiotics to the large intestine will result in a more effective treatment as well as improving the consistency of desired outcome in patients.
In addition, the procedure is extremely safe and has the potential for producing results similar to what has been observed using fecal bacteriotherapy.5        
Participants in the new study will be assigned to receive a high dosage probiotic or equivalent placebo and instructed to take them orally. Alternatively, patients assigned to receive colon hydrotherapy treatments will receive consecutive probiotic or placebo doses through direct implantation. The goal of the study is to prolong the period between active episodes and to reduce the severity of subsequent flares.
Additional data will be collected in order to correlate patient outcome to markers of gene activity known to be involved with UC, as well as important markers of inflammation.
Colonic irrigation through the use of colon hydrotherapy (also known as “colonics") has found widespread popularity within the alternative medical community, despite considerable skepticism of its value in western medicine. However, recent advances both in technique and equipment available has propelled the use of colon hydrotherapy into western medicine as it is being used more and more frequently as an alternative method for the common laxative preparations required for endoscopy.6In fact, the FDA recently classified professional colon hydrotherapy equipment as class II medical devices7 and established standards for its use including temperature-controlled water mixing, back-flow prevention valves, pressure and temperature sensors, and built-in chemical sanitizing and water purification units. Consequently, its value in the treatment of other gastrointestinal issues has been suggested.8,9The process typically involves insertion of a sterile, disposable speculum approximately 3 inches into the rectum followed by a series of temperature/pressure -controlled cycles of filling the large intestine with water and releasing the contents into a closed tube which drains into the sewer system. Generally, there is very little discomfort to the patient. While safety concerns continually surface in popular media, there are very few reported cases of adverse effects. This is significant considering the widespread use of colon hydrotherapy worldwide.
In fact, a study in the United Kingdom estimated that 5,600 procedures are carried out monthly in that country alone and concluded that colonic hydrotherapy “is a safe technique with no clients in our study reporting any adverse effects."10 The potential for significant improvement in UC patient outcome following direct implantation of probiotics to the large intestine is promising. Validation of the technique would provide a low-cost, highly effective method for improving the quality of life for those suffering from the debilitating effects of UC.
Melisa Bunderson-Schelvan, PhD, DCT(P), is a colon therapist in Missoula. She worked in the world of environmental and biomedical sciences for 10 years following the completion of a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences. She recently became a GPACT-certified colon therapist and opened a colon hydrotherapy practice.


References documented: See original article for this information.



Thursday, March 15, 2012

American Food - Could Additives, Hormones, Toxic Chemicals That Are Added to Our Food Be Causing IBD?


I agree with most of this writers thoughts on what you put in your body will effect how it runs. Of course! One way to know that this is right on, is just look at your parents or grandparents. They don't have digestive issues ( cant say that for everyone.. but the majority of people with IBD are the young when it begins.) Also , I never remember having kids in my class when I was in elementary school with jacked up stomach issues. Yes, we all had the usual puker that would hurl right at his desk .... that's vile I know, but that's not IBD. I'm curious as to how many , approximately how many children in grade school are diagnosed with a digestive problem per class. So sad.

I don't agree with the writer's  opinion that all people with a digestive disease will eventually end up getting cancer.  That's not true.  What is true, is that the person with Crohn's or UC have higher chances of getting cancer.  Also people with Crohn's and UC can live a long healthy life once they find a treatment that is effective for them, screen regularly, have surgeries if necesary, live a healthy life with exercise and the proper diet and most of all staying in tune with your body.

                                          
The Question:  Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis, IBS and IBD: Are They Really Diseases?
Absolutely.... I do believe that the disease is pushed into full effect because of the diet .  People ignore the body when it reacts to something negatively.  Making no changes to your diet when everytime you eat pizza, you get sick, and like a fool, you continue to eat the freaking cheesy delicious pizza, well eventually the body will get sicker and sicker & that's when you make an appointment and get your diagnosis.  It also doesn't help much that doctors don't believe diet is the cause.  That's just ignorant.  I have had very little encouragement from doctors to change my diet.  If I didn't restrict foods and adhere to a strict diet, I'd be so so so ill.
Another point that these diseases are real and not allergies, is that when you eliminate the allergen,  people remain sick. Take MAP for example... It's the bacteria that's highly resistant that comes from cows milk and is said to be a possible cause of Crohn's.  A high % of people w/ Crohn's , had the MAP bacteria in their body.  


Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis, IBS and IBD: Are They Really Diseases or Just Allergies to Chemically Tainted Food

This is a guest article by Mannie Barling and Ashley F. Brooks.
It is undeniable that there has been a marked, if not alarming increase, in the number of Americans diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowl syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease in the last two decades.
It is also undeniable that the increase in statistics coincides with the increase of factory farms and the introduction of genetically modified produce as well as the increased use of Monsanto’s Roundup pesticides, bovine growth hormones and daily doses of antibiotics.
Not surprisingly, the increase in obesity among Americans, particularly among our youth, has erupted into an epidemic proportion following the same time line as the introduction of factory farming and the increase in synthetic chemical sweeteners and preservatives.
Multinational corporations, already profiting from the increased illness and disease in America by selling prescription and over the counter drugs, have no interest in addressing the underlying causes because to do so would reduce their bottom line profits.
To make matters worse, many American corporations, especially Monsanto, are in an unholy partnership with the U. S. Government to participate in the profits from the sale of drugs and the production of genetically modified foods that harm Americans.
The increase in Crohn’s, IBS and IBD are directly related to a person’s individual food sensitivity to the chemicals found in processed, packaged and farmed foods, including meat and poultry.  These chemicals include but are not limited to Roundup pesticides, rGBH, antibiotics, nitrates, MSG, Maltodextrin, carcinogenic caramel food coloring and incredible amounts of genetically modified soy and corn byproducts.
MSG, genetically modified soy and corn are in every package.  They are used as cheap fillers and to enhance the flavor of flavorless genetically modified foods.
A simple look at the ingredient’s label of a frozen food item will disclose as many as 150 different chemicals on the package.  And where the label includes artificial or natural flavoring, those flavorings contain up to 300 different esters (artificial chemicals) that are not required to be listed on the package.  Why?  Because they are protected by the trade secrets of multinational corporations.
Our grandmothers didn’t have to put more than 150 ingredients into the food they served our families to make them yummy.  Most Americans don’t have more than 20 spices in their spice cabinet.  I doubt that you can find one American that can name more than 50 ingredients in their food, let alone 150.
Yet, American food manufacturers faced with tasteless genetically modified ingredients are compelled to add these chemical ingredients to fool your taste buds not only into buying their food but to become addicted to it.
As we note in our books, Doritos has more than 39 ingredients in their recipe.  Yet, you only need three ingredients to make chips at home.  So, what are the other 36 ingredients?  Chemicals, chemicals and more chemicals.
Pepsi and Coke finally acknowledge that the synthetic caramel coloring in their soft drinks is carcinogenic and have planned removal of these ingredients by the summer of 2012.  Now if the industry will only acknowledge the dangers of high fructose corn syrup and remove it from their soft drinks, the world could be a safer place to eat and drink.
For people with digestive diseases and syndromes, these chemicals upset their stomachs, inflame their colons, irritate their bowels and eventually lead to colon cancer.  If you total up all of the chemicals off the ingredients labels on the packages of food you eat daily, you may find that you are eating and drinking the equivalent of five to six ounces of chemicals a day.
If you drink sugary soft drinks, that number may increase to as many as 20 ounces of some form of chemicals daily.  Just imagine pouring yourself a tall glass of chilled chemicals every day and ask yourself what are they doing to your body?
Then ask yourself, how many days, weeks, months and years can you drink eight to 20 ounces of chemicals a day before it rots your insides out, causes Crohn’s, IBS, IBD, heart disease, diabetes or leads to cancer?
It is simple math that, when applied to infant children, is even more alarming.  The ingredients of baby food now contain the same dangerous chemicals that adult food contain.  Only, starting a child on chemicals almost immediately after birth has far reaching consequences on the future of our society.  The recent increase in childhood maladies is dramatic proof of this.
Additional proof can be found in research conducted by UC Davis scientists found in an article in the Los Angeles Times, Groundwater Nitrate Contamination Grows in California Farm Areas, that cites nitrate pollution leaching into aquifers from fertilizers and manure applied to cropland as the cause of high levels of nitrate linked to cancer and reproductive disorders that can be lethal to infants.
The research also pointed out the long term danger when it said, “Because it can take years or decades for nitrate to migrate through aquifers, the authors warned that the effects of the rising volume of manure may not be evident for some time.”
Our water is polluted.  Our food is polluted.  And over time, our bodies will be polluted with these chemicals resulting in illness and disease.  For Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowl syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease sufferers, it is a prescription for pain, suffering and ultimately colon cancer.
If you doubt it, go to various websites, including the CDC, FDA and other more independent sites, and chart the increases in these illnesses and diseases from 1994 until 2011.  The numbers are increasing exponentially and are projected to increase even more dramatically in the next 25 years.
The only way to reverse this trend is to eat organic foods and demand that the U.S. government require full and complete disclosure of chemicals in the labels found on foods sold in markets.  True disclosure will enable Americans to make their own decisions and not let our government, twisted and turned by political contributions and legalized bribes, make those decisions for us.
To do otherwise will be to condemn our children and grandchildren to a shorter life punctuated by obesity, illness and disease.
Mannie Barling and Ashley F. Brooks are the authors of the award winning books – Arthritis, Inflammation, Gout, Crohn’s, IBD and IBS (Books and Authors 2010 Best Books in the Health, Diet & Reference Categories); Mannie’s Diet and Enzyme Formula (Blogger News Net 2010 Best Health And Nutrition Book Award winner); It’s Not Your Fault; and The Food Revolution Papers  –  available at HowToEliminatePain.com, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other booksellers around the world.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

TH17 Cells - The Role They Play In The Autoimmune Response In IBD - New Discoveries


Interesting information to know.  This link has several parts that discuss and explain the function of TH17 Cells ( The cells that are shown to effect both innate and adaptive immune responses by the release of regulatory cytokines) and the impact they have on Inflammatory Bowel DIsease.
Abstract is below.  To read entire Journal entry, click the link. 

Note: If for some reason the pages do not load correctly, contact me and I'll get the full article to you. 

Interactions With Predisposing Factors in the Immunopathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Expert Review of Clinical Immunology, 2012-02-01   
From Expert Review of Clinical ImmunologyTh17 Cells
Th17 Cells: Interactions With Predisposing Factors in the Immunopathogenesis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease CMEAli Raza, MD; Wajeeha Yousaf, MD; Ralph Giannella, MD; Mohamed Tarek Shata, MD, PhD
CME Released: 01/30/2012; Valid for credit through 01/30/2013       


ABSTRACT

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory state of the GI tract of unknown etiology. Classically, tissue injury in IBD is thought to be primarily mediated by Th1 cells in Crohn’s disease or Th2 cells in ulcerative colitis. The discoveries of new subsets of T-helper cells, especially Th17 cells, have revolutionized our understanding of the disease immunopathology. Th17 cells seem to affect both innate and adaptive immune responses by the release of regulatory cytokines. Understanding the role of Th17 cells in IBD pathogenesis and targeting their regulatory cytokines may provide potential therapeutic approaches for the treatment of IBD in the future.

 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The Celiac Tax Deduction - Information

The Celiac Tax Deduction - What's New - Article from www.celiac.com

This could be beneficial for some.  I don't know about you, but my grocery cart is filled with mostly gluten free items, lactose free foods, organic and specialty foods that are necessary.  I can't purchase a $2.00 loaf of bread.   I have to buy the $6.00.  If you have celiac disease, you know the price you have to pay.  It's not a choice.


Monday, March 12, 2012

Two Drugs Approved by FDA for Adults & Children with Rare Digestive Disorders -From CBSNEWS


Just read this.  Never heard of these drugs until now.  I'm of course going to dig into everything about them tonight.  I hope and pray that they could be a potentially effective and safe treatment for some people.  There's such a need for improved treatments!!!

We'll see..........

FDA approves 2 drugs for rare digestive disorders


WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it approved two new drugs to aid food digestion in children and adults with rare diseases.

The agency approved two pill-based drugs containing the ingredient pancrelipase, which mimics pancreatic enzymes that aid in digestion.

Ultresa was approved for adults and children with cystic fibrosis, a deadly inherited disease that causes thick mucus to build up in the lungs and other organs. Patients with the disease have difficulty digesting food normally because their pancreas does not make enough digestive enzyme.

The FDA also approved a pill called Viokace for adults who cannot digest food normally because of pancreatitis or surgery to remove the organ. Viokace combines the ingredient pancrelipase with a proton pump inhibitor, a drug used to reduce stomach acid.

Unapproved pancreatic enzyme products had been available for many years, but the FDA has been requiring companies to seek regulatory approval for the products since April 2010.

Both drugs are made by Bridgewater, N.J.-based Aptalis Pharma U.S. Inc.
© 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

We're All Sick Of Hearing About "PINK SLIME". Just Tell Us Where NOT To Get The Pink Poison!


What I've gathered about where we can purchase just regular quality beef without the worry or concern that it has that pink slime garbage in it:  These stores are safe.  
  • PUBLIX
  • COSTCO WHOLESALE
  • WHOLE FOODS MARKETS
  • H-E-B
  • KROGER
  • TOPS MARKETS

ALSO, if the meat is USDA Organic it does not contain pink slime.  So, if you aren't sure about the meat you are buying at your local grocery store, your best bet to be assured that the meat is free of fillers is to go with USDA Organic.  
“It kind of looks like Play-Doh,” he said. “It’s pink and frozen. It’s not what the typical person would consider meat.”       lol  Play-Doh... Funny they compare it to that.  Play Doh was so much fun to play with, but did you ever taste it??  

"The low-grade trimmings come from the parts of the cow most susceptible to contaminaton, often close to the hide, which is highly exposed to fecal matter. But because of BPI’s treatment of the trimmings — simmering them in low heat, separating fat and tissue using a centrifuge and spraying them with ammonia gas to kill germs — the United States Department of Agriculture says it’s safe to eat."                 SO NASTY!

"you can’t know from the packaging because pink slime does not have to appear on the label. And the USDA is giving no indication it will force meat packers to lift the veil of secrecy any time soon."                         Once again shady actions and lowered standards all due to a $$$$ issue.  

Monday, March 05, 2012

MARCH is NATIONAL AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH



AARDA hopes to educate public on autoimmune diseases during March


March is National Autoimmune Diseases Awareness Month, and the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA) is working to educate the public on risk factors, prevalence, and the severe lack of awareness surrounding autoimmune diseases. During March, AARDA hopes to educate the public on the top five things everyone should know about autoimmune disease: (1) 50 Million Americans have an autoimmune disease, comprising a major U.S. health crisis. (2) There are 100+ autoimmune diseases including Crohn's diseaseceliac diseaserheumatoid arthritis(RA), vasculitis, and Addison's disease. (3) Autoimmune diseases "cluster" in families; for example, if your grandmother had lupus, you could be at greater risk for developing an autoimmune disease. (4) Fewer than 13 percent of Americans can name an autoimmune disease. (5) Autoimmune diseases target women 75 percent more often than men; and combined, autoimmune diseases are one of the top ten killers of women under the age of 65.
Increased levels of awareness amongst the general public is more important now than ever before according to AARDA's President and Executive Director Virginia T. Ladd. She says, "Autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), type 1 diabetes, and celiac disease have all been shown to be on the rise, but answers as to why these increases are occurring are yet unknown. However, it is imperative that the public be more aware of their own risk factors for developing autoimmune diseases so that, as symptoms occur, they can seek a diagnosis and begin a treatment regimen. Early diagnosis and onset of treatment can make a significant difference in someone's chances of becoming disabled or suffering organ damage."
AARDA will sponsor several events this March in honor of National Autoimmune Diseases Awareness Month, including a free public forum, "What Every American Needs to Know About Autoimmune Disease," which will be held in partnership with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, in Denver, CO, March 3. Additionally, to increase awareness in Congress and advocate for autoimmune diseases becoming a national health priority, AARDA will host a Congressional Briefing in collaboration with the National Coalition of Autoimmune Patient Groups, on March 28. March will also bring the launch of AARDA's Autoimmune Walk Campaign led by Actress Kellie Martin who serves as the campaign's Ambassador. The campaign will lead the way to AARDA's inaugural awareness and fundraising walk which will take place in Chicago, IL on June 2.
Source: American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA)

Sunday, March 04, 2012

Nick Cannon - Just 1 More Case Of The so called "non curable" Auto-Immune Disease

I'm so damn sick of hearing the word "AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE".  If the immune system doesn't work as it should and is "diseased" because it's attacking  areas of the body that are perfectly healthy, how in the world did this begin, when did it start, why do the majority of elderly people and even people aged 50 and up not have he threat of these disease?  & if you know about Autoimmune conditions, there are at least over 20 conditions that fall into the category... if not more.  
Our generation, up coming generation, and our poor children's generation are faced with these, or will be faced with these horrible health challenges.  They are almost doomed once they are conceived because they are already being fed the trash that comes from the food of the mother.  
I don't want to raise my family here, in the US with the health care only becoming more bleak as the years go on.  Our health 20 years ago compared to today is TERRIBLE.... &only getting worse.  Our nation  has all some of the greatest medical advances, technology, drugs, so WTF is the problem???  It's sickening that so many people are suffering with these diseases that the doctors say "can only be managed".  
That's a lie and I'm beginning to have hatred toward the entire medical system.


Before I forget to mention, someone will think to themselves. 'Well, death rates are much older than they used to be.  People are living to be well into their 80's.  That's true... but what kind of qualityof life are they living.  Are they existing, in chronic pain, spending all their money on health care to "manage" their health condition.  
My guess.... is that they aren't living the best life they could possibily be living, unless they are just solid and healthy people, if they refuse to just take the pill and live (putting up with the pain). Other's don't suffer from the condition in a way that it interferes in their daily life, so those people only complain, call the doctor and get more meds to give temp. relieve, but most likely, so many meds these days, precipitate more health problems.


This is my vent.  I'm fed up and annoyed!!  I hear AUTOIMMUNE way to much, but why isn't anything being done to treat the person in a way that wont harm them further, if not send them to their grave!!!!! 
Nick Cannon: I have an auto-immune disease - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -