My Wife's Case

[Oldguy]

Hello All,
I used to post on the cardio threads a couple of years back in hopes of spreading the good fortune in keeping my wife with me. Of all boards and chat rooms I’ve visited, Healthboards is the best I’ve found, and I urge all of you to spread the word about this “Jewel” on the net. I’ve not found medical doctors lowering themselves to advise on this board, (although I did find a veterinarian which is just as good), but I have found many interested people caring, sharing and searching. The veterinarian was correct when he repeatedly wrote “follow the metabolic pathways”, something which I had been doing for some time in my research. Pathway maps are invaluable, but are difficult to interpret by the layman, and they are far from complete at this time. I left Healthboards for a time in order to spend more time researching diabetes in hopes of finding something that would cure my wife of this affliction. I haven’t found it, but have neutralized, and in some areas reversed, the damages caused by it. I keep my wife’s primary care physicians, cardiologists, and vascular surgeons up to date on all medications I give her, and in return, they work closely with me. In order to ease their concern, my wife and I have provided them with a full waiver from any liability.
I am writing a book on my findings, despite the fact that I am not a medical professional, and my assumptions are not that of an accredited expert. The complexity in preparing a book of this nature is tremendous since each point has to be referenced to university papers, journal papers, and medical reference books.. If ever I finish, and if at all possible, I hope to market this book through Healthboards.
In an earlier post I stated that four and a half years ago my wife, at 52 years of age, was given three months to live at best, or she could go at any time. She was wheel-chair ridden, was taking 840 dollars per month in medications, and still suffered a massive heart attack three months after undergoing triple bypass surgery. Lipitor, at 80mg daily did nothing for her lipids which had risen to a high of TC=795mg/ml HDL’s=8 and trig’s=6675mg/ml. (20.54mmol/l and 75.34mmol/l). One bypass was occluded, and the remaining two were closed 70% and 20%. At this point, she had suffered with diabetes for about 14 to 16 years. I had retired a year and a half before her surgery and was dismayed when I couldn’t renew my wife’s health insurance....It’s not available for diabetics. Especially one that also suffers combined familial hperlipidemia.. Naturally, our comfortable retirement has been relegated to “scratching out a living”on my social security and a part time job. However, I felt rich as I watched her mow and trim the grass today. She has only a marginal bit of peripheral neuropathy, has a typical blood pressure of 106/68, and the massive scarring of her heart has reduced to a spot at the top about the size of a dime. Even the diabetic ulcers on her legs are gone: one being about five inches long and wrapped totally around her left leg. This type of ulcer is called peritibial myxedema
Although I can’t tell anyone to do this or that, or promise a cure or treatment, I can tell what my wife’s Med regimen is, and what my logic is behind selection of each medicine. I’m pasting this regimen below, and with this I’m going to close for a bit. This will give you time to Google away and do your research. My spare time is almost nil but I will be back in two days to add details, and to answer questions you may have. Maybe then you’ll really see the value of Healthboards.
======================================== =============================
Jenny Travis’ Daily Medication Regimen 18OCT2004
(*)Alternative Meds, (!) Must be administered to depress blood lipids, CAPITAL LETTERS are Rx meds.
For Angina: Nitroquick 0.4mg Sublingual. Repeat ea. 15 min. If pain persists beyond 3 tabs, transport to Emergency room and call Dr. Darly Ber*****.
Familial combined Hyperlipidemia and Insulin dependent brittle diabetic (Late onset).
Lispro or Insulin R only. Glucose reduction: 100mg/dl per 15 units insulin.
ALLERGIES, SEVERE: Long term insulins (Lente, etc.) Plavix, Lipitor, Ibuprophen, Glucophage, Lopid, Zetia, Welbutrin, Niaspan.

9:00AM
1 *! BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) 600mg capsules One cap, three daily
2 K-DUR (POTASSIUM CHLORIDE) 10meq tablets One tablet, three daily
3 * Folic Acid 800ug tablets One tablet., one daily
4 *Vitamin B6 200mg capsules One cap, one daily
5 *Vitamin B12 500ug tablets One tablet, one daily
6 *Aminoguanidine 75mg tablets One tablet, three daily
7 *Vanadyl Sulfate 7.5mg tablets One tablet, three daily
FUROSIMIDE (Lasix) 40mg tablets One tablet as needed
INSULIN R: Determine per blood glucose reading


1:00 to 3:00PM
1 *! BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) 600mg capsules One cap
2 *! NAC (N-acetyl-L-cysteine) 600 mg capsules One Cap daily
3 K-DUR (POTASSIUM CHLORIDE) 10meq tablets One tablet
4 *! Selenium 200ug tablets One tablet daily
5 *Aminoguanidine 75mg tablets One tablet
6 *Vanadyl Sulfate 7.5mg tablets One tablet


10:00 PM - Bedtime
1 *! BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) 600mg capsules One cap
2 K-DUR (POTASSIUM CHLORIDE) 10meq tablets One tablet
3 *Aminoguanidine 75mg tablets One tablet
4 *Vanadyl Sulfate 7.5mg tablets One tablet
5 *Vitamin A, 8000unit gelcaps One gelcap daily
6 * Zinc gluconate 50mg tablets One tablet
5 DARVOCET-N 100 caplets One caplet if needed
INSULIN R: Determine per blood glucose reading

[Oldguy]

Hello All,
There are four types of diabetes: diabetes inocens, diabetes insipidus, Juvenile (or type 1) diabetes, and diabetes type 2. As many as 40% of type 2 diabetics have been misdiagnosed and are actually late onset type 1, which is an autoimmune disease. In these cases, one’s immune system is attacking and destroying the beta cells in the pancreas. The average person has such an overabundance of beta cells that deliver insulin, that glucose intolerance is not encountered until at least 70% of these are destroyed. This can take years. Physical symptoms are sudden loss of weight accompanied by severe headache, sore feet, sugar in the urine, and eventually ulcerations around the ankles and feet. Blood tests for this type would be blood testing for C-peptide, (a pancreatic byproduct of insulin production), and blood insulin level. Type 1 and 2 respond to glucophage early on because the drug slows the liver’s production of blood glucose, slows intestinal uptake of carbs, and minimally sensitizes cells to the effects of insulin. In type 1, insulin release becomes less and less until the compensation by glucophage isn’t enough and the diabetic requires exogenous insulin. Sensitizing glitizide drugs such as Actos are less effective than glucophage in a type1 because there is no insulin, and they do not reduce the glycogen release by the liver. Without insulin, the body turns to fat stores for fuel and the patient loses weight. The byproduct of burning fatty acids are beta hydroxybutyric acid, acetoacetic acid and acetone. These are ketone bodies that are passed in the urine. Ordinarily, some ketones are also used for fuel, especially in the brain, but if fatty acids are the lone source of food, there is far too large a supply of ketone bodies. The diabetic enters metabolic acidosis,(ketosis), and soon becomes comatose.
Muscle cells require little or no insulin to transport fatty acids inward, but they prefer glucose because energy must be used by the cells to utilize fat. The primary food of the brain is FAT while carbs are a low second. On a low fat diet, the brain uses the carbs but it keeps signaling, “I’m hungry”. One can surmise that a no-fat diet is hard to stick to. Carbs are converted by the liver into glucose and stored as glycogen. The liver also packages fatty acids in tiny bags called chylomicrons. The bags complete with contents form the triglycerides in a blood lipid panel. A no-carb diet results in low blood glucose once the liver is depleted of its stores. With no blood glucose, fat becomes the fuel and one passes Ketones. The paradox here is that a type 2 diabetic rarely passes ketones. When one is a real type 2(insulin resistant) diabetic, both adipocytes (fat cells), and muscle cells become insulin resistant. The muscle cells also lose receptors that normally attach to and empty the chylomicrons of their contents after which they release them back to the blood stream. So the person’s cells gets little fuel and the person tires easily and suffers the typical diabetic symptoms except weight loss and Ketosis. Meanwhile, the triglycerides accumulate dangerously in the blood. The cells signal that they need fuel, but their fuel lines are plugged. The liver hears the signal and pours even more triglycerides into the mix. The question is, do the cells lose their chylomicron receptors and start gaining excess weight? Does this occur prior to becoming insulin resistant??
It’s late now so I’ll let you all mull the preceding over until I can get back again to explain my wifes meds. Until then, God bless you all, Oldguy

[Oldguy]

Hi again,
The reason I’m posting here rather than on the cardio topic is that cardiovascular problems are inherent with diabetes as are many more problems. These include stroke, heart attack, peripheral and autonomic neuropathy, peripheral vascular occlusion, kidney failure, liver failure, hair loss, dental loss, yeast infections, pancreatitis, elevated uric acid (resulting in gouty arthritis), and even poor immunity. Some of these can be delayed by control of blood glucose levels, but CONTROL IS NOT THE TOTAL PANACEA. All of the above are the result of glycation, glycosylation, high and imbalanced blood lipids, reactive oxygen species (ROS‘s), and high homocysteine levels.
High Homocysteine is the easiest to avoid by the supplements vitamin B6, B12,and folate or folic acid. There is plenty of B6’s and B12’s in meats, but they are destroyed by cooking. Folate is present in dark green vegetables, but it is also destroyed by cooking. Why these three supplements are not part of everyone’s daily regimen I don’t know. The amino acid methionine is metabolized in all cells and is broken down to homocysteine which is easily oxidized to homocystINE in the absence of B6, B12, and folate. In the presence of these vitamins, the pathway reactions continue to form cystathione, which is itself a protective antioxidant. HomocystINE is cytotoxic and damages all cell membranes including the monocellular lining (intima, or tunica interna, or endothelium) of the arteries. ( Fooey! Hereafter I’m going to dispense with the jargon that is meant to impress and baffle the layman). B6 and folate are also necessary in protecting the myelin sheath on nerves, and folate is required for the manufacture of red blood cells. It’s so common that people that suffer low red blood cell anemia continually run to get iron supplements when actually they’re low on folate. B6, and vitamin E are particularly important for prepubescent girls, and women entering menopause. This combination prompts the liver to produce estrogens to produce a proper hormone balance. My wife had PCOS, (also common with diabetic women), and required a bilateral ovarectomy. She is maintaining sufficient estrogen balance WITHOUT the use of exogenous hormones. Aside from her bust size increasing a bit, she does maintain a good feminine body. However; she does not produce the hormones that control the menstrual cycle and has no periods.
Common to all diabetics is glycosylation, or glycation. There is a difference between the two, but for this explanation, the difference isn’t significant. Blood glucose binds to proteins on cell membranes and alters their functions negatively. The higher the average glucose, the greater the damage. The measure of the damage to red blood cells is the Hba1c test. Since all of the body’s red blood cells are recycled about every two months, the test gives a good average of the blood glucose level for two months. Blood serum proteins are also bound together by glucose to form AGE’s, or advanced glycation end products. These are also damaging to the body’s cells, one instance of which is the cross-linking of individual collagen in the blood vessels. Normally, collagen is rubbery, but when the molecules are tied together by AGE’s, or other reactive oxygen species, they become rigid. This causes a rise in blood pressure. Each time the heart pumps (systosis), the stiffened arteries refuse to enlarge and the heart has to work much harder. The formation of AGE’s can be greatly reduced by the supplements L-carnosine, and aminoguanidine. The latter supplement is the one I give my wife, and is likely the reason the rigid scar tissue (primarily collagen) is reduced on her heart. The reduction has resulted in the increase of her ejection fraction from 47% to a near normal 53%. Aminoguanidine is also a mild cross-link breaker and over a long period of time, can reverse the stiffening of collagen. It’s likely the reason her skin is so soft and silky and nearly wrinkle free. Aminoguanidine, as with all guanides, reduces the pickup of vitamin B6, so it must be supplemented by at least 200mg daily. A maximum of 400mg is the toxic limit for B6. As soon as I can get back, I’ll cover the killer culprits....ROS’s. God bless, Oldguy

[arkie6]

Oldguy, good to see you back on the boards and glad to hear your wife is doing much better.

Alan

[Oldguy]

Hi Arkie, Yup! I'm back. Really don't have too much time on my hands lately.
Hope you're doing as good as we are. Things have changed in the mechanics of this board so I'll have to learn the basics again...'Til next time, God bless and take care of you, Oldguy