Archive for February, 2009

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Leukemia- A Battle Lost

Comments: 0February 14th, 2009 by admin



On 28 September 2006, I received an e-mail from a man seeking help for his wife. This is what he wrote:

I write this e-mail to you in order to seek your suggestion regarding my wife’s illness.

My wife had been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) type M5 in late December 2005. I brought her to Singapore General Hospital (SGH) on 1 January 2006 for further management and chemotherapy. She had 3 cycles of chemotherapies in the first 3 months. Later she underwent a Bone Marrow Transplant procedure (BMT) in late April 2006 until mid May 2006. But unfortunately, on the 75th day after BMT, the leukemia cell relapsed. After that my wife had another cycle of chemotherapy and also received donor lymphocytes.

Due to financial consideration, I moved my wife for further treatment to Malaysia in mid August 2006. She was admitted into the Subang Jaya Medical Center (SJMC) until today. At SJMC she got another cycle of chemotherapy and received another donor stem cell on 12 August 2006.

But a week ago the leukemia cells were shown to be active again and they developed quickly before donor stem cells even could work. Five days ago my wife had another cycle of chemotherapy in order to reduce the white blood cell count.

I would like to find possible therapy and treatments that will be suitable for my wife. My wife and I are Indonesians. Within the next few days, I must make a decision whether to bring back my wife home to Jakarta or stay in Malaysia. I really need your help.

Comments

The above is a 33-year-old lady. Before her diagnosis she presented with the following symptoms: fevers for 1 to 2 weeks, gum pain and bleeding, headaches and diarrhea.

Over the years I have encountered many cases of bone marrow transplant (BMT). And all the cases that I know of resulted in death. There was this young lady of eighteen. She underwent BMT in Singapore. After spending so much money, her parents had to bring her home in a coffin. At her wake service, her mother said to me: “If we knew it is like this, we would have stuck to your advice!” She realized her mistake a bit too late!

I know of a person who had to spend well over 1.5 million ringgit (US$1 = 3.5 ringgit) to save his wife from leukemia. She too died. Then there was another young lady who just started to work after graduating from her studies in Australia. She had leukemia and she too underwent BMT. I was told (rightly or wrongly) that she died while on the “operation” table.

Tham is my patient who suffered from kidney lymphoma. After undergoing some initial chemo-treatment he decided to give up chemotherapy due to severe side effects. He opted for herbs. Within nine months, the cancer went into remission. Soon after he was pronounced cancer-free, his doctor suggested that Tham undergo BMT. According to the doctor with BMT he would live ten years longer. Tham declined after consulting me. The question I posed to Tham at that time was: “The aim of the doctor was to prolong his life for ten more years with BMT, but what was not taken into consideration was the risk of dying from BMT due to various complications.” It has been eleven years since Tham was diagnosed with cancer. He is very much alive and well today. Tham is still taking the herbs.

In the case of the lady above, fortunately she did not die from the BMT procedure, but it did not cure her either. Much money had been spent on medical expenses. I only have this to say: Your life is in your hands. Decide wisely!

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Posted in leukimia

Oral Chemotherapy is One of the Best Ways You Can Fight Back

Comments: 0February 13th, 2009 by admin



This is the chemo treatment you can take at home. So what exactly is oral chemotherapy? The term refers to the way of administering chemotherapy by taking chemo drugs by mouth. Chemotherapy is medicine used in treating cancer and the ways to apply it are multiple. Nowadays, due to progress in cancer treatments and research, patients benefit from many different types of chemotherapy that can be taken in as tablet, liquid or capsule. And any drug that can be taken by the mouth to treat cancer belongs to oral chemotherapy. You no longer have to worry about your doctor trying to find that vein in your arm. You have the option of taking your medicine orally by capsule or pill. Although taken chemo orally is a whole lot easier, the effects of pills will be the same, with the mention that they are more likely to trigger adverse reactions because of the impact on the digestive tract.

You will always have some chemotherapy drugs that can never be taken orally as they cannot be absorbed in the stomach or they can cause harm if swallowed. As a matter of fact, most of the chemotherapy drugs are introduced into the patient’s veins by means of injecting it through an intravenous line. In the case of oral chemotherapy, the treatment is more facile as the patient can do it at home, without being forced to go to hospital every time it is applied.

How does one administer oral chemotherapy? It is best the patient take this medicine in cycles. By taking oral chemo in cycles this will help to greatly reduce the possibility in damaging healthy cells. Obviously, the doctor is the one who will decide how frequently (daily, weekly, monthly, etc) medication will be taken. Another, the doctor’s job is to discussed with the patient what lies ahead in terms of challenges, difficulties and success rate. Only when one is informed and convinced of the efficiency of the treatment, can one decide to begin it.

Although oral chemotherapy drugs are not as strong as the others and although they do not affect the patients’ stomach, there are side effects. Tiredness for a few days after beginning the treatment, nausea and vomiting, possible change in the amount of blood cells (anemia), lower capability of the blood to clot, diarrhea or constipation, flu-like symptoms, hair loss, increased risk of infection, kidney or bladder problems, mouth, gum and throat sores, pains, and nerve and muscle problems, are some of the long list of side effects when it comes to oral chemotherapy. The same side effects as those chemo drugs taken intravenously. As with any of these side effects it is advisable that patients address their doctors for advice and help. Although you will be taken your chemo treatments at home, you will still have to regularly visit your doctor without the hospital stays.

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Posted in anemia

Can Salt Help Keep Your Fish Pond Healthy?

Comments: 0February 9th, 2009 by admin



I have been bought up with a pond and one of my Dad’s trade secrets to keep his fish healthy was periodically to introduce some salt into the water. He would swear that it perked the fish up and prevented them catching diseases.

Can this easy method really be true or is it an ‘Old Wives Tail’ that could harm the fish, I find it hard to believe that freshwater fish benefit from ‘salt water’ I thought I would do some research to find out if adding salt really does help the health of the fish pond the following points are the facts that I have found

o Salt acts an antiparastic by having a little salt in the water it helps with the process of osmosis should a fish be under stress (under attack from disease etc)
o Salt can also be used to prevent ‘Brown Blood Disease’ as it blocks the binding of nitrite to hemoglobin)
o Salt is dangerous if used with an ammonia based chemical in your filtration system (i.e “Zeolite”) If this is the case do not use salt
o If you have a fish with a specific problem in your pond treatment of this fish is best done separately
o Water plants in your pond do have a salt toleration and should not be affected (up to 1.5lbs per 100 gallons of water
o The best time to dose your fish pond is early spring before the plants have woken up for the summer.
o If you use salt you must use pure block salt not table salt as this has harmful additives
o If you have wildlife such as frogs etc excessive salt could be dangerous.

It seems that there is some truth in this ‘Old Wives Tale’ salt really can be of benefit to your pond, however I would recommend that you purchase a salt testing kit in order to check that your levels do not become to high and that you end up doing damage to your fish pond.

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Preventing Hay Fever – Simple Things You Can Do

Comments: 0February 8th, 2009 by admin



Having hay fever is quite similar to having a constant flu: it interferes with every aspect of your daily life and may even disrupt something important, such as a job interview, or a meeting, or an exam, for example. Far from pleasant, isn’t it? However, a lot of people still have no idea that there are in fact several simple ways to minimize the effects of hay fever. Here are a few selected methods and techniques for dealing with hay fever:

Start taking some hay fever medications prescribed by your family physician before the pollen starts to appear. Taking action beforehand is very important: it can help you prevent hay fever symptoms developing at a later stage. The best preventive remedy depends largely on your symptoms. You may even need a combination of several antihistamine pills, nasal sprays and eye drops. Take a spoonful of honey after meals every day. Important: the honey must be locally produced for the best effect. This helps build your immune system. Keep windows closed from early morning until late in the afternoon. It is exactly the times when pollen levels are high. Keep car windows closed and turn your air conditioning system on to a closed circle, so that the pollination outside air does not get into the car. Stop consuming alcoholic beverages – they aggravate hay fever symptoms. Beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks contain histamine – a chemical that triggers the symptoms of allergies in the body. If you smoke – it’s also a good idea to quit, as nicotine only worsens any hay fever symptoms. Wearing big, wide sunglasses helps to protect your eyes from pollen. Women whose eyes get sore because of hay fever are strongly advised to use hypoallergenic makeup. Check at your local pharmacy for more advice on this. Put a tiny drop of petroleum jelly in each nostril. This will stop pollen from entering your nasal passages, and you’ll be able to ‘survive’ the streets. When the pollen counts are especially high, make sure you dry all your washing inside, to make sure no pollen gets onto it. Before entering your bedroom, take off any of your ‘outside’ clothes that you wore in the street. Take a quick shower and wash your hair before bedtime, otherwise pollen will be all over your pillow. If you’re too tired, brush your hair with a few hairbrush strokes and wear a shower cap.

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Posted in Allergy And Sinus

Cat Constipation – Just One of the Top 5 Symptoms of Feline Kidney Disease

Comments: 0February 7th, 2009 by admin



Unless you have Superman’s xray vision, it is unlikely that you’ve recently had a peek at your cat’s kidneys. So how do you know if your feline friend has problems with those organs? A variety of diseases of the kidneys are called “Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) and are particularly common among older felines. Fortunately, you can keep an eye out for some telltale signs that your pet is suffering from feline kidney disease.

1.Anemia

When your cat’s kidneys start failing, they are unable to create enough “erythropoietin,” causing a certain type of anemia to occur. The animal typically experiences a variety of symptoms, including:

* licking of the lips

* faster heart rate

* loss of appetite

* weakness in the hind legs

* heavy breathing

* lethargy

* nausea

* cold feeling

* pale eyelids or nose

All of these signs are indicators that your cat could be suffering from anemia stemming from feline kidney disease.

2. Increase in drinking and urinating

This is the most observable symptom when your cat has one of the kidney diseases. The increase in drinking and urinating results from the organ’s being unable to cluster the urine. So if you observe your animal with this symptom of CRF, then immediately schedule an appointment with your veterinarian.

3. Constipation

It’s natural for your feline’s bodies to attempt to save water by absorbing it from its stool. However, this practice becomes a problem when feline kidney disease is present, as dehydration is already a problem. Constipation occurs due to the lack of moisture. Your cat may be eating less; or even vomiting before, during, or right after having a stool. Also, defecating beside the litter tray is another symptom of constipation.

4. Incontinence

Basically, this means that your cat cannot control when it urinates. For instance, your cat may do it whenever it walks, lies, or sleeps. This could be a sign of uncontrolled diabetes, urinary tract infection, or that major renal damage has occurred.

5. Urinary Tract Infection

This is common because the feline’s urine does not contain the proper levels of “good” bacteria and acidity. If you observed a little blood is in his urine, then its likely your little friend uses the litter pan more often, or produces a small amount or no urine. These are all signs of feline kidney disease.

All of these symptoms are signs that your pet could be suffering from sicknesses of the kidneys or other cat illness like a feline urinary tract infection, bladder stones, or even diabetes. If you spot any of them, its time to get your cat into the vet for a diagnosis.

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Posted in anemia

Trying to Conceive a Girl Using an Ovulation Predictor Kit

Comments: 0February 7th, 2009 by admin



Often, a couple who wish to conceive a baby have a specific gender preference. Whether this is because they already have a child of the opposite sex, or for another reason, an ovulation predictor kit can come in very handy.

Ovulation predictor kits are used much like home pregnancy tests, in that the woman’s urine is used for the testing process. The major difference is that you do not use first-morning urine as you would with a pregnancy test. To predict your most likely time of ovulation, and therefore your greatest period of fertility, an ovulation predictor kit tests for the hormone LH. An LH surge indicates that ovulation should occur within the next 12-48 hours, but most often around 36 hours from the time of the surge.

If you are trying to conceive a girl, it’s important to know when to have sex. The X-chromosome sperm that result in a baby girl, live longer than Y-chromosome sperm which make boys. To stack the odds in your favor when trying to conceive a girl, you should have sex a few days before ovulation. That way, by the time the egg is released, the male sperm will have died off leaving the female sperm to fertilize the egg.

Another thing that can help when you’re trying to conceive a girl is changing the woman’s diet. Eating food such as fish or sweet foods can raise the acidity of the vagina, creating a great environment for the female sperm but a hostile environment for the male sperm.

You may wish to keep track of your ovulation times for a few months before actually trying to conceive a baby girl. This will give you a much better chance of having sex far enough in advance to end up pregnant with a baby girl. But even if you want to start trying right away, an ovulation predictor kit is a valuable tool.

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Posted in Alcohol

Blood Donation – Is That For Me?

Comments: 0February 7th, 2009 by admin



For a long time, I wanted to write about blood donation and why it is very important for the donor and for the community. There hasn’t been a lot of research activity on how donating blood helps the donor but it is a well understood fact that the act saves lives. So what is this all about? Who can donate blood and what care needs to be taken before and after donating blood? Keep reading to save more lives…

Donating Blood:

Blood donation is about helping the people who are in very bad need of a renewed life. It is about giving people an opportunity to get back to their normal life. There can be nothing noble when compared to giving someone a life to live. I used to donate blood in the past to a blood bank and I learnt that the blood will be disposed after 90 days if that is not used. After knowing this I stopped donating blood to blood banks and would only donate if approached from hospitals asking for my particular blood group. I now realise how wrong I was.

Blood nowadays is not used in its original form. Instead it is divided into smaller components like Red Blood corpuscles, Blood platelets and plasma and they are used for treatment of various diseases. We all should remember that all hospitals take only what is medically accepted as allowed quantity to donate.So what we generally donate would just be the extra blood our body can really afford to loose. The donated blood regenerates in 8 weeks time so there is really nothing to worry about it.

Benefits of Blood Donation:

An unfortunate event can turn the donor to an acceptor and hence it is required for all of us to realise the importance of donating blood. The most important benefit to the blood donor is the feel good factor. The deep satisfaction of helping the community and saving some one’s life is something that is indescribable. Apart from these, there are a few health benefits as well that arise because of donating blood.

A study in the US showed that people who donate blood regularly have lesser risk of getting heart problems and cancer. The theory behind this is people who have very high iron content in their bloods are vulnerable to the formation of free radicals. These free radicals are the key for heart diseases and cancer. By donating blood regularly, the excess iron is taken out and that helps in reducing the formation of free radicals. Before donating blood, a GP would check the hemoglobin levels in the blood and would advise not to donate if the iron content is too low. So do not worry about loosing too much iron.

Preparation before donating blood:

There are a few precautions that need to be followed before donating blood. These are very simple steps that would ease the whole process.

Drink Lots of water. It helps in not getting dehydrated.

Eat Iron rich foods to maintain healthy hemoglobin levels. Have orange juice or other Vitamin C supplement. Vitamin C helps absorb iron faster. Maintaining the right iron levels is required for oxygen transport and cell respiration. So to be healthy you need the right amount of iron in the blood.

Avoid foods that have too high fat content for a few days before donating.

Have proper breakfast / meal with relatively high sugar content before donating blood.

Relax and do not be nervous.
After donating blood:

Feel happy to have made an effort to save some one’s life.

Drink fruit juices or eat fruits. Have glucose supplement if available.

Do not workout or do extensive exercise after donating.

Some may feel very tired or even faint. Resting for a while (30 minutes or so) will make the body get back on track.
Donating blood is a very simple process and with the improvement of technology, we have completely safe and very very less painful needles and apparatus to collect blood. There is nothing to worry or be tensed about donating blood. If everyone of us can donate blood once in a year at least, then there will be enough blood in this world to save the needy.

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Posted in anemia

Are Yearly Flu Shots Beneficial Or Bogus?

Comments: 0February 5th, 2009 by admin



Every year around this time, everyone from public officials to health journalists start talking about flu shots. It seems that flu shots are recommended for just about everyone these days, but are they truly beneficial? The Centers for Disease Control and other respected health organizations are strong proponents of flu shots, but conflicting opinions exist among researchers. I’ve looked at the evidence in order to present you with a balanced view of the issue.

What a Flu Shot Does

There are actually two forms of flu vaccinations-the traditional shot and a nasal spray. The shot contains dead flu viruses, which encourage your body to produce the antibodies to ward off live viruses that you may come in contact with. The nasal spray contains weak flu viruses, which prompts an immune response throughout your body. You will not actually get the flu, but may it be possible to pass the virus onto others. Pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses or compromised immune systems are encouraged to get the flu shot, but are not eligible for the spray.

The reason yearly flu shots are required is that different strains of the flu virus become dominant each flu season. Your vaccine from last year may be ineffective against the strains of flu virus currently circulating. Scientists determine which strains are strongest for a given year and formulate the flu vaccine accordingly.

The Conventional Wisdom

The Centers for Disease Control affirms that yearly vaccinations are the best way to prevent contracting a virus. According to their data, the vaccine is effective 70 to 90 percent of the time for healthy people younger than 65. These can be less effective in older people because they tend to produce fewer antibodies in response to the vaccine.

Still, getting the flu shot is better than not getting it, according to recommendations from the Mayo Clinic. For older adults who don’t live in a nursing home (where viruses can be easily passed among residents), the vaccination is estimated to be 30 to 70 percent effective at preventing flu-related hospitalizations. What’s also very important to note is that it prevents complications from flu, such as pneumonia, which is a major hazard to older people.

The flu vaccine is recommended for people aged 6 months to 19 years, and 50 and over. It is recommended for anyone with a chronic condition or a weakened immune system. Because of the prevalence of viruses in nursing homes, residents are encouraged to get the flu vaccine. Pregnant women and health care workers are also encouraged to do so.

You should not get a flu shot if you’ve had these conditions in the past; prior allergic reaction to vaccines, an allergy to eggs; experienced Guillaim-Barre, an autoimmune syndrome, or who have a fever (It’s best to wait until a fever subsides).

Contrary Arguments

Perhaps the strongest argument against flu shots is that they may not prevent you from contracting flu. Italian researchers reviewed 71 studies on the efficacy of the vaccine and found it to be only 45 percent effective at preventing flu, hospitalizations and flu-related deaths. It is difficult to develop a highly effective vaccine year after year due to the constant adaptations of the virus. Some years’ vaccines have better success rates than others.

One argument is that getting yearly flu shots makes the immune system less able to fight a strain of the virus that may not be covered by the vaccine. However, even some skeptics agree that flu shots are valuable for staving off complications in elderly people who are stricken with the flu. Evidence also points to benefits of vaccinating children who are often the most likely to spread viruses to older people in their household.

Ultimately, the decision to get a flu shot or not is up to you. Weigh your individual health needs and do not hesitate to discuss the question with your doctor. As with so many questions in life, the answer is neither black nor white-I hope my straightforward analysis can help you navigate the grey area.

Mark Rosenberg, M.D.
Institute For Healthy Aging

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Posted in flu

Nutrient Needs of an After Pregnancy Diet

Comments: 0February 4th, 2009 by admin

The after pregnancy diet< of new moms needs as much attention a nutritious diet during pregnancy if mom and baby are to enjoy the full benefits of healthy bodies.

Iron Levels and Postpartum

Anemia is a huge complication many women experience after pregnancy. diet plays a key role in reversing the effects of anemia. Iron is especially important. The body uses iron to manufacture new red blood cells. It also plays a key role in the ability of red blood cells to do their job.

Iron needs to be at the top of the balanced diet chart. It can be found in foods like deep green vegetables, red meats and milk.

Diet colas and the chemicals they contain block the body’s ability to absorb iron. This prolongs healing and exacerbates symptoms of anemia.

New Moms Still Need Lots of Fiber

Once the baby comes, new mothers find they are quite sore. Any added stress or strain to the perineum and the surrounding area will increase soreness and prolong a return to normal bathroom functions.

The last thing a postpartum mom needs is to become constipated on top of every other discomfort. To this end, fiber becomes very important. Fiber keeps mom and baby regular, eases the movement of the bowels and helps mom feel full so they can rest when baby is resting.

Fiber can be found in fruits, vegetables and beans. Juices are not helpful; eat the whole fruit or vegetable from its source.

EFA and DHA for Baby’s Neurological Development

For many women, EFA and DHA have no place in their vernacular knowledge let alone a spot on their balanced diet chart. The anonymity of these essential nutrients does not lessen their importance.

EFA and DHA are notoriously deficient in the average western meal fare; this does not change without careful planning. Deficiency rates are especially high in populations of women who follow a vegetarian diet during pregnancy. This means the after pregnancy diet needs to pick up the slack.

EFA and DHA can be found in oily fishes, high quality Omga-3 supplements, vegetarian-fed chicken eggs, and flax seed. Women wishing to stick to a strict vegetarian diet during pregnancy can find EFA and DHA in algae products.

Any hassle involved in getting these powerful nutrients on the menu is made up for in their health benefits. Babies who get them via breast milk score higher on intelligence tests and have better eyesight. Mothers benefit by side stepping postpartum depression, memory loss and fatigue.

Lastly, remember WATER!!

Water makes everything else work. Fiber without adequate amounts of water can cause gas and constipation. Other nutrients without water cannot circulate through the sluggish dehydrated blood. Waste materials are stuck in body systems without water to flush them out. And baby’s food supply is certain to run low if the body doesn’t have enough water to build it.

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Certain Key Facts About Anemia

Comments: 0February 3rd, 2009 by admin



One of the most frequent kinds of nutritional deficiencies which are found widely amongst women in particular is the Iron deficiency which is also known as sideropenia or hypoferremia. Iron is a very important nutrient needed for our body and in turn it serves varied purposes and is a major constituent of each cell of our body. It serves the very major function of being the carrier of oxygen between the tissue and the lungs and is present in the form of hemoglobin.

Not only is iron present in the form of hemoglobin but, it is also present as the cytochromes in the cell which acts as the medium of transportation within the cell and iron plays a very crucial role in the enzymatic reactions occurring inside tissues. If the iron content lowers beyond the normal level which is supposed to be present in the cell, then it can result in morbidity and even death of the individual.

One of the frequent conditions arising due to iron deficiency is called anemia which is widely prevalent in pre-menopausal women and children. An average of 3.8 g of iron must be present in healthy men and around 2.3 g should be present in healthy women. There are bacteria which need iron for their proper growth and in case of the dearth of the nutrient it avoids their infectious development and to stop bacterial infections during fever, temporary hypoferremia is created in the body.

Various mechanisms occur inside our body which helps in controlling the iron metabolism happening in our cells and tissues and one of the major regulatory mechanisms is located in the gastrointestinal tract. If the proper compensation of iron does not occur as per its usage in the body, iron deficiency occurs.

Iron deficiency can cause several ailments to the human body such as chronic bleeding, excessive menstrual bleeding, non-menstrual bleeding and bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract such as ulcers or hemorrhoids. In extreme cases which are especially rare, laryngological bleeding which indicates bleeding from the respiratory tract can also occur.

The symptoms of iron deficiency can become visible in the human body even before the condition of anemia sets in. Since iron is used for varied functions, several symptoms of the deficiency can occur either because of anemia or because of the primary occurrence of the lack of iron in the body. The most common symptoms which are widely prevalent in people suffering from this ailment are fatigue, hair loss, pallor, weakness, irritability, pica, brittle nails, etc.

Iron deficiency in the earlier stages can be treated with adequate intake of rich nutritious foods which are rich in iron such as red meat, fish, poultry, lentils, beans, leaf vegetables, tofu, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, fortified bread, and fortified breakfast cereals and also by the intake of iron supplements such as ferrous sulfate, amino acid chelate tablets, etc. Iron deficiency can lead to drastic health consequences if not treated in time and it is better advised that people check the hemoglobin count of their body as often as possible.

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