Macular Degeneration

[linda]

Any kind of salad is a good opportunity to get more curry into your diet, which has anti-inflammatory properties. I love a salad with cooked chicken, walnuts, apples, grapes, and a curry drsg. The drsg is just plain lowfat yogurt -app. 1/2 c.-, a leetle bit of mayo, vinegar, salt and sugar and curry to taste.

I'm still not on board with the raw egg yolks, tho. If indeed my father's immune system is not as good as it used to be, which is true for most of the elderly, it seems too risky. The eggs will lose some of their lutein when cooked, yes, but he'll have to make up for it with more spinach. For me, too, with the biologics, raw eggs are a big no-no, and fresh fruit and veggies must be thoroughtly washed. For dad, it doesn't really matter how safe it is, he just wouldn't eat a raw egg. Nor would he take abx for this. He has been one of my strongest detractors in using AP.

He has no symptoms of inflammation, joint/muscle pain or fatigue. He is very active, runs his farm, mows, tends to his grapes, is involved with his church and is helping build a home for Habitat for Humanity. He does chew tobacco, and has for at least 15 yrs, if not longer. He started shortly after he quit smoking when he thought he's had a heart attack back in the early 1980's. He's very healthy, other than the AMD. I've tried to tell him that the tobacco is going to catch up to him, but to no avail. And it may not; both of my parents smoked, my mother until just a few yrs ago, and they have never eaten healthy (lots of junk food) and also used to consume large quantities of diet coke. Neither one has ever had any type of exercise routine, altho my mother walks quite a bit. And yet, they have both been as healthy as horses. Mom just had cataracts removed and had knee surgery 2 yrs ago, but other than those age related issues, nothing else. I do appreciate the offer for the information on the doctor, tho, he's never use it.

Don't think the irony isn't lost on me. I was always active, even tho I had severe asthma as a child. As an adult I always exercized and ate very healthy, avoiding foods with artificial ingredients as much as possible for me and my kids. I always maintained a low weight, until the last 5-6 yrs when the prednisone caught up with me. I didn't smoke or even drink.  And yet I had PA and endometriosis by the age of 25, and FM since at least the age of 35, if not earlier. Here I am, disabled at the age of 46, while they are still living very full lives into their 70's.  I wouldn't do anything differently, tho, I think I was able to stay at a high level of functioning as long as I did b/c of my lifestyle. But they're getting older and are eventually going to get sick and need help, and my concern is how in the world I'm going to be able to do that for them.

[A Friend]

[user=115]Rosey UK[/user] wrote:

AIRNERGY IS SUPPOSE TO BE GOOD FOR THIS CONDITION

Rosey, do you have links about “airnergy” or more information you might pass along to us? A link pasted here would be convenient if you have one.  

Thanks,

AF

[A Friend]

[user=27]Maz[/user] wrote:

…. I had an occasion to do a bit of research on Macular Degeneration of the eye for a friend's sister and discovered quite a link between this particular eye condition and chlamydia pneumoniae. There are lots of studies on the topic out there as well as info on doxycycline as a means to modify disease course.  

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1771658

No doubt, you have done a plethora of research on the topic already, AF, but just thought to mention it in case it might be a helpful lead…..

Hi Maz,

Thanks again for the above post and link.  I finally had time late yesterday to read through it hurriedly, and I found it very helpful.  This was about the same time I had done a search looking for information about Dr. B. Wirostko.  An outstanding find (which I'm pasting below), a link and info in a letter with research by the three Drs. Wirostko discussing AMD and C. pneumoniae, along with the link you posted above, has caused me to have strong feelings that I need to not only eat my spinach, eggs, etc. and take supplements shown to help in several controlled studies, but to seriously begin a discussion with my physician about doing MP after the first of the year.  

Though I am on low dose Minocin, it is very likely it is not able to reach far enough/adequately to reach high into that single path of blood going to the macula.  From the sporatic reading I've done on MP (beginning about 2004), I now have strong feelings that this may be my best option for addressing organisms that are no doubt causing silent inflammation there. 

Minocycline has been shown to help.  It was key in reversing my own uveitis when I saw Dr. EW about 1999.  I was already on low-dose Minocin when this happened, when nosedrops with Pau d'Arco (an effective antimicrobial) set off a fire storm of inflammation when it hit organisms, and caused uveitis.  I was trying to clear out congestion/pressure in my head/sinuses that my ENT couldn't find a thing wrong with, he said. 

Even when we are not having acute eye problems, it appears obvious to me that we can have ongoing inflammation (in our eyes and other parts of our bodies) even though we are not acutely aware of it.  My understanding of the MP is that part of this protocol enables a tiny amount of Minocycline (as low as 25 mg) to become even more effective through the vehicle of Benicar.

Years ago when I first became ill, what had been dx'd as TMJ about a year before was actually a silent  infection in my jaw bone which my body apparently had been able to encapsulate… for a while), though I had no known teeth problems.  The chronic illness developed and made itself known to me early one morning.  After the purulent material was not able to be contained and spread to my head/sinuses, these illness onsets kept repeating themselves  about every two months for two years. 

A hefty dose of abx for 10 days each time (about 15 RX'es in two years) would get me to feeling better.  While helping me feel better, this was wiping out all the good flora (didn't know/wasn't told to take probiotics).  A systemic yeast overgrowth unknown to me and my physician developed, and my immune system and other systems I believe were forever changed.  I was a lifeless vegetable, and stopped any treatment from physician, except for tests.  I began reading and learning ways to start my journey back, because I knew I wasn't going to make it otherwise.  It got worse on some occasions before it got better — but I was definitely going in the right direction.  My life force told me that!    

The following is the link to the letter giving detailed information (like an abstract) from the three outstanding Drs. Wirostko (a father, a son and a daughter), all scientists, microbiologists, ophthalmologists.  I consider myself privileged to have met Dr. EW, to have been his patient, and heard/read his vision for solving these difficult diagnoses.  He actually spoke at some of the national meetings when physicians using Dr. Brown's protocols met to share and learn. 

If you have any problems opening and reading the letter, which begins “Dear Sir,” please let me know. 

 
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/118808562/HTMLSTART

 
Letter to the Editor
 
Age-related macular degeneration is an inflammatory disease possibly treatable with minocycline
Emil Wirostko ¹ *, William J. Wirostko ² and Barbara M. Wirostko ^{1
  1} Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, USA

  ² Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Correspondence to   *William J. Wirostko MD

The Eye Institute

925 N 87th Street

Milwaukee

Wisconsin 53226

USA

 

[linda]

Just wanted to thank you again for the article. My father read it yesterday and went shopping for juice, eggs and spinach. He won't do the raw eggs thing, but I was just surprised that he even read the article. Makes me wonder if his AMD is worse than my parents are letting on. Anyway, it's definitely good information for him and for me as well.

[Rosey UK]

[user=28]A Friend[/user] wrote:

[user=115]Rosey UK[/user] wrote:

AIRNERGY IS SUPPOSE TO BE GOOD FOR THIS CONDITION

http://www.airnergy.com  good luck :roll-laugh:

Rosey, do you have links kabout “airnergy” or more information you might pass along to us? A link pasted here would be convenient if you have one.  

Thanks,

AF

[orchid]

Thank you for posting this article. My mom has macular degeneration and is lost as to how to treat it. She refused all of the weird tests and doesn't want them “needling” her eyes – she's scared to death.

She's taking ocuvite, but other than that – I'm worried about how to help her treat it. She doesn't eat the best diet but I'm hoping I can help her with that.

I'm interested in how doxy can help with macular – is that long-term, too, then? She's taken doxy before – for chronic sinusitis and it's the only thing that really helped her but she didn't stay on it long enough.

I'm just so worried because we just lost my dad and I'm worried about her being alone and now that it's winter, and so dark (so early) she scared to drive at night. Not a good situation.

Thanks again–

Afriend…I'm curious about the whole cytokine-storm thing. Is that a common reaction to several meds like that? I came back c.pneumonie positive as well and now wonder if my mom would, too, and possibly transferred it to me during birth?

[A Friend]

[user=515]orchid[/user] wrote:

Thank you for posting this article. My mom has macular degeneration and is lost as to how to treat it. She refused all of the weird tests and doesn't want them “needling” her eyes – she's scared to death.

She's taking ocuvite, but other than that – I'm worried about how to help her treat it. She doesn't eat the best diet but I'm hoping I can help her with that.

I'm interested in how doxy can help with macular – is that long-term, too, then? She's taken doxy before – for chronic sinusitis and it's the only thing that really helped her but she didn't stay on it long enough.

I'm just so worried because we just lost my dad and I'm worried about her being alone and now that it's winter, and so dark (so early) she scared to drive at night. Not a good situation.

Thanks again–

Afriend…I'm curious about the whole cytokine-storm thing. Is that a common reaction to several meds like that? I came back c.pneumonie positive as well and now wonder if my mom would, too, and possibly transferred it to me during birth?

Orchid, I've divided your post into three sections… let's call them A, B, C:

A.  I encourage you both to read the links in my post that began this thread.  I feel there the information in these will be helpful, as these things have shown measureable improvement when eyes of those on the recommended things were retested — the drusen that actually causes the lack of vision in AMD was positively affected. 

B.  Orchid, I wish that some of the Drs. Wirostko were still practicing in the office environment.  Any one of them would be the best to answer your question.  I did notice in the link to the Letter (abstract type letter) that contact information was given to the university, under the name of Dr. Wm. W.  Why not try contacting him and asking him your questions.  He just might respond. 

I'm so sorry that you and she have had such a traumatic loss.  My Mom used to say that sometimes “when it rains, it pours.”  Hope both of you will think positively, for that's what your Dad would be wanting both of you to do. 

C.  Orchid, the cytokine storm, I'm pretty sure, has much to do with a person's own chemistry/body functioning — things peculiar to them.  I've been involved with support group work for many years and helping online, and I've heard of very few others having this type reaction I did.  Some AP patients actually take three different abx on an ongoing basis.  I discovered only the end of 2006 how extreme acidosis in my own case was the culprit that had literally poisoned my body over the years and caused all sorts of reactions and damage — wish they taught physicians in med school such as this, so we don't have to “first become our own physicians.” 

And about C. pneumoniae — this is a community-acquired respiratory infection (passed around by coughing, sneezing, touching eyes, nose, etc., which spreads germs), often rampant in the winter time and sometimes causing schools  to close.  It is not an STD type infection, even though they share one common word in the name. 

I understand that once we have any type virus, it never leaves our body.  It can become dormant, and can re-occur.  The strength of our immune system (and probably the effect of the mix of resident organisms, etc., we have) may determine whether or not a dormant virus becomes active again.  One example is shingles… especially as people get on up in age, their immune system can get depressed, and they can come down with shingles… caused by a chicken pox virus from childhood. 

Both of you have been through a very traumatic time.  Stress makes us all the more vulnerable to illness. 

Hope some of this is helpful.  I'd suggest just start reading and incorporating the most effective things first.  Give my best to your Mom. 

AF

[Trudi]

[user=28]A Friend[/user] wrote:

I did notice in the link to the Letter (abstract type letter) that contact information was given to the university, under the name of Dr. Wm. W.  Why not try contacting him and asking him your questions.  He just might respond. 

Here is his information:

http://www.mcw.edu/ophthalmology/faculty/FacultyProfiles1/WilliamJWirostkoMD.htm

I'm sending all the info you had about this, Friend, to 3 of my family and friends who are starting with Mac. Deg.  Thanks for the heads up.

Trudi

Lyme/RA; AP 4/2008 off and on to 3/2010; past use of quinolones may be the cause of my current problems, (including wheelchair use); all supplements (which can aggravate the condition) were discontinued on 10/14/2012. Am now treating for the homozygous MTHFR 1298 mutation. Off of all pain meds since Spring '14 (was on them for years--doctor is amazed--me too). Back on pain med 1/2017. Reinfected? Frozen shoulder?

[A Friend]

[user=442]Trudi[/user] wrote:

http://www.mcw.edu/ophthalmology/faculty/FacultyProfiles1/WilliamJWirostkoMD.htm

I'm sending all the info you had about this, Friend, to 3 of my family and friends who are starting with Mac. Deg.  Thanks for the heads up.

Trudi

Good girl!  The above link you posted, I've never seen; thanks for sharing.  Though I've had contact with father and daughter a few years ago, I'd never seen or had contact with the son. I'm so glad the “apples don't fall far from the trees”!!!
AF

[A Friend]

[user=442]Trudi[/user] wrote:

I'm sending all the info you had about this, Friend, to 3 of my family and friends who are starting with Mac. Deg.  Thanks for the heads up. Trudi

Trudi, Everyone,

I realize that so much has already been posted on the subject of Macular Dengeneration; but, this is very important , so am posting more.  It has been shown that excitotoxins/additives, i.e. MSG, aspartame, etc. are also causing damage to our eyes, brains, etc.  This has shown up especially in diabetes which is one of the leading causes of blindness; also in infants/children as autism and other dx'es, from neurotoxins in the vaccines; also mentioned was ALS and Parkinson's.  In manufacturing of our processed foods, including soups, etc., many additives are in there which can affect our taste buds and make everything taste better.  This description is only the tip of the iceberg, according to the program link below.  You owe it to yourselves to click on the link below and listen to the entire discussion by Dr. Blaylock. 

It is hoped that everyone will educate themselves on the above subject, because we need to know how bad these additives are and what all they are causing… and boycott these products that are known to be harmful (tell the manufacturers).  Dr. Blaylock stated in the program that medical doctors presently do not realize the many ways MSG, aspartame, and other excitotoxins are showing themselves in the population.  (As long as the foods “taste” so good, people tend to keep consuming them.) 

Below is information on this subject…. which does damage to our eyes as well — remember excitotoxins were mentioned in the first link on Macular Degeneration posted under this thread?   

March 4, 2006 is the date of this broadcast on a radio program I heard… and went to the web site and listened to the archived program on the link down below. 
Dr. Blaylock, Neurosurgeon (also has degree in Clinical Nutrition).
Has written “The Taste That Kills” 
His topic for the radio program:  Excitotoxins
To listen to this program, turn on your speakers and click on this link below:
030406.wma
 
This program is on the association of chemical additives, these excitotoxins, to foods, vaccines, etc., and how these damage our brains.  This is silent damage, and he reports we don't realize this damage  is being done until about 70% of our brain cells are damaged.  He also discussed how the additives in vaccines are also excitotoxins, and how these can cause serious problems for brains of adults, children, and babies — in them is believed to cause autism.  In the program, he discusses how, if we stop consuming these in time, the damage can be reversible. 
 
[If you don't have time to listen to the whole hour program, when you see the speaker controls show up, you can slide the timer tracker over about 3/4 of an inch, and that is where Dr. Blaylock's presentation on this subject begins.]

[A Friend]

[user=515]orchid[/user] wrote:

Afriend…I'm curious about the whole cytokine-storm thing. Is that a common reaction to several meds like that? I came back c.pneumonie positive as well and now wonder if my mom would, too, and possibly transferred it to me during birth?

Re:  Cytokines

Orchid,

Found this interesting paper on cytokines.  Hopefully, it will teach us and not just confuse us! 

AF

http://www.raysahelian.com/cytokines.html
 
Cytokines and inflammation
influence depression and various medical diseases by Ray Sahelian, M.D. 
 

[Trudi]

[user=28]A Friend[/user] wrote:

It has been shown that excitotoxins/additives, i.e. MSG, aspartame, etc. are also causing damage to our eyes, brains, etc. 

Friend–

Thanks for the additional information!!

Trudi

Lyme/RA; AP 4/2008 off and on to 3/2010; past use of quinolones may be the cause of my current problems, (including wheelchair use); all supplements (which can aggravate the condition) were discontinued on 10/14/2012. Am now treating for the homozygous MTHFR 1298 mutation. Off of all pain meds since Spring '14 (was on them for years--doctor is amazed--me too). Back on pain med 1/2017. Reinfected? Frozen shoulder?

[Trudi]

Dr. Blaylock, Neurosurgeon (also has degree in Clinical Nutrition).
Has written “The Taste That Kills” 
His topic for the radio program:  Excitotoxins
To listen to this program, turn on your speakers and click on this link below:
030406.wma

Just finished listening to the program–well worth it!!

Trudi

Lyme/RA; AP 4/2008 off and on to 3/2010; past use of quinolones may be the cause of my current problems, (including wheelchair use); all supplements (which can aggravate the condition) were discontinued on 10/14/2012. Am now treating for the homozygous MTHFR 1298 mutation. Off of all pain meds since Spring '14 (was on them for years--doctor is amazed--me too). Back on pain med 1/2017. Reinfected? Frozen shoulder?

[A Friend]

[user=515]orchid[/user] wrote:

….. My mom has macular degeneration and is lost as to how to treat it. She refused all of the weird tests and doesn't want them “needling” her eyes – she's scared to death.

She's taking ocuvite, but other than that – I'm worried about how to help her treat it. She doesn't eat the best diet but I'm hoping I can help her with that.

I'm interested in how doxy can help with macular – is that long-term, too, then? She's taken doxy before – for chronic sinusitis and it's the only thing that really helped her but she didn't stay on it long enough.

I'm just so worried because we just lost my dad and I'm worried about her being alone and now that it's winter, and so dark (so early) she scared to drive at night. Not a good situation.

Thanks again–

Afriend…I'm curious about the whole cytokine-storm thing. Is that a common reaction to several meds like that? I came back c.pneumonie positive as well and now wonder if my mom would, too, and possibly transferred it to me during birth?

Orchid, I don't believe I've responded to this message of yours.  And I'm thinking this was quite a while ago.   If not, am sorry.  Some of the things you wrote above: 

1) Treatment for your Mom's eyes…  In a reply from me several posts up, I gave a link from the three Dr. Wirostko's in an Abstract.  The father, Dr. Emil Wirostko was head of the Uveitis Department at one time, as well as being in private practice.  I had the good fortune to be able to go there for a 2nd opinion and for him to treat my sudden onset Uveitis.  During those days, he was very active as a speaker at Conferences around the country about Dr. Brown's AP treatments.  Dr. EW was a scientist, in addition to being a treating ophthalmologist.  In the link below, an abstract, is information where they suggest treatment for Macular Degeneration — the same treatment I was on, and Dr. EW had me stay on to treat the Uveitis. 

 
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/fulltext/118808562/HTMLSTART
 
Letter to the Editor
 
Age-related [highlight= #ffff88]macular [highlight= #88ffff]degeneration is an inflammatory disease possibly treatable with minocycline
Emil Wirostko ¹ *, William J. Wirostko ² and Barbara M. Wirostko ^{1
  1} Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, USA

  ² Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
Correspondence to   *William J. Wirostko MD

The Eye Institute

925 N 87th Street

Milwaukee

Wisconsin 53226

USA

2) I've heard of Ocuvite (I believe it's a vitamin complex ???), while it may be helpful, I don't believe it is a substitute for such as Minocin/minocycline.  Even with the sudden onset of Uvetis, I only had to take it three days a week —  took one 100-mg. capsule in the am, and one in the pm, about 12 hours apart. 

Sometimes, in families, different related people will have different problems, but sometimes these may be caused from similar causes.  So, it may not be unusual “if” minocycline helps both of you for different diagnoses. 

3) Chronic sinusitis, according to Mayo Research a few years ago, was found to be caused by fungal origins.  You mentioned about your mother's diet.  If she does have a fungal overgrowth, this could be affecting/causing/involved in both the sinus condition and her eye problems.  The AMD site and the sinusitis are in the same areas, so fungal organisms could be involved in both.  While the Doxycycline can temporarily help, it's possible it can also be adding to her fungal problems, if she has not been taking LARGE doses of probiotics.  If she has fungal issues, then she probably needs to be on longer courses of antifungal treatment, as well as diet counseling about yeast-free diet. 

If the above is true, then treating both appropriately would probably help.  However, I've rarely had luck with going to most primary care physicians in the past, or even specialists, who seemed to  be wise enough to recommend probiotics.  Unfortunately, Dr. EW died of an anerynism and Dr. BW (dau.) has gone into research.  I don't know of any ophthalmologists knowledgeable of AP, but hopefully someone will.  However, if she could see an AP physician (such as Dr. K, who is a primary care physician), am thinking she should be able to get some help there. 

4) The cytokine storm I had, when I had to add Zithromax (pulsed T-Th-Sat) while taking Minocin (M-W-F), apparently overloaded my liver's capacity to detox the acidic wastes.  I had long been very acidic, but wasn't knowledgeable of acidosis in those days, and didn't know why I had the horrible “cytokine storm.”  Since that time, I finally learned about my extreme Acidosis condition, and realize that was my Liver and My Body telling me, in no uncertain terms, that they weren't going to let me continue taking both of those drugs.  Extreme reactions can be our friends.  It's the only way our body has to communicate what it likes and what it doesn't like.  I'm slow learning sometimes, but thankfully, I finally got the message and learned what had caused the problem. 

It's hard to be ill, and to have problems that our physicians are not knowledgeable about in our treatment.  That's why so many of us have to learn what we need to do.  Those 10 or 15 minutes most doctors spend with patients just isn't enough — just long enough to write that RX. 

AF 

Wish I were more help. 

 

 

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