Heart attack recovery.

[chaps23]

Hi everyone,

A dear friend of mine has suffered a heart attack 2 weeks ago and is still in hostpital, I am looking for ways to aid in his recovery. I'll start telling you all a little about his situation.

My friend here after referred to as *M* has been suffering with a Heroin addiction for some time, now whilst he was clean at the time of the heart attack it may have something to do with it. *M* has lived a reasonably rough life but has lately been quite vigilant in his diet eating natural unprocessed foods.

When *M* had his heart attack he fell on his right arm cutting off blood flow where he layed unconcious for 13- 15 hours before he was found. Despite miraculously surviving let alone not having brain damage from oxygen deprivation, *M's* arm, due to the lack of blood flow had it turned septic causing his major organs to start shutting down. He is currently on dialysis and they are keeping him on a lot of pain med's endone & paracetamol as well as valium to assist in sleep. They wanted to amputate his arm due to the condition it was in but *M* refused.

Although his diet isn't quite where it should be *M* has vowed to turn it all around and start doing the gluten free/low carb diet most of us are on. I can guide him through some of this whilst giving him the information he needs to research it himself but where I really need your help is with what immediate changes can *M* incorporate to his life straight away as the hostpital food will kill him if the doctors dont beat him to it! I have suggested milk thistle to help with his liver in removing toxins from his body but I really would hate to reccomend anything that will be to his detriment.

Any suggestions would be amazing and greatly apprciated.

Best Regards,

Brent.

 

[Voyageur]

Hope your friend *M* can recover well chaps23. Without offering any advice on treatments, might offer to just keep encouraging him along during his recovery. The arm issue being septic is dangerous enough and am sure you will get some good reasoning on treatments here.

Good luck to him.

 

[Gaby]

Hi Chaps23, he is going to benefit from some help and guidance to balance his brain chemistry. Search for the "Mood Cure" in this forum. It is a book written by a nutritional psychologist and it synthesizes the aid for specific addictions from a supplemental point of view. She has a clinic in the US where she helps people with specific IV amino acids and she focuses on a diet rich in fat and protein and free from gluten to help recovering addicts. I think it would be a good idea if he reads the book, that will motivate him. Then, he has to understand why it is important to make dietary changes.

In any case, a diet rich in protein and fat is essential to curb down addictions. He need not necessarily restrict his protein intake at the beginning, that will come naturally as he transitions. He can have digestive enzymes and HCl and vinegar to aid digesting his much needed protein and fat intake. Restricting carbs and removing gluten and dairy will help him fight his addiction.

 

[chaps23]

Thankyou Psyche,

I will purchase the book for him, he is very mentally strong and completely understands the need for diet change. He was on the raw food diet before I talked him out of it but clearly see's the benefits of the paleo diet. I will suggest the digestive enzimes and vinegar to help break it down.

 

[chaps23]

Hi guys,

I'm just bumping this to the top as I am really at a loss of where to turn. Thanks again for any input.

 

[Gaby]

Hi guys,

I'm just bumping this to the top as I am really at a loss of where to turn. Thanks again for any input.

It would be very helpful if he can get vitamin C in an IV. Then, if he can get stabilized enough so he can be transferred to a specialized care center where there is an orthomolecular practice, it would be better. There are resources of such places here:

http://orthomolecular.org/resources/centers.shtml

But if he is on dialysis and on septic shock, then it speaks of a very delicate condition which needs stabilization which might be very hard to achieve. Someone already thought he needed to be amputated. Is he alone or has family that is responsible of him? Can a second opinion be gotten from another specialist? Can someone open minded enough be found so he can get vitamin C in megadoses in an IV? If he is conscious, is he tolerating the oral route so he can have megadoses orally?

Once stabilized other opportunities would be open. You can explain to him how you started the diet, what changes you saw and how you went on about it. He can read the Mood Cure by Julia Ross and PBPM by Nora Gedgaudas.

This is Julia Ross recovery system clinic:

http://www.recoverysystemsclinic.com/

Perhaps you research about their "THE ADDICTION CURE PROGRAM - Drug Abuse Treatment Center" can be done to see if this is something that is feasible and worthwhile, or if they have suggestions as to where he can get the appropriate help depending on his location.

They focus heavily on dietary changes which are typically high in protein and fat. Perhaps it could be followed as a transition period while he gets specific aminos and vitamins which help with drug addiction. Eventually, as he does his own research, he can look into the ketogenic diet.

I would also recommend doing EE as it helps to curb down addictions, also FIR sauna if it is accessible for him, since it will help to increase blood flow in his body and help his heart to recover from the drug shock.

BUT, how critical is his condition right now? If he is unconscious, on septic shock and kidney and/or multi-organ failure, he needs specialized medical care. The chances of dying are high indeed. I would concentrate my efforts in getting some vitamin C IV in megadoses if I were in his place.

I'm sorry to hear about his position.

 

[chaps23]

Thank you Psyche,

I will purchase some Asorbic acid and get him taking it orally, *M* is extremely open minded but the same can not be said for his family or the DOCTORS. The things I have seen there while visiting him have been quite frankly disgusting. There was one stage where a nurse was changing his dressing on the arm which has been decided that they wont amputate they have however removed quite a large portion of the septic flesh.

In regards to the status of his condition, Doctors are saying stable but still serious. They are removing up to a Kilogram every two days of toxins from his blood, he has only as of friday started passing urine and there is up to a litre of pus leaking from his arm each day. Doctors have informed he will be needing dialysis every two days for quite some time as a lot of his internal organs almost completly shut down. He has good family support at the moment.

There is lots of great info on the sites you have posted I will have good read of them today the mood cure and his drug dependency will be a good start once his condition improves, he is ready to start the gluten free low carb ketogenic diet straight away, I'll loan him my FIR Blanket so I have that covered

I am forever greatful that you Psyche have taken the time to assist me & *M* through this tough time I will keep everyone posted of his progress for archiving purposes, from searching through the forum & google I have collected some really good info.

At the moment, my immediate movements will be getting *M* on high doses of vitamen C a couple of times per day. Magnesium, Milk Thistle, Alpha Lipoic Acid and Co Enzime Q10 (with food) and large doses of pork and pork fat as an alternative to hostpital food. FIR sauna blanket treatments for as long and as often as he can handle and I am waiting on the First disc of the EE program as I have lost mine. It was resent a couple of weeks ago so shouldn't be far away.

Best Regards,

Brent

 

[chaps23]

http://orthomolecular.org/resources/centers.shtml

No centres in Australia, but there is plenty of great stuff on that site I might shoot them an email and see what they can offer.

Thanks again.

 

[obyvatel]

Hi Chaps23,
While you may have the best of intentions for your friend at heart, trying to interfere with your friend's medical treatment while he is is some sort of serious condition in the hospital is ill-advised in my opinion. Please be careful not to bypass any medical rules they may have in the hospital. You mentioned your friend has family present and they are "not open-minded". You may want to tread carefully here. It may be best to go slow and try to inform your friend about various options available at present and provide him with supplements and stuff if he himself is willing to take responsibility and try them out once he is considered to be out of "serious" condition and out of the hospital.

My 2cents

 

[chaps23]

Hi Chaps23,
While you may have the best of intentions for your friend at heart, trying to interfere with your friend's medical treatment while he is is some sort of serious condition in the hospital is ill-advised in my opinion. Please be careful not to bypass any medical rules they may have in the hospital. You mentioned your friend has family present and they are "not open-minded". You may want to tread carefully here. It may be best to go slow and try to inform your friend about various options available at present and provide him with supplements and stuff if he himself is willing to take responsibility and try them out once he is considered to be out of "serious" condition and out of the hospital.

My 2cents

Hi Obyvatel,

I was actually just last night deeply thanked by *m's* family and him. *m* has always been a more open minded person than myself actually and mostly leading me on our little journey, being able to help him has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. He has asked me for this help. I apologize if I have not given this impression as I have never been a gifted writer when I mentioned this,

The things I have seen there while visiting him have been quite frankly disgusting.

,

I was simply talking about the hospital's practices. His parents although not being as open minded as they could be about diet and health do support his decisions in actively making a difference in his life to both help his recovery and curb his addiction. They could not be more supportive. There are somethings I will choose not to mention at this point. But they dont have to be scientist's or nutritionists to figure out that natural store bought supplements could be doing him any harm. They know *m* very well and know he has an alternative way of thinking and even if it doesn't work its definitely helping his state of mind in being positive and believing in his own recovery.

Thanks obyvatel for your input, I promise I will keep my mind open to their feelings. ;)

Regards,

Brent.

EDIT: Spell Check.

 

[Voyageur]

[quote author=chaps23]

Thanks obyvatel for your input, I promise I will keep my mind open to their feelings. ;)

Regards,

[/quote]

My friend, past colleague and old boss said of his wife today, that she has a 6 centimeter tumor in her breast and it is scheduled in just days ahead, to be removed; a full mastectomy. A floodgate of information learned here in books, articles, and discussion, opened up in my head and what could be transferred in help upon hearing this news. My impulse was to want to jump in, convey and send information, yet could only muster something in essence to the fact that there has been much learned today concerning diets that seems to help in such cases and it takes a lot of reading to understand. He said, there is no time. This is sadly understood, and can only offer them both thoughts for a successful outcome despite wanting to say so much more.

It is never easy. :(

 

[chaps23]

important update,

We have discharged *M* from hostpital Saturday after under going just absolutely astonishing mis conduct from the hostpital he was staying in. I am amazed at the systems in place at that joint. Being a public hostpital lets just say good help is hard to find. The amount of stuff ups is amazing including but not limited to

- Accidentally giving a hospital grade laxetive instead of a pain killer for 24 hours!
- A nurse handling his arm (which has had operations to remove toxic parts of the flesh and having skin grafts) with her BARE HANDS! then proceeding to grab a bin with the same hand and re attempt to touch his wound again!
- Giving a nessercary injection Eperex 4000 to treat anemia (commonly caused from dialysis) 3 days late.
- Changing his pain killers from Endone & Ocycontin (which worked very well) to Gabapenthin which has actually caused more pain and swelling but doctors insist its all they can use when they told us at first there are many other different options avaiable. The standard dose is 1-300mg daily which worked well at first but began to stop working within a matter of days, they then decided ok we can just double the dose. He is now prescribed to take 1500mg's a day and rates the pain at 10/10 so he has stopped taking it by choice as of being discharged and pain is back with in his tolerance. I understand that they want to get him off opiates due to his past addictions but there must be something else out there!
-When he complained about the pain getting worse there statement to him was "listen to some soothing music" I mean are they bloody serious! and then ther said take some more paracetamol (which I have read is the worst thing to give someone on dialysis with weakend kidney function!)

My mother works at a local GP's so I have taken him there for a second opinion we have blood work being done today and may have to admit him to another public hostpital, which I'm happy to do. *M*'s family have been great and agree with the decision he made top get out of there, there is so much they have done its just hard to mention.

*M* is currently on these medications. (there was another long story when they stuffed up the script!)

- Eperex 4000 - Once weekly
- Gabapenthin 600mg's twice daily and 300mg's once. (which he has stopped taking)
- Paracetamol (as often needed)
- Diazepam no more than 5mg's every 4 hours but as needed (which helps manage the pain)
- Bisoprolol 2.5mg's once daily.
- Some heart burn drug forgotten its name,

So I need to make sure that the supplements I am giving him arn't conflicting with any of this. He has stayed with me Saturday night & Sunday night but will be home tonight as his mother is back from adelaid to watch him until we find out whether he needs to go back into another hostpital.

I was wondering is it too soon to let *M* go through sugar withdrawls right now?
With his kidneys in such a shape is it safe todrastically change his diet?

When using the sauna blanket he did not sweat at all despite drinking plenty of water so I'm guessing (which is dangerous to guess) that one of the meds he is on is preventing this. Does any body know about this?

Best Regards,

Brent.

 

[Mrs. Peel]

*M* is currently on these medications. (there was another long story when they stuffed up the script!)

- Eperex 4000 - Once weekly
- Gabapenthin 600mg's twice daily and 300mg's once. (which he has stopped taking)
- Paracetamol (as often needed)
- Diazepam no more than 5mg's every 4 hours but as needed (which helps manage the pain)
- Bisoprolol 2.5mg's once daily.
- Some heart burn drug forgotten its name,

So I need to make sure that the supplements I am giving him arn't conflicting with any of this. He has stayed with me Saturday night & Sunday night but will be home tonight as his mother is back from adelaid to watch him until we find out whether he needs to go back into another hostpital.

I was wondering is it too soon to let *M* go through sugar withdrawls right now?
With his kidneys in such a shape is it safe todrastically change his diet?

When using the sauna blanket he did not sweat at all despite drinking plenty of water so I'm guessing (which is dangerous to guess) that one of the meds he is on is preventing this. Does any body know about this?

Best Regards,

Brent.

Hi,

Just a reminder that with the exception of Psyche, nobody here is a doctor and qualified to give real medical advice other than our "experiments" with diet and supplements. We can make recommendations based on research and past experience.

Perhaps you can research those medications and supplement interactions?

 

[anart]

When he complained about the pain getting worse there statement to him was "listen to some soothing music" I mean are they bloody serious!

It's quite usual for a hospital to cut back on pain killers when the patient is an addict. Addiction to opiates causes all sorts of pain threshold issues. Often the pain threshold is lowered considerably due to the opiate addiction, thus the addict 'feels' much more pain than a non-addict would in similar conditions. Thus, it's really for their own benefit that the pain meds are cut. I would advise against high or even the current level of pain medications (thought that's just based on past experience, I am not a doctor). It's important to recovery to ween off pain meds as quickly as possible and let the body do what it needs to do - opiates delay that process considerably.

 

[chaps23]

It's quite usual for a hospital to cut back on pain killers when the patient is an addict. Addiction to opiates causes all sorts of pain threshold issues. Often the pain threshold is lowered considerably due to the opiate addiction, thus the addict 'feels' much more pain than a non-addict would in similar conditions. Thus, it's really for their own benefit that the pain meds are cut. I would advise against high or even the current level of pain medications (thought that's just based on past experience, I am not a doctor). It's important to recovery to ween off pain meds as quickly as possible and let the body do what it needs to do - opiates delay that process considerably.

I have explained that to *M*, he does have severe nerv damage due to the operation on his arm and a bottom of his right lung has "died" for lack of a better word which is why he needs the anti coagulant to prevent stroke risk or another heart attack. I have researched the pain he is feeling and Gabapentin would seem to be a great alternative to opiate based meds, but its recorded only to work in a third of the people who use it for nuropathic pain.

[quote author=wikipedia]Gabapentin provides significant pain relief in about a third of people who take it for fibromyalgia or chronic neuropathic pain.[3][/quote]

The good news is my family doctor of a long time is going to be looking after him we are just waiting on results back from some blood work yesterday and the hostpital records. There are many alternatives that my doctor is looking into that act in a similar way but are different Tramadol is one but this heavily conflicts with gabapentin as well so it depends on how long it stays in his system ( I'm thinking a lot longer due to his weakend kidneys and liver)

All I can do now is wait and see how well he heals, with a great diet and the right medical advice my doctors hopeful that *M* may make a full recovery in 6 Months or so. I'm also going to have him see a naturopath I've got this Orthaplex B-Vital which is a good multi, which seems due to his poor liver and kidney condition may cause slight stress on his digestive system but would be excellent for his nutrition. He is now eating a full meal and doesn't seem to get to tired after.

B-Vital summary

Orthoplex B Vital summary:

B Vital contains:

B Vitamins
Amino Acids
Essential Minerals
Synergistic Nutrients
B Vital may assist with conditions associated with:

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Fatigue and lack of stamina
Irregular blood sugar levels
Oxidative damage
Stress
Each 5ml level teaspoon of B Vital contains:
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) 111 mg
Biotin 55.5 µg
Calcium ascorbate (Vitamin C) 111 mg
Calcium hydrogen phosphate 95.4 mg
(equiv. calcium 22 mg)
Calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5) 111 mg
(equiv. pantothenic acid 97.75mg)
Camellia sinensis leaf ext. dry conc. stand. 55.5mg
Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) 2.75 µg
(equiv. 111.1 IU vitamin D3)
Chromium picolinate 402 µg
(equiv. chromium 50 µg)
Citrus bioflavonoids extract 55.5 mg
Copper gluconate 79.3 µg
(equiv. copper 11 µg)
Cyanocobalamin (vitamin B12) 111 µg
Cysteine hydrochloride 11 mg
d-LC-alpha tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E) 40 mg
Folic acid 200 µg
Glutamine 55.5 mg
Glycine 1.8 g
Lecithin-soy phosphatidyl serine enriched 111 mg
Levocarnitine fumarate 22 mg
Magnesium phosphate 53.8 mg
(equiv. magnesium 11 mg)
Manganese amino acid chelate 222.22µg
(equiv. manganese 111 µg)
Nicotinamide (vitamin B3) 222 mg
Nicotinic acid (vitamin B3) 5.5 mg
Potassium phosphate 38.7 mg
(equiv. potassium 11 mg)
Pyridoxal-5-phosphate (vitamin B6) 33 mg
R,S alpha lipoic acid 22 mg
Retinyl palmitate (vitamin A) 555.55 µg
(equiv. vitamin A 1011IU)
Riboflavin 5-phosphate (vitamin B2) 22 mg
Selenium (as selenomethionine) 27.8 µg
Taurine 111 mg
Thiamine hydrochloride (vitamin B1) 55.5 mg
Tyrosine 55.5 mg
Zinc amino acid chelate 55.5 mg
(equiv. zinc 11 mg)

Gluten free
Glucose free
Lactose free

Cautions and Contraindications:
Potassium should be given with caution in patients taking ACE inhibitors, beta adrenergic blockers as increased blood levels of potassium may result. Take two hours away from antibiotic medications, as minerals such as calcium, zinc, magnesium and manganese may reduce absorption of antibiotics. Be cautious of high doses of vitamin B3 in gout - may lead to increased uric acid.
Benefits of Orthoplex B Vital compared with other suppliers

Designed specifically for patient-prescription by healthcare practitioners, therefore meets the highest standards.

EDIT: Additional information, Bisoprolol IS a beta blocker, meaning he should be cautious on consuming potassium, but since day 1 of being consious after his heart attack he had been eating a bananna a day which the hostpital never mentioned he shouldn't!!! (that was of course until I got to him) Rest assured his full blood work should indicate if his levels of potassium are high or not.


Gabapentin links,
_http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabapentin
_http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD007938.pub2/abstract;jsessionid=82C6F06E94CDCA11BD10ACA834C90629.d01t02

Orthaplex B-Vital,
_http://www.b2bworld.com.au/hp/category105_1.htm