Gastric Cancer: Practice Essentials, Background, Anatomy. World Health Organization. Cancer: Fact Sheet No 2. Available at http: //www. Accessed: May 2. 1, 2. September 1, 2016 Volume 94, Number 5 www.aafp.org/afp American Family Physician 361 Obesity is a common condition that is associated with numerous medical problems. Gastrectomy is the removal of part or all of the stomach. There are three main types of gastrectomy: A partial gastrectomy is the removal of a part of the stomach. Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery pre-op dietary guide for those undergoing the gastric bypass surgery. Discover customization meal plans and more. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. SEER Stat Fact Sheets: Stomach Cancer. National Cancer Institute. Available at http: //seer. Accessed: May 2. 1, 2. Avital I, Pisters PWT, Kelsen DP, Willett CG. Cancer of the Stomach. De. Vita VT, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg SA. De. Vita, Hellman, and Rosenberg’s Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Gastric Cancer. Version 3. 2. 01. Available at http: //www. Accessed: August 9, 2. Bladder infections are a common cause of cystitis, or inflammation of the bladder. Cystitis is more common for women than it is men. That's because it is easier for a. Restrictive operations like gastric sleeve surgery make the stomach smaller and help people lose weight. With a smaller stomach, you will feel full a lot quicker than. Global Cancer Facts & Figures, 3rd ed. American Cancer Society. Available at http: //www. STT/Global. Accessed: May 2. Macdonald JS, Smalley SR, Benedetti J, Hundahl SA, Estes NC, Stemmermann GN, et al. Chemoradiotherapy after surgery compared with surgery alone for adenocarcinoma of the stomach or gastroesophageal junction. N Engl J Med. 3. 45(1. Cunningham D, Allum WH, Stenning SP, Thompson JN, Van de Velde CJ, Nicolson M, et al. Perioperative chemotherapy versus surgery alone for resectable gastroesophageal cancer. N Engl J Med. 3. 55(1): 1. Ooi CH, Ivanova T, Wu J, Lee M, Tan IB, Tao J, et al. Oncogenic pathway combinations predict clinical prognosis in gastric cancer. Incidence of gastric cancer among patients with gastric precancerous lesions: observational cohort study in a low risk Western population. Jul 2. 7. What are the key statistics about stomach cancer? American Cancer Society. Available at http: //www. February 1. 0, 2. Accessed: January 4, 2. Gunderson LL, Sosin H. Adenocarcinoma of the stomach: areas of failure in a re- operation series (second or symptomatic look) clinicopathologic correlation and implications for adjuvant therapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. Diet modification and gastric cancer prevention. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. Buiatti E, Palli D, Decarli A, Amadori D, Avellini C, Bianchi S, et al. A case- control study of gastric cancer and diet in Italy. Int J Cancer. 1. 98. Oct 1. 5. 4. 4(4): 6. Steevens J, Schouten LJ, Goldbohm RA, van den Brandt PA. Alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and risk of subtypes of oesophageal and gastric cancer: a prospective cohort study. Smoking and the risk of gastric cancer in the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Int J Cancer. 2. 00. Nov 2. 0. 1. 07(4): 6. Wu X, Zeng Z, Chen B, Yu J, Xue L, Hao Y, et al. Association between polymorphisms in interleukin- 1. A and interleukin- 1. F genes and risks of gastric cancer. Int J Cancer. 2. 00. Nov 1. 0. IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Schistosom. Vol 6. 1 of IARC monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans. International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, 1. J Clin Oncol. Neugut AI, Hayek M, Howe G. Epidemiology of gastric cancer. Semin Oncol. 2. 3(3): 2. Guilford P, Hopkins J, Harraway J, et al. E- cadherin germline mutations in familial gastric cancer. Cardwell CR, Abnet CC, Cantwell MM, Murray LJ. Exposure to oral bisphosphonates and risk of esophageal cancer. Aug 1. 1. 3. 04(6): 6. Usefulness of dual- time point imaging after carbonated water for the fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission imaging of peritoneal carcinomatosis in colon cancer. Cancer Biother Radiopharm. A new gastric cancer subtype responds to 5- FU. Medscape Medical News. September 4, 2. 01. Identification of molecular subtypes of gastric cancer with different responses to PI3- kinase inhibitors and 5- fluorouracil. Gastroenterology. Edge SB, Byrd DR, Compton CC, et al. AJCC Cancer Staging Manual. New York: Springer; 2. Najam AA, Yao JC, Lenzi R, et al. Linitis plastica is common in women and in poorly differentiated and signet ring cell histologies: an analysis of 2. Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol. Shen KH, Wu CW, Lo SS, et al. Factors correlated with number of metastatic lymph nodes in gastric cancer. Am J Gastroenterol. Lee SE, Ryu KW, Nam BH, Lee JH, Choi IJ, Kook MC, et al. Prognostic significance of intraoperatively estimated surgical stage in curatively resected gastric cancer patients. J Am Coll Surg. 2. Ozcan S, Barkauskas DA, Ruhaak LR, Javier Torres J, Cooke CL, An H, et al. Serum glycan signatures of gastric cancer. Cancer Prev Res (Phila). Dec 1. 0. Researchers Discover 'Glycan Fingerprint' for Gastric Cancer. Available at http: //www. Accessed: January 1. Gastric cancer: ESMO- ESSO- ESTRO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow- up. Suppl 6: vi. 57- 6. Subtotal versus total gastrectomy for gastric cancer: five- year survival rates in a multicenter randomized Italian trial. Italian Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group. Bonenkamp JJ, Hermans J, Sasako M, van de Velde CJ, Welvaart K, Songun I, et al. Extended lymph node dissection for gastric cancer. N Engl J Med. 1. 99. Mar 2. 5. Hartgrink HH, van de Velde CJ, Putter H, Bonenkamp JJ, Klein Kranenbarg E, Songun I, et al. Extended lymph node dissection for gastric cancer: who may benefit? Final results of the randomized Dutch gastric cancer group trial. J Clin Oncol. 2. 2(1. Degiuli M, Sasako M, Ponti A. Morbidity and mortality in the Italian Gastric Cancer Study Group randomized clinical trial of D1 versus D2 resection for gastric cancer. Memon MA, Subramanya MS, Khan S, et al. Meta- analysis of D1 versus D2 gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma. Sindelar WG, Kinsella TJ. Randomized trial of resection and intraoperative radiotherapy in locally advanced gastric cancer. Proc Ann Meet Am Soc Clin Oncol. Moertel CG, Childs DS, Reitemeier RJ, et al. Combined 5- fluorouracil and supervoltage radiation therapy of locally unresectable gastrointestinal cancer. Oct 2. 5. 2(7. 62. Hallissey MT, Dunn JA, Ward LC, Allum WH. The second British Stomach Cancer Group trial of adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy in resectable gastric cancer: five- year follow- up. May 2. 8. 3. 43(8. Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group. The concept of locally advanced gastric cancer. Effect of treatment on outcome. The Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group. Moertel CG, Childs DS, O'Fallon JR, et al. Combined 5- fluorouracil and radiation therapy as a surgical adjuvant for poor prognosis gastric carcinoma. J Clin Oncol. 2(1. Smalley SR, Benedetti JK, Haller DG, Hundahl SA, Estes NC, Ajani JA, et al. Updated Analysis of SWOG- Directed Intergroup Study 0. A Phase III Trial of Adjuvant Radiochemotherapy Versus Observation After Curative Gastric Cancer Resection. J Clin Oncol. 3. 0(1. Earle CC, Maroun JA. Adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection for gastric cancer in non- Asian patients: revisiting a meta- analysis of randomised trials. Eur J Cancer. 3. 5(7): 1. Bang YJ, Kim YW, Yang HK, et al. Adjuvant capecitabine and oxaliplatin for gastric cancer after D2 gastrectomy (CLASSIC): a phase 3 open- label, randomised controlled trial. Jan 2. 8. 3. 79(9. Narahara H, Koizumi T, Hara A, et al. Randomized phase III study of S- 1 alone versus S- 1+cisplatin in the treatment for advanced gastric cancer. J Clin Oncol. US Food and Drug Administration. FDA approves Cyramza for stomach cancer . April 2. 1, 2. 01. Available at http: //www. News. Events/Newsroom/Press. Announcements/ucm. Accessed: April 2. Hartgrink HH, Jansen EP, van Grieken NC, van de Velde CJ. Gastric cancer. 3. Kim HK, Choi IJ, Kim CG, Oshima A, Green JE. Gene expression signatures to predict the response of gastric cancer to cisplatin and fluorouracil. J Clin Oncol. Evaluation of prognostic factors for the response to S- 1 in patients with stage II or III advanced gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy. Pharmacogenet Genomics. Van Cutsem E, Kang Y, Chung H, Shen L, Sawaki A, Lordick F, et al. Efficacy results from the To. GA trial: A phase III study of trastuzumab added to standard chemotherapy (CT) in first- line human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)- positive advanced gastric cancer (GC). American Society of Clinical Oncology. Available at http: //meeting. S/LBA4. 50. 9. Accessed: November 2. Brooks M. Adjuvant Chemo Boosts Survival in Advanced Stomach Cancer. Available at http: //www. Accessed: July 1. Sung HN, Sook RP, Han- Kwang Y, et al. ESMO 1. 5th World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer, 3–6 July 2. Barcelona, Spain. Abstract O- 0. 00. Annals of Oncology. Available at http: //annonc. Accessed: July 1. Ohtsu A, Shah MA, Van Cutsem E, Rha SY, Sawaki A, Park SR, et al. Bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy as first- line therapy in advanced gastric cancer: a randomized, double- blind, placebo- controlled phase III study. J Clin Oncol. 2. 01. Oct 2. 0. 2. 9(3. Bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy as first- line therapy in advanced gastric cancer: a biomarker evaluation from the AVAGAST randomized phase III trial. J Clin Oncol. 2. 01. Jun 1. 0. 3. 0(1. Rothwell PM, Fowkes GR, Belch JF, Ogawa H, Warlow CP, Meade TW. Effect of daily aspirin on long- term risk of death due to cancer: analysis of individual patient data from randomized trials. Dec 7/2. 01. 0; Early online publication. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Available at http: //www. Health. Professional. April 1, 2. 01. 6; Accessed: August 6, 2. National Cancer Institute: PDQ. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Available at http: //www. Health. Professional. June 1. 7, 2. 01. Accessed: August 6, 2. Management of precancerous conditions and lesions in the stomach (MAPS): guideline from the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE), European Helicobacter Study Group (EHSG), European Society of Pathology (ESP), and the Sociedade Portuguesa de Endoscopia Digestiva (SPED). American College of Gastroenterology guideline on the management of Helicobacter pylori infection. Am J Gastroenterol. Management of Helicobacter pylori infection- -the Maastricht IV/ Florence Consensus Report. The Toronto Consensus for the Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Adults. Gastroenterology. Hereditary diffuse gastric cancer: updated consensus guidelines for clinical management and directions for future research. J Med Genet. 4. 7 (7): 4. Gastric bypass surgery - Wikipedia. Gastric bypass surgery refers to a surgical procedure in which the stomach is divided into a small upper pouch and a much larger lower . Surgeons have developed several different ways to reconnect the intestine, thus leading to several different gastric bypass (GBP) procedures. Any GBP leads to a marked reduction in the functional volume of the stomach, accompanied by an altered physiological and physical response to food. The operation is prescribed to treat morbid obesity (defined as a body mass index greater than 4. Bariatric surgery is the term encompassing all of the surgical treatments for morbid obesity, not just gastric bypasses, which make up only one class of such operations. The resulting weight loss, typically dramatic, markedly reduces comorbidities. The long- term mortality rate of gastric bypass patients has been shown to be reduced by up to 4. A study from 2. 00. This criterion failed for persons of short stature. In 1. 99. 1, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored a consensus panel whose recommendations have set the current. The BMI is defined as the body weight (in kilograms), divided by the square of the height (in meters). The result is expressed as a number in units of kilograms per square meter. In healthy adults, BMI ranges from 1. BMI above 3. 0 being considered obese, and a BMI less than 1. The surgical procedure is best regarded as a tool which enables the patient to alter lifestyle and eating habits, and to achieve effective and permanent management of obesity and eating behavior. Since 1. 99. 1, major developments in the field of bariatric surgery, particularly laparoscopy, have outdated some of the conclusions of the NIH panel. In 2. 00. 4 the American Society for Bariatric Surgery (ASBS) sponsored a consensus conference which updated the evidence and the conclusions of the NIH panel. This conference, composed of physicians and scientists of both surgical and non- surgical disciplines, reached several conclusions, including: bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesitygastric bypass is one of four types of operations for morbid obesitylaparoscopic surgery is equally effective and as safe as open surgerypatients should undergo comprehensive preoperative evaluation and have multi- disciplinary support for optimum outcome. Surgical techniques. It is estimated that 2. United States in 2. The surgeon views his operation on a video screen. Laparoscopy is also called limited access surgery, reflecting the limitation on handling and feeling tissues and also the limited resolution and two- dimensionality of the video image. With experience, a skilled laparoscopic surgeon can perform most procedures as expeditiously as with an open incision—with the option of using an incision should the need arise. The Roux- en- Y laparoscopic gastric bypass, first performed in 1. Essential features. This restricts the volume of food which can be eaten. The stomach may simply be partitioned (like a wall between two rooms in a house or two office cubicles next to each other with a partition wall in between them - and typically by the use of surgical staples), or it may be totally divided into two separate/separated parts (also with staples). Total division (separate/separated parts) is usually advocated to reduce the possibility that the two parts of the stomach will heal back together (. The particular technique used for this reconstruction produces several variants of the operation, differing in the lengths of small intestine used, the degree to which food absorption is affected, and the likelihood of adverse nutritional effects. Usually, a segment of the small bowel (called the alimentary limb) is brought up to the proximal remains of the stomach. Variations. The transverse colon is not shown so that the Roux- en- Y can be clearly seen. The variant seen in this image is retrocolic, retrogastric, because the distal small bowel that joins the proximal segment of stomach is behind the transverse colon and stomach. The small intestine is divided approximately 4. Y- configuration, enabling outflow of food from the small upper stomach pouch via a . In the proximal version, the Y- intersection is formed near the upper (proximal) end of the small intestine. The Roux limb is constructed using 8. The patient will experience very rapid onset of the stomach feeling full, followed by a growing satiety (or . As the Y- connection is moved further down the gastrointestinal tract, the amount available to fully absorb nutrients is progressively reduced, traded for greater effectiveness of the operation. The Y- connection is formed much closer to the lower (distal) end of the small intestine, usually 1. The unabsorbed fats and starches pass into the large intestine, where bacterial actions may act on them to produce irritants and malodorous gases. These larger effects on nutrition are traded for a relatively modest increase in total weight loss. A mini gastric bypass creates a long narrow tube of the stomach along its right border (the lesser curvature). A loop of the small gut is brought up and hooked to this tube at about 1. Numerous studies show that the loop reconstruction (Billroth II gastrojejunostomy) works more safely when placed low on the stomach, but can be a disaster when placed adjacent to the esophagus. Today thousands of . The mini gastric bypass uses the low set loop reconstruction and thus has rare chances of bile reflux. The MGB has been suggested as an alternative to the Roux en- Y procedure due to the simplicity of its construction, and is becoming more and more popular because of low risk of complications and good sustained weight loss. It has been estimated that 1. Asia is now performed via the MGB technique. It involves the implantation of a duodenal- jejunal bypass liner between the beginning of the duodenum (first portion of the small intestine from the stomach) and the mid- jejunum (the secondary stage of the small intestine). This prevents the partially digested food from entering the first and initial part of the secondary stage of the small intestine, mimicking the effects of the biliopancreatic portion of Roux en- Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery. Despite a handful of serious adverse events such as gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal pain, and device migration — all resolved with device removal — initial clinical trials have produced promising results in the treatment's ability to improve weight loss and glucose homeostasis outcomes. A normal stomach can stretch, sometimes to over 1. L, while the pouch of the gastric bypass may be 1. L in size. The gastric bypass pouch is usually formed from the part of the stomach which is least susceptible to stretching. That, and its small original size, prevents any significant long- term change in pouch volume. What does change, over time, is the size of the connection between the stomach and intestine and the ability of the small intestine to hold a greater volume of food. Over time, the functional capacity of the pouch increases; by that time, weight loss has occurred, and the increased capacity should serve to allow maintenance of a lower body weight. When the patient ingests just a small amount of food, the first response is a stretching of the wall of the stomach pouch, stimulating nerves which tell the brain that the stomach is full. The patient feels a sensation of fullness, as if they had just eaten a large meal—but with just a thimble- full of food. Most people do not stop eating simply in response to a feeling of fullness, but the patient rapidly learns that subsequent bites must be eaten very slowly and carefully, to avoid increasing discomfort or vomiting. Food is first churned in the stomach before passing into the small intestine. When the lumen of the small intestine comes into contact with nutrients, a number of hormones are released, including cholecystokinin from the duodenum and PYY and GLP- 1 from the ileum. These hormones inhibit further food intake and have thus been dubbed . Ghrelin is a hormone that is released in the stomach that stimulates hunger and food intake. Changes in circulating hormone levels after gastric bypass have been hypothesized to produce reductions in food intake and body weight in obese patients. However, these findings remain controversial, and the exact mechanisms by which gastric bypass surgery reduces food intake and body weight have yet to be elucidated. For example, it is still widely perceived that gastric bypass works by mechanical means, i. Recent clinical and animal studies, however, have indicated that these long- held inferences about the mechanisms of Roux en- Y gastric bypass (RYGB) may not be correct. A growing body of evidence suggests that profound changes in body weight and metabolism resulting from RYGB cannot be explained by simple mechanical restriction or malabsorption. One study in rats found that RYGB induced a 1. In addition, pair- fed rats lost only 4. RYGB counterparts. Changes in food intake after RYGB only partially account for the RYGB- induced weight loss, and there is no evidence of clinically significant malabsorption of calories contributing to weight loss. Thus, it appears RYGB affects weight loss by altering the physiology of weight regulation and eating behavior rather than by simple mechanical restriction or malabsorption. Concentration on obtaining 8. Meals after surgery are 1/4–1/2 cup, slowly getting to 1 cup by one year. This requires a change in eating behavior and alteration of long- acquired habits for finding food. In almost every case where weight gain occurs late after surgery, capacity for a meal has not greatly increased. Some assume the cause of regaining weight must be the patient's fault, e. Others believe it is an unpredictable failure or limitation of the surgery for certain patients (e. Some complications are common to all abdominal operations, while some are specific to bariatric surgery. Mortality and complication rates.
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Grain Brain Review: Lose Weight by Nourishing The Mind. How Grain Brain helps with weight loss. Grain Brain diet score. Memory loss is a common symptom. Dr Oz: What To Eat on Grain Brain Diet. I started changing my diet right away. The weight just flew off of me. I immediately recommend both Grain Brain and. Take Grain Brain’s Villainization of Carbs with a Grain of Salt. Grain Brain is in the same vein as Wheat Belly and other best. Diet Blog; Weight Loss. Similarly, foods high in omega-3s like olive oil, flaxseed oil, and walnut oil play a big role in the Grain Brain. Grain brain on Pinterest. My weight loss story – How cutting out grains restored my health – Grain Free Living. I get asked this question a fair bit via email and often send long replies about my own personal experience in this area. I feel bloated and exhausted. On the right, this is me after only 4 months “back on track”, after removing the grains and refined sugar out of my diet (cough, again). 10 Days on the Grain Brain Diet. One thing led to another, and soon the forbidden sweets in my cupboard beckoned. 10 Days on a Grain Brain Diet. M.D., a neurologist, published Grain Brain. The Smoke and Mirrors behind Wheat Belly and Grain Brain The Atkins Diet lives on in the. Smoke and Mirrors behind Wheat Belly and. I am back in control, no longer suffering from depression or hormone related mood swings. I have more energy, think clearer and generally just power through my day. The Primal Diet is basically how I eat now. I spend a fair bit of time reading Mark’s articles. The Sucess Story section is also very inspirational, especially this one. Sarah Wilson’s I Quit Sugar Program really helped me with my sugar addiction. Learning about body typing/somatypes also helped me understand why some body types need to be lower carb than others. Giving up grains and sugar (to me they are now closely linked in terms of the damage they do) helped me recover on many levels and I hope my story can help others. Click to read more articles if you are new to grain- free. Brain Grain DietGrain Brain explains how the American diet rich in gluten and. Free Weight Loss Diet PlanWays to Cure Indigestion. Try iberogast (STW5). Iberogast is an herbal combination preparation that is generally safe to use in treating indigestion. Treatment Options for Canine Liver Disease. The course of treatment required in a case of canine liver disease will depend upon the cause of the condition. If I told you there was one diet that could cure arthritis, fatigue, irritable bowel, reflux, chronic allergies, eczema, psoriasis, autoimmune disease, diabetes. Heart disease describes several problems related to plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries, atherosclerosis, irregular heartbeat or heart valve problems. Heart disease refers to various types of conditions that can affect heart function. These types include: Coronary artery (atherosclerotic) heart disease that affects. Dallas Morning News goes berserk, claims criticizing Islamic terrorists causes Muslims to have heart disease, high cholesterol and cancer 9/24/2016 - Just when you. A (Simple) Cure for Autoimmune Disease? Autoimmune diseases like lupus, Crohn’s, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, and colitis are some of the most frustrating diagnoses. Get detailed information on heart disease. Find the latest news and expert advice on heart disease symptoms, treatment, and prevention. Natural Treatment options for Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism. Natural and alternative solutions for Graves’ disease and Hyperthyroidism. By Svetla Bankova. Hello and welcome to my website, dedicated to Graves’ disease and Hyperthyroidism patients, to alternative and natural solutions for treating Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism! My name is Svetla Bankova, and I am a former Graves’ disease and Hyperthyroidism patient. I’ve also written 6 books on Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism, and conducted extensive research on the subject for the past decade. I am Graves’ disease free for 1. If you would like to learn my personal story and how I managed to cure myself, and what alternative therapies I’ve used in my own healing journey, subscribe to the free ebook on the right and you’ll be taken to a page where it says it all! Have in mind that results may vary from person to person. On this page I’ll try to explain in short what I have found during my research for the past 1. Graves’ disease, so far successfully. I am going to cover 3 objectives: How to control Graves’ disease symptoms naturally, with alternative methods and holistic techniques (dietary changes, herbs and supplements)Discuss what are the causes of Graves’ disease and what triggers it. Outline a holistic approach to treating the cause of Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism.(Have in mind that controlling the symptoms of Graves’ disease and treating the causes of Graves’ disease are two different things!) I have to start with the fact that Graves’ disease is a very serious illness and Thyroid storm (caused by a sudden release of large quantities of thyroid hormone) can be fatal. Fortunately, many cases are much milder and can be treated with some natural approaches. Often your doctor or endocrinologist may recommend your thyroid gland to be destroyed or removed, either by RAI (Radioactive Iodine Treatment) or thyroid surgery (a procedure where the thyroid gland is completely removed). May be there are some cases that a surgery is unavoidable (thyroid cancer for example), however, in most of the cases these permanent interventions are not necessary at all! Graves’ disease may present itself in variety of symptoms, but not everybody diagnosed with this disease will experience all the symptoms: Increased appetite; weight loss/ weight gain. Insomnia (inability to sleep)Palpitations, cardiovascular symptoms and tremor. Graves’ eye disease (Thyroid eye disease). Protrusion of one or both eyes. Hair loss. Dry and itchy skin. Heat intolerance. Emotional lability, anxiety, and depression. The above list of course is not complete. Many people will experience some of the above symptoms, and others that are not mentioned here. However, most of the patients are not in somewhat emergency situation where their thyroid gland has to be taken out or destroyed right away. Here is a typical patient experience with Graves’ disease: Diagnosis may come after a long period of looking for answers and experiencing symptoms that are just not put together to define “Graves’ disease”. This was my case: I chased doctors for more than 6 months and experienced most of the symptoms listed above, just nobody was able to do the math 1+1=2 and come up with a valid diagnosis. At the same time I’ve met people in the past 1. After being diagnosed, patients are often made to feel fearful and intimidated. They are told there is no known cause for Graves’ disease and that Graves’ disease is for life, which is not really true, because today we, in fact, know a lot about auto- immune disorders, just this information hasn’t made its way to the conventional medicine yet. Treatment options presented to the patients revolve around three options only, as defined by the medical doctors: RAI, thyroid surgery, or aggressive anti- thyroid medication (Methimazole or similar). None of these methods will actually cure Graves’ disease! Having in mind the so presented treatment options, it is no surprise that Graves’ disease patients find their experience with conventional medicine hopeless or depressive. Once the doctor says “There is nothing better that can be done”, the patient will feel helpless and desperate. That leads to emotional paralysis and lack of action, and I believe that patients have to feel self- empowered and able to take control over their health in order to regain their health back. Only a self- empowered, proactive patient is going to take steps, necessary to recover from an auto- immune disorder! So, one of my jobs as a former patient and a person who read, wrote and researched a lot about Graves’ disease for more than a decade is to educate people that there is a lot they can do, in fact, to get better and recover their health. In reality, this is what can be done to improve your health condition: First, do your research. We know today that the causes of Graves’ disease are not entirely unknown. Of course, there isn’t one single cause of Graves’ disease, which can be removed and you can be done with it, but if you follow a natural treatment protocol I strongly believe that you can get better. Graves’ disease, as well as any other autoimmune disorder, is a multi- factorial problem and the treatment plan should be individualized for every single patient! There isn’t one single treatment protocol for everyone, however, science does have an idea what factors may contribute to Graves’ disease, even though that knowledge seems to not has made its way entirely to the conventional medicine. In fact, it is easier for doctors today, and way more convenient for them, to offer expensive permanent procedures like thyroid surgery or RAI treatment, even though they do not solve the medical problem for Graves’ disease patients. Depending on the case, toxic medications like Methimazole or Propylthiouracil may not be needed and the destruction of the thyroid gland is not inevitable. Graves’ disease- Thyroid or Autoimmune disease? Graves’ disease, dear reader, is not a thyroid disorder! It is an auto- immune disorder that affects the thyroid gland. Therefore, the removal or destruction of the thyroid gland (which is the affected organ and the victim) will not solve the problem with your malfunctioning auto- immune system! Neither will do the herbs or supplements, or any other unconventional or conventional method that targets the thyroid gland only! This is why: The purpose of any treatment should be tolower the thyroid antibodies and to fix the autoimmune system, which has been compromised and caused Graves’ disease. With this mind, I am going to outline a two- step approach for Graves’ disease treatment: – Controlling the symptoms of Grave’s disease, using natural therapies as much as possible (herbs, vitamins, supplements) instead of toxic medication.– Treating the underlying immune system disorder, which will reverse Graves’ disease completely. If this not done in that particular order and the thyroid gland is removed or destroyed, permanently, your confused immune system will simply find another organ to attack. That’s why many people may have two or more auto- immune system disorders simultaneously- Rheumatoid arthritis, Diabetes Type 1, Lupus, Hashimoto’s disorder etc. Or, after the thyroid gland has been destroyed, they may develop, very likely, another auto- immune disorder. How can you control the Graves’ disease symptoms via natural methods? You should know that Graves’ disease is too dangerous to be left untreated without controlling symptoms in the meantime. If you chose the least invasive method, i. But medications are too toxic to be taken for indefinite period of time, and herbs and supplements are not, if they are used in a responsible way. Should you stop you medication? No. And No! Do not stop your thyroid medication “cold turkey”, or without talking to your prescribing doctor about it! You don’t go out and get a bunch of supplements, vitamins and herbs and just stop your medication! All these holistic products are added to the medication, then as the symptoms improve, and that possibly is reflected on your thyroid test results, you go and talk to your doctor to gradually lower your medication until is completely unnecessary. That’s the right way to go! Some over- the- counter supplements that can help Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism symptoms (consult a naturopath if in any doubt): L- Carnitine There many studies, conducted after II World War by scientists in different countries showing the benefits of L- Carnitine in patients with Graves’ disease. It is found that carnitine blunts the action of excessive T3 levels (the active thyroid hormone) of cell receptor. However, in healthy patients it has no such effect. To date, clinical trials have shown that doses of 2,0. L- carnitine are helpful in individuals who suffer from hyperthyroidism symptoms. Research: Benvenda, Salvatore, MD.( Mar 2. Salvatore Benvenga). National Institutes of Helath. EFFECT OF CARNITINE ON THYROID HORMONE ACTION. It may also reduce ocular involvement, and slow progression of the disease in patients with mild Graves’ eye disease (TED). Reference: Serum Selenium Levels in Patients with Remission and Relapse of Graves’ Disease, Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Rheumatology, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany. May; 3(3): 2. 81- 4. Author(s): Tina Wertenbruch, Holger S. Willenberg, Cornelia Sagert, Thi- Bang- Tam Nguyen, Maryam Bahlo, Joachim Feldkamp, Claus Groeger, Derik Hermsen, Werner A. Scherbaum and Matthias Schott. The list of useful supplements is neither complete or exhaustive. There are, of course, many other supplements and vitamins which are anti- oxidant and anti- inflammatory, like Flax seed oil (great for Thyroid eye disease as well), Vitamin D, Vitamin E and A (skin and hair), Vitamin B complex (nervous system), copper etc. As I already said, treatment is very individual. But these additional supplements may work together to fight inflammation and balance the immune system function. |
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