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From the Circle
A Newsletter from Chronic Illness Recovery
In This Issue
CME
Our Library
Therapy Tip
Quotable Quotes
Patient Workshop
About Inflammation Therapy
Scientific Articles
About CIR
Quick Links
Infectious Determinants of Chronic Disease

Efficacy and Expectations

CIR's Unique Service 

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Continuing Medical Education

We are looking for an ACCME-accredited provider who would be interested in a joint sponsorship of our Physician Seminars as a CME program.

If you can help with this, please contact us via email or phone. Thank you.
 
Our Library
Library
Access to our extensive, easy-to-read
Library of Information
(see this sample page)
is available to patients, without enrollment in our counseling program.

Interested patients should send a request, along with their doctor's name and fax number (in the US or Canada) or email address,  to
info@chronicillnessrecovery.org
Your doctor will be notified that you have access to this information. Click here for a list of articles available in our Library of Information and Physicians' Reference Library.
 
Physicians may use CIR libraries, even if they don't have a patient enrolled in our counseling program... Simply contact us and ask to register. There is no fee for doctors.
 
Therapy Tip
Prescription medications

Before adding a second antibiotic, it's important to experiment with the dose and schedule of Minocycline to determine if and when it has a palliative, anti-inflammatory effect.

This knowledge will determine the best dose of Mino to use during the initiation of a two-antibiotic combination.

Quotable Quotes 

Thank you for this in-depth, thoughtful reply. I appreciate deeply being able to question freely. This is most reassuring - to be able to express my concerns, especially with my limited knowledge of medicine. I am very grateful for your logical compassionate response. ~ rfriend

 I am so thankful for the CIR website. I cannot imagine going through this without the guidance of the nurses. ~ Carol Wood

computer friends
CIR Organization

CIR is an IRS-recognized
 501(c)3 non-profit,
charitable organization.

All donations are appreciated.

Donate Online Here
Contact Information
CIR email address

Phone CIR toll-free
in the US and Canada
 1-888-846-2474

Are you a Skype User?
Look for
Chronic.Illness.Recovery

If you're a Facebook fan, look for Chronic Illness Recovery on Facebook.
Issue: 11    August 2010

Greetings!    


The Internet has become an important communication tool, but it isn't always easy to tell which information is reliable. When it comes to your health, it's important to be sure you're accessing a credible source.

We're proud to announce the Health On the Net Foundation has certified that the Chronic Illness Recovery website and forum conform to the principles of the HONcode for the dissemination of trustworthy health information for patients and professionals.   

The HON seal on our website is your assurance that we're providing medical information you can trust. 

Belinda and Meg
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Patient Workshop February 20, 2011
We're getting feedback from patients who are excited about the chance to get together to discuss inflammation therapy at the beautiful Hilton DFW Lakes Conference Center in Grapevine, Texas (Dallas-Fort Worth area) on Sunday, February 20, 2011. Whether you're still deciding about treatment, new to the recovery process or are a seasoned patient on IT, the Patient Workshop is designed to meet your needs.

Basic information will be presented, as well as opportunities to discuss the challenges of treatment. Come meet other patients and share a day of support. If you don't live nearby, the lure of this lovely facility (with special CIR rates) may encourage you to make the trip. For further details visit our website Patient Workshop page with a link to the Hilton website.
About Inflammation Therapy
Tailored Treatment
tailoring
Inflammation therapy must be tailored according to each patient's response to treatment in order to maintain tolerable herxing.

One patient reported: "For the past 8 weeks or so I have been taking only Benicar. Prior to this, I had gradually over several months decreased the maximum doses of all 3 antibiotics to the starting doses and then eventually to no antibiotics, due to intolerable immunopathology at all dosage levels. Rather than experiencing a break from IP, it has continued at a constant intensity and has left me feeling stuck in a rut with the treatment. Increasing Benicar has throughout my 20 months on the protocol had only a very mild palliative effect." - anonymous

This is a very common scenario lately, and it illustrates the folly of believing that an increase in Benicar and cessation of antibiotics is the right course of action for every patient.

The following patient reports show the results of treatment that is tailored to their individual response to therapy:

"You guys were right - lowering the dose of olmesartan has improved kidney function by far. Potassium is normal and creatinine has dropped substantially." - Shepherd

"Mentally a lot happier, feeling more capable, doing more. BP is now around 125/70, nowhere near as low as the 95/55 earlier this year, when I was on a much higher dose of Benicar." - Peter

"All in all, I would say that weaning Benicar has helped a lot with the intensity of symptoms. Life is becoming more tolerable." - Raccoon

"I believe the drop of Benicar to 20 mg 4x/day has helped me feel better - plus my blood pressure was up to I think she said 90/60." - Skeeter

"Better on lower dose of Benicar and increased Mino."  - Susieq
Scientific Articles
Elevations in serum creatinine with RAAS blockade: Why isn't it a sign of kidney injury?

Elevations in Serum Creatinine Concentration: Concerning or Reassuring?

Overview of the Cohort Consortium Vitamin D Pooling Project of Rarer Cancers
View the full text in the online journal published Jun 18, 2010.

Angiotensin II receptor blockade enhances anti-inflammatory macrophages in anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) glomerulonephritis.
About Chronic Illness Recovery
Where is the counseling done?typing on keyboard
At CIR, we are always striving to meet our mission of informing medical practitioners about the management of inflammation therapy. The primary way we do that is by working hand-in-hand with physicians and their patients. Patients who enroll in our counseling program have access to our interactive forum where they report weekly and receive a written reply from a Registered Nurse. They are often referred to articles in our extensive, online Library for more in-depth information.

Why do you counsel only online?
By reporting online, patients are ensured they will receive a prompt response from any available Nurse. Previous reports are located in the same place for continuity of care and uploading lab reports is encouraged. This helps our Nurses provide a thorough assessment and accurate advice.

How is my doctor involved?
Physicians can read their patients' online reports and may be notified via email (if they wish) when a patient has posted a report. They may also respond to a report with a question or advice if they wish. All patient reports and the Nurse responses are faxed (or emailed) to the doctor so they will be aware of the advice given their patient and can add the report to the clinic record. Doctors are notified immediately if an urgent situation is apparent.

Doctors and other medical practitioners can also use our private Physicians' Forum to post any patient's D-metabolites test results for analysis, ask about the suitability of inflammation therapy for a particular patient or discuss any aspect of managing this therapy.

Why do you charge a fee?
As a non-profit organization, individual donations are our main source of funding but it is necessary for patient clients to pay a nominal fee to support our mission and projects. We do not make a profit and at this time, all CIR staff members are unpaid volunteers.

Doctors never pay any fee and patients whose doctor is new to CIR do not pay a fee for the first year. Fees are based on ability to pay and currently, 85% of our patients do not pay a fee. CIR policy mandates that at least 50% of our patients will be those whose fees are waived, which will ensure a steady influx of new physicians.

Patients enrolled in our counseling program have expressed their satisfaction with this unique and innovative arrangement. You can read their opinions in our new Testimonials page.