Patient Workshop
|  |
|
CIR Organization
CIR is an IRS-recognized
501(c)3 non-profit, charitable organization. Donations allow us to fulfill our mission and every gift is appreciated. Donate Online Here | |
| Our 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.
|
|
Survey
Volunteers are needed for the control group of our clinical study. If you have a diagnosis of autoimmune or inflammatory disease or are chronically ill, but are not being treated with Inflammation Therapy (e.g., Marshall Protocol, Stillpoint Protocol) and would like to participate in this project, please contact us via email.
| | | |
|
Quotable Quotes
"It has been a great help being part of the CIR community. I think, even though I've had a hard time of it, the process has been smooth with the help of the knowledgeable staff. The community of support from the other members has been great at times for me too."
~ Jean
| | | |
| Quick Links |
|
| 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
|
Support CIR
CIR requests donations to support educational and outreach activities. Support CIR With a GiftThis is a link to PayPal. You may use your credit card without registering.
| | |
|
|
 |
|
Greetings!
The number of physicians and patients participating in our counseling program is steadily increasing - we're reaching people in places as far away as Australia, Canada, England, Germany, Norway, Italy, Peru and Iran. It's exciting to see the communication between clinicians who are sharing their experiences of inflammation therapy and helping us understand how best to refine the treatment model.
Thank you to all of you who have so generously made a contribution to help us achieve our mission of informing medical practitioners about inflammation therapy. We could not maintain a Health on the Net certified website, host patient and physician conferences, or conduct a long-term clinical survey study without your financial assistance.
Our entire staff works tirelessly, without pay, to administrate and facilitate these (and other) projects which are expected to increase the availability of this effective treatment. Our only motivation for doing this is that it's simply our way of 'paying it forward' and 'making a difference'.
"...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Wherever you are in the recovery process, may you find hope, joy and love during this holiday season.
Best wishes for a healthy New Year,
 
|
Physician Seminar Saturday, February 19, 2011
| | CIR is hosting a seminar for physicians and other medical practitioners on Saturday, Feb. 19, 2011. Please print out the seminar brochure available on the website page 2011 Physicians' Seminar and take it to your doctor. S/he may not be on our mailing list and we want all interested persons to know about this important first-time event. |
Patient Workshop Sunday, February 20, 2011
| Registrations for the Patient Workshop are arriving steadily and indicate attendees will:
· be teenagers to seventy-something
· have a variety of chronic illnesses
· come from far and near
· be still exploring treatment options
· be new to IT
· have many years of IT (MP) experience
There is sure to be a wide range of experiences shared, many questions answered, support given or received and new friendships made.
Please note that the Hilton Hotel bargain room rate expires on January 27, 2011. Workshop registration and lunch reservations may be made at the door.
|
Therapy Tip
| It is imperative to recognize when lab markers of critical organ function (e.g., creatinine, eGFR, potassium, platelets, hemoglobin, etc.) pose a threat to patient safety, and to adjust therapy medications correctly, in order to control immunopathology (Herxheimer reactions) and improve worrisome lab results.
Depending on individual patient response, this adjustment includes increasing or decreasing Benicar and/or antibiotics to achieve the desired result. In rare cases, therapy may need to be discontinued or standard treatment used.
|
| About Inflammation Therapy | Antibiotics
Inflammation therapy antibiotics are not merely palliative and they are key to the recovery process. Many patients have reported experiencing the power of therapy antibiotics as evidenced by a dramatic worsening of symptoms (immediate or delayed), both with and without the Benicar blockade in place. Therapy antibiotics 'weaken' the bacteria in various ways, thus allowing the immune system to kill them.
For example, Minocycline blocks the synthesis of bacterial proteins that are believed to block the VDR (Vitamin D Receptor). A decrease in some of the specific VDR-blocking proteins permits Benicar and endogenous (internally produced) 1,25-D to be better able to bind to the VDR to produce the anti-microbial peptides and other needed molecules that the VDR transcribes (converts DNA to RNA). This is essential for effective bacterial killing.
However, therapy antibiotics can be palliative (i.e., reduce immunopathology) and keep herx symptoms tolerable. This is an important role in the recovery process because it may allow patients to avoid long-term use of extremely high doses of Benicar to block the NF-kappaB pathway and achieve a reduction in symptoms. The NF-kappaB pathway is essential for the normal chain of immune responses to take place, and this may be why a lower dosing of Benicar seems to be more effective in some people. The dose and/or schedule of antibiotics should first be adjusted to reduce immunopathology and antibiotics should only be discontinued as a last resort.
For details see The Importance of Antibiotics in Inflammation Therapy.
|
Scientific Articles
| Good news regarding vitamin D supplementation
This report from the Institute of Medicine concludes: Scientific evidence indicates that calcium and vitamin D play key roles in bone health. The current evidence, however, does not support other benefits for vitamin D or calcium intake. More targeted research should continue. However, the committee emphasizes that, with a few exceptions, all North Americans are receiving enough calcium and vitamin D. Higher levels have not been shown to confer greater benefits, and in fact, they have been linked to other health problems, challenging the concept that "more is better."
This November 29, 2010 article from the New York Times explains the Institute of Medicine article: Report Questions Need for 2 Diet Supplements. (You may need to complete a free registration process to read the story.)
The Associated Press also picked up this story: Report: A bit more vitamin D is good, not too much
The authors of this study argue "the need for caution before recommending that the population take high doses of vitamin D supplements."
Re: Calcium Plus Vitamin D Supplementation and the Risk of Breast Cancer
|
| About Chronic Illness Recovery |  Patient Safety
CIR provides several services that are designed to increase the safety of the patients in our counseling program. Although we're considered a consultation service, our Nurses are usually available 24/7 to answer questions of an urgent nature online within hours. Patients can also reach us by phone (toll-free in the U.S. and Canada) or Skype if advice is needed quickly.
We ask that patients post an online report weekly to tell us what medications they're taking, how they're feeling and what medication doses they plan to take. Many of our patients have some degree of cognitive dysfunction and obtaining this information frequently can prevent problems that might occur if medications are taken incorrectly.
The online Patient Report allows the next available Nurse to respond and review the patient's history before providing advice. This written record also allows us to keep the doctor up-to-date and informed of any worrisome situation.
|
|
|
|
|
