Patient Workshop
Coming Up!
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Sunday, February 20, 2011
Hilton Dallas-Fort Worth Lakes Executive Conference Center
Click on this link for detailsPlease note that the Hilton Hotel bargain room rate of $99/night expires on January 27, 2011.
Workshop registration and lunch reservations may be made at the door.
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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.
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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.
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Quotable Quotes
"I am so grateful to the CIR site for all their support! So professional and heart warming at the same time." ~ Kathy
"I cannot thank you enough for the help you have been, and would recommend this service to others." ~ Glengeltgal
"Beyond the benefits of actually getting trained advice on this site, you get the straight goods!" ~ Bill 'Flyboy'
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| Contact Information | CIR email address
Phone CIR toll-free
in the US and Canada
1-888-846-2474
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Look for
Chronic.Illness.Recovery
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Support CIR
CIR requests donations to support our educational and outreach activities. Support CIR With a GiftThis is a link to PayPal. You may use your credit card without registering.
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Greetings!
As 2010 drew to a close, we found ourselves reflecting on the past and looking to the future. During the first full year of Chronic Illness Recovery, our staff of dedicated volunteers accomplished a great deal. Much of our time was spent on the myriad routine tasks required of a steadily-growing, non-profit organization and website, but we also have:
- expanded our already-extensive inflammation therapy knowledge base by writing 15 new articles for our Library of Information and adding dozens of scientific articles to our Physicians' Reference Library
- received certification from Health on the Net for our website/forum
- started a Facebook page to inform the public about CIR
- designed a questionnaire for a prospective survey study of inflammation therapy
- planned a Patient Workshop and a Seminar for Medical Practitioners
- received a Google Ad grant
- presented via video conference to the attendees at the Australian Chronic Inflammatory and Autoimmune Diseases Foundation Medical Practitioners' Workshop
We have new goals for 2011 and we are eager to accomplish them.
"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us." ~Hal Borland
With best wishes for a healthy new year,
 
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Patient Workshop Sunday, February 20, 2011
| We're looking forward to seeing many of you at the Patient Workshop on Sunday, February 20th in Grapevine, Texas. Click here for a printable brochure (two pages).
Here is the program for the day:
10:00 Welcome - Belinda Fenter
10:15-10:45 Chronic Illness Recovery Services - Meg Mangin R.N.
10:45-Noon Inflammation Therapy 101: Basic Information - Belinda
Fenter
Noon-1:00 Lunch
Workshop registration and lunch reservations may be made at the door.
1:00-200 Tailored Treatment - P.B. MacPherson R.N.
2:00-3:00 Q & A Panel - Meg Mangin, P.Bear, Dr. Nyrie Dodd, Bobby
Macpherson N.P.
3:00-3:30 Break with snacks and drinks provided
3:30-4:30 Roundtable discussion of inflammation therapy experiences -
led by Belinda Fenter and Julia Grier
Please note that the Hilton Hotel bargain room rate of $99 a night expires on January 27, 2011. Click here to reserve a room online!
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Therapy Tip
| Practitioners who are concerned about the use of Benicar for inflammation therapy can order a starting dose of 10-20mg daily with a gradual increase to the desired every-six-hour schedule. There is no evidence that starting with a low dose of Benicar and ramping the dose has any significant adverse effect; and this technique permits the reassurance of assessing patient response.
We have noted that, for some patients, 20mg every six hours provides adequate VDR activation (symptom increase and potentiation of antibiotics), although most can tolerate an increase to 40mg every six hours if needed.
Therefore, the highest starting dose should be 20mg every six hours. This may be an adequate dose for many, with no need to increase further. Some may need a higher dose for purposes of palliation or VDR activation, but not all tolerate higher dosing.
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| About Inflammation Therapy | During inflammation therapy, lab tests are an important part of monitoring the clinical picture. The following tests are recommended as a baseline before therapy begins:
- Complete blood count (CBC) with differential
- Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP)
- 25-D (calcidiol)
- 1,25-D (calcitriol) Before therapy and then annually
- Thyroid function (TSH, free T3, free T4)
- Liver panel
- Magnesium
- PTH (if calcium is elevated)
- Any other lab work pertinent to the clinical picture (e.g., ACE, triglycerides, INR, CRP, etc.)
Throughout therapy, it's important to repeat this baseline lab work at key intervals (e.g., before adding an antibiotic) and approximately every six months. Lab results can reveal occult inflammation and help determine the pace of therapy (i.e., the need to slow down the immune response), especially for patients who are unable to define Herxheimer symptoms.
Any test results that were not within normal limits or have caused concern should be repeated more often. Thyroid function should be monitored closely in those taking thyroid supplements as this can change quickly.
1,25-D should be measured after one year and then annually if a lab can be found that will accept a frozen sample to ensure the result is accurate. It is essential to test the level of 25-D periodically to make sure it is not too high to suppress immune system function (above 15ng/ml) or so low (less than 4ng/ml) that it may be compromising production of the active metabolite 1,25-D. Comparing the levels of 25-D and 1,25-D is important to ensure that adjustments are made to keep these hormones at optimal levels during treatment.
The use of repeat invasive and/or expensive procedures/imaging and testing (e.g., lung biopsy, CT scan, bone marrow biopsy, spinal tap, etc.) is rarely needed and can be dangerous. If the test results are not expected to alter the course of treatment, then the tests may not be necessary.
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| About Chronic Illness Recovery | CIR's Mission, Website and Services
CIR's mission is to transfer our knowledge 
about managing inflammation therapy to the practitioners who can order this treatment. Our website, forum, counseling program and seminars are the tools we use to help busy doctors acquire the necessary management skills.
CIR's website has two distinct areas. The main website provides basic information about inflammation therapy, in a library format, to unregistered users; plus detailed information about therapy management that is only accessible to registered patients and medical practitioners. This IT knowledge base is extensive, up-to-date, written by medical professionals and designed for ease of use.
The other area of our website contains several interactive forums. One forum enables patients in our counseling program to report their clinical picture for assessment and advice. These reports are faxed to the prescribing practitioner to inform and to include in the patient's clinic record. All patient reports are visible to registered users to serve as an educational tool. Another forum is accessible by medical practitioners only and provides a vehicle for clinicians experienced with IT to share their expertise with their colleagues. A third forum provides an informal place for members to discuss the therapy, and support and get to know each other.
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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. |
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