Has anybody heard any more about this? - Lung Conditions C...

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Has anybody heard any more about this?

12 years ago•16 Replies

dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...

I read about this after the lung specialist spoke to me and just wondered if anybody had heard of any updates on this considering it apparently cures it in mice?

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denominator

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iamu12 years ago

First time I have heard of this research.

On a few of my last admissions when my zinc levels were found to be low I was given IV zinc which greatly reduced my breathlessness. Interesting.....

elian12 years ago

This is the first time I've read of it denominator but it sounds encouraging ! I've saved the article to my desktop and will ask my Community Matron and Respiratory Nurse next time they call.

Thanks for sharing this with us

denominator12 years ago

This was in 2002 if I'm not mistaken. It apparently had positive effects and reversed the emphysema in mice. Not sure why, unless it's to do with pharmaceutical companies, that this hasn't been worked on for humans already to cure it?

I'm in the knowledge at the moment that the pharmaceutical companies are set to lose a lot of money if a cure is found rather than just treatments. I might be wrong but in my short thirty five years I have come to realise there is a whole lot of greed for a lot of peoples suffering which is sad

I'm the kind of person to search for various things rather than just the few and retinoic acid isn't the only thing from my understanding. I know not all are genuine but the BLF know about the retinoic acid thing.

in reply to denominator12 years ago

Yes Den,

It's a sad thing to think of, or maybe one might think, a wrong way to think about things, but just imagine things from this angle, a huge drug company makes/earns stacks of dough by manufacturing drugs people need, imagine if after making millions of pounds dollars or Euros per year because of the need people have to take all of those drugs, instead they put some money into a plot to find out an actual cure. What would the finding of the cure mean for them?

It would mean the end of a good earner.

They charge astronomic amounts because they, supposedly have to spend so much researching the drugs, however, even though in that line of thought this is correct, still I do not think I'm Being negative if I say, you will not find any drug companies backing research into actual cures.

Personally I think they earn way too much, as after all, people who are ill, can more or less be blackmailed into paying up.

Look at Greece now, where people, including kids and babies, are being starved of the drugs they need because those drugs have stopped being delivered.

It's a shocking world we live in, not ordinary people, the one who do set up charities and are not stacking wads of cash up under their beds, but the big businesses, and the hypocrites in it, to me, they re guilty of a lot, because i do not believe that they are into their fields, many not, with the correct intentions.

If this was not true, then already now, groups with the power would have gotten together to make sure that people do get the drugs they need in Greece, I say Greece but all of this has been going on for so long hasn't it, that's why in some countries they ignored international laws in aid of the people they were unable to provide drugs for.

I say they are right to do that.

So as you did ask, these are some of the reasons, I think so anyhow, that in some or many areas not enough research is being done = it's all to do with the money, as people's health is a big business; nobody is telling me that any managers and directors at Glaxo's need to watch their pennies.

Pills are a product.

Let's hear about the bonuses they get at those drug companies, it'll be no different to the ones given at banks, etc.

Robbing politicians like Blair, if he hadn't have devised a way to earn a fortune by being granted the honour of supposedly leading the country, he'd have done it in something else.

With fakes like him and Cameron and all he rest running things, Britain is going to remain unevenly divided, great divide between rich and poor and criminality id going to increase, as much as it always did anyhow.

Incredible how our waking reality is not divorced at all from relevance and relativity, after all, what did Blair do truly for Britain and what did he do after leaving office, after him you get another chump, or two, also lacking in any groundbreaking vision, sorely needed to set a truly different course, it's fine if you are still in ya boat and have oars but for those who fall out life can be really cruel.

You're alright when working and earning but look what politics allows to happen to the elderly and the ill, when I listen to the kind of insanely cruel struggles people are put through in order to gain a pea and a bean it makes me feel terrible, it's so pathetic, because the sums aren't enough to buy a bun even if you do manage to get them and do not die in and through the stress of trying.

denominator in reply to 12 years ago

TJohn I tend to like you more and more as each day passes lol. I find it's the same in the computer world which is why I am currently teaching people how to do everything for free all apart from actually having an ISP to use the internet in the first place.

I can't really say to much but if it costs and it's a computer thing such as a programme then just ask and hey presto no cash no problem lol.

Been teaching people how to host MMORPGS such as World of Warcraft and our own websites and various other things for free. It brings a smile to peoples faces especially when they are able to create their first webpage and all for free

copdliving12 years ago

Retinoic Acid has been in trials for years and I believe they've found that it causes severe shortness of breath in humans which is why it isn't being used. I took a form of retinoic acid called Accutane for severe acne about 20 years ago. I don't think it did much for my lungs other than possibly make them worse because not long after I took it I started being short of breath. Maybe they've discovered some other component or strength that might work. Let's hope so.

in reply to copdliving12 years ago

Yeah but the product for acne is in no way designed for treatment of the lungs, I also thought about the idea of trying it out but how?

It's ridiculous to do so (try eating it or whatver) if they've already been doing extensive tests, booked great results on mice but have not yet found the connection/formula they need for the lung regenertion then I doubt that by chance someone ingests acne cream and suddenly has the miracle cure.

I don't know what you did but just self-medicating with a product that, had it been any use in that way would have been made known, I think is bound to be a waste of time.

I'm very intersted in this too, because though it may work differently on mice, a cure doesn't necessarily need to be that far away, because it did work on mice, it regrew the alveoli, and at the point there's a similar procedure for humans, then it will be brilliant.

What's needed is a billionaire or two to smoke too much, get COPD and suddenly start punping bread into the research, in the way so many people do, when they or a loved one is affected.

copdliving in reply to 12 years ago

I didn't self medicate. I had cystic acne for years and Accutane was the last resort. So the dermatologist prescribed it for me.

maddyo212 years ago

i have never heard of this but i will certainly discuss it with my consultant as i did the stem cell treatment costing an arm and leg in germany..Anything to avoid surgery

denominator in reply to maddyo212 years ago

I have heard of the stem cell treatment also, how successful was that?

Here is another article on the retinoic acid from the BBC

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/...

With the medical advances that we have made I'm absolutely amazed this hasn't been dealt with yet. Let's hope it doesn't take them much longer.

12 years ago

This is old news and turned out to be yet another blind alley. Firstly mice lung cells behave differently to ours and secondly it was found that using a comparable amount of retinoic acid in man would be deadly.

For the moment, the only thing found to actually extend a copd'ers lifespan is exercise - not 'gentle' exercise either, but serious moderate to strong exercise done regularly at all stages over the years. This is estimated to add an average seven years to our lifespan - so far no drug invented can do that for us. It also keeps us at our peak level of fitness - for whatever stage we may be at - so that should a 'cure' or even a transplant or other op ever be on the cards, we will be in the best shape to benefit from it.

I know that serious exercise seems like the least exciting option, but at least it works. Researchers have noted that at each stage of severity - even the 'very severe' stage, there are a few patients that 'buck the trend' who seem as fit and able as age matched healthy people. The only explanation is that they are the ones that have really worked at getting fit and staying fit. Sadly there are no short cuts - 'here endeth the lesson' LOL P

in reply to 12 years ago

Yeah but I feel you are far removed from any sign of optimism in this, as I already saw when I too mentioned the subject recently, namely, that may be so what you say, and yes may be true what you say about exercise, but even though the same amounts in humans might kill peoplre, still there is definitely a lead here somewhere.

I'm more io a line with Denominator and his enthusiasm and amazement that this has been possibly with mice. I'ts profound, the mice recovered, newly grown alveoli.

The connection needed hasn't been developed or discovered but it does not mean that it will not be found out.

As truly amazing it is to have a mouse purposely made ill and having it's lungs destroyed but then have it regrow alveoli, I think a mouse isn't some special animal, it's a living organism, things do not wok in exactly the same way, but the truth is, even if we do not have the answer yet, it can be done in humans too, it's obvious.

It may come through DNA key unravelling, which has been going on for years, and continues; with cancer they are finding ways to turn off certain reactions and processes, turn off and turn ion, the same knowledge and expertise.

A guy with MS was on the TV, he could hardly move but if he took XTC, he suddenly could do function as he always had, doing gymnastics, now that was not the cure nor the answer but by accident, those in the field, were amazed at the effect they'd been made to see and the connection through a drug (so they immediately started examining XTC), and tried to find out what it was with the neurotransmitters that allowed this, maybe they too never did or never will fin it out but sometimes whilst looking for a cure for one thing, a cure is found for another.

Considering entire body parts can be build according to customized demand, meaning shaped exactly as they need to be through DNA rinsing upon a bare donor framework, lung or bronchial tubes have been developed, where unlike from a donor organ or part (without rinsing) the effects of transplants sees no rejection, then I'd say there is at least very real hope of some far better solutions than a bunch of drugs can provide.

I really think the solution for lungs is going to be some form of regeneration.

denominator in reply to 12 years ago

So why do we continue to use mice for everything if it's pointless?

dinnyrayner12 years ago

Me too , i am hoping that stem cell research will be made available in my lifetime and that i will be able to afford it or get it on NHS , I have had lung problems since i was 3 yrs old and would love to be able to breath properly before the rest of me is too old to use it .

12 years ago

The Vit A can be dangerous if we self medicate it is a fat soluable vitamin stored in the liver, if overdose in this vitamin, serious harm to health can occur. It would have to be a safe medically prescribed dose proven to be of help before anything is introduced to patients in UK. As TJohn says better to get from foods unless prescribed by a medical professional.

I disagree with Parvati exercise is not the only way to help improve our quality of life and possible life span, it plays a very big part, but include other helpful measures such as not smoking passive or otherwise, eating a healthy diet as recommended, taking medication as prescribed and generally following thel guidelines taught on a pulmonary rehabilitation course. Focussing on things that enhance our life. Combine all of these, will stand us in good stead, for an improved quality and generally a longer life span.

I think stem cell will be progressed in the future and feel pretty confident that somehow and someway will be found to help lung patients, for now other illness / disability are already experiencing benefit from stem cell surgery, but not yet proven success for lung patients.

Just my views.

Have a great day all.