Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: I am taking... - ITP Support Assoc...

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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

jjjamesholder profile image
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I am taking 20 Hyperbaric Treatments in an effort to increase my body's ability to make blood platelets. Hyperbaric increases the number of stem cells in a person's body by 800%. I hope the stem cells can fix my bone marrow so I make more platelets. If this approach to ITP is successful I will let everyone know. The cost of the 20 treatments was $3,700. Insurance does not pay. The medicine people in the USA only think hyperbaric is good for a limited number of health problems. In Europe and Russia they use hyperbaric for many diseases.

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Kyriak51 profile image
Kyriak51

Hi jjjamesholder: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy DOES NOT increase platelet production nor does papay leaf extract. Please read Anthony Heard, ITP group Administrator post on the site and save your money. Learn as much as you can about your disease there are many good sites on the web. mayoclinic.org is one . Be well:) kyriak51

jjjamesholder profile image
jjjamesholder in reply to Kyriak51

Thanks for your reply concerning HYBOT. I am not arguing with you. I will see what happens. My stem cells will increase 16 fold due to the HYBOT at 2.5 atmospheres and 100% oxygen. The stem cells may heal other things in my body other than bone marrow, or maybe heal what ever is using up my platelets. I have done 10 hours and have 10 hours to go. Given that ITP is idiopathic, heck it might work.

Kyriak51 profile image
Kyriak51 in reply to jjjamesholder

Your platelets are being destroyed in your spleen. How do you know that your stem cells have increased 16 fold? We use medications to increase stem cells in your body which are then removed by hemophorsis to be reinfused durining a stem cell transplant.

Are you been followed by a Hematologist/Oncologists, have you been diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia, have received any other treatment in addition to HYBO, what’s your platelet count?? Kyriak51:)

jjjamesholder profile image
jjjamesholder in reply to Kyriak51

My platelets are not being destroyed in my spleen. My spleen has been removed. Blood tests determine a 16 fold increase, but only if the pressure chamber pressure is above 2.25. My chamber goes to 2.5 atmospheres of pressure while I breathe 100% oxygen. Normal medical procedure take stem cells from the bone marrow, and inject them into the patient to fix something. Those stem cells mostly go to where they took the stem cells out of the bone marrow to fix that injury. More stem cells are better made by the body in a chamber. I realize what I am doing may not help me, but given that nothing else has worked, I will give it a try. Only time and money to lose. My body being infused with oxygen has other great benefits. Get on youtube and watch this site. youtube.com/watch?v=fV9LmuR...

Kyriak51 profile image
Kyriak51

Hi jjjanesholder, as an RN I’m aware of benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therpy in the treatment of decomposition sickness, non healing wounds as result of diabetes or radiation injury, arterial gas embolism, and carbon monoxide poisoning. I understand that increased oxygen can temporarily stimulate production of growth factors and stem cells which promote healing and fight infections. However, there’s nothing in the scientific literature that states this treatment INCREASES the PROTDUCTION of platelets!!!! There is a clinical trial in Rochester, Minn USA that is studying the use of HYBO for patients with ulcerative colitis ( trial on going).

HYBO therapy clinics are popping up all over the US and making unsubstantiated claims of benefits in diseases from AIDS to Alzheimer’s and in your case “ increasing platelet counts in ITP”. Keep in mind this is a BUSINESS, the more diseases they claim will benefit from this treatment the more money they make.

I’m a Hem/Onc nurse and worked on bone marrow transplant unit in 1990’s, we removed bone marrow from the iliac crest, processed it and infused via IV infusion. In those days it took approximately six weeks to engraftment by which time the contracted every bacterial, viral and fungal infection, and many did not survive Then Neuprogen was approved and was a game changer for oncology patients. Now we do stem cell transplants and patients recover quickly with the devastating infections. This is the procedure I described in my last post.

Since you didn’t discuss your treatment I was unaware that you had a splenectomy I was giving basic information about platelet distraction. I was diagnosed in early 1990’s when the standard treatment included steroids and splenectomy which I refused preferring to waite until the makers of Neuprogen developed a platelet stimulating factor. Nplate was approved in 2008 by which time my platelets were 5-10K and was too sick to keep up with the scientific literature and didn’t start a Nplate until 2010. I’m currently stable on 650mcg weekly injection to maintain count at 30-80K. I hope you will find a treatment that works well for you, be well:) kyriak51 i

jjjamesholder profile image
jjjamesholder in reply to Kyriak51

My source information is Dr. Shai Efrati. He became an MD at an Israeli university. He has a strong education background. I will post page 1 of 17. site is --healthunlocked.com/itpsuppo...

Efrati Shai, CV December 27, 2015

Page 1 of 17

CURRICULUM VITA

NAME Shai Efrati M.D 028490381

(First) (Last) (Academic Degree) (ID No.)

FACULTY/DEPT. Sackler School of Medicine, and the Sagol School of Neuroscience,

Tel-Aviv University, Israel

HOSPITAL/DEPT. The Institute of Hyperbaric Medicine and Nephrology Division,

Assaf- Harofeh Medical Center. Affiliated to Sackler School of

Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.

08-9779395, 0549-212866

Tel. No.

EDUCATION

1994 -2000 Ben Gurion University, Israel MD Thesis: The predictive value of

exercise QRS duration changes for

detection post PTCA coronary events

2001-2004 Resident in Department of

Internal medicine A’,

Assaf Harofeh, Medical Center

Excellency in the final (stage B)

April 2004

2003 Hyberbaric and Diving Medicine.

The Israel Naval Institute, Haifa.

Israel

2005-2007 Resident in Nephrology division,

Assaf-Harofeh Medical Center

Excellency in the final exams (Stage

A+B)

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

Since 2003 - Instructor of Internal Medicine, Sackler School of Medicine.

Tel Aviv University.

Since 2006 - Lecturer in Sackler School of Medicine. Tel Aviv University.

Since 2011 - Senior Lecturer in Sackler School of Medicine. Tel Aviv University.

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE

2001-2004 Resident in Department of Medicine A’, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center,

Israel

Since 2005 Specialist in Internal Medicine, Assaf-Harofeh Medical Center, Israel

2005-2007 Resident in Department of Nephrology, Assaf-Harofeh Medical Center,

Israel

Since 2005 Head of Research & Development unit, Assaf-Harofeh Medical Center,

Israel

jjjamesholder profile image
jjjamesholder

Nplate did not work for me. I am happy it worked for you. We have a difference of opinion about HYBOT use or value. Who to believe is the question for me. Dr Shai Efrati is my source. He is from Israel where they always use HYBOT for stroke victims and it works. For dementia it also works. The USA is so far behind in this use of HYBOT. It is sad. Here is the doctor's youtube. Watch two of his youtubes please. Tell me if you believe him. I believed and figured it might fix my platelet problem. There are few chambers that can take people to 2.5 atmospheres of pressure. I was lucky to be near one is Sarasota, Florida. There is another chamber in Juniper, Florida.

youtube.com/watch?v=1TEYTNI...

Splenectomy did partially work for me. I usually stay at 35K but slip low sometimes. My life is normal. My ability to fight infection in heart or lungs is lower due to the splenectomy. My hematologist is nationally renound and he has no suggestions as to how I can improve my condition. I am simply not sick enough. He is correct. Still, I want to improve.

Kyriak51 profile image
Kyriak51

I’m also in America and worked at the University of Chicago for 25 years with many world renowned Hem/Onc doctors, what’s your Oncologist’ name where did he train, I may know him. As for your video, I see a business man using HYBO, which has been proven to be beneficial in the treatment of a small number of conditions, to make more money by the unsubstantiated benefits of this therapy for a multitude of other diseases. You have the world at your fingertips, you should research Dr.Shai Elfrati, is he an Md., or does he have a doctorate in some other discipline? What university granted his degree? Have a good day:) kyriak51

jjjamesholder profile image
jjjamesholder

I will research Dr. Elrate as you suggest. Hope I have not been taken in by a quack. If he is a faker, he is a very accomplished faker. He has good before and after MRIs. Giving people something to look at makes them believe.

My hemotologist is Dr. Sokol at Moffitt cancer center in Tampa, Florida. He trained is Austria or Serbia. He knows nothing about my experimentation with HBOT. He would not have recommended it. I am doing an experiment using myself. Ask Dr. Sokol about HYBOT stroke use in Europe at the next convention. The USA is behind Europe on the use of HYBOT. It is time to catch up.

Of interest a doctor in St Petersburg, FL has a weak HYBOT chamber at his office. It only pressurizes to 1.3 atmospheres. He has patients using the machine. That same doctor uses the 2.5 atmosphere chamber for himself, but will not refer a patient to the 2.5 atmosphere chamber. He is making good money with his 1.3 atmosphere chamber. Could it be money making is the issue suppressing the use of HYBOT. Not really. The tests to prove it works cannot be done in the normal way. A control group will know they did NOT get into a HYBOT chamber. While those that get treatments will know they DID get into a HYBOT chamber. So a blind test cannot be done. HYBOT is not another pill which is what we are accustomed too.

By the way, Hospitals charge thousands an hour for HYBOT therapy when it is used for the on label acceptable problems. I pay $ 185 an hour in a state of the art machine. It is less than two years old.

Kyriak51 profile image
Kyriak51

Impressive Curriculum Vita, did you happen to notice how much time he spent at Institute of Huperbaric Medicine, the Israel Naval Institute, Hyberbaric and Diving Medicine not to mention his financial interest in Florida’s HYBOT Clinics.

What test does the clinic perform to count stem cells, I’m not aware of such test, must new test. I have spent 30+ years working with doctors and found them to be no different other human beings; some are excellent caring, compassionate doctors who want to make a difference, to cure or prevent diseases. The majority are average Joe’s going to work every day just doing their jobs; some are business men/women who want to make a lot of money. I have with doctors in every category which is why I’m so skeptical. I don’t want to burst your bubble “hope” is a good thing, I’ve just seen too much and must verify claims that seem too good to be true. Be well:)kyriak51

jjjamesholder profile image
jjjamesholder

I honor all your responses. We will need to wait and see if HYBOT gains respect. I have may last to 20 treatments today. Each treatment is one hour long at 2.5 atmospheres with 100% oxygen. I am glad it is over. I hope it helped. I have enjoyed our exchange of information. Over and out. Jim

Kyriak51 profile image
Kyriak51

Hi James, It seems that I have offended you by questioning the benefits of HYBOT treatment, that was not my intent as we both are battling the same disease. Please let me know how you’re doing:)

sailangadi profile image
sailangadi

Hi Jim, Did HYBOT help ? My son is having ITP, it started when he was 5 yrs old and he is 10yrs old now. Looking forward for your response.

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