collagenase santyl

hi everyone especially patch smitty and electric frank. my husband who has many occlusions and is totally blocked after a try with bi-pass 2 years ago is in a study at sunnybrooke hospital in toronto at the schulick heart instituts there. he is a member of the fourth group. if he goes ahead he will get the highest dosage to hopefully break up the plaque so they can get through and put in a stent. in his case they will be working on the back of the heart artery. there are risks and one is bleeding. at that point he probably would die on the table if they were to open his chest again. this procedure is his only hope for more time.he has gotten worse in the last few months. if anyone has nay info on this or experience i sure would appreciate it. the leaves here are already starting to change ciao jessie


8 Comments

Chelation Treatment

by SMITTY - 2010-09-14 05:09:36

Hey Jessre,

Is the trial your hubby is participating in is:

"The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), both components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), are sponsoring the Trial To Assess Chelation Therapy (TACT). TACT is the first large-scale, multicenter study to determine the safety and efficacy of EDTA chelation therapy for individuals with coronary artery disease."

If it is chelation therapy I can understand the chemistry behind this treatment. The chemical used is EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid - as you can see, its name made an impression on me and I have never for gotten how to spell it) and has the ability the chelate calcium ions and keep them in solution where they can't form deposits. (think of the chelation as surrounding in the calcium ion with an impenetrable barrier) Since the plaque deposits contain calcium if you can chelate the calcium ions which are thought to be the binding agent that holds the plaque deposits together the most of the remaining plaque will disperse leaving an artery open enough for blood to flow through it.

I was introduced to EDTA in 1953 when I was first introduced to the industrial water treatment field. The chemical was too expensive then except to use except on a very limited scale, but in later years has been used extensively in industrial water treatment programs.

I have never tried the chelation therapy although I have wanted to, but my doctors (who not give the therapy) have said it would not help me. I have known two people that did have the treatment and they were extremely pleased with the results. I will be very interested in hearing how successful it is for your husband.

One last word, if he is not having chelation therapy I apologize for all this useless prattle.

I wish your husband the best,

Smitty

My Mistake

by SMITTY - 2010-09-14 06:09:15

Sorry Jessie, I see once again that I was talking when I should have been listening. I didn't read the title of your message. I just looked to see who posted it and then read the body of the message. If I had read the title I would have seen collagenase santyl and knew that I know about this therapy. But when I got to the part about "break up the plaque" I automatically thought you were talking about chelation therapy. I'll be more careful next time. Smitty

np problem smitty

by jessie - 2010-09-14 07:09:24

according to john's knowledge of chelation therapy if you have any calcium buildup it won't work at all. patch, john's doctprs at sunnybrooke in toronto told him that nothing has been realeased because it has only been used on swine. john is in the fourth group if he goes through with it. it is the highest dosage of all four groups. when his dr. calls him he will ask some questions. i know at thate visit a week ago that he was told there was 75% success. i will keep you informed. there is no renumeration for being in this test if anyone at all wondered. i am sure somewhere in the usa they are also doing it. hugs xxoo jessie

smitty

by jessie - 2010-09-14 07:09:25

what then do you know about this therapay? any input is really appreciated. hugs jessie

Gosh, Gee Whiz ~ ~

by Carolyn65 - 2010-09-14 10:09:16

Jessie, I had no idea your Husband was having this done. I was reading the body of the 'post', then saw who signed, 'Jessie'.

I have no answers Jessie, but I think about you and your Husband all the time. Just know that all your Friends on the PM Club are 'pulling' for you and your Husband and wishing for the Greatest ~

Please keep us posted on John's progress. Good Luck.

Our thoughts and prayers to both of you,
Carolyn G. in TEXAS ~ No Fall Leaves As of Yet ~

thanks

by jessie - 2010-09-15 11:09:12

until now only one other person here knew of the mess we are in here. the leaves here are already turning to the most glorious colours. thank you for the thoughts and prayers. i will keep you posted hugs jessie

Heart Treatment

by Bill-2 - 2010-09-16 12:09:14

I am surprised that the doctor told your husband that he was not a candidate for chelant treatment since the deposits in his arteries contained calcium. I have had chelation treatments and I was told that removal of the calcium by the EDTA was what made this such a good treatment. I know it helped me. I am including the 1st paragraph from a pamphlet they gave me on the treatment when I was asking about it.

How does Chelation Therapy work?

It is a largely hidden fact that the main blood vessel leaving the heart of a healthy 80 year old man has 140 TIMES more pathologic calcium in it than the main blood vessel of a healthy boy of ten. By means of chelation therapy, this unwanted calcium (causing a build up of vulnerable plaque, hardening of the arteries, and potential heart problems) is removed from blood vessels and put into water-soluble complexes (chelates), which are readily excreted through the kidneys. Clinical observations reveal, however, that the amount of calcium in bones is not affected by the removal of calcium in the arteries nor is it diminished by the use of EDTA chelation therapy.

there is data on the effectiveness with burns and dead tissue much success

by jessie - 2010-09-16 12:09:45

so what i am saying is that yes it is experimental and yes he could suucumb but he isgoing to anyway. no stent could be inserted because of the severe blockage. at this point we are ready to take the risk.thanks for your best wishes. jessie

You know you're wired when...

Your license plate reads “Pacer4Life”.

Member Quotes

A properly implanted and adjusted pacemaker will not even be noticeable after you get over the surgery.