Replying to comments

It’s hard to watch the news. It’s hard not to watch the news. Earlier this morning I watched a live report on fire-fighters and rescue workers risking their own lives to dig a tunnel under what is left of a university student dormitory. They were trying to reach 5 students, well no…4 students. One was found dead…while I was watching the live broadcast.

 

I need to think about something else…

 

As I have mentioned, I have been very busy (I promise to stop using the word “busy” in my next ten posts…) in the past few weeks, and that situation is unlikely to change for a few weeks yet. Even when I am busy, though, I do find snippets of time to read all my blog comments and Contact form messages…I just may not have the time to answer them all. Sorry about that. If you really really (really!) want to hear from me, just send me a reminder. Sometimes messages get buried under others before I can get to them.

 

Anyway, today, instead of replying to individual blog readers’ public comments, I thought I would address a whole bunch in a post. Starting from the most recent.

 

William, see Paul’s link: http://www.alzforum.org/new/detail.asp?id=1150

 

Dinah, there are no clinical trials with salubrinal, I just checked. As for buying it, no, I would not recommend that. If, however, you are taking Velcade, you could ask your doctor about this new study.

 

Julie, I have that study, too. Haven’t read it yet. As for your patient’s myeloma type related to success with curcumin, I don’t think I can be of any help. Peter is right, the info you are seeking is not here, I’m afraid, though you could check out my Page on blog readers’ stories (I haven’t updated that page in ages, though). I don’t know if you will find the info anywhere else, unfortunately. You could try sending a message to Prof. Aggarwal. I will send you his e-mail address in a private message. Another thing: my B2M has been as high as 2.1 (right before I began taking curcumin in Jan 2006), which is still in the normal range for my lab. In November 2008 (my most recent tests) it was 1.7. I hope this bit of info is helpful.

 

Linda, I need more time to have a look at your links. I had my DHEA tested, by the way. Normal range.

 

Tom, curcumin is renoprotective, so I don’t see that it would cause problems even in the case of a transplanted kidney. If you have information that contradicts that, would you mind sending it to me? I will send you my e-mail address privately.

 

It wouldn’t be right for me to comment on your results. Apart from obvious issues, such as the fact that I am not a medical doctor, we have to keep in mind that lab reference ranges can be very different. They differ from lab to lab, let alone from country to country. What I do is check my results against my lab’s normal ranges to see what goes up and what goes down with every test. This gives me an overall idea of how I am doing. So you could start by doing that. If you don’t understand what a particular test means, well, here is a possibly useful suggestion: my blog links to a website called “Lab tests online,” see my Useful Links (on the right). That website might help you decipher your tests and come up with questions to ask your specialist.

 

Mark, you are absolutely right, I definitely do not “peddle” a product. Never have, never will. I have received freebie offers from some companies (no names) but have always turned them down. My policy is: if I can’t afford a supplement, I simply won’t try it. As for the TH2 activation thingie, I haven’t looked into that. I will try to do so…but don’t hold your breath!

 

Jbehles, I would definitely not experiment with nanoparticles of any sort in my kitchen. But this info is interesting, thanks for letting us know about it.

 

I have to stop here. As I mentioned, if I haven’t answered a message or a comment, please send me a reminder. Thanks.

4 Comments

  1. Margaret,
    Our area newspaper has cut the international news (economics) and I hardly get to the TV, so your update brought home both the magnitude and the human side of the devastation in Italy.

    Thanks for your reply. I am currently extremely frustrated by healthcare professionals who have provided minimal help to my husband’s pain (compression fractures, L-5, he is almost immobile) and yet insist he be on Advil, an NSAID (on top of Dilaudid, Lyrica, Methadone, but at least those drugs are okay with curcumin). He has been taking curcumin for a week and a half, progressing slowly with great caution because he has more faith in his medical providers than in “something Julie read on the internet” despite my attempts to show him the science behind it. Here are the oncologist who has been “treating” him since early December, and the new oncologist who came on board essentially to assist a new ortho in an operation (rods) THEY say he should have had on day one before radiation and two months flat on his back in the hospital due to following fractures, and they have the nerve to discourage my involvement in his treatment. I am beside myself. His numbers have ALL gone the wrong direction on their watch. He could get off of Lipitor if he took Curcumin. And the whole thing hinges on ADVIL? Give me a break. He is STILL in debilitating pain I’m trying not to stress him over this, but I am about to implode.

    Sorry, I usually save that stuff for my journal.

  2. To all readers
    Margaret is doing tremendous job reviling so many studies, translating to simpler language, but there are some limitations. These reviews are not sufficient. Curcumin in my opinion will never be examined in large third stage trial so will never to be approved by FDA. Combining curcumin with chemotherapy can always be risky and unknown. Requesting treatment centers to accommodate curcumin in healing is not fair to doctors. They can not do it without extensive study. You need to understand basic structure of medical health care system. Will patient try? Definitely they will try anyway?
    Peter 06

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