The Continuing Story Of "Dave's" Bum Knee:

06/01/07

By Nurse Mark

Last week I shared an exchange that I'd had with "Dave" who is complaining about knee problems. "Dave" took our suggestions to heart, and ordered a few things from us to get started. I called "Dave" and verified a couple of things on his order - he didn't sound very good on the phone. We emailed back and forth a few more times, and a story began to emerge. He says that the surgeons are reluctant to work on the knee because there are torn cartilages, and they have him on some very big drugs for pain, though they didn't really let him know how those drugs might affect him. It also came out that he is now beginning to have some breathing troubles and is not sleeping well. This is not an unusual set of circumstances for folks who come to Dr. Myatt - they have been given up on by conventional Big Medicine and Big Surgery, and are being given drug after drug in a vain attempt to control the symptoms of the problems that conventional medicine doesn't know how to fix.

So, What follows is my reply to our friend:

Hi Dave,

I have to admit that it was pretty obvious that you were speaking to me from some other time-space continuum and not actually from the planet earth... you really did sound that foggy!

Mentioning to me what medicines you are on tells me exactly why you sounded so foggy. I'm surprised that you are able to remain conscious and functional at all! What are your doctors thinking?!?

Let's look at the drugs that you mentioned:

Dilaudid - a very powerful narcotic analgesic - a painkiller. A form of synthesized morphine. A potentially very addictive drug. The FDA places a very strong warning about the addictive nature of this drug on their web site - the full label information for this drug can be found here: http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2006/019892s009,019891s008lbl.pdf
It lists a number of serious side effects including: drowsiness, mental clouding, changes in mood, euphoria or dysphoria (being very happy or very sad or depressed), respiratory depression, cough suppression, decreased gastrointestinal motility (that is, constipation), nausea, vomiting, and others, including transient hyperglycemia (high blood sugar).

Accupril is an ACE inhibitor intended to control high blood pressure. It has a number of side effects which include: dizziness, excessive tiredness, cough, upset stomach, and vomiting . More serious side effects include: swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, eyes, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs, hoarseness, difficulty breathing or swallowing, yellowing of the skin or eyes, fever, sore throat, chills, and other signs of infection, chest pain, lightheadedness, and fainting.

Zonegran is a drug that is FDA approved for the treatment of epileptic seizures. If it is being prescribed to you for leg cramps, this is an unapproved or "off-label" use. It has a number of potentially very serious side effects, but mostly it will tend to make people who take it dumber than a bag of hammers - what we medics call "impaired cognitive function." According to the FDA, Common side effects include: Drowsiness, Loss of appetite, Dizziness, Headache, Nausea, Agitation, Irritability. The same FDA source lists some serious, scary side effects too:
 

Special Warning(s) with Zonegran: Some people taking ZONEGRAN can get serious reactions including:
Skin rash (may be a sign of a dangerous condition) Fever, sore throat, sores in your mouth, or bruising easily (may be signs of a blood problem) Sudden back pain, abdominal (stomach area) pain, pain when urinating, bloody or dark urine (may be signs of a kidney stone)	Decreased sweating or a rise in body temperature (especially in patients under 17 years old) Depression Unusual thoughts Speech or language problems Drowsiness Difficulty concentrating Coordination problems

Avinza is simply time-release morphine - a very powerful narcotic opiate painkiller. All the warnings that apply to Dilaudid apply to morphine. It can be highly addictive. You probably should not drive a motor vehicle, operate machinery or power tools or equipment, or use firearms while taking narcotics.

Here's what MedLine, the government medical resource site, has to say about morphine's side effects:
 

Morphine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
dizziness lightheadedness drowsiness upset stomach vomiting constipation diarrhea loss of appetite weight loss changes in ability to taste food	dry mouth sweating weakness headache agitation nervousness mood changes confusion difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep	stiff muscles shaking of a part of your body that you cannot control double vision red eyes small pupils (black circles in the middle of the eyes	eye movements that you cannot control chills flu symptoms decreased sexual desire or ability difficulty urinating or pain when urinating
Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately:
slow, shallow, or irregular breathing blue or purple color to the skin fast or slow heartbeat seizures hallucinations (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist) blurred vision		fainting hives rash itching tightness in the throat difficulty swallowing swelling of the arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs

Whew! You are using a bunch of powerful and scary drugs! No wonder you're feeling fuzzy! I cannot, and will not tell you to stop taking them. That is a decision you must make, and you must be working with a doctor or health care provider if you do decide to stop taking any of these drugs.

Here's the good news: You can get off all these drugs and we'll have you back again in the land of the non-zombies.

Here's the bad news: You are going to have to make some diet and lifestyle changes to do that.

Here's the good news: You are gonna love those changes once we get you started!

First, we have to come to grips with the fact that as a "Big Guy" you have exceeded the GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) of your frame. And just as exceeding the GVW of your pickup will eventually wear out and damage it, your back (the frame) and knees (the suspension) are telling you that you have exceeded their GVW. The good news is that instead of having to replace parts (like your shock absorbers or springs or tires) you can heal the worn and damaged parts naturally, with the help and support of a few vitamins and supplements.

So, step one is to get some of the overload off your chassis. Dr. Myatt's SuperFast will do that, well, super fast! The especially good news about this is that The Super Fast Diet will also help to bring your blood pressure down very nicely, very quickly - you should be able to taper off and even stop the Accupril. It will also do wonders for your cholesterol levels.

Next, along with appropriate nutritional supplementation, you'll need to do some exercises to begin to heal and strengthen your back and knees. Because your knees are hurting, you won't be eager to walk - but don't loose heart, excellent exercise is only as far away as the nearest swimming pool. Go for a swim, paddle around, do laps, wear water-wings, just get those legs and knees moving! Here also is a link to some really effective back exercises: See our information on Back Pain here: http://www.drmyattswellnessclub.com/backpain.htm .

Once the weight starts falling off you are going to be able to breathe better, sleep better, and move better. You will have more energy and you will feel like doing things again - like exercising a bit.

So, to recap from last week - here is a starting place for supplements that will help and support your body while your knee heals and you work on losing some weight:

• Take an optimal dose multivitamin like Maxi Multi every day.
• Increase your intake of Omega 3 fatty acids - Fish Oil is the best.
• Glucosamine Sulfate will help to support joint healing - but only if you take the "good stuff" - the cheap "Big Box Store" bargain brands are no bargain - they don't work.
• Grape Seed extract is a potent anti-oxidant with anti-allergen effects. Many joint problems can be related to subtle allergies.
• MSM is a form of sulfur and sulfur is vital to the repair and healthy function of our joints.
• Turmeric and Bromelain can be very helpful, and many of our Wellness Club members and patients swear by Cox-2 Support for relief of swelling, inflammation, and pain. Cox-2 Support contains both turmeric and bromelain - extra bromelain can be used to help relieve pain and inflammation during the acute phase of the injury and repair.

Cheers,
Nurse Mark

We would all like to have the "Quick Fix" - a pill, a quick surgery, a magic bullet - but the reality is that the best way to good health is to take personal responsibility for ourselves. "Dave" has allowed his doctors to assume the responsibility for his health, and as a consequence he is taking not one, but two powerful and potentially dangerous narcotics, a blood pressure pill, and a epilepsy seizure medication for leg cramps! Worse, none of this seems to be helping! Fortunately our friend has made the decision to take back that responsibility and to make some positive changes.

Stay Tuned...