This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

This might go some way to showing that gravity does not increase the pressure in the veins but clearly decreases the pressure in the veins.

Andrew

Andrew K. Fletcher
Paignton, Devon U.K.
+44 1803524117
Inclined Bed Therapy (IBT) Varicose Veins Study.
Inclined To Sleep Inclined Yet?
Dear Reader
We are seeking more people with varicose veins who are willing to put IBT to the test and feel that this is something that your readers and colleagues will definitely find fascinating and some who have varicose veins and oedema and wish to avoid surgery may want to Help in this important trial and join our Free study which has already produced positive results in only 4 weeks as predicted!
News Release:
An Important Scientific Study into the cause of Varicose Veins and Oedema and Inclined Bed Therapy (I.B.T.) is now underway, which makes use of the way the body uses gravity to move solutes through the vessels to improve circulation and alter the pressure inside the veins to significantly reduce swelling and oedema. Our study is free for anyone to participate in. There are no products to be sold or marketed.
What is Inclined Bed Therapy?
Gravity was identified as the driving force behind circulation in trees in 1994 and was applied immediately to how circulation in the body benefits from the same interaction with salts and sugars in the circulation. A video showing the use of IBT with spinal cord injury can be viewed here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3D7tBQfCxQ
IBT is simply tilting the bed so that the head end is 15 cm’s or 6 inches higher than the foot end providing a level but tilted bed, hence the name Inclined Bed Therapy.0 People with varicose veins, oedema (fluid retention) are needed to participate in an online Diary Study, in order to prove that simply altering our sleeping position can have a positive affect on these problems.
If you or someone you know has Varicose Veins, the standard advise is to raise your legs and tilt your bed the other way to IBT, Or to undergo risky and expensive surgery that is prone to fail because it does not address why the pressure inside the vein causes it to bulge.
Which according to current physiology books makes sense. But what if that logic is incorrect? All the evidence from our study is showing that gravity is not a force we are struggling to overcome but a force that drives the fluids within the body.
Are you prepared to take the 4 week challenge and provide us with your observations? Or do you know someone who has varicose veins and would like to watch them slowly but surely shrink and improve every night they go to bed instead of becoming more unsightly and uncomfortable?
Our study is located on the Naked Scientists forum, who have a regular slot on BBC Radio. http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum ... #msg121037
My wife’s calf showing clearly her varicose vein shadow, which went flat after 4 weeks of Inclined Bed Therapy back in 1994 and has not returned to its former state since. http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum ... #msg121037
Alun has already confirmed my statement on the study thread that Varicose veins will shrink after 4 weeks of IBT and has supplied us with photographic before and after 4 weeks of IBT along with a diary account of his observations. And he is not alone. http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum ... ic=9843.75
More reading: http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum ... ic=18961.0
We are hoping to find at least 50 more pioneering volunteers who wish to avoid surgery and it’s inherent risks and failures, who are willing to provide us with photographic and a written account of their own experiences sleeping inclined.
So far our study is running towards a predicted outcome that flies in the face of current physiology literature.
Photographic Evidence: Higher Resolution
1st Photograph: Male 34 years. Varicose vein on calf muscle following 10 weeks of IBT.
2nd Photograph: Same Male 34 years showing Varicose Vein on Calf Muscle 6 months of IBT
http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb31 ... eksIBT.jpg

http://i209.photobucket.com/albums/bb31 ... 2-text.jpg

Look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely Andrew K Fletcher

2008 Dec;18(6):318-24. Epub 2008 Oct 15.
Head-up sleeping improves orthostatic tolerance in patients with syncope.
Cooper VL, Hainsworth R.
Cardiorespiratory Unit, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK.
OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to examine the effect of head-up sleeping as a treatment for vasovagal syncope in otherwise healthy patients. Treatment for syncope is difficult. Pharmacological treatments have potential side effects and, although other non-pharmacological treatments such as salt and fluid loading often help, in some cases they may be ineffective or unsuitable. Head-up sleeping may provide an alternative treatment. METHODS: Twelve patients had a diagnosis of vasovagal syncope based both on the history and on early pre-syncope during a test of head-up tilting and graded lower body suction. They then underwent a period of 3-4 months of sleeping with the head-end of their bed raised by 10 degrees , after which orthostatic tolerance (time to pre-syncope during tilt test) was reassessed. RESULTS: Eleven patients (92%) showed a significant improvement in orthostatic tolerance (time to pre-syncope increased by 2 minutes or more). Plasma volume was assessed in eight patients and was found to show a significant increase (P < 0.05, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). There was no significant change in either resting or tilted heart rate or blood pressure after head-up sleeping. INTERPRETATION: Head-up sleeping is a simple, non-pharmacological treatment which is effective in the majority of patients. However, it may not be tolerated by patients or bed-partners long term and whether the effects continue after cessation of treatment remains to be determined.

Well, I have learnt the advice "be careful what you wish for", the hard way.

From a previous post / thread http://www.thisisms.com/ftopicp-51551.html#51551

Well, its returned again.

I have been sleeping on an inclined bed since early February this year. About 2 weeks ago, I woke up and noticed a slight pain in my lower left leg. However, when I went to do some ex3ercise on my cross trainer, about 5 minutes in, something popped, and the pain became excruciation again.

I started to wear the elastic bandage on it, and it went away within a day or two. By the time I managed to get a referral to get a doppler, a week had passed and they found nothing. No surprise, I felt no pain.

I have also had two or more relapses since February as well.

Cure, Inclined therapy does not instantly stop the symptoms anymore than it completely cures a person.

What I.T has been shown to do with ms is to dramatically reduce the severity of the symptoms over a prolonged period and help the person with ms to regain control over damaged nerves, just as it does with spinal cord injury.

People with the progressive stage of ms, found they began to have good days and bad days, then the good days become good weeks and good months, so could it have been possible that they came back through the stages of ms in a reverse order of their progression?

RE varicose veins: As Alun and others have observed, climatic changes high and low pressure have an effect on the pressures inside the circulation and become apparent in higher than usual humidity by showing a greater tendency to protrude from the skin surface. High humidity according to my research at least should compromise the circulation by reducing our ability to evaporate water and in doing so reduce the solute density in the fluids at the respiratory tract, eyes and skin. This would mean that instead of the heart gaining assistance from gravity an additional burden from gravity would be placed upon the circulation and this would explain why the veins bulge in higher humidity as described by Alun.

The veins should return back to a more normal looking skin profile, quite the opposite of expected varicose vein behaviour, that being a reluctance to return to normal and more likely a gradual increase in diameter over the years.

The relapses, were they any different to previous relapses?

Thanks for posting this Cure.

Andrew

I have gone into this expecting neither really, and as I have indicated, I have been sleeping on an inclined bed since feb, so "instantly" was never expected.

I cannot say it has done this for me.

In Australia, we now entering a less humid climate, I think. The protrusion was not the issue, the pain is what really concerns me. I now have a referral to get an ultrasound done on the day it actually hurts. Hey, who knows, maybe I could get them to scan it if I manage to organise an MRV...

No, the same. If I caught a cold/flu, I had a relapse, and it "felt" no different.

Andrew, have you heard back from Paolo Zamboni yet: its been a very long time and look what has happened in that time.



Nearly six years ago ix years ago I was someone in the very advanced stages of progressive MS and my neurologist despaired of me, but my progression stopped within weeks of starting my treatment as listed below.

And incidentally, I was sent this link by Cure so I'm not sticking my nose in where it doesn't belong.

Sarah

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An Itinerary in Light and Shadow Completed Dr Charles Stratton / Dr David Wheldon abx regime for aggressive secondary progressive MS in June 2007, after four years. Still improving with no relapses since starting. Can't run but can paint all day.

Probably not going to hear from Zamboni, I for one will not lose any sleep about this.. Your point is?

Congrats on dealing with your ms symptoms. Have you remained in the same environment and have not moved location since you began your antibiotic regimen and following the end of your antibiotics?



My reference above relates to two pilot studies, one small and one larger Internet based study. Anecdotal evidence admittedly but not by choice and remains anecdotal due to the reluctance of the medical profession to test these results!

My point is you talk about him and his findings so much.

No, I still live in the same house as six years ago, actually as twelve years ago so no change there.

Sarah

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An Itinerary in Light and Shadow Completed Dr Charles Stratton / Dr David Wheldon abx regime for aggressive secondary progressive MS in June 2007, after four years. Still improving with no relapses since starting. Can't run but can paint all day.

Andrew, it would seam to me, that the medical profession that would have the most interest, and would have spent many a dollar investigating the effects of gravity on blood flow, would be NASSA. Have you looked into finding any research by NASSA? or the Russian space programme?

If I am not mistaken, Anecdote still uses intermittent antibiotic therapy.

Wrong there Cureo mon ami, I finished nearly two years ago but am still slowly improving.

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An Itinerary in Light and Shadow Completed Dr Charles Stratton / Dr David Wheldon abx regime for aggressive secondary progressive MS in June 2007, after four years. Still improving with no relapses since starting. Can't run but can paint all day.

.... and isn't that wonderful! I just made our next hotel reservation in Nashville. Hooray! Ken

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My Starting Point
Understanding MS 101: Doctor Talk and People Talk<br /><br />

Interesting. I have no idea why antibiotics should help you the way they have. I really do hope you have continued success with the route you have chosen despite having little understanding of why this method could have such an effect over 6 years.

So are you saying you have been relatively symptom free for six years?

It's not just Sarah. The concept is pretty well documented here at TIMS.

_________________
My Starting Point
Understanding MS 101: Doctor Talk and People Talk<br /><br />

Yes, I suggest you take a look at the Antibiotics forum. Also trymy husband's website:
http://www.davidwheldon.co.uk/ms-treatment.html

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An Itinerary in Light and Shadow Completed Dr Charles Stratton / Dr David Wheldon abx regime for aggressive secondary progressive MS in June 2007, after four years. Still improving with no relapses since starting. Can't run but can paint all day.