A wee question for you Dr S.
What causes neck veins to go out of shape, expand, balloon often above and below valves or narrowings?
For instance the extremes like Rici's.
Is it the same thing as Leg veins and Varicose Veins where the vein changes shape and enlarges?
Found some interesting thought starters today when I was researching the change in symptoms those of us with CPn go through on the Protocol.
" Monocyte Stickiness and heart disease
Monocytes are large immune cells that eventually turn into macrophages, the garbage collectors of the immune system. Before they turn into macrophages, monocytes drift along in the bloodstream, eating a germ here, a dead cell there, and generally behaving themselves. In the course of their travels they brush against the endothelial cells in our arteries, bounce off, and continue to drift. Occasionally, however, a monocyte will stick to an endothelial cell, then creep into the wall of the artery where it turns into a macrophage and where, sometimes, it becomes a foam cell. When millions of macrophages have become foam cells in one area, we have an atherosclerotic plaque.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin designed a study to find out why some monocytes, but not others, stick to endothelial cells. They found that monocytes infected with CPN were stickier than uninfected monocytes.
1 Furthermore, the more heavily infected the monocytes were, and the longer they had been infected, the stickier they became. The CPN didn't have to be alive--monocytes that ate dead CPN organisms also became sticky."
http://www.potbellysyndrome.com/attach/CPN.pdf
And, the symptom changes in CPn treatment are often caused by Porphyria (poor-FEAR-ee-uh) refers to a group of disorders that result in a buildup of chemicals called porphyrins in your body.
"Porphyria arises from a disruption in your body's production of a substance called heme.
Heme is found in all of your tissues, but the largest amounts are in your red blood cells, bone marrow and liver. Heme is a major component of hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that gives your blood its red color. Hemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen from your lungs to all parts of your body, and to carry carbon dioxide from other parts of your body to your lungs so that it can be released when you exhale.
Eight enzymes convert chemicals called porphyrins into heme. In porphyria, an inherited mutation in one of the genes involved in heme production can cause an enzyme deficiency, which can lead to porphyrins building up in your body. Although porphyrins are normal body chemicals, it's not normal for them to build up."
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/porphy ... THOD=print
The connection with Bacterial Infections, the die off toxins (endo-toxin) and the diet of a PwMS 'could' easily create a RRMS health issue. Altering the Diet to a more anti bacterial herbal content will influence the disease stats. The bacterial infection can cross the BBB and cause Brain Tissue Lesions, and it can cause Vascular disruption to wall linings and to Valve leaflets. The result can be reflux/back jets which compound the breaching of the BBB and Lesion load on grey and white matter. The Infection robs ATP from the host cells causing Fatigue. Many other symptoms are common between MS and bacterial diseases such as CPn and Lyme and there is a co-incidence of CPn and Lyme and MS.
I have always thought that it is not what you know but what you don't know that is important.
And I have often believed that the answers are out there, the pieces of the puzzle simply haven't been placed as yet.
Deep in thought,
Nigel
