Chest discomfort still present and PH is not balanced...

[vividus]

Dear Dr. Fonorow, Here I am again.. I actually emiled you sometime March or April last year.. I was the one who mentioned to you that my husband started getting chest tightness while he was taking the A9.. We got worried and more cautious.. You'll have to forgive me If I tell you we shifted to another Brand of vitamins but still with the same components... We shifted to Dr. Rath vitamins because there was a doctor in our country that prescribes it.. It also has the same Vitamin C, L Lysine, L proline and so many things. My husband was taking more than 50 tablets a day... Of course, by taking all those vitamins he was very gassy all the time that it really caused him discomfort. Lately, he had a hiccups that lasted almost a day, he was told that he has acid reflux from all those vitamins that he was taking and then he started having sleep apnea which they also connects to the amounts of vitamins he was taking.. He tried to stop the vitamins for a couple of days and true enough the apnea disappeared.. Anyway, two weeks ago, he again had a 258 slice cat scan of the heart only for the calcium scoring and low and behold the calcium score is still way up high.. We are getting desperate already, the tightness is still there, apnea is still there and with the apnea, he wakes up catching his breath which I believe is affecting his heart.. He tried the Joanna Budwig protocol of cottage cheese and flax seed but it seemed to have gotten his condition worst.. The tightness is getting more often now.. I started him again with the A9 and see what's going to happen.. I was just wondering, inspite all these supplements he was taking the calcium score is still very high and the condition doesn't seem to improve.. We had his urine and saliva tested and we found out that the urine is more alkaline than the saliva.. He was told that he was leeching calcium from the bones and that was the one causing all these calcium deposits on his arteries.. His blood test was actually good.. CRP, homocysteine, fibrinogen, ferritin, cholesterol, HDl were all in the normal range except for the LDL which was 3 points higher than the normal range. He's now back to A9 ( I had some left from my last purchase) but how do we correct the PH of his body? This morning when we checked his urine again, it was really more alkaline that his saliva which is really uncommon.. It seems that the vitamins are helping him with his blood test results but his calcium score is still getting higher and chest tightness is very much present... Very desperate already.. How do we solve this problem??? Will always very grateful to hear from you.... Thank You, Maria

[ofonorow]

The answer to the pH problem is easy - take vitamin C as ascorbic acid! (Check the Rath formula, it is possible that some/most/all of their vitamin C is in the alkaline form. The other problem with the Rath formula is the low dosages, and if you are taking pills, then to equal a tower dosage, your husband would be taking quite a lot of "fillers" used to create the pills, no wonder he has reflux.) So I believe the decision to go back to A-9 is correct, but again, dosage dosage dosage... (And I hope the A-9 is not very old.)

Note: 10,000 mg of vitamin C per day is better than 6000 mg per day, and 18000 mg per day (Pauling's personal dosage) is better than 10,000 mg daily, etc. You can add vitamin C, either to the A-9 powder, or better yet, in between, say every 4 hours.

If your husband has problems with that much in powder/drink form, try having him drink slower, maybe before meals, etc. Another option is adding Lypo-C from livonlabs.com Very easy to take, and 1 packet/1 gram is equivalent to 2 to ? maybe 5 grams of ordinary vitamin C. No gas or diarrhea.)

To my knowledge, the Budwig protocol is an "oxygen" protocol for cancer, so I am confused why he would try that?

Generally, the Pauling/Rath formula does not reduce calcium scores, but it does open arteries. What we have found and discussed here is that vitamin K (either mg of K1, or micrograms of K2) is the best nutrient for "moving" calcium from soft tissues back into bones. Normally, intestinal flora produce the vitamin K, but with people taking antibiotics all the time, this source may diminish (and this is an argument for probiotics). Based on his scores, I would start supplementing him with vitamin K too (and encourage him to eat leafy greens).

You didn't mention diabetes - but high blood sugar is definitely a complicating factor that must be controlled, and in general, eating proteins with vitamin C is "good" while eating carbs, especially with vitamin C is "bad." Keep us informed.

[J.Lilinoe]

I hope you can get a hold of Vitamin K2 and let us know if it helps by removing the calcium
from the blood vessels and heart and putting it in the bones where they should be.

As far as sleep apnea and acid reflux goes, get him a wedge pillow and have him
sleep on that. It elevates the head from the waist up and keeps the digestive
gasses down in the stomach where they belong. Also, whenever he eats, you
might want to make sure that he always eats using a good upright chair and not a
soft comfy chair where he can slouch. You want the food to stay down in the stomach
which it will do if he is not slouching. If he needs further help with digestion, you
might consider giving him a digestive enzyme with his meal. I learned all of this
stuff from taking care of my elderly mom this year

Again, I hope the K2 works. Good luck.

[vividus]

Thank You Dr. Fonorow and J. Lilinoe... He's taking 3 scoops of Ascorsine now, 1,200 mg of Unique E, and with some tocotrinols, CoQ10, Vitamin K2 and other heart vitamins... Actually, the Budwig protocol is to give him some good fatty acids because he seems to be losing weight so much from moving the bowel 4X a day from the vitamins.. He's 5'10 and he weighs only 140 lbs now... He's not diabetic, does not eat white rice or any forms of carbohydrates, that's why he's also losing weight.. He's very very disciplined on his food intake. Triglycerides is only 63.11 mmol/L (0 -150), Homocysteine is 6.21umol/L (0 -15) and in fact when he had his CoQ10 tested it was way up the normal range 5.96ug/ml (0.37-2.20) His last Lp(a) test it was 5mg/dl (0-30), cholesterols were all on the normal range except for the 3 points above the normal range on the LDL... His blood test is almost perfect and he got all those by just plain good diet and vitamins.... We really hope that the Vitamin K2 will already take out the blockage this time.. For more than a year, he took all the necessary vitamins he had to take except for the K2 because we read that it makes the blood thick and we didn't want to take any chances.... I will slowly add on the ascorsine, we are still checking how his stomach will take more. How much do you think he should add?? I placed the rests of the acorsine in the refrigerator with a very low constant temperature to keep them fresh and so far, I just opened one bottle now and it still looked fresh, pinkish color no smell or whatsoever... BTW, do they have an expiry date?? I checked and I couldn't find any on the bottle... He started taking more raw food and we're juicing fruits and vegetables now just to make the stomach alkaline.. He has an acidic saliva and an alkaline urine. Hopefully, with this new diet, we get to correct it... I will be waiting for your reply... Thank You So Very Much, Maria

[ofonorow]

All the objective measures sound good, as does his diet, etc. Regarding,

he took all the necessary vitamins he had to take except for the K2 because we read that it makes the blood thick and we didn't want to take any chances.

This is a common misconception, repeated because of the lack of nutritional teaching in dietician and medical schools. Vitamin C promotes the formation of the protein collagen, but taking very high amounts does not promote "too much" collagen. The body regulates itself.

Yes, vitamin K is a necessary factor in the blood clotting process, and depriving the body of the vitamin, or substituting a phony look-alike (e.g. rat poison) will slow down clotting, but vitamin K does not make blood "thicker." It has no effect on blood viscosity. However, depriving the body of the real vitamin K will increase the amount of calcium in soft tissues.

Another issue can be platelet adhesion, and there are experiments that show high vitamin E and grape seed extract can reduce platelet adhesion. There is also some evidence that pancreatic enzymes do, in fact, "thin" the blood, make it less viscous.

So keep us informed if his increased vitamin K intake improves his next test results and helps to reduce the chest discomfort. If you can afford 2 servings per day of A-9, that is a good amount. If you can't make sure he is getting the same amount of vitamin C and lysine from other supplements.

[sharonstar]

Owen, I wrote earlier about the 70% LAD blockage of the coronary artery. I know I have been taking the vitamin K2 for quite a while but not sure of the exact time but at least over 6 months but probably longer. I had a calcium score of 37 in 3/2006 and last month it is now 792. Do I understand you correctly that the Pauling protocol will not prevent a higher calcium score but will keep the blood flowing? I don't quite understand this if the blockage is made up of calcified plaque. Also how long will or should it take the K2 to start reversing the calcified plaque? I really don't want to have a stent but the cardiology nurse called this week to say how serious this is. I don't have chest pain and am seriously wanting to postpone the cardiac cath and give the K2 longer to work. I appreciate any thought you may have. Or anyone else that can shed light on this. I don't know if this is a side effect of the blood pressure medication but from time to time my arms and legs go numb for hours at a time. I had been eating a vegetarian diet and have switched to low carb as you suggested. It makes sense that the high carbs can sludge the blood and hinder the blood flow.

Thanks.
Sharon


Sharon

[vividus]

Thanks Dr. Fonorow, You have mentioned that my husband should be taking 2 servings of A-9 eeryday. f you don't mind me asking, how many scoops it that?? Currently, he's taking 3 scoops per day. I checked the date of my last purchase of A-9 from you and it was last May 2008. I actually purchased about a dozen since I am not from the States. Was able to use some and the rest I placed in the refrigerator. I opened one recently and it looked ok, still. Do they have any expiration date?? Just want to make sure that the vitamins he's taking is still very much effective:-)
FYI, we're doing the protocol of Carey reams, Theory of Ionozation".. This is balancing the PH of your body.. Helps to detoxify the liver and by doing so, foods and vitamins are very much assimilated. We're now incorporating eating lots of raw vegetables and fruits and distilled water too.. I noticed that my husbands gassy and the bowel movement problems has improved dramatically.. Now, I can feel confident that he's assimilating the vitamins more, because before he goes straight to the toilet right after he takes the vitamins... Anyway, now that he has improved digestion, should we increase the dosage of the A-9??? I will be awaiting for your reply and I would like to Thank You once more.. Maria

[ofonorow]

Thanks Dr. Fonorow, You have mentioned that my husband should be taking 2 servings of A-9 eeryday. f you don't mind me asking, how many scoops it that?? Currently, he's taking 3 scoops per day. I checked the date of my last purchase of A-9 from you and it was last May 2008. I actually purchased about a dozen since I am not from the States. Was able to use some and the rest I placed in the refrigerator. I opened one recently and it looked ok, still. Do they have any expiration date?? Just want to make sure that the vitamins he's taking is still very much effective:-)
FYI, we're doing the protocol of Carey reams, Theory of Ionozation".. This is balancing the PH of your body.. Helps to detoxify the liver and by doing so, foods and vitamins are very much assimilated. We're now incorporating eating lots of raw vegetables and fruits and distilled water too.. I noticed that my husbands gassy and the bowel movement problems has improved dramatically.. Now, I can feel confident that he's assimilating the vitamins more, because before he goes straight to the toilet right after he takes the vitamins... Anyway, now that he has improved digestion, should we increase the dosage of the A-9??? I will be awaiting for your reply and I would like to Thank You once more.. Maria

Freezer is best for indefinite storage of Pauling-therapy powders, but if the powder looks okay from the refrigerator, it most certainly is okay, because when it degrades, you cannot miss it. Good question about the scoops - should be on the label. My older jar says 1 serving is "one rounded tablespoon." Hmmm Sounds like a scoop is a serving. I personally do not buy into this "pH Balancing," because different pHs are natural for different parts of the body, I would not know how to "target" a particular system, but I admit I haven't studied it. However, raw fruits and vegetables (organic-no pesticides) is generally a very good idea. The gas may indicate that he is approaching his tolerance level for vitamin C/A-9. Hard to recommend increasing, however, in general, the dosage of vitamin C is critical.

[ofonorow]

Owen, I wrote earlier about the 70% LAD blockage of the coronary artery. I know I have been taking the vitamin K2 for quite a while but not sure of the exact time but at least over 6 months but probably longer. I had a calcium score of 37 in 3/2006 and last month it is now 792. Do I understand you correctly that the Pauling protocol will not prevent a higher calcium score but will keep the blood flowing? I don't quite understand this if the blockage is made up of calcified plaque. Also how long will or should it take the K2 to start reversing the calcified plaque? I really don't want to have a stent but the cardiology nurse called this week to say how serious this is. I don't have chest pain and am seriously wanting to postpone the cardiac cath and give the K2 longer to work. I appreciate any thought you may have. Or anyone else that can shed light on this. I don't know if this is a side effect of the blood pressure medication but from time to time my arms and legs go numb for hours at a time. I had been eating a vegetarian diet and have switched to low carb as you suggested. It makes sense that the high carbs can sludge the blood and hinder the blood flow.

Thanks.
Sharon


Sharon

Re: the stent. Remember the case of Steve from Florida - also in my book - because after the Cleveland Clinic implanted a medicated stent, he had daily pain that he described as an elephant sitting on his chest. A stent implanted cannot be removed. If you must have one, you should insist on a plain metal stent - not a medicated stent. I cannot remember the details of your case, but various drugs may promote calcification. Usually, these are the rat-poison style blood thinners, but there may be others. Even antibiotics, in an indirect way, by killing the intestinal flora which naturally produce vitamin K in the gut. Again, I cannot remember specifics, but before I underwent surgery, I would start taking 2 packets of Lypo-C daily - as an insurance policy. In addition to whatever vitamin C/lysine and proline, vitamin E your are currently taking.

The business of not affecting the calcium score is just an observation over the years, supported by high CT-SCAN scores, but not blockage on the subsequent angiogram. My theory is that if you consider the analogy to a pipe, an artery has two surfaces, the inside, facing the blood stream, and this is where the softer, Lp(a) plaques form (and dissolve) and the other, outside of the pipe. The outside is apparently where calcium, perhaps from bones, has a tendency to deposit, filling in cracks, especially when vitamin K is deficient or lacking. This would be how you have a high calcium score, but good blood flow. The problem with calcified arteries is that they are no longer flexible, they cannot easily dilate in response to a clot, etc.

If you are without pain, I would try to hold on and give K2 time to work. (My only experience was one year, no way to know if it worked in less time.) To reduce risks, during the waiting period, consider a) 2 packets Lypo-C, b) take or increase a good vitamin E (WHO discovered that low serum vitamin E was 70% better predictor of a heart attack than either high cholesterol or high blood pressure) c) study the drugs you are taking to see whether there is any indication that they promote calcium buildups in soft tissue, and if so, ask your doctor to switch you to another drug.