Hi everyone:
Sorry for the delay in my updating you all on my visit with Dr. Berkson. This will likely be a long post--out of necessity. There is alot of information that I want to share. I will be pasting some of the emails that I sent to my friends while I was in New Mexico and adding some additional information. So here goes...
I arrived in NM on Sunday, May 9 and had my first appt with Dr. Berkson on Monday. It was basically a meeting to go over my health records, diet and exercise (I had to keep a journal of my food intake and exercise regimine for 2 weeks) and other important things like family, emotional well-being, etc. He ordered several blood tests including:
Comrehensive Metabolic Panel
Lipid Panel
CBC
Urinanalysis with Reflex Micro
Hemoglobin A1C
Rheumatoid Factor
CRP
ANA Anti-Nuclear Antibodies
ASO Titer
Homocysteine
Epstein Barr Panel
Vitamin D
IgE food sensitivity panel
Regarding my diet, he gave me a diet that he wanted me to follow. Here it is:
You diet should consist of first, fresh green veggies every day and have one of these 6 every day: cabbage, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, cilantro and greens
Second, fresh whole grains including cooked oatmeal, rice, barley, corn, buckwheat groats
Third, proteins including whole eggs, roast chicken, fresh fish, beans, block cheeses and occasional red meat
Fourth, fats including real butter and olive oil
Fifth, fluids including water, tea, non-decaf coffee and fresh veggie juices
Avoid: Milk by the glass, while flour and white sugar, diet foods, restaurant deep fried foods and margarine, tobacco, salty food and alcohol
Things he considers a must: high fiber foods, exercise daily and have fun and reduce stress.
Now keep in mind that the doctor sees many patients with many different problems. Being that we have stomach problems, and the expression of our diseases are unique, you have to modify the above diet to suit you. If you have issues with corn, then avoid it. You get the drift.
Prior to becoming an MD, Dr. Berkson was microbiologist specializing in the study of fungi. So some of the pearls of wisdom that he shared (see the next paragraph) will make more sense in that context.
1. Do not use agave nectar--it is pure fructose and the process of making it requires some sort of fungi which remains in the nectar post processing. Meaning you ingest it as well. So it is not a natural substance like honey. Better to use raw sugar--in small amounts.
3. Do not use stevia--it is a false sugar. It ruins DNA and causes free-radical damage. Better to use raw sugar.
2. Do not drink decaf coffee as the process to decaffeinate it requires hydrocarbons (or some such thing) that you ingest (in small quantities) every time you drink a cup. Better to drink regular coffee.
He also shared a sobering story about his tenure as lead investigator for IV ALA and his experience with pharmaceutical companies. I don't want to share it in a public forum, as I am sure that he is ostracized enough by the mainsteam medical community. I don't want to add to it. But I will say that the pharmas are NOT working to heal or cure us. Their first priority is to make a profit. We MUST take our health into our own hands.
After that, I had my first ALA infusion. There are about 14 infusion chairs in the infusion room and 3 full time nurses, who are the nicest women on the planet. People stream in throughout the day for infusions and have various diseases from cancer to hepatitis to muscular distrophy. Everyone I met during my 2 weeks at the clinic has expressed how much the ALA infusions has helped them or has literally changed their lives. I felt a mild "high" during and after the infusions. But other than that, I did not experience much else.
I received 2 infusions per day for two weeks and 1 B-12 shot daily as well, as ALA depletes B-12. After the first few days, my crohn's started flaring up again--and I experienced a different feeling of pain that I have not experienced before. Not that it was a greater pain, just that the nature of it was different.
At my next meeting with the doctor, we discussed my test results. Everything was good except that my Epstein Barr Virus (EBV VCA IgG level) was very high--136. Also, my ANA (anti-nuclear antibodies) was high. Normal is <1:40, mine was 1:320 - this, I am told is basically an autoimmune disease test, so it was no surprise to me that it was high.
Curiously, my CRP level was normal. Several months ago it was 12.5. Curiously, I was still symptomatic at the time of this test, so it makes me wonder if the result was incorrect...
As far as my food allergy panel, peanut and pork came up as mildly allergenic for me, so I am avoiding those.
Basically, the doctor believes that the Epstein Barr Virus coupled with stress is the main cause of my problems--ie crohns. He suggested that I follow the diet he recommended, do hypnotherapy and biofeedback. The doc only recommends brands from manufacturers that have allowed him to inspect their manufacturing facilities, so that he can ensure they are properly manufacturing the supplements. Otherwise, he will not recommend their products to his patients. For example, some manufacturers of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) tablets source their ALA from China and up to 60% of it can be unknown substances. Remember, this is based on my blood tests, so it does not mean everyone should take all the supplements that I am taking. But standard vitamins anyone can take so use your own discretion. One thing I will say (based on my opinion, research and hearing the stories of the other patients who have been on ALA for years and have had their
lives change for the better because of it) every adult should take ALA daily. It is THE most potent antioxidant out there. So here it is:
ALA (300 mg) by Metabolic Maintenance - 2 per day
Multivitamin with minerals (called The Big One) by Metabolic Maintenance - 1 per day
B complex by Metabolic Maintenance - 3 per day
Selenium by Metabolic Maintenance or Carlson - 2 per day
Pancreatin (digestive enzymes) by NOW - 2 with each meal
Pantothenic Acid by Metabolic Maintenance - 1-8 tabs daily depending on my level of fatigue
Omega Fish oil by Nordic Naturals - 3 per day
Probiotics by Metabolic Maintenance extra strength - 2 per day
Vitamin D (2,000 iu) by Carlson - 2 per day
Zyflamed by New Chapter - 3 per day
I asked the doctor about other supplements that I was interested in. Here are the brands and dosing he recommended for me:
CoQ10 200mg by Metabolic Maintenance - 2 per day
Curcumin by Biotech (not sure what this brand is but I will call his office to find out) - 4 per day
L-Glutamine by Metabolic Maintenance - 3 per day
All supplements should be taken with food.
I am about 3 weeks post treatment and it has been a rough road. I experienced some depression because I did not see immediate results (even slight) that I thought that maybe the treatment was not working. Now, slowly but surely, I am feeling better everyday. I am a little hesitant to even say that, as I don't want to jinx myself. But something is working. Whether it is the ALA or the naltrexone (I got the LDN compounded at a pharmacy in New Mexico with acidophilus as a filler) to see if it worked better than the one I was originally taking from Skips Pharmacy, which has an avecil filler. The doctor said that sometimes, people take LDN from one pharmacy and they see little results, but then they get it from another and they respond. It could be anything from where they source their naltrexone to the filler.
So, I continue to get better and better everyday. I hope it continues. Both the doctor and the nurses have told me that it takes people a while to respond, but they do. Everyone's healing process is different.
Would I go out there for treatment again? Yes. Do I think it was worth it? Yes. Dr. Berkson is a good man who really cares about healing his patients, and I really felt that when I met with him 3 times. The other patients all rave about how much he has helped them--many have been receiving treatment from him for years. For me, that is the best recommendation that I could get.
I am happy to answer any questions and I hope this info helps.
Chris
Sorry for the delay in my updating you all on my visit with Dr. Berkson. This will likely be a long post--out of necessity. There is alot of information that I want to share. I will be pasting some of the emails that I sent to my friends while I was in New Mexico and adding some additional information. So here goes...
I arrived in NM on Sunday, May 9 and had my first appt with Dr. Berkson on Monday. It was basically a meeting to go over my health records, diet and exercise (I had to keep a journal of my food intake and exercise regimine for 2 weeks) and other important things like family, emotional well-being, etc. He ordered several blood tests including:
Comrehensive Metabolic Panel
Lipid Panel
CBC
Urinanalysis with Reflex Micro
Hemoglobin A1C
Rheumatoid Factor
CRP
ANA Anti-Nuclear Antibodies
ASO Titer
Homocysteine
Epstein Barr Panel
Vitamin D
IgE food sensitivity panel
Regarding my diet, he gave me a diet that he wanted me to follow. Here it is:
You diet should consist of first, fresh green veggies every day and have one of these 6 every day: cabbage, broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, cilantro and greens
Second, fresh whole grains including cooked oatmeal, rice, barley, corn, buckwheat groats
Third, proteins including whole eggs, roast chicken, fresh fish, beans, block cheeses and occasional red meat
Fourth, fats including real butter and olive oil
Fifth, fluids including water, tea, non-decaf coffee and fresh veggie juices
Avoid: Milk by the glass, while flour and white sugar, diet foods, restaurant deep fried foods and margarine, tobacco, salty food and alcohol
Things he considers a must: high fiber foods, exercise daily and have fun and reduce stress.
Now keep in mind that the doctor sees many patients with many different problems. Being that we have stomach problems, and the expression of our diseases are unique, you have to modify the above diet to suit you. If you have issues with corn, then avoid it. You get the drift.
Prior to becoming an MD, Dr. Berkson was microbiologist specializing in the study of fungi. So some of the pearls of wisdom that he shared (see the next paragraph) will make more sense in that context.
1. Do not use agave nectar--it is pure fructose and the process of making it requires some sort of fungi which remains in the nectar post processing. Meaning you ingest it as well. So it is not a natural substance like honey. Better to use raw sugar--in small amounts.
3. Do not use stevia--it is a false sugar. It ruins DNA and causes free-radical damage. Better to use raw sugar.
2. Do not drink decaf coffee as the process to decaffeinate it requires hydrocarbons (or some such thing) that you ingest (in small quantities) every time you drink a cup. Better to drink regular coffee.
He also shared a sobering story about his tenure as lead investigator for IV ALA and his experience with pharmaceutical companies. I don't want to share it in a public forum, as I am sure that he is ostracized enough by the mainsteam medical community. I don't want to add to it. But I will say that the pharmas are NOT working to heal or cure us. Their first priority is to make a profit. We MUST take our health into our own hands.
After that, I had my first ALA infusion. There are about 14 infusion chairs in the infusion room and 3 full time nurses, who are the nicest women on the planet. People stream in throughout the day for infusions and have various diseases from cancer to hepatitis to muscular distrophy. Everyone I met during my 2 weeks at the clinic has expressed how much the ALA infusions has helped them or has literally changed their lives. I felt a mild "high" during and after the infusions. But other than that, I did not experience much else.
I received 2 infusions per day for two weeks and 1 B-12 shot daily as well, as ALA depletes B-12. After the first few days, my crohn's started flaring up again--and I experienced a different feeling of pain that I have not experienced before. Not that it was a greater pain, just that the nature of it was different.
At my next meeting with the doctor, we discussed my test results. Everything was good except that my Epstein Barr Virus (EBV VCA IgG level) was very high--136. Also, my ANA (anti-nuclear antibodies) was high. Normal is <1:40, mine was 1:320 - this, I am told is basically an autoimmune disease test, so it was no surprise to me that it was high.
Curiously, my CRP level was normal. Several months ago it was 12.5. Curiously, I was still symptomatic at the time of this test, so it makes me wonder if the result was incorrect...
As far as my food allergy panel, peanut and pork came up as mildly allergenic for me, so I am avoiding those.
Basically, the doctor believes that the Epstein Barr Virus coupled with stress is the main cause of my problems--ie crohns. He suggested that I follow the diet he recommended, do hypnotherapy and biofeedback. The doc only recommends brands from manufacturers that have allowed him to inspect their manufacturing facilities, so that he can ensure they are properly manufacturing the supplements. Otherwise, he will not recommend their products to his patients. For example, some manufacturers of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) tablets source their ALA from China and up to 60% of it can be unknown substances. Remember, this is based on my blood tests, so it does not mean everyone should take all the supplements that I am taking. But standard vitamins anyone can take so use your own discretion. One thing I will say (based on my opinion, research and hearing the stories of the other patients who have been on ALA for years and have had their
lives change for the better because of it) every adult should take ALA daily. It is THE most potent antioxidant out there. So here it is:
ALA (300 mg) by Metabolic Maintenance - 2 per day
Multivitamin with minerals (called The Big One) by Metabolic Maintenance - 1 per day
B complex by Metabolic Maintenance - 3 per day
Selenium by Metabolic Maintenance or Carlson - 2 per day
Pancreatin (digestive enzymes) by NOW - 2 with each meal
Pantothenic Acid by Metabolic Maintenance - 1-8 tabs daily depending on my level of fatigue
Omega Fish oil by Nordic Naturals - 3 per day
Probiotics by Metabolic Maintenance extra strength - 2 per day
Vitamin D (2,000 iu) by Carlson - 2 per day
Zyflamed by New Chapter - 3 per day
I asked the doctor about other supplements that I was interested in. Here are the brands and dosing he recommended for me:
CoQ10 200mg by Metabolic Maintenance - 2 per day
Curcumin by Biotech (not sure what this brand is but I will call his office to find out) - 4 per day
L-Glutamine by Metabolic Maintenance - 3 per day
All supplements should be taken with food.
I am about 3 weeks post treatment and it has been a rough road. I experienced some depression because I did not see immediate results (even slight) that I thought that maybe the treatment was not working. Now, slowly but surely, I am feeling better everyday. I am a little hesitant to even say that, as I don't want to jinx myself. But something is working. Whether it is the ALA or the naltrexone (I got the LDN compounded at a pharmacy in New Mexico with acidophilus as a filler) to see if it worked better than the one I was originally taking from Skips Pharmacy, which has an avecil filler. The doctor said that sometimes, people take LDN from one pharmacy and they see little results, but then they get it from another and they respond. It could be anything from where they source their naltrexone to the filler.
So, I continue to get better and better everyday. I hope it continues. Both the doctor and the nurses have told me that it takes people a while to respond, but they do. Everyone's healing process is different.
Would I go out there for treatment again? Yes. Do I think it was worth it? Yes. Dr. Berkson is a good man who really cares about healing his patients, and I really felt that when I met with him 3 times. The other patients all rave about how much he has helped them--many have been receiving treatment from him for years. For me, that is the best recommendation that I could get.
I am happy to answer any questions and I hope this info helps.
Chris