Drug Treatment Denver
Drug Treatment Denver
If you have had an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or MRA (magnetic resonance angiography) with contrast (dye injected into the patient so the doctor can clearly see internal organs, tissues and bones) you may be at risk of a fatal, incurable disease. Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) also known as nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (NFD) occurs in kidney patients who have an MRI with contrast.
An article at Tennessean.com tells the story of Jeanie Deason who developed NSF/NFD and has filed a lawsuit against the makers of the contrast dye. Jeanie’s legs and right arm are now “frozen in a bent position.” Her condition has so deteriorated that she requires 24 hour assistance. She spends her days bedridden, limbs throbbing, getting up only when her parents help her to the bathroom.
A doctor recommended therapy to help with Deason’s condition; however, TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid managed care program, refused for two years to pay for her treatment claiming it was experimental. Finally, in April, a Tennessee judge said TennCare must pay because the treatment is medically necessary.
Although there is no known cure for NSF, Deason’s physician, Dr. John Zic, an assistant professor of dermatology at Vanderbilt University, believes he can give Jeannie some relief through “extracorporeal photopheresis”. It takes blood from her body, exposes it to ultraviolet rays, then returns it to her. This helps her body’s immune system fight the disease. It can cost $8000 for a single treatment.
In Denver, Greta Carolus, suffering from kidney failure, was injected with a contrast dye containing Gadolinium, a rare metal. Four days after her MRI she was hospitalized, diagnosed with NSF and found herself in a wheelchair reports an article at lawyersandsettlements.com. “I wouldn’t wish this on anybody; my worst enemy I wouldn’t wish this on. This is just a terrible disease,” says Greta.
Kidney patients are most at risk for this disease as the toxic contrast dye is expelled through the kidneys and if they aren’t working the poison does not leave the body.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began issuing health advisory warnings on all MRI contrast dyes (also known as “contrast agents” or “contrast mediums”) containing Gadolinium.
On May 23, 2007, the FDA ordered that a black box warning be added to all Gadolinium-based contrast agent labels concerning the life-threatening risk associated with the use of contrast dyes containing Gadolinium.
The warning states that patients with severe kidney insufficiency who receive Gadolinium-based agents are at risk for developing the debilitating, potentially fatal disease known as Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF).
The required warning includes advice to “avoid the use of GBCA’s (Contrast agents containing Gadolinium) unless the diagnostic information is essential and not available with non-contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Although the FDA requires the warning, this use of Gadolinium containing contrast agents is still allowed and they are frequently used.
Lawsuits filed in federally supervised multi-district litigation in Cleveland allege the manufacturers knew of the dangers long before the FDA imposed warnings. “Makers of the contrast dye knew how toxic it was; they knew the results could be catastrophic,” said Seattle Super Lawyer Ken Selander who works with a group of lawyers around the country representing victims of the disease.
Those most at risk for the disease, kidney patients, are legion, according to the National Kidney Foundation who reports that some 20 million people-1 in 9 American adults-have chronic kidney disease and another 20 million are at risk for developing it.
Of those at risk, the ones most in need of the warning are the 300,000 people in the United States who are dependent on kidney dialysis to remove toxins from their blood. Typically, patients must visit a clinic several times a week for 4-hour periods while their blood is cleaned.
Initial symptoms of the disease include high blood pressure, muscle weakness and thick hardened skin. With time victims may suffer pain, burning and itching in affected areas. With more time, victims may experience stiffness in skin and joints which completely immobilizes them. Some suffer death.
If you or a loved one has kidney disease and experienced severe skin reactions after an MRI you should see a dermatologist at once. He can order the simple test which confirms you have the disease.
Rex Bush is founder of Bush Law Firm near Salt Lake City, Utah where he handles personal injury cases in Utah and throughout the United States and Canada. For more information on personal injury issues visit his website: Utah Injury Attorney.
Race For The Cure has been going on for many years now. I have personally been involved for about 10 yrs.?
This last weekend, Denver had more that 65k people participating, 2nd largest in the nation. Where has/does all this $$ raised go? To research alone? Why isn’t there better treatment possibilities for cancer patients as a result? My sister was diagnosed with an advanced stage 10 yrs. ago & went through chemo that nearly killed her. Eventually the disease did that at age 36. I have recently been diagnosed with stage 1, non-aggressive & has not spread but am still facing chemo & radiation. Why aren’t there better options out there when I know billions of $ have been raised supposedly for research. So there isn’t a cure yet but why not better drugs than chemo?? Am I being to much of a sceptic??
You used the right word “Suppsedly” And as one of the people submitting an answer to your question ,,,, Phantomli ,,,,, says ,,,, you need to be looking at the big picture ,,,, But I’m not sure if this person is truely aware of just what the real big picture truely is ,,,,, And I don’t think you could be skeptic enough,,,,,, For generations now ,,, there have been dedicated medical researchers looking for cures to this that or the other ,,,,, Billions of dollars have been donated and spent for this cause ,,,,,,EVERYTHING in this world revolves around the dollar,,,,,Look at how much money Jerry Lewis has raised for his cause over the years,,,, Look at the different charities you can donate too ,,,,, The American Red Cross ,,, The United Way ,,,, the different cancer causes named after people who fell victim to one sort of cancer or another ,,,,,, You have to look at the pratical side of this too ,,,,,, The real big picture you might say ,,,,,What if they did come out with a sure fire cure for say ,,,,cancer ,,,,,, Look at how many jobs there are right now because of this disease ,,,,, How many jobs would be terminated if this sure fire cure ever got loose ,,,,Personally I believe that the cure or a method of dealing with cancer,,,,, was discovered or developed like 40 years ago or around there ,,,, I mean look how many of our political or corporate elite or their family members have developed cancer according to the news media and been cured ,,,,, You can’t purchase something they aren’t willing to sell ,,,,,, Regan was reported to have had intestinal or colon cancer and they cured him ,,,,, The wives of two or three of our prominate political leaders were diagnosed with breast cancer and they were cured ,,,,,, Isn’t it strange that we still have people dying from the same thing today ??? I believe that a sure fire cure for AID’s exists too but when people are willing to spend $12 hundred to $18 hundred dollars a month for a drug that doesn’t even work ,,,,, Do you really think they are going to come out with the cure to irradicate it ????? I dont’ think so,,,,, So where does all this money go? Think about it ,,,,, There is alot of money to be made with these maladys ,,,,, Alot of money has already been made because of them ,,,,,,, The medical profession is a lucrative bussiness and has a wonderful future because there are always going to be people that are sick ,,,, I agree that they’ve come out with cures for some problems but they have to maintain some lever of success in order to retain their credibility ,,,,,But alot of the things they make break thorughs in don’t or wouldn’t have life threatening consequences anyway ,, Other areas of money making are the hospitals themselves ,,,,,,,,, Ever notice the prices for professional care they charge ,,,,,, What the daily cost per room is? ,,,, What it costs daily for ICU ?,,,,, Or intensive care in general ???? Ever think about how much trouble you’d be in if you didn’t have health insurance ?? Believe me ,,,,, If you don’t have the money for health insurance and you can’t pay for it yourself ,,,,, and you get seriously ill ,,, then you are going to die ,,,,, Just believe this ,,,,,,, like in any other area of indevor the corporate sector is involved with ,,,,, where the dollar is involved ,,,,,, Money talks ,,,,,, And people in the corporate sector would stabe their own mother in the back if it would get them that all mighty dollar ,,,,,,,, Just give this answer consideration ,,,,,,, If you have any knowlege of the corportate then you’ll find that this answere is closer to the truth than any other ,,,,,,,,, Yoda told ya so ,,,,,,,,
Denver, CO: Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center Southern California
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Therabath Professional Paraffin Bath, Scentfree, Maximum Capacity, 9-Pound $148.97 For Hands, Feet, Face and Body since 1962 For over 90 years paraffin moist heat therapy has been used to relieve pain, inflammation and stiffness caused by arthritis. A form of thermotherapy, paraffin treatments effectively increase blood flow to aid in rehabilitation, or to warm an area of the body prior to other therapies or exercise. Warm paraffin is also used extensively to soften dry, crack… |
