Contaminated, diluted counterfeit pharmaceutics that look genuine.

"On the twenty-third day of the month of September,

in an early year of a decade not too long before our own,

the human race suddenly encountered a deadly threat to its very existence.

And as this terrifying enemy surfaced, as such enemies often do,

in a seemingly most innocent and unlikely of places . . ."

Prophetic quote is from the Frank Oz movie,  Little Shop of Horrors  
(Gefen Production) with the screenplay by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken.

TOXIC MOLD, FUNGUS

17,000 doses of this  steriod contaminated with deadly aflotoxin was distributed
to U.S.  Physicians  in  2012. Death toll now exceeds seventy in ten months.
with countless cases of meningitis causing strokes, coma, lingering pain. 

The contamination was identified as  
Aspergillus niger ("An"), usually found under damp carpets, 
trash dumps, and onions.  This black mold is deadly. 

It is  now brewed  commercially for such food products 
as high-fructose corn syrup. 

Sandsie's  Comment:

Mold and fungi hate high oxygen concentrations. The common sense approach in assisting those affected  is to add Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy ("HBOT") as an adjunct to the fungicides usually given as a medical response, since "soft tissue infection" (e.g. fungal) is an "Approved Indications" of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Association's (UHMS). Insurance will pay for its treatment.

Their are many fungi that give off the poison aflotoxin, -- usually fatal -- to  immunocompromised children undergoing chemotherapy for any blood cancer (e.g., leukemia). We present a terrifying diagnosis and harrowing prognosis that has a happy ending. Carson C':

Carson's Mom, Kathlyn is a physician: his Dad is a physical fitness expert. Spend five minutes to look at the YouTube presentation prepared by Carson's Mom. It deals with mucor mycosis -- what my  friend Dr. Fred Cramer calls the "man-eating plant." Humans usually do not live through mucor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zhXCOH0M5OI

---

Celebrity cancer activist, Kelly LeBrock visiting Carson, a leukemaia patient. 

Carson had undergone surgery to remove one kidney, his spleen,  most of his colon a  large portion  his diaphragm  since the onset of the mucor was at high speeed, infiltrating his 95lb body. Oncologists were predicting "5 days left to live" if the mucor was either in his lung or his stomach . . . surgery was  scheduled to remove both.

Dr. Kath's own words (interviewed by a professional journalist.) A full version of Carson's saga will be printed in the upcoming 2012 book "Oxygen . . .  The First Medicine."

"And mucor is very very...common fungus. It lives in the dirt. But it’s pretty rare to get infections. And it’s super rare to get GI mucor. It’s...super rare.

And when I did my research and, you know, put it out on the blog and everybody else did the research and, I had articles in my hands, and I mean .  . Nobody’s survived it.

And the data that they had was in the “40s and the “50s and patients in Africa. There’s nothing recent. You couldn’t find a case that was within 20 years that had survived. Kind of unheard of. So...I’m thinking, “well, at least we have an explanation. But then the more I read about mucor, the more I realized, “Oh, my God. This is worse than leukemia. Nobody lives with this.”

"At the time when Carson starts (hyperbaric therapy), he’s spiked fevers again and I have a bad feeling. Everybody behind my back (at the hospital is saying, “Jesus, this kid’s not going to make it.”At one point Roger sits in the unit with Bradley, one of the head infectious disease gurus, who says, “Nobody lives from this. At some point you and Kath need to figure this out.”

So I have a conversation with Dr. Jen’ (Rady Children’s Hospital Professor of Oncology): “Are we just putzing around here? Because Bradley is laying crepe and Roger’s ready to take Carson home.” She says, “Absolutely not. I am not done fighting and neither should you be. We are in this, we’re going for it, and Carson’s going to make it.” Dr. Jen' is the only one (at Children’s) who doesn’t believe Carson’s going to die.  

Every day Carson’s going with a nurse in the ambulance from the hospital to Bob’s (Sands)  center. They have to fashion a way of getting him in and out of the chamber because he’s so weak he can’t move. I mean, he can’t even sit up. He can’t stand. He can’t walk. He is so skinny. So to get him into the hyperbaric chamber, we slide Carson onto this board that Roger has his guys at his factory make. (Bob still has that board.) We put the board against the chamber and then we use a blanket to pull him in. Either Roger or I dive in with him. It’s a whole big thing."

September 2006.
Dying 6 yo Carson gets his first HBOT Tx.
Clinical detailshttp://www.hboinfo.com/Toxic%20Mold,%20Fungus.htm

HBOT Tx. 7. the journey back to life has begun for Carson, confounding the medical pundits.

Sandsie with Carson - five years and 450 HBOT Tx later,  one of the bravest young men I have met.

The Abstract of a scientific paper (below) from a health scientist and as supported by the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center  clearly indicate that Mucor is a serious problem for cancer patients.

Parents of afflicted children and cancer patients should take the time to read the entire paper  by Dr. Kontoyiannis. Scientific excellence.

How I treat mucormycosis --  

Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis1,2 and 

 

Russell E. Lewis1,2

D.P.K. was supported by the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Faculty E. N. Cobb Scholar Award Research Endowment and the National Institutes of Health (M. D. Anderson Cancer Center support grant CA016672).http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/content/118/5/1216.long

1. ¹Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center; and
2. ²University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, TX

Next Section

Abstract

Unlike invasive aspergillosis, the prognosis and outcome of hematologic malignancy patients who develop invasive mucormycosis have not significantly improved over the past decade as a majority of patients who develop the infection still die 12 weeks after diagnosis.why the title of this Now some science and Blog: 

"Contaminated, diluted  counterfeit pharmaceutics that look genuine." 

How I treat mucormycosis --  

Dimitrios P. Kontoyiannis1,2 and 

 

Russell E. Lewis1,2

D.P.K. was supported by the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Faculty E. N. Cobb Scholar Award Research Endowment and the National Institutes of Health (M. D. Anderson Cancer Center support grant CA016672).http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/content/118/5/1216.long

1. ¹Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center; and
2. ²University of Houston College of Pharmacy, Houston, TX

Next Section

Abstract

Unlike invasive aspergillosis, the prognosis and outcome of hematologic malignancy patients who develop invasive mucormycosis have not significantly improved over the past decade as a majority of patients who develop the infection still die 12 weeks after diagnosis.

Sandsie's Comment:

Carson's death was anticipated by most of the staff at Childrens' despite the fact that this was a team effort all of the way through, from his family through to specialists at the National Institute of Health.

Carson was stoic throughout and defied the gloomy prognosis.

Mucor infestations are common in hospitals, particularly in pediatric units. One day I walked down the wide corridor at RCHSD to visit Carson. On the way out, I saw that the corridor at been blocked off with white plastic, ceiling to floor. Having worked in bio' over the years I knew what was occurring behind the screen. Using my best Crocodile Dundeee accent (it comes easy for me, since I was born Down Under) I pushed my way through the plastic and said to the men working in the hall "Gudday . . .  are you blokes gonna paint the walls?" As I was hustled out by a worker in a biohazard suit, he answered "You cannot be in here, we are doing out best to rid this area of MRSA and a fungus." 

I was told later that RCHSD is now constantly alert and have the problem "under control" (their words  not Sandsie's).

Sandsie's Comment: Why HBOT is effective in killing mold.

Mold hates oxygen. That is why archaeologists are not allowed into  freshly discovered Egyptian tombs if the have any cuts or open sores such as an insect bite. Recent studies of newly opened ancient tombs that have not been exposed to modern contaminants found pathogenic bacteria of the Staphylococcus and the molds Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus.
http://www.qualtestusa.com/KingTutsCurse.html

Mold thrives on a damp, reduced oxygen percentage environment. However some mold thrive with a marginal increase of oxygen, e.g., commercial edible mushroom farming or in a low pressure (mild) inflatable hyperbaric chamber.

Now the primary "why" 100% HBOT (at the correct treatment pressure) is such an effective fungicide for mammals (people)  with none of the  caustic side effects of the most common  IV bPHARMA responses: 
"Every time we hear ‘ampho B’ we always call it ‘amphoterrible’. Because ‘amphotericin’ and ‘amphoterrible’ —everybody dies. When they have to be on amphotericin, they basically all die because they’ve got a fungal infection and the amphotericin will kill them too. Either the fungal infection kills them or the drug kills them. But it’s never good." Dr. Kath', Carson's Mom.

Picture this. . .  your yard (body) is full of long grass and weeds. Ha, you have a ride-on lawnmower,  but little gasoline to keep it running. Filling the tank is not quite enough to make your yard lovely. WHEN YOUR MOWER IS PUT INTO  GEAR,  THE complex machine bursts into action  and does the hard work, valves, pistons, cogs and gears. 
So too with the human body. Top it up with addditional with oxygen and the complicated mechanisms of your body go to work: the big "pac-man" cells throughout your body, and particularly those in your lungs. These macrophage"--  are more than match for the invading mold spores.

Since this blog confines itself the the application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, we must move on to the title of this Blog: 

"Contaminated, diluted  counterfeit pharmaceutics that look genuine." 

Why the calibrations on the side of the syringes?
Your health practitioner wants EXACT dosage.

A pain specialist  could make an assumption: 
"The Rx. arrived in  medical  container and its been Okay in times past." 
SEVENTY DEATHS (morbidity rates still climbing.)

The same erroneous assumption is can be  made by  desperately ill patients (e.g. cancer patients, pain patients) in the hopes that the drugs that they are given are genuine and contain a  measurable dose that will improve their condition and are not adulterated with any poisonous substance. Sadly, in many cases this assumption is erroneous  Counterfeit drugs are pouring into the United States from countries such as China, Pakistan and India. Worse, some come from within the United States, driven by greed, delinquency and lack of codes enforcement of .

Inflatable chambers often appear to be the same as 

hospital-grade chambers -- but can be  

DANGEROUS.

Sandsie's Comment on inflatable chambers --  DANGEROUS.

The assumption that one hyperbaric chamber is the same as another or can deliver a dose (concentration of Oxygen) as prescribed (by registered physician (not a chiropractor) is absurd. All chambers that operate over 2 pounds per square inch ("psig") are subject to the same enforcement codes as a hospital grade chamber that can be pressurized to 100 psig (or more). When fully inflated to maximum allowable working pressure ("MAWP"), a soft walled chamber will feel as hard as steel. 

The contaminated bottles of steroids looked  the same as "safe" pharmaceutics. Likewise  your home-use inflatable could also be contaminated with mold spores. Or, you are not getting the correct amount of oxygen to help you heal.

Note the tiny pressure gauge that Sandsie is pointing to. In contrast, hospital and military grade chambers, delivering 100% oxygen, have a minimum of two pressure gauges, each calibrated in psig, feet of seawater ("fsw,)  and atmospheres absolute ("ATA"). These gauges are accurate over 90% of their reading scale, have their  own certificate and are regularly tested by dead-weight third-party testing laboratories. Replacement cost is around $1,000.00 USD. The little 3 inch gauge that Sandsie is pointing to probably cost less than $25.00.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the other hand, here is Sandsie with a chamber he 

approves of -- hospital grade, the so called "hard" 

chamber. Good for 100 psig, accurate measurements and

fabricated to full code compliance. Precision gauges and

all certificates from ASME-PVHO-1

Sandsie's Comment on inflatable chambers --  DANGEROUS.

If an inflatable chamber is operated to (or any chamber for that mater)Is operated to its manufacturers instruction all should be Okay. This means you cannot take you inflatable and mess with it by increasing its MAWP, or add oxygen, Federal Laws and codes prevent this.

Apart from the fact that ALL inflatable chambers sold in the United States have had rupture and deflation events (ear an lung damage, usually transitional events in the patient's life), the most lethal potential is the fact that the el-cheapo compressors that inflate  the chamber have inadequate filters to keep out all of the mold spores and contaminants that they pump and compress room air into that chamber. All claim that they have "in line filters that capture contaminants down to .003 of a micron." Even worse, most home owners purchase an oxygen generator and, apart from the sponge on the air intake -- no filter at all but are pronounced as "safe."  Bunkum. Most suppliers or users do not know what a micron is. Most users are never instructed on how often to change filters of any sort.

Sandsie Comment:

 U.A. L certified HEPA filters have to be changed regularly.
 Or the trapped particles of dust, mold spores will
migrate through to the upstream or "clean" side.
This will contaminate the chamber compartment
and put the patient at risk.

When room air is compressed into a chamber -- say at 4 psig then you have made it thicker by around a third. If the air is contaminated with crud that went through your filter and then "grew" (yes mold spores grow in the right environment!), you now have at least three times the mold spores in the chamber than outside in the room where you operate the chamber. Mucous membranes transport it into the patient's body. Lungs are a major target for mold. Radys Children's Hospital San Diego is fastidious about infection control -- as are most pediatric hospitals. Still, Mucor mold sneaks past their super efficient HEPA filters and little kids die. HAD CARSON CLOYD BEEN TREATED IN  A BAG CHAMBER (INFLATABLE) , HE WOULD HAVE LIKELY LOST HIS BATTLE FOR LIFE.

Now for the really scary possibility of a cheap-chamber. Look carefully at the weeny red micron dot and you might think "the inline filter IS .003 of a micron in my compressor is actually so tiny when compared with a human hair. All will be well."

For comparison, substitute the 1,500 feet tall  Empire State Building instead of the diameter of a human hair. Hold your  thumb up.That is about the comparison of an atom. if you held your thumb on the side of that building, three thumb lengths is about the same as a carbon monoxide molecule (2 plus 1). So tiny, it wouldn't even notice the filter in your home chamber. Enough of them (or any number of household cleansing agents) can usurp red-blood cells ability to carry oxygen to tissue. Good news is you can change these harmful agents simply. Tell you how in the next Sandsie Blog.

First thing Sandsie noticed was the use of the lowest quality
(cost) components that any hardware store would have on its
shelves. Further inspection found that the pressurization
(from the compressor - yellow line-  stank, as did the exhaust
lines which should have remained crystal clear. The  green oxygen
 line was also badly contaminated from the generators.

Back to the potential of lethal mold. In Hawaii  oxygen is expensive. A purchaser sold her inflatable and spent on the more expensive Blue "hard" chamber. The factory sent its "technical expert" to install it. Two oxygen generators were part of the package as well as the "safe" air compressor. 

A year after installation, since I  was asked to run my eye over it since I had been designing chambers for thirty years. I found that  even with two oxygen generators, running, simultaneously, the entire system would not deliver 100% oxygen at 2 ATA. So the patient  stopped using the oxygen generators and purchased  100% oxygen from the local gas supplier. When I checked it all I was surprised to find that after just one year, the entire gas supply  was contaminated with yukkie, poisonous  mold.

Dangerous? You bet. The technician operating the chamber became extremely ill and the resulting lung problems took  9 moths to correct. That technician almost lost his life to the mold coccidioidommycosis ("valley Fever") . -- Patients's X-ray in the next blog.

      Sandsie's Recomendations if you are thinking of purchasing an inflatable chamber:

• Think it through, do  the math. Could be that 30 Tx in  a free standing hospital grade chamber will cost less in the long run

    Sandsie's Recomendations if you already own an inflatable chamber:

• Use it EXACTLY according to manufacture's directions. If the manufacturer  says not to ADD oxygen -- do not do that. Just run it on room air.
• Remember that you will melt more molecular oxygen into your body just breathing 100% oxygen ON THE SURFACE than you can get in an inflatable chamber. 
• Ask your supplier for the correct filters -- carbon and HEPA
• Make sure that the location that you operate your chamber is a "clean room" with appropriate HEPA filters. Vacuum the room daily  with a high quality HEPA) vacuum cleaner. Keep exterior windows closed.

What's in the next Sandsie Blog: Bad News plus Good News,

Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis)  Medicine Net. May 14, 22013 http://www.medicinenet.com/valley_fever/article.htm

Cases Of Mysterious Valley Fever Rise In American Southwest. SHOTS (NPR)by 

May 13, 2013 3:01 AM

REBECCA PLEVIN

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/13/181880987/cases-of-mysterious-valley-fever-rise-in-american-southwest

Calif. objects to moving inmates because of fungus. Beatrice Golden Sun May 14, 2013

http://beatricedailysun.com/news/national/calif-objects-to-moving-inmates-because-of-fungus/article_f6fdf4b0-0377-5680-b0f9-b140d1a5cbdf.html

Navy researcher links toxins in war-zone dust to ailments. USA Today 5/14/2011

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/military/2011-05-11-Iraq-Afghanistan-dust-soldiers-illnesses_n.htm

The latest concerns in the community. Worthwhile reading each one before you get the GOOD news from Sandsie's Blog.