Breakspear Medical Group's opening blog
Breakspear Medical Group is a private day clinic specialising in allergy and environmental medicine.
We're inviting anyone who has experienced allergies, multiple chemical sensitivities, chronic fatigue, or any other environmental illnesses to post their experiences and/or thoughts on our blog spot.
To submit a comment, click on "comments" at the bottom of this message and Blogger will give you the prompt to "Leave your comment".
posted by Webwriter @ 3:54 pm
125 Comments:
At 23 March, 2006,
Anonymous said…
After 24 years of undiagnosable illness which became progressively more unpleasant as the years went by, I shall always regard my recovery not so much as good news but as a miracle. I am truly grateful for the help from Breakspear Hospital Trust.
At 25 April, 2006,
Anonymous said…
I have never heard of you, my GP has never mentioned that you exist. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia over a year ago and just told to get on with it. My health is going downhill very fast, I have swallowed gallons of vitamins, but I am still having problems. My balance is bad my stomach is worse, I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed a meal without it going straight through my stomach and out the other end I cant remember when i last slept well I dont go to bed until 3 maybe 4am then get up at 8 or 9am feeling like shit. So how can you help, and why are you not canvassing the health authority to send people like me to your clinic.
At 25 April, 2006,
Webwriter said…
We’re glad that you’ve now found us! Please have a look at our website where you’ll find loads of information about the services our hospital provides and explanations about many of the treatments that our hospital offers. From your description of symptoms, we’re confident that we’d be able to help you!
Breakspear Hospital has been around for over 20 years, specialising in allergy and environmental medicine. Because Breakspear is a private company, many doctors who work within the NHS have not heard of us. However, we do treat NHS-sponsored patients.
The first step to be considered for funding is to make an appointment for a consultation with a Breakspear physician (which you’ll have to pay for; initial consultations are £100). During the consultation your doctor will discuss your medical history and examine you. At the end of the consultation, he/she will possibly recommend running some tests and a medical treatment programme based on the findings of the consultation.
After the consultation, you may wish to meet with our Patient Liaison Manager, who will help explain the potential treatment costs and if you are seeking NHS funding, with your approval, we will write to your GP with details of any recommendations, and request their written support for an application for NHS funding.
With the written support of your GP and/or NHS consultant, we can compile an application for funding, which will include an estimate, and we will send the application to the relevant NHS funding body for their consideration. Without support from an NHS clinician, regrettably, we will not be able to continue to pursue the request for NHS funding.
If you wish to proceed immediately with the treatment programme, you can, of course, pay for the programme yourself. (We accept payment by cash, credit or debit card.) However, NHS funding bodies will not usually pay retrospectively so if you do also pursue NHS funding, and it is approved, the funding will be for future treatment from the date of approval.
I hope that this explanation has helped you! If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Breakspear’s Patient Liaison Manager, Emma Wright, by phone 01442 261 333 ext. 310, or email: ewright@breakspearmedical.com
At 06 June, 2006,
Anonymous said…
Your site is "an answer to my prayers!!!" Inclusion of radio waves and microwaves in your list of concerns is the beginning of what can be a major breakthrough in health problems.
I have researched electromagnetic fields/electromagnetic radiation (EMF's/EMR) for over 15 years. My work as a "non-expert researcher" began after my two grandsons "got well" when we moved their beds away from walls opposite electric meters ("powerwalls").
Guinea pig studies in my home confirmed the same pre-Leukaemic blood changes. ASTHMA was the first symptom diagnosed in both studies!!! One out of each set of two guinea pigs died within 30 days of exposure.
A baby dying under such circumstances would be said to have died from SIDS.
My husband was diagnosed with Alzheimers over five years ago. Two years ago, I moved his electric clock radio off his nightstand. His next neuropsych tests confirmed "improvement!!!"
You are doing a great job!!! You have the potential tho to be a major player in "an avoidable healthcare crisis" that involves the possibility of reducing all health problems from poor sleep to cancer by simply informing the public through your website, one-on-one advice and hopefully some sort of bulletins, that electric appliances including any electric clock, monitors, fans, power supply boxes for cordless phones and some other telephone equipment, certain lamps, etc. should be moved away from close proximity to beds. Obviously, "powerwalls" should have a specific warning.
High frequencies on electrical wiring can be greatly reduced by installation of filters (www.stetzerelectric.com). In the UK, I recommend contact with Dr. Alasdair Philips (www.powerwatch.org.uk)before considering filter installation.
In the U.S., I recommend contact with BauBiologist Oram Miller (www.createhealthyhomes.com). Mr. Miller does evaluations including body voltage measurements to show why turning off all circuits to bedrooms may offer the most benefits to overall health. Filters for equipment such as computers may also be helpful but it is important to know whether a home has wiring errors, need for grounding of waterpipes, etc. and other mitigation before filter placement.
It is important to remove all electrical items away from especially the head of one's bed while considering other mitigation. Improved health can usually be noticed within two weeks..... Joanne C. Mueller, Guinea Pigs R Us, 731 -123rd Ave. N.W., Minneapolis, MN 55448-2127 USA...Phone: 763-755-6114...email..jcmpelican@aol.com...website guineapigsrus.org is "under construction"
At 07 June, 2006,
Anonymous said…
I would like to thank every single person at Breaksphere for giving me my life back. I was diagnosed last year with fibromyalgia and was givin antidepressant drugs to help the pain and that was that. Myself and my devoted mother started searching for more... We found Dr Monroe an absolute God send. The first doctor in 5 years to see my body as a whole problem. I was tested and re tested for an infection and finally found Lymes Diesease. A condition never mentioned to me before. I have recieved IV antibiotics, minerals supplements, a long process of treatment to follow. I feel like a completely different person. I am able to do something in my life again, be me, be free from so much pain. I have food allergy's identified at breaksphere and as a result less headaches fatuige and stomach distention. I could go on and on but i just want to sing praises about this hospital and what it stands for. Yes it is expensive but worth every penny to have some quality of life again. Thank you to nurses, Dr's, the cheifs and reception staff you work like a family.
At 21 June, 2006,
Webwriter said…
We're very sorry to hear about your daughter's ill health and our Medical Director wishes that she could have the opportunity to meet you and your daughter because she knows she could help!
As your daughter has been tested and it has been confirmed that she has blastocystis hominis, if she were a Breakspear patient, a treatment programme of antibiotics would most likely be recommended.
Usually our protocol for treating blastocystis hominis is a combination of 3 different, specific antibiotics. We have found this combination to be particularly effective. Occasionally, in recalcitrant cases, we need to add a fourth antibiotic to the programme.
If you would like more information about our blastocystis hominis treatment programme, please email jmonro@breakspearmedical.com and we will contact you directly.
At 27 June, 2006,
Webwriter said…
After posting joanie's blog, I forwarded her comments to our medical team. The following is a note from our Dr Christabelle Yeoh:
Dear Joan,
Thank you for your kind comments which I have shared with Dr Jean Monro. I am sorry to hear that you were not well with Borreliosis but pleased to hear of your recovery.
We are aware of the Gibson enquiry but Dr Monro had not planned to be giving evidence. Do you have any more information on the details? (Please email any information available to jmonro@breakspearmedical.com)
We are aware of Dr Gow’s work, but it would be very kind of you to provide us with the DVD! We were at the LDA conference in Southampton on Saturday (24 June 2006), and it was an encouraging step to see Sue O’ Connell there. However, neither of us can make it to Southampton this Thursday (29 June 2006).
Thank you once again for your support.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 17 July, 2006,
Anonymous said…
I am an 18 year old student and have been suffering from my allergy for about 5/6 years now but have just been told to get on with it. i have recently noticed an odd pattern of when my allergy appears. I got back from a holiday in Corfu last week which consisted of drinking alcohol everynight except one, and the one night i didnt drink i had my allergy. I have begun to think that my allergy is caused by alcohol but it seems that if i drink 3/4 nights in a row, my allergy wont appear until the night i dont drink!? im so confused by it all and its begining to take its toll on my social life. can you help?
At 17 July, 2006,
Webwriter said…
Dear 18 year old student,
I will forward your question to a member of our medical team. However, in the meantime, you may wish to view our article on the Load Phenomenon, which might help explain what you are experiencing. Visit:
www.breakspearmedical.com/files/learn_about_allergy.html
or go to the menu bar on our website, select Products & Services > Antigen Vaccines > Understanding the Load Phenomenon
At 03 August, 2006,
Anonymous said…
I have found your site very interesting. If I can just ask a question: Do you treat Myalgic Encephalomyelitis? If so, how do you do it? and will you be sharing your protocols with the DOH? as many people with M.E. cannot afford to pay for any treatments, and can't travel any distance.
At 03 August, 2006,
Webwriter said…
Yes, we do treat myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). For more info, visit: www.breakspearmedical.com/files/chronic.html
You can download a treatment programme booklet or send a request to receive one by snail mail from info@breakspearmedical.com
As mentioned above, we are a private hospital but if you wish to seek NHS funding, after your first consultation, with your approval, we will write to your GP with details of any recommendations, and request their written support for an application for NHS funding.
With the written support of your GP and/or NHS consultant, we can compile an application for funding, which will include an estimate, and we will send the application to the relevant NHS funding body for their consideration.
You do need the support of your GP and we'd be happy to send you two copies of the CFS/ME treatment programme booklet, if you wish to give a copy to him/her. Simply ask for an extra copy for your GP!
We've treated many CFS/ME patients successfully. Read Lady Clare Kerr's article about her recovery that she wrote for the Times: http://www.breakspearmedical.com/files/documents/ClareKerrTimes022003.pdf
Hope to hear from you soon!
At 06 August, 2006,
Anonymous said…
I have extrinsic allergic alveolitis.I have no connection with any of the esoteric type occupations that are most likely to be asscoated with this disease..steroids have had very little effect on the inflammation.Is this an area of your specialisation?
At 11 August, 2006,
Webwriter said…
Dear one with extrinsic allergic alveolitis,
Some people with allergic alveolitis respond to nutritional therapy for the common inhalants and foods to which they may be exposed. Sometimes we find this is secondary to mould exposures.
Your condition is something that we specialise in and we would be happy to review your case. Please call to make an appointment! 01442 261 333 ext 300.
At 26 August, 2006,
Anonymous said…
do you treat ankalosing spondalitas
i have had this for over 20yrs. but at the age of 58 my upper spine is bending forward and the constant ache is getting worse. what would your treatment consist of.
terry.
At 27 August, 2006,
Webwriter said…
Dear Terry
Thank you for your interest in our hospital. I know that Breakspear has treated a number of patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis and helped relieve some of their pain. However, I will need to forward your message to our Medical Director for more detail about how we may be able to help you.
At 31 August, 2006,
Webwriter said…
More information for Terry
At Breakspear Hospital, we have frequently found ankalosing spondylitis to be related to a particular infectious agent known as Yersina.
This is an organism that lives in the gut and can be pathogenic (cause disease). It is not fully understood but the infection may be compounding an inflammatory response at the joint spaces.
If you came to Breakspear, we would investigate, using a stool test, for Yersina infection and if it was present, we would treat it.
Another common problem causing inflammation and thus eventual deformity at joints is food allergy reactions. This allergy or sensitivity reaction may not necessarily be perceived as an allergy per se, but when immune reactions occur, they can focus on areas of abnormality or injury, thus perpetuating the problem.
Breakspear Hospital specialises in this area of medicine and we would treat you with neutralising immunotherapy to relieve pain and inflammation.
Lastly, nutrients needed by the bone are very important and we would go through a diet and nutrients that would help ensure that you are properly nurished.
Breakspear Medical Team
At 20 September, 2006,
Anonymous said…
I am interested in knowing if you use anything alongside antibiotics to treat Lyme Borreliosis. I have been diagnosed and am currently being treated with oral antibiotics, it is still early. I feel the Borrelia is deep inside my system and I might need I.V antibiotics if the oral's do not reach my retina and nervous system, etc. My main problems are fatigue, pains, vertigo, lots of vision problems, chest pains, anxiety and panic attacks, headaches and some more strange symptoms.
Do you use anything else alongside the antibiotics to help support detoxification? Do you use vitamins and minerals, etc?
I am also aware people with Lyme Borreliosis often have other issues, like coinfections, viruses, parasites, heavy metals... Have you found any of these problems in your Lyme Borreliosis patients? Or is it usually just a case of just killing the spirochetes?
Many thanks.
At 03 October, 2006,
Webwriter said…
Dear Lyme-diagnosed,
(Sorry for the delay in posting your comment; webwriter was on holiday.)
The following response was written by our Dr Christabelle Yeoh:
Lyme disease is an emerging infection and the medical establishment is learning more about it every day.
Presently it is thought to be a well defined event involving a tick transmitted disease with potential chronic health repercussions. We know, however, that there are many more patients who have Chronic Lyme disease but may not have had the acute infectious event, and thus have not been diagnosed. This chronic Lyme entity is not well understood.
So when Lyme disease has been identified, we feel that the most effective treatment should be one that focuses on the immune system- almost like how a viral infection is usually dealt with by one's own immune system, rather than having to take antiviral medication. Therefore along side antibiotics, we use a number of immune modulation treatments, and this may include intravenous and oral nutrient replacements, immune stimulating nutritional therapies, immunotherapy for sensitivities and detoxification of heavy metals/chemicals or pesticides.
The Lyme organism is an evasive one, thus immune support should be an important part of the treatment.
At 05 October, 2006,
Ilonas - Cookbook said…
Can your hospital help with severe allergies to parfume and number of other chemicals in a lesser degree. I can't go out without getting problems. I can barely find anything to use on my self. I feel I might have to live in a bubble soon. Social life has almost stopped. I do all the right things but the allergies are still there. I had severe excema as a child.Then recurrancies in my teens and at odd times. Then no problems after I had children for 30yrs. When I hit menopause it all came back with a vengeange and now I'm allergic to a lot of things. After tests I was told that I suffer from atopic excema and was given a list of names that for thigns I should avoid. I have tried to do so but I still suffer.
Can you help?
Ilona
At 11 October, 2006,
Anonymous said…
What is your view on rife machines and hyperbaric oxygen chambers as alternative treatments for Borreliosis?
At 18 October, 2006,
Webwriter said…
Dear Ilona,
Yes, Breakspear Hospital can help with severe allergies to parfume and other chemicals.
To help MCS sufferers like yourself, we perform various laboratory investigations to show the MCS sufferer’s current status, then we correct the nutritional and gastrointestinal abnormalities, advise on how to reduce exposure to, and body burden of, chemicals and use low-dose neutralising vaccines for chemicals, foods and inhalants.
Our environmental advice will help MCS sufferers reduce the burden on their immune system in their own home and place of work.
Unfortunately the outdoor air is becoming more and more polluted as a result of fossil fuel combustion and the indoor air because of the chemicals introduced on carpets, furnishings, chipboards and in cleaning agents, paints, varnishes and pest treatments. However, there are numerous lifestyle adjustments, including eating organic food, that will reduce the load on the body and provide relief for MCS sufferers.
Visit our website for more information about our neutralisation programme, which uses a very low dose of the substance in question at: http://www.breakspearmedical.com/files/allergy.html Our treatment programme is useful as one does not have to completely avoid the offending substance! It is always still wise to avoid toxic chemicals, but other things like foods may be tolerable if taken at lower doses.
Another consideration is to assess the amount of toxic load (metals, chemicals) you might be carrying in your body, as this contributes to the underlying reasons for multiple sensitivities.
We have an information leaflet on MCS available in pdf form. You might also want to read more about food allergies. Simply request leaflets from info@breakspearmedical.com or make an appointment with one of our doctors by calling 01442 261 333.
At 20 October, 2006,
Anonymous said…
I am a young person who used to work in full time employment and was living independently until last year but was then diagnosed with ME/CFS. The illness has left me bed-ridden for over a year. I have been so tired that for over a year I was unable to visit the GP. I have been so badly affected that I have been moved to my parent's home to be looked after as even going to the bathroom has been difficult. I have been asking for treatments for this illness but have been told there are none except CBT. From reading your website, testimonials etc. I believe that Breakspear would be able to help. However, I have had private medical insurance for many years but have been told that they are not willing to pay for this treatment as Dr. Jean Monro is not recognised by them. I have also tried to ask the NHS but they do not fund this treatment.
If Breakspear is so successful in treating patients then why is it impossible to get 1. NHS to fund it or 2. Private Medical Insurance to fund it???
At 26 October, 2006,
Webwriter said…
Dear Blogger wondering about rife machines and hyperbaric oxygen,
The following is a note from our Medical Team:
At Breakspear Hospital, we use medical and orthomolecular therapies to treat infections. Therefore we have no experience and are unable to comment on the use of Rife machines.
We do use hyperbaric oxygen in the management of carbon monoxide poisoning. It may be a useful adjunctive therapy, but should not be used as monotherapy.
At 31 October, 2006,
Webwriter said…
Dear Young ME/CFS Sufferer,
Breakspear Hospital has been helping CFS/ME sufferers for many years. Sadly, it wasn’t too long ago that this “Yuppy flu” was considered by many physicians as an illness existing only in patients’ heads. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has no published guidelines for the investigation and treatment of CFS/ME, so the British medical establishment must depend on their own opinions of what to provide for sufferers.
We do have patients who are funded through the NHS attending our hospital. Unfortunately, as you are well aware, the NHS is very cost-conscious and referring patients outside of their facilities is not common practice. However, if a patient has full support of their GP, it is possible that their Primary Care Trust will fund treatment.
The patient must first visit Breakspear for an initial consultation and receive our doctor’s recommendations, and then begin the funding application process. We will help with all the required forms and have information booklets available on our CFS programme for both patients and GPs.
For CFS/ME sufferers, Breakspear’s physicians often recommend an allergy/sensitivity desensitisation programme to help boost immunity and a tailor-made nutritional supplementation programme, which is based on laboratory test results, to help sufferers overcome their illness. We also use specialised equipment such as our hyperthermia bed to offer a method of detoxification not widely available. Our medical team has made some amazing discoveries linking stealth pathogens and helped many CFS/ME sufferers get their lives back.
The insurance companies each have their own eligibility criteria for medical investigations and treatments. Whilst most of the private medical insurers recognise Dr Jamal in his specialist field of Neurophysiological investigation, the treatments provided by Breakspear Hospital’s other physicians are rarely covered.
We are a registered private hospital specialising in a field of medicine that is not mainstream. We have been in practice for over 25 years and we are proud to have relied predominantly on word of mouth from our successful patients.
At Breakspear, we have had CFS/ME patients arrive in wheelchairs and then, after adhering to the treatment programme, we’ve seen them find their feet again and walk back into their lives. We hope to be given the opportunity to help you.
At 09 November, 2006,
Anonymous said…
Firstly why do you not promote your treatment to the NHS and show your results to NICE so that they can send patients directly to you. As you can imagine it is very difficult for the patient to find a supportive GP and PCT as the patient is not medically qualified and therefore the GP will not even listen to him. As you probably know the NHS spends millions of pounds on people with other illnesses such as cancer etc but why not on CFS/ME. It seems that there is a two tier NHS system that and if you get the wrong type of illness you won't get treated.
Secondly, why have you not promoted yourselves to the insurance companies. Again it is very difficult for the patient to persuade a multinational insurance company to fund this treatment. Insurance companies are funding treatments such as acupuncture, chiropractors and osteopaths etc. as well as the other hospitals in the UK. As you are the only hospital that can treat ME/CFS, again this seems very discriminatory as if you are unlucky to be struck down with this illness you are left to your own devices. Why doesn't Dr. Monro register with these insurance companies like every other medical practitioners.
Thirdly, you say it is possible to see Dr Jamal in his specialist field of Neurophysiological investigation. Is this helpful in the treatment of ME/CFS?
At 31 January, 2007,
nikki and zak said…
zak my son is 10 and autistic we discovered breakspear in 2005 sadly we had to wait a whole year for an appointment but let me tell all you parents concidering this the wait was well worth it. we have a wonderful person helping zak called dr christopher heard and to us he is our saviour, he is a truely wonderful dedicated person who is helping us bring our son back. i had tried many other things be4 i came across breakspear some with ok results but none as truely life changing as dr heard. we have been introducing supplements for over 6 months now and the change is remarkable my son is finally starting to speak and his behaviour is 100 per cent better as is his concentration, interaction etc.yes it is costly but that really doesnt matter with the results we r having. i am a member of many internet groups regarding bio medicine and let me tell u breakspear is no dearer that any where else (even usa).i can never thank dr heard enough he was the 1st person we saw who dealt with zak as an individual and tested him for many many things which the nhs had neva addressed and the results showed us things we would of neva knew if left to the nhs. the nhs told me when my son was small that he wouldnt eva get any better and i would have to learn to live with it. breakspear proved them wrong and u just cannot put a price on that feeling.so i want to thank all the kind people at breakspear ( especially david at accounts whom i have regular contact with lol) and the reception ladies and the pharmacy and the nurses. and last but not least christopher heard beware dr heard im tempted to start a fan club for you lol!!! with out all of u all this would neva of been possible 4 my family kindest regards and love from nikki and zak evans xxxxxx
At 13 February, 2007,
Webwriter said…
Dear anonymous 9 November 2006,
The following is a response from Breakspear Medical Group's Managing Director, Alister Monro.
Thank you for your enquiries, sorry for the delay in response.
To answer your first question regarding why our treatments are not promoted to the NHS so patients can come directly, we apply to the NHS for treatment funding for the majority of our British patients.
Some PCTs do fund individual patients, but we have only one full service contract for one patient. Currently, about 30 patients have their treatment at Breakspear funded by their PCTs; less than 5% of the patients attending for treatment. (10 years ago this number was much higher.)
Currently there are about 12 patients from overseas that also have their treatment at Breakspear funded by their state systems or by their insurers.
The problem with providing results to support the treatment provided at Breakspear is that outcome studies are rarely accepted. We can provide lots of case studies, but Breakspear is a small private organisation and cannot afford to conduct full randomised, controlled trials.
Since most of the patients fund their own treatment, it would not be appropriate to provide placebo treatments or other comparative treatments that our medical team do not consider to be the most appropriate clinical management for their patients.
In general, most research funding is provided by pharmaceutical companies with a commercial interest in the development of new drug treatments. Although Breakspear’s clinical team uses drug-based treatments every day, the scope for developing drug-based treatments that would interest a pharmaceutical company is limited.
In regards to your second question, regarding promoting Breakspear to insurance companies, private medical insurance companies have strict requirements for the recognition of doctors – they must have held a substantive NHS post as a Consultant Physician. Although Dr Jean Monro has been an Environmental Medicine Specialist for many years, she was never an NHS Consultant. This means that insurance companies refuse to recognise her.
In regards to your third question regarding Dr Jamal, who is a Consultant Neurophysiologist, for many years he has investigated the links between chemical exposure and neuropathy. Many CFS/ME patients have significant neurological deficit. More explanation about the services that Dr Jamal can provide CFS/ME patients is in the Spring 2007 Breakspear Medical Bulletin, available on our website: http://www.breakspearmedical.com/files/publications.html
Webwriter: I hope you find these responses helpful! And I apologise for the delay in posting Alister Monro's response.
At 20 May, 2007,
Anonymous said…
I have never heard of you, my GPs and "specialists" (including the ME clinic) have never mentioned that you exist. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia over three years ago and just told to get on with it (cope with it) and that there is NO cure. My health is going downhill Very fast now.. thinking of suicide every day. I ALSO have swallowed gallons of vitamins, and take a multitude of medicines, including Morphine. My balance is bad, my stomach is messed up, I can't remember when i last slept well I dont go to bed until 6 or 7 am then get up after 9PM feeling like i am in Hell and wish to just die. Can you help us? I copied and rewrote this from someone above... because it sounds like the same illness and experiences.
How do I convince my GP(s) to really help? They act like they never have heard of these diseases, etc... "Just take the medicine.. you know we only have 10 minute appointments.." blah blah. or "I've never heard of mycoplasmas or HHV6..."
At 26 June, 2007,
noras husband said…
My wife was prescribed Lyrica (Pregabalin) by her doctor and suffered side effects by way of skin sensitivity, skin itching, sensitive to heat and light. unable to wear warm clothes, is hot but at the same time cold etc. Certain foods also trigger the reaction and make her worse. She is almost suicidal and keeps telling me she wishes she was dead rather than keep suffering like this. I am at my wits end. The doctor treating her has said the problem SHOULD go away but is unable to say when or suggest what she should do. Would you be able to help?
At 26 June, 2007,
Webwriter said…
Dear noras husband,
Treating people who are suffering like your wife is exactly what we do. Please contact us and make an appointment for her as soon as you can. We'll do our best to help!
At 04 August, 2007,
Anonymous said…
Hi my name is Michael,
in a nutshell: for the last 10 years I have increasingly suffered from mild to severe reactions to food. At first there were just a few foods I couldn't tolerate- now I have PERMANENT reactions to as far as I'm aware ALL foods there are (reactions vary in strength, the worst being grains),even fruit and veg give me problems. Reactions are getting stroner all the time and reaction times are shorter as well.
A nutrionist checked my histamine levels and said I have over twice the normal level. Histamine rich foods are bad for me but then other foods that contain less or very litle histamines also trouble me badly. I haven't had a good night's sleep in years as the eczema that flares up around my eyes and legs is so aggressive. The worst is that I have a constant feature of 'allergic shiners' that make me look so unwell. I have no social life at all as I'm too embarassed to show my face and also as I have to avoid the worst foods which you can't always do when you are out.
None of the docs I have seen can put their finger on what it could be. Histamine intolerance may be one of the causes but taking a new medicine called Pellind which contains Diamine Oxidase doesn't seem to help. I am at my wits end.
At 13 August, 2007,
Webwriter said…
Dear Michael,
Your case sounds sadly all too familiar! But is one that can be helped at Breakspear Hospital.
Please write to info@breakspearmedical.com for more information (I'd send it directly but don't have your email address) or visit our website www.breakspearmedical.com to read the Treatments section on Allergy & Environmental, which explains about our method of using low dose immunotherapy. Although as web writer I am not a medical professional, I recall that one of the first things allergy tested is usually histamine and after testing, an allergy treatment programme commences that should help reduce elevated histamine levels. Allergy and environmental medicine is what Breakspear Hospital specialises in; I'm sure we can help!
Please get in direct contact, Michael and we'll let you know more about our programme.
At 19 September, 2007,
Anonymous said…
My mother is dying, she is literally starving to death and the state her health is in now, she only has a matter of months if that until her body completely gives up because of the extream lack of nutrients. She has been to the Breakspear in the pas but, even though she is in this horrific state, her funding keeps being refused by our Local Health Board. We need to get her back to the Brekspear, getting the treatment she needs but have little to no funds of our own. Please, please, please can you help in any way, to suggest anything, to put her case to the Breakspear Trust, anything. We are so desperate for help. We can't wait anymore for solicitors to get involved or for the LHB to keep refusing her, there's just no time left for her. She can not go on starving!
Please help us.
Dani
summers72@spirit.zzn.com
summers72@hotmail.co.uk
At 12 November, 2007,
Anonymous said…
I have been a Breakspear patient and have a mixed experience.
In my case the allergy testing was very expensive (c.£1200) and after 6 months of vaccinations I have to say it did not help me at all. I spoke to other patients when being tested, who found it very helpful but like all treatment options, it is a bit of a risk and you have to take that risk sometimes to find something that works.
I did an ATP test, an excellent test for CFS/ME sufferers, but did not feel that the results were properly explained to me (I was simply told I was not well). Having spent £800 on supplements after 3 months I felt only somewhat better and as I could not afford to keep up this level of supplementation, I quickly lost the benefit. If you have had an ATP test and been left wondering, Dr Myhill's website offers a more detailed explanation of what this means with a way of calculating probable disability.
Like any hospital which tests and treats, Breakspear's treatment plan is inevitably focused on what is offered at the hospital. I wasted time and money doing the chelation program because high levels of copper come up on the ATP test. Only at a subsequent consultation, I was told high copper is due to high levels of inflammation, the source of which has not been found or helped with allergy desensitisation. But the inflammation is definitely still present (raised ESR, C-reactive protein etc show this). Chelating copper is hardly worthwhile if the cause of raised copper levels has not been addressed. At best it is a temporary service, at worst a waste of money.
I found a site www.nightingale.ca and www.ahummingbirdsguide.com which talked about testing useful in proving a physical basis for ME. Breakspear advised against doing any of these tests because they were expensive and only showed how ill you were, not how to fix it. Sound advice perhaps. However as Breakspear now offers similar testing via Dr Julu - expensive tests that only show how ill you are, this is now recommended.
I don't mean to discredit Breakspear but I find the marketer's insistence on it being a cuddly family concern a little irritating. Breakspear is a business. Its aim is to make money, while helping people but is not a charity so treatment will be expensive. The NHS is for emergencies. Private healthcare is for everything else. And I do think Breakspear cares. I'm upset that I a not more well but I also realise it is very difficult to treat illness that is not clearly defined and where each case is very different. There are few specialists and very little NHS support. I don't want to be overly critical. I just want to say be very careful, when you are unwell, it is easy to just say ok, ok to everything and spend until you have nothing left, taking any treatment offered. Get second opinions, get someone to come with you whose brain is not foggy and make sure they understand what treatment is being offered and why and do your own research. In particular avoid well-meaning advice from friends to try Reiki or therapy. Everyone wants a quick fix, its the nature of our current social mindset. Chronic illness does not work that way.
Oddly the best (in terms of best effect for me) treatment I had was actually something I asked for which was not suggested by the doctors - the iratherm and IV vitamins. It was exhausting but did pick me up. Unfortunately I can't say how long lasting it would have been as I had an operation right afterwards, so it set me back again.
The iratherm only exists in Germany but you can buy infra red blankets that do a milder version of the same idea from get-fitt.com (but I have not tried these so cannot vouch for them). You can also get a bit cheaper IVs from the London FM/ME clinic, Devonshire street, although consultations are more expensive. A friend told me about this, I haven't any personal experience but I like to share any info I have.
For anyone who thinks they have Lyme disease. A friend of mine recently became very ill with Lymes. She lives in France and was covered at 90% costs by their health system for the testing and months of anti-biotic treatment. You could always try to persuade a local doctor to test you next time you are on holiday... even if you have to pay yourself, for nearly any test its half the price in France.
I hope this is useful to anyone wondering what to do about treatment. There are no guarantees but Breakspear is one of very few treatment centers in the UK and although not all the treatments I tried were successful, I realise that is partly the nature of this sort of illness and I find it kind of silly that people on this blog seem to think either its all a sham, or the miracle elixir exists.
My advice is pace yourself - embrace being a tortoise and don't give up.
Feel free to email Charlotte on
miscell5@googlemail.com I don't know what else I'd have to say, it just seems a bit weird to be another anonymous commenter.
At 24 November, 2007,
maxkd said…
First of all id like to say great website and on the face of it it seems like it could be a godsend for people with CFS.Talking of which i have had it for 18 years and seem to be at my worst ever now finally admitting defeat and having to give up work.Now i am in a catch 22 as i need to work to get funds to get myself well but cant due to to severe CFS and pretty disgusted at the success rate of CFS patients gaining funding from the NHS especially when they now do certain cosmetic works,this desease is as dramatic as having aids or cancer tho i dont for one minute understand what these poor people go thru,but spending months in bed with sometimes not even enough energy to talk to people let alone make a cup of tea i find it hard to find a desease which can limit someone more so i hope funding options change in the future.In the mean time im still sure there are specific reasons for me feeling so unwell for long periods of time and its the mental fatigue that is the worst especially the strange pressure i get in my head as well as of a feeling like my whole body and even blood is aching.Ive had all the standard blood test with my GP and he tells me there are all normalish apart from my bilirubin levels being a bit high due to my gilberts syndrome.Now given how bad i can feel i still find it astounding that im told im ok and good to go,this leaves me not only with my original problems but also a dose of depression knowing that not only do i feel horrific but no one in the 21st with the latest technology can tell me why or maybe just dont have the time,i know its a complex illness but i feel if the "relavent" test were done something must surely show up,I am an electrican so when i test for things i like to eliminate everything just incase so why do they gps just insist on doing just a few basic blood tests?.My theory would possibly be my liver is more of a problem than is proposed as i can not tolerate alchohol at all and certain drugs very well,and i also suffer with sinus problems and various strange headaches and migraines and a feeling of fluid in my head but never any discharge of mucous so i dont think its sinitis?,i think my body is trying to give out clues but noone as yet is picking them up.
Do you think my problems are something you guys could help with?i feel maybe if anyone can you can i really dont want to spend the rest of my years just existing and suffering and most of all not knowing why! Being diagnosed with CFS doesnt help at all because it just means you fit a certain criteria of symptoms but know one knows why? it is so frustrating.
Any feedback greatly appreciated.
Gary
At 13 December, 2007,
Anonymous said…
We urgently need a "Breakspear" in the north west of England. CFS/ME/FYBRO is almost an epidemic in this part of the world.
At 03 March, 2008,
desperatetracy said…
Dear Breakspear and bloggers
Please can you help me and my son with his recently diagnosed tourettes syndrome. ~Over a very short space of time he has gone from unrecognised tics to chronic motor and vocal tics from the minute he wakes up until he falls asleep. He has a history of intolerances and has been on the Feingold diet for a while now but nothing seems to be helping now.
Please let me know if Breakspear has treated tourettes syndrome? We are desperate for help.
Many thanks
Best wishes
Tracy
At 07 March, 2008,
Webwriter said…
Dear desperatetracy,
We have tested and treated children with behavioural and movement disorders at Breakspear Hospital. We have found that treating their food allergies; together with eliminating certain ‘culprit’ foods are extremely effective in managing the problem.
The Feingold diet is important to remove the toxic chemicals/colours/non nutritious toxins, but children can also be sensitive to a perfectly healthful food, such as a tomato or chicken. Therefore we feel it necessary to test the child to the foods that are commonly eaten.
Depending on your son’s diet, this may take 3 days, or it may take even longer depending on how sensitive he is. I would recommend that you come and see us in the first instance so that we can perform a medical assessment on your child and then give you a more accurate plan of management.
We have also found that heavy metal retention can be a factor in this disorder, and your son may need an assessment for this.
Please feel free to telephone one of our Patient Liaison staff if you have any further questions or talk with Reception if you'd like to make an appointment.
Best wishes,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 13 March, 2008,
Anonymous said…
Do you treat glutathione deficiency with whey protien because glutathine supplements have been proven not to absorb into the body?
At 02 April, 2008,
Webwriter said…
A deficiency of glutathione should be addressed as it leads to a major loss of antioxidant molecules working to protect the tissues from oxidative stress. This occurs in all the cells of the body, in particular the liver where toxins are concentrated for detoxification. A deficiency of glutathione is therefore seen as an indirect marker of cellular toxicity.
Glutathione can be made in the body from its building blocks-
glycine, L-cysteine and L-Glutamate. It is very uncommon that the enzyme needed to make glutathione is abnormal, but when this is so, it is due to a genetic condition whereby the gene is carried by both parents and passed onto the child. More commonly, people can have a shortage of glutathione due to nutritional inadequacies coupled with
a greater demand for glutathione antioxidant function.
Therefore, in order to address an acquired deficiency of glutathione, it is necessary to consider one's diet to ensure there is sufficient protein which should be well digested and absorbed. Using whey protein powder helps to provide the building blocks of glutathione synthesis, but glutathione can also be replaced using intravenous therapy, nebulised therapy and transdermally. It can be taken in
larger doses by mouth although a significant part of it will not be absorbed as a whole glutathione molecule but is digested and absorbed as its constituent parts- which is still useful. Taking N-acetyl-cysteine by mouth is also very effective in increasing the cellular concentrations of glutathione.
It is also important to consider the toxic loads on the body which are causing the depletion and demand on glutathione. As well as replenishing glutathione, other detoxification therapies can be considered to lower the toxic load.
Best wishes,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 04 April, 2008,
Anonymous said…
Can you advise whether you do testing for metal allergy? I have had a RAST blood test at my GP which showed the usual alleries ie house dust mite, dog dander etc etc but I have known I have been sensitive to these things for over 20 years. My problems started when I had dental work completed and I am convinced that the composite metals in this bridge are the cause of my problems. Trying to get a metal/palladium allergy test has been almost impossible. Please advise.
At 04 April, 2008,
Webwriter said…
Dear Metal Allergy Sufferer,
As the webwriter, I have forwarded your comment to one of our physicians for a complete response.
However, please find below some text from Breakspear Hospital's Chelation Therapy booklet which may be pertinent:
Any person with amalgam fillings and concurrent illness/illnesses should consider a chelation program.
Research has shown that mercury from fillings can reduce the effectiveness of the body’s immune system, resulting in increased susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections. In addition, it has been associated with arthritis, migraine, epilepsy, food, chemical and inhalant allergies, Candida and other yeast overgrowths and neurological disturbances such as multiple sclerosis, which it can mimic or exacerbate.
Removal of fillings is only half the battle; the mercury must be eliminated from the body as far as is practicable. Breakspear’s patients are advised to go on an oral nutritional chelation therapy programme to achieve this end. Supplementation should include glutathione, methionine, vitamin C and zinc.
DMPS therapy can commence only once all amalgam fillings have been removed. DMPS is an extremely potent chelator of mercury and can find its way into the saliva. It can remove loose or surface mercury from the amalgam, potentially leaving harmful mercury surfaces exposed.
At 07 April, 2008,
Webwriter said…
From Dr Christabelle Yeoh:
Dear Metal Allergy Sufferer,
Thank you for your enquiry. At Breakspear Hospital we offer a range of allergy testing including testing a person for metal sensitivities.
The identification of a metal allergy depends on the speed of symptom onset. If the allergy is fairly obvious and acute, skin or patch testing can help to confirm the problem, although a good history of an allergic reaction in relation to contact with a metal should be sufficient. The RAST test is not useful for diagnosing metal allergies as the RAST test is only helpful in the context of an acute IgE allergic reaction (examples include peanut and bee sting anaphylaxis, hayfever and asthma). Metals do not cause this sort of reaction.
At Breakspear Hospital, we use a laboratory that specialises in measuring lymphocytic responses, which is more relevant when approaching metal sensitivity problems. We are able to test for a range of heavy metals, including mercury, cadmium, nickel and palladium, to name a few.
If the materials used in your specific dental bridge are known and are standard dental materials, we will be able to test for an abnormal immune response to it.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 14 May, 2008,
Anonymous said…
I am keen to go on the 'Marshall Protocol' which I am convinced would cure my Sarcoidosis. Would the Breakspear doctors treat me using this protocol?
At 20 May, 2008,
Webwriter said…
The Marshall protocol is generally not advised by the doctors at Breakspear Hospital. We feel that it is a rather extreme protocol and that one should not have to be depleted of sunlight. The intention of reducing vitamin D and thus improving aspects of inflammation is a theory based on molecular modelling, which is indeed insightful, but not necessarily the only way in which our immune system works. We would
therefore advise differently on the treatment of sarcoidosis, using a range of immune-modulating treatments. It is not clear what the long term effects of vitamin D depletion in the Marshall protocol are.
I hope this helps. We would be very happy to see you to discuss your treatment options.
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 06 July, 2008,
Anonymous said…
Could you please confirm that all the Dr's that work at Breakspear are directly employed by the hospital and are not selfemployed, ie they are effectively renting space from the hospital.
Could you please confirm what results you get from your treatments and what the return rate is of patients.
At 07 July, 2008,
Webwriter said…
Dear one wishing confirmation,
All of our doctors are contracted to work for Breakspear Hospital. We do not rent rooms on a sessional basis.
As we offer a variety of investigative services and treatments for a very wide range of conditions, it is not entirely significant to quote overall statistics.
However, the executive summary of in an independent review (by Dr Steve Wisher) of our patient symptom scoring charts is as follows:
1. A total of 1,098 patient questionnaires were provided for analysis.
2. The average age of patients (mean) was just under 42 years.
3. Analysis was conducted on responses to each of the items (symptoms) included in the scale. Some symptoms have very skewed distributions – many respondents score zero (never or almost never have the symptom) or many score 4 (frequently have the Symptom, effect is severe).
4. The symptoms with the highest (most severe) scores were:
• Energy / Activity
• Emotions
• Joints / Muscles
5. Some patients had completed two or more Symptom Scoring Sheets. This gives a measure of change between their first completed questionnaire and those they completed at a later date. For the overall combined scores (combining all items) the results were:
First Completed Questionnaire Score = 78.06
Final Completed Questionnaire Score = 64.98
Difference = 13.08**
These scores are significantly different (**) at the 99% significance level – a highly significant difference in overall score between first and final completed questionnaires. This implies a reducing of the symptom effects over time amongst this group of patients.
6. Further analysis of individual items scores indicate that significant differences between first and final score result for the following symptoms:
• Digestive Tract
• Energy / Activity
• Head
• Joint / Muscles
• Other
The results imply a reduction in symptom effects for these items.
I hope that this information helps answer your questions. If you have more specific questions, please feel free to post them here or write info@breakspearmedical.com and they will be forwarded to the appropriate person.
Thank you for your enquiry.
At 03 August, 2008,
Anonymous said…
My 7 yr old son has autism and adhd I am wondering if he might benefit from the exclusion diet (dairy, gluten, etc). He had antibiotics frequently when under 12 months due to recurrent ear infections. Is there a simple test to see if his bowel is "leaking" peptides? If so, how much would such a test cost? If peptides show up can they be excluded or neutralised by diet or medication? Can you help?
At 06 August, 2008,
Webwriter said…
Dear Emma,
Thank you for your blog message. I would recommend that you take a look at the Autism Research Institute website for more detailed information on the biomedical interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorders. There are several tests that can be done to assess the gut function of autistic children through urine and stool analyses.
Assessment and management of gastrointestinal function in autism is very important as the diet and gut peptides can have a huge impact on neurological symptoms and behaviors.
At Breakspear Hospital, we would advocate the use of gluten and diary free diets. The response of each child is individual and so there is no fixed approach. Generally if gluten related peptides show up in the tests, the gluten containing grains should be removed completely, at least as a trial initially. The gluten free and dairy free diets are only one aspect of biomedical treatment for Autism.
It would be helpful for you to study these in more depth, as written by the Autism Research Institute. We offer a large range of the biomedical treatments described.
We would be very happy to help you with your son. I would advise that you contact our Patient Liaison team for more information on seeing a member of our Autism team and you will be provided with the cost estimates for the range of tests which we offer.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 18 August, 2008,
Webwriter said…
We would to thank the patient who pointed out the IRATHERM price discrepancy on our website.
The discounted price originally offered for weight loss treatment was part of a multi-session programme, to be paid for in advance. We had not updated the price for this programme for a long time and are now in the process of doing so.
In the original pricing structure, the clinical team had anticipated that the weight loss programme patients would not require the same degree of clinical supervision and monitoring as patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome who are often hypersensitive.
We will be developing IRATHERM programmes for other patients and would be happy to discuss this.
While Breakspear is a business, we aim for a very low profit percentage and try to keep charges to patients down.
Thank you again for pointing out our error. If you have any further questions, please contact liaison@breakspearmedical.com or 01442 261 333 ext 293.
At 12 September, 2008,
Webwriter said…
We had a query from an anonymous blogger asking about the number of patients funded by the British National Health Service and foreign
health services, quoting statistics that our Managing Director gave some time ago.
The statistics that were quoted are now out of date. There are about eight or ten NHS funded patients attending Breakspear this year. These people have been granted funding by their PCTs as a result of their NHS medical teams supporting their treatment programmes here. This is a very small proportion of the several hundred patients attending doctors at Breakspear. It is rare that patients are granted NHS funding for the treatments we provide, but many GPs do prescribe vaccines and other medicines recommended by our doctors.
There are still about twelve patients from outside the UK who are funded either by their health service, their Government or their health insurer.
If you have any further questions, please write to info@breakspearmedical.com and your specific questions will be directed to the appropriate people.
At 23 September, 2008,
Anonymous said…
In 1990 when I was 36 years old I had a bad fall (over 20ft) when I fractured my pelvis and caused my lungs to bleed for many weeks. I gradually became asthmatic and allergic to many things. I workded in our garage for years and had to give up work for a while. The main problem is smoke and some red wines and many foods and I am became so sensitive to sprays, pesticides etc. The environment I live in here in Mid Wales is making me feel ill as we have two mobile phone masts close to our house. At the back of my old house I lived for 20 years next to a power station which I feel may have made my symptons worse. I suffer a lot of headaches and now I have found out about your clinic through a friend who you treated I am hoping you can help me. I have booked in for a few days in October for a consultation with Dr Monroe and am keeping my fingers crossed I can regain my health.
At 02 January, 2009,
Anonymous said…
can candida cause sensitivity to noise. my daughter is being treated for candida but any time of tv makes her very hyperactive and brings on or makes worse her motor and vocal tics. she is also hyped up by exciting activities or just too much noise around her. she is unable to communicate properly and appears 'drunk' when this happens. at other times when tv is off, all is calm, she has not eaten anything she shouldnt she is much calmer. Also another thing we have just discoverd is that when she puts headphones on to listen to music her motor tics shop completely and start immediately the headphones are removed?? have you any idea why this might be? i would be grateful for your opinion. thanks
At 02 January, 2009,
Webwriter said…
FYI - Breakspear Hospital is now closed for the Christmas holidays and will re-open on 5 January 2009.
At 14 January, 2009,
Webwriter said…
Dear does candida cause sensitivity to noise,
The symptoms that you describe are related to the autonomic nervous system being triggered or calmed.
A lot of this work has been done by Dr Peter Julu, who is a specialist in autonomic neurophysiology, who sees patients at Breakspear Hospital. He is an expert on the autonomic nervous system (the automatic nervous system which controls all our unconscious organ function) and has published papers on developmental disorders such as Autism and Rett syndrome.
We find that triggers of the autonomic response are a wide range of environmental agents including food, airborne allergens, gut toxins (including candida), heavy metal toxins, chemicals and so on. It is unlikely that candida alone will do this, but it is usually a combined load of triggers that causes these presentations, which is why your daughter may be better if she has not eaten.
This is not an uncommon problem which we encounter. We would investigate with doing autonomic nervous system tests and reduce the nervous reactions by using low dose immunotherapy where the dose of the allergen/trigger is titrated to suit the individual, and this can 'neutralise' the reaction.
Please contact Breakspear hospital if you would like further information.
I hope this helps.
With best wishes
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 14 January, 2009,
Anonymous said…
Could you please tell me whether the following allergic reaction is feasible: a friend is allergic to watermelons. Even when they are in the fridge and she just enters the house, she shows an allergic reaction. Does this make any sense? Has anything been written about such an extreme case? Many thanks
At 18 January, 2009,
Webwriter said…
Dear Dihirod,
Thank you for your message. Certainly, such allergic reactions are extremely uncommon, but has been heard of.
For example, it is known to exist within acute severe peanut anaphylaxis, where a person can react acutely to the presence of peanuts being eaten nearby, in the same room. It is also known to occur with mould spore allergies where even a few spores in the air can cause a reaction. Of course, it is always hard to know for sure what the real trigger is when the allergen seems so far removed from the person suffering the response. However, it is a phenomenon we have come across.
Generally speaking, if a person is so allergic, with such a heightened state of sensitivity, it is likely that they will also be reacting to other allergens in the environment including commonly eaten foods. These reactions may not be thought of as acute allergies, but can certainly contribute to many other insidious problems and immune reactions. We have found that identifying the day-to-day common allergens, and reducing them, or treating the allergies with low dose immunotherapy, can help to reduce the overall state of heightened sensitivity so that when an acute allergic response occurs, it is not so marked anymore.
I hope this helps to throw a little light on your friend's problem. We would be happy to see him/her to advice further, as this problem requires an in-depth questioning and history taking.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 18 February, 2009,
Anonymous said…
Hello,
I wonder if you could help me please.
I have been under consultant at the nuffield Brentwood Essex, he diagnosed Urticaria, which was just on the left lower arm and eczema and to take fexofenadine ( telfast) for three months That was over a year ago. ( Six Years ago I was patch tested because I had very itchyhead/eyesand arms and puffy eyes.
the result was fragrance++ nickel+) I already excluded all cosmetics/cleaning products with unscented ones., so for six years I used simple shampoo and aqueous cream.
After trying numerous products I Found that I could get away with a shea/butter unrefined and a neutral shampoo from germany, but now I seem to be sensitised to these. I also use bicarbonate soda for toothpaste. I have also had a rast test and immunology all ok.
I don't know whether it is the same chemicals that are used in fragrance that cross over to other cosmetics?
I have persistent swelling in the face puffy itchy eyes, burning lips/face /scalp/neck! Shampoo and moisturiser are now my worst enemy!
All the best and regards,
Susan
At 18 February, 2009,
Webwriter said…
Dear Susan,
I will forward your question to our clinical team and expect a reply within 1 week. To receive a response emailed to you, please forward your question and email address to: info@breakspearmedical.com
/Webwriter
At 20 February, 2009,
Webwriter said…
Dear Susan,
The form of allergy testing we utilise was formerly called 'provocation neutralisation' and now referred to as low-dose immunotherapy, which is tested by intradermal injection on the skin.
This is completely different to skin prick testing or patch testing that you may have been offered. We are able to test for numerous chemicals, foods and inhalants and we use titrated dilutions of the antigen/allergen that is being tested, unlike skin prick or patch testing. We can therefore test you for the chemicals you have problems with.
The test then gives us a dilution of the antigen that you CAN tolerate. This is then used as your treatment, either subcutaneously (by injection to skin) or sublingually (drops by mouth). This helps to reduce, stabilise and ameliorate the allergies across a very broad range of them.
The treatment (low dose immunotherapy or 'vaccines') is effective whilst being taken but the cause of the sensitivity must also be sought and treated in the meantime. Chemical sensitivity is often due to underlying toxic overload and poor mechanisms of detoxification. We therefore perform tests and treatment for this, too. Sometimes chemical sensitivity is due to chronic infection, as this also presents toxic loads (e.g. fungal, parasitic and stealth pathogens). Depending on your history, it may be relevant to test for this too.
Hence, depending on the underlying factors that have lead you to be chemically sensitive, the treatment with vaccines may be a short (e.g. 1 year) or long (years or sometimes life long) duration.
I hope this helps to answer your question.
With kind regards,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 20 February, 2009,
Anonymous said…
I am pregnant with active crohn's disease and currently taking a range of medicine to treat it that i'd rather not be taking! Do you treat a) crohn's disease and b) is your treatment ok to use during pregnancy?
thanks!
At 23 February, 2009,
Webwriter said…
Dear pregnant with active Crohn's,
Our approach to treating Crohn's disease is to consider the effect of one's diet on the gut and to use nutrients to improve the integrity of the gut lining.
We would advise that you are skin tested for your allergies and sensitivites to a range of commonly eaten foods. This testing, and the treatment using low-dose immunotherapy, is safe in pregnancy. It does not contain any pharmaceutical agents or preservatives. The low-dose immunotherapy that we use contains only saline and a very low dilution of the allergen in question. This dilution allows the body to be desensitized to the allergen and helps it to gain tolerance.
The premise to using this treatment in Crohn's disease is that most patients with Crohn's disease have a number of food intolerances, which contribute to bowel inflammation and ulceration. Some people with Crohn's disease have an infective trigger for the condition and we would consider testing for this too, if appropriate.
We may also advise the exclusion of specific food, depending on your history. With food exclusion, we ensure that healthful alternatives are used, hence improving the nutritional status which would certainly be beneficial to the baby. We are also likely to use certain nutritional supplements which are safe in pregnancy.
I hope this helps.
With best wishes to you and your baby,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 18 March, 2009,
Anonymous said…
Hi,
I was told that most of the treatments of immune system that you use are with alternative drugs. Do you actually use mainstream prescription immunostimulators (such as interferons and stimulating interferon production) and not just colostrium
thank you.
Iryna
At 27 March, 2009,
Webwriter said…
Dear Iryna,
We do not use interferon generally. The immune modulation we use range from pharmaceutical drugs to nutrient based products.
For example, at Breakspear Hospital, we would use human immunoglobulin, BCG, a range of transfer factor products, medicinal mushrooms and other herbs like curcumin. Furthermore, we use 'Low-dose immunotherapy' in many patients in order to allow immune modulation, which can neutralise allergic and autoimmune reactions. It is extremely effective for both allergic disorders and autoimmune responses, particularly where these have arisen as a result of food, chemicals or inhalant reactions.
Autoimmune responses often also involve infections, so we would also treat infections where indicated.
I hope this helps to answer your questions.
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 26 April, 2009,
Angie_A said…
hello, i use to work in a dry cleaning company but now i am very very ill due to a chemical which they use called perclorethylene (PERC) it has destroyed my life i cant look after my kids and one which is a 2 year old, so i am asking can you treat perc? (chemicals) the symptoms i have are pressure in the head ( i cant live with it ) light phobia ringing in the ears, blured vision, i appreciate any help thanks.
At 04 May, 2009,
Webwriter said…
Dear Angie_A,
I am very sorry to hear of your problems with perchloroethylene. We know that it is a very toxic chemical that adversely affects the nervous system. It is released in huge quantities into the environment, mainly by dry cleaning companies and also from textile mills, metal cleaning and rubber coating industries. It is also added to a lot of solvents for general purposes.
The general level of exposure of PERC to people is not considered to be a problem. However, if you have been working in an environment where the dry cleaning or dry cleaned clothing is stored, you would have been exposed to much larger quantities than normal and would be at high risk of having clinical problems as a result of it.
We do treat solvent toxicities of this nature. There is no specific antidote to perchloroethylene poisoning. It requires a range of detoxification therapies, which includes a specific diet, nutritional supplements to aid detoxification pathways in the body, intravenous infusions for liver support and hyperthermia using sauna and infrared treatment. In terms of testing, we perform blood and fat biopsy testing for organic solvents and chemicals which can often be detected in the fat but not in the blood.
In the first instance, you have to ensure that you are not being exposed to any more chemicals than is absolutely necessary. This includes have a pure, fresh food diet which is organically grown, avoiding chemicals and solvents found in the home (perfume, deodorants, cleaning chemicals, bleach and so on), drink a lot of pure filtered water and be in well ventilated clean air as much as possible. It is essential to avoid all alcohol and smoking to reduce the toxic load and preserve the key detoxification elements in the body, so it may work towards clearing away the PERC toxins.
Please contact Breakspear for more information and we would be very happy to help.
Kind regards,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 07 May, 2009,
Anonymous said…
I have been ill for 21 years. i was treat as a Neurotic Hypochondriac for the 1st 4 years until via the Rhuematology dept was told i had Fibro, over the ears i have become progressivly worse, food intolerences, skin irritations, smell sensitivity so much so it makes me violently ill if i am near certain smells, light and noise sensitive, some soap powder, soaps, shampoo, deoderants, household cleaners, bother me immensely, (was told by the hospital doctor to put an aromatherapy oil i like onto a tissue and sniff wen other smells bother me?) even though i explained they make me collapse and need to sleep it off. i have dizzy spells, react too too uch sugar and too little sugar. Am in constant pain daily amd constantly exhausted and drained yet cant sleep or sleep 24+ hours, i have no energy in muscles, have horrendous cognitive spells, forget mid sentence what i am talking about, this is to name but a few things. I have been diagnosed by Dr Spicket in Newcastle i have ME BUT there is nothing available to help although same doctor at hospital told me to take up swimming and walking and get some CBT?
On reading your website it seems to make so much sense and offer light at the end of a very very dark tunnel. Problem is the fees are so high for a person who cant work and so is on limited income, where can WE get the help with the cost of the initial outlay of the fees £100 + for a consultation that will probable over run the hour the £100 pays for plus the travel expenses and an overnight stay with livign so far away from the hospital. Is there any help available out there with all the expense. I would gladly pay this and more to get my health back BUT truth of the matter is i dont have this kind of money as i am sure many more potential patients are in the same fix?
At 07 May, 2009,
Webwriter said…
Dear Anonymous ME suffer,
I am sorry to hear of your problems. Very sadly, we hear stories like yours often. We hope that the information on our website allows people to help themselves as much as possible and lets people know that there are therapies which can work for ME and similar conditions.
The costs of private treatment may hold back many people but I am always inspired by our patients who find a way to get treatment. I hope that you have a network of support through family or friends, which makes a tremendous difference.
You may wish to consider applying to the Breakspear Hospital Trust (Registered Charity No. 1100205) for some initial funding. You may also consider having an initial consultation on the phone, which could include some advice on which areas you need to address with regards to your diet and environment. There are increasing methods of investigation and treatments that can help, so if your doctor is supportive and willing to trial treatments with you, it might help if we can direct you towards these.
Do not give up; your will to attain improved health is what can keep you going and keep the light at the end of the tunnel burning bright.
With kindest regards,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 21 July, 2009,
mark said…
what is are the dangers of DPMS AND EDTA in chelating mercury.
is NCD LIQUID zeolite a better option?
At 26 July, 2009,
Margaret said…
i have just came accross your website and i am lokking for some help . seven years my husband sufferd from flu like symptons which he was told was a virus infection. this is resulted in him suffering from totally exhaustion being confused forgetful had aches and pain after 2 year of watching his symptons getting worse we we were told that he had in fact suffered a mild stroke and had also chronic fatigue i may add at this point he was sleeping up to 19hrs a day and waking up tired
he has tried all sorts of "treatments"but all to no avail he is now 63 and it is so sad to see a man so active to deteriot throgh this illness. if there is anyway he can be helped to give him a better quality of life i would be very grateful
At 27 July, 2009,
Webwriter said…
Dear Mark,
DMPS has a stronger affinity for chelating mercury, forming a very tight bond with it and allowing it to be eliminated through the kidneys.
DMPS is contraindicated during pregnancy and breast feeding. It also has to be used with great care if there is poor kidney function. It is otherwise very effective and safe. However, all chelation therapy must be done with care and sufficient minerals replaced afterwards. Both DMPS and EDTA are prescribed medicines used by doctors to treat acute metal poisoning. EDTA has a weaker affinity for mercury and so is not the first choice for mercury chelation, although it can certainly be used under certain circumstances. DMPS or DMSA would be the first choice.
At Breakspear Hospital, we find that a majority of people tolerate DMPS, EDTA and DMSA very well but care must be taken especially where a person has a history of sensitivity. People with sulphur sensitivity could react to these drugs and in this instance, we would test their sensitivities and treat the sensitivity, if necessary.
Zeolites are crystalline aluminosilicates found naturally and also synthetically made, and are useful because of their absorptive and ion exchange properties. Zeolites have been used for numerous functions including building stone, clearing toxins from nuclear waste, removal of ammonia from waste and drinking water, dietary supplements in animal diets as absorbents of excreted material, ammonia filters in kidney dialysis filters and so on. As a chelating agent, it is not as specific for particular heavy metals as the prescribed chelators are, but it can be very helpful to reduce a total burden of toxic metals, particularly those going through the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore I cannot comment if Zeolite is a better option for you as an individual as it depends what you can tolerate and how much of a burden of toxic metals needs to be removed and how quickly. I would consider it a helpful tool with chelation therapy.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 11 August, 2009,
Neil said…
I have CFS following EBV a few years ago. I am fairly active and work full-time but still have problems with relapses and post-exertial fatiuge. I have already been through testing for allergies (I didn't have any) but had a high histamine level. I have undertaken various diets and this has had no effect. I therefore have no interest in undertaking any further testing in respect of this. However, I am very interested in the theory re the immune system (cytokine shift) which appears to fit squarely with the problems I have. Is it possible to focus solely on this and therefore keep the costs to a minimum? I am unable to spend more than a few hundred pounds total and it is simply not possible to undertake the full range of testing you suggest.
At 18 August, 2009,
Webwriter said…
Dear Neil,
Thank you for your post. If you had a high histamine level but allergies were not identified, it is likely that there are hidden allergies which may not be detectable using standard methods of testing (such as skin prick testing). Some people choose to do IgG food testing, and that can be more helpful particularly with identifying increased gut permeability, but it is also not a definitive test for food allergies/intolerance. It may also be possible that mould is triggering the histamine response. It may also be possible that a total load of combinations of foods are triggering the immune response. If this is the case, some elimination diets will not work. At Breakspear Hospital, we usually opt for treating the total load of allergies if there is good evidence that food/ inhalant allergy-mediated immune shift is a problem.
It is possible to test your cytokine response through blood tests. However, my view is that once you have that information, you are no further forward from a practical point of view. The immune shift is prevalent in so many people and so many medical conditions. My preference is not to spend money on expensive immune system testing but to look at which therapies may help most. With an immune shift, allergies and viral/stealth infections are more prevalent. For example, you may prefer to consider antiviral therapies if you are sure of the main trigger in your case (EBV).
Depending on your clinical history, if you wish to come to Breakspear Hospital, we can carefully consider which tests and treatment would be a priority in accordance with your resources. This is clearly not always going to 'hit the nail on the head' as CFS has numerous underlying factors. However, we have a lot of experience in this field and would hope to give you the best advice possible.
With kind regards,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 18 August, 2009,
Webwriter said…
Dear Margaret,
Thank you for your enquiry. I am very sorry to hear that your husband has suffered with unresolved health problems.
There are a number of infections that can particularly cause neurological problems which overlap with symptoms of 'chronic fatigue syndrome'. At Breakspear Hospital, we aim to identify infections and treat the underlying causes wherever possible. For example, tick borne infections such as Borreliosis can cause a range of neurological symptoms from non specific memory loss and weakness to more defined symptoms such as facial palsy and stroke.
If there is evidence of infection, taken from blood tests, we would treat with the appropriate antibiotics or antivirals if viral infections have been identified. In addition, we would advise nutritional therapy (which may be intravenous as well as oral) to provide specific nutrients in high doses to allow neurological tissue to repair and to improve immune function.
Often times even if an infection cannot be completely cured, we are able to advice on a broad therapeutic approach using a combination of pharmaceutical drugs, natural therapies and non-drug environmental approaches to improve a person's health.
We would be very happy to see your husband to assess him for underlying causes of pain, neurological symptoms and fatigue if he is able to attend. It is likely to involve blood tests, stool and urine tests and possibly non-invasive neurological tests (such as EEG's), performed by Dr Peter Julu, our specialist neurophysiologist.
Please contact Breakspear Hospital directly if you require more information, and I or my colleagues would be very happy to help.
Kind regards,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 19 August, 2009,
Anonymous said…
Hello,
I noticed that the tests I did with you, tested for Cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus and Lyme but not HHV-6. Do you have a separate test for Human Herpes Virus 6 which is often elevated in patients with ME?
Thank you.
At 27 August, 2009,
Webwriter said…
Dear Anonymous without HHV-6,
In answer to your question, yes, we can do tests for HHV6, which as you say, is often present in people with ME/ CFS.
At Breakspear Hospital, we would measure IgG and IgM antibody titres for HHV6 as well as PCR from blood. The difficulty with these tests is that it may not be sensitive enough to detect if a latent infection is causing a clinical problem and so it is debatable whether it is worth taking anti-viral treatment for this if this is the case.
In some cases, people without positive HHV6 results may still benefit from antiviral therapy but this must be discussed with your doctor.
If you are keen to have HHV6 measured, this can be done for you.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 22 January, 2010,
Unknown said…
Do you have Prof Terry Daymond on Board?
At 22 January, 2010,
Webwriter said…
Dear Kim,
Prof Terence Daymond has been working at Breakspear Hospital for several years on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Visit our website for more information on all the qualified physicians we have on staff: http://www.breakspearmedical.com/files/staff.html
At 19 March, 2010,
Anonymous said…
Iwas told after many tests that i have dermatomyositis.was givena massive dose of steroids for over twelve months 60 mgs aday,i am now given no help to manage the disease except for very strong pain relief.Ihave all the same things mentioned in your report and wonder if you think your hospital can in any way help me.I spend three days of every week bed ridden,am in terrible pain with my joints,headaches muscles and feel very weak.and feel my doctor cannot help me any further.
At 26 March, 2010,
Webwriter said…
Dear dermatomyositis sufferer,
I'm sorry to hear that you feel so unwell. Dermatomyositis is known to be related to a number of autoimmune diseases and involves the finding of autoantibodies- so I assume this is what you have been told regarding your diagnosis.
At Breakspear Hospital, we are interested in looking for the triggers of the autoimmune state. This is very often related to infections and chemicals. Autoimmunity is always multi factorial, meaning there will be an underlying genetic predisposition plus other environmental triggers (chemicals, toxins and infections).
We would prefer to treat the underlying causes than to use steroids, but steroids are sometimes needed to rapidly provide relief and reduce inflammation. If you have not been tested for infections, we would recommend that this is considered. There are several infections known to be associated with dermatomyositis such as toxoplasma, coxsackie virus, parvovirus and Borreliosis (Lyme disease). For example: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8161622 If an infection is found and thought to be a problem, we would advice treatment (for example with antibiotics or antivirals). We would also look for toxins affecting the cells and advice detoxification if appropriate.
If you are able to come to Breakspear Hospital, we would test you in this area. Depending on your medical and environmental history, we would also consider tests and treatment for digestive tract problems and intolerances.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
Breakspear Hospital
At 24 July, 2010,
Mariska said…
When you think you might have HISTAMINE INTOLERANCE you may like to check the website http://histamine-intolerance.info/ for more information, a list of histamine concentrations in food and the forum.
At 05 September, 2010,
Dentists Gainesville said…
I would like to thank every single person at Breaksphere for giving me my life back. I was diagnosed last year with fibromyalgia and was givin antidepressant drugs to help the pain and that was that. Myself and my devoted mother started searching for more... We found Dr Monroe an absolute God send. The first doctor in 5 years to see my body as a whole problem. I was tested and re tested for an infection and finally found Lymes Diesease. A condition never mentioned to me before. I have recieved IV antibiotics, minerals supplements, a long process of treatment to follow. I feel like a completely different person. I am able to do something in my life again, be me, be free from so much pain. I have food allergy's identified at breaksphere and as a result less headaches fatuige and stomach distention. I could go on and on but i just want to sing praises about this hospital and what it stands for. Yes it is expensive but worth every penny to have some quality of life again. Thank you to nurses, Dr's, the cheifs and reception staff you work like a family.
At 24 October, 2010,
Anonymous said…
My partner has what it seems after accidentally stumbling upon the reason for his tiredness, mood swings, mouth ulcers to name but a few, a sensitivity to sulphites, having scoured the internet for answers I have come across your website which states, like some others that I have read, that this could be caused by a deficiency in Molybdenum, my 3 children also get mouth ulcers, tiredness etc after comsuming high levels in their diet. Would Breakspear be able to relieve their symptoms. We have been to our Dr and my partner and oldest son have had allgery tests which all came back negative, past this they offer no help. I look forward to your reply.
At 25 October, 2010,
Webwriter said…
Dear Anonymous with Sulphites Sensitivity,
I will forward your posting to our physicians and hope to post their reply, which may take a couple of week due to the nature of your inquiry.
If you would like your reply emailed directly, please send your email address to info@breakspearmedical.com together with a copy of your question.
Thankyou for your interest in Breakspear!
At 28 October, 2010,
Webwriter said…
Dear Anonymous with Sulphites Sensitivity,
Breakspear Medical Group's Dr Daniel Goyal stated, "Yes, I believe we will be able to help and can test for sulphite sensitivity."
The pathway for detoxification of sulphite is important in allergy sufferers, as many allergic people are hypersensitive to sulphite and related compounds. Sulphur dioxide, sulphites, bisulphites and metabisulphites are all used as preservatives in food. Sulphur dioxide is an outdoor air pollutant from car exhausts and combustion of other fossil fuels. Sulphites are present in all wines and some beers, and may cause problems in asthmatics and the chemically sensitive. Symptoms include flushing, nausea, weakness, and headache. An early morning urine sample is required to test for sulphites.
Sulphite (SO3) entering, or produced in, the body is normally detoxified by the addition of an oxygen atom (an oxidation reaction) to form sulphate (SO4). This process requires the enzyme sulphite oxidase. This enzyme, in turn, requires the presence of a co-factor – the trace element metal molybdenum. If the enzyme is underactive, it suggests that there is a deficiency of molybdenum, the co-factor. This element can be supplemented, ideally intravenously, and this has been shown to improve the activity of the enzyme sulphite oxidase. Improving the body’s molybdenum status may lesson the symptoms of allergy and alleviate chemical sensitivity.
Contact Breakspear Reception to make an appointment for a consultation 01442 261 333 opt 3.
At 03 January, 2011,
Anonymous said…
i have had over 30 years of stress( not trivial stuff), i dont know how i got thru it. when i turned 51,periods just stoppes (thru shock i think) they had alays been very heavy, however...overthe last 11 years it has been hell, i have now got a list...stage 3 kidney, pcos, underactive thyroid (never stable) i personally think (through saliva tests from an accreditaed lab) it looks like adrenal gland insuffiency, i have a lot of symptoms,- i have ectopic heartbeats ( was supposed to have had a myocardial perfusion scan) but i delayed it as i have so many other problems,i am also 'chronically fatiqued' but altho it was medically agrred i was a candidate it was not daignosed, i have dehenerative facet joints disease, degerating discs, foraminal nerve compresion ,lumber spondylolisthesis , should have fusion, bone graft, rods screws (dynamic stabilisation) i am in a lot of pain my lumber is very weak, i had a 'nervous bearkdown in 2006 and again in 2007 was in hosp then ,on a saline drip 3days, just like a rag doll felt so ill before i was in hosp i thought i was dying of a mystery illness, its 2011 now, i have never felt well for all these years, have had no life, and in august i cleanes out a neighbours rabbit who lived in filthy conditions, i breathed in the dust from the rotted hutch hay, it was covered in blowflies and the rabbit scratched me and drew blood, 3 or 4 days later my eyelid skin and faced swelled to bursting point, doc thought it was new eyemakeup, one month later it happened again but worse,my throat swelled too, my wrists and hands itched, face and eyes swelled again i was chesty unable to breathe, emergency hosp put me on a ventilater and i was given 6 prednisolone immediatly then 30mg a day for 5 days, i felt quite well after that but it was short lived, very soon after that i felt exactly like i did in 2007 weird, weak, lighteaded, unreal, foggy, sick, and the most awful awful nerve throbbings everywhere in my body, arms legs body and i would have a weird weird feeling in my head it felt like it would burst a sensation would rush thru me, then i would feel panic, my heart would race and thump, and at night i couldnt drop off, it would come in waves thru my body rushing up to my head ,like a motor going on in my whole body nerves always 24/7 throbbing and vibrating and it is still happening at today since september, i am at my wits end, no-one is listening, i have done lot of research on sites and found forums of people with similar symptoms, i do not know who or where to go, i did have alerg testing at another hosp. but it showed minor response to housedust and grass, never ever have i had this reaction with the motor in my body and these head feelings, i am always sort of on red alert, if i relax when i realise it i get a weird feeling thru my body to my brain again and i am so scared. can anyone help here, sometimes i think the rushes thru my body is adrenaline compensating for lack of cortisol but the blood cortisol always come back normal but blood serum hormones are mostly bound to proteins making then inactive right? whereby saliva measures only the fre amout that is active right? my thyroid is struggling, but the endo thinks its normal,all my hormones are out, but i have been going to the 'endo' for 7 years and i am still ill and getting worse,im at my wits end, i just want my life back, i have no apetite, i feel nauseous, havent had any sex hormones for years, thats not normal either, i am light headed shaky,cant stand for long dont know ifs its part back and part something else, i just have a myraid of symptoms and i feel that if someone was to listen to me, i might get sorted, i dont want some horrible brain disease or epilepsy. thanks
At 12 January, 2011,
Anonymous said…
I was wondering if anyone else had had an allergic reaction to brominated flame retardants?
I am currently trying to find out what is causing my severe skin sensitivity on my face, neck and chest area and looking into the possibility of it being caused by bromine.
Last year,I began working at a hydrotherapy centre where bromine tablets were used as a disinfectant. I started to patches of eczema. Gradually this got worse and I started to get swollen eyes and red, inflamed skin, the following day after working there. I stopped working there back in July. However, I also work as an art technician in a college where I have to clean up a workshop where there is a lot of dust, from wood, clay and blue foam. My skin would flare up after working there. I have since discovered the presence of bromine in the styrofoam in the form of brominated flame retardants (HBCD).
My sensitivity has reached a point where the only safe place is outside. I have discovered the presence of brominated flame retardants in many of the other places that my skin was particularly reactive: my sofa, car, office, hospital waiting rooms, trains, planes, laptop etc.
Is it possible that the overexposure to bromines in the form of gas and dust has caused this allergic reaction to brominated flame retardants? Is anyone allergic to bfr's??
At 17 January, 2011,
Webwriter said…
Dear Anonymous with over 30 years of stress,
Thank you for sharing your experiences of your long-time ill health. It takes a lot of courage to post such information on a blogsite but also to survive with such a myriad of symptoms!
At Breakspear Medical Group, we frequently treat patients with long-term and complex symptoms like yours, using what we regard as a “holistic approach”. Our treatment often includes pathology tests, dietary recommendations and nutritional supplements as well as allergy/sensitivity testing and treatment.
I’m sorry to say that our doctors can’t offer you a diagnosis online but I hope you will contact Breakspear Medical Group 01442 261 333 Option 3 to set up an appointment to see one of our specialists!
Kind regards,
Webwriter
At 17 January, 2011,
Webwriter said…
Dear Lisa
Thank you for your enquiry. We do treat patients, taking into consideration all of their symptoms at Breakspear Medical Group, which could be regarded as a holistic approach. Our treatment often includes dietary recommendations and nutritional supplements.
We do not use homoeopathy or Reiki. Skin prick tests are very unreliable and a muscle reaction test is not objective entirely, but subjective, depending on the Kinesiologist’s method of testing.
We do not use electronic analysers. A patient’s responses are often very subtle.
A hair strand test is not reliable for allergies.
There is a myriad of blood tests which can be done to ascertain sensitivities and medical problems. Please refer to our website regarding allergy testing:
http://www.breakspearmedical.com/files/allergy.html
We use a broad spectrum vaccine in some cases, but do not always recommend it. We do use individual vaccines by preference and find that patients tolerate this better with the low-dose immunotherapy. Whether or not this is lifelong depends on the individual and their degree of sensitivity, but more often than not, when there are no symptoms for some months and any concomitant problems are resolved, the patient can discontinue treatment without any recurrence of symptoms. If patients stop taking vaccines before they have reached the stable state, their own symptoms may recur.
I hope this is helpful.
With best wishes
Dr Jean Monro
Medical Director
At 15 February, 2011,
Max Star Medical - Medical Equipments and Products said…
Really you’re doing great job nice blog with very useful templates. Thanks for sharing it with all.Rebreathing Bag
At 19 February, 2011,
Anonymous said…
hi my husband was diagnosed with extrinsic allergic alveolitis in about april 2010 he has had a lung biopsy in october 2010 which shown he had lung inflamation but no cause for it the x rays are showing the same pattern as EAA so that is what they are saying my husband has all this happened after he had a bad fall onto his back off a ladder i would be grateful for any information you can give or help thank you
At 01 March, 2011,
Webwriter said…
Dear Wife of EAA sufferer,
Extrinsic allergic alveolitis is known to be triggered by certain environmental allergens or pollutants. Sometimes, the trigger is unknown, or basically cannot be found. Considering the environmental medicine theories of total load and allergic reactions, the triggers may in fact be multiple and chronic, hence one single trigger does not stand out and thus is not easily identified. Very often, the immune system can be 'pushed over' into reactions which are triggered by shock, grief or stress, as the nervous and immune system are tightly intertwined and responsive to each other. Hence, we often see accidents as a trigger starting off problems which may just have been simmering, or under the radar so to speak, prior to the incident.
The way we would approach this is to perform intradermal skin testing, known as provocation neutralisation, for a comprehensive range of food, inhalant and chemical allergens. From there we could assess a person's allergies and sensitivities. A detailed environmental history and further blood testing will also give us more clues as to what are the triggers/allergens. Once that is completed, we would treat the sensitivities with low dose immunotherapy. Depending on how much fibrosis has already occurred in the lung, we would expect to see improvement in lung function, but the duration and progress does depend on the severity and chronicity of the problem. This would need to be discussed with your doctor at Breakspear Medical Group before any investigation and treatment is commenced.
I hope this helps and that we'll see your husband soon.
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 02 March, 2011,
hyperhidrosis said…
I know about Breakspear Medical Group. It is a private day clinic specialising in allergy and environmental medicine. Thank you for your kind comments which I have shared with Dr Jean Monro. I read your blog coomments. It initially gave me a real lift as I too have been ill for a long time.
At 31 March, 2011,
Anonymous said…
having suffered from ME for 4 years, I have not managed to get any useful treatment for my illness. recently i had a blood test for hhv-6 done privately and it came back postive (most other blood tests i have had are negative including EBV). i read the short article on your website about Dr Montoya (Stanford) and the use of valgancicolvir in treating people with ME/CFS. since valganciclovir is used against HHV-6 would this be a treament that Breekspear would offer for some one who is HHV6 positive?
At 04 April, 2011,
Webwriter said…
Dear ME sufferer for 4 years,
At Breakspear, we do use antivirals to treat our patients who have fatigue and evidence of ongoing viral activity based on serological (blood) findings; we also have to take into account the person’s history and other medical findings.
There are a few antiviral medications that we routinely use but this needs to be considered with a doctor, as the side effects and activity of each one is different. For that reason, we may or may not wish to use valganciclovir on you but we would certainly treat a chronic viral illness actively.
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 20 May, 2011,
Wanda Lozinska said…
I have CFS, and have tested positive for HHV-6 and EBV. People in the USA are being CURED (not just treated) with Valganciclovir, an anti-viral for HHV-6. This is available here in the UK but the NHS has not (yet?) approved it's use for CFS, whereaas the FDS in the USA has. Would you be in a position to help?
At 02 June, 2011,
Anonymous said…
My son is 3 1/2 and has mild ASD. Would you use Chelation on a child this young at Breakspear.
At 02 June, 2011,
Webwriter said…
Dear Wanda,
Breakspear Medical Group has had many CFS patients treated successfully over the years. We use a wide range of treatments, with each treatment plan being individualised for each patient. It is necessary to consider the risks as well as the potential benefits, which requires that pathology reports are at hand when making recommendations. It is possible that there are other viruses or infections present and therefore there isn't a standard solution for all CFS patients.
We hope that you will consider making an appointment at Breakspear to discuss your case.
At 02 June, 2011,
Webwriter said…
Dear Cristina,
At Breakspear, each case of ASD is handled differently, as the umbrella of ASD covers a wide range of symptoms and behaviours. However, often lifestyle changes, including dietary intravention, can often make huge improvements over a short period of time.
I highly recommend booking an appointment with Dr Daniel Goyal and his specialist nutritionist to discuss the treatment options which they feel would be appropriate for your child.
At 27 July, 2011,
Anonymous said…
Back in 2005 my mother was bitten with a tick and caught Lymes disease. She did have treatment of antibiotics, but ever since has had medical problems ; like loss of memory, mobility problems, bronchiectisis etc.. however of late over a period of 3 weeks I have removed three minute living ticks from her (Foot, leg, arm). Is ther any possibility that these are coming from inside of her body? Did the original tick breed in her? Is this possible? HL
At 28 July, 2011,
Webwriter said…
Dear HL,
Thank you for your enquiry. Ticks do not breed in the bodies of humans; they only suck blood for a meal and then drop off (or get pulled off).
The nymph (baby) ticks are extremely small and may look only like a pin point or a tiny full stop. It may be that ticks are endemic where you live and this is the time of year where ticks are very active. Therefore if she spends any time in her garden or outdoors and you have exposure to areas where ticks are feeding on their primary hosts (e.g. mice, hedgehogs, rabbits, deer), then there is a significant chance of catching the ticks.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 28 July, 2011,
Webwriter said…
Just to add to Dr Yeoh's comment, it is very important to remove ticks properly. Ticks can be carriers of borreliosis (Lyme disease), which can be transmitted as they feed. Without treatment, the symptoms of borreliosis can last for weeks or even longer. Sometimes serious complications may occur several years later including arthritis, heart problems, nervous system problems and/or neurological abnormalities.
For more information on borreliosis/Lyme disease, visit our website: www.breakspearmedical.com
At 01 August, 2011,
Anonymous said…
I have had gut problems for 10 yrs, initially symptoms were well controlled with a gluten free diet, but 6 years ago I had an episode of feeling severely unwell with related fatigue/headache/joint pain/low abdo pain and a different type of upper abdo pain with a pulsating sensation/ mental fogginess and fatigue. Since then I have taken great care to have a healthy diet, avoiding fatigue, but I again had an acute/ sudden onset of symptoms late 2010, this time with a feeling of tightness in mmy stomach and oesophagus with mild nausea. Since then I am not tolerating starch in foods at all, I have had to eliminate cooked vegetables/ all grains and pulses which is not easy. I think that dairy is also a problem.
What do you advise?
What is the success rate of your allergy desensition program?
At 01 August, 2011,
Webwriter said…
Dear one with gut and gluten problems,
Thank you for your enquiry. At Breakspear, we often see cases similar sounding to yours, where initial gluten avoidance improves symptoms, but if there is an ongoing underlying GI pathogens or intolerance that has not been treated, it can be a matter of time before other clinical symptoms manifest.
It is possible that there are other foods that are causing you a problem, but it is not a complete solution to simply go onto an even stricter elimination diet. The problem with that is that you will inevitably eat more of the remaining foods and can become sensitive to those foods, too, due to increasing exposure.
Our most effective approach to address sensitivities is to use low-dose immunotherapy, which is a form of desensitisation. If low-dose immunotherapy sufficiently encompasses the various known and unknown foods that a person is allergic/sensitive to then the treatment is very often successful.
It is important to also assess the digestive tract for other problems (e.g. parasites, levels of secretory IgA, bacteria etc) so that if other problems are present, which is frequently the case, then concomitant treatment of the problems are helpful in addressing the overall problem.
I hope this helps to answer your question.
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 24 August, 2011,
Jane said…
My mother was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease 3 years ago. She is trying to avoid starting on L-dopa medication. Would you recommend provocation tests to measure metal toxins within the body with a view towards chelation if advised?
At 08 September, 2011,
Webwriter said…
Dear Jane,
Thank you for your query. We would need to know more about a person’s full medical and environmental history before being able to say what might be helpful.
Your mother’s assessment may not be only related to heavy metals but this is possible. If we felt that it was a major cause for her problems, we may advice chelation. However, we also assess for other metabolic/inflammatory and chemical overload problems and it may be that we think these factors are the major areas of concern, we would want to address them initially.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 27 September, 2011,
Anonymous said…
Karen
After 9 years of having ME/CFS my Daughter has also been diagnosed with ME/CFS and Fybromyalgia. I have researched your Hospital and have always been impressed. My problem has always been the distance to travel as I live in Formby, merseyside. How do other patients manage and if we had to stay how long approximately would it be for? The other concern is costs and an estimate would be appreciated.
At 03 October, 2011,
Webwriter said…
Dear Karen,
I am sorry to hear that your daughter has not been well. We have patients coming from all over the country to see us unless they have difficulty travelling in a car due to multiple sensitivites and profound fatigue. If you are able to bring your daughter in a car once or twice a year, we should be able to proceed with treatment as it is done at home and follow ups can be done over the telephone, once an assessment has been performed.
If we feel that your daughter needs to stay for a longer period for the initial assessment, there is the possibility of staying in our local guesthouse (if she is over 16 years old) or other local hotels/ apartments. A typical length of time for this would be a week and is usually for the commencement of low-dose immunotherapy. It's hard to say if your daughter will need this without knowing her history.
An initial telephone appointment can also be performed, which will beed to be completed when you are able to physically be at Breakspear Medical Group. But the initial telephone assessment will give us a good idea as to what investigations and treatments we might advice. If you contact the Patient Liaison Team, we will give you an approximate cost estimate, bearing in mind that specific tests might be advised once we know your daughter's history. Tests may include: fatigue profile, CSAP3, OAT, Health risk profile, H&B, immunology profile and/or others.
Kind regards,
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 16 February, 2012,
Anonymous said…
I am considering going to Breakspear to be treated. I have been unwell for nearly two years now following a trip to America. I became ill with flu, lymph nodes up in neck, vertigo, muscle twitches, bells palsy. Tested negative for lyme here in Ireland. Just recently I sent my bloods to Germany and my cd 57 count was 70 which they said indicated a chronic lyme infection. I am being treated by doctor here for cfs with effexor and zispin which is making me really unwell he thinks I have had sufficient doxy which I forgot to mention was a course of doxy for 12 weeks. Do you feel you could help me.
At 17 February, 2012,
Webwriter said…
Dear Considering Breakspear,
At Breakspear, we see a fair number of people who have negative Lyme tests but with a typical clinical history of Lyme disease.
The CD 57 test is not a diagnostic test for Lyme but provides more information. Upon going through your clinical history, we might conclude that it would be helpful to do further testing, such as a Western Blot or lymphocyte transformation tests.
If you have had Lyme but did not respond to doxycycline, we would look at other antibiotic schedules or other routes of administration and also other supportive management.
We treat Lyme very frequently and I feel that we may be able to help you.
Kind regards
Dr Christabelle Yeoh
At 17 September, 2012,
Anonymous said…
Hello,
after 4 liver flushes I started developing allergy after allergy. I can identify some specific allergens, including herbs and medicines. Do you compile custom-made cocktail for Low Dose Immunization? Can you compose a treatment on the day of appointment? Can you do it on Saturday, if I stay overnight? I live a long way away and need to plan my trip.
Regards,
Irina
At 01 October, 2012,
Webwriter said…
Dear Irena,
Sorry for the delay in responding to your blog.
As you have a long way to travel, it would be advisable to have the initial consultation over the telephone so that we can send you details of the recommended tests and treatment prior to travelling to Breakspear, we will then be able to advise you of the length of time you need to stay here to undertake the allergy testing. Your vaccines will be made up on site and are custom made to your specific requirements.
We are open Saturdays for treatment but are unable to do blood tests on Saturdays. If you would like to contact our patient liaison team, they will be happy to provide you with more information.
Thank you for your blog.
Kind regards,
Laura Scotchett
Patient Liaison Manager
At 23 November, 2012,
Hannah said…
Hello Breakspear
After at least 6 years of not knowing what is wrong with me a doctor here in Australia has diagnosed possible Lyme Disease with Bartonella. There isn't much experience in treating it here and I'm from the UK so may have to return home to treat it. I'm trying to find out more about your treatments for this.
What is the best way to speak to someone at the clinic?
Many thanks. Hannah
At 23 November, 2012,
Hannah said…
Hi Breakspear
Here are the tests I have been advised to have for a possible case of Lyme Disease and Bartonella. Are they adequate?:
Blood tests: - Being done Monday 26th Nov.
1 - Serol Erlichia, Anaplasma (ARRL), Serol+PCR Coxiella+Rickettsiae ARRAL
2 - Anti Nuclear Antibody, B12 and Folate; RCF(1), Coeliac screen, DHEAS, FBE/ESR, Homocysteine, Iron studies, LFT, UEC, Vit D, TSH only, Thyroid antibodies, CD4, CD8, CD56, Borrelia serology.
3 - CD3-/CD57+absolute count WDP, EDTA<24 hours to lab
Infectolab Blood Test Order: To be sent to Infectolab, Augsburg Germany.
Borrelia Elispot LTT
Borrelia lgG- and lgM-EIA
Ehrlichia Elispot LTT
Chlamydia pneumoniae Elispot LTT
Thank you! Hannah
At 26 November, 2012,
Webwriter said…
Dear Hannah,
Initially, at Breakspear we would recommend a consultation with one of our doctors who will be able to advise you on the best tests for you. This inital consultation can be done over the phone, if you would like. We offer a number of different tests for Lyme disease including the MELISA Lymphocyte Transformation Test, Western Blot IgG & IgM and PCR testing. We are also able to test for co-infections including Bartonella, Babesia and Ehrlichia, if required.
If you would like further information on these tests, including prices, please contact our Patient Liaison Team by email liaison@breakspearmedical.com or by phone +44 (0)1442 261333 ext.339.
There are a number of different treatment options if you are diagnosed with Lyme disease including oral, intravenous and injection antibiotics with nutritional support, one of our doctors would be happy to discuss these options with you following your test results.
To book an appointment please contact our reception team on +44 (0)1442 261 333 ext.300.
Patient Liaison
At 12 March, 2013,
Anonymous said…
Following toxic exposure through my job about 4 years ago, I was diagnosed with MCS by Dr Munro. I had chronic dermatitis on my neck which could not be diagnosed by contact dermatitis testing. However, when I was exposed to indoor air pollutants my dermatitis flared up repeatedly.
About 3 weeks ago, I had a bad cold which included a blocked nose and I temporarily lost my sense of smell. This is the first real cold I have had since suffering with MCS. However, since this time my dermatitis has cleared up and not returned despite being exposed to chemicals that I would normally react to. I have read that there could be a connection between the olfactory system and MCS. I was wondering if you think that there is a possible link which has triggered the disappearance of my dermatitis.
At 28 March, 2013,
Webwriter said…
Thank you for your enquiry.
When a person has a cold, then the mucous membranes of the nose and pharynx are often thickened and the first response of protection is to produce mucus, which is a thick substance that coats the whole of the mucous membranes of the area. This will prohibit particles, such as chemicals, landing on that area and triggering a response (which could otherwise be the normal response of the individual to chemicals landing on that area) and provoking a further response which would be the multiple chemical sensitivity of the individual to chemicals.
The first line of defense therefore is mucus and it may be that with such a severe cold, if you temporarily lost your sense of smell that there was sufficient mucus being produced to protect against the chemical sensitivity.
Dr Jean A Monro
Medical Director
At 25 April, 2013,
Gill said…
My 20 year old Daughter has been diagnosed with Interstitial cystitis which she has had for 5 years. I read somewhere that the Lyme bacteria could settle in her bladder and cause these problems. WOuld normal urine tests pick up lyme disease. We are thinking about sending her to Breakspear, but are worried about costs escallating beyonfd our means after the intitial diagnosis and initial treatment.
At 26 April, 2013,
Webwriter said…
Dear Mother of IC patient,
I have forwarded your questions to a member of our Patient Liaison team who will discuss your daughter's case with one of our doctors. I hope to post a reply soon.
Just for your information, our Patient Liaison Officers are here to help patients; from reviewing the doctors recommendations, going over and explaining the estimate and answering all your questions. An initial consultation with a doctor is £200 (at this time)but following the consultation, you will be given a printed estimate before any further fees are incurred. You (the patient) are ultimately in control of your treatment programme.
Kind regards,
Webwriter
At 29 April, 2013,
Webwriter said…
Dear Gill,
Thank you for your enquiry.
A standard urine test will not detect Lyme disease; Lyme is usually tested using a blood sample.
There are a number of different tests for Lyme disease ranging in price between £250 to around £600. Sometimes more than one test is required.
Initially, you would need to have an appointment with one of our doctors (on a Monday to Thursday morning). The cost of an initial consultation is £200. We can take the blood samples on the same day, if you wish.
Results for these tests usually take 3-4 weeks. A follow-up consultation will then be required to discuss the results, which can be done over the phone, if you prefer. A recommended treatment programme may then be discussed, depending on the results.
If you would like to arrange an appointment, please contact our reception team on 01442 261333 ext.300
Laura Scotchett
Patient Liaison Manager
At 27 October, 2013,
fed up 68 said…
Hi I have been feeling unwell for the last 6 years. I am constantly tired fatigue no matter how much sleep i get I wake up even more tired. I have had lots of uti's. Last year I had bladder problems where I wasn't passing water. Had a urethra expansion. I have had high white blood cell count for years and it is currently 18.95 and the other markers are high. I have just been diagnosed with a stomach hiatus hernia and ibs. I have high cortisol readings. My last 24 urine test was 1479. I have been tested for cushings syndrome which was negative. I am so fed up with ahaving no energy. Muscle weakness and I have knee back pain which I am undergoing physio. I also have chicken pox pneumonia scarring in my lungs, I had chicken pox when I was 26. Apparently I also have a high ebv level and was told that I must have had glandular fever which I can't recall as I have felt so ill the last few years. I have asthma, dust and pollen allergy and I am also allergic to uva uvb rays when I have been in the sun for a few days I come out in a very nasty and angry rash with watery like blister spots which join together. Would it be beneficial to be seen by a dr for further testing? I have now been signed off doing amended hours for the past year but even this is getting too much. Looking forward to a response.
At 06 November, 2013,
Webwriter said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
At 06 November, 2013,
Webwriter said…
Dear Fedup68,
Anyone who has chronic urinary tract infections with a high white blood cell count for years must have long term anti-biotics in my experience. We’ve shared a lot of patients with a professor in GU medicine who feels the same which is that chronic interstitial cystitis is often due to an infection which is embedded in the bladder wall. It’s not necessarily accessible to treatments which are brief and long term antibiotics are necessary.
With regard to stomach problems with hiatus hernia and IBS, often looking at a stool sample to check what the digestion is like and to check there is no helicobacter pylori infection would be useful.
With regard to having poor energy levels, there may be mitochondrial function problems which is reduction of energy, which can be investigated. Anyone who has a poor immune system, who is not able to throw off the recurrent urinary tract infections, could have a recrudescence of glandular fever virus, if the level of antibodies is high and there could be perhaps be an evaluation of IgM antibodies for that, which would mean there had been a recurrence.
If you have had a problem with sunlight, it may be that you are short of vitamin D because that is one of the sources for vitamin D. It should be checked because weakness and recurrent infections can be features of vitamin D deficiency.
If there are checks for cushings and adrenal function, it may be that looking into endocrine factors would be important and certainly dietetic management would be useful. We’d be very happy to help over such management.
With regard to sensitivities, often people with IBS have food sensitivities and with asthma, dust and pollen allergies, one can test and treat heightened sensitivities. What we use at Breakspear is low dose immunotherapy to address this. Please visit the website: http://www.breakspearmedical.com/files/how_antigens_work.html
Kind regards,
Dr Jean Monro
Medical Director
At 21 May, 2014,
Anonymous said…
I was bitten 12 years ago, is it possible that I could could have Lyme disease.is it possible to test for and treat after this amount of time?
At 06 November, 2014,
Webwriter said…
Dear Bitten 12 years ago,
After a person becomes infected with borreliosis by a tick or other blood-feeding insect, the person may develop a resulting skin rash. Sometimes later a chronic rash can occur, with fever, headache and pain in the muscles and joints. Some infected people may not experience any noticeable symptoms at the time of infection. Without treatment, the symptoms can last for weeks or even longer. Sometimes serious complications may occur several years later including arthritis, heart problems, nervous system problems and/or neurological abnormalities.
But the good news is once it has been determined that a patient has borreliosis, your Breakspear Medical doctor will discuss the individual the treatments, which may include antibiotics, biofilm breakers and immune support, as well as dietary and other interventions where appropriate.
If you believe you have Lyme disease, telephone Reception +01442 261 333 to book an appointment and let the receptionist know that you may have this condition.
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