One PH patient's stem cell experience (from a post at phcentral.org):
Hello every one my name is K__ and i am supposedly the first person in the world to be treated for PH by direct injection with adult stem cells. I just had my one month check up with Dr. ____ at Regenocyte in Naples, Florida. My echo showed about an 11 point drop in pressure. Big stuff for one month, max benefits are at three to six months for stem cells.Unfortunately, I have some COPD so my sats have not gotten any better yet. Also I was having some violent heart palpatations and they have completely disappeared. I will keep posting - I think it's the best thing going for PHers. I would encourage everyone to begin their research on stem cells, all the different kinds, and places to go, pros and cons etc etc.
There are several kinds of stem cells. Adult stem cells have been used for thirty years in the US for specific disease. Adult meaning from your own body - either bone marrow or blood draw. I had a blood draw. They take a pint of blood, send it to a lab in Israel; they find 4 or 5 stem cells and copy them 35 million times. This number varies, the average is 22 million. Then you fly to the Dominican Republic and meet the doctor at the nicest hospital I have ever been in. They receive the cells back in about 5 days. He catheterized me through the heart as far as you can to the veins in the lung, then balloon the catheter, inject the cells and some salt water to put pressure on, and cram the cells into the small veins where we are all having trouble. Hopefully most of them stick to the right places, then in about two weeks they start dividing into new tissue and building collateral veins. Sounds easy.
Back to what's available for us. There are several companies out there treating PH with stem cells. I went with Regenocyte.com. The doctor is super good and staff bends over backwards for you.I picked him because he specialized in the vascular field. They are one of the most expensive (44,000.00) but to get a practicing cardiologist to leave the country and do a procedure with you is going to cost money.The x-cellcenter.com is probably the cheapest(13,000.00). They do bone marrow adult cells and don't promise anything, but will treat you. I don't think they have treated anyone for PH yet.Also stemcellbiotherapy.com uses cord blood and will treat you. You have a small chance of host vs. graft problems but the adult cells won't work if your disease is hereditary. Canada is working on a FDA trial that is gene cell combo. They are in phase 2 and showing good results, but they are 7 to 10 years out for the public and will not take Americans for trial studies. Also go to stemcellpioneers.com - it's all people who have been treated with cells for all kinds of stuff. Very informative.
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