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First-in-human implantation of bionic device to halt Crohn's disease (2023)

florey.edu.au

41–50 of 129 posts

Re: First-in-human implantation of bionic device to halt Crohn's disease (2023)

#41
post #23
post #7

I have Crohn’s but am one of the lucky 20% who is in long-term remission without surgery and without the more problematic drug therapies - thus far! But if this works as well as hoped it will bring a lot of peace of mind that if I do ever need surgery, I won’t be going back in for more every few years. Medical research is awesome, for all its inefficiencies.

Which drugs are you talking about? Pretty much all the biologics for CD have amazingly positive safety profiles…

If so then they are a lesson in how misleading statistics can be.

Re: First-in-human implantation of bionic device to halt Crohn's disease (2023)

#42

This paper seems to describe the general strategy: Neuronal regulation of the gut immune system and neuromodulation for treating inflammatory bowel disease https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8565205/ It would be incredible if it works, since it would avoid treatment with systemic immunosuppresives which can promote infection/cancer. However maybe there is still a local risk of the above? I would also be con…

> can promote infection/cancer Note that while TNF inhibitors like adalimumab (Humira) have a black box cancer warning in the US, this was based on assessing a small number of studies early on. We now have more than 20 years of studies and patient registry data, and later studies, including meta-analyses, have concluded that there is no additional risk of cancer with these TNF inhibitors. E.g. see: https://pubmed.ncb…

A co-author of the first study is employed by Humira's maker; the second study was funded by it. Doesn't mean they are wrong, but it does suggest some skepticism is due.

Re: First-in-human implantation of bionic device to halt Crohn's disease (2023)

#43
post #23
post #7

I have Crohn’s but am one of the lucky 20% who is in long-term remission without surgery and without the more problematic drug therapies - thus far! But if this works as well as hoped it will bring a lot of peace of mind that if I do ever need surgery, I won’t be going back in for more every few years. Medical research is awesome, for all its inefficiencies.

Which drugs are you talking about? Pretty much all the biologics for CD have amazingly positive safety profiles…

some of them you have to take with an immunomodulator to suppress the possibility of antibodies, and those increase the risks of lymphoma and some other stuff.

Re: First-in-human implantation of bionic device to halt Crohn's disease (2023)

#44
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't have the citation for this, but I learned in a class long ago that most implanted devices end up covered in biofilms, it's only a matter of time. Especially if it's plastic. e.g. breast implants, catheters, etc.

Bacterial biofilms? On implanted implants? How do they get there?

Your bodhi is filled with bacterial and archae, if they create a localized stronghold they'll form a protective biofilm.

Re: First-in-human implantation of bionic device to halt Crohn's disease (2023)

#45
post #26
post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think most of these claims are BS, but I've met several people who have claimed to heal their own inflammatory diseases through non-medical practice to help regulate their vagus nerve. I know for me, these types of practices seem to help manage my symptoms. So maybe there is some connection.

The vagus nerve sits inside the collarbone right next to the carotid artery. As a doctor told me once, if you're able to physically stimulate your vagus nerve, you need to get to A&E posthaste, lol

What's A&E? Googling only shows the cable network

Re: First-in-human implantation of bionic device to halt Crohn's disease (2023)

#46
post #3

[flagged]

I don’t think correlation = causation in your anecdote. Care to provide some examples of people who were “cured” of Crohns through diet alone? I have had Crohns for nearly four years with it in remission for the last two years. Diet and other lifestyle changes did slightly improve symptoms, but the only things that have yielded profound change were Inflectra and prednisone. I think for those who have Crohns bad enoug…

Curing with diet is very difficult because if your gut microbiome goes too far out of wack then it can be impossible to get it back in balance even with nasty antibiotics.

However, there should be more focus on prevention and healthy eating.

Re: First-in-human implantation of bionic device to halt Crohn's disease (2023)

#47
post #24

I initially wrote this as a reply to a comment by "NotGMan" mentioning fasting/paleo that got flagged. They could have approached the subject more delicately but I believe they have a point. About 3 years ago I had gut issues so bad I thought I was close to death. NHS couldn't see any problems and were basically telling me I'd gone nuts. They refused to do any further testing. After a year of suffering I tried a 7 da…

I recall on an ask reddit a group of gastroenterologists were answering questions. One thing that stood out was they said "let your stomach rumble it's a necessary part of gut health".

Fasting would help initiate that, but I think so many people these days never stop eating long enough for their stomach to rumble.

Re: First-in-human implantation of bionic device to halt Crohn's disease (2023)

#48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Decades ago, about 30% of the people who had celiac disease would waste away and die, especially children. Until a doctor noticed that if the people ate 12 bananas a day they seemed to do better. Of course, 12 bananas a day is a kooky diet, but people who eat 12 bananas a day tend to eat less of everything else, including less bread and gluten and so they would do better. Later science figured out bread was a problem…

>I think there are other foods that bother different people, but we haven't managed pin down exactly which foods bother which people. It's a hard problem Sounds like a job for a neural net. If people would log all what they eat and how they feel. If the neural net had access to all the components of the foods they are inputting, surely with enough data a pattern would emerge of what common component in what they eat…

Not that easy. I have sibo and depending on what I eat and how I eat it, it changes the effects it has on me. Also the amount and frequency. For example, if I have raisins at the start of my meal then I don't see issues, but if I have them at the end of my meal then I do. If I have it here and there then no issues, but if I have it a few meals in a row then it'll give me issues.

And raisins affect me within 20min, but if I were to face something like potatoes or tomatoes then it doesn't give me issues until hours later (after my next meal or even the next day).

Re: First-in-human implantation of bionic device to halt Crohn's disease (2023)

#49
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The vagus nerve sits inside the collarbone right next to the carotid artery. As a doctor told me once, if you're able to physically stimulate your vagus nerve, you need to get to A&E posthaste, lol

What's A&E? Googling only shows the cable network

Accidents & Emergency is what the Brits call the Emergency Room

Re: First-in-human implantation of bionic device to halt Crohn's disease (2023)

#50
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The vagus nerve sits inside the collarbone right next to the carotid artery. As a doctor told me once, if you're able to physically stimulate your vagus nerve, you need to get to A&E posthaste, lol

What's A&E? Googling only shows the cable network

"Accident & Emergency" - you may know it as the Emergency Room, but it's commonly called A&E in the UK
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