Combined Electrochemical Therapy (CET)
 

A unique study of 98 patients, 5 different diagnostic types, including chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, idiopathic peripheral neuropathy, traumatic neuropathy, and other mixed neuropathies.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/832576

In a pilot group of 10 patients, biopsies performed 2 to 4 months after CET showed that 7 of the 10 patients had regrown their nerves by an average of 81%.

How do we read this?

You can sign up to subscribe to MEDSCAPE for free in order to read the article or just google Combined Electrochemical Therapy to learn more about it.

Sorry, I did not realize it required a membership but as Marlene suggested, it is a free sign-up.

What I find confusing about CET therapy is how it differentiates from the Integrated Nerve Block (InB) treatment that many chiropractors already perform.

Here is another article on CET (no membership required):

http://www.corporatewellnessmagazine...-neuropathies/

With such promising study outcomes, why aren't neuros adopting this therapy?

My cynical take on this....

Does insurance cover it? Probably not.

Is it expensive? Probably not

Chiropractors can administer this and are more open to the use of "electricity" in healing modalities vs neurologist. And...many docs think chiropractors are quacks.

For the same reasons they don't like supplements.

Etc, etc, etc.

I'm just in one of those moods after dealing with healthcare insurance the past two days. :).

I understand your mood Marlene. I think many of us have been there. :hug:

Doctors do tend to reject supplements and chiropractors. If only they understood our desperation perhaps they might be more open to alternative therapies.

We here know that what is currently available is not enough. We do not just need relief from symptoms, we need nerve regeneration and reversal of this horrid disorder.

Beatle, that's a very interesting idea that bears investigation. My initial attempts to locate a doctor who performs this procedure here in Los Angeles met with: zip.

Any idea how to find a practitioner? There are as you might expect zillions of MDs, DCs and everything else in this area. Surely one of them must know about this?

Any suggestions from anyone appreciated!

I searched for availability of the procedure in Colorado without success. I did locate it in Arizona, Texas, Indiana and even Canada but traveling to these places is not feasible since several treatments are required.

Checked w/ my Chiropractor
 

I spoke w/ him and the ankle block is not something that a Chiro would do. TENS may have been somewhat similar. CET sounds sweet except for the ankle block. Am anxious to understand why the ankle block is an integral part of this therapy. Have not read all info yet so happy hunting to all. Ken in Texas.

We have chiropractors here that do the ankle blocks but not combined with the electrical component...it is not the CET procedure.

In my search, I did see one in San Antonio. Maybe that is near you.

Two things about Texas
 

There ain't nuthin close, 4 or 5 hrs to San Antonio
2. Always someone on your bumper wanting to go faster.

Oh well. Thanks for looking. I'll have to quiz my neurologist on this, although I can anticipate his answer, something along lines of an unproven treatment, won't work, etc.

I too am skeptical of anything new but some of us need all the help we can get (I have PN in my entire body).

If it is successful, it will eventually be available everywhere.

I had this done late last year. I went multiple times with little result. If anyone does decide to do this I recommend making sure they use the same equipment, frequency, and block medication (marcaine) as were in the study. The place I went to used Russian stim on me and that is not what was used in the study. That may be why I got poor results. I would be curious to know how others here have responded.

Great point. I would love to see more studies done. I just wish they didn't take so long.

Beatle, I'm so sorry to hear about the extent of your PN. I wonder often if that's my eventual fate as well, and wish you - and all of us here - the best in dealing with it.

As for CET. I asked my neurologist about it although was fairly sure he wouldn't encourage it. I was correct. I'd sent him quotes from a Podiatry Journal I found online. Here's the gist of his reply via voicemail:

"The article and quotes are kind of vague, there's no data that helps and no trial that helps. I think they're writing what you need to hear. It's probably not dangerous, although if you're paying cash that's another story. So it may be ok to try but insurance will probably not cover it. I think it's very questionable if it's going to improve the situtation. I try to deal with stuff that's been proven, FDA approved. From what I can say that stuff hasn't been approved."

I'm paraphrasing but you get the idea. For those interested here's the article (maybe someone has already posted this earlier in this thread):

http://www.podiatrytoday.com/can-com...ral-neuropathy

HINIGuy - sorry to read that this didn't help you. I guess we can't expect miracles. I'm hoping others who've had the procedure will weigh in. If I find someone who can do it in my area, particularly for the hands, which I haven't read about in the various accounts, I'll certainly post about it.

Here's an edit based on more research:

Today I spoke with someone at the Las Vegas office of the Dr. Odell who seems to be one of the pioneers in this, his name is on several of the articles. So far no one has been able to tell me if anyone practices this is Los Angeles.

They told me that most people who come in from out of town stay in the area for 2 weeks and have daily treatments, 3x/week with anesthesia and twice only on the machine. But she allowed as how they only go the anesthetic route for foot patients. As I'm primarily looking for relief from hand PN that's a bit troubling, particularly in light of H1N1Guy's comments about making sure the treatment is the right one. She said there were two diagnostic type treatments that run $200 each and that each subsequent machine hookup is $40. It remains to be seen if my insurance (Anthem CA) would cover any of it. Knowing how bad they are I'll assume not.

I'll continue to research and post any further info. I do have a friend who lives in LV so could basically stay for free which of course helps. But would love to find someone local before taking the plunge of uprooting my life and work for a couple of weeks, especially considering that additional treatment might be necessary. Assuming any of this works of course.

Where in Europe?
 

How can I find it in Europe, and I mean anywhere in Europe, I will relocate..

I doubt any peripheral treatment would help those with damage to the dorsal roots. The failures may reflect that.

Some people lack the ability to repair damage at the dorsal root level along the spine, and those people have a genetic reason for the failure. Those people most likely are resistant to conventional other PN treatments.

example of dorsal root damage by vaccine:
http://www.uscfc.uscourts.gov/sites/....DOE101807.pdf

Cet
 

I did a search on this and a foot dr in my area IL actually does this but an ankle block does not sound something I would want You always wonder if something could be made worse or pain more permanent I did not like the shot for the skin punch so an ankle block not so sure about.

Wish there were people that had that with experiences posted I may search that too

Thank you very much Balanchine for this information and for your research.

I would relocate and pay anything for a treatment that could regrow my nerves. My body is rapidly deteriorating, skin is very noticeably old, wrinkled and very dry, and thinner too. I am 44 years old, underweight and losing more. My leg muscles twitch uncontrollably. They look like special effects from a horror movie but it is my reality.

I hope something does come along, a drug, a machine, a stem cell treatment..something. I would be a guinea pig for anything if there was a chance it could stop this and turn it around.

Anyway, I too wish everyone going through this the best. :grouphug:

I think the reality here is that we have to try new things. The only alternative to that is to give up. I have spent THOUSANDS of dollars on various treatments for this. Most did nothing but some of them helped. I know that every person responds differently to each method. From my own personal experience I have found that removing toxins and inflammatory foods from my diet has made a huge impact. Diet,in my opinion, is the foundation and the rest you build from there. Just some thoughts to ponder. I was really super hopeful for that CET though. Oh well.

You're right, we do have to try things. I go back and forth. On good days, I feel optimistic that maybe I am improving. Then all hell breaks loose and I am bed ridden for days, then another good day, then... you know what I mean.

I also believe in a good diet. I don't have anything to correct there. Every day I consume kale, spinach, ground flax, pea protein, pumpkin seeds, nuts, fruits and other vegetables and grains too. I do low sodium (used to have hypertension that actually went away when I got PN, if you can believe that) and almost no sugar.

I too was hopeful about CET. I'm not ruling it out yet. I too have spent thousands, tens of thousands on everything I can get my hands on. Some are really useful tools but I've desperately got my sights set on regeneration right now because just like you said, the alternative is to give up.

I am extremely obsessed with regeneration and thought I had some at one point. I wonder to what capacity can a nerve regenerate if there is still an active process that continues to cause damage, which I believe is the case for me.
At any rate, by all means go for the CET. Insurance covered mine and it wasn't that expensive. They billed it as nerve blocks and electro stim.

I believe I have an active process going on too.

I am open to CET if it comes here but I won't travel for it without seeing additional results. With new treatments I always hope they are at least onto something that will lead to something.

Beatle I also have SFN in my entire body except the left side of my face. I find your results with medical marijuania very encouraging. I am praying we get our governor in PA voted it. I will definitely try it when it becomes legal here.

I have tried it in the past but I do not like the feeling the THC gives me. I couldn't tell you if it worked I was too focused on the high feeling.

I want it to be legal so I can get some with the higher CBD.

Hi Hopeful, I hope it becomes legal in PA too, and everywhere else, it's just a matter of time. There are strains available with just about every ratio of CBC:THC. It doesn't help everyone but it does help many with chronic pain.

I've pretty much got my pain under control, other than flares. My biggest challenges now are numbness, balance and coordination and not having my underlying cause indentified and treated.

Hang in there :hug:

I just yesterday read about this stuff:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitragyna_speciosa

Anybody tried it?

Yes it is called Kratom. In my personal opinion it is wonderful, for my pain anyway. Unfortunately it is illegal in my state now due to an incorrect classification as a synthetic drug. Nice while it lasted. It is still currently legal in almost every state.

Let me preface this by saying I am not an expert on opiates. Kratom works as a stimulant at low doses and and has more sedative like effects at a higher dose. Though it is not an opiate itself it does, however, act on the MU opiate receptors at higher dosages.

The FDA has issued an import ban on Kratom, which in no way do I believe was for public safety, rather because it has been catching on as a safe, natural, herbal way to relieve pain (sound familiar?). Some in the media have recently attempted to draw association between Kratom and a few deaths, however the evidence of their relation is very sketchy.

Kratom has a lengthy history of safe use. I'm really passionate about this one as prescription pain killers are tied to countless deaths. Contrast that with Kratom, which is much safer.

Personally I would not take it while on any other pain meds. It may not be around much longer so......

It is legal here but I have not tried it.

It can be habit forming and people can experience symptoms similar to opiate withdrawal when stopping after extended use. For me I became quite depressed and experienced "flow of tears" when I stopped. Hands down this was the best thing I ever tried for my pain, however. I could go on and on. It really frustrated me when this was (and still marketed as) a "legal high" because whenever something natural is presented in that way it loses legitimacy as a viable medical treatment.

Thanks for your candid replies, Guy. I've done quite a bit of reading on forums about Kratom and watched a number of vids. With the exception of Ativan, which I was mildly addicted to for a couple of years after my cancer treatment, and easily got off, I'm not terribly worried about developing a need for this stuff. Maybe those are famous last words...!

But if it's one more viable thing to add to my arsenal of chemicals that help, like cannabis, I'm all for it.

I'll report on my results.

Yes please keep us posted.

I put my thoughts on the other thread you started. Will be interesting to read if anyone else has tried it.