Injecting premature babies with chemotherapy to "prevent blindness"

[6birds]

Fortunately my son grew up with just a few minor issues from being 10 weeks premature and a birth weight of 2lbs 7 oz, he actually got down to 2lbs 3 oz due to a staff infection in the NICU.

He was only 4lbs when he came home 8 weeks later....

The infection left him with some problems in an ankle and an elbow which he had to have surgeries on in his mid teen years. His lungs, eyes etc... were all fine.

Medicine has come a long ways in 20 years, glad to hear he grew up healthy and happy!

 

[VUPDblue]

Thanks for the replies guys. I was wondering if this entire thread was based on conjecture and articles or if anyone had any relevant experience. My little girl was born 16 weeks premature and weighed 23 ounces at birth. Her eyes were fused shut for the first few days of life and ROP was a real concern for us.

 

[6birds]

God bless her!

 

[VUPDblue]

Thanks. She really is a special little girl. My wife and I had to agonize over myriad difficult medical decisions while she was in the hospital. I pray I never have to go through that kind of thing again, though I'm sure I'm stronger for having gone through it once.

 

[6birds]

That's the part that was the toughest for my wife, a high risk pregnancy with twins, as a Riley nurse she knew EVERY SINGLE THING THAT COULD GO WRONG, and she was still cool-headed, never pessimistic about their health, medical care, or chances of a full and happy life. They are two of the coolest kids you'll ever meet, a true blessing.

 

[redneckmedic]

don't knock the leeches, they are still used in modern medicine and are actually one of the best treatments for some things.

Like fishing

You think that if it works for one baby it will work the for every baby? All I said was you might want to look into the side effects first. Sorry if that is too controversial for sensitive folks.

You really should just make this your signature line, it will save you all those headaches and a ton on asprin... oh wait

 

[public servant]

Thanks. She really is a special little girl. My wife and I had to agonize over myriad difficult medical decisions while she was in the hospital. I pray I never have to go through that kind of thing again, though I'm sure I'm stronger for having gone through it once.

Let me ask you VUPD...because this is what these threads are all about.

Did you feel pressured into "one size fits all medicine" or were you given what you consider the best information available for the options you had and were you encourages to research your options rather than being strong-armed into what the doctors said you had to do?

As a matter of fact...I'd appreciate an answer from any of those that responded that they had personal experiences.

 

[redneckmedic]

 

[slimplmbr]

I just noticed rambone quoted the same paragraph I did saying 10% of babies need treatment, yet two sentences later he said only 5% do. LMAO.

What a joke.


Oh and I also looked for this quote again:



And couldn't find it.

Not to choose a side here but rambone's math is correct.10% of 50% is 5% of all premature births. Once again not choosing a side on this one just pointing out rambone's math was correct Benny.

 

[6birds]

Let me ask you VUPD...because this is what these threads are all about.

Did you feel pressured into "one size fits all medicine" or were you given what you consider the best information available for the options you had and were you encourages to research your options rather than being strong-armed into what the doctors said you had to do?

As a matter of fact...I'd appreciate an answer from any of those that responded that they had personal experiences.

Specifically, our Doc (who still sends a b-day card to my boys every year) discussed with us the pro-con of every drug, treatment, and possible scenario we were likely to experience. He had good stories and some that would break your heart. He gave us odds, and then told us how to beat those odds.

A few times we went home to discuss and pray before we returned to discuss futher with the medical professionals.

Never did we get Yahoo articles, made -up stats, and the other Bull **** Rambone drags in here, which is why the pile-ons are so harsh when he LIES!

 

[rambone]

it irritates me that you continually spew this tripe. for one, the use of antibiotics is defiantly not dished out every time you get sick, in fact, it requires a positive culture to detect specific bacteria before they will consider prescribing them.

Well that would be encouraging if it were true. Unfortunately in my experience, antibiotics are given out like candy.

I have been put on antibiotics dozens of times in my life and I can't recall a single culture ever being taken. I've gone to quite a few different doctors. I even remember being put on antibiotics when I had the flu.

Then there is the consideration about using antibiotics too often and your body becoming immune to it. I won't consider using antibiotics again unless there is a severe infection that my immune system is not capable of healing on its own using natural therapies.

Too many antibiotics can harm your health

I just noticed rambone quoted the same paragraph I did saying 10% of babies need treatment, yet two sentences later he said only 5% do. LMAO.

What a joke.

I thought this was fairly simple to pull from the paragraph that I quoted in full. Lest I forget that we can't all do 4th grade math.

50% of ALL premature babies have some degree of ROP. 10% of THOSE need treatment. 50% * 10% = 5% of ALL premature babies actually need treatment. Check it on a calculator if you don't believe me. lol

 

[Benny]

VUPDblue-

Does anyone in this thread have any direct experience with premature babies, ROP, My twin boys, born early, were evaluated for ROP at Riley, soon after they were born. Also, my wife is an OR Nurse at Riley.

I did not, however, stay in a Holiday inn last night, nor do i play a doctor on the internet.

Glad to hear they are OK.

Fortunately my son grew up with just a few minor issues from being 10 weeks premature and a birth weight of 2lbs 7 oz, he actually got down to 2lbs 3 oz due to a staff infection in the NICU.

He was only 4lbs when he came home 8 weeks later....

The infection left him with some problems in an ankle and an elbow which he had to have surgeries on in his mid teen years. His lungs, eyes etc... were all fine.

Did the surgery correct everything OK?

Thanks for the replies guys. I was wondering if this entire thread was based on conjecture and articles or if anyone had any relevant experience. My little girl was born 16 weeks premature and weighed 23 ounces at birth. Her eyes were fused shut for the first few days of life and ROP was a real concern for us.

WOW. What a little miracle you have.

Was she given any treatment for ROP or did her eyes mature on their own? Did the doctors recommend anything?

Not to choose a side here but rambone's math is correct.10% of 50% is 5% of all premature births. Once again not choosing a side on this one just pointing out rambone's math was correct Benny.

Alright look, I have a degree in Marketing, NOT math!

The article still says nothing about 100% are recommended treatment.

 

[rjstew317]

Let me ask you VUPD...because this is what these threads are all about.

Did you feel pressured into "one size fits all medicine" or were you given what you consider the best information available for the options you had and were you encourages to research your options rather than being strong-armed into what the doctors said you had to do?

As a matter of fact...I'd appreciate an answer from any of those that responded that they had personal experiences.

my son came into the world by way of emergency Caesarean section at 28 weeks. during the procedure he unfortunately aspirated amniotic fluid, which lead to a case of mild pneumonia. before any treatments were administered, the doctors and nurses informed use of how (and with what) they wanted to treat him. with every step they would explain the potential complications that could arise so that we, as parents, could make an informed decision to go forward or not. at no time where we forced, or coerced, into doing something that we felt was inappropriate.
in june of 2010, my son was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. we spent countless hours with pediatric cardiologists and surgeons to look at every possible method to fix this problem, and to do it with the least possible risk. again, at no time were we keep out of the loop or forced into something that we believed would not be completely beneficial to our boy.
let me say, Dr. Mark Turrentine at Riley is a true miracle worker! the only sign left that my son any heart issue what so ever is the 6 inch scar on his left side.
i have said it before, and i will say it again; if you have a doctor that doesn't explain everything to you, you need to find another doctor.

 

[rjstew317]

Well that would be encouraging if it were true. Unfortunately in my experience, antibiotics are given out like candy.

I have been put on antibiotics dozens of times in my life and I can't recall a single culture ever being taken. I've gone to quite a few different doctors. I even remember being put on antibiotics when I had the flu.l

time to find a new Doc, because thats not a responsible way to practice.

Then there is the consideration about using antibiotics too often and your body becoming immune to it. I won't consider using antibiotics again unless there is a severe infection that my immune system is not capable of healing on its own using natural therapies.

most often these super infection arise during treatment of other overwhelming infections, it happens. but i can tell you this, i would rather have c diff than tuberculosis. you're not going to develop a antibiotic resistant infection form a 10 day run of penicillin thats used to treat strep.
you have a tendencies to make some pretty far reaching connections.

 

[turnandshoot4]

Well that would be encouraging if it were true. Unfortunately in my experience, antibiotics are given out like candy.

I have been put on antibiotics dozens of times in my life and I can't recall a single culture ever being taken. I've gone to quite a few different doctors. I even remember being put on antibiotics when I had the flu.

Is this your experience? You could have had a bacterial infection that was being treated, NOT your flu.

I get asked everyday by patients if they can have antibiotics. Usually they have a viral infection (flu) and don't need antibiotics. When I tell them no, they give me the .


Did they ever take blood?

 

[VUPDblue]

Let me ask you VUPD...because this is what these threads are all about.

Did you feel pressured into "one size fits all medicine" or were you given what you consider the best information available for the options you had and were you encourages to research your options rather than being strong-armed into what the doctors said you had to do?

As a matter of fact...I'd appreciate an answer from any of those that responded that they had personal experiences.

We were VERY well informed of every one of her difficulties and her treatment options. At no time were we "steered" in any particular direction.

Specifically, our Doc (who still sends a b-day card to my boys every year) discussed with us the pro-con of every drug, treatment, and possible scenario we were likely to experience. He had good stories and some that would break your heart. He gave us odds, and then told us how to beat those odds.

A few times we went home to discuss and pray before we returned to discuss futher with the medical professionals.

Never did we get Yahoo articles, made -up stats, and the other Bull **** Rambone drags in here, which is why the pile-ons are so harsh when he LIES!

I agree with everything 6birds posted above.

 

[public servant]

So...let me get this straight. Of those that replied...none felt that they were being strong-armed into "one size fits all" medicine.

They don't feel they were lied to or taken advantage of by their physicians.

Human beings are still capable of making informed, educated decisions on their own. Many apparently trust their children's health and well-being to their physicians.

I think we have a flaw in the OP's theories behind all these threads.

To the OP: Your efforts would be better received if you were to throw away the tin-foil and tone down the rhetoric. I think by now people find it more insulting than anything else. But hey...just my .

 

[rambone]

So...let me get this straight. Of those that replied...none felt that they were being strong-armed into "one size fits all" medicine.

They don't feel they were lied to or taken advantage of by their physicians.

Human beings are still capable of making informed, educated decisions on their own. Many apparently trust their children's health and well-being to their physicians.

The CDC reports that 99,000 Americans die every single year from preventable hospital infections. A 4-person INGO straw-poll about how much people trust their doctor doesn't really change the fact that a lot of people are dying because they put way too much trust and faith in what doctors recommend.

I am quite sure that delicate preterm babies being infected from unnecessary eye jabs are being counted in that figure.

So take from that what you will. If you want to be educated and informed you should not dismiss the other side of the argument.

To the OP: Your efforts would be better received if you were to throw away the tin-foil and tone down the rhetoric. I think by now people find it more insulting than anything else. But hey...just my .

Insulting? If people feel personally insulted by me questioning some new, understudied medical technique, then they brought no objectivity to the discussion to begin with. I take more insults from closed-minded people than all of you guys do combined.

I'm sure there is some prescription butthurt cream available from local pharmacies for anybody who doesn't like their ideas challenged.

P.S. I never understood how questioning medicine was equivalent to "tinfoil" paranoia. It makes more sense to use those remarks when you are defending the government. JMHO

 

[rjstew317]

The CDC reports that 99,000 Americans die every single year from preventable hospital infections. A 4-person INGO straw-poll about how much people trust their doctor doesn't really change the fact that a lot of people are dying because they put way too much trust and faith in what doctors recommend.

for the record, the majority of nosocomial infections are acquired from surfaces such as bed rails and tables. another major contributor to hospital acquired infection is the use urinary catheters that can potentially provide a "road" for bacteria to move along and thus enter your body, but when someone has problems with urinary retention and is looking at the potential for hydronephrosis, the benefits far out way the risks

 

[Benny]

I'm sure there is some prescription butthurt cream available from local pharmacies for anybody who doesn't like their ideas challenged.

LOL @ you thinking you've changed anyone's ideas.

Well, at least you haven't changed anyone's ideas without using deceit, since you do it in almost every one of your threads in one way or another(or at least the ones I have opened).