Shy-Drager syndrome

Shy-Drager Syndrome is a rare progressive neurologic disorder that is terminal. The NIH reports about 100,000 cases of this disease in the United States. It is a progressive disorder of the central autonomic nervous system. Discovered only in 1960, it is characterized by orthostatic hypotension which causes dizziness or momentary blackouts upon standing or sitting up. Other symptoms include bowel and bladder incontinence, atrophy of the iris, anhidrosis, tremor, rigidity, incoordination, muscle wasting and ataxia. It is a disease that is difficult to diagnose in the early stages but within a year of onset most patients develop postural hypotension. For the majority of patients, the unstable blood pressure is often the cause of severe headaches, double vision, impairment of speech, sensory changes, difficulties in breathing and swallowing, and irregular heartbeat. Constipation and sexual impotence in males are evident early in the course of the disease. The condition worsens over several years leading to disab ility and premature death.

There are three types of Shy-Drager Syndrome: Parkinson-type which may include symptoms of Parkinson's disease such as slow movement, stiff muscles and mild tremors. Cerebellar type characterized by loss of balance and tendency to fall and combination type which may include symptoms of both types.

Current Western Medicine methods of treatment are limited to controlling symptoms. Anti-parkinson medication such as L-dopa, may be helpful but it can also lower blood pressure even more. To relieve low blood pressure, high levels of salt and fluids are recommended.

Prognosis: Patients usually die within 7 to 10 years after the onset of symptoms. Pneumonia is the most common cause of death, although irregular heartbeat may be responsible for death in some patients.

Case Study

Eldred Soeffker (a.k.a. Al), age 73, a retired businessman and inventor from Annadale Minnesota was first seen at The East West Clinic on September 14, 1999. He was driven to the clinic by his wife Marge. He was diagnosed in 1996 at the Minneapolis Veterans Hospital. Al was told that there was no cure for his illness, and by August 1999 his system had begun rapid deterioration. He had the classic symptoms of the combination type

Shy-Drager syndrome: muscle weakness, inability to get up from chair or bed without assistance. Hypotension was being corrected with high salt diet. He had both bladder and bowel incontinence and was using Depends [TM]. His speech was sluggish and he hallucinated frequently, "seeing people, men, women and children." He also complained of low back and cervical neck pain due to a herniated disc in the lumbar vertebrae. Colon was weak and had frequent constipation. He also had psoriasis in the scalp. Other complaints included hearing loss, sexual dysfunction, severe drooling, visual distortions (he often sees gold trimmings on objects). He also complained of having distortions with his urination; it would come out in a spray rather than a stream.

In 1996, the combination of prescription drugs Levodopa 25 mg., Carbidopa 100 mg. and Fludrocortisone produced severe hallucinations. Symptoms appeared within three weeks of being on these drugs, yet he was kept on these medications for three years. By the time I started treating A1 these hallucinations were so frequent and severe that it became one of his most persistent and debilitating problems.

Alternative Therapies

I was eager to assess Mr. Soeffker's condition using the methods inherent in the practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine, that of tongue and pulse diagnosis as a way of identifying the pattern of disharmony that may be at the root of his illness. His tongue was dry and pale with indentations at the borders. All 12 pulses were weak and thready. Both findings were indicative of a pattern of severe chi (energy) and yang deficiencies. This pattern explained the symptoms of low energy; muscle weakness, muscle incoordination, hypotension, impotence, slow and sluggish movements, bowel and bladder incontinence. Since all channels were involved, it signified a condition that has been chronic and severe. Using Dr. John Trowbridge's Candida questionnaire I was able to determine that he had candidiasis. Symptoms such as psoriasis, and weakness of the colon led me to the possibility that he suffered from systemic yeast overgrowth or candidiasis.

I believe that the Shy Drager Syndrome is possibly an outcome of long standing candidiasis. Dr. AV Costantini, MD, director of The World Health Organization division on Mycotoxins has documented through research that mycotoxins from long term fungal infestation can lead to autoimmune diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus Erythematosus, Sjogren's etc. [2] Shy Drager Syndrome, with Parkinsonian-like manifestations may fall into this category

My own observations over the 16 years that I have practiced TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of Candida Related Complex concurs with Dr. Constantini's findings that many types of cancers, and chronic progressive diseases are outcomes of long standing, undiagnosed and untreated candidiasis.

Goals of therapy

1. Reverse the pattern of chi and yang deficiency which in turn will reverse the symptoms stemming from that particular imbalance.

2. Cleanse system from fungal infection.

3. Detoxify system from prescription drugs that are causing hallucinations.

4. Promote the healing process and strengthen all systems.

The plan of therapy

1. Acupuncture treatments twice a week, electrical stimulation or electroacupuncture to acupuncture points.

2. Dietary supplements and Chinese herbal medicine.

3. Hypnotherapy.

4. Colon cleanse

5. Liver cleanse.

Acupuncture: Li4 was my choice for electrical stimulation to generate more yang, UB 23 and CV6, to take care of the incontinence and low back pain. Other points used were liver 8, spleen 2, kidney 7, large intestine 11, heart 9, conception vessel 6 etc. Moxibustion was also used in conjunction with acupuncture to create more chi and stimulate yang energy. The tongue and 12 pulses were assessed before each treatment and acupuncture points varied for each treatment depending on these findings and according to the symptoms predominant at that time.

Supplements used: MSM 500 mg. 2 caps. twice a day. Methyl Sulfonyl Methane or organic sulfur is beneficial as bonding agent for the absorption of vitamins and minerals, also beneficial for muscle strength and joint mobility

Essential Botanical is a multivitamin multi-mineral formula with special ability to tonify chi and help patient regain energy and stamina; 2 tbsp.twice a day. Choline and Inositol 250 mg. to improve mental function; 2 caps twice a day. Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc combination, two a day. Chromium Picolinate 200 mcg one tab, daily.

The chinese herbal preparation known as Bu Shing Wan, combined with Du Huo Ji sheng Wan were used to correct a recurrent pattern of kidney chi deficiency. Oxycleanse [TM] an oxygen colon conditioner, was used to help regulate his bowels. Dermasoothe [TM] a topical solution containing DMSO, Tea Tree Oil, Grapefruit Seed extract and Willard water, a product I formulated for my patients with candida dermatitis, was used for this purpose.

The initial anti-fungal and colon cleanse I used was the combination of Caprol, Bentonite, Psyllium and Acidophilus. This is taken as a shake twice a day on an empty stomach. Mr. Soeffker used this mix for the first three months. This regimen was combined with the Candida diet. This diet eliminates foods that feed yeast and create more breeding ground for them. Hence all refined sugar, foods with yeast as an ingredient, dairy, alcohol and fermented foods were eliminated. The antifungals were rotated every three months. In subsequent rotations I used the following antifungals along with homeostatic soil organisms: Grapefruit seed extract, Kolorex, Olive Leaf Extract, and Undecelinate acid. The choices for this regimen are based on my research and published in my book Conquering Yeast Infections: The Non Drug Solution. [3]

Treatment Outcome

From Acupuncture, herbal medicine and dietary supplements. After his first treatment he was able to get up from chair without help, able to get up without assistance even from a kneeling position; 4 treatments later, the bladder and bowel incontinence which he had for the past 10 days was nearly normal with infrequent episodes. After one more treatment, incontinence was completely controlled. It was at this time that he asked if something could be done for his drooling. I used L14 and GB 20 and used electrical stimulation. Two acupuncture sessions took care of this problem.

Barely one month since we started treatments here, he was happy to report that he was now able to lift his legs into bed without assistance and most impor-tantly, his sexual function had come back. By his 8th treatment, a month after we started treat-ments I observed that he was able to climb onto the acupuncture table and position himself for a back treatment and able to dress himself without help. He was no longer a nursing home candidate!

He has resumed taking walks, a pastime and exercise that he loved but was unable to do. His posture, walking, joint flexibility, vision, all greatly improved, however he was still hallucinating. These episodes are uncomfortable, keep him up at night, he sees his dead friend often, and he sees figures in the house. His vision quickly deteriorated with this disease; his iris were distorted but I was able to correct that with acupuncture. He also developed cataracts and is scheduled for surgery in late June. His hypotension is under control with the use of acupuncture points to balance the kidney channel. By the second month I started him on a liver cleanse as a way to detoxify his system from the side effects of drugs. I used extra virgin Olive Oil, (cold pressed) 1 tbsp, the juice of one whole lemon and taken with stevia as a sweetener. This was taken twice a week for three months. [4]

Al Soeffker and his wife Marge have a beautiful home in Anna Maria Island, Florida. They have spent their winters there for the last 10 years. This year however, they wondered if instead of going to the island home they would end up taking Al to a Nursing Home. After three months of therapy using the combination of acupuncture, colon and liver cleanses, along with supplements, he was strong enough to take some time off without treatments. So by January of 2000 they left for Florida with the stipulation that if he regressed they would come right back to resume treatments. While in Florida he was able to take walks outdoors. Six days a week he went to a fitness center and biked for 20 minutes, used the treadmill for 20 minutes and for another 20 minutes he used assorted equipment for upper and lower body toning. His blood pressure maintained at a normal level even without the acupuncture and he stopped taking the salt pills.

In February they came back to Minnesota for a visit and came to the clinic to check in and to get two treatments. His symptoms were all under control and he was physically more fit.

They came back to Minnesota in April, 2000 and at this time the only remaining major problem was the recurrent hallucinations. On April 4, 2000 at the request of Dr. Michael Shear, MD, neurologist, he had a brain scan done to rule out cerebrovascular accident or tumor.

The summary of Charles Hirt, MD stated "Other than early cortical atrophy of the brain, the brain appears unremarkable, no acute event, no evidence of metastatic deposits." At the same time he also had blood samples drawn for blood chemistries. The Bay Pine Laboratory reports showed his values within normal levels with the exception of BUN which was slightly high, Normal is 7 to 21, his value was 27.

Since both the brain scan and the lab test were unremarkable, the hallucinations could very well be long term side effects of drug therapy (the combination of Carbidopa and Fludrocortisone).

With Marge and Al's permission, I tried hypnotherapy using Dr. Modi's method. I have been trained in hypnotherapy and I use this method often in my practice. The first session was done on April 14, 2000. In addition to the releasing process I decided to include suggestions that would take care of his other physical problems, for example, his urination has been a problem in that instead of coming out as a stream of urine, it came out as a spray, causing all kinds of hygienic problems. The urologist had no procedure to correct this problem.

He also had stiffness in the joints that affected his neck posture badly and made his knees very stiff. So during the suggestion phase of the hypnotherapy I built in suggestions that would correct the urination and the joint stiffness. I gave him command phrases to use during the week. For hallucinations I told him to use the phrases "follow the light," "move out of my mind," for stiffness, the word "loosen" and for urination, the word "stream." At first he had problems remembering these command words, he was better at picturing the words in his mind rather than saying them. It must have been sufficient because all these problems corrected themselves, startng with the urination. He still suffers occasional hallucinations but is definitely showing a reduction of these episodes. Moreover, since I added the hypnotherapy to our sessions he has been calmer, less panicked and fearful. Marge commented that the angry look in his eyes is gone.

At this writing Al is more alert, his speech is improving and all the gains we have achieved are maintaining. BP staying normal without salt supplements, he is not on any medication. His balance is better, his limbs more flexible and his posture is even improved. He is mowing the lawn this summer, and Marge can leave him alone now for a few hours at a time. It is now exactly 10 months since he started treatments here.

I spoke to Linda Nee MSW, who does family studies at the NIH (National Institutes of Health). She has talked to about 200 families with a family member having Shy-Drager Syndrome. I also talked to Don Sommers of the National Shy-Drager support group. Neither one of them has encountered this type of reversal on a diagnosed case of Shy-Drager Syndrome. If this is true, it could truly be a breakthrough in the treatment of Shy-Drager syndrome.

I waited ten months to share my findings because I wanted to see if the progress I was observing was indeed proving to be sustained and showing a trend towards more stability and I am pleased to say that it is. I would like patients and practitioners alike reading my story to try the combination of acupuncture, liver and colon cleanses, Candida diet, supplements and hypnotherapy on patients with this diagnosis.

Notes from Marge Soeffker

I believe that it is Colet Lahoz's unique method of acupuncture where she uses more needles and treats the whole being, that contributed to this remarkable recovery. With acupuncture she was also able to improve Al's deafness which he suffered from for 10 years. He hears well now and no longer needs his hearing, aid.

The acupuncture along with special diet, the colon cleanses and the use of hypnotherapy, proved to be the appropriate method to reverse Al's disease. I feel that the Carbidopa and Fludrocortisone were not at all beneficial and that they caused more detriment. The hallucinations they brought about are now the only remaining problems.

References

(1.) National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Shy Drager Syndrome. National Institute of Health. Bethesda, Maryland 20892 May 1996

(2.) Costantini, A.V., MD The Fungal Mycotoxin connections : Autoimmune Diseases, Malignancies, Atherosclerosis, Hyperlipedemias, and Gout, Transcripts of 28th Annual Meeting In New Horizons in Chemical Sensitivities: State Of The Art Diagnosis and Treatment, Oct. 1993:3031

(3.) Lahoz, S.C. RN, MS, LAc. Conquering Yeast Infections The Non Drug Solutions East West Publications 1996 pp140-143 Lahoz, S.C. RN. MS, LAc. Candidiasis: An Initial Indication Of a Positive Treatment Approach Townsend Letter For Doctors and Patients. July 1995 p.68

(4.) Konlee, Mark How To Reverse Immune Dysfunction. Keep Hope Alive 1997

COPYRIGHT 2001 The Townsend Letter Group
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