TOPIC:

Tezzab4
14/10/2008 14:53:37 »

I took some photo's in the weekend but with much different lighting conditions and the angles are different so with such small and subtle differences which I would expect it would be hard to compare. Tomorrow I will take photos inside and try to take them from the same angle and distance as to make better comparisons.

I will say that the tiredness and soreness that normally occurs at the end of the day is much reduced so much so that on a day when I am not working (standing for the most part) I can hardly notice it at all and those days that I am working it is lessened considerably.

I wonder if anyone knows what is the best way to sit at the computer. Right now I am resting my legs on about a 20 degree slope on an exercise ball. Is this any good?

Does increasing the lung capacity have a significant increase on circulation because there is more surface area to help with the evaporation?

There seems to be exercise which lowers blood pressure mainly aerobic and then there is exercise like heavy weight lifting which seems to increase blood pressue. I recall reading something about how the 2 types of exercise affect intra-occular eye pressure. Ok I've just come across some info on how the Valsalva effect might be the reason why blood pressure increases. I think I will need to read up more on it.

CIAO,
Tezza

Tezza

Thats good news about your tiredness and discomfort. This should improve more over the next 2 weeks.

Can't wait for the photographs too.

Re Sitting posture: Bottoms up is the way to go. Phrase coined by John Simkins formerly manager of the MSRC charity. It means making sure at all times your bottom is higher than your knees and that your legs slope down most of the time.

There are wedge cushions available from Ebay and other suppliers for next to no money. Sitting on one now

Alun has just ordered one. These are good for driving long distances too and more to the point, we now understand why people find them so comfortable.

IBT causes the lungs to inflate and therefore deflate more, as you say this increases the capacity of the lungs so would increase the gas exchange too and therefore would definitely increase circulation so long as our circulation is aligned to the direction of gravity.

alun006
14/10/2008 18:17:23 »

Hi Andrew
I am still getting the knee pain (but only occasionally), but andrew if you compare 1-2 a fortnight compared to whot was 6-8 times a fortnight. as a example, the road to fully sorting out the problem is near.

And as i mentioned on a previous thread, i went on a 10.5 mile hike and did not get a sign of the pain till 5 days after.

alun006

The idea of showing the photograph standing and laying on an inclined bed is so people looking to the IBT photographs can easily understand how tilting the bed so that the feet are lower than the head produces more beneficial results than standing. The picture also shows that the current accepted literature predictions on what according to doctors, nurses and surgeons believe will happen is completely wrong!

There is no pooling, No swollen veins, No decrease in circulation, The heart does not have to work harder and works at a decreased rate than when on a flat bed.

It was very important to obtain these photographs in order to prove this to those that think this therapy is too simple it can’t possibly have an affect.

Showing your legs before you tilted the bed also allows people to determine the differences between standing and sleeping on IBT.

Thanks for correcting me on the knee pain being still a problem but less frequent and less painful , I have altered my post to state this correctly

Thanks again Alun

alun006
15/10/2008 20:02:53 »

Hi Andrew

It seems that this page is being used as a photo gallery for my legs.

So you may aswell have another 2.

left side was taken before i.b.t, and the right side was taken 2 days ago.

Now, the first was taken in the morning before i.b.t, but the second was taken at 8pm at night after 4 months on i.b.t.

Please Note: The yellow dots where originally moles, as that was the best way to track the vein, as it can sometimes be confusing when looking at 2 pictures taken slightly differently on the leg. Click picture to enlarge


Hope this shows how the vein has progressed over the months i have been on i.b.t.
Many Thanks alun
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alun006
27/11/2008 09:52:09 »

Hi Andrew

I have been experiencing some pain, on the back of my thigh recently. It was thought to be The fact i have been getting anxious about the business and other matters at the moment, and this was causing me to tighten the muscles on the back of my thigh, as well as in the groin area.

I also mentioned the lump bulge near my groin, that had decreased from popping out the skin, but could still be felt.

I was examend by the doctor, in the areas i have pointed out above.

The doctor said he would send me for a ultra sound, just to be on the safe side.

I went to the ultra sound expecting everything to be pretty straight forward, he examined my groin and inguinal area, then ask about the bulge on my right hand side, and started to examine this with the ultra sound tool.

I ask him if everything was alright. When he looked at the screen, he said that it looked like i had a aneurysm in that area. immediately i felt concerned, and asked him about it. Nothing much more was said, except that normally drug users get them in that area, at my age when they inject themselves. I was told that it was nothing to worry about, and to make a appointment with my GP for the results.

Now i have never been involved with drug injecting activity before, i am not the age that this normally happens to. To say i am worried is a under estimation.

I wanted to know if you could give any comment on whot has happened here, should i be so worried. I just wanted a bit support, and in site into whot is happening with my vein.

Many Thanks alun006
05/12/2008 11:42:21 »

As I said in our MSN conversation, a pulse should be noticed on examination if it is an arterial bulge or (arterial aneurysm) It should also be firmer than a venous bulge or (blow out) according to the video shown on the link in the first post on this thread. The couch reflex is another indication that this may be a venous blow out / aneurysm, again die to the very soft collapsible nature of the bulge and that the bulge is improving and remaining flat for prolonged periods indicates it is more like a varicose vein than an arterial bulge. We will have to wait and hear the results from the ultrasound to confirm this.

Great news that the problem appears to be resolving itself on Inclined Bed Therapy and that it is level with the skin more than it is raised above the skin as was the case when you first noticed it.

If the problem was worsening rather than improving cause for concern might be in order.

Surgical repair should not become necessary if it is a vein you are observing.

Andrew
alun006
10/12/2008 11:26:26 »

Hi Andrew

It is good to be able to tell you that the bulge in the groin has been described as a anuryseum in the vein ( a bulge in the vein), which means it is not a artery anuryseum bulge problem.

The Doctor has ask me to see a specialist, as he would like to know how this has happened in that area. and the fact it is a vein bulge.

Your advice and support is appreciated, You were spot on with whot you thought about the vein.

I am now hoping that more people will help you with this important study, so instead of them just reading about this amazingly simple therapy and deciding to go try it, they will help by coming back to the study thread and report their findings.

Thankyou alun006

Hi Alun
Many people who have read this thread must be trying it or considering trying IBT. It baffles me why some people take and never contribute anything towards our study. This is the most disheartening thing about all these years spent researching this wonderful discovery. You are a rare find Alun. Your unselfish openness and willingness to help others by sharing your experiences is commendable and very much appreciated.

Great news that the bulge is a varicose vein. You also mentioned other improvements that the doctor picked up on regarding improvements in muscles. Can you elaborate on this a little more?

Karen W.
10/12/2008 11:59:58 »
My varicose vein bulge has no pulse..... but my Aneurysms are located in the Ascending Aorta.. and one in the Descendining side also.. I can somewhat feel the area onascending side more because it hurts at times and I have found my chest is very tender over that spot... no Pulse I am aware of, but mine are arterrial Aneurysms.. not veinous..

I am not on IBT at this moment..Bed has not been put back up yet.

It was helping my veins as well as oedema..also sleep and breathing is easier in that position.....
something elde the bottpm of my feet had quit hurting! They were hurting as soon as I stood up and continued to hurt after lying down!

Will do it again when I get a release from the doctor.

alun006
17/12/2008 20:04:22 »

Andrew,
Found photo from before i.b.t on my calf, was disappointed with the photo as i felt it did not show much of the vein in that area, however as you may be able to see their has been a change in the appearance even though both photos have been taken in a slightly different way.

CALF TOP BEFORE I.B.T (TAKEN CLOSE UP AT THE TOP)


6 MONTHS LATER (TAKEN A BIT FURTHER AWAY THAN THE FIRST)



Thankyou alun006

WHY so Long for accepting what is after all inevitable?
Today is a good day! ,Wednesday 17-Nov-1999
writes,Nope today is truly great day!
I had a chance meeting with a vascular surgeon a couple of weeks ago
he listened as I rambled on about gravity as I do. He then said that
he had to check out my ideas at the hospital and within an hour he came
back to me saying that he had found someone who I was helping and that
the inclined bed appeared to work.
His interest is in circulatory problems including oedema gangrene
varicose veins and leg ulcer.
An important development is now taking place with regards of setting up
a clinically controlled study into varicose veins oedema and gangrene.
A vascular surgeon has expressed an interest in my work and wants to
become involved with a study to see what effect gravity has on the
above conditions. I have waited so long for this to happen and am
delighted with the outcome to say the least.
Last year I met with Professor Ernst and three Doctors at Exeter
University during a presentation of my findings. Professor Ernst said
that he found the whole subject fascinating and would like to see a
study conducted. Unfortunately The Dr who Professor Ernst recommended
would have nothing to do with the study. This was a major set back as
we were hoping to include many of his patients on the study.
I have written to Professor Ernst and informed him of the vascular
surgeons interest and he has written to me asking me to jointly write a
protocol for the study. When completed Professor Ernst will edit the
protocol and help to present the case for obtaining funding. Ernst is
one of the Worlds leading figures in alternative and complimentary
medicine.
The Journal for Alternative and Complimentary medicine are to publish a
feature about my discovery either this month or next.
John Simkins formally Chairman of the Multiple Sclerosis Resource
Centre in Essex called on Sunday to tell me that he was at a meeting
with over 200 people involved in MS. He was amazed when someone stated
publicly that raising a bed by six inches at the head end significantly
reduces the production of urine and reduces the number of times that
people go to the bathroom at night. He asked if he could give my name
and telephone number in a paper he is writing about the meeting. I of
course agreed.
I met Adrian Sanders MP on Sunday and he has visited the message board
which is frequented by all of the people involved in our study on the
Internet. He printed out the information and is attempting to gain the
interest of the new Minister for Health. Adrian attempted to set up a
meeting with the former Health Minister Frank Dobson but was blocked by
Civil Servants and is concerned that the same Civil Servants are still
in Office. At the very least Adrian who appeared in the Local Papers
in support of my work expects to generate some government interest
this time and is now even more determined to push this important
discovery forward.
There is currently a tremendous amount of professional and
non-professional interest in our discovery by people all over the World
due to the positive study results on the Internet Message Board. Thank
you Cheryl for setting this up and maintaining it in an orderly way.
Lawrence who is now the Manager for the Multiple Sclerosis Resource
Centre is planning to visit me this month to learn more about my
research and to discuss how we could move this forward with regards to
reaching more people with multiple sclerosis. Lawrence would like to
see a controlled study set up independently of myself to see if the
results can be replicated. However I feel that this would leave me high
and dry as usual with zero funding unless I can become involved in
some way.
Andrew

OldDragon
24/12/2008 20:32:22 »

This is excellent news, Andrew.

Not been around much of late, as so busy this time of year, but can report that my oedema is still behaving itself, and I can now get my wellies, plus thick socks on and with the legs of my trews tucked into those boots easily. Not had any repeats of the phlebitis that I am prone to, either.

Brilliant. Thanks for the update about your oedema problem being sorted out using Inclined Bed Therapy. (The opposite tilting of a bed to mainstream advice) Impressive also because you have been subjected to chemotherapy and the disruption this has on your system, one would anticipate some increased fluid retention. But this presents a problem for curent thinking on the cause of oedema.
The post above is from earlier research. Was placed there so that people can see just how long this research has been kept out of mainstream medicine. The sad thing is that each time we get close to conducting a controlled study. The doctors back out and do not keep their word. Same goes for the charities!
OldDragon
27/12/2008 03:00:31 »
I should also have mentioned that my lumbar spine - the area where xrays show that I've a chronic degenerative problem/osteoarthritis has been remarkably pain free of late. Usually, at this time of the year, that can be particularly painful - well, give me a constant dull aching sensation that can really wear one's spirits down. As things stand, I get just a bit of discomfort there if I over-do things, and also in my right hip, but that is also pretty good, too. Wish I could say the same regarding the ongoing nerve pain that seems to be lingering at the site of the last op! Despite it being nearly six months since that op, and nearly a month since the last chemo cycle, today it has been feeling as if I've an alien rodent attempting to chew its way out from under my oxter! It's a very weird sensation - especially as the surface of the skin there is still numb!

Al, thank you for posting your observations for us. Glad you are finding some pain relief from IBT too, especially with what you have recently been through regarding chemotherapy.

The nerve pain you are experiencing could be part of a healing process going on to repair the damage done by surgery in the area you mentioned.

Are the varicose veins and oedema still improving, or have they remained stable for several months?

Has anyone commented on your appearance as Chemotherapy often has an impact on general health and welbeing? Has your hair condition improved at all during chemotherapy or has Chemo prevented any regrowth?

13/01/2009 15:22:54 »

Photographs taken today of Alun's calf varicose vein which is hardly visible after 6 months of Inclined Bed Therapy.

Note the changes from this picture taken of the same varicose vein after 10 weeks of IBT

Note the changes at 10 weeks in Alun's calf varicose vein. We can clearly see some darkened are where the veins are already returning to normal appearance. Also we can see dimples where varicose veins have been returned level with the skin surface. The last photograph we have seen before but it shows the remarkable improvements after 6 months of IBT. Remember no surgery or drugs have been used by Alun, who was advised by his consultant that surgery would be required in order to correct his varicose veins. Remember also that Alun was using a support / compression stocking and no longer needs to wear any compression aid.

He has also worn shorts on the beach with his family for the first time in many years.

I doubt a controlled study will be forthcoming in the foreseeable future and due to reluctance of people testing this theory and not providing us with the evidence we need to provide a convincing argument we are now considering going to the National Newspapers in order to make this known as an alternative treatment to people who face surgery which is proven to be ineffective, risky and definitely not cost effective.

Alun has experience many improvements. One being a severe pain in his knee, that has troubled him since the age of 4. At 34 the pain has largely gone.

OldDragon
28/01/2009 01:36:20 »

Showed my legs - the oedema and the veins prone to phelbitis - to my doctor yesterday. He's well impressed. wink

Not doing so good in other areas and have to see an orthopaedic consultant because of problems with my left shoulder and arm that seem to be related to the surgery to remove the lymph nodes. Also having ongoing problems relating to the effect of the chemo on my GI tract. That's aggravating the infernal piles... always said those were my worst VVs, Andrew!

Thank you for your post. Great to get some feedback from a doctor for a change too.
The surgery was inevitably going to cause some problems with aches and pains and chemo’s certainly is not going to help your digestion. Perhaps once your digestive system has chance to recover the piles may have a decent chance of improving too. But yes you did say haemorrhoids was an ongoing problem for you, and it is disappointing that these have not yet began to settle.

On a positive note, we may have another lady joining our study who has varicose veins and has hopefully taken some photographs for us. She has already mentioned that after 1 night on IBT she noticed her veins were less inflated than the previous day.

Andrew

2008 Dec;18(6):318-24. Epub 2008 Oct 15.
Head-up sleeping improves orthostatic tolerance in patients with syncope.
Cooper VL, Hainsworth R.
Cardiorespiratory Unit, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK.
OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to examine the effect of head-up sleeping as a treatment for vasovagal syncope in otherwise healthy patients. Treatment for syncope is difficult. Pharmacological treatments have potential side effects and, although other non-pharmacological treatments such as salt and fluid loading often help, in some cases they may be ineffective or unsuitable. Head-up sleeping may provide an alternative treatment. METHODS: Twelve patients had a diagnosis of vasovagal syncope based both on the history and on early pre-syncope during a test of head-up tilting and graded lower body suction. They then underwent a period of 3-4 months of sleeping with the head-end of their bed raised by 10 degrees , after which orthostatic tolerance (time to pre-syncope during tilt test) was reassessed. RESULTS: Eleven patients (92%) showed a significant improvement in orthostatic tolerance (time to pre-syncope increased by 2 minutes or more). Plasma volume was assessed in eight patients and was found to show a significant increase (P < 0.05, Wilcoxon signed-rank test). There was no significant change in either resting or tilted heart rate or blood pressure after head-up sleeping. INTERPRETATION: Head-up sleeping is a simple, non-pharmacological treatment which is effective in the majority of patients. However, it may not be tolerated by patients or bed-partners long term and whether the effects continue after cessation of treatment remains to be determined

BenV
18/02/2009 10:26:12 »

How do you feel about that study Andrew? Obviously it's good news, but...

It's clearly an indication that someone is looking into inclined beds, despite your earlier claims of it being blocked by the medical community, in fact, there are a number of reports in the same journal on similar ideas.

15 years Ben. Why has it taken so long?

I am delighted with this paper. Though I BT had already proved the point of improved orthostatic intolerance with people who have neurological conditions, including multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury.

This paper is the first to my knowledge using prolonged inclined bed rest as a model for a study.

I am very excited to say the least. This will indeed open the floodgates for more studies to test the other parameters that have been unlocked by years of independent research. Now we need a study for multiple sclerosis and IBT, then another for spinal cord injury and IBT, and another for Parkinson’s disease and IBT, and another for cerebral palsy and IBT and not forgetting Varicose Veins, Oedema and IBT.

These are simple low cost studies that will earn many students Phd’s But more importantly will improve the lives of people with these conditions.

A great deal more has been happening on the Inclined Bed Therapy Front.

It was blocked Ben. All I needed was a bigger plunger!

alun006

Hi Andrew

I have been doing i.b.t for approx 8 month now.

I have benefitted as you can see on the photos i have submitted, however it has took me quiet a while to get used to new formed muscle mass i have been able to gain on this therapy.

For many years, I have never experienced being able to use my muscles on my bottom half and noticed with in weeks of doing i.b.t my legs muscles looking different and i was able to move them as i had not been able to before.

I had not increased my daily exercise and was finding it hard to understand the reason for such a change.

With my knee pain improvement, i was able to look at increasing my exercise with ease. But with the change in the way my muscles were working came frustration as i started to pull muscles up that i didn't relise that i could. This has taken a while to get used to, and would sometimes give me pain until i relised i was actually doing this myself. shocked

The therapy is giving me great benefits, and i thankyou for sharing your knowledge with the world.

Thankyou
alun006

This is a very important observation and one that has been reported by many people using Inclined Bed Therapy.

Your ability to connect with and move muscles you could not control prior to IBT is something my wife and I noticed. Especially the abillity to tense these muscles to the point where they hurt as you have mentioned was fascinating for us too.

But more to the point, where muscular atrophy has taken place due to neurological problems, the muscles respond and become stronger without the exercise one would normally attribute to muscle building. This was noticed on John and Julian, both who sustained complete spinal cord injury, yet their muscles were observed to firm up along with many other improvements from IBT.

But non more so than the 12 year old girl with cerebralpalsy who had not walked since birth and has never developed strong muscles in her legs until her bed was tilted. Her mother called me to say the bed was being placed horizontal after she had walked. I was astonished that she could want to do this after what she and her family had observed with their daughter. When I asked why, she said that her daughters leg and arm muscles were looking far too masculine. Anyway, they did put her bed down but fortunately only for a week or so because the girl was quickly reverting back to her pre IBT condition.

I have not heard from the parents or the girl for many years but will try to make contact and get some more feedback from them.

Great post Alun thank you for all your help. It's a pitty more people reading this will not provide us with a window into their own observations using IBT for varicose veins and Oedema.

03/03/2009 10:04:48 »

Compression stockings find used by astronauts to help prevent varicose veins that prolonged exposure to microgravity causes.

Ironically flat bedrest, the very thing we are avoiding using IBT has also been used as a model for inducing the same harmful effects that micro gravity
causes in the body of healthy astronauts.

Collection: Powerhouse Museum
97/3/3 Compression gaiters, elasticised nylon/metal, worn by Vladimir Titov, USSR, 1988
Description
Compression gaiters, elasticised nylon/metal, worn by Vladimir Titov, USSR, 1983.
A pair of orange elasticised nylon compression gaiters, used to alleviate problems with varicose veins, to which cosmonauts are susceptible as a result of prolonged periods of weightlesness. Each compression gaiter is made of elasticised orange nylon, with a side metal zipper running 3/4 the length of the gaiter. There are adjustable laces (white in one and grey in the other) to improve fit and decrease or increase pressure on the leg. Tapered to fit the shape of the leg, being narrower at the ankle and broadening up the calf. Stretch-stitching around the laces and zips in navy coloured thread.
Production notes
The actual designer is unknown, but it was presumably a doctor or medical technician at one of the medical research facilities associated with the Soviet space program, such as the Institute for Bio-Medical Problems. The gaiters were designed to assist in the alleviation of a specific medical problem, the development of varicose veins in the legs during prolonged periods of weightlessness. Their elastic nature puts pressure on the legs, simulating the effects of gravity and thus preventing swelling of the leg veins. The adjustable lacings allow the gaiters to be 'customised' for the best fit and also provide the capability to vary the pressure on the leg as required.

alun006
06/03/2009 12:51:39 »

Hi Andrew

Another observation,i have noticed has been a difference in the way the veins feel.

Example, i have been treating a small area of ringworm on the top of my calf vein. When i first started treating it, i always felt that when i rubbed the cream in the vein it would feel tender after i had pressed on it.

Now, when i go to do the same thing. I can press on the same area with the same pressure and it is not tender as it was before.

Why would this be happening?
Is it because the vein is strenthening?

alun

Interesting observation.
Varicose veins become less likely to stretch over time using IBT. This is what they remain flat for longer periods as the months of avoiding flat bed rest pass. Unlike a pre-stretched balloon, something you are an expert with The vein is living tissue so just like when a ligament or tendon is overstretched, resting can enable these to recover their former state. This must also apply to a living vein. The longer it remains flat the longer it will stay flat.

This must be a result of as you say a strengthening of the cellular structure of the vein.

Pressing on a swollen vein would force the extra blood back under pressure. Fluids are relatively incompressible so the pressure you apply in one place will have to increase the pressure in another place. In your case it would be pressing on nerves.

When the blood is no longer filling a swollen vein there is less pressure transferred to the nerves when you press the same area.