Kidney Stones - What to expect (My story)
-posted March 2022
I eat well, not overweight, look good for my age, however don't exercise nearly as much as before having kids. So having a medical episode with kidney stones was unexpected, disruptive and painful. The only indication of what was to come was over a 4-6 week period prior to October 2021...I began getting an urge to pee (#1) at all times of day & night often with little/no urine (a unique form of torture as sleep is disrupted- I now empathise with grumpy old men who may have prostate issues). So I did the usual thing and consulted Dr Google, read many articles and concluded I had prostate issues- in the right ballpark but wrong organ!
So after almost 2 months of expectantly standing over the toilet to pee with only a dribble of urine to account for, one afternoon I had an uncharacteristic need to go to the toilet for a #2 which was fine but no ability to pee, so minutes after washing my hands intense pain radiated from my right kidney whereupon I began calling out to my partner for help in a weak voice and having to sit/lie on the floor as the pain intensified- a 5mm kidney stone was obstructing urine and had begun moving from my kidney to the ureter towards the bladder. She gave me a painkiller and then helped me to the car for a drive to the emergency only 15 minutes away. The painkiller had no effect and when you are experiencing this level of pain any words of comfort or suggestions from your partner just becomes an annoying distraction, as the pain becomes the centre of your universe. So upon arrival to the waiting area of the hospital emergency the pain stops 10 minutes later. Obviously something out of the ordinary so wait around for a doctor, send my partner home as don't know how long I'll be sitting around and consulted Dr Google on kidney problems. 10 hours later I was offered a bed while waiting for the results of a CT scan, ultrasound and blood tests. Staff were good and the doctor had great personable patient skills, but obviously where I live there is an issue with the number of beds available (our lockdowns continuing- no COVID outbreak as yet). Relieved to know what the problem was, I left the hospital still in bare feet to catch a taxi home at 8am.
I resolved to up my fluid intake, however 2 months later a second (2-3mm) kidney stone worked itself from the right kidney to the ureter. Again a pitiful cry for help to my partner and a trip to emergency...this time it felt twice as bad with regards to the pain level and duration. Immediately transferred to a bed and treated for the pain- Fentanyl, OxyContin, Neurofen etc which had no effect, however after 1? hour the pain subsided as the stone stopped obstructing urine and/or made its way into the bladder.
Another 2 months later- I'm planning to organise an appointment for an ultrasound soon to find out what the x2 stones in the bladder are doing and see if there are more stones waiting in the wings. Apparently there is some discomfort when passing them out from the bladder via urethra, so I know I haven't passed these 2 stones yet. The urgent feeling to pee has gone, so I expect no more stones in the near future.
In hindsight the problems may have arisen from; (1) having an office job- when working outside one tends to drink more, (2) exercising less as helping my partner look after twins, and (3) maybe related to my uptake of supplements in preparation of COVID. Anecdotally- I did consume homemade kombucha that was over-brewed (ie over-acidic) on the day of the 1st kidney stone which may have 'flushed' it out of the kidney.
Hope this gives you some insight of what to expect, however don't just rely on my anecdotes check out the suggested scientific sources below.
What is a kidney stone- A kidney stone is a hard object that is made from chemicals in the urine. There are four types of kidney stones: calcium oxalate, uric acid, struvite, and cystine
How Common- 1 in 10 people will have a kidney stone at some time in their lives. In the USA the prevalence of kidney stones has risen from 3.8% in the late 1970s to 10% during 2013–2014.
Pain- the stone may stay in the kidney or travel down the urinary tract into the ureter. Sometimes, tiny stones move out of the body in the urine without causing too much pain. The stone starts to hurt when it causes irritation or blockage, which can build rapidly to extreme pain. In most cases, kidney stones pass without causing damage- but usually not without causing a lot of pain. Pain relievers may be the only treatment needed for small stones. But if it is too large, or if it blocks the flow of urine, or if there is a sign of infection, it is removed with surgery.
Passing a Stone- It takes an average of 31 days to pass a small stone. Stones 4mm or larger may take longer or require a medical procedure to assist.
Mental Health disorders can be cured by psychedelics- Australia is dragging its feet
-posted June 2022
The prevalence of mental health disorders worldwide is concerning and is not improving over time. However, a breakthrough treatment is on the horizon, the lives of millions of people worldwide may be improved using psychedelics. A recently completed phase 3 MDMA drug trial improved 88% of participants symptoms and 67% no longer had a PTSD diagnosis. Following a second phase 3 confirmatory trial the FDA will likely give approval for MDMA use in 2023. In addition to PTSD, data support the use of MDMA for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and alcohol and drug use disorders. Psychedelic compounds can cure mental disorders with a very high success rate, whereas current treatments using psychotropic drugs do not cure disorders, require long term use, and have many concerning side effects.
Now is the opportunity for Australian authorities to prepare the way for psychedelic treatments the day after the United States' FDA approve MDMA treatments. The government should consider donating to (crowd-funded) MAPS research, reclassify MDMA for therapy use, train therapists to carry out these treatments, promote these therapies and accelerate for PBS listing. Aside from significant economic cost savings, other benefits potentially include; reduced crime, less separations/divorces, workers returning to work sooner, less homeless on the street, reduce numbers of long term drug dependence…etc
The Australian government response thus far has been lukewarm. The messaging at this time is that MDMA will remain a Class 1 illegal substance and more research required. The retort to this is that MDMA has been researched by MAPS for 20 years and they have developed a successful protocol for its use.
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists says: "The safety and effectiveness of these substances are not yet properly understood, and it was too early to be giving them to the public.”- they are obviously not well informed of the multitude of trials over the past decade and I’m not sure if this is the appropriate organisation to approve this treatment (which can cure disorders), particularly if their livelihoods are at stake?
Mental Health- Worldwide: According to WHO data over 970 million people have a mental disorder.
Mental Health- Australia: In Australia nearly 1 in 2 people had experienced a mental disorder during their lifetime (National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing 2007). A total of 4.8 million (1 in 5) reported that they had a mental or behavioural condition, whereas 58% of those with severe disability had a mental or behavioural condition (The National Health Survey 2017–18).
In Australia the number of patients claiming government subsidised & co-payment prescriptions in 2019-2020 has increased to 4.4million, with the number of prescriptions totalling 40,746,212. The Mental Health Services industry has been a growth industry totalling $10,434,000,000 ($10.4 billion) for 2019-2020, this only accounts for 7.6% of total health services cost. A government should use every opportunity to reduce costs and reduce the burden to taxpayers.
Current treatments include;
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pharmaceutical drugs (anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, mood-stabilising & antipsychotic medications)- which are expensive, requires long term or life-long use, have a laundry list of side effects, only manages symptoms & does not cure disorders
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Psychotherapy (psychiatrists are mainly focussed on pharmaceutical drug treatments),
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Brain-stimulation treatments (negative connotations- see book/movie “One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest”),
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Hospital and residential treatment programs (limited resources).
There is a plethora of alternative Mental Health Therapies with people looking for more accessible and cheaper options…exercise and meditation have been proven to help. However, a person suffering a mental disorder may not be self-aware or motivated enough to help themselves.
MDMA Timeline;
UPDATE- in a surprising move from 1 July 2023 MDMA and psilocybin can be prescribed by authorised psychiatrists in Australia, after the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) reclassified the two substances from a schedule 9 listing—reserved for prohibited drugs with addiction potential that can be used only in the context of clinical trials or research—to schedule 8, which allows them to be prescribed with controls.
Schizophrenia - Psychosis (alternative treatment options?)
-posted December 2022
Standard psychiatrist treatments for Schizophrenia (psychosis) is currently limited to prescribing anti-psychotics (and at times anti-depressants) until the right combinations and dosages are tolerated by the patients. These medications are for long term or even life-long use as the underlying mental disorder is not cured, but may recur numerous times throughout the patient's lifetime.
Promising recent studies and theories point to alternative treatments in the near future that are likely to place schizophrenia in remission with little/no medication.
Triggers- I have witnessed psychotic episodes triggered on the day of the (complicated) birth of my kids, recurring psychotic episodes during a stressful period during a house move and travelling overseas, and also associated with chronic back pain interfering with sleep cycles. These episodes appear to have an association with hormonal fluctuations and stress which have a detrimental effect on the gut biome.
Alternative Treatments & the Gut Biome-
(i) Diet; Dr Chris Palmer of Harvard Medical School posits a connection between nutrition, metabolism and mental health ("Mental disorders are metabolic disorders of the brain"), and has used ketogenic diets to successfully treat patients with various mental illnesses, including depression and schizophrenia. Certain conditions likely arise from mitochondrial dysfunction, and low-carbohydrate diets increase mitochondrial turnover to improve mental health and positively impact the gut microbiome and weight loss.
(ii) Fecal Transplant; researchers have taken fecal samples from human schizophrenic patients and transplanted them into healthy, germ-free mice- the mice colonised with the schizophrenic microbiome soon displayed behavioural changes that have been associated with mouse models of schizophrenia. Metabolic studies in the affected mice suggested the changes in microbiome caused alterations in their glutamate signalling. Neuroscience news in March 2022 published research from Parker & Green in Australia where fecal transplants were undertaken on x2 bipolar patients who subsequently became symptom free and required no medication. Abnormal gut microbiomes have been linked to bipolar, depression and schizophrenia.
Although mental health issues are prevalent in society it is not until you have lived with someone with a condition such as schizophrenia that you truly get an understanding of the issues involved- the limited health system support mechanisms, medications and their concerning side effects (or patient not taking their medication), devolving of relationship from partner to carer, kids poor reactions and lack of trust of an unresponsive and at times impulsive parent, x2 to a x1 income family, uncertainties of the future and pressures on my own mental health dealing with all of this. The appeal here is for more funding and trials of alternative treatments such as low carbohydrate/keto diet & more importantly poo transplants which appear to have the greatest promise (controlling the diet of someone with mental health condition is very difficult).
Caregiver’s Hindsight of Schizophrenia
-posted August 2023
Schizophrenia is a bitch. The burden is on the Caregiver, and current protocols do not cure the condition.
The worst-case scenario for a Carer is that you will; experience negative emotions, deal with your kids negative reactions and changing relationship with their mother, embarrassment, implied and actual allegations, doubt the ability of your relationship to survive, job and financial insecurities, and uncertainty of the future. You are not alone as schizophrenia numbers in Australia are estimated at 260,000, which directly impacts about 1 million people caring and/or living in same household. Outside of the emergency room they will be handed over to a Carer (husband, wife, parent, etc.) as large psychiatric institutions were closed in the 1970-1980s. With current protocols schizophrenics have reported suicide attempts of 18-55%, live 15-20 years less and have a twofold increased risk of dementia. This appears to be an acceptable scenario to the medical community and endorsed by the government.
Hindsight is understanding the problem and getting help ASAP- this condition will not go away, and it will progressively get worse without treatment. If you have determined she has schizophrenia and she won’t let you take her to the hospital emergency department then see if the local Mental Health hospital will do a home visit and assess her for an involuntary patient admission. After emergency treatment you must check that she is taking her medication and if she develops odd side effects (substantial weight gain, restlessness, bruising etc) then the medicine can be changed. If she refuses to take the medication then there is an option to have it as a monthly injection. If you have doubt then just do it, no harm only benefits to all.
My own personal journey will give you some insight- My partner has been diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder which was initiated with the complicated birth of twins, whereupon she suffered post-partum psychosis and depression and was admitted to the Mother Baby Unit for 3-4 months. She does not recognise that she is unwell and is reluctant to take her medication and attend psychiatric sessions, as such she has had a number of psychotic episodes. The only treatment on offer are anti-psychotic drugs, their side effects reinforce her reluctance to take them. The psychotic delusions have led to multiple visits to the Emergency department and appointments with psychiatrists. This has had a profound impact on our x3 kids, psychologically impacting their behavioural development. So, a blessed event has turned into a long-term stressful nightmare.
*Post-partum psychosis- began the night of giving birth (she began confiding in me that the nurses were talking about her in a derogatory way)
[This could have been diagnosed if a professional had asked the right questions following birth]
*Treatment took awhile to start- she was not as happy as I expected new mothers to be, her psychosis got worse with hearing voices, TV talking about her, chip in her brain etc. I ‘Dr Googled’ her symptoms and diagnosed her accurately, but it took time to get treatment as she would walk out of emergency departments and avoid GP appointments.
[I did not know how the system worked, nor how to admit her as an involuntary patient]
*Mother Baby Unit- the nurses were great, however my interaction with the psychiatrist made me feel that she was implying that I may have triggered her illness via some sort of abuse (baseless).
[I was given no information nor support as a Carer]
*Psychosis- the type of psychosis can be shaped by culture and/or religion. It is effectively a fear/stress response- they imagine being spied upon, controlled by microchip in brain, FBI, health issues etc.
[Reasoning and logic will not allay their fears. Only medication can help, it takes a couple of weeks to start working but only if they take their medication and at the right dosage.]
*Medication & Side Effects- anti-psychotic drugs are the (only) primary treatments, all have side effects. There is evidence that the medications can cause addictions- Abilify (Aripiprazole) is associated with debilitating compulsive behaviour (gambling and sex addictions etc).
[Your partner not acting themselves so intimate moments awkward or non-existent. May receive many deliveries from online shopping. A gambling addiction is of great concern as your partner may still have access to shared bank accounts]
*Emergency Department Psychiatrists- fantastic knowledgeable crews with compassion
[Outside of the emergency department we mainly dealt with junior consultant psychiatrists who at times came across as pharmaceutical representatives- a reflection of the limited tools on hand]
*Impact on kids- her psychosis focused on health issues for a time which resulted in harassing the kids and interrupting their sleep which resulted in anger in two and anxiety in the third. Although her delusions are now mainly focused on herself the kids have learnt to ignore their mother. She only has minimal interactions with them now.
[School & teachers amazing with their understanding and methods to help the primary school kids. Teenager reluctant to see the school psychologist as visits are not hidden from her peers. I do not think psychologists help much with the younger kids.]
*Embarrassment- phones are generally not taken away so calls and messages for help to family and friends during treatment. If she has lost trust in you she may paint you in a bad light as you admitted them to hospital as an involuntary patient and they don’t understand why they are locked up in hospital.
[As a Carer you have to learn to talk to people, to get help and reassurance. You cannot keep it bottled up or you will get depressed and maybe walk away- you have a responsibility to ensure innocent kids are cared for and need to provide them a foundation of support or they will suffer long-term]
*Privacy Issues- there is a legal element in all this which seemingly delays & ties doctor’s hands with their ability to treat patients in a timely fashion. Lawyers have undermined the medical profession...paperwork is the priority, not the patient.
[I suggested recording the delusional patient to show them later to convince them they are unwell and get insight- denied due to privacy issues. Doctors only follow the protocols- maybe they should focus more on fixing their patients.]
*Changing Psychiatrists- this can be an issue if the new psychiatrist has an ego such that they choose to ignore the previous doctor’s recommendation, ignore patient’s history and past behaviour, and instead choose to re-assess the patient themselves in a single session.
[This occurred for us, this has meant a delay in correct treatment by 7 months. When I angrily called this psychiatrist to ask why she ignored previous doctor’s recommendation of an injection if not taking pills, she told me we were merely having a domestic dispute! WTF- my wife was clearly delusional at this time and I had updated the nurse that she had not been taking medication, this doctor gave her a prescription and sent her home. This delay appears to have changed her views of her kids, me and her position in society (now brain damaged?)]
*GP Doctors- can help with a Mental Health plan, and direct to appropriate government services.
[However, they can also reinforce delusions by ignoring the fact that the patient is mentally ill and defer to all their requests for referrals to specialists, blood tests etc. even though excessive and unnecessary]
*Alternative Treatments- I have a scientific background so I looked into the current research of mental health illnesses and there appears to be x2 different approaches which result in remission (low carbohydrate diet or Fecal Microbiome Transplant). When I queried her junior consultant psychiatrists I have been met with blank stares and note taking...it appears they do not read the literature outside of medical school.
[I wrote a letter to the Minister for Health & Mental Health WA to consider complementary treatments which have no side effects- rejected on grounds of not standard protocols & lacking double blind trials. The bureaucracy is conservative and ignores the direct and indirect costs to society, and I would suggest that the legal system prevents doctors using complementary treatment options.]
I can think of nothing worse than experiencing psychotic delusions- losing my mind and thinking family & friends are turning on me, government spying on me etc. This may sound morbid but dealing with a medical incident or (God forbid) loss is preferable to dealing with a delusional schizophrenic who does not accept they are unwell. They are effectively “walking wounded” with delusions that defy logic, make unsubstantiated claims and undermine the lives around them. I have been reassured that with the correct medication schizophrenics will develop insight into their condition and can lead a normal life. But as current protocols do not cure the condition the delusions will come up again & again in the future.
The only things that appear to cure the condition are (1) a low carbohydrate/ketone diet which enables the body to use ketones (not glucose) as an energy source [see Dr Chris Palmer book], (2) Fecal Microbiome Transplant (FMT capsules ideal) works according to research and trials. Unfortunately, its nigh impossible to control a schizophrenics diet, and the FMT can only be accessed if you can find a psychiatrist willing to access this option via the TGA and if the schizophrenic still trusts authority.
Ethically a complementary treatment protocol using FMT may be the best course of action to minimise harm. I would urge the reader to do some research themselves on FMT (I can place more info on website?) and write to their government representatives for more action- suggest FMT as a complementary treatment which is cheap and easy as FMT have been encapsulated by OpenBiome (FMT capsule G3), Ferring Pharmaceuticals (Rebyota) and Seres Therapeutics (SER-109). The Australian company BiomeBank’s FMT capsules are still under development in 2023.
*local & state politicians
*State Government- Minister for Health and Mental Health
*State Government- Mental Health Commission
*Federal Government- Minister of Health & Aged Care
Plastics Exposure - endocrine disruptors
-posted January 2024
1862- plastic first manufactured
1907- first fully synthetic plastic
1950s- Tupperware food containers
2018- microplastics in our food
PLASTIC is a material that can be formed and moulded under heat and pressure. Synthetic materials such as acrylic, nylon, and polyester are made from chemicals such as thermoplastic, which outgas plastic molecules whenever they are heated. BPA is found in polyester-based clothing with spandex. Plastics are endocrine disruptors which mimic, block or interfere with the natural hormones in the body. These chemicals are associated with a wide array of health issues- cancerous tumours, birth defects, prenatal growth, thyroid function, glucose metabolism, obesity, puberty, fertility, etc.
COVID - What we were told & the Facts in Hindsight
-posted June 2024
COVID was discovered in 2019. It soon morphed into a worldwide pandemic leading to 7 million deaths, lockdowns, rollout of untested gene therapies ('vaccine'), and misinformation campaigns.
In hindsight the Survival Rate from COVID is 99.3%- the resultant lockdowns, business closures, record government debt & resultant inflation not justified. A glance at the mortality rates in Sweden, Texas and Florida indicate that lockdowns were unnecessary, and that measures to protect the most vulnerable was more than enough. A summary of the COVID period below indicates that COVID messaging was misleading.
One disconcerting statistic is reflected in the Australian data- Australia was in a unique position as an island nation in being able to do a full lockdown and achieved 95%+ vaccination of the population, however the 'Excess Deaths' now exceeds the COVID deaths. Excess deaths coincides with the COVID 'vaccine' rollouts.
US Members of Congress were quick to respond to the COVID threat with many personal investments in Pfizer. 2 years prior to the COVID outbreak the number of Member investments increased significantly. It has been speculated that Pfizer's lobbying & contributions to elections, and Members of Congress investments (often insider trading) conflicts with clear messaging, placing members of the public at risk.
