1/ Harmless #Placebo
64 yr old gentleman. Has mild fatty liver. On meds for high BP. Healthy, farmer. One fine day, he's lethargic. Lost appetite. Feeling under the weather
Gets blood tests done after GP consult. Liver test AST 224 ALT 138. GP says bad fatty liver, starts VitE
2/ Comes back after 14 days. Worsening appetite. Rechecks blood. AST 542 ALT 432. GP refers to me. I ask for alcohol use. Gentleman says never in his life. His family supports him. I ask for #ayurveda#herbals. Says he doesn't believe in that sh*t. I'm impressed. But no diagnosis
3/ Checks for autoimmune liver disease markers, viruses. All negative. Ultimately convinces the elderly man to go for a liver biopsy. He does and the report says. Autoimmune liver disease. Repeat blood markers still negative. Pathologist says ask for drugs. So I do that again.
4/This time more in depth. I ask everything from turmeric to what he ate, cooked, bathed it. The works. Nothing. Then sheepishly, his wife says. He has been on #immuneboosting for #COVID19. As ordered by Government. So thought it was harmless. Here is what he was on👇 #homeopathy
5/ Our good old placebo friend.
But not quite placebo.
Alternative meds can screw up the immune system leading to new onset diseases such as drug triggered autoimmune hepatitis (blood tests may be negative) which can only be confirmed on liver biopsy ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/P…
6/ Next time someone tells you #Homeopathy is no effect, no side effect, prove them wrong. #homeopathy isnt only absolutely useless, it can lead to rare disease conditions and harm.
World Homeopathy Day is coming
Keep this in mind. #MedTwitter#livertwitter#ayush#MedEd
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1/ Cirrhosis patient with new onset fluid in abdomen (ascites) due to excessive salt use in daily foods. Moderate ascites, was advised needle drainage of fluid 4 relief. Heard frm neighbor that once removal starts, then it's transplant. So didnt agree to it. Went 4 #homeopathy 👇
2/
Few wks of #homeopathy, patient very lethargic. No advise 2restrict salt. On the other hand, patient told 2 consume water, #homeo every 2 hours. Came back in few wks in brain failure bcoz sodium level was 114. Admitted. Na corrected.Fluid removed. Stabilizing. #MedTwitter
3/ #Homeopathy mayb subtle 2 cos any effect, adverse event/ this is what proponents wud say, that its mayb no effect, no side effect, but simple fact is that, it deters patients frm real treatment, that's the real danger. #worldhomeopathyday,10th April say no to #Homeopathy
1/Cirrhosis patient on Madhumardan #ayurvedic tabs by #Jain & Pranada #herbal proprietary drug by #Bipha. Patient now with jaundice, recovered from brain failure and an episode of infection. Listed 4 liver transplant. #Ayurveda prescribed by patient's #BAMS sister
Issues👇
2/ Madhumardan contains 32 herbs.
Yes. 32 herbs. It's just crazy. 32 herbs. I can't get over this. Website mentions no side effects. Human #health has no value in #AYURVEDA. This is the truth about the #science of #life which is actually science of #business. Harmful BS.
3/ Pranada is a proprietary medicine. Look at indications for use. Dropsy, hydropsy and cirrhosis. What are these diseases which are totally different from each other, treated with same drug. Vague idiots. AGAIN, #PSEUDOSCIENCE OF BUSINESS. No regard 4 human health. Stupids.
1/ Ministry of #AYUSH new task force 2 study effects of Ashwagandha+Yashtimadhu+Guduchi+Pippali+poly herbal drug (AYUSH-64) #Covid_19
Link: bit.ly/38xe9Pc
Decision coms aftr prev imaginary but negative trials on Ashwagandha+Guduchi+Chyawanprash
More than meets the eye+
2/ This time the ministry is DAMN sure this combination will work - bcoz they hav included their 'trump' card in the treatment combination - AYUSH-64
Know more about this super *cough* drug
Made in 1980 (Yes, older than me)
First released in 2000 4 malaria (yes, anti-parasite)
3/ Sadly, peer-reviewed paper in Current Science
showed it was not good, inferior 2 chloroquine
2016 - licensed 2 #Dabur as anti-malarial - failed 2 gain momentum
In between did an item-number dance as anti-filarial
Movie flopped
1/A retired #oncology professor from a Govt. College. Now dabbles in #Ayurveda. Runs an 'ashram' in Kerala to 'treat' #cancer patients. He refers a patient with BCLC-C stage liver cancer 2me. A nice letter 4 further management. Patient has advanced cancer
Systemic therapy option+
2/ I spent 50 mins with patient/family - discuss prognosis, comfort care - the works. Once patient left 4som blood tests, I tell family, separately, regarding end of life care, once the time comes. They wer sad but contend. Very crunched 4money. So best option - they cudnt afford
3/ Best approved option for advanced liver cancer is Atezo+Bevaci - too expensive. So they tuk next good option - Lenvatinib - affordable for them. I sent a detailed letter with plans, along with patient son, to the evidence-based turned #ayurveda oncology professor. #MedTwitter
1/I'm really not sure what you are getting at. You sound sweet, but ur intentions with respect to medical care are not ideal, SEEMS like u r trying to legitimatize quackery (not sure if u r an ayush practitioner-plz confirm)
This is not welcome and unacceptable behavior.
2/ What does it mean /in their own areas/ this is very concerning. Are you promoting quackery? Do u kno principles of AYU & Siddha. They are highly unscientific. Feels like U R somehow trying to speak pseudoscience without actually speaking pseudoscience - an #AYUSH sympathizer.
3/
There is no role called adjuvant.
It doesn't make sense. Don't understand why U wud keep talking on this topic wen its clear tat integrative medicine is unscientific. A hoax of wellness industry to fraud people. I wish you wud rose above this. Tc. I hav nothing more to add.
I blame UR oncologist - he mayB gud wit diagnosis, but he has no insight & communication skils
I blame ur #homeopath.
He is a quack but gud with communication skills
Want to knw why? Let me xplain👇
3/ Be4 we start, chek this figure from @nature
This shows latest guidelines on treatment of #liver cancer, survival and options.
Luk at stage 0 and stage A [stable #cirrhosis, early disease)
Survival > 10 yr - transplant
Survival > 6 yr - removal surgery, tumor burn (ablation)