Wednesday Feb 24, 2010

So many wonderful things are happening today! Where to begin?

Anaya has started taking a drug called Nabilone to help with her irritability and to keep her appetite up. I asked for it in particular because it is a cannabinoid receptor agonist (similar to THC produced by Pot plants.) It acts on the same receptors to produce similar healthful benefits without the psychoactive aspect. The reason I wanted her on this drug is because I have found medical scientific studies that show that cannabinoids act as neuroprotective antioxidants (which will slow the degredation of the myelin on the nuerons) and in some cases have shown to assist in remyelination. Read about Nabilone on Wikipedia. The Nabilone cost $51.00 for 10 days worth (and she gets the tinest dose!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabilone

Here is one article. I have bolded the important parts.

The Journal of Neuroscience, April 1, 2003, 23(7):2511


BRIEF COMMUNICATION
Therapeutic Action of Cannabinoids in a Murine Model of Multiple Sclerosis
Ángel Arévalo-Martín1, José Miguel Vela2, Eduardo Molina-Holgado1, José Borrell1, and Carmen Guaza1
1 Neuroimmunology Group, Neural Plasticity Department, Cajal Institute, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 28002 Madrid, Spain, and 2 Unit of Histology, School of Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, Physiology, and Immunology, Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain

Theiler's virus infection of the CNS induces an immune-mediated demyelinating disease in susceptible mouse strains and serves as a relevant infection model for human multiple sclerosis (MS). Cannabinoids may act as immunosuppressive compounds that have shown therapeutic potential in chronic inflammatory disorders. Using the Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus model, we report here that treatment with the synthetic cannabinoids WIN 55,212-2, ACEA, and JWH-015 during established disease significantly improved the neurological deficits in a long-lasting way. At a histological level, cannabinoids reduced microglial activation, abrogated major histocompatibility complex class II antigen expression, and decreased the number of CD4+ infiltrating T cells in the spinal cord. Both recovery of motor function and diminution of inflammation paralleled extensive remyelination. Overall, the data presented may have potential therapeutic implications in demyelinating pathologies such as MS; in particular, the possible involvement of cannabinoid receptor CB2 would enable nonpsychoactive therapy suitable for long-term use.
Key words: Theiler's virus; CB1 agonists; CB2 agonists; demyelination; neuroinflammation; remyelination; spinal cord; rotarod

So now we have a prescription for this drug and we hope that we shall see extensive improvement in Anaya - combined with the other therapies we are using.


In other Anaya news - She had a good day with less feeding difficulties. The pharmacist/owner at Remedy Pharmacy, who compounded the Nabilone for Anaya, mentioned that the Nabilone should also help with her gasping for breath by relaxing her throat muscles slightly. This should lead to less choking episodes and a lower risk of pnemonia!

I met with Nicole the Health Nurse and she has given me hope that Anaya will qualify for the "At Home" Program which provides extended medical benefits to extremely ill children. This means that Anaya will be able to have the care she needs in our home when she needs it. It also means that I'll be able to give some of my attention to my other family members who need love too :)

We borrowed a hospital grade breast pump from the health unit today, and I got a prescription to increase my milk supply. Breast milk is best for babies - even when they have to be bottle or tube fed. Right now Anaya is having difficulty with breast feeding so we have to bottle feed her. Due to the stress of the past couple weeks my milk supply had decreased - but I hope to see an increase with help from the lactation consultant and the herbs and medicine I am taking.

We still have a lot of hope and determination. Let nothing be impossible!