Friday 1 May 2015

Hyperthermia

I've long been attracted to certain protocols, but for some reason I've never acted on that resonance - until now. This week I started hyperthermia treatment. We've been indoctrinated to subdue a fever, particularly in children, but fever is the body's most innate healing resource. Bacteria, viruses and parasites all die off at lower temperatures than healthy cells. 

There have been recorded instances of cancer patients contracting chicken pox, experiencing high fever, and going into spontaneous remission. This happens via two mechanisms. The first being that fever encourages the immune system to burst into action. The second is that cancer cells are destabilised at higher temperatures, as are the delicate blood vessels which nourish them.

My cancer cells have down-regulated heat shock proteins (meaning that they are susceptible to damage from heat). This is good news for me. It's also bad news - I can't remember the last time I created a natural fever. Through chronic ill-health, my body has simply forgotten how to do it. Hence the reason that I was attracted to whole body hyperthermia. 

There are two types of hyperthermia. Local, which can work as a non-carcinogenic alternative to radiation therapy, and whole body, designed to mimic fever. I had local hyperthermia soon after surgery. It was a strange sensation, or rather no sensation, as it focussed on the area of my chest that's numb from nerve damage. As a result there's a danger of burning. Instead my clever body created a large amount of pus, a mass of local detoxification which my alternative doctor was delighted with!

I have a FAR infrared sauna at home, but whole body hyperthermia involves hotter temperatures for longer periods, and so involves careful monitoring. As a cancer protocol, it's rarely effective as a stand-alone treatment, and so I had simultaneous IV's of vitamin C and laetrile (more on this in another post). Whole body hyperthermia has been shown to improve the efficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy should you be considering a more allopathic protocol.

I approached treatment day with some trepidation. The aim is to reach a fever (ideally 40 degrees, but ultimately anything over and above the body's natural temperature of 37) hold it for at least one hour, and then gently come back down to normal temperature in a controlled way. This process can take up to 6 hours. 

Here's the drill: blood pressure taken (low to normal). IV catheter in (the nurse found a vein easily, hurrah, having had so many IV's this is not normal for me). Blood taken (Dr Trefza is trying some new cancer marker tests so that we can monitor any progress). Clothes and jewellery off (mildly embarrassing). Rectal thermometer/probe in (been in training for years with daily enemas - no big deal!) Heart rate monitor clipped onto my ear.  

Donna was assigned to my care. I was relieved to hear that she would stay with me for the duration.

How did it feel? In a word, HOT. I listened to a hypnotherapy CD, and tried to meditate. I focussed on my breathing, and on encouraging my body to heat up. The hotter I got, the less I could concentrate, or find words in my brain for affirmations. Donna asked if I wanted to hear what my temperature was as it rose. I did, finding it encouraging. I started off at 37.1 degrees (which I was pleased about, as most people with cancer have a low core temperature). She was surprised at how quickly I reached fever, and told me that she would know when it was time to turn the machine off by my heart rate and mood. Some people go very quiet, some sing, some get a bit crazy. I predicted I would be in the third group. It took just over an hour to reach 39.7 degrees, by which point I'd used the bedpan, and was pretty much taking full advantage of Donna, asking her to constantly douse my head in iced water and bring me drinks. At 39.8 I'd had enough. I felt sick, and the headache from hell kicked in. She unzipped the sauna and wrapped me in towels to maintain the fever. I was surprised at how long it took to cool back down to normal temperature, but this part was fine, and I slept. I was out and dressed within 3 hours.

Back at home and the best way to describe how I felt was 'not well'. My pee was incredibly acidic, indicating that toxins were moving. Nausea persisted for about 24 hours, and the headache only abated after 2 coffee enemas. I was really tired. I slept in a castor pack that night, to support my liver and I've done extra enemas and castor packs every day since.

There are suggestions that unless you reach a fever of 42 degrees (which would be really pushing it), you won't see results from this treatment. This heat would require sedation and careful monitoring. I understand that in Europe sedation is always given, however it's much more expensive than treatment in the UK (around £2000 as opposed to £300 plus IV's and blood tests, which I paid).

My conclusion: I feel great! The next treatment is booked! Depending on what the blood tests show, I'm planning on repeating every 4 weeks for a total of 4 treatments.