Today I had the opportunity to present a case of substance used disorder that was secretly managed by us. This is an option one could consider to try since it is inexpensive and easy. However it has to be performed by clinicians under close supervision. We knew that patients on prolonged opiod usage are at risk of withdrawal after a period of abstinence.
The patient had been on opiods for more than 2 years to alleviate her chronic headache due to a huge frontal arteriovenous malformation. In 2015, she visited our Emergency Department 411 times to get parenteral opiods.
A modified Gerson Therapy was initiated in October 2015 where she received 3 coffee enemas a day and drank fruit and vegetable juices hourly. She continued the therapy at home with once a week of coffee enema and 3-4 glasses of fruit and vegetable juices a day. She had no withdrawal symptoms and became pain free for 2 months after the intervention. Her visit dropped to 56 times in 2016 and 11 times in 2017. She could enjoy her usual activities and is able to travel many places unlike before just being at home, not able to do anything.
The table above illustrates the reduction of drugs required for pain relief from 2015 till 2017.
Although this is just an anecdotal report, this intervention has been proven for this patient. I agree the level of evidence for this is not that great but for the patient it means a lot for she is now being able to enjoy life.The parents and everyone else are happy to see her smiling again. As for us the medical practitioner, the achievement means less headache and less money being spent for the drugs.
The patient had been on opiods for more than 2 years to alleviate her chronic headache due to a huge frontal arteriovenous malformation. In 2015, she visited our Emergency Department 411 times to get parenteral opiods.
A modified Gerson Therapy was initiated in October 2015 where she received 3 coffee enemas a day and drank fruit and vegetable juices hourly. She continued the therapy at home with once a week of coffee enema and 3-4 glasses of fruit and vegetable juices a day. She had no withdrawal symptoms and became pain free for 2 months after the intervention. Her visit dropped to 56 times in 2016 and 11 times in 2017. She could enjoy her usual activities and is able to travel many places unlike before just being at home, not able to do anything.
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Although this is just an anecdotal report, this intervention has been proven for this patient. I agree the level of evidence for this is not that great but for the patient it means a lot for she is now being able to enjoy life.The parents and everyone else are happy to see her smiling again. As for us the medical practitioner, the achievement means less headache and less money being spent for the drugs.
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