Guest guest Posted December 11, 1999 Report Share Posted December 11, 1999 I've been taking Trental for about 4 yrs. When I started it I was at my sickest, under the care of a wonderful ENT who really didn't know what was wrong with me, and looking for a doctor who could help. I mentioned to the ENT the research, then new, which showed CFIDS patients have deformed red blood cells. He suggested Trental just as an idea. It's given to people who have blocked arteries in their legs, therefore pain when walking or exercising. According to him it works on two levels, to improve the shape and elasticity of the red blood cells, and also to decrease the viscosity of the blood. One of those actions (I assume viscosity) should improve quickly, the other takes awhile to see a change. He said trental's been around for a long time and lots of people have taken it for years on end, and so he considered it safe to try without any kind of tests. Within the first week on it I felt this wonderful warmth and energy in my arms (oxygen?) and much less weariness doing simple movements like scratching my head and moving around the house. I think there were more improvements over time, including less brain fog and fewer tremors. Also, I lost the strange sensations I used to get of having arms which stretched across the room, or were deformed and clublike, or simply missing. I tried going off it last year and my tremors returned within a month or two. My ENT later called me and said the rep from the co. which makes Trental said it's frequently used in Europe for CFIDS, but less here since Cheney failed to get great results with it. He also said it's used to help victims of crush injuries. My current doctor, who does know what he's doing, said it should be helping with hypercoagulability. I hope this helps! in North Carolina > Trental > > > From: Martha Pfeiffer <kmpfeiffer@...> > > > I would like some more info on Trental. Anyone else > had experience with it? What kind of drug is it? > What tests did you have done to determine trental as a > proper protocol?? Thanks. > > Martha > __________________________________________________ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 12, 1999 Report Share Posted December 12, 1999 Hi and welcome! Although you mentioned that ENT didn't think test was necessary to take this drug, have you ever had one anyway, and do you know what that test would be? Were you seeing an ENT for sinus problems by any chance? And could you tell where research on the blood cell deformity can be found? Thanks, Christie >From: " Crane " <ccrane@...> > >I've been taking Trental for about 4 yrs. When I started it I was at my >sickest, under the care of a wonderful ENT who really didn't know what was >wrong with me, and looking for a doctor who could help. I mentioned to the >ENT the research, then new, which showed CFIDS patients have deformed red >blood cells. He suggested Trental just as an idea. It's given to people who >have blocked arteries in their legs, therefore pain when walking or >exercising. According to him it works on two levels, to improve the shape >and elasticity of the red blood cells, and also to decrease the viscosity of >the blood. One of those actions (I assume viscosity) should improve quickly, >the other takes awhile to see a change. He said trental's been around for a >long time and lots of people have taken it for years on end, and so he >considered it safe to try without any kind of tests. Within the first week >on it I felt this wonderful warmth and energy in my arms (oxygen?) and much >less weariness doing simple movements like scratching my head and moving >around the house. I think there were more improvements over time, including >less brain fog and fewer tremors. Also, I lost the strange sensations I used >to get of having arms which stretched across the room, or were deformed and >clublike, or simply missing. I tried going off it last year and my tremors >returned within a month or two. My ENT later called me and said the rep from >the co. which makes Trental said it's frequently used in Europe for CFIDS, >but less here since Cheney failed to get great results with it. He also said >it's used to help victims of crush injuries. My current doctor, who does >know what he's doing, said it should be helping with hypercoagulability. I >hope this helps! > > in North Carolina > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 12, 1999 Report Share Posted December 12, 1999 Christie: Ack! I hope I can answer your questions. No, I've never had a test for Trental except for going off for a few months. Then, when I went downhill it was hard to figure out because of the delay and because I was trying other things in the meantime. But, in the end, my doc and I feel confident that it's helping me. No, I have no idea what test might help you. I don't think there is a test for anyone who takes it. People with pain in their legs when they walk, relieved by rest, have what I think is called " intermittent claudication. " Maybe they have xrays or something to distinguish arterial blockage from a blood clot. I have no idea, but, since that's not our problem, there's no point I can see in looking that direction. (Or, you could ask a cardiologist, perhaps). Again, with crush victims, I think it's just prescribed. Every doctor I've told about it considers it harmless (ie I don't think it will hurt you if you don't need it, just waste your money). So, I would discuss it with your doctor. Wish I could be more helpful. Yes, I was seeing an ENT for sinus problems. I had extensive surgery reconstructing my nose and sinuses, which were a structural mess, complete with a bone spur pushing on my brain among the deformities. This was all before my diagnosis, and we were hoping the surgery and improved oxygen intake would help my health. Hah! My very slow recovery (12 weeks to set bone) and general downhill ride after the surgery led finally to the correct diagnosis. Now, when I get colds I handle them much better, only I hardly ever get a cold because of the CFIDS. Ironic, eh? I still have some stuffiness, better when on abx and off milk products. I don't remember where to find the RBC research. I read about it in the CFIDS Chronicle in Winter of 95/96. Anyone able to put their hands on it? My memory of the research is that they were finding the same kind of deformed rbc's in pwc's as they find in someone post-flu or post-marathon (ie when the body is stressed), only for us the problem is more chronic. Healthy people recover in a couple of days. I'm sure that post-surgery I was in worse shape than I am now, hence, the dramatic improvement when I went on Trental, and the less dramatic decline when I went off. Others might know more about this? in North Carolina > RE: Trental > > > From: " C.Tab. " <tab@...> > > > Hi and welcome! Although you mentioned that ENT didn't think test was > necessary to take this drug, have you ever had one anyway, and do you know > what that test would be? Were you seeing an ENT for sinus problems by any > chance? And could you tell where research on the blood cell deformity can > be found? > > Thanks, > > Christie > > > > > > >From: " Crane " <ccrane@...> > > > >I've been taking Trental for about 4 yrs. When I started it I was at my > >sickest, under the care of a wonderful ENT who really didn't > know what was > >wrong with me, and looking for a doctor who could help. I > mentioned to the > >ENT the research, then new, which showed CFIDS patients have deformed red > >blood cells. He suggested Trental just as an idea. It's given to > people who > >have blocked arteries in their legs, therefore pain when walking or > >exercising. According to him it works on two levels, to improve the shape > >and elasticity of the red blood cells, and also to decrease the > viscosity of > >the blood. One of those actions (I assume viscosity) should > improve quickly, > >the other takes awhile to see a change. He said trental's been > around for a > >long time and lots of people have taken it for years on end, and so he > >considered it safe to try without any kind of tests. Within the > first week > >on it I felt this wonderful warmth and energy in my arms > (oxygen?) and much > >less weariness doing simple movements like scratching my head and moving > >around the house. I think there were more improvements over > time, including > >less brain fog and fewer tremors. Also, I lost the strange > sensations I used > >to get of having arms which stretched across the room, or were > deformed and > >clublike, or simply missing. I tried going off it last year and > my tremors > >returned within a month or two. My ENT later called me and said > the rep from > >the co. which makes Trental said it's frequently used in Europe > for CFIDS, > >but less here since Cheney failed to get great results with it. > He also said > >it's used to help victims of crush injuries. My current doctor, who does > >know what he's doing, said it should be helping with > hypercoagulability. I > >hope this helps! > > > > in North Carolina > > > > > This list is intended for patients to share personal experiences > with each other, not to give medical advice. If you are > interested in any treatment discussed here, please consult your doctor. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 21, 2009 Report Share Posted September 21, 2009 Great question. I did read it is for the treatment of cerebrovascular insufficiency. The list of side effects doesn't look any more daunting than the list for your average SSRI. It would definitely be a good Dr. G question. Robyn ________________________________ From: Kristy Nardini <knardini@...> ; " Goldberg, MD " <office@...> Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 12:32:29 PM Subject: Trental I just read somewhere that some doctors treat low blood flow to parts of the frontal and/or temporal lobes (using a SPECT scan for diagnosis) with Trental (often prescribed for circulation problems). How is Trental different from SSRIs for this purpose, and does it eliminate some of the common challenges many of our kids have with the SSRIs? The article stated that Trental can create more emotions, but that's supposed to be good because there is no learning without emotion. Kristy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2009 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Does an SSRI improve blood flow to the frontal / temporal lobes? I thought an SSRI modulates the neurotransmitter levels, and I don't know any reasoning of how it may improve blood flow in the brain. > > I just read somewhere that some doctors treat low blood flow to parts of the > frontal and/or temporal lobes (using a SPECT scan for diagnosis) with > Trental (often prescribed for circulation problems). > > How is Trental different from SSRIs for this purpose, and does it eliminate > some of the common challenges many of our kids have with the SSRIs? > > The article stated that Trental can create more emotions, but that's > supposed to be good because there is no learning without emotion. > > Kristy > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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