Re: Castration Drug Used as Autism Therapy

[Guest guest]

seems to me you cant win because one drug effects something elsse   I would

highly recommend looking into and researching the adverse effects first

I would not use that as an option at this time

http://www.thenutritiongenius.com

________________________________

From: jeannne buesser <jbmistletoe@...>

ApraxiaNetworkOfBergenCountyegroups;

Sent: Tue, August 3, 2010 7:18:05 PM

Subject: [ ] Castration Drug Used as Autism Therapy

Castration Drug Used as Autism Therapy

Controversial treatment now in some medical offices.

Bob LaMendola

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

August 3, 2010

A land medical group has started treating autistic children in South Florida

with shots of a drug used for chemical castration, a therapy widely panned by

mainstream experts.

The group gives children the cancer drug Lupron to stop their bodies from making

testosterone, saying the drug helps expel toxic mercury and quells aggressive or

sexually explicit behavior by kids with excessive levels of the male hormone.

A Boca Raton mother who just put her 18-year-old son on the drug said it seems

to help.

But numerous physicians, researchers and therapists insist there's no proof

mercury causes autism, that Lupron removes mercury or that autistic kids have

excessive testosterone. What's more, the drug carries a risk of bone damage,

stunted growth and heart trouble, and can render children impotent.

These experts contend that Lupron, costing about $5,000 a month but seldom

covered by insurance, is one of many treatments that cash in on the desperation

of parents trying to cope with an incurable condition for which medicine has few

good answers outside of painstaking behavioral therapy.

" Not only is there no scientific backing whatsoever for Lupron treatments, there

are several major concerns for the children's health, " said neurologist BethAnn

McLaughlin, an adviser to the Dan Marino Foundation autism group in Weston and

the mother of two developmentally disabled children.

" These people are preying on the fears of parents. We cannot be using these

children who are so vulnerable as guinea pigs in a medical experiment. "

Untested autism treatments have flourished while science struggles to explain

the disorder, which disrupts the abilities to speak, concentrate, connect with

people and control impulses.

For unknown reasons, autism has been on the rise for the past few decades, with

an estimated 675,000 children – about one in 100 – now having mild to severe

symptoms. Scientists believe it stems from genetic defects that may only cause

problems after an environmental trigger.

A vocal subset of parents and activists blame vaccines, especially those with

the mercury-based preservative thimerosal, which has been banned from virtually

all as a precaution. Numerous studies have found no connection between autism

and vaccines or thimerosal.

Lupron therapy grew from the mercury camp. Baltimore researcher Dr. Mark Geier

started using the drug in 2005 on the theory – disputed by mainsteam doctors

–

that testosterone binds mercury in the body and that many autistic kids have

high levels of the hormone.

Lupron halts production of the female hormone estrogen, which the body uses to

make testosterone. The drug mainly is used to treat endometrial cancer in women

and prostate cancer in men, and sometimes to chemically castrate sex offenders.

Geier's promotional materials said he has treated hundreds of children with

Lupron and has launched nine ASD Centers in eight states. In his latest, he

teams with Dr. Clayman, a Boca Raton radiologist who has an autistic teen

son and is opening an ASD office beside his MRI center in Tamarac.

Clayman said he would not comment until he treats patients with Lupron therapy

for a year. Geier could not be reached for comment despite several attempts by

phone. He told one parent he did not plan to comment for this story.

The medical group began recruiting Florida patients in March when Geier spoke at

a Fort Lauderdale conference for parents of children with autism.

Badillo was at the meeting. Her family has searched in vain for a way to

help their autistic son, Marco, 18. Badillo said he has little speech or

interaction with others, but is doing OK in high school. Lately, though, Marco

has grown more aggressive, physical and rebellious.

" We were basically under seige in this house, " Badillo said. " This kind of

behavior is more scary at 18 [than] at 3. I had choices to make. If you see

there is another option out there that can help your child, most parents are

going to choose that option. "

Also, Marco had discovered sex and sometimes touched himself inappropriately in

public, a common problem among those with autism.

" The kids don't understand. They have impulses. It's what happens when you have

high testosterone, " Badillo said.

The family put Marco on Lupron about six weeks ago. He gets two injections a

month at a dosage larger than used on adult cancer patients, plus a small daily

shot.

" The therapy immediately stopped the aggression, " Badillo said. " This is not

castrating a kid. It's just lowering the [testosterone] levels enough to normal

range so the kid is not aggressive. "

She said Geier plans to continue the Lupron for several months to see if it

helps Marco's other autistic behavior. She said she knows the drug has risks but

believes Lupron critics do not fully grasp the hard realities of life with an

autistic child.

Lupron critics said autism parents may not understand the dangers.

The drug is not approved for children – except a rare few with premature

puberty

– because it can impair bone development crucial to growth, said Dr.

Berkovitz, chief of pediatric endocrinology at the University of Miami medical

school.

It's not recommended for people with heart disease, kidney disease, asthma,

depression or seizures because it can worsen those conditions. Autistic children

are prone to seizures.

" It has not been tested so there's no way to know if it has adverse effects in

the long run, " Berkovitz said.

Said neurologist McLaughlin: " We have very significant concerns about

irreversible damage to sexual function and the brain and sex organs of these

children. "

In addition, the Food and Drug Administration is investigating complaints that

Lupron causes diabetes in adults.

Geier published a 2006 study contending that 11 autistic children taking Lupron

did better on tests of awareness, sociability and behavior. He has since issued

other studies finding that mercury leads to excess testosterone and that

autistic children have excessive levels of the hormone.

Other doctors said Geier's studies were small, were not scientifically sound and

were published in journals that do not follow the standard practice of having

experts review the methods.

The area's largest autism treatment center jointly run by the University of

Miami and Nova Southeastern University, as well as another at Florida Atlantic

University, frown on Lupron and other untested therapies, officials at the

centers said.

Dr. Judith Aronson-Ramos, a developmental pediatrician in Coconut Creek, said

practitioners promoting untested alternative treatments often appeal to parents

by portraying themselves as persecuted rebels.

" It's always just 'The medical establishment is against us,' " Aronson-Ramos

said.

Two doctors said Lupron may be gaining traction, because several families have

asked them to test their children's testosterone levels.

" Parents get desperate, " said Debbie Chanan, an autism program coordinator at

Florida Atlantic University. " Parents will spend all their money. "

" Your first instinct as a parent is to try to fix things for your child, " said

Carol Nigro, mother of an autistic son and a coordinator at the Dan Marino

Center in Weston. " Autism doesn't have a fix. "

McLaughlin said parents should stick with slow and difficult but proven

therapies. Teens struggling with sex can benefit from counseling, rewards for

positive behavior, jobs or activities to keep them focused and, if needed, drugs

to treat anxiety or sleep issues, she said.

" What we know works is a rough course, " she said. " Yes, we can do better. But

what we don't want is for families to lose faith in science and go off with

people who … are violating the first rule of being a doctor, which is 'first

do

no harm.' "

Copyright © 2010, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

You would have to shoot me for them to give this to my son. Am I the only

parent who would not allow this? Kate

>

> Castration Drug Used as Autism Therapy

> Controversial treatment now in some medical offices.

>

> Bob LaMendola

>

> South Florida Sun-Sentinel

>

> August 3, 2010

>

> A land medical group has started treating autistic children in South

Florida with shots of a drug used for chemical castration, a therapy widely

panned by mainstream experts.

>

> The group gives children the cancer drug Lupron to stop their bodies from

making testosterone, saying the drug helps expel toxic mercury and quells

aggressive or sexually explicit behavior by kids with excessive levels of the

male hormone.

>

> A Boca Raton mother who just put her 18-year-old son on the drug said it seems

to help.

>

> But numerous physicians, researchers and therapists insist there's no proof

mercury causes autism, that Lupron removes mercury or that autistic kids have

excessive testosterone. What's more, the drug carries a risk of bone damage,

stunted growth and heart trouble, and can render children impotent.

>

> These experts contend that Lupron, costing about $5,000 a month but seldom

covered by insurance, is one of many treatments that cash in on the desperation

of parents trying to cope with an incurable condition for which medicine has few

good answers outside of painstaking behavioral therapy.

>

> " Not only is there no scientific backing whatsoever for Lupron treatments,

there are several major concerns for the children's health, " said neurologist

BethAnn McLaughlin, an adviser to the Dan Marino Foundation autism group in

Weston and the mother of two developmentally disabled children.

>

> " These people are preying on the fears of parents. We cannot be using these

children who are so vulnerable as guinea pigs in a medical experiment. "

>

> Untested autism treatments have flourished while science struggles to explain

the disorder, which disrupts the abilities to speak, concentrate, connect with

people and control impulses.

>

> For unknown reasons, autism has been on the rise for the past few decades,

with an estimated 675,000 children – about one in 100 – now having mild to

severe symptoms. Scientists believe it stems from genetic defects that may only

cause problems after an environmental trigger.

>

> A vocal subset of parents and activists blame vaccines, especially those with

the mercury-based preservative thimerosal, which has been banned from virtually

all as a precaution. Numerous studies have found no connection between autism

and vaccines or thimerosal.

>

> Lupron therapy grew from the mercury camp. Baltimore researcher Dr. Mark Geier

started using the drug in 2005 on the theory – disputed by mainsteam doctors –

that testosterone binds mercury in the body and that many autistic kids have

high levels of the hormone.

>

> Lupron halts production of the female hormone estrogen, which the body uses to

make testosterone. The drug mainly is used to treat endometrial cancer in women

and prostate cancer in men, and sometimes to chemically castrate sex offenders.

>

> Geier's promotional materials said he has treated hundreds of children with

Lupron and has launched nine ASD Centers in eight states. In his latest, he

teams with Dr. Clayman, a Boca Raton radiologist who has an autistic teen

son and is opening an ASD office beside his MRI center in Tamarac.

>

> Clayman said he would not comment until he treats patients with Lupron therapy

for a year. Geier could not be reached for comment despite several attempts by

phone. He told one parent he did not plan to comment for this story.

>

> The medical group began recruiting Florida patients in March when Geier spoke

at a Fort Lauderdale conference for parents of children with autism.

>

> Badillo was at the meeting. Her family has searched in vain for a way

to help their autistic son, Marco, 18. Badillo said he has little speech or

interaction with others, but is doing OK in high school. Lately, though, Marco

has grown more aggressive, physical and rebellious.

>

> " We were basically under seige in this house, " Badillo said. " This kind of

behavior is more scary at 18 [than] at 3. I had choices to make. If you see

there is another option out there that can help your child, most parents are

going to choose that option. "

>

> Also, Marco had discovered sex and sometimes touched himself inappropriately

in public, a common problem among those with autism.

>

> " The kids don't understand. They have impulses. It's what happens when you

have high testosterone, " Badillo said.

>

> The family put Marco on Lupron about six weeks ago. He gets two injections a

month at a dosage larger than used on adult cancer patients, plus a small daily

shot.

>

> " The therapy immediately stopped the aggression, " Badillo said. " This is not

castrating a kid. It's just lowering the [testosterone] levels enough to normal

range so the kid is not aggressive. "

>

> She said Geier plans to continue the Lupron for several months to see if it

helps Marco's other autistic behavior. She said she knows the drug has risks but

believes Lupron critics do not fully grasp the hard realities of life with an

autistic child.

>

> Lupron critics said autism parents may not understand the dangers.

>

> The drug is not approved for children – except a rare few with premature

puberty – because it can impair bone development crucial to growth, said Dr.

Berkovitz, chief of pediatric endocrinology at the University of Miami

medical school.

>

> It's not recommended for people with heart disease, kidney disease, asthma,

depression or seizures because it can worsen those conditions. Autistic children

are prone to seizures.

>

> " It has not been tested so there's no way to know if it has adverse effects in

the long run, " Berkovitz said.

>

> Said neurologist McLaughlin: " We have very significant concerns about

irreversible damage to sexual function and the brain and sex organs of these

children. "

>

> In addition, the Food and Drug Administration is investigating complaints that

Lupron causes diabetes in adults.

>

> Geier published a 2006 study contending that 11 autistic children taking

Lupron did better on tests of awareness, sociability and behavior. He has since

issued other studies finding that mercury leads to excess testosterone and that

autistic children have excessive levels of the hormone.

>

> Other doctors said Geier's studies were small, were not scientifically sound

and were published in journals that do not follow the standard practice of

having experts review the methods.

>

> The area's largest autism treatment center jointly run by the University of

Miami and Nova Southeastern University, as well as another at Florida Atlantic

University, frown on Lupron and other untested therapies, officials at the

centers said.

>

> Dr. Judith Aronson-Ramos, a developmental pediatrician in Coconut Creek, said

practitioners promoting untested alternative treatments often appeal to parents

by portraying themselves as persecuted rebels.

>

> " It's always just 'The medical establishment is against us,' " Aronson-Ramos

said.

>

> Two doctors said Lupron may be gaining traction, because several families have

asked them to test their children's testosterone levels.

>

> " Parents get desperate, " said Debbie Chanan, an autism program coordinator at

Florida Atlantic University. " Parents will spend all their money. "

>

> " Your first instinct as a parent is to try to fix things for your child, " said

Carol Nigro, mother of an autistic son and a coordinator at the Dan Marino

Center in Weston. " Autism doesn't have a fix. "

>

> McLaughlin said parents should stick with slow and difficult but proven

therapies. Teens struggling with sex can benefit from counseling, rewards for

positive behavior, jobs or activities to keep them focused and, if needed, drugs

to treat anxiety or sleep issues, she said.

>

> " What we know works is a rough course, " she said. " Yes, we can do better. But

what we don't want is for families to lose faith in science and go off with

people who … are violating the first rule of being a doctor, which is 'first do

no harm.' "

> , South Florida Sun-Sentinel

>

[Guest guest]

This is crazy. If the child has mercury toxicity then why wouldn't you use

natural chelation processes. There are plenty of ways to get the mercury out

that are less expensive and less risky.

Gotta love the medical community.

> >

> > Castration Drug Used as Autism Therapy

> > Controversial treatment now in some medical offices.

> >

> > Bob LaMendola

> >

> > South Florida Sun-Sentinel

> >

> > August 3, 2010

> >

> > A land medical group has started treating autistic children in South

Florida with shots of a drug used for chemical castration, a therapy widely

panned by mainstream experts.

> >

> > The group gives children the cancer drug Lupron to stop their bodies from

making testosterone, saying the drug helps expel toxic mercury and quells

aggressive or sexually explicit behavior by kids with excessive levels of the

male hormone.

> >

> > A Boca Raton mother who just put her 18-year-old son on the drug said it

seems to help.

> >

> > But numerous physicians, researchers and therapists insist there's no proof

mercury causes autism, that Lupron removes mercury or that autistic kids have

excessive testosterone. What's more, the drug carries a risk of bone damage,

stunted growth and heart trouble, and can render children impotent.

> >

> > These experts contend that Lupron, costing about $5,000 a month but seldom

covered by insurance, is one of many treatments that cash in on the desperation

of parents trying to cope with an incurable condition for which medicine has few

good answers outside of painstaking behavioral therapy.

> >

> > " Not only is there no scientific backing whatsoever for Lupron treatments,

there are several major concerns for the children's health, " said neurologist

BethAnn McLaughlin, an adviser to the Dan Marino Foundation autism group in

Weston and the mother of two developmentally disabled children.

> >

> > " These people are preying on the fears of parents. We cannot be using these

children who are so vulnerable as guinea pigs in a medical experiment. "

> >

> > Untested autism treatments have flourished while science struggles to

explain the disorder, which disrupts the abilities to speak, concentrate,

connect with people and control impulses.

> >

> > For unknown reasons, autism has been on the rise for the past few decades,

with an estimated 675,000 children – about one in 100 – now having mild to

severe symptoms. Scientists believe it stems from genetic defects that may only

cause problems after an environmental trigger.

> >

> > A vocal subset of parents and activists blame vaccines, especially those

with the mercury-based preservative thimerosal, which has been banned from

virtually all as a precaution. Numerous studies have found no connection between

autism and vaccines or thimerosal.

> >

> > Lupron therapy grew from the mercury camp. Baltimore researcher Dr. Mark

Geier started using the drug in 2005 on the theory – disputed by mainsteam

doctors – that testosterone binds mercury in the body and that many autistic

kids have high levels of the hormone.

> >

> > Lupron halts production of the female hormone estrogen, which the body uses

to make testosterone. The drug mainly is used to treat endometrial cancer in

women and prostate cancer in men, and sometimes to chemically castrate sex

offenders.

> >

> > Geier's promotional materials said he has treated hundreds of children with

Lupron and has launched nine ASD Centers in eight states. In his latest, he

teams with Dr. Clayman, a Boca Raton radiologist who has an autistic teen

son and is opening an ASD office beside his MRI center in Tamarac.

> >

> > Clayman said he would not comment until he treats patients with Lupron

therapy for a year. Geier could not be reached for comment despite several

attempts by phone. He told one parent he did not plan to comment for this story.

> >

> > The medical group began recruiting Florida patients in March when Geier

spoke at a Fort Lauderdale conference for parents of children with autism.

> >

> > Badillo was at the meeting. Her family has searched in vain for a way

to help their autistic son, Marco, 18. Badillo said he has little speech or

interaction with others, but is doing OK in high school. Lately, though, Marco

has grown more aggressive, physical and rebellious.

> >

> > " We were basically under seige in this house, " Badillo said. " This kind of

behavior is more scary at 18 [than] at 3. I had choices to make. If you see

there is another option out there that can help your child, most parents are

going to choose that option. "

> >

> > Also, Marco had discovered sex and sometimes touched himself inappropriately

in public, a common problem among those with autism.

> >

> > " The kids don't understand. They have impulses. It's what happens when you

have high testosterone, " Badillo said.

> >

> > The family put Marco on Lupron about six weeks ago. He gets two injections a

month at a dosage larger than used on adult cancer patients, plus a small daily

shot.

> >

> > " The therapy immediately stopped the aggression, " Badillo said. " This is not

castrating a kid. It's just lowering the [testosterone] levels enough to normal

range so the kid is not aggressive. "

> >

> > She said Geier plans to continue the Lupron for several months to see if it

helps Marco's other autistic behavior. She said she knows the drug has risks but

believes Lupron critics do not fully grasp the hard realities of life with an

autistic child.

> >

> > Lupron critics said autism parents may not understand the dangers.

> >

> > The drug is not approved for children – except a rare few with premature

puberty – because it can impair bone development crucial to growth, said Dr.

Berkovitz, chief of pediatric endocrinology at the University of Miami

medical school.

> >

> > It's not recommended for people with heart disease, kidney disease, asthma,

depression or seizures because it can worsen those conditions. Autistic children

are prone to seizures.

> >

> > " It has not been tested so there's no way to know if it has adverse effects

in the long run, " Berkovitz said.

> >

> > Said neurologist McLaughlin: " We have very significant concerns about

irreversible damage to sexual function and the brain and sex organs of these

children. "

> >

> > In addition, the Food and Drug Administration is investigating complaints

that Lupron causes diabetes in adults.

> >

> > Geier published a 2006 study contending that 11 autistic children taking

Lupron did better on tests of awareness, sociability and behavior. He has since

issued other studies finding that mercury leads to excess testosterone and that

autistic children have excessive levels of the hormone.

> >

> > Other doctors said Geier's studies were small, were not scientifically sound

and were published in journals that do not follow the standard practice of

having experts review the methods.

> >

> > The area's largest autism treatment center jointly run by the University of

Miami and Nova Southeastern University, as well as another at Florida Atlantic

University, frown on Lupron and other untested therapies, officials at the

centers said.

> >

> > Dr. Judith Aronson-Ramos, a developmental pediatrician in Coconut Creek,

said practitioners promoting untested alternative treatments often appeal to

parents by portraying themselves as persecuted rebels.

> >

> > " It's always just 'The medical establishment is against us,' " Aronson-Ramos

said.

> >

> > Two doctors said Lupron may be gaining traction, because several families

have asked them to test their children's testosterone levels.

> >

> > " Parents get desperate, " said Debbie Chanan, an autism program coordinator

at Florida Atlantic University. " Parents will spend all their money. "

> >

> > " Your first instinct as a parent is to try to fix things for your child, "

said Carol Nigro, mother of an autistic son and a coordinator at the Dan Marino

Center in Weston. " Autism doesn't have a fix. "

> >

> > McLaughlin said parents should stick with slow and difficult but proven

therapies. Teens struggling with sex can benefit from counseling, rewards for

positive behavior, jobs or activities to keep them focused and, if needed, drugs

to treat anxiety or sleep issues, she said.

> >

> > " What we know works is a rough course, " she said. " Yes, we can do better.

But what we don't want is for families to lose faith in science and go off with

people who … are violating the first rule of being a doctor, which is 'first do

no harm.' "

> > , South Florida Sun-Sentinel

> >

>

[Guest guest]

What parent would agree to this? What doctor would even think this was a " good

idea " other than a Dr. f Mengele? What's next actual castration to keep

this new autistic population from " breeding " ?! This is crazy!

> > >

> > > Castration Drug Used as Autism Therapy

> > > Controversial treatment now in some medical offices.

> > >

> > > Bob LaMendola

> > >

> > > South Florida Sun-Sentinel

> > >

> > > August 3, 2010

> > >

> > > A land medical group has started treating autistic children in South

Florida with shots of a drug used for chemical castration, a therapy widely

panned by mainstream experts.

> > >

> > > The group gives children the cancer drug Lupron to stop their bodies from

making testosterone, saying the drug helps expel toxic mercury and quells

aggressive or sexually explicit behavior by kids with excessive levels of the

male hormone.

> > >

> > > A Boca Raton mother who just put her 18-year-old son on the drug said it

seems to help.

> > >

> > > But numerous physicians, researchers and therapists insist there's no

proof mercury causes autism, that Lupron removes mercury or that autistic kids

have excessive testosterone. What's more, the drug carries a risk of bone

damage, stunted growth and heart trouble, and can render children impotent.

> > >

> > > These experts contend that Lupron, costing about $5,000 a month but seldom

covered by insurance, is one of many treatments that cash in on the desperation

of parents trying to cope with an incurable condition for which medicine has few

good answers outside of painstaking behavioral therapy.

> > >

> > > " Not only is there no scientific backing whatsoever for Lupron treatments,

there are several major concerns for the children's health, " said neurologist

BethAnn McLaughlin, an adviser to the Dan Marino Foundation autism group in

Weston and the mother of two developmentally disabled children.

> > >

> > > " These people are preying on the fears of parents. We cannot be using

these children who are so vulnerable as guinea pigs in a medical experiment. "

> > >

> > > Untested autism treatments have flourished while science struggles to

explain the disorder, which disrupts the abilities to speak, concentrate,

connect with people and control impulses.

> > >

> > > For unknown reasons, autism has been on the rise for the past few decades,

with an estimated 675,000 children � about one in 100 � now having mild to

severe symptoms. Scientists believe it stems from genetic defects that may only

cause problems after an environmental trigger.

> > >

> > > A vocal subset of parents and activists blame vaccines, especially those

with the mercury-based preservative thimerosal, which has been banned from

virtually all as a precaution. Numerous studies have found no connection between

autism and vaccines or thimerosal.

> > >

> > > Lupron therapy grew from the mercury camp. Baltimore researcher Dr. Mark

Geier started using the drug in 2005 on the theory � disputed by mainsteam

doctors � that testosterone binds mercury in the body and that many autistic

kids have high levels of the hormone.

> > >

> > > Lupron halts production of the female hormone estrogen, which the body

uses to make testosterone. The drug mainly is used to treat endometrial cancer

in women and prostate cancer in men, and sometimes to chemically castrate sex

offenders.

> > >

> > > Geier's promotional materials said he has treated hundreds of children

with Lupron and has launched nine ASD Centers in eight states. In his latest, he

teams with Dr. Clayman, a Boca Raton radiologist who has an autistic teen

son and is opening an ASD office beside his MRI center in Tamarac.

> > >

> > > Clayman said he would not comment until he treats patients with Lupron

therapy for a year. Geier could not be reached for comment despite several

attempts by phone. He told one parent he did not plan to comment for this story.

> > >

> > > The medical group began recruiting Florida patients in March when Geier

spoke at a Fort Lauderdale conference for parents of children with autism.

> > >

> > > Badillo was at the meeting. Her family has searched in vain for a

way to help their autistic son, Marco, 18. Badillo said he has little speech or

interaction with others, but is doing OK in high school. Lately, though, Marco

has grown more aggressive, physical and rebellious.

> > >

> > > " We were basically under seige in this house, " Badillo said. " This kind of

behavior is more scary at 18 [than] at 3. I had choices to make. If you see

there is another option out there that can help your child, most parents are

going to choose that option. "

> > >

> > > Also, Marco had discovered sex and sometimes touched himself

inappropriately in public, a common problem among those with autism.

> > >

> > > " The kids don't understand. They have impulses. It's what happens when you

have high testosterone, " Badillo said.

> > >

> > > The family put Marco on Lupron about six weeks ago. He gets two injections

a month at a dosage larger than used on adult cancer patients, plus a small

daily shot.

> > >

> > > " The therapy immediately stopped the aggression, " Badillo said. " This is

not castrating a kid. It's just lowering the [testosterone] levels enough to

normal range so the kid is not aggressive. "

> > >

> > > She said Geier plans to continue the Lupron for several months to see if

it helps Marco's other autistic behavior. She said she knows the drug has risks

but believes Lupron critics do not fully grasp the hard realities of life with

an autistic child.

> > >

> > > Lupron critics said autism parents may not understand the dangers.

> > >

> > > The drug is not approved for children � except a rare few with premature

puberty � because it can impair bone development crucial to growth, said Dr.

Berkovitz, chief of pediatric endocrinology at the University of Miami

medical school.

> > >

> > > It's not recommended for people with heart disease, kidney disease,

asthma, depression or seizures because it can worsen those conditions. Autistic

children are prone to seizures.

> > >

> > > " It has not been tested so there's no way to know if it has adverse

effects in the long run, " Berkovitz said.

> > >

> > > Said neurologist McLaughlin: " We have very significant concerns about

irreversible damage to sexual function and the brain and sex organs of these

children. "

> > >

> > > In addition, the Food and Drug Administration is investigating complaints

that Lupron causes diabetes in adults.

> > >

> > > Geier published a 2006 study contending that 11 autistic children taking

Lupron did better on tests of awareness, sociability and behavior. He has since

issued other studies finding that mercury leads to excess testosterone and that

autistic children have excessive levels of the hormone.

> > >

> > > Other doctors said Geier's studies were small, were not scientifically

sound and were published in journals that do not follow the standard practice of

having experts review the methods.

> > >

> > > The area's largest autism treatment center jointly run by the University

of Miami and Nova Southeastern University, as well as another at Florida

Atlantic University, frown on Lupron and other untested therapies, officials at

the centers said.

> > >

> > > Dr. Judith Aronson-Ramos, a developmental pediatrician in Coconut Creek,

said practitioners promoting untested alternative treatments often appeal to

parents by portraying themselves as persecuted rebels.

> > >

> > > " It's always just 'The medical establishment is against us,' "

Aronson-Ramos said.

> > >

> > > Two doctors said Lupron may be gaining traction, because several families

have asked them to test their children's testosterone levels.

> > >

> > > " Parents get desperate, " said Debbie Chanan, an autism program coordinator

at Florida Atlantic University. " Parents will spend all their money. "

> > >

> > > " Your first instinct as a parent is to try to fix things for your child, "

said Carol Nigro, mother of an autistic son and a coordinator at the Dan Marino

Center in Weston. " Autism doesn't have a fix. "

> > >

> > > McLaughlin said parents should stick with slow and difficult but proven

therapies. Teens struggling with sex can benefit from counseling, rewards for

positive behavior, jobs or activities to keep them focused and, if needed, drugs

to treat anxiety or sleep issues, she said.

> > >

> > > " What we know works is a rough course, " she said. " Yes, we can do better.

But what we don't want is for families to lose faith in science and go off with

people who � are violating the first rule of being a doctor, which is 'first

do no harm.' "

> > > Copyright � 2010, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I've been trying to keep quiet on this topic since I'm pretty new here, but I

can''t sit it out any longer. I've learned lots here and have a lot of respect

for everyone so I hope I can make this come out via e-mail with the spirit I

intend, ie not confrontational but perhaps giving a glimpse of a different

perspective.

I am not using this drug with either of my special needs children.

However, I think this article is extremely sensationalized and extremely

misleading. They use the term castration to increase readership. And I believe

it is extremely irresponsible. I am on a list with some very dedicated and

loving moms who give their lives to help their children feel better and function

more comfortably in the world. I know of a couple parents who have worked with

very caring and responsible medical providers to use low and controlled and

monitored doses of this medication and they are moms who do their research, who

try all the less " loaded " types of interventions. And they aren't doing it to

" castrate " their children or take away their sexuality. Gosh, the more I think

about it the more distressed I am by the tone of that article.

Please please please try to give other parents some respect for difficult

decisions they must make in caring for their children. Perhaps some are using

it abusively, but I know for a fact that not all are.

Everyone of us with special needs kids, if the needs cause " behavior " problems

live with constant judgment from those around us, our families, neighbors...it

makes me so very sad. Let's those of us who can understand it a bit stop and

ask respectful questions of other parents who are walking this path and doing

the best they can, and if you know information that might help them toward a

better decision, share it with them respectfully, isn't that what this list is

all about?

Respectfully and sincerely,

Jess

________________________________

From: " sammy24moore@... " <sammy24moore@...>

Sent: Sun, August 8, 2010 3:04:52 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: Castration Drug Used as Autism Therapy

What parent would agree to this? What doctor would even think this was a " good

idea " other than a Dr. f Mengele? What's next actual castration to keep

this new autistic population from " breeding " ?! This is crazy!

> > >

> > > Castration Drug Used as Autism Therapy

> > > Controversial treatment now in some medical offices.

> > >

> > > Bob LaMendola

> > >

> > > South Florida Sun-Sentinel

> > >

> > > August 3, 2010

> > >

> > > A land medical group has started treating autistic children in South

>Florida with shots of a drug used for chemical castration, a therapy widely

>panned by mainstream experts.

> > >

> > > The group gives children the cancer drug Lupron to stop their bodies from

>making testosterone, saying the drug helps expel toxic mercury and quells

>aggressive or sexually explicit behavior by kids with excessive levels of the

>male hormone.

> > >

> > > A Boca Raton mother who just put her 18-year-old son on the drug said it

>seems to help.

> > >

> > > But numerous physicians, researchers and therapists insist there's no

proof

>mercury causes autism, that Lupron removes mercury or that autistic kids have

>excessive testosterone. What's more, the drug carries a risk of bone damage,

>stunted growth and heart trouble, and can render children impotent.

> > >

> > > These experts contend that Lupron, costing about $5,000 a month but seldom

>covered by insurance, is one of many treatments that cash in on the desperation

>of parents trying to cope with an incurable condition for which medicine has

few

>good answers outside of painstaking behavioral therapy.

> > >

> > > " Not only is there no scientific backing whatsoever for Lupron treatments,

>there are several major concerns for the children's health, " said neurologist

>BethAnn McLaughlin, an adviser to the Dan Marino Foundation autism group in

>Weston and the mother of two developmentally disabled children.

> > >

> > > " These people are preying on the fears of parents. We cannot be using

these

>children who are so vulnerable as guinea pigs in a medical experiment. "

> > >

> > > Untested autism treatments have flourished while science struggles to

>explain the disorder, which disrupts the abilities to speak, concentrate,

>connect with people and control impulses.

> > >

> > > For unknown reasons, autism has been on the rise for the past few decades,

>with an estimated 675,000 children � about one in 100 � now having mild to

>severe symptoms. Scientists believe it stems from genetic defects that may only

>cause problems after an environmental trigger.

> > >

> > > A vocal subset of parents and activists blame vaccines, especially those

>with the mercury-based preservative thimerosal, which has been banned from

>virtually all as a precaution. Numerous studies have found no connection

between

>autism and vaccines or thimerosal.

> > >

> > > Lupron therapy grew from the mercury camp. Baltimore researcher Dr. Mark

>Geier started using the drug in 2005 on the theory � disputed by mainsteam

>doctors � that testosterone binds mercury in the body and that many autistic

>kids have high levels of the hormone.

> > >

> > > Lupron halts production of the female hormone estrogen, which the body

uses

>to make testosterone. The drug mainly is used to treat endometrial cancer in

>women and prostate cancer in men, and sometimes to chemically castrate sex

>offenders.

> > >

> > > Geier's promotional materials said he has treated hundreds of children

with

>Lupron and has launched nine ASD Centers in eight states. In his latest, he

>teams with Dr. Clayman, a Boca Raton radiologist who has an autistic teen

>son and is opening an ASD office beside his MRI center in Tamarac.

> > >

> > > Clayman said he would not comment until he treats patients with Lupron

>therapy for a year. Geier could not be reached for comment despite several

>attempts by phone. He told one parent he did not plan to comment for this

story.

> > >

> > > The medical group began recruiting Florida patients in March when Geier

>spoke at a Fort Lauderdale conference for parents of children with autism.

> > >

> > > Badillo was at the meeting. Her family has searched in vain for a

>way to help their autistic son, Marco, 18. Badillo said he has little speech or

>interaction with others, but is doing OK in high school. Lately, though, Marco

>has grown more aggressive, physical and rebellious.

> > >

> > > " We were basically under seige in this house, " Badillo said. " This kind of

>behavior is more scary at 18 [than] at 3. I had choices to make. If you see

>there is another option out there that can help your child, most parents are

>going to choose that option. "

> > >

> > > Also, Marco had discovered sex and sometimes touched himself

>inappropriately in public, a common problem among those with autism.

> > >

> > > " The kids don't understand. They have impulses. It's what happens when you

>have high testosterone, " Badillo said.

> > >

> > > The family put Marco on Lupron about six weeks ago. He gets two injections

>a month at a dosage larger than used on adult cancer patients, plus a small

>daily shot.

> > >

> > > " The therapy immediately stopped the aggression, " Badillo said. " This is

>not castrating a kid. It's just lowering the [testosterone] levels enough to

>normal range so the kid is not aggressive. "

> > >

> > > She said Geier plans to continue the Lupron for several months to see if

it

>helps Marco's other autistic behavior. She said she knows the drug has risks

but

>believes Lupron critics do not fully grasp the hard realities of life with an

>autistic child.

> > >

> > > Lupron critics said autism parents may not understand the dangers.

> > >

> > > The drug is not approved for children � except a rare few with premature

>puberty � because it can impair bone development crucial to growth, said Dr.

> Berkovitz, chief of pediatric endocrinology at the University of Miami

>medical school.

> > >

> > > It's not recommended for people with heart disease, kidney disease,

asthma,

>depression or seizures because it can worsen those conditions. Autistic

children

>are prone to seizures.

> > >

> > > " It has not been tested so there's no way to know if it has adverse

effects

>in the long run, " Berkovitz said.

> > >

> > > Said neurologist McLaughlin: " We have very significant concerns about

>irreversible damage to sexual function and the brain and sex organs of these

>children. "

> > >

> > > In addition, the Food and Drug Administration is investigating complaints

>that Lupron causes diabetes in adults.

> > >

> > > Geier published a 2006 study contending that 11 autistic children taking

>Lupron did better on tests of awareness, sociability and behavior. He has since

>issued other studies finding that mercury leads to excess testosterone and that

>autistic children have excessive levels of the hormone.

> > >

> > > Other doctors said Geier's studies were small, were not scientifically

>sound and were published in journals that do not follow the standard practice

of

>having experts review the methods.

> > >

> > > The area's largest autism treatment center jointly run by the University

of

>Miami and Nova Southeastern University, as well as another at Florida Atlantic

>University, frown on Lupron and other untested therapies, officials at the

>centers said.

> > >

> > > Dr. Judith Aronson-Ramos, a developmental pediatrician in Coconut Creek,

>said practitioners promoting untested alternative treatments often appeal to

>parents by portraying themselves as persecuted rebels.

> > >

> > > " It's always just 'The medical establishment is against us,' "

Aronson-Ramos

>said.

> > >

> > > Two doctors said Lupron may be gaining traction, because several families

>have asked them to test their children's testosterone levels.

> > >

> > > " Parents get desperate, " said Debbie Chanan, an autism program coordinator

>at Florida Atlantic University. " Parents will spend all their money. "

> > >

> > > " Your first instinct as a parent is to try to fix things for your child, "

>said Carol Nigro, mother of an autistic son and a coordinator at the Dan Marino

>Center in Weston. " Autism doesn't have a fix. "

> > >

> > > McLaughlin said parents should stick with slow and difficult but proven

>therapies. Teens struggling with sex can benefit from counseling, rewards for

>positive behavior, jobs or activities to keep them focused and, if needed,

drugs

>to treat anxiety or sleep issues, she said.

> > >

> > > " What we know works is a rough course, " she said. " Yes, we can do better.

>But what we don't want is for families to lose faith in science and go off with

>people who � are violating the first rule of being a doctor, which is 'first

do

>no harm.' "

>

> > > Copyright � 2010, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

> > >

> >

>

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

I agree Jess that the media tends to sensationalize everything. I live in

Florida and if there is a hurricane they head to any trailer park they can find

avoiding the well built homes and stores that had no damage...but are you for

real trying to defend the use of an off label medication which has horrific

known and possible even worse unknown side effects which is being touted by just

one or a few doctors?

Like you I have not said anything up till now but because everyone else both

here and at other places I have read about this are so horrified I didn't think

many parents would be willing to try this. You do understand that what is going

on with this drug and others are real time real world experiments with off label

medications which never would have happened 50 years ago. These doctors in my

opinion are trying to find ways to fund research during this time when research

funds are scarce....and there's money in drugs not in natural approaches from

what I've found which is why we still don't have validation for what the

essential fatty acids can do after a decade of surge after surge. If these

" loving " doctors and " educated " parents did so much research why wouldn't they

try nutriiveda first for example? And yes in some cases it can be because they

don't know but in this group we know of at least one doctor who had one child on

multiple medications for years and scheduled for a partial lobotomy to reduce

seizures...this child who is a tween has been seizure free since being on

nutriiveda -over 6 months now - but her doctor is still " skeptical " that the

sudden elimination of seizures and elimination of drugs had anything to do with

the use of nutriiveda even though it's not the only case and even though I do

reference at least one study to explain at least one reason why this is

happening http://pursuitofresearch.org/science.html " In regards to reduction and

even elimination of seizures one study found Tryptophan (Trp) an essential amino

acid found naturally in nutriiveda from a whole food source through the whey

protein to be helpful as an antiepileptic therapy of drug-resistant epileptic

patients. (5) "

To me that doctor could have written up a case study and asked for further

validation based on what he saw himself! The doctors behind nutriiveda

http://pursuitofresearch.org/advisors.html told me they are looking for

prestigious medical doctors to work with on this which I have shared here.

So do you really think given the choice that a doctor said to a number of other

parents scheduled for the same radical procedure with the same life long drug

and seizure issue " I don't know if this is coincidence or not at this point but

I have heard of a few anecdotal reports of reduction and elimination of seizures

on this 100 percent whole food enriched protein powder which you can try for a

few weeks to see if it works...or we can just proceed with the surgery and

drugs. What do you think? " How many parents would say " Oh let's just proceed

in having some of my child's brain eliminated and forget anything else " ??? Or

let's get back to the topic at hand...given the choice of 5000 dollars a month

and a list of side effects which one after another are amazingly severe...or 40

to 160 a month for a clean whole food source of essential amino acids and

nutrition with no known side effects (the product is also water soluble) which

one would most parents try first?!!! I believe I know the answer - for MOST

it's the one that loving doctor suggests.

Dawn Falley just posted her update that her son too who has been on seizure meds

who will be off all seizure medications in 3 weeks from now. So why isn't there

a stampede of loving doctors and parents rushing to try nutriiveda before more

radical treatments? Because it's made by mother nature? Because it seems too

good to be true? Because it's too cheap? I mean I know some parents keep saying

it's expensive and that is a joke to me!!! I used to pay hundreds a WEEK in out

of pocket and outside EI and insurance traditional and alternative therapy...and

for a child up to 3 it's 40 a MONTH! for 4 to 8 80 dollars a MONTH! Even if

it's 160 a month where my boys are (well higher as I have both now on 6 scoops a

day and approved by their pediatrician as it's just whole food and water

soluble) if you think that's expensive you probably either are not working,

don't pay for any outside therapy, or have a wee one and have not a clue what

the road lays ahead for you in costs in regards to raising a child with autism

or apraxia. If there's a chance to shorten the road, accelerate the progress,

" chelate " or get rid of the ama and toxin in the body NATURALLY

http://pursuitofresearch.org/science.html and not using some drug with a list of

side effects to kill an elephant....why not at least try that FIRST?!!! That

drug you are defending is probably not covered by insurance as the article says

and FIVE THOUSAND a month!!!!!

Do you know out of the entire world there are not even one thousand children on

nutriiveda?! And with the success rate you'd think there would be at least

thousands at this point. This is just a fraction of the testimonies

http://pursuitofresearch.org/pursuit.html and the worst we are hearing for the

most part are from parents who gave up on it after a few weeks or a month when

some of these parents using this drug are giving injections of this twice a

day... " a dosage larger than used on adult cancer patients " and plan on " trying "

this for a " few months "

But as I've pointed out before most that are using nutriiveda now are parents I

doubt would use this drug -or at least unless it was a last alternative. Kind

of like electroshock " therapy " you go that route and to me you really are at

your wits end and are doing whatever in spite of knowing you are probably frying

your child's brain. The parents and parent professionals using nutriiveda are

mainly from the medical and educational or at least more highly educated

backgrounds- and very few are leaders who think for themselves. Sadly for most

children most adults have average intelligence and most people are followers.

As far as I'm concerned all parents in their own way are loving -well almost all

anyway -so that's a given and doesn't even have to be pointed out unless it's

not there.

OK to make this clear and without sensationalizing it -here's just one part of

the article that is not sensationalized and it pretty horrific to me and you

don't even have to dig deep to find the horror of how this drug can affect just

about every aspect of human life. To me it's like a vet giving a safe and

loving amount of rat poison to a cat:

> > > > the drug carries a risk of bone damage,

> >stunted growth and heart trouble, and can render children impotent.

> > > >

> > > > These experts contend that Lupron, costing about $5,000 a month but

seldom

> >covered by insurance, is one of many treatments that cash in on the

desperation

> >of parents trying to cope with an incurable condition for which medicine has

few

> >good answers outside of painstaking behavioral therapy.

> > > >

> > > > " Not only is there no scientific backing whatsoever for Lupron

treatments,

> >there are several major concerns for the children's health, " said neurologist

> >BethAnn McLaughlin, an adviser to the Dan Marino Foundation autism group in

> >Weston and the mother of two developmentally disabled children.

> > > >

> > > > " These people are preying on the fears of parents. We cannot be using

these

> >children who are so vulnerable as guinea pigs in a medical experiment. "

And all one has to do is look up side effects for adults as again we I guess we

will learn first hand the side effects in children from parents who like you do

not find this to be horrific. I personally find this to be disgusting and a

misuse of medical power!

Luprin Side Effects by Body System (here's a clip again just for adults using it

as we know nothing about this use in children...yet)

Endocrine

Endocrine side effects of leuprolide have included hot flashes (56% to 91%),

gynecomastia (7%), breast changes (7%), breast enlargement (7%), breast

tenderness (7% to 14%), decrease in testicular size, diabetes, and impotence. In

addition, rare cases of pituitary apoplexy have been reported after the use of

gonadotropin-releasing hormone agents.

Endocrine side effects occur in the majority of patients treated with leuprolide

and are due to drug-induced hypoestrogenism and hypoandrogenism.

Pituitary apoplexy is a clinical syndrome secondary to infarction of the

pituitary gland. In a majority of the cases reported, a pituitary adenoma was

diagnosed. A majority of pituitary apoplexy cases occurred within two weeks of

the first dose, and some occurred within the first hour. In those cases,

pituitary apoplexy presented as sudden headache, vomiting, visual changes,

ophthalmoplegia, altered mental status, and sometimes cardiovascular collapse.

Immediate medical attention has been required.

Psychiatric

Psychiatric side effects have included depression and emotional lability (up to

45%), insomnia (2% to 7%), anxiety, nervousness, decreased libido (both males

and females), increased libido (females), and short-term memory loss.

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects have included headache (7% to 39%), dizziness (5%),

blurred vision, lethargy, paresthesias, numbness, peripheral neuropathy, spinal

fracture, convulsions, and paralysis. A case of atypical absence seizures

induced by leuprolide acetate has also been reported.

Genitourinary

A number of cases of vaginal hemorrhage are reported in the literature. The

presence of submucous leiomyomatas may be responsible for these events. These

patients typically required emergency surgery and blood transfusions.

Massive ascites developed in one patient 3 weeks after receiving a 3.75 mg

leuprolide depot injection for the treatment of leiomyomata uteri. Upon surgical

resection, the uterine myomas were noted to be seeping large amounts of serous

fluid.

Genitourinary side effects have included vaginal dryness (37%), urinary

frequency, hematuria, ovarian hyperstimulation, testicular soreness/pain, breast

soreness/tenderness,testicular atrophy, erectile dysfunction, penile disorder,

reduced penis size and vaginal hemorrhage.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects have included ECG changes (19%), ischemia (19%),

peripheral edema (12%), hypertension, hypotension, murmur, phlebitis,

thrombosis, arrhythmias, angina, pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolism, and

myocardial infarction.

Gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal side effects have included constipation (7%), anorexia (3% to

6%), nausea and vomiting (5%), weight loss, flatulence, dyspepsia, and weight

gain.

Dermatologic

Dermatologic side effects have included skin rash (7%), acne, dry skin,

ecchymosis, hair loss (up to 18% of females), pruritus, photosensitivity,

clamminess, night sweats, increased sweating, and skin pigmentation.

Musculoskeletal

An initial increase in testosterone levels may occur during the first 2 weeks of

therapy with leuprolide. An increase in bone pain, as well as worsening of other

signs and symptoms of advanced prostate cancer, may be noted during this time

period.

Hypoestrogenism induced by leuprolide may result in small losses in bone

density. Prolonged use of leuprolide in females may increase the risk of

osteoporosis.

Musculoskeletal side effects have included increased bone pain in patients with

advanced prostate cancer, myalgias, arthralgias, muscle atrophy, limb pain,

lower bone density scores, and tenosynovitis-like symptoms. A case of

polymyositis and a case of noninflammatory myopathy have also been reported.

Hypersensitivity

A case of anaphylaxis after a single intramuscular injection of leuprolide depot

is reported in the literature. On two occasions, 24 hours and 6 weeks after

injection, the patient required emergency airway management. The patient

continued to require regular doses of antihistamines and intermittent

epinephrine injections up to 14 weeks after leuprolide administration.

Hypersensitivity reactions have included a rare report of urticaria, shortness

of breath, and anaphylaxis with the depot form. Other reports of anaphylactic

reactions to synthetic GnRH or GnRH agonist analogs have also been reported in

the medical literature.

Hematologic

Hematologic side effects have included anemia, leukopenia, and hemoptysis.

Respiratory

Respiratory side effects have included dyspnea, sinus congestion, cough, pleural

rub, and pulmonary fibrosis.

Local

Local side effects have included erythema, ecchymosis, induration, abscess, and

irritation at the site of injection.

Oncologic

Oncologic side effects have been reported including case reports of granulomas.

Animal studies including an increase in benign pituitary hyperplasia and benign

pituitary adenomas, an increase of pancreatic islet cell adenomas in females,

and an increase of testicular cell adenomas in males have also been reported.

Other

Other side effects including symptoms consistent with fibromyalgia (e.g., joint

and muscle pain, headaches, sleep disorders, gastrointestinal distress, and

shortness of breath) have been reported. Hearing disorder, hard nodule in

throat, weight gain, and increased uric acid have also been reported.

Hepatic

Hepatic side effects including hepatic dysfunction have been reported.

General

General side effects including sweating, syncope, rigors, weakness, and lethargy

have been reported.

Renal

Renal side effects have included difficulties with urination, pain on urination,

scanty urination, bladder spasm, blood in urine, urinary retention, urinary

urgency, incontinence, nocturia, and aggravated nocturia.

Read more: http://www.drugs.com/sfx/lupron-side-effects.html#ixzz0w2yzjpgz

=====

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

I am not surprised when I read things like this, regarding other treatments

that are extreme and using them on young people with autism. I understand

that many people are desperate but why use stuff that has so many side

effects and not proven yet? But using the kids as guinea pigs, when we're

dealing with the human body why try and mess with hormones disruption is

beyond me. I understand the research side of trying to find a cure (fix),

but is there one size fits all? Just my opinion. Jeanne