This forum is actively recruiting anyone who has had stem cell therapy for cardiac problems or anyone that is considering it. As a COPD sufferer, I have cardiac patients to thank for my successful stem cell therapy for my lungs. Dr. Fernandez-vina from Argentina was doing adult stem cell therapy on heart patients when he noticed how much their lung function also improved. This in turn led him to try the treatment on an employee who had severe emphysema. The treatment was a success and for me the rest is history. I know there are cardiac patients out there and this forum needs you. This is true for all the forum categories, but one of our members has just had treatment in Germany for his heart and it would be wonderful to get a dialog going among more patients. The COPD forum is doing just that and it is the goal of the Stem Cell Pioneer forum to include other diseases as well. So, please, if you have information or are seeking information about stem cell therapy for cardiac or any disease for that matter, please consider becoming an active member of this forum. It will only serve to help others as well as yourself.
Do you suffer from cardiac problems?
- Thread starter barbara
- Start date
Jane Whitten
New member
Cardiac Stem Cell Treatment Information
My husband has been told by 3 cardiologists that he is not able to have valve replacement surgery as his heart is too damaged from previous heart problems (scarring due to heart attacks & arithmia). Meanwhile, he continues to get worse & we are rapidly approaching the point where they will have to do the surgery. He is operating on 20% of his heart capacity. Does anyone know of any research in the Nashville, TN area that we could check into to improve his heart function so he can have a better chance to survive the surgery?
My husband has been told by 3 cardiologists that he is not able to have valve replacement surgery as his heart is too damaged from previous heart problems (scarring due to heart attacks & arithmia). Meanwhile, he continues to get worse & we are rapidly approaching the point where they will have to do the surgery. He is operating on 20% of his heart capacity. Does anyone know of any research in the Nashville, TN area that we could check into to improve his heart function so he can have a better chance to survive the surgery?
My husband has been told by 3 cardiologists that he is not able to have valve replacement surgery as his heart is too damaged from previous heart problems (scarring due to heart attacks & arithmia). Meanwhile, he continues to get worse & we are rapidly approaching the point where they will have to do the surgery. He is operating on 20% of his heart capacity. Does anyone know of any research in the Nashville, TN area that we could check into to improve his heart function so he can have a better chance to survive the surgery?
I am a cardiac patient on this forum, suffering from acute angina, ischemia, and failed bypass grafts. I am 53 and had a quadruple bypass at 38, very young.
I am not aware of any research near Nashville, although there may be some, and I will check. There are studies being done in Houston at Texas Heart Institute, but here is the problem:
ANY study in the USA doesn't guarantee you stem cell treatment, it gives you a 50/50 chance of stem cells, and a 50/50 chance of water, which really stinks, I know, but that is the fact. These are "double-blind" studies being done in the USA, where the patient doesn't know what they get, and neither does the doctor. 6 months later, they open an envelope and see what you got (real cells or placebo) and at THAT TIME, they will give you stem cells if you were in the control group.
Many (like me) didn't have 6 months or more to wait for this.
So, right now, you have to leave the USA to get stem cells, and pay cash for the treatment wherever you go. There are good options in Argentina and Germany (where I just went) for stem cell treatment. Best for your husband would be direct injection into the damaged area of the heart, if any doctor/clinic is willing to do that.
A work-a-round for this issue (no treatment in USA) are being checked into by Barbara and won't be given up on, but right now you have to leave the USA.
For sure, your husband would want a bone marrow-based treatment of some sort. It is the only tried-and-true type of cell for cardiac issues.
I am confused. You say that he can't have the surgery, but that he is going to have to have the surgery. Please elaborate.
I will be happy to assist you in any way that I can. I have done a ton of research into what can be done for cardiac issues for myself, checked into all related studies, papers, etc. and feel for your suffering.
I have had 2 treatments, both human cells (mine) and the most recent last week with marrow in Cologne, Germany.
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Jane Whitten
New member
cardiac stem cell therapy
My husband is going thru the VA right now & will be eligible for Medicare in Feb. We have seen cardiologists in West Palm Beach, Miami (where he had a defibrillator/pacemaker installed), Jacksonville & now Nashville. Each Dr. told us they would not do the surgery because they did not think his heart would start up again. They would have to do open heart surgery to repair the valve & some of his grafts from his surgery 12 years ago are failing. So, it sounds like they will wait until there is no option. The last statement to us in Oct. by the latest cardiologist at Vanderbilt after an echo cardiogram & angiogram was that he did not think he could find a Dr. who was willing to do the surgery. Meanwhile, they have doubled his Lasix for a short period. He has another appt. on Nov. 15th but don't think that conventional methods will work at this point. If his heart could be strengthened by stem cell therapy his chances of surviving the surgery would be much better. Was your procedure expensive in Germany?
My husband is going thru the VA right now & will be eligible for Medicare in Feb. We have seen cardiologists in West Palm Beach, Miami (where he had a defibrillator/pacemaker installed), Jacksonville & now Nashville. Each Dr. told us they would not do the surgery because they did not think his heart would start up again. They would have to do open heart surgery to repair the valve & some of his grafts from his surgery 12 years ago are failing. So, it sounds like they will wait until there is no option. The last statement to us in Oct. by the latest cardiologist at Vanderbilt after an echo cardiogram & angiogram was that he did not think he could find a Dr. who was willing to do the surgery. Meanwhile, they have doubled his Lasix for a short period. He has another appt. on Nov. 15th but don't think that conventional methods will work at this point. If his heart could be strengthened by stem cell therapy his chances of surviving the surgery would be much better. Was your procedure expensive in Germany?
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Jane Whitten
New member
Cardiac Stem Cell Treatments
Thank you for your response. My husband will be 65 in Feb. I was waiting until he went to the cardiologist today before responding to see if they would take him in the study at Vanderbilt, but they want people with recent heart attacks. Both the Dr's he saw today participate in the clinical trial & said he is not eligible. That was kind of a let-down. They want to start him on Coumadin next week, wait a month & then put him to sleep & zap his heart with the paddes to get it regulated properly. It doesn't sound too reassuring but I guess we need to do what the specialists say.
Thank you for your response. My husband will be 65 in Feb. I was waiting until he went to the cardiologist today before responding to see if they would take him in the study at Vanderbilt, but they want people with recent heart attacks. Both the Dr's he saw today participate in the clinical trial & said he is not eligible. That was kind of a let-down. They want to start him on Coumadin next week, wait a month & then put him to sleep & zap his heart with the paddes to get it regulated properly. It doesn't sound too reassuring but I guess we need to do what the specialists say.
Even if you could get him in a clinical trial, he would only have a 50/50 chance at getting the real stem cells, and a 50/50 chance of getting water (placebo). They won't tell you for at least 6 months which you get, even the doctors are not supposed to know, that makes it a double-blind study.Thank you for your response. My husband will be 65 in Feb. I was waiting until he went to the cardiologist today before responding to see if they would take him in the study at Vanderbilt, but they want people with recent heart attacks. Both the Dr's he saw today participate in the clinical trial & said he is not eligible. That was kind of a let-down. They want to start him on Coumadin next week, wait a month & then put him to sleep & zap his heart with the paddes to get it regulated properly. It doesn't sound too reassuring but I guess we need to do what the specialists say.
Let me know any progress you have made.
Jane Whitten
New member
Cardiac Stem Cell Treatment
Thanks For Your Response. I Guess We Will Wait To See What The Electrical Stimulation Does Before Doing Anything Else. The Thickness Of The Blood Is Coming Down Slowly With The Coumadin. If You Hear Of Anything Else, Please Let Us Know & Please Keep Us Posted About How You Think Your Treatment Is Working.
Thanks For Your Response. I Guess We Will Wait To See What The Electrical Stimulation Does Before Doing Anything Else. The Thickness Of The Blood Is Coming Down Slowly With The Coumadin. If You Hear Of Anything Else, Please Let Us Know & Please Keep Us Posted About How You Think Your Treatment Is Working.
cellmedicine
New member
Is the study at vanderbilt double blind?
I thouight it was open label? just curious
I thouight it was open label? just curious
Even if you could get him in a clinical trial, he would only have a 50/50 chance at getting the real stem cells, and a 50/50 chance of getting water (placebo). They won't tell you for at least 6 months which you get, even the doctors are not supposed to know, that makes it a double-blind study.
Let me know any progress you have made.
Are you the same "cellmedicine" that runs Institute for Cellular Medicine (ICM) in Costa Rica?I thouight it was open label? just curious
If so, I have been there to San Jose, Costa Rica and seen your operation there.
The treatment I was offered was not applicable to my medical condition.
I declined treatment.
Jane Whitten
New member
Stem Cell & Cardiac Disease
The Study at Vanderbilt is double-blind. Apparently the Dr. who is conducting the study thinks my husband's heart damage is too old & past the point of responding. Has anyone heard from anywhere else that there is a time limit on treatment or that there is a therapy that could still benefit him?
The Study at Vanderbilt is double-blind. Apparently the Dr. who is conducting the study thinks my husband's heart damage is too old & past the point of responding. Has anyone heard from anywhere else that there is a time limit on treatment or that there is a therapy that could still benefit him?
Well, it certainly could be possible that his damage is too extensive, but then, my vessel damage was and is way far gone also, and I have had 2 treatments. Consider that I had quadruple bypass, more than 20 stents, and two heart attacks. According to one of the best cardiac surgeons in the world in Houston, out of 10+ coronary vessels, I have "less than one good one"!! So...that is pretty darned bad. I am living on one artery, and it is a bypass graft!The Study at Vanderbilt is double-blind. Apparently the Dr. who is conducting the study thinks my husband's heart damage is too old & past the point of responding. Has anyone heard from anywhere else that there is a time limit on treatment or that there is a therapy that could still benefit him?
Even if he could get into a double-blind study, would you be willing to wait 6 months to 2 years to find out if he got water instead of stem cells???
For me, the answer to that is a resounding NO!
You mentioned some electrical things and coumadin that was being tried, etc.
You do, of course realize that the VA will not pay a dime toward a treatment in Germany, the same for any other USA insurance company. It is completely a cash outlay when stem cell treatment is involved, and the only recovery of any money is a tax deduction for treatment cost and travel costs.
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Jane Whitten
New member
Stem Cell Cardiac Disease
Thanks so much for all the information. We will certainly consider the option you mentioned, but will wait until mid-Jan. to see if the electroshock therapy has any effect at all since his heart is out of sync. After that we will make the decision to go outside the U.S. please keep us posted on your progress. My husband has only 1 bypassed artery functioning also. Are you feeling any better at all?
Thanks so much for all the information. We will certainly consider the option you mentioned, but will wait until mid-Jan. to see if the electroshock therapy has any effect at all since his heart is out of sync. After that we will make the decision to go outside the U.S. please keep us posted on your progress. My husband has only 1 bypassed artery functioning also. Are you feeling any better at all?
Don't think so....Are you feeling any better at all?