Where do I go for Stem Cell Therapy?

[clasship]

Hi to one and all, I'm new here, I'm British, 51 old male and live on a yacht in Trinidad at this time but am selling her to pay for stem cell therapy and then get free health care back in the European Union.

I have had 13 heart attacks and 2 strokes & 2 out of 3 by-passes are now blocked up and failed. My hobbies obviously include heart attacks!

First heart attack was in 2000 (scuba diving). I did not know it was a heart attack, thought it was my lungs!
Big heart attack 5th August 2001 Dorchester Hospital
Triple by-pass surgery in 6th September 2001. Middlesex Hospital
Severe stroke December 2003. East Surrey Hospital
Heart attacks x 2 2005 Abroad Turkey
Heart attacks x 3, 2006, Abroad BVI?s, Venezuela
Heart Attacks x 3 2007, Abroad Trinidad
Heart Attack x 1 2008 Trinidad
Small stroke 2007 Trinidad 100% recovery from that one.
July 2008 My Uk Dr told me probably one by-pass had failed
November 2008 2 x heart attacks one week apart. Trinidad, In December I flew to my local East Surrey hospital in the UK where I had an angiogram which showed second by-pass had failed. I was told the heart was dead where the by-passes joined the heart. My heart ER was 35% efficiency at pumping.

My big stroke was due to a blockage in my brain stem; I made a good recovery and can walk and talk although I am weak on my right hand side. I did have tunnel and double vision as well as my speech was affected, it is no longer affected. My arm and leg are both weak, my balance is poor. My second smaller stroke was a blockage in the brain. I made a full recovery from that stroke.

I want to have stem cell therapy for both my heart and stroke symptoms but the heart is more pressing. I am now finding it hard to breathe and am sort of breath almost all the time if I do anything physical. I cannot walk more than 100 - 200 yards without a short rest on my very good days; one flight of stairs makes me short of breath and normally painful as does taking a shower. I have fluid (plasma I take it) in my lungs, in my heart sack and in my legs. can not sleep lying flat and wake up fighting to breath. Sometimes I get short of breath just sitting doing nothing.

So ladies and gentlemen, the $64,000 question is, where do I go for this treatment? My two favorite places are bangkokheart which is at least a heart hospital and xcell-center which is in Germany. The problem is of course there are scammers out there, what do people know of these two places? Can you recommend any good alternatives?

Many thanks.

Tim

 

[barbara]

You will spend a lot of money in Bangkok and may or may not get the desired results. As for X-cell, if you search this forum there have been many posts made about them. I have yet to see anyone post on here that had successful treatment at X-cell despite their great press releases.

Dr. Fernandez-Vina is a well known cardiac stem cell doctor. Rejuvenare and Regenocyte and Stem Cell Regen Med treat heart conditions as do many other clinics. The ones I mentioned would be the most convenient to Trinidad since you are very close to South America and are reputable.

Please make sure to do a very thorough job of researching. Hopefully, you will spend time reading what others have to say on this forum and feel free to send me any questions you might have for the upcoming Ask the Doctor forum. Deadline is this Saturday. Send your questions to my e-mail please.

Do the scarlet ibis still roost in the thousands in Trinidad? I was fortunate enough to get to see them come home to roost while in Trinidad. It was a spectacular sight.

 

[alex]

Dr. Grekos seems to have primarily "heart patients" that go to him for stem cell treatment.

If you search for Dr. Grekos on this site, you will get testimonies of people that went to have stem cell treatment with him.

 

[alex]

I guess Regenocyte and Dr. Grekos are the same.

 

[clasship]

Barbara,

Thank you so much for your reply, interestingly I did get a reply this morning from xcell when they again e-mailed me wanting me to send more info with the hope I committed myself to them. I had asked for contact with past patents which they do not offer. They directed me to read the patents comments which could be anyone including their Mums and Dads. I looked at their latest survey / questionnaire on quality of service etc, nowhere does it ask the patents about their recovery and benefits from their therapy, just general levels of service from nurses ect. Quite honestly the nurses can spit in my coffee for all I care, as long as the therapy works!

I will now start checking up on the sites you gave me. I honestly do not mind traveling anywhere, I just want the best results possible.


I am reliably informed there are a few Scarlet Ibis wandering around, but a lot have ended up in the pot!

Can I just say how great it is I found your forum. If anyone else can help me please do.

 

[clasship]

Dr. Grekos seems to have primarily "heart patients" that go to him for stem cell treatment.

If you search for Dr. Grekos on this site, you will get testimonies of people that went to have stem cell treatment with him.

Alex,

Many thanks for your reply, all replies are grateful received. I have e-mailed Regenocyte and had a reply almost by return from his co-ordinator David Masters. I am however shocked at the initial quote of $64,500. A German clinic quoted $15,000 and the Bangkok heart hospital who I consider not a total rip off or scammers who do appear to get some reasonable results quoted $20,000 - $30,000 for the same therapy and administration of the cells. When you think triple by-pass surgery costs $15,000, I do think anything over $20,000 absolutely outrageous.

 

[barbara]

You should also check Nepsis Institute, ICM and Regenerative Medicine. I believe the prices at Regenocyte hold many people back. Do your research homework and I think you will find a clinic that meets your criteria. I would contact them all. however keep in mind that stem cell therapy is in its infancy and no one can guarantee success. You were very astute to notice that the follow up questionnaire for X-cell did not have questions that would help them evaluate your success or lack of it post treatment. How can clinics operate without this knowledge if they are truly wanting patients to get the maximum benefit from therapy? It doesn't set well with me I can tell you that. The patients should be the number one concern for any clinic that wants my business.

FYI - Rejuvenare was started by someone that used to work for Regenocyte. You can expect a lower price from Rejuvenare.

 

[clasship]

Barbara,

Your up late! I am up because I have fluid building up in my lungs etc, not nice! I hope your not over working at this late hour.

I'm already on to your newly recommended clinics, many thanks.

 

[barbara]

I am a night owl. Actually, I had a stem cell treatment and had just returned to my home away from home to check for messages when I sent my reply to you. I am feeling fine and raring to go today. I wish you the best in your search. I know how it feels to be short of breath and incapable of doing much of anything.

 

[clasship]

Barbara,

I wish you the very best for your treatment.

Yes it's a minefield out there for sure. David Masters is asking Dr Grekos to call me. They are quoting "In specific to the heart, we have been able to increase ejection factors from 20 to 22 points on average." which is far more than the average quote of 5% to 10% others give. Am I understanding this correctly? Are points equal to %?

 

[clasship]

You should also check Nepsis Institute, ICM and Regenerative Medicine. I believe the prices at Regenocyte hold many people back. Do your research homework and I think you will find a clinic that meets your criteria. I would contact them all. however keep in mind that stem cell therapy is in its infancy and no one can guarantee success. You were very astute to notice that the follow up questionnaire for X-cell did not have questions that would help them evaluate your success or lack of it post treatment. How can clinics operate without this knowledge if they are truly wanting patients to get the maximum benefit from therapy? It doesn't set well with me I can tell you that. The patients should be the number one concern for any clinic that wants my business.

FYI - Rejuvenare was started by someone that used to work for Regenocyte. You can expect a lower price from Rejuvenare

 

[Chas]

Dr. Grekos

Tim,

I attended last spring in Naples, Fla., a seminar put on by Dr. Grekos. Several of his patients gave testimonials. I am not ready for a stem cell treatment for my pulmonary arterial hypertension right now.

I believe Dr. Grekos uses the VesCell process as applied to the patient's adult stem cells. It appears from the Vescell web site that there are other doctors using the same process. For cost reasons, before I would use Dr. Grekos, I would check out these other foreign doctors. One of them was affiliated with a first class medical facility in Minneapolis, my home town.

I have concern also that there is no peer review of the results of Dr. Grekos' treatments. Testimonial have been regarded is the weakest form of verification.

I hope that the replies to your posting are helpful to you.

Charles Howard

 

[clasship]

Charles,

Thank you for the time and trouble it takes to reply. I have now dismissed the idea of using Dr Grekos for two reasons. Ideally I will have my two failed by-passes replaced at the same time as having stem cell therapy. It may well be that I can have these done in the UK for free anyway. You may be aware in the UK all health treatment is free with the exception of some dentistry. I never paid one cent for anything, well I have, in my taxes!

Secondly I do find their quote of $64,500 bordering if not actually outrageous. I am still leaning towards having the stem cell therapy in the Bangkok heart hospital where the cost is less even when including the by-passes which is 2/3 rds of the cost.

I am still a bit of a newbie at this so maybe I do not fully appreciate the full benefits of vescell. However they show the Bangkok heart hospital http://www.bangkokheart.com/en/home2_en.aspx on their web site who I first went to and I was quoted "The hospital cost for bypass surgery and cell injection with intraaoric balloon pump support could go up to 1 million Baht plus the cell cost about 550,000 Baht". That's circa $50,000. They use the same doctors! I presume I would be given the Vescell experience!

I have followed advice from Barbara and am exchanging e-mails with Dori from Rejuvenare in Naples who also has knowledge of the Bangkok heart hospital.

 

[Cynthia]

Dr . Grekos

You should contact Buddy74 on this board. He had stem cell treatment with dr. Grekos and is having an amazing recovery.
Also, from what I understand about any stem cell treatment you CAN"T have any surgery for I believe 6 weeks prior to receiving the stem cells. Otherwise the stem cells go to the area where the surgery was to heal the tissues etc and not to work on what you wanted them to do. I realize you surgery is in your heart but it seems to be quite wasteful to have stem cell treatment at the same time as your surgery. I think it's Either 6 weeks before or after. Buddy74 knows all the details. Good luck!

 

[clasship]

Cynthia,

Thanks for the advice, I do not know how I can get in touch with buddy 74?

There is so much to learn about stem cell therapy, Dr Kit V Arom of the bangkok heart hospital stated they would do the by-passes at the same time? Now he is a vescell surgeon.

 

[Cynthia]

You can get in touch with Buddy74 by clicking on the link on this page that says Community then scroll down to members click again then click on "B" scroll until you see Buddy74.
Send him either a private message or post.
Take care!

 

[Buddy74]

Hi Claship......If you want to get details of my stem cell progress you should go to "Cardiology" and then to "Journey to Santo Domingo" on this web-site where I have chronicled the process and procedures of my stem cell journey with Regenocyte (Dr. Grekos) in Bonita Springs, Florida. Cynthia is right, there is a window before and after a stem cell procedure where you should not have stem cell implementation prior to or certainly not immediately after stem cell procedure. You can call Regenocyte in Bonita Springs and they can give you exact details. It was on this web-site..(Stem Cell Pioneers) that someone recommended I contact Regenocyte and the rest is contained in my chronicle on this web-site.
Best Bud.

 

[Buddy74]

As an addition to my previous message.....having Stem Cells placed into one's heart immediately after or during by-pass surgery may be an option but I am no doctor and I would look for further infromation and investigation on this matter. Dr. Grekos ia a noted cardiologist and stem cell authority and you may wish to talk directly to him or others before you choose your option or options.
Bud

 

[Ambika]

stem cell treatment

Hi Barbara,
I am very eager to know how your treatment went. Was it successful? Where did you get this treatment ? Any information will be greatly appreciated as I am researching to find the trusted treatment for Dad who suffers restricted mobility due to stroke.

 

[Buddy74]

Hi: I have had an autologus stem cell treatment through Dr. Grekos and Regenocyte in July of 2009. I was pretty much at the end of my rope in terms of quality of life etc., I did do a lot of research and even though I thought Regenocyte and Dr. Grekos procedure was incredibly expensive, I thought it the best path for me and it has served me well although I am not jumping through hoops. My quality of life has improved a great deal and I am able to do five mileS on a recumbent bike, now daily, something that was impossible prior to my stem cell implementation. I have listed my process through this wonderful web site. Go to Cardiac and then log onto "Journey to Santo Domingo" which is where my treatment was performed. I was told my Ejection Fraction would never go above 20 and I have made it to 35 (resting) and 44 (exercise) and my quality of life has been enhanced. I believe that the numbers Regenocyte quotes are the direct numbers relating to ejection fraction. I see the numbers you have been quoted are far less than what Regenocyte anticipates. I spoke with Regenocyte just today with a question I had after reading your post I asked whether there was any change in their costs. I was told that they now look at each heart procedure and that could affect the cost. It probably would be worth your while to talk directly with Dr. Grekos.
Quite some time ago I was a young officer on a U.S. Navy carrier and visited Trinidad. I remember someone called "Trader Jack" coming by to trade his wares with some of the Seamen aboard. It was against regulations..
one of the seamen inferred that he had a Browning Automatic weapon under the blanket in his hand. Trader Jack was beside himself, wow..an incredible barter. He sent up his many wares and the seaman then threw the blanket which unforunately held a weighted part of an old anchor. The rusted metal flew from the blanket, landed almost at Jack's feet and continued through the floor of his boat. Down went the boat and down went Jack. A nasty deception. Fortunately the Carrier left port the next morning. I have often wondered if Jack still lives in Trinidad and awaits the day an American carrier comes to port and he can send up his wares againand what they may contain. In life we never know what lys around the corner!
Bud