Stem cell

From the very beginning, we were told there are no treatments and there is nothing we can do about IPF. We read through all we can from the web and came to know about stem cell treatment.

http://www.adistem.com/idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis.html

The centre famous for stem cell treatment is apparently in Greece and even though my father in law (FIL) is fairly mobile then, we didn't think he can take the cold weather. We found they have a branch in Bangkok and went ahead to make arrangements to have it done there. The procedure there involves doing a liposuction to remove whatever fats (which is very little by then) he has at the abdomen and extracting stem cells from it. The stem cells are then put back into his body via IV drips. It took a few weeks of recovery.

We managed to find a doctor in Melaka who would do stem cells procedure from my FIL. This time they had to first extract his bone marrow which is then processed to remove the stem cells and further cultivate it. After a few weeks then it was transferred back into his body. The first time the doctor suggested to somehow input the stem cell through a tube from his thigh all the way up into his lungs. It was difficult, took a long time and caused much discomfort. The next 2 times that we did, we opt for it to be just put into his body via IV drips.

All in all, we did 4 sessions of stem cell treatments. The different methods is not really requested by us but more of what they doctor suggested he can do. The big question is.. did it help? Honestly, we do not know. There is no way of knowing. Along the way we met doctors who told us we've been cheated of our money and there is no prove that stem cells work for IPF patients. All we know is this is a chance and we took it. The only aspect of stem cell treatments that upset me was that it took time to recover. The procedure though not too complicated but it did means he was sitting down a lot resting after each procedure and that means he wasn't exercising. Exercising is very important for IPF patients to keep as much of their existing lung function. With that down time, it got harder and harder for him to stand up and walk and exercise. It was such a good excuse to not exercise. I just had surgery so I cannot exercise. After each stem cell procedure, he said he felt weaker. We asked the doctors and they said the stem cells takes energy to multiply and work so it is natural to feel weaker. My FIL have since requested to stop the stem cell procedure.

The good part is. We still have him. At one point we could see he had very good rosy complexion. He was growing more black hair. His weight goes up and down. He passed the 6 months mark doctors gave him and is still with us. Like I say, there is no way to tell if stem cell treatment worked for him and it is up to each one to decide if you want to go through it. It really depends if you can afford the procedure and what stage the patient it at and of course, what your doctor recommend. Good luck and stay positive.