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furthermore, getting these same doctors communicating with their induced can cause arachnoiditis. However, the agent intermingles colleagues, so when [a patient presents] with apparent related with the cerebrospinal fluid and in a few days is eliminated in the neurological symptoms the patient is sent for an MRI without urine. However, extensive diffuse scarring results but without contrast or Gadolinium. A sufferer of arachnoiditis should never be adhesion to the nerve roots. There is no paralysis but extensive, exposed to any further contrast mediums of any kind." sometimes all-body pain is permanently induced, particularly by Cunliffe continued: "To correctly diagnose arachnoiditis, it is Metrizamide [known also as Amipaque for those retired professors critical that the MRI machine is not set on the current settings that of radiology in Australia who have "selective memory"]. It is use water-based contrast mediums, but set for the positive for this known that the water-soluble agents enter the central nervous oil-based contrast medium (chemical) that was used on the patient system, particularly the cerebrum, prior to elimination. The many years earlier. Until this is done, a 'false' report of ‘limited consequences are an increased rate of nerve cell death accompanied severity’ will continue. Once an MRI has been done using these 'old' _ by a plethora of neurological deficits from psychosis [meaning one settings, a patient must then have a full Nerve Conduction Test of all of a group of mental disorders that feature loss of contact with limbs including VERs. reality] to grand mal [major epileptic attack with loss of "Adhesive arachnoiditis is not just a dirty word, as some medical consciousness]." professionals describe it. Arachnoiditis is a disease which destroys Dr Giles further stated: "...it seems that because Metrizamide the lives of many human beings and their families. We ask doctors does not contain sugar, when it enters the central nervous system it to help us find an effective form of treatment, or even finda cure for _ begins to destroy the sugars that are present there. That means that this disease, and do your level best to prevent others from the brain becomes starved of oxygen, and so cell damage occurs, as contracting this ‘horrific’ debilitating condition." does epilepsy." An estimated 100,000 or more It is noteworthy that even today, none Australians are suffering from this of the oil-based myelography cruel, incurable condition. (ahowgh a Supstances has ever been oficial! senior government medical officer acknowledged to be toxic. Because told one arachnoiditis sufferer in Even today, none of the Myodil dissolves rubber, glues, Victoria that the fi for victims of . linol , paint, cork tiles and s the "blue dye" is more likely to be oil-based myelography plastics, surely this must have made 350,000). Most annoying to the substances has ever been some of the medicos question its sufferers of arachnoiditis is that the AA suitability? How many brain cells are symptoms have all too often been officially acknowledged needed for a doctor to realise that any dismissed as "psychosomatic". to be toxic. foreign, corrosive, oil-based chemical However, the contemplation of injected into the spine must cause suicide by these victims is all too unbelievable problems? frequent and is real: death is This is the body's main nerve preferable to a lifetime of agony. centre. Medicine is practised on a "risk versus Derek Morrison has made available benefit" basis, so how can it be carried out if the doctor is deprived a 40-page history from 1938 to 2000 of adverse findings (with 13 of appropriate information or is ignorant of the risks? How can the _ pages of reference footnotes) against Pantopaque. The research patient give "informed consent"? One doctor told me that if youhad documents how the drug caused arachnoiditis and it provides Myodil dropped into your eyes, you would lose your sight. evidence of neurotoxicity, cysts, associated syrinx (fluid-filled cavity in the spinal cord) resulting in progressive spastic paraparesis X-ray contrast agents (paraplegia), chronic focal seizure, encephalopathy causing post- The following quote is from US radiologist and neurological operative convulsions, blindness, granulomatous meningitis in the specialist Dr Ken Giles. It is taken from a newsletter produced by brain and spinal cord, etc. researcher Derek Morrison (bracketed sections are added for the In Australia the manufacturers and importers of Iophendylate reader's understanding): misled everybody with their product safety statements, acting "[Arachnoiditis] is but one of the many lesions caused by X-ray without guilt and indiscriminately destroying people's lives in the contrast agents a glance into the publication Martindale's name of profit. So why hasn't the government done anything to help Pharmacopoeia will demonstrate. Indeed, the arachnoiditis caused _ these victims’? Why hasn't it sued these companies for the millions by oils is quite different from water-soluble agents. The oil Myodil of dollars in medical costs incurred by Medicare—that you, the [and Pantopaque] is as the result of the taxpayer have paid for? Even today, none of the oil-based myelography substances has ever been officially acknowledged to be toxic. X-ray contrast agents The following quote is from US radiologist and neurological specialist Dr Ken Giles. It is taken from a newsletter produced by researcher Derek Morrison (bracketed sections are added for the reader's understanding): "[Arachnoiditis] is but one of the many lesions caused by X-ray contrast agents, as a glance into the publication Martindale's Pharmacopoeia will demonstrate. Indeed, the arachnoiditis caused by oils is quite different from water-soluble agents. The oil Myodil [and Pantopaque] causes adhesive arachnoiditis as the result of the oil globules, particularly those which lodge in the nerve root pockets for long periods. The oil is slowly eliminated at the rate of 1 mL/year [this is currently being disputed, as X-rays show a 65 mm column of the oil-based acid still in the spine and globules in the brain 34 years later]. During this time fibroblasts, in a futile attempt to seal off the irritant, secrete collagen which invades and destroys the nerve roots: the result is paralysis of the muscles served by the spinal nerve, which [currently] is untreatable. On the other hand, the later-developed water-soluble agents did not (it was said) cause arachnoiditis. We now know that this is not so. "If the agent is injected at a hypertonic concentration [hypertonic means "a solution that has a greater osmotic pressure than another solution", in this case cerebrospinal fluid], the osmotic shock Myelography and Myodil in Australia Concerning Myodil, it should be borne in mind that the manufacturer: 1) conspired not to supply complete and forthright animal and clinical data regarding the risks of injection of Myodil into the subarachnoid space for myelography to the Australian Department of Health and the medical community; 2) failed to provide adequate and truthful information to the Department of Health, the medical community and the Australian public in official documents, labelling, product promotions, and written and oral communications while downplaying the severity of adverse events and risks; NEXUS + 37 AUGUST —- SEPTEMBER 2006 www.nexusmagazine.com