• If you're a past member of the board, but can't recall your password any more, you don't need to set up a new account (unless you wish to). As long as you recall your old login name, you can log in with that user name then select 'forgot password' and the board will email you at your registration email, to let you reset your password.

Don't MDs know about treating SM with omeprazole?

RodRussell

Well-known member
A lady wrote to me recently about her own case of syringomyelia. She found out recently that her severe, nearly constant back pain, was due to a syrinx and a possible Chiari malformation. But, she did not know what to do about it.

She also suffered from a chronic case of gastroesophageal reflux, and she began taking a proton pump inhibitor, Prilosec (omeprazole), which had been prescribed by her gastro-enterologist. Within hours, her SM-caused back pain disappeared.

So, she googled “Prilosec” and “syringomyelia” and discovered from http://www.cavalierhealth.org and other canine websites that veterinarians prescribe proton pump inhibitors for SM. Omeprazole has been regularly prescribed by veterinary neurologists for dogs with SM since at least 1997. But her MDs had never heard of using it to treat SM.

Thus, another example of the value of veterinary research, but who would have thought that, at least by now, medical doctors would not have figured out the value of proton pump inhibitors in relieving human patients of the pain of syringomyelia?
 
Last edited:
I'd personally rather be treated for most health problems by a vet. Very much sick of the MD's who would rather collect endless office visit fees than help their patients.
 
Thus, another example of the value of veterinary research, but who would have thought that, at least by now, medical doctors would have figured out the value of proton pump inhibitors in relieving human patients of the pain of syringomyelia?

Perhaps SM and CM are still so rare enough in humans, that few doctors are well versed in it? I'm so happy for the lady that she found relief for her pain!
 
Reading accounts by human CM/SM patients in the UK (I get the Ann Conroy Trust/Syringomyelia-Chiari Society newsletter), they all seem to be operated on very quickly after a definite diagnosis (thank God for the NHS!) - within 3 months or so - so neurologists may not feel that using CSF inhibitors is going to be very useful for such a short time. The surgery seems to concentrate of rerouting the CSF to encourage it to circulate more normally, rather than reducing its quantity. Whereas with dogs surgery is still the minority option (depending on age, general health, and seriousness of the condition), so most of them need alternative therapy - hence the greater use of CSF inhibitors etc.

Kate, Oliver and Aled
 
Back
Top