The Dreaded of the Dreaded

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Illustration of an HLA-DR antigen receptor
with bound antigen

At my third follow up appointment with Dr. Rothfeld at The Rothfeld Center, I found out why I'm more susceptible to getting ill and have more difficulty in getting well.  It's all encoded in my genetic make-up for immune system function.

It's a little bit confusing with all the "alphabet soup" but I'll try to keep it simple. The human leukocyte antigen system (HLA) contains a large number of genes related to human immune system function. HLA-DR is involved in disease susceptibility and disease resistance and there are several combinations of gene sequences in the HLA-DR complex. According to Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, author of Mold Warriors, there are two patterns in the alpha-chain, 4-3-53 and 11(12)-3-52B, that make the body very susceptible to biotoxins which he calls "The Dreaded." AND I HAVE BOTH - a double whammy! One sequence from one parent and one sequence from the other. There are also several patterns in the beta-chain that Dr. Shoemaker calls "The Dreaded of the Dreaded" which means it "tends to be difficult to get well." AND I HAVE THAT, TOO - a triple whammy!

The Genetic Fates dealt me not only The Dreaded, but The Dreaded of the Dreaded as well!

The good news is that I didn't have any abnormal levels of heavy metals - except for gadolinium which is used in the contrast for MRI's. Dr. Rothfeld said that they always see elevated levels in anyone whose had an MRI. However, no one knows if high levels of gadolinium are bad or not except for patients with kidney disorders. Given the uncertainty, Dr. Rothfeld endorsed my bi-annual MRI's in order to follow up on my previous benign brain tumor and make sure it doesn't come back. Okay, I'll take the risk there.

Having said all that, there are still indications of inflammation in my system as well as low reserves of a methylating enzyme (VIP) to fight that inflammation. So, Dr. Rothfeld put me on a protocol for removing toxins from my system. Because of my genetic predispostions, he also said that if I am exposed to toxins in the future that I should go back on this protocol right away:

• NaproRella: a little green pill made from an algae that binds neurotoxins
• FolaPro: a supplement to bypass the faulty methylating enzyme
• Wellchol: this is actually a prescription cholesterol medication in a class called bile acid-binding resins. It works by removing bile acid from the body, causing the liver to make more bile by using cholesterol, which reduces cholesterol in the blood and lowers blood sugar. In my case, acid-binding resins will bind with the toxins and allow my body to eliminate them. A side benefit should be lowered cholesterol and blood sugar levels!

An added bonus was that my husband came to my appointment with me to hear first-hand about my test results, learn about my treatment plan, and meet my doctor. I hope the experience makes it easier for him to understand my situation and how I'm dealing with it. I know it can be hard for family members to cope with chronic illness in a loved one. It takes a lot of hard work and love to maintain supportive relationships!