Question: Do you know if there is any current stem cell therapy that treats the effects of non traumatic SCI such as chronic neuropathy? I have incomplete paraplegia from TM (transverse myelitis - affected T3-T5). So spasticilty on both sides and much nerve pain and sensory disruption especially to cold and light touch.

dear Dr XXXXXXX


I have been living with effects of acute onset of TM for 6 years. During that time I have tried and been taking a range of drugs such as amitrypoteline, gapebetin or Lyrica. tegratol, baclofen and had botox injections into my left quads, knee and ankle and calf muscels. I am very allergic to many medications especially anit-inflammatories, except for cortison, opiates, anything asprin based sends me into anyphylatic shock. That is why I am looking at treatment alternatives. I have a good exercise regime - water pilates and gym 2-3 times a week. I choose to walk with 2 sticks and a wheelie frame (outside of house) and I can drive, rather than be in a wheelchair. I am currently taking no medication at all as all the drugs I was taking I was either allergic to or had bad side affects such as making my eyesight blurry. Physio has no effect, I do exercises on my own and a strength based circuit at the gym. In australia you do not get any services such as physio through medicare. All the latest reports about baclofen which I was originally on, say that it impedes muscle recovery in the long term and I think I have certainly done better with no medication and attending acupressue sessions and doing my exercise regime than being on drugs that don't have any effect on the neuropathy which is the hardest and most painful thing to endure. I am in discomfort most of the time. Tingling only stops, sometimes, when I have been resting for 6+ hours. I can tolerate Tramadol, but I keep this for emergency times such as when I broke my wrist from a fall 2 years ago and it does not affect the neuropathy much, nothing seems to work. There are some Dr's here in Austraia applying adipose stem cells, so I was wondering whether you know the organization and research trials they have been conducting: AdultStemCellFoundation of Australia and NZ. Their website is: WWW.WWWW.WW au. I am not sure whether I would be a suitable candidate for this treatment, there are other treatments they use as well and there is a hospital in ShangHai with Australian Dr's using techniqes developed by the Chinese. I know that India too is more advanced than the US in their research into stem cells. I am at the point where I would like to try anything as I can't see myself having enough energy to keep going like this for more than another 5 years. My marriage came to an end because of my disability and I am now living on my own, which is fine whilst I can walk, but I don't want to end up in a nursing home.
So that was why I was asking about the stem cell treatment as I have asked my GP and he just told me to keep abreast of any trials which the adultstemcell foundation are undertaking, but I have to submit an application which I won't do if I was not an eligible candidate in the first place.
If you could give me some advice as to how I should proceed or how I can find out if I would be able to be a trial participant it would be most helpful to me. XXXXXX

Hi
Thank you for reviewing the stem cell trials. I am disappointed I would not be a suitable candidate, but will keep on hoping that advances are made into spinal cord injury treatments. Please do let me know if you hear of any that I could particpate in in the future. I would be prepared to travel to receive treatment.
Regards XXXXXX