We are continuing with the oxytocin experiment and are biding our time before we make a change of dose. He has been on the same 6 iu (every three day) dose for close to two months and we think he may need a different dose as the dramatic effects seem to have worn off. As we approach the two-month marker, we will be making a change to see if it will lead to any improvements with appetite reduction.
In the meantime, tomorrow we will be consulting with several physicians on Sasha's current health status:
In the morning, he will have his annual neurosurgery clinic appointment with specialists representing several disciplines including neurosurgery, neuro-oncology, endocrinology, nutrition, physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy and social work. At this 3-4 hour appointment, his providers will review his latest MRI and make recommendations about treatment based on his recent labs, their physical examination of him, and our reports on his overall health and functioning.
In the afternoon, we have an appointment with an addiction specialist psychiatrist who will evaluate him for Naltrexone, an opiate antagonist medication. In following my hunch that Sasha is a sugar/carb addict, I think it may be worth exploring a medication that is used to treat addiction. This medicine is currently being used to treat alcoholics and opiate addicts. Interestingly, it is known to have a side effect of reducing appetite and therefore may be helpful to Sasha in reducing the carb seeking by blocking dopamine receptors and reduce the reward experience in eating. Again, if we decide to try this medication, it would be used experimentally since Naltrexone alone is not typically used to treat sugar addiction.
So... we continue our experiment as we keep a hopeful eye on upcoming dosing changes and other possible treatments to supplement our experiment.
Speaking of hope, I recently learned about the work of Canadian psychiatrist Dr. Norman Doidge, who has studied the amazing phenomenon of neuroplasticity, the ability for the brain to change itself in an adaptive manner. He has written two best selling books, The Brain that Heals Itself and The Brain's Way of Healing which describe many examples of neuroplasticity, the ability for the brain to change its own structure and functioning on its own or with non-invasive and non-pharmacological therapies.
To learn about some of the mysterious and stunning abilities/possibilities of the brain, please watch this very inspiring video on the best that modern neuroscience has to offer. In this fascinating and informative documentary, Dr. Doidge describes some highlights of the work of neuroscientists who demonstrate neuroplasticity with neurologically damaged people including these stories: a woman regains her balance after acquiring an incurable vestibular disease with the use of a type of accelerometer biofeedback device; a blind man "sees" again through his tongue, stroke victims rehabilitate themselves with a new type of "constrained therapy", children with learning disabilities make dramatic progress in their learning with a computer program, autism is treated with TMS, mental rehearsal alone is shown to change brain physiology/anatomy (which explains why talk therapy works!), phantom limb pain is cured with a sensory trick, and a woman who was born with half a brain lives a functional life.
The documentary video is 51 minutes long but very well worth watching:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bFCOm1P_cQQ&autoplay=1
Wow!
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