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Dr. Richard Bruno, HD, PhD
Director, International Centre for Polio Education and author of The Polio Paradox
Hosts The Harvest Center’s Post-Polio Coffee House
We share his Tips and Tidbits of PPS information as he shares them.
Every issue of Bruno "Bytes" is available in PDF format at the bottom of this page. Feel free to print and share these.
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Dr. Richard Bruno, HD, PhD
Director, International Centre for Polio Education and author of The Polio Paradox
Hosts The Harvest Center’s Post-Polio Coffee House
We share his Tips and Tidbits of PPS information as he shares them.
Every issue of Bruno "Bytes" is available in PDF format at the bottom of this page. Feel free to print and share these.
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Bruno Bytes - May 2019
NOTE: Many of these articles are abbreviated.
Just "Click" on the word "HERE" in red for the complete article (or) download the PDF version of Bruno Bytes (below).
NOTE: Many of these articles are abbreviated.
Just "Click" on the word "HERE" in red for the complete article (or) download the PDF version of Bruno Bytes (below).
On the topic of a Central Registry for Polio Survivors (5/3/2019)
Original Post: Has anyone looked for their hospital records from the 50's? I think I know the right hospital name and town, but I can't seem to get any further.
Dr. Bruno’s Response: Unfortunately, there is no central registry, or even a state registry, for polio survivors’ records.
On the topic of Modafinil for PPS Fatigue (5/4/2019)
Original Post: I’ve been so tired lately that I don’t have the strength to hold a conversation. I’m considering Modafinil to help me feel less tired.
Dr. Bruno’s Response: A large, double-blind, placebo controlled study showed that Modafinil had NO effect on fatigue in polio survivors!
On the topic of Stem Cell Treatments (5/14/2019)
Dr. Bruno’s Original Post: STEM CELLS - THE NEW SNAKE OIL.
Most researchers, including those at the National Institutes of Health, think that efforts to sell therapies involving adult stem cells, which can develop into different types of cells to replenish tissue, have gotten way ahead of the science. Rogue clinics offering other kinds of procedures have flourished, accused of blinding people by injecting cells into their eyes, mixing stem cells with smallpox vaccine to treat cancer or causing severe infections by administering contaminated blood from umbilical cords into patients’ joints or spines.
Stem Cell Treatments Flourish With Little Evidence That They Work
The F.D.A. has taken an industry-friendly approach toward companies using unproven cell cocktails to treat people
desperate for relief from aging or damaged joints.
By Denise Grady and Reed Abelson May 13, 2019
The complete article is available HERE
On the topic of Bracing for Polio Survivors (5/14/2019)
Dr. Bruno’s Original Post: We have lots of questions about bracing to keep walking. Read “Bracing and Polio Survivors” in the articles section of the Encyclopedia of Polio and PPS. Remember: To walk can be painful, to roll is divine!
On the topic of Forgetting Words (5/14/2019)
Original Post: I had a neuropsychological exam and one of the test results is verbal memory loss, meaning wherever is said to me the next minute is gone. I understand now why I was forgetting everything said to me. So, I have to write everything now.
Dr Bruno’s Response: Since word finding is a Post-Polio Sequelae, polio survivors should not be given a quickie verbal memory test for dementia since false positives will result.
(Abbreviated From Medscape by Megan Brooks 11/2018) -
Three Common Dementia Screens Faulty, Inaccurate
“Three brief cognitive assessments often used in primary care settings to identify patients with cognitive impairment who could benefit from a full diagnostic workup for dementia are often inaccurate, new research shows. The three tests are the Mini–Mental State Examination (MMSE), which assesses orientation to time and place and the ability to remember words; the Memory Impairment Screen (MIS), which focuses on the ability to remember words; and Animal Naming (AN), which involves naming as many animals as possible in 60 seconds.
Sign in HERE for the complete article.
Please read the articles under “Fatigue” and “Word Finding Difficulty” in the Encyclopedia of Polio and PPS for information you can share with your physician.
On the topic of Electrolyte Levels (5/19/2019)
Original Post: I have trouble keeping my electrolyte levels - iron, potassium, sodium, vitamin B, calcium etc, where they’re supposed to be. Is this polio related?
Dr. Bruno’s Response: This is not a polio issue but certainly needs tending!
On the topic of Gabapentin for Pain (5/21/2019)
Dr. Bruno’s Original Post: Gabapentin, et al: Do they even provide a placebo effect?
"In many well-controlled studies they found there was less than a one-point difference on the 10-point pain scale between patients taking the drug versus a placebo, a difference often clinically meaningless. Despite the limited evidence of benefit, Dr. Johansen found that the number of people taking gabapentinoids more than tripled from 2002 to 2015."
Original Post: Has anyone looked for their hospital records from the 50's? I think I know the right hospital name and town, but I can't seem to get any further.
Dr. Bruno’s Response: Unfortunately, there is no central registry, or even a state registry, for polio survivors’ records.
On the topic of Modafinil for PPS Fatigue (5/4/2019)
Original Post: I’ve been so tired lately that I don’t have the strength to hold a conversation. I’m considering Modafinil to help me feel less tired.
Dr. Bruno’s Response: A large, double-blind, placebo controlled study showed that Modafinil had NO effect on fatigue in polio survivors!
On the topic of Stem Cell Treatments (5/14/2019)
Dr. Bruno’s Original Post: STEM CELLS - THE NEW SNAKE OIL.
Most researchers, including those at the National Institutes of Health, think that efforts to sell therapies involving adult stem cells, which can develop into different types of cells to replenish tissue, have gotten way ahead of the science. Rogue clinics offering other kinds of procedures have flourished, accused of blinding people by injecting cells into their eyes, mixing stem cells with smallpox vaccine to treat cancer or causing severe infections by administering contaminated blood from umbilical cords into patients’ joints or spines.
Stem Cell Treatments Flourish With Little Evidence That They Work
The F.D.A. has taken an industry-friendly approach toward companies using unproven cell cocktails to treat people
desperate for relief from aging or damaged joints.
By Denise Grady and Reed Abelson May 13, 2019
The complete article is available HERE
On the topic of Bracing for Polio Survivors (5/14/2019)
Dr. Bruno’s Original Post: We have lots of questions about bracing to keep walking. Read “Bracing and Polio Survivors” in the articles section of the Encyclopedia of Polio and PPS. Remember: To walk can be painful, to roll is divine!
On the topic of Forgetting Words (5/14/2019)
Original Post: I had a neuropsychological exam and one of the test results is verbal memory loss, meaning wherever is said to me the next minute is gone. I understand now why I was forgetting everything said to me. So, I have to write everything now.
Dr Bruno’s Response: Since word finding is a Post-Polio Sequelae, polio survivors should not be given a quickie verbal memory test for dementia since false positives will result.
(Abbreviated From Medscape by Megan Brooks 11/2018) -
Three Common Dementia Screens Faulty, Inaccurate
“Three brief cognitive assessments often used in primary care settings to identify patients with cognitive impairment who could benefit from a full diagnostic workup for dementia are often inaccurate, new research shows. The three tests are the Mini–Mental State Examination (MMSE), which assesses orientation to time and place and the ability to remember words; the Memory Impairment Screen (MIS), which focuses on the ability to remember words; and Animal Naming (AN), which involves naming as many animals as possible in 60 seconds.
Sign in HERE for the complete article.
Please read the articles under “Fatigue” and “Word Finding Difficulty” in the Encyclopedia of Polio and PPS for information you can share with your physician.
On the topic of Electrolyte Levels (5/19/2019)
Original Post: I have trouble keeping my electrolyte levels - iron, potassium, sodium, vitamin B, calcium etc, where they’re supposed to be. Is this polio related?
Dr. Bruno’s Response: This is not a polio issue but certainly needs tending!
On the topic of Gabapentin for Pain (5/21/2019)
Dr. Bruno’s Original Post: Gabapentin, et al: Do they even provide a placebo effect?
"In many well-controlled studies they found there was less than a one-point difference on the 10-point pain scale between patients taking the drug versus a placebo, a difference often clinically meaningless. Despite the limited evidence of benefit, Dr. Johansen found that the number of people taking gabapentinoids more than tripled from 2002 to 2015."
Millions Take Gabapentin for Pain But There’s Scant Evidence It Works.
By Jane E. Brody N.Y. Times May 20, 2019
“There is very little data to justify how these drugs are being used and why they should be in the top 10 in sales,”
a researcher said. One of the most widely prescribed prescription drugs, gabapentin, is being taken by millions of patients despite
little or no evidence that it can relieve their pain.
By Jane E. Brody N.Y. Times May 20, 2019
“There is very little data to justify how these drugs are being used and why they should be in the top 10 in sales,”
a researcher said. One of the most widely prescribed prescription drugs, gabapentin, is being taken by millions of patients despite
little or no evidence that it can relieve their pain.
The Complete Article is available HERE
On the topic of Legs Feeling like they are on Fire (5/21/2019)
Original Post: Why would my legs feel like they are on fire with every step?
Dr. Bruno’s Response: I often say "Feeling the burn means nerves are burning out." This is a metaphor, not what really happens, when you overuse muscles. But there could be any number of causes for burning sensation. See your doctor and rule out the others, please.
On the topic of Vaccine Hesitancy (5/23/2019)
Dr. Bruno’s Original Post:
Exposing vaccine hesitant to real-life pain of diseases makes them more pro-vaccine.
Newswise — The re-introduction of measles, mumps and other previously eradicated diseases to the United States is nothing short of a public health crisis. Since Jan. 1, a staggering 880 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 24 states -- the greatest number of cases since 1994. Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.
The outbreaks have been attributed to an increasing number of Americans who choose not to vaccinate themselves or their children. Overcoming this "vaccine hesitancy" is a major concern for government and health agencies, which have tried a variety of approaches to convince anti-vaxers to change their minds, including mandating vaccinations in some communities.
New research from Brigham Young University professors Brian Poole, Jamie Jensen and their students finds there is a better way to help increase support for vaccinations: Expose people to the pain and suffering caused by vaccine-preventable diseases instead of trying to combat people with vaccine facts.
"Vaccines are victims of their own success," said Poole, associate professor of microbiology and molecular biology. "They're so effective that most people have no experience with vaccine preventable diseases. We need to reacquaint people with the dangers of those diseases."
The Complete Article, published May 22, 2019 is available HERE
On the topic of Power Chair vs Scooter (5/23/2019)
Original Post: Why are power wheel chairs better for us than a scooter?
Dr. Bruno’s Response: Scooters are tough on the arms when steering and your posture is terrible because you’re bending over to steer. The tillers can be heavy and therefore strain your muscles while MOVING the tiller!
On the topic of Retaining CARBON DIOXIDE (5/23/2019)
Original Post: Do all polio survivors retain carbon dioxide?
Dr. Bruno’s Response: Not all polio survivors retain CO2 while they are sleeping, but CO2 must be measured during pulmonary function studies and sleep studies in polio survivors! I always recommend Dr. John Bach, MD for these issues.
On the topic Polio after the Vaccine (5/23/2019)
Original Post: I was vaccinated for Polio about 6 months before I got it. In that time in between I got the Measles, then a very bad Tonsillitis before getting Bulbar Polio in July 1958. Parents who don't allow their children to be vaccinated are causing more harm than just exposing their child to a "harmless" childhood disease.
Dr. Bruno’s Response: Most likely you got a bad batch of "Salk" vaccine and the tonsillitis made you vulnerable to bulbar infection by the poliovirus. The “Salk” vaccine was released in 1955 and there were still 10,000 cases of polio in the US in 1959! A 1960 commission found the "Salk" vaccine was only 72% effective and batches contained live poliovirus.
On the topic of Legs Feeling like they are on Fire (5/21/2019)
Original Post: Why would my legs feel like they are on fire with every step?
Dr. Bruno’s Response: I often say "Feeling the burn means nerves are burning out." This is a metaphor, not what really happens, when you overuse muscles. But there could be any number of causes for burning sensation. See your doctor and rule out the others, please.
On the topic of Vaccine Hesitancy (5/23/2019)
Dr. Bruno’s Original Post:
Exposing vaccine hesitant to real-life pain of diseases makes them more pro-vaccine.
Newswise — The re-introduction of measles, mumps and other previously eradicated diseases to the United States is nothing short of a public health crisis. Since Jan. 1, a staggering 880 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 24 states -- the greatest number of cases since 1994. Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000.
The outbreaks have been attributed to an increasing number of Americans who choose not to vaccinate themselves or their children. Overcoming this "vaccine hesitancy" is a major concern for government and health agencies, which have tried a variety of approaches to convince anti-vaxers to change their minds, including mandating vaccinations in some communities.
New research from Brigham Young University professors Brian Poole, Jamie Jensen and their students finds there is a better way to help increase support for vaccinations: Expose people to the pain and suffering caused by vaccine-preventable diseases instead of trying to combat people with vaccine facts.
"Vaccines are victims of their own success," said Poole, associate professor of microbiology and molecular biology. "They're so effective that most people have no experience with vaccine preventable diseases. We need to reacquaint people with the dangers of those diseases."
The Complete Article, published May 22, 2019 is available HERE
On the topic of Power Chair vs Scooter (5/23/2019)
Original Post: Why are power wheel chairs better for us than a scooter?
Dr. Bruno’s Response: Scooters are tough on the arms when steering and your posture is terrible because you’re bending over to steer. The tillers can be heavy and therefore strain your muscles while MOVING the tiller!
On the topic of Retaining CARBON DIOXIDE (5/23/2019)
Original Post: Do all polio survivors retain carbon dioxide?
Dr. Bruno’s Response: Not all polio survivors retain CO2 while they are sleeping, but CO2 must be measured during pulmonary function studies and sleep studies in polio survivors! I always recommend Dr. John Bach, MD for these issues.
On the topic Polio after the Vaccine (5/23/2019)
Original Post: I was vaccinated for Polio about 6 months before I got it. In that time in between I got the Measles, then a very bad Tonsillitis before getting Bulbar Polio in July 1958. Parents who don't allow their children to be vaccinated are causing more harm than just exposing their child to a "harmless" childhood disease.
Dr. Bruno’s Response: Most likely you got a bad batch of "Salk" vaccine and the tonsillitis made you vulnerable to bulbar infection by the poliovirus. The “Salk” vaccine was released in 1955 and there were still 10,000 cases of polio in the US in 1959! A 1960 commission found the "Salk" vaccine was only 72% effective and batches contained live poliovirus.
Biography of Richard L. Bruno, HD, PhD.
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"Post-Polio Fatigue" Log Here
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Complete "Bruno Bytes" from Previous Months - in easily printable PDF format below
2019
2018
2017
2016
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2015
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2014
“Bruno Bytes” – How it all began
“Bruno Bytes” are published monthly, through a combined effort between Dr. Richard L. Bruno, HD, PhD (biography above) and
the Pa. Polio Survivor’s Network. They are answers to questions posted in the “Post-Polio Coffee House” (on Facebook).
This partnership began in November, 2014.
“Bruno Bytes” help to teach polio survivors, spouses, caregivers and health care professionals about the many and varied topics related to the physical and emotional issues associated with having had polio and managing PPS.
“Bruno Bytes” are for education only and any personal treatment plan must be determined in association with a PPS knowledgeable health care professional.
“Bruno Bytes” are published monthly, through a combined effort between Dr. Richard L. Bruno, HD, PhD (biography above) and
the Pa. Polio Survivor’s Network. They are answers to questions posted in the “Post-Polio Coffee House” (on Facebook).
This partnership began in November, 2014.
“Bruno Bytes” help to teach polio survivors, spouses, caregivers and health care professionals about the many and varied topics related to the physical and emotional issues associated with having had polio and managing PPS.
“Bruno Bytes” are for education only and any personal treatment plan must be determined in association with a PPS knowledgeable health care professional.