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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Life Expectancy Of People Diagnosed With MELAS? Lost Eye Sight, Muscle Function, Has Psycotic Episodes, Dimentia

My 42 yr old friend was just diagnosed with MELAS mitochondrial disease . She has lost sight in her left eye, almost all muscle function in her hands and has lost the function of her bowels. She is experiencing psycotic episodes and dimentia. They will not let her leave the hospital!! They say she needs to be in a rehab facility!! What is the life expectancy for MELAS. I am reading 5yrs. But her symptoms..ie hearing loss and stroke like episodes have been going on for more that 5yrs?
Tue, 8 Oct 2013
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Ayurveda Specialist 's  Response
**
1. ME (mitochondrial encephalopathy), L (lactic Acidosis), S (stroke like episodes) affects muscle and nervous system, reason of dementia and loss of muscle function.
2. There have been no controlled studies on long-term aids of dietary manipulations, but the below supplements have presented some promise and have offered hope to MELAS individuals.
i. CoQ10 has been helpful.
ii. Riboflavin has been described as improving the patient functioning.
iii. L-arginine has been administrated during the serious as well as the interictal periods and might represent a probable new management for this syndrome to diminish brain damage because of diminished vasodilation in intracerebral arteries owing to nitric oxide reduction.
3. There is currently no known treatment for the underlying disease which is usually progressive and fatal. Individuals are managed according to what areas of the body are affected at any particular time.
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Life Expectancy Of People Diagnosed With MELAS? Lost Eye Sight, Muscle Function, Has Psycotic Episodes, Dimentia

** 1. ME (mitochondrial encephalopathy), L (lactic Acidosis), S (stroke like episodes) affects muscle and nervous system, reason of dementia and loss of muscle function. 2. There have been no controlled studies on long-term aids of dietary manipulations, but the below supplements have presented some promise and have offered hope to MELAS individuals. i. CoQ10 has been helpful. ii. Riboflavin has been described as improving the patient functioning. iii. L-arginine has been administrated during the serious as well as the interictal periods and might represent a probable new management for this syndrome to diminish brain damage because of diminished vasodilation in intracerebral arteries owing to nitric oxide reduction. 3. There is currently no known treatment for the underlying disease which is usually progressive and fatal. Individuals are managed according to what areas of the body are affected at any particular time.