I (pwME) underwent four H.E.L.P. Apheresis treatments at the Apheresis Center in Cyprus.
My blood appeared normal, and I experienced some benefits from the treatments. For instance, my resting heart rate decreased from 90-100 to 50-60 for about 18-24 hours after each session. Additionally, I noticed an improvement in my peripheral vision, possibly due to enhanced blood flow to my eyes. Each treatment left me feeling rejuvenated, as though my nervous system entered a deep parasympathetic state. However, I still experienced PEM approximately 48-72 hours post-treatment.
During my sessions, I observed two Long Covid patients with notably thick and dark blood— "zombie blood" seems like an apt descriptor. One patient's blood was so dense that it clogged the tubes, preventing the apheresis machine from starting. When they removed the tube from her arm, her coagulated blood clung to it like a long black string. After being placed on triple anticoagulation, she returned for another session, which proved successful. Remarkably, she transitioned from being wheelchair-bound to walking after just a few treatments. I witnessed this personally. If it was the triple anticoagulants, the apheresis, or a placebo that worked for her - I don’t know. But she sure looked different and ‘alive’ again.
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I believe apheresis provides benefits for some people, but it’s extremely costly, and the clinic I used seemed a bit shady, with the owners walking around the place, talking about ME and LC like they had the ultimate cure for it (Markus Klotz is an interesting figure, to say the least). It put me off being there, and I was afraid if I was getting scammed. I paid about 5000 EUR for four treatments, and although I had some temporary improvements, it didn't last more than some days. So maybe I did get scammed
However, I’m actually so desperate that if I could afford it, I would likely try 10-20 treatments to see if it provides long lasting results. If it’s reducing auto-antibodies and/or improving tissue oxygenation by thinning the blood, I don’t know. But it does
something to disrupt the disease process in for
some with ME and LC.
Attaching some photos of my H.E.L.P filter before and after treatment. It obviously helps the placebo to see all that “dirt” being cleaned out of me
