I have been reading the posts and do not see any where anyone was told NOT to have a procedure done, only to talk to doctors and several of them .and carefully go over all information from practices where the procedures are done and to discuss them with their own lung doctor and also to see if there is any follow ups with long term improvement . People do have, and are entitled to have, their own opinion . I have discussed this with several doctors in the past 6 months and none are in favor of the procedure at present but all think in time stem cells will be beneficial for COPD .If someone wants to have it done then they should go for it , just make a well informed decision as to the benefits and where to have the treatment done and is there a guarantee of some improvement or is it just do it and hope for the best.. Are there patients you can contact who have had the treatments and can talk to about how they improved or if there was any improvement.? Are there any of our group who have had the treatment who are willing to post about it and how they are feeling now ?
Breathe easy all and do what you feel is best for yourself . If you do have it done please post how everything went and any difference in your breathing .

I actually called the company that offers the stem-cell treatment. They say it works but when I watched videos of actual patients (some of whom had 3 treatments) and some seemed so short of breath when talking I wondered why. I have since read many negative comments about it and my doctor had never heard of such a thing. Very expensive with no guarantees. I would absolutely do a lot of research before making a decision.

Thank you....won't give MJ a try. won't gamble with my rapidly vanishing assets.....confirms my misgivings. I've achieved most of what I dreamed about, now I'll just sit back and read my beloved books....an excuse to do nothing!

THE RISKS

The clinics insist that their treatments are safe, but routinely require that patients sign waivers.

Cell Surgical's patients sign an informed consent form acknowledging that they are participating in an experimental study. The form states that there is no guarantee that the stem cell treatment will work, and lists potential risk. The "soup," he says, is rich in shape-shifting stem cells -- magic bullets that, according to some doctors, can be used to treat everything from Parkinson's disease to asthma to this patient's chronic osteoarthritis.
ks. It also makes clear that patients are responsible for paying the full cost of the procedure, which is not covered by insurance.

The number of stem-cell clinics across the United States has surged from a handful in 2010 to more than 170 today, according to figures compiled by The Associated Press. Many of the clinics are linked in large, for-profit chains. New businesses continue to open; doctors looking to get into the field need only take a weekend seminar offered by a training company.

There are clinics that market "anti-aging" treatments; others specialize in "stem-cell facelifts" and other cosmetic procedures. The cost is high, ranging from $5,000 to $20,000.

Berman and others point to anecdotal accounts of seemingly miraculous recoveries. But while stem cells from bone marrow have become an established therapy for a handful of blood cancers -- and while there are high hopes that the cells will someday lead to other major medical advances -- critics say entrepreneurs are treating patients with little or no evidence that what they do is effective.

Or even safe. They point to one stem-cell doctor who has had two patients die under his care.

"It's sort of this 21st century cutting-edge technology," says Dr. Paul Knoepfler, a stem cell researcher at the University of California at Davis. "But the way it's being implemented at these clinics and how it's regulated is more like the 19th century. It's a Wild West."

"When they're desperate, people try things," Fitzgerald says. "When you're really ill you'll say, 'Let me give it a shot and see if it can help me.'"

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_28139232...

I posted in Q & A . I asked if any of the group has had this done would they please share the out come with us . Not those words but the same meaning. Also asked if they would do it again . There was a man who posted he had it done and was told it would be months before he saw improvement but I have not seen any of his postings lately .
Breathe easy all and sleep well .