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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Suggest Treatment For Glioblastoma Multiforme

I was wondering what happens when a person rallys before death. My mother-in-law has been diagnosed with a terminal illness (glioblastoma multiforme) and was given just a few weeks. We brought her home with Hospice and now she seems to be making improvement, but I am afraid to get my hopes up. How do we know if it is improvement or a rally ?
Fri, 19 Dec 2014
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Neurologist 's  Response
Hello. My name is Dr. Saghafi and I am a neurologist. You are referring to a well known phenomenon of how terminally ill patients seem to make significant turn arounds or improvements for a brief period of time but then, rapidly decline. For years I've looked for the medical term for this but have never really found one. I call it the Second Wind phenomenon but that's not terribly specific to the situation of terminally ill patients since SECOND WIND can happen in many other circumstances that are NOT terminal....anyways, it's what I call it....

I have seen this occur many times and though common it is by no means consistent nor predictive of anything. I have seen patients actually get better and then, go on to survive for much longer and in a relatively better quality of life level compared to what doctors had predicted. Nobody has the explanation for why or how this happens. Explanations range from scientific/medical ones to religious/mystic. Recent medical experiments on people close to dying showed a sudden surge in brainwave activity just before death itself which seemed to reproducibly present in many different subjects no matter what their age nor their medical condition at the time. Again, no great explanations as to why or how this was happening but simply that it happened.

If you'd like to get more information on this or any topic of a medical nature feel free to drop me a line/question at bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi

I wish you and your mom the best and hope she is actually on the road to recovery.

If this information is of benefit I'd be appreciative of a STAR RATING and your brief feedback.
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Suggest Treatment For Glioblastoma Multiforme

Hello. My name is Dr. Saghafi and I am a neurologist. You are referring to a well known phenomenon of how terminally ill patients seem to make significant turn arounds or improvements for a brief period of time but then, rapidly decline. For years I ve looked for the medical term for this but have never really found one. I call it the Second Wind phenomenon but that s not terribly specific to the situation of terminally ill patients since SECOND WIND can happen in many other circumstances that are NOT terminal....anyways, it s what I call it.... I have seen this occur many times and though common it is by no means consistent nor predictive of anything. I have seen patients actually get better and then, go on to survive for much longer and in a relatively better quality of life level compared to what doctors had predicted. Nobody has the explanation for why or how this happens. Explanations range from scientific/medical ones to religious/mystic. Recent medical experiments on people close to dying showed a sudden surge in brainwave activity just before death itself which seemed to reproducibly present in many different subjects no matter what their age nor their medical condition at the time. Again, no great explanations as to why or how this was happening but simply that it happened. If you d like to get more information on this or any topic of a medical nature feel free to drop me a line/question at bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi I wish you and your mom the best and hope she is actually on the road to recovery. If this information is of benefit I d be appreciative of a STAR RATING and your brief feedback.