News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 04/23/2018
Angela Braun
(715) 370-1736

Meagan’s HOPE Memorial Walk
Ehlers Danlos Syndromes Awareness & Suicide Prevention

Wausau, WI: EDS Wisconsin, Inc., EDS Wellness, and the Braun Family are hosting the First Annual Meagan’s HOPE Memorial Walk for EDS Awareness & Suicide Prevention at Wausau’s Oak Island on Saturday, May 5, 2018. Special Guests in attendance include Geneticist Dr. Juan Dong and Jessica Reed of PreventionGenetics, Pain Specialist Linda S. Bluestein, M.D., Executive Director Kendra N Myles of EDS Wellness, Executive Director John Ferman of EDS Awareness, and the Co-Founder of Advanced Tele-Genetic Counseling. A special announcement will be made at 1:00 pm followed by a brief Q & A session and a one mile Walk.

Ehlers Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of heritable connective tissue disorders that impact individuals of all ages & genders. Frequently misdiagnosed as Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or various psychosomatic illnesses, EDS affects nearly every body system since connective tissue is what holds the body together like glue. Many of those who have EDS experience daily pain, excessive fatigue, increased bleeding, and they have overly flexible joints which can lead to joint dislocations, as well as many other seemingly unrelated symptoms. Support and resources for medical professionals and patients affected by EDS remains limited. Sadly, EDS frequently goes undiagnosed for many years causing both patients and medical professionals needless suffering. Early diagnosis is validating and empowering for patients, their loved ones and medical professionals! Diagnosis enables proper treatment strategies and fewer unnecessary medical visits.

Born December 12, 1987, Meagan Rae Braun was a kind, caring, loving individual with a most beautiful, gentle soul. She grew up in Medford, WI and most recently resided in Weston. Meagan was an outstanding mother of two young children and truly enjoyed helping others while continually seeking knowledge, truth, peace and harmony. Even so, behind her beautiful smile, Meagan suffered with multisystemic illnesses including EDS, hyperadrenergic Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), allergies and sensitivities, and more. Frustrated with limited treatment options for her health, in addition to battling postpartum depression, Meagan lost all hope resulting in her death from suicide on April 24th, 2017. The Walk is being held in honor of Meagan’s gracious spirit.

The Mission of the not-for-profit organization EDS Wisconsin is to provide support and resources to Wisconsin patients and medical professionals about Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes and related conditions via education and research. Together with the Braun Family and the prestigious national 501(c)3 organization EDS Wellness, this Walk is an opportunity to increase awareness, support, resources, and education for those affected by EDS and suicide. There will be raffle prizes, t-shirts and balloons for participants.

This event is proudly supported and sponsored by Wisconsin Integrative Pain Specialists, Linda S Bluestein, M.D., Prevention Genetics, The Caring Tree Children’s Counseling Center, Advanced Tele Genetic Counseling (ATGC), Concrete Creations of Wisconsin, Inc., EDS Awareness, Mariah Liisa Design, LLC, and Tools of Marketing, Inc.

Please join us at Wausau’s Oak Island on Saturday, May 5, 2018 at 1:00 pm!
For more information on these conditions and to pre-register go to www.EDSWI.org

Sincerely,
Angie Braun

FLYER Meagan’s Walk

Meagan's Walk Sponsor List

Why is collagen so important, anyway?

By Guest Author, Samantha Geiger

Hey everyone! Before I dig into some science, I’d like to take a second to introduce myself. My name is Sam and I’m a veterinary medicine student at UW-Madison (I also have a BS in microbiology and genetics), science enthusiast, and fellow zebra. I’m very passionate about science communications and making difficult-to-understand concepts more accessible to people with non-scientific backgrounds. When it comes to EDS, I strongly believe that understanding the biology behind the disease empowers patients and allows them to ask their doctors the right questions to get proper care. Additionally, I want to provide resources for medical professionals so they may learn to care for patients with diseases they may not be familiar with – I’ll be leaving citations at the end of each post for this purpose. I’m exceedingly grateful to EDS WI, Inc. for giving me this opportunity. As this is my first post, I thought it would be fitting to discuss what collagen is, why it’s so important, and why it can cause different manifestations amongst EDS subtypes.

I also want to take a second and clarify a critical point: genes set the template for the body to make proteins, and proteins are the workhorses of the body. Proteins are what actually “do” things and carry out a function. If you have bad blueprints – mutated genes – your body doesn’t make a normal protein. Sometimes, like in the case of EDS, these abnormal proteins can have noticeable effects in the body. Proteins are made in different parts of the body at different levels due to a mechanism called “gene expression.” This is why you have nails at the end of your fingers instead of on your forehead!

Most of us know that collagen is a foundational protein found throughout the body and that it’s essentially a “building block” for different structures, but did you know there have been 29 different collagen proteins identified to date? Some of them are more common or have a bigger impact on the body when they don’t work properly compared to others. The first five types are perhaps the most important and well-understood:

  • Type I collagen is by far the most common in the body and makes up parts of your skin, tendons and ligaments, blood vessels, and bones. It often works in partnerships with other kinds of collagen.
  • Type II is a huge component of cartilage.
  • Types III, IV, and V help anchor cells to each other (using what’s called a “reticular fiber”) and to other types of tissue, in some cases forming barriers called “basement membranes” underneath layers of cells. These collagen types are important for microscopic, cell-to-cell activity.

As you can see, each collagen type has its own job to do, which is why there are different subtypes of EDS that can be described by which collagen protein isn’t working. For example, mutations in type III collagen can cause vEDS. This makes sense because the fibers type III makes are critical for forming the architecture of the heart and major blood vessels and give them the ability to stretch and accommodate changing amounts of blood.

Some types of EDS don’t have collagen mutations at all! In these cases, proteins in the body that have to work with or use collagen are mutated and lose their ability to do their jobs. Essentially, the body’s collagen is fine but it can’t be used properly. In periodontal EDS, C1R, a gene involved in a specific part of the immune system, is mutated and collagen is normal. However, the culprit protein uses collagen to make itself. When C1R can’t do its job, the mouth ends up becoming very inflamed, which can cause dental problems.

We’ve all heard the metaphor that likens collagen in the body to building a house. If you have a crummy foundation – mutated collagen – the house will probably wear out more quickly than it should. To add some nuance to the metaphor, imagine collagen is the wood you use to build your house. It forms the walls, the roof, the floor, and maybe some structures inside like cabinets and doors. All in all, pretty important structures to have in a place to live, right? If all of your wood is bad, it’s going to have pretty serious effects throughout the house. Maybe only the wood you use for your roof is bad – your walls will still stand, but maybe some rain leaks in through the ceiling. Maybe your carpenters don’t know how to use the perfectly fine wood you bought, and that’s the reason your floor caves in.

Thinking about collagen this way can be a really helpful tool for understanding why different types of EDS exist. There isn’t just one type of EDS, just as there isn’t one purpose for the wood you buy to build a house. Medically, you don’t treat similarly or lump together patients with different types of EDS, much like you don’t have your carpenter install your plumbing.

*Disclaimer: I am not a physician, and I am not qualified to give anyone advice about their medical condition. All posts written by me are strictly meant to inform and empower patients and medical professionals alike, with information they can use to better communicate with each other. If you have questions about your condition, please ask your doctor.

Citations:

https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/eds-types

Preparation and characterization of the different types of collagen. Miller EJ, Rhodes RK. 1982. Methods Enzymol. 82 Pt A 33-64.

Collagen: a overview. Miller EJ, Gay S. 1982. Methods Enzymol. 82: 3-32.

Elastic and Collagenous Networks in Vascular Diseases. Arteaga-Solis E, Gayraud B, Ramirez F. 2011. Cell Struct. 25(2):69-72.

Periodontal Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is caused by mutations in C1R and C1S, which encode subcomponents C1r and C1s of complement. Kapferer-Seebacher I, Pepin M, Werner R, et al. 2016. AJHG. 99(5):1005-1014.

Wisconsin Integrative Pain Specialists Logo

As many of you know, EDS Wisconsin will be hosting a one-mile walk for EDS Awareness and Suicide Prevention on May 5, 2018. This walk is a milestone for the organization as it represents all of the work we have done to strengthen connections throughout the State of Wisconsin and bring about real changes for EDS patients.

We are beyond excited to announce that we have received a Hope Level Sponsor, donating $1000.00 to our event, Dr. Linda Bluestein and her clinic, Wisconsin Integrative Pain Specialists.

Dr. Linda Bluestein

Dr. Linda Bluestein’s decision to be a “Hope” Sponsor for our EDS Awareness and Suicide Prevention Walk is perhaps among the most fitting of sponsorship levels. Aside from her financial support of this specific event, Dr. Bluestein has been an avid and critical supporter of EDS Wisconsin. Her support began even before the organization was officially created and is rooted deeply in her passion for providing for those who have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and its related conditions. Perhaps even greater than the specific medical care Dr. Bluestein has provided for her patients, the work she does with and for them provides hope for our community—hope we will be understood, hope we can live with managed pain, and hope EDS patients can receive the care and empathy they truly need from medical providers. We are grateful for Dr. Bluestein’s financial support and just as grateful for the moral support she has provided for so many of our members and for the organization itself. She is a “Hope” level sponsor and a hope-giving medical provider, without whom EDS Wisconsin likely would not be where it is today. Thank you, Dr. Linda Bluestein, for this sponsorship and for everything you have done for us.

Dr. Bluestein’s clinic is an incredible resource for patients and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have her and the clinic as part of this special day. Please visit her website by clicking the image above or RIGHT HERE!

By Tammy Kosbab, Edited by Jude Houston

The other morning when I woke up ALL of my muscles ached, my head was throbbing, my eyes felt a little puffy, and I really, REALLY did not want to get out of bed. Similar to the past, I couldn’t understand what I did to cause this and knew it was best to forget even trying to figure this out because of the awful brainfog! It seemed my entire body had turned into muck overnight.

Thankfully, because of Dr Lawrence Afrin, Dr Anne Maitland, Dr Mathur, Dr Steinman, and others in the EDS community like EDS Wellness, EDS Awareness, and the EDS Society, I now know that these symptoms were a result of my being swollen, inside and out. I also now know that this swelling is called angioedema and that it is caused by “allergies.” The swelling certainly wasn’t the kind where a stranger could look at me and immediately notice. However, it was similar to the kind of swelling I had experienced my entire life that I always thought meant that I had a chubby face. I used to think that it was normal to have red marks and indents on my skin from my clothing for hours after changing, or similar red marks and indents on my skin from my bedsheets for hours after waking up.


These are some photos of me swollen and not swollen. It is NOT always this noticeable.

Despite my inability to think clearly, it was apparent that there was only one thing I knew I had to do. I reached for the medication that is ALWAYS within my reach because I know it helps significantly. I took the Gastrocrom. Unhappily, I crept out of bed, went to the bathroom and caught a glimpse of the mirror. Once again, I saw my “old” swollen face, which is the face that I previously thought was ‘normal.’ There was a red rash on my face, a large indentation and two blisters where my skin must have tried to swell under my CPAP mask when I was asleep. To test my Mast Cell Activation (MCA) diagnosis, I stepped on the scale to see if indeed the diagnosis was correct and…literally overnight, I gained about 6 pounds from my previous weight. Wow! Prior to this diagnosis, I often gained 9 pounds in 12 hours or less and I thought that was normal.

I’m still amazed that ALL of the seemingly unrelated symptoms came back. Even now, days later, when I stand up too fast, I got dizzy and when I am upright for too long, I become very tired. I have had burning tongue/mouth sores, bleeding gums, heart palpitations, nerve pain, muscle pain, fascia pain, eyeball pain, ear pain, joint pain, and in case I forgot to mention it – I had debilitating pain! Sadly, like many others Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), this is how I previously felt on a daily basis. It had became my normal throughout my entire life until I was properly diagnosed.

Since my diagnosis of MCAD, my health issues have changed for the better these past 4 months because now I know why my issues escalate and what I can do about it to perhaps reduce the symptoms.

Here is a quick and hopefully simple explanation of how I understand MCAD for those who don’t quite understand it. Mast cells throughout the body contain histamine, heparin, cytokines and other “mediators.” Mast cells are commonly known for releasing these mediators in response to SPECIFICS allergens for retain people, such as strawberries, peanuts, mold, pollen, grass, and others. These are called IgE mediated AKA specific allergies and this is what the allergist would look for when performing a skin prick test. THis IS NOT Mast Cell Activation Disorder.

Instead, MCAD is when a person has a normal number of unstable mast cells which are easily triggered to release the mediators once a certainly threshold is reached. It’s like mast cells with ADHD – they overreact and can release mediators to just about any non-specific thing in the environment.

In other words, the resulting histamine and other mediatora that are constantly being released in the body wreaks havoc! If you want to know what MCAD can do to a person research the word “histamine” and you will find histamine allows blood vessels to be permeable and thus, this is why fluid leaks out of the vessels resulting in tissue swelling.

Think about this: Where are blood vessels located? All over, mostly INSIDE the body, right?
Can we see them? Not usually.
So if a blood vessel in the ____________ (insert internal body part name here such as stomach, colon, brain, spinal column, muscle, etc.) is leaky, can a person see that this internal body part is swollen? Probably not.
Can a person feel it? Well I certainly can, but thats only because I now know that these things aren’t normally normal and since then hey typically happen at the same time that I have all of the other symptoms, it makes complete sense.

The day before this happened it was a beautiful spring day with wonderful fresh-air – pollen and all. I tried to stay inside but have you ever tried to stay away from the air?!? Probably my biggest mistake that day was forgetting to take one of four doses of the Gastrocrom. Live and learn!

Gastrocrom is a medication that “calms” down or stabilizes the mast cells. It’s like taking a bag of oranges and making the holes in the net smaller so the oranges don’t fall out so easily. Imagine the net is the mast cell and it is holding the oranges, which represent the histamines and other mediators.

When the histamines, for example, are released they circulate in the blood until they find a place where they can plug in and be utilized. These are called histamine receptors. There are 4 receptors in the body, but only two of them have known medications that block the action of the Histamines. THESE are called H1 and H2 receptor blockers. I take the H1 blocker called Allegra in a high dose and the H2 blocker Pepcid in a higher than normal dose under the guidance of my doctor.

Tomorrow will be my recovery day which includes relaxation, a chance to retighten the netting and decrease the swelling while also getting work done. The fridge and toilet are also close by so I think I should be good. Ah yes, this is life with the ups and downs of MCAD.

If this sounds like you or if you wish to understand more, please do research and find someone to help you. It is very important when finding someone to help you to remember this: MASTOCYTOSIS IS A CONDITION OF TOO MANY CELLS and it is not MCAD. Also there is not a lot of research that has been done on MCAD and many medical professionals may have never even heard of it.

My favorite resource is the book: Never Bet Against Occam by Lawrence Afrin. Recently I had the pleasure of meeting him at an EDS Wellness’s retreat “Wellapalooza”. Fortunately, I had the amazing opportunity to have relatively long conversations with both Dr. Afrin and Dr Maitland about MCAD in 2017, and was also able to hear their presentations on MCAD several times in person. This information presented greater understanding and direction and provided an opportunity to take back control of my health even when a spring day fills my life with fresh air. Find their presentations on EDS Awareness and EDS Wellness websites.

Together we are stronger!

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