Solsaem Clinic (Dr. Minbo Shim) Experience

[ajc]

Did you get audiograms prior to your trip?

You are too nice Daniel. It's insane if @Tinnitard didn't get an audiogram before going there, to verify the result.

 

[Tinnitard]

You are too nice Daniel. It's insane if @Tinnitard didn't get an audiogram before going there, to verify the result.

I've got loads and loads of audiograms. If I use warble tone then my hearing looked okayish. If you use a sine wave then it looks ****.

I had one audiogram that started my left ear ringing as the tinnitus was originally only in my right...

Plus I've had loads of ridiculous noise exposures, fire alarms, wood chippers, a power supply blowing up, circular saw and jigsaw (with double hearing protection).

I could go on but suffice to say all of them caused extra tinnitus.

My latest audiogram is the worst of the lot. I can't hear people talk if there's background noise now.

And I don't care too much for audiograms. Depending on the setup, you can read the rhythm of the operator and guess where a beep should be.

As stated before, I can handle a bit of deafness, it's the torment of the tinnitus that's the problem.

 

[JohnAdams]

You are too nice Daniel. It's insane if @Tinnitard didn't get an audiogram before going there, to verify the result.

Shim does audiograms and he doesn't manipulate the results. He also goes up to 16 kHz.

 

[JohnAdams]

Meat is surprisingly expensive in Seoul!

Not the Spam.

 

[JohnAdams]

Bone marrow extraction is unpleasant.

LOL showing your butt to a bunch of asian nurses. Haha they saw your butt.

Should be at least a week before I begin to notice anything.

Yeah right. Give it at least a month.

 

[Daniel Lion]

You are too nice Daniel. It's insane if @Tinnitard didn't get an audiogram before going there, to verify the result.

Thanks ajc, I am too nice... I was aware of that when I was writing.

But I know people are stubborn and don't listen... so I figure kindness is a good way to go.

By the way, you are freaking brilliant, how the hell do you know so much about medical stuff?

Anyways, I appreciate your contributions and I'll try to be more of an asshole. Believe me, I am a proper thug in real life... take care ajc... I am a big fan of your contributions...

 

[JohnAdams]

By the way, you are freaking brilliant, how the hell do you know so much about medical stuff?

What in the world are you talking about?

 

[just1morething]

Anyways, I appreciate your contributions and I'll try to be more of an asshole

I got a feeling @ajc prefers to be treated that way.

 

[Daniel Lion]

What in the world are you talking about?

Dude, @ajc does make good contributions regularly...

I am not at war with anyone here. Your tinnitus has virtually vanished, mine is chronic...

Cut me slack bro... especially for being nice.
Isn't that what we should aspire to do?

Let's keep the peace and hope Tinnitard is freed from his anguish...

Cool?

 

[Lulu187]

I've been in S. Korea for the last 2 weeks getting PRP injected into my ears at Dr. Shim's Solsaem clinic in Seoul. I will answer your questions as well as periodically update my status. I've got between 2 and 3 months for the full effects to manifest.

Here's how I think Minbo Shim's therapy works. He didn't explain this to me, I put all of this together myself.

First off, this is how hair cell regeneration technology works.

A class of chemicals called notch inhibitors or gamma secretase inhibitors makes contact with the surface of the stem cell. The stem cells in our inner ear are classified as LGR5+ (positive), meaning that it expresses a gene called Leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein coupled receptor 5.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGR5

Inside the cell there is a protein called Beta-Catenin. This is the finger that throws the "switch" that makes LGR5+ stem cells proliferate, which means divide and regenerate into mature cells, in this case, hair cells in the cochlea. In order for this to occur, enough Beta-Catenin has to enter into the nucleus of the cell.

But, the reason our hair cells aren't regenerating on their own is because once Beta-Catenin is created inside the cell, there is a group of proteins that form something called the Beta-Catenin destruction complex, this destroys the Beta-Catenin before it can enter into the nucleus in enough quantity to activate the proliferation process.

The β-catenin destruction complex.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23169527


One way to stop the Beta-Catenin from being destroyed is by activating a cellular signalling pathway called WNT (pronounced wint).
View attachment 29636


Generation of hair cells in neonatal mice by β-catenin overexpression in Lgr5-positive cochlear progenitors.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23918377

This is how drugs like FX-322 work to "wake up" dormant stem cells in the inner ear.

There is a class of proteins involved with many functions in our bodies called growth factors.
View attachment 29637

One of these growth factors is called insulin-like growth factor 1. IGF-1.

IGF-1 has been shown in multiple human clinical trials to improve hearing recovery.


Insulin-like growth factor 1: A novel treatment for the protection or regeneration of cochlear hair cells.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25937136

Actually I never noticed this part before but they verified that it causes cochlear supporting cells to proliferate in cochlear explants.

"The mechanisms of IGF1-induced maintenance of hair cell number have been investigated using a cochlear explant culture system, which demonstrated that IGF1 acts on supporting cells, leading to the inhibition of hair cell apoptosis and the proliferation of supporting cells."


Another study, showed that IGF-1 increases cellular Beta-Catenin levels.

Insulin and IGF-1 stimulate the β-catenin pathway through two signalling cascades involving GSK-3β inhibition and Ras activation

https://www.nature.com/articles/1204064

"IGF-1 increased the cytoplasmic levels of β-catenin."



IGF-1 is produced in our bodies, in part in blood platelets.

There is not any blood in our inner ear fluid. Inner ear fluid is different from blood.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endolymph

You can create a platelet rich composition of blood by putting drawn blood in a centrifuge which separates the platelets into something called platelet rich plasma, PRP.
PRP contains growth factors, including IGF-1.

The growth factors and other cytokines present in PRP include:

• platelet-derived growth factor
• transforming growth factor beta
• fibroblast growth factor
• insulin-like growth factor 1
• insulin-like growth factor 2
• vascular endothelial growth factor
• epidermal growth factor
• Interleukin 8
• keratinocyte growth factor
• connective tissue growth factor

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platelet-rich_plasma


In your middle ear there is a semi-permeable membrane called the round window.

View attachment 29638
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Round_window


So that's how you can deliver medicine to the cochlea, by filling up the middle ear, via eardrum injection, with a viscous solution containing X substance, it rests in the middle ear and the substance, if molecularly small enough, will diffuse through the round window membrane. That's why the various presentations produced by FrequencyTX, as well as their homepage emphasize that their products are "small molecule drugs", because this is exactly how FX-322 is delivered to the cochlea.
View attachment 29639


Other neurotrophic compounds are also being investigated to repair lost cochlear synapses by diffusion through the round window membrane.

Round-window delivery of neurotrophin 3 regenerates cochlear synapses after acoustic overexposure
https://www.researchgate.net/public...cochlear_synapses_after_acoustic_overexposure


So that's my theory, that IGF-1 works just like FX-322 to disable the Beta-Catenin destruction complex and cause the stem cells to proliferate into functioning hair cells except that IGF-1 is already produced in our bodies and needs to be manually introduced into the cochlea. Also PRP may be much safer than FX-322 because it is good for healing holes to the eardrum that would be caused by the injection.


Topical use of autologous platelet rich plasma in myringoplasty.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25794691

"Topical autologous PRP application during myringoplasty is safe and highly efficient and successful with no reported complication"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25794691

Now watch the nay-sayers purposefully push this post up the page with extremely long-winded ad-hominem attacks on me and Minbo Shim.

Forgive me if you have updated elsewhere. How is your tinnitus now since it's been a few months since you've had those PRP injections?

 

[Allan Mcmillan]

Well I sent an email today expressing interest, if bone marrow was included, how many injections and price. Who knows if they will get back to me... but if they do... I will report the information to the community...

Daniel.

Did they ever get back to you?

 

[JohnAdams]

How is your tinnitus now since it's been a few months since you've had those PRP injections?

Much more manageable and it disappears often.

 

[Daniel Lion]

Did they ever get back to you?

Nope... I will write again... promise.

 

[Tinnitard]

Well, I'm half way through my treatment. No improvements yet but my tinnitus is different each day.

The treated ear goes through a massive spike lasting until the next day.

It is quite tiring having blood and bone marrow extracted and then the injections.

I'm doing my best to eat well though.

I see no problems with Shim's audiograms whatsoever. It would be pointless and difficult to fake (and probably illegal too).

Also, I don't need an audiogram to tell me if my tinnitus is bad or not. I know my hearing is crap because of the damned ringing.

I understand that people would want proof though.

For me, the proof will be if my ears/brain/CNS calm the **** down. I don't expect perfect hearing either but an improvement will be extremely welcome.

 

[Daniel Lion]

I've got loads and loads of audiograms. If I use warble tone then my hearing looked okayish. If you use a sine wave then it looks ****.

I had one audiogram that started my left ear ringing as the tinnitus was originally only in my right...

Plus I've had loads of ridiculous noise exposures, fire alarms, wood chippers, a power supply blowing up, circular saw and jigsaw (with double hearing protection).

I could go on but suffice to say all of them caused extra tinnitus.

My latest audiogram is the worst of the lot. I can't hear people talk if there's background noise now.

And I don't care too much for audiograms. Depending on the setup, you can read the rhythm of the operator and guess where a beep should be.

As stated before, I can handle a bit of deafness, it's the torment of the tinnitus that's the problem.

Hey man, don't worry about the negativity here.

Your posts are appreciated and you have our full support.

Do what's good for you and heal... no negativity.
We are all wishing you quieter days and a happier life.

Sincerely Daniel, and your fan club.

 

[JohnAdams]

Well, I'm half way through my treatment. No improvements yet but my tinnitus is different each day.

The treated ear goes through a massive spike lasting until the next day.

It is quite tiring having blood and bone marrow extracted and then the injections.

I'm doing my best to eat well though.

I see no problems with Shim's audiograms whatsoever. It would be pointless and difficult to fake (and probably illegal too).

Also, I don't need an audiogram to tell me if my tinnitus is bad or not. I know my hearing is crap because of the damned ringing.

I understand that people would want proof though.

For me, the proof will be if my ears/brain/CNS calm the **** down. I don't expect perfect hearing either but an improvement will be extremely welcome.

How did you get tinnitus?

 

[Tinnitard]

How did you get tinnitus?

Teaching piano part time in a noisy environment for 2 years. And then various noise exposures afterwards caused it to get worse.

 

[Daniel Lion]

Teaching piano part time in a noisy environment for 2 years. And then various noise exposures afterwards caused it to get worse.

My best friend is a pianist... he can't play anymore... but he composes... maybe you could try that and satisfy your creative needs.
Praying you are safe... stay in touch.

 

[JohnAdams]

Teaching piano part time in a noisy environment for 2 years. And then various noise exposures afterwards caused it to get worse.

Yes pianos can be really loud.

 

[Tinnitard]

My best friend is a pianist... he can't play anymore... but he composes... maybe you could try that and satisfy your creative needs.
Praying you are safe... stay in touch.

Thanks.

I've composed loads of stuff over the years. It's difficult to imagine or hear music when your ears ring all the time! Beethoven managed it I guess but I'm not him.

Here's probably one of my better tunes written a long time ago now. Don't worry it's not a thumping dance track.



Eventually I'll get round to recording a live piano solo version of this (done on a digital piano at a low volume).

 

[Daniel Lion]

I've composed loads of stuff over the years. It's difficult to imagine or hear music when your ears ring all the time! Beethoven managed it I guess but I'm not him.

Here's probably one of my better tunes written a long time ago now. Don't worry it's not a thumping dance track.

Wow... amazing... on a real piano with violins and strings.... wow.
You got talent bro... keep composing... for pleasure.
For movies, short films, commercials.
Don't stop Tinnitard, you got a real gift.
That was beautiful and easy on the ears... keep going man.

 

[JudyM]

Here's probably one of my better tunes written a long time ago now. Don't worry it's not a thumping dance track.

That was absolutely lovely. I wish you the best of luck in your treatment. God bless!!!

 

[Allan Mcmillan]

Minbo does seem to have this paper published in case anyone is interested in reading it.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2017/0056447.html

 

[Daniel Lion]

Minbo does seem to have this paper published in case anyone is interested in reading it.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2017/0056447.html

Thanks for the post... I found it slightly confusing, strange and at times bizarre. Could be my mood, I had a quick read. what was your impression? I wasn't looking for anything revolutionary... I did find the final statement very interesting referring to "practitioners" and the list of vitamins.

Can't wait till he gets his hands on small molecule drugs... he's got steady hands.

Hope Tinnitard is on the mend and his tinnitus is mellowing.

Damn these Korean nurses are getting free peeks at a lot of foreign ass... nice job perk...

 

[JohnAdams]

Are you flying home now @Tinnitard?

 

[Tinnitard]

That was absolutely lovely. I wish you the best of luck in your treatment. God bless!!!

Thanks. Home now after a long, long flight and 2 weeks in Seoul.

My tinnitus is different for sure but I'm jetlagged and very tired.

 

[Mathieulh]

Minbo does seem to have this paper published in case anyone is interested in reading it.

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/y2017/0056447.html

Isn't that a patent though? It's not exactly what I would call a research paper.

 

[SouthKorean]

Thanks. Home now after a long, long flight and 2 weeks in Seoul.

My tinnitus is different for sure but I'm jetlagged and very tired.

Thank you for your efforts. I'll keep an eye on your review.

 

[JohnAdams]

Thanks. Home now after a long, long flight and 2 weeks in Seoul.

My tinnitus is different for sure but I'm jetlagged and very tired.

I suspect that your course of treatment was modified from the one I underwent.

 

[Daniel Lion]

I suspect that your course of treatment was modified from the one I underwent.

Why? In what way?