Story Published: Aug 14, 2012 at 8:19 PM PDT ( Story Updated: Aug 14, 2012 at 8:19 PM PDT )
SANTEE (CNS) - An Encinitas woman was behind bars Tuesday for allegedly practicing medicine without a license, leaving a Lyme disease patient severely ill.
Federal agents and detectives with the California Medical Board arrested Kathleen Ann Helms, 57, late Monday afternoon, according to the FBI.
Authorities began investigating Helms, also known as Catherine Bright-Helms, based on complaints to the state Medical Board accusing her of falsely representing herself as a doctor of naturopathy in Encinitas and Oak Park, Ill.
Helms, who operated a business called BrightHouse Wellness on North El Camino Real in Encinitas, allegedly had been diagnosing Lyme disease patients and advising them to undergo a treatment plan that involved the infusion of dimethyl sulfoxide, injections of animal cells and taking vitamins, the FBI reported.
According to an affidavit in the case, Helms diagnosed a patient with the inflammatory illness after examining a sample of blood under a microscope, then prescribed a treatment plan that included shots of bovine stem cells from Germany.
Helms directed the patient to go to a Tijuana hospital to have a peripherally inserted central line put into one of her arms so Helms could give treatments intravenously. The patient agreed to pay $300 for the insertion of the line and $30,000 for the treatment Helms recommended.
The patient suffered multiple complications with the insertion of the line and had to return to Tijuana three times to make the line functional.
The patient subsequently returned to Helms' office, where she was hooked to an IV and infused with four bags of dimethyl sulfoxide, an experimental medicinal solvent, and two stem-cell injections in the stomach. The treatment session took about seven hours, according to the FBI.
The patient returned to Helms' office three more times and underwent a similar regime of care that included infusions and injections. On the evening of the last treatment, the woman became seriously ill at home and was taken to an emergency room and immediately placed in an intensive-care unit.
The patient initially was told she only had hours to live because her organs were shutting down, but ultimately was hospitalized for six weeks, then placed into a skill-nursing facility and later an assisted-living facility.
Investigators believe there are other victims in the case.
Helms was booked into Las Colinas women's jail in Santee. She was scheduled to be arraigned in downtown San Diego on Wednesday afternoon.
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
We have bona fide licensed naturopaths in CA, so there must be a problem with this one - very unfortunate story -
Posts: 13117 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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poppy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5355
posted
I wonder how many people who go to naturopaths actually ask about their credentials?
http://tiny.cc/0w72iw This is the url for WebMD info on DMSO, which is what this patient was doing IV. I was amazed to learn that it had actual medical uses. But bovine stem cells!!!! Wouldn't there be a rejection problem?
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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poppy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
Maybe should edit the title of this thread, because this person was not a lyme naturopath. She was a fraud.
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Exactly. She APPEARS to be a fraud.
"falsely representing herself as a doctor of naturopathy"
Of course, I'd like to see a couple other sources to confirm that but, still. . .
At this point it is incorrect to say she is (was) a (basic) naturopath unless otherwise confirmed.
Regardless of exactly what credentials she may have from which country, clearly she was not what we all come to think of a "lyme naturopath" - not at all.
I hate it when this happens. Still, thanks so much for the link. It's important that we are informed of such sad occurrences. -
[ 08-15-2012, 12:38 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Accredited colleges of naturopathic medicine, state licensing and state & national ND membership links are in the set below.
When considering herbal / nutritional / adjunct methods:
if at all possible - because each person & each case is different - it's best to consult with an ILADS-educated LL (lyme literate) doctor who has completed four years of post-graduate medical education in the field of herbal and nutritional medicine -
- and someone who is current with ILADS' research & presentations, past and present.
Many LL NDs incorporate antibiotics (depending upon the licensing laws in their state). Some LLMDs and LL NDs have good working relationships.
When possible, it's great to have both a LLMD and LL ND and even better when they have a long-standing professional relationship.
Integrative / Holistic M.D., etc. (Be aware that those in this category can have various levels of formal herbal &/or nutritional education, perhaps even just a short course. Do ask first.)
Links to many articles and books by holistic-minded LL doctors of various degrees who all have this basic approach in common:
Understanding of the importance of addressing the infection(s) fully head-on with specific measures from all corners of medicine;
knowing which supplements have direct impact, which are only support and which are both.
You can compare and contrast many approaches.
BASIC HERBAL EDUCATIONAL & SAFETY links,
BODY WORK links with safety tailored to lyme patients,
& WHY you need an ILADS-educated, Lyme Literate Doctor (whether LLMD or LL ND, or both) -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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quote:Originally posted by poppy: Maybe should edit the title of this thread, because this person was not a lyme naturopath. She was a fraud.
- It should just say "Naturopath arrested."
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- But it's not clear that she even is/was a licensed ND. She may be just a fraud who claims that.
I doubt that any licensed ND in California (or any state) could do bovine stem cell "treatment"
Were she to be a licensed ND in California, she would not have had to send the patient to Mexico for the IV line insertion. She would have had arrangements with a local hospital for that to be done, as do the LLMD and LL NDs who are legitimate.
Now, she likely has some kind of schooling from somewhere but until we know what that is, she sure looks like a "fraud".
I assume the legal authorities did their basic homework to assess the "fraud" status so the charge was legitimate. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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poppy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5355
posted
Here is the list of licensed naturopathic doctors in CA, by county. There is no one by the name of Helms in the list. Encenitas is in San Diego County.
Did you notice this woman was using two different names?
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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poppy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5355
posted
Tracy, or moderator, could you please change the subject line of this thread? The last thing we need is for people to get the impression that treating lyme or naturopaths are doing wrong.
The person who was arrested was not legit, was not a lyme naturopath!!!
Posts: 2888 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2004
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Merci Beaucoup. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Tracy9
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7521
posted
Thanks for fixing that. I wasn't sure if this was a case of targeting a Lyme ND or if she was really a fraud. Thanks for the feedback and research!
13 years Lyme & Co.; Small Fiber Neuropathy; Myasthenia Gravis, Adrenal Insufficiency. On chemo for 2 1/2 years as experimental treatment for MG. Posts: 4480 | From Northeastern Connecticut | Registered: Jun 2005
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