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Readers’ Comments on Bill Clinton’s Madness
The
following are readers’ comments on my article sent April
12, 2008—Breaking News: Bill Clinton’s Madness: A
Consequence of Heart-bypass Surgery Brain Damage. This
article has received worldwide attention through the
powers of the Internet. So far I have received no
serious objections to my claim that bypass surgery has
caused our former president an obvious decline in his
mental and emotional functions. I wrote this article
because of sincere concern for the Clintons and because
brain damage from bypass surgery needs to be brought to
the public’s attention.
My intentions were not politically
motivated.
As a result of this article there has been talk of
enacting informed consent laws forcing physicians to
disclose this expected effect.
I have
placed comments critical of my position (mixed with
supportive comments) up front for your review. Some of
the responses refer to a
letter
I sent to the Clintons two days prior to his
original surgery (September 4, 2004), warning him of the
lack of benefits and the risks of this major operation,
including the near certainty of brain damage. More
comments on this subject are found in my
September 2004 newsletter.
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McDougall Breaking News
Bill Clinton’s Madness: A Consequence of Heart-Bypass
Surgery Brain Damage
We Need to Understand and Show
Some Compassion
One of the savviest
politicians of our generation, known for his wit, charm, and calm under
extreme pressure, Bill Clinton appears out of character in the speeches
and interviews televised since his bypass surgery September 6, 2004—and
his mental deterioration may be accelerating. Remember, this is the
president who withstood public impeachment before the entire world for
his relationship with Monica Lewinsky without once losing control. Now,
he is easily angered by hecklers, and makes factual mistakes and racial
slurs while aggressively defending his wife’s campaign for presidency.
Everyone sees his mental and emotional decline, yet to date, no medical
professionals have spoken out about the cause or offered help.
 Not
a single one—not one bypass surgeon, cardiologist or psychiatrist—has
stepped forward in his defense; even though all of them are trained to
recognize “post bypass surgery cognitive dysfunction.” One of the
best-kept secrets in medicine is the brain damage caused during bypass
surgery. During my 40 years of medical practice I have never heard a
doctor warn a patient before bypass surgery that an expected
complication is memory loss. After surgery when the family complains of
dad’s fits of anger, I have never heard a doctor admit that personality change
is a common consequence of surgery. Yet these well-recognized side
effects have been reported in medical journals since 1969.1
Brain damage during
bypass surgery is so common that hospital personnel refer to it as “pump
head.” The primary cause is emboli produced during surgery from clamping
the aorta and from the “heart-lung machine.” This machine pumps blood to
keep the patient alive while the heart is stopped during the operation.
Unfortunately, this pump also introduces toxic gases, fat globules, and
bits of plastic debris into the bloodstream of the patient under
anesthesia. Once they are in the bloodstream, these particles migrate to
the brain where they can clog capillaries and prevent adequate amounts
of blood and oxygen from flowing to the brain. Essentially, all patients
experience brain emboli during surgery and for many the damage is
permanent.
In 2001, an article
in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that 5-years
after bypass surgery 42% of patients showed decline in mental function
of approximately 20 percent or more.2 A study published this
year (2008) in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery using MRI testing
just after bypass surgery found brain damage in 51% of patients.3
Three years after their time on the bypass pump, significant permanent
reduction in mental capacity was identified in 31% of patients. I am
not talking major stroke here; but these patients can't remember names
or numbers as they once did, experience sleep disturbances (including
nightmares), suffer mood swings, and lose intellectual acuity.
Approximately 30 percent of people suffer persistent depression and some
even contemplate suicide.
Our former president
needs our understanding and support. A simple explanation by his
doctors of the cause of his recent aberrant behaviors should bring peace
of mind to Hillary and her campaign staff. If Mr. Clinton better
understood his current limitations, he and his staff could take
precautionary steps to avoid embarrassments. A long-overdue explanation
would help his adoring public more easily accept his mistakes and
readily forgive him. It is not your fault, Mr. Clinton.
As importantly,
public recognition of the harm done to Bill Clinton by the heart surgery
business would help the patients who undergo bypass surgery, and their
families, to better understand similar changes they have experienced. A
little attention from the media could also shine some light on the lack
of survival benefits from this $90,000 procedure performed nearly
half-a-million times annually in the US, and the superior benefits
coming from diet and lifestyle changes.
I am saddened to see
our former president suffer from public humiliation, but I am disgraced
that my profession has thus far failed to come forward with a long
over-due explanation and an apology to the Clintons and our nation for
the harm they have done and the secrets they have kept.
John McDougall, MD
www.drmcdougall.com
1) Hill JD, Aguilar
MJ, Baranco A, de Lanerolle P, Gerbode F. Neuropathological
manifestations of cardiac surgery.
Ann Thorac Surg.
1969 May;7(5):409-19.
2) Newman MF,
Kirchner JL, Phillips-Bute B, Gaver V, Grocott H, Jones RH, Mark DB,
Reves JG, Blumenthal JA; Longitudinal assessment of neurocognitive
function after coronary-artery bypass surgery.
N Engl J Med.
2001 Feb 8;344(6):395-402. 9Link:
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/reprint/344/6/395.pdf)
3) Knipp SC, Matatko
N, Wilhelm H, Schlamann M, Thielmann M, Lösch C, Diener HC, Jakob H.
Cognitive outcomes three years after coronary artery bypass surgery:
relation to diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.
Ann Thorac Surg.
2008 Mar;85(3):872-9. |
Letters:
Thank you for the article on Bill
Clinton’s Madness, This is the first time I have
read of what I KNOW is a result of Bypass
surgery. I have mentioned what I felt might be a
"side effect " of this surgery to MD's through
the years and was dismissed for even thinking
this could be a result. So I have kept my mouth
shut. I am an RN. I have experienced this first
hand, observing my fathers emotional and
cognitive and behavior after bypass surgery. He
never returned to himself. Through the years I
have quietly taken it upon my self to gently
tell my patients wives, their husbands may not
be themselves after surgery, especially the
first year." I was well aware not to speak
negatively against their MD, nor introduce new
choices . I felt I could only help in the
moment. DY
Thanks for your recent article
about Bill Clinton and his post-bypass surgery
emotional changes. As a pastor, I have seen this
exact phenomenon with many of my parishioners
who have undergone this surgery. One very
common thing I've observed is that many men are
confused by the fact that they are suddenly much
more emotional. For some of them, their
inability to control their tears is a source of
real embarrassment. In knowing what to expect,
it is easier for me to counsel patients and
family members who are often taken aback by
unexpected emotional changes. Thanks again for
bringing this important subject to the
forefront. Hopefully, we can all be more
understanding to those around us. Rev. LP
I am deeply saddened and angered
by your portrayal of President Clinton. Contrary
to what you assert, the President and Senator
Clinton have shown great restraint in their
dealing with the most egregiously bad media
coverage of an election in memory. What factual
mistakes? What racial slurs? What public
humiliation? And for you to promote the notion
that, "everyone sees his mental and emotional
decline", is outrageous. And for what? To
advance the idea that doctors are lying to their
patients about post surgical depression? That's
been common knowledge since the first artificial
heart operations. Perhaps I'm most troubled by
the use of the title "Breaking News – Bill
Clinton's Madness" It tells me that you have
most likely distributed this to the media - to
feed their insatiable desire to denigrate the
Clintons. I was a patient of yours many years
ago in Kailua. You have been a hero to me, and
you and Mary changed my life for the better.
Even at my age, it's hard to give up heroes. CF
…you tried to tell him....Great
article...thanks. Marianne
Bill Clinton's Madness. Thank you
Dr. McDougall. My husband had a 4-way bypass 2
years ago and I have been publicly humiliated by
his outbursts at me (very uncharacteristic
before surgery) and have been stressed by all of
this. Now I know the cause and I am going to
give this to his doctor. EC
I would question your judgment
with this public announcement about Bill Clinton
at this time. Of course, you may be putting
this forth now, in a back door attempt to
support a candidate, other than Hillary Clinton.
Hmmmm.....TKT
Hello, My name is Wanda. In 2000
I had a double bypass, plus the next day they
had to open me up again. I was told by 2 doctors
in the last 2 years that nothing was wrong with
my memory except I was getting old. I had asked
the doctors because over quite a few years my
memory was getting worst. Also my friends and
family are always laughing and saying how funny
I am. When I don't feel that I did something
funny. So Thank You for your newsletter. Also my
spelling has gotten real bad. I have to double
check every word. Sincerely, WH
Thanks for the ballsy article
about Bill Clinton. I appreciate your voice,
even though it remains crying in the wilderness
of American corporate - owned media. I have
benefited from your & Mary's work, and wish you
the best in the future. –jms
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Your email regarding President
Bill Clinton is out of line. You have a lot of
nerve making this "judgment" based on nothing
more than your observations from afar. You are
spreading malicious rumors and I am aghast. You
lead me to the conclusion that you are not the
person you portray yourself to be. I have
unsubscribed from your email list and will offer
this opinion of you whenever your name or your
products are mentioned to me. NG
Thanks
so very much for this news alert about the consequence
of heart bypass surgery that affects many people. As
much as I admired our former President while he was in
office and even after for all the adjectives you
mentioned...even bought one of his books, I started to
turn aloof from all the negative remarks and
uncontrollable behavior he exhibited during this long
campaign. I thought his un-witty expression of extreme
aggression has been distasteful and harmful. I really
thought it was all due to his denial of how the results
of the caucuses and primary elections were favoring and
going on an attack mode was the only way he could
release his emotions. You actually opened my eyes with
your report. So I will forgive him for all the
embarrassments he is causing his family and the party. J
Thank
you Doctor McDougall for the article on open-heart
surgery. My Mother was on the heart-lung machine nine
hours and did indeed have memory loss that plagued her
for the last 7 years of her life. I am glad she had the
surgery because it saved her life…KB
Thank
you Dr. McDougall. I, too, have witnessed President
Clinton speaking and have seen signs of the results of
heart bypass surgery in his conversations. Why would I
know? My mother had “emergency” bypass surgery 6 years
ago; we will be celebrating her 80th birthday this week.
But, as you probably guessed, the mother we have with
us now is not the mother we had 6 years ago. She gets
confused, befuddled, starts to ramble in her
conversations. Her eyes are vacant; she has lost most
of the passion for life that she once had. Thank you for
your compassion and work to get the word out. I hope
people start to listen. DW
Good
point of view, John, I will take some time this evening
to see if how much I agree. Of course, I'm one of those
Republicans who can't like this formerly likable guy, so
let's think about compassion. JJ
What
left field did your article come out of? What brought
forth this type of article? In this election year, was
your article written to have some sort of impact against
the Clintons. I think your "Bill Clinton Madness"
article was inappropriate. LC
BRAVO!
John, for bringing this little known fact about heart
surgery to the attention of the yet uninformed American
public. GC
Is
there similar data that you are aware of when the Cardio
Bypass has been without the pump? It is commonly
referred to as beating heart bypass. I had quadruple
beating heart in July of 2004. I know a number of others
including my close colleague, Dr. William N., who have
experienced beating heart bypass. We interact most every
day and have been on guard to observe cognitive changes
in one and other's behavior. Your concern for "Bill
Clinton's Madness" has also had my concern. Thank you
for calling it to our attention. PS
Bravo
yet again! Such important thoughts. And as usual so
clearly and eloquently and cogently expressed. When will
they listen? A
I have
sent this to about a dozen people I thought it was so
interesting. Several experts mentioned that the Statins
also may be causing these symptoms! JR
I'm so
glad (yet really saddened) that you have stated the
reason why President Clinton has been faltering lately.
I'm no doctor but thought this very same thing when he
first started saying things on the campaign trail that
seemed so out of character for him. It's really so sad.
Thanks for continuing your "campaign" to better health.
ES
Congratulations!!!!!!! This is an excellent article and
most of all.................................. kind to
the Clintons. Thank you! RMGM
Thanks
for the enlightenment on this widely used procedure and
its adverse consequences. You stated that your
profession has not come forward and explained to the
Clintons as to Bill Clinton's being out of character in
his speeches and interviews since his 2004 heart by-pass
surgery. Since you know what the problem is, have you
notified the Clintons and others of this adverse
permanent effect of having by-pass surgery? Just last
night, we were watching "Your Total Health" program on
television and they had a segment on Stents vs. Heart
By-pass Surgery and doctors agreed that the Heart
By-pass Surgery was better for the patient than putting
in stents. Evidently, as you stated in your "breaking
news", these doctors probably don't warn the patient or
their families of the possible permanent brain damage.
This recommendation for heart by-pass surgery was
probably because there is more money in it and people
wonder why medical costs are going up all the time. MF
This
is outstanding. Who but you would do it and so well.
Congratulations!!! AE
Just a
short e-mail to tell you how much I appreciate the
information in your recent "Breaking News on Results of
Heart Surgery". I had bypass surgery about six years ago
and EECP about a year and a half later. I have been on
The McDougall Weight Loss Plan since Jan 2006. The
results have been excellent, no more pills and I feel
and look great. I am 84 years old next month. I do
experience memory loss a bit and wondered if that was
just old age. RA
Clinton stopped here in Charleston SC in JAN 08 and
guess what and where he ate??? Hot dogs and French
fries! I fear our president will not be with us much
longer. Many Thanks, RP
I
cannot thank you enough for this article. Not only does
it help me understand (rather than judge) a president
who I have had admiration for, but it helps me
understand my father who lives with me. He was an eye
doctor, mathematician and engineer, but after his
surgery he began hearing voices and insisting that a
spirit was bothering him. He went from the most grounded
person to sounding psychotic at times after his surgery.
Psychotropic medication did nothing for him, so thank
you once more for helping me with my understanding!
Gratefully,NE
Bill
Clinton's Madness. Wow, this is pretty scary! Altho, I
remember attending a lecture Dr. Mueller gave at his
office one evening on ... uuhh, what is that procedure
called where a healthy mixture of amino acids and other
things (I think) are injected intravenously to prevent
the clogging of the arteries??? Well, anyway, in that
lecture, he said he would die a hundred deaths before he
would ever undergo bypass surgery because of the damage
it does to the brain while under the anesthesia. I'll
never forget that. Wonder if Mother was affected by
that? ... remember she had that bypass after returning
to Knoxville, and that could have been just an
additional cause of her mental decline. Scary. SW
These
are such important insights. People need to know these
things. I hope you forwarded your article to a number of
newspapers? I wonder whether they would refuse to
publish it, fearing angry reactions from cardiologists
and the bypass industry? Thank you for keeping us
abreast of research-based health facts. You are a gem.
A.
My
mother forward to me the article that you wrote
concerning President Clinton current state of health. I
am deeply impressed by the information that you have
provided to us about the consequences of Bypass surgery.
Since I was little I knew that type of surgery is
extremely dangerous; however, I never knew about the
aftermath. I am a SDA and a registered Republican but I
do agree about showing Mr. Clinton compassion. About his
recent behavior despite he can handle in a more
professional manner but it shows me that he loves his
wife deeply and wants her to win. You should be the one
to tell him about the danger of the surgery and offer
him advise about getting his health back to normal. His
doctors won't tell him anything because they want his
money. That is why health care is really bad in this
country. Thank you for taking the time in writing such
awesome articles. Keep up the great work and always
stand up in what you believe in. GR
Please
send this letter to Mrs. Clinton and the President. It
is so sad to think of his strong mind being compromised.
You would do all a huge service if those around them
could help the Clintons understand his problem. Thank
you. SC
…interesting, this is what you said would happen in your
book !.....thanks for the insight...MA
Funny
thing, my father had this surgery. He's changed a lot
since then. He used to be short-tempered and pretty mean
some times. I think he's actually mellowed out a lot. I
think the surgery had the opposite effect on him. :-)
:-) :-) A
I am
so proud of you for speaking the truth!! Many blessings
on the good work that you do. J
Thanks
so much for the article on Bill Clinton. I have to
confess that I am so sick of all the Obama slobbering on
TV, that I have not seen any of Bill Clinton's speeches
or interviews lately (TV avoidance). However, I do read
transcripts of what he's reported to have said. As far
as racists remarks, I have not found anything remotely
racist in any of his remarks. It seems to me that it is
the Obama camp who are constantly "playing the race
card". I sometimes feel that it is at the point where
any public figure who does not make comments praising
Obama is deemed a racist!!!! OK, so I might be the
exception among those not having love for Obama. I am
African-American, and a vegetarian. Naturally, Kucinich
was my choice. Not only is he totally anti-war (unlike
all 3 of the remaining candidates), but he was also the
only one who does not take pleasure in eating the flesh
of slaughtered animals!!!! Thanks again for the article.
I have forwarded it to my family and friends. BBF
Wow!!!
That’s interesting … you are right …. Don’t mention it
or else we will then have worsened blood pressure
problems!!! P&M
I had
a triple bypass done seven years ago and I don't have
any of these problems mentioned. I don't seem to have
the same "drive" system that I used to have, but that
may be a natural result of aging. But, I do get a lot
of exercise (ride a bike five days a week for an hour
per trip – both hills and flat) and I eat well -- stick
fairly close to Dr. Fuhrman's diet -- and keep my brain
busy -- still in business (onlinesigns.com). But, I
have noticed that Clinton does seem to be "losing it"
fairly often. JB
An
excellent article, Dr., I had heard about this problem
but never associated it with Clintons situation. BH
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