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    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

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Dr. Pridgen's 9 different cocktail mix patents & research under Dr. Carol Duffy name

m1she11e

Senior Member
Messages
333
Location
Florida
Sure hope he's onto something.

FWIW, I've been on celebrex and valtrex since March and I'm doing a little better.

Perhaps I should ask my doctor to check in with him to find out of the combo we chose is the one he is recommending out of all of the original choices.

That's great that your are feeling better. What is your dosage of both Valtrex and Celebrex?
 

m1she11e

Senior Member
Messages
333
Location
Florida
I'm taking 200 of Celebrex daily and Valtrex 500 mgs twice a day.

Do you think it is the Celebrex that is helping your pain that is making you feel better?

I would have your Doctor check with Dr. Pridgen. I think that Famvir at a dose that I took for several years is recommended. From what I gather from others you are on the dose Dr. Pridgen recommends for Celebrex.

Did you have any "die off" or did you feel worse when you first started this combination?
 

catly

Senior Member
Messages
284
Location
outside of NYC
Hi @m1she11e, I did not have any herxing when I started the combo. I had already been on Valcyte for almost 10 months when I started the Valtrex/Celebrex. I also did not have any problems with the Valcyte, but I may be somewhat unusual in that I don't have problems with meds or supplements. Sometimes I think I could eat a drugstore and walk away unphased o_O

Pain, fortunately (knock on wood) has not been a big issue for me. I think most of my improvements have been in regards to PEM from physical activity, which is better. Not so sure about mental activity, probably that has not improved. And without Ambien, I still can not sleep.:mad:

I guess the idea behind Celebrex is to help reduce inflamation, which may be causing/enhancing some symptoms, not necessarily just pain.

I think my CFS MD is now presecibing famvir. I see her tomorrow and will ask. Thanks!
 

Aidan Walsh

Senior Member
Messages
373
Okay, so this whole thing is not hush hush at all. I am on a private facebook group of people that have either emailed or spoken to Pridgen in person. One member said he answered the phone when they called after hours. Who knew?? Here I thought it was a big secret. The secret formula is not anything crazy or new. Its pretty simple. Im not on it yet. Well, actually I have been on half of it for several years now. Im still watching to see someone appear to be getting positive results. Where are these people?

If you are wanting the magic formula, just go on his website and email him. He will give your doctor some big packet of information. Here I thought I was going to have to use my connections in the CIA...:cool:


Thanks so much m1she11e :)


 

JT1024

Senior Member
Messages
582
Location
Massachusetts
I am sorry if I'm posting a duplicate... I'm having difficulty keeping track of what post on various forums.

Just recently, I started Valtrex in addition to Celebrex. I expected nothing.

Within 24 hours of starting Valtrex, lower back/hip pain and stiffness (that I've lived with for 10+ years) was eliminated. I was afraid of experiencing a placebo effect but it lasted 3+ days. Since I experienced elimination of back/hip pain/stiffness and major decrease in fatigue, I was ecstatic. I was wary since I've had a few (very few) similar experiences in 20+ years.

Since the first 3 days, I did experience increased stiffness and pain but not in my back and hip areas. I've had trouble with shoulders and hands the last several months and the pain intensified after improvement in my hips and back. I now have an appointment with another ortho doc to determine if pain is due to tendon/ligament/soft tissue tears/damage or something else.Still need to rule out Lyme and co-infections. I tested positive for Lyme, Babesia duncani, and Anaplasmosis.

So difficult to wade through everything. When physicians and their support staff don't have everything clear... it is that much more difficult for patients. Since I have worked in clinical labs for numerous years, what does that say for the average person??

As soon as I find out info, I will share. My brain is mush at this point!
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
I just wonder if the NSAIDS are targeting the inflammation which is high in cfs/me, going by past studies, it seems that inflammation can come from tnf alpha and il6 cytokines. I dont thing these nsaids really target this? Although i like the concepts of their thinking. I could be wrong but found this study.
http://www.jimmunol.org/content/185/6/3694.full

A randomized, double-blinded, crossover, placebo-controlled trial in healthy human volunteers also revealed that the NSAID drug celecoxib increased LPS-induced TNF production in whole blood.

i have only just read the abstract. My experience is that i have used antivirals successfully and i also have ongoing back issues with arthritis and used my share of celebrex and mobic, i just cant say the nsaids helped my cfs symptoms, i cant say they did much for my back either?

Something to think about, maybe need to look into things that target the cytokines involved in cfs, there does seem to be some good herbal supplements that help inflammation, just need to research some more to find some that target those cytokines involved??

I do think immune mods/interferon inducers may help with this type of inflammation also??
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
I am not on the protocol but following a group that is. So far I have not seen anyone getting better.

I have done better on Valtrex and Celebrex so if I was a member of the group would be reporting a little success. however I have ME and FM

Any idea why no one would be reporting any success on that group?
 

JT1024

Senior Member
Messages
582
Location
Massachusetts
Recently I had an appointment with an Infectious Disease doctor at Mass. General in Boston. My primary purpose for the visit was to rule out/rule in Lyme. I had seen this physicians at a symposium on Lyme in November 2013.

Key take-aways from 3 hours with this new physician are 1) she takes nothing from other physicians... she will repeat testing to come to her own conclusions (or confirm) - hence the 4 referrals to other physicians for evaluation; 2) she said the herpes family of viruses loves nerve tissue and my improvement on Valtrex would make sense. The dosage I was on was not sufficient to receive the full benefits.

Dr. Pridgen's patents include multiple combinations of anti-inflammatories and anti-virals. I suspect an increase in the anti-viral dosage could provide substantial benefit.
 

knackers323

Senior Member
Messages
1,625
She sounds thorough. You mind me asking what the 4 referrals are for?
Did you talk about mycoplasma with her?
 

JT1024

Senior Member
Messages
582
Location
Massachusetts
I didn't even discuss Mycoplasma with her. I haven't even seen the test results from the 15 tubes of blood they drew. She did call about some lab tests I hadn't been concerned over and she mentioned a Borrellia strain I had never heard of (Borrellia hermsii). I suspect MGH is developing tests for Lyme and other diseases since Dr. Alan Steere is now there. He is one of the main authors of the IDSA guidelines for Lyme. These are the guidelines used by insurance companies to deny payments for treatment.

Many doctors/researchers at MGH and other hospitals in Boston are exceptionally snobby...after all most are affiliated with "Harvard" medical school. No one knows as much or does better than they do.. at least in their own minds. I've worked in Boston area hospitals for many years. The arrogance is pitiful. I'm thrilled when I see Stanford or other groups making headway in ME/CFS/FM/Lyme areas.
 

boohealth

Senior Member
Messages
243
Location
south
She sounds too bossy. I would hate a doctor like that. She does not always know best.

I did take VALTREX which is Valacyclovir and it worked great within 6 weeks. I was on Klimas' three cocktails (LDN, VALTREX, IMUNOVIR) but do to a 2nd heart surgery in April 2013 I was forced to get off all drugs 2 months before the surgery and had to stay off 2 months after.

I choose to stay off all three to see how far I could go before relapse as Klimas told me I would relapse, it took one year and I had a MAJOR RELAPSE which I am still in now... I was then diagnosed with CVID around July 2013 and they started IV IGG treatments... it seemed to be holding me... But by January 2014 came the full relapse.

My appointment with Klimas was Feb 28, 2014 and I had to follow what she says as she is the expert and doctor... So I have been reloading LDN - am in my second month at 3 mgs daily and am reloading Imunovir which I am starting week three. I spoke to her again this week MArch 3, 2014 as my POTS kept me vertical for 3 months now. I asked can I not please start the VALTREX again? She said no... one drug at a time Francesca... I want your third drug to be IGG subcutanous...

I said this that a conflict or the same as Valtrex... she said it is different but since you have CVID too, we must get the IGG in next. "Francesca, I AM WORKING ON IT BE PATIENT!" So it is her hopes that these two plus the IGG will get me stable... then once I am there... I will see what she says.... I hope that helps with why I am not doing that protocol... I also asked for a sleep aid and Klimas said WAIT FRANCESCA... give these drugs a chance...
 

boohealth

Senior Member
Messages
243
Location
south
Uck. Too many drugs. Eyeball biopsy. I will not recommend her to anybody that's for sure.

I was on Valtrex which worked but since the CVID diagnosis, Klimas is changing my strategy. Before it was VALTREX 2 GRAMS, LDN 4.5 MG, Pulsing IMUNOVIR... which all worked damn well... but then I was off a year and now we are doing LDN 4.5 mg, Pulsing Imunovir, Fludrocortisone, and we are waiting for IV IGG ...