Jamie's blog of March 2, 2012 - Gc-Maf

[heapsreal]

It is clear from a recent KDM video that GcMAF can induce IRIS, most likely if there are substantial untreated infections. So now he starts doses low and runs comprehensive screening for infections first. However there are some very good results from GcMAF. Bye, Alex

Sounds like an intial starting treatment with antivirals or antibiotics, slowly increasing doses to avoid IRIS and then adding MAF may help lesson this???? It still seems like we need direct treatments for certain infections as well as treatments that improve immune function.

cheers!!!

 

[garcia]

Sounds like an intial starting treatment with antivirals or antibiotics, slowly increasing doses to avoid IRIS and then adding MAF may help lesson this???? It still seems like we need direct treatments for certain infections as well as treatments that improve immune function.

Sadly that won't work (at least not in my case). My main infection is bacterial. I can not tolerate antibiotics. So there is no way to just winnow down the infectious load. I think the key lies not in lowering the infectious load, but in shifting the body from a hyper-inflammatory state to a non-inflammatory state. Going after pathogens whilst the body is highly inflammatory is a good way to make yourself a lot worse. At least that has been my experience.

 

[heapsreal]

Sadly that won't work (at least not in my case). My main infection is bacterial. I can not tolerate antibiotics. So there is no way to just winnow down the infectious load. I think the key lies not in lowering the infectious load, but in shifting the body from a hyper-inflammatory state to a non-inflammatory state. Going after pathogens whilst the body is highly inflammatory is a good way to make yourself a lot worse. At least that has been my experience.

Problems with all abx? some people can tolerate other abx better then others. Also some abx people start off with dosing every second or third day, maybe even cutting tabs in half to start with. Tetracycline abx like doxycycline and minocycline also have anti-inflammatory effects. macrolide abx also have anti-inflammatory effects eg azithromycin, clarithromycin. Another option for bacterial infections but maybe more costly is high dose intravenous vitamin C, maybe after a short time with this u might be able to tolerate abx.

Inosine the supplement version of immunovir has anti-inflammatory effects and suppose to help improve immune function.

I suppose your very limited living in the UK as well.

good luck,
cheers!!!

 

[garcia]

Problems with all abx? some people can tolerate other abx better then others. Also some abx people start off with dosing every second or third day, maybe even cutting tabs in half to start with. Tetracycline abx like doxycycline and minocycline also have anti-inflammatory effects. macrolide abx also have anti-inflammatory effects eg azithromycin, clarithromycin. Another option for bacterial infections but maybe more costly is high dose intravenous vitamin C, maybe after a short time with this u might be able to tolerate abx.

Inosine the supplement version of immunovir has anti-inflammatory effects and suppose to help improve immune function.

I suppose your very limited living in the UK as well.

good luck,
cheers!!!

Hi heaps, you are about 6 years too late. I started off taking abx for an intracellular bacterial infection, did amazingly well at first, but then became resistant. Substituted in other abx, got short term benefits, but each time became resistant. Now I'm left with (amongst other things) an abx-resistant helicobacter infection which has given me a stomach ulcer. I'm on long term imunovir treatment. It's stops me from feeling inflamed 24/7. High dose vitamin C is the only thing I haven't tried as I can't find a place to get it done, but from what I've heard (e.g. from Dr Myhill) it is not the miracle cure some claim it to be.

Treating ME (as opposed to CFS) is way way more complicated that treating coinfections sadly.

 

[heapsreal]

Hi heaps, you are about 6 years too late. I started off taking abx for an intracellular bacterial infection, did amazingly well at first, but then became resistant. Substituted in other abx, got short term benefits, but each time became resistant. Now I'm left with (amongst other things) an abx-resistant helicobacter infection which has given me a stomach ulcer. I'm on long term imunovir treatment. It's stops me from feeling inflamed 24/7. High dose vitamin C is the only thing I haven't tried as I can't find a place to get it done, but from what I've heard (e.g. from Dr Myhill) it is not the miracle cure some claim it to be.

Treating ME (as opposed to CFS) is way way more complicated that treating coinfections sadly.

Thats a bugger, abx resistant. I think the cost of vit c iv probably out weighs the benefits, unless you know someone who can do the iv's, docs charge a fortune for this. I have had some success with vit c for sinuses, it dried my nose up almost straight away but benefits werent long term, maybe if rich and could do it daily it might help??

Thats good the immunovir helps some, the only thing really left to do when abx resistent is to try and strengthen your immune system but we have limited choices there too.

Dam coinfections, at the moment can keep cmv/ebv at bay with antivirals and sinusitis which is probably a staph infection sorted with doxycycline but when i stop these they come back. These medications only stop replication, not kill the bugs outright. I seem to have improved a reasonable amount of late with a combo of things but cost all ways up. I would really like to drop some meds im on and just use hormones and antioxidants. I believe many bacteria dont get resistant to doxy, its either it does work or doesnt work, i believe u cant get resistant to it if it has worked before, i hope this is the case as its helping me alot with staph sinusitis. Now im trying to balance my hormones correctly to help strengthen my immune system up to a level that i maybe able to come off av's and abx.

Is immunovir easy to get in the uk and is it well priced?? Did i mention dhea in this thread, its suppose to help lower inflammatory cytokines commonly high in us folks. There are so many avenues to take and probably need to take a few at once to get on top of things.

cheers!!!

 

[garcia]

Thats a bugger, abx resistant. I think the cost of vit c iv probably out weighs the benefits, unless you know someone who can do the iv's, docs charge a fortune for this. I have had some success with vit c for sinuses, it dried my nose up almost straight away but benefits werent long term, maybe if rich and could do it daily it might help??

Thats good the immunovir helps some, the only thing really left to do when abx resistent is to try and strengthen your immune system but we have limited choices there too.

Dam coinfections, at the moment can keep cmv/ebv at bay with antivirals and sinusitis which is probably a staph infection sorted with doxycycline but when i stop these they come back. These medications only stop replication, not kill the bugs outright. I seem to have improved a reasonable amount of late with a combo of things but cost all ways up. I would really like to drop some meds im on and just use hormones and antioxidants. I believe many bacteria dont get resistant to doxy, its either it does work or doesnt work, i believe u cant get resistant to it if it has worked before, i hope this is the case as its helping me alot with staph sinusitis. Now im trying to balance my hormones correctly to help strengthen my immune system up to a level that i maybe able to come off av's and abx.

Is immunovir easy to get in the uk and is it well priced?? Did i mention dhea in this thread, its suppose to help lower inflammatory cytokines commonly high in us folks. There are so many avenues to take and probably need to take a few at once to get on top of things.

cheers!!!

Hi heaps, yeah IV vitamin C is mega-expensive from my enquiries.

I think targeting individual infections is great for healthy people and people who are mild, but the sicker you are the less difference any one infection will make, and the worse your immune system is likely to be. I prefer to take a more generalized approach (as they said on an episode of "House" once, antibiotics need a healthy immune system to work, something that I lack).

Sadly I can not take DHEA due to low cortisol and also it converting to estrogen in me.

I agree there are quite a few avenues to explore. The problem for someone like me is that 95% of the people here are healthier than I am, and I can't tolerate the things they can.

Immunovir is easy to get in the UK in the sense that they don't stop it at customs. It's not cheap cheap, but its not mega expensive either.

p.s. have you considered trying GcMAF??

 

[heapsreal]

Hi heaps, yeah IV vitamin C is mega-expensive from my enquiries.

I think targeting individual infections is great for healthy people and people who are mild, but the sicker you are the less difference any one infection will make, and the worse your immune system is likely to be. I prefer to take a more generalized approach (as they said on an episode of "House" once, antibiotics need a healthy immune system to work, something that I lack).

Sadly I can not take DHEA due to low cortisol and also it converting to estrogen in me.

I agree there are quite a few avenues to explore. The problem for someone like me is that 95% of the people here are healthier than I am, and I can't tolerate the things they can.

Immunovir is easy to get in the UK in the sense that they don't stop it at customs. It's not cheap cheap, but its not mega expensive either.

p.s. have you considered trying GcMAF??

i had issues of dhea aromatising into estrogen. My dhea levels were below the normal range 2 (2.2-15.5). I am on dhea 25mg but started at 10mg and slowly worked my way upto this, my last dhea reading was 7.1. Arimidex i use to control high E2 was around 150(40-250) before arimidex but now on 1/2mg twice aweek and its now 59. SO im happy with getting my dhea levels to the mid range , not sure how much improvement im getting out of it as the abx im using are helping me alot. DHEA hasnt had much impact on testosterone levels which are still low, so working on this, my doc not keen on using testosterone yet so searching other avenues. but good dhea levels can help immunity i hope.

It sounds like we are both thinking down the same line. But what do u mean about cant get dhea due to low cortisol??

cheers!!!

 

[garcia]

It sounds like we are both thinking down the same line. But what do u mean about cant get dhea due to low cortisol??

Sorry I just meant if I take dhea during the day it lowers/counteracts cortisol too much, so can not tolerate it except at night (although I can't tolerate it anyway due to the estrogen issue).

Can you get hold of GcMAF in Australia?

 

[heapsreal]

Sorry I just meant if I take dhea during the day it lowers/counteracts cortisol too much, so can not tolerate it except at night (although I can't tolerate it anyway due to the estrogen issue).

Can you get hold of GcMAF in Australia?

at the moment it seems hard to get MAF here.
Have u taken hydrocortisone before?

 

[garcia]

at the moment it seems hard to get MAF here.
Have u taken hydrocortisone before?

Yes have taken hydorcortisone. Was a horrible, horrible drug for me. Caused immunosuppression. All manor of side effects, even at the lowest doses. I'm severely cortisol-intolerant to the extent that I can not even take any adaptogenic herbs.

The only hormone which has ever helped me has been testosterone, and even that only in the short term (makes me feel good). I could not take it long term. Also would be worried about side effects (e.g. androgen responsive pathogens) and diminishing returns (which happens very quickly).

I've tried this whole route (treating pathogens & trying hormones), and it got me nowhere. But you have to realise I'm sicker than 95% of people that post here. I was too sick to work when I first got ill 10 years ago, and since then I have declined massively, so what applies to me may not apply to others.

 

[heapsreal]

Yes have taken hydorcortisone. Was a horrible, horrible drug for me. Caused immunosuppression. All manor of side effects, even at the lowest doses. I'm severely cortisol-intolerant to the extent that I can not even take any adaptogenic herbs.

The only hormone which has ever helped me has been testosterone, and even that only in the short term (makes me feel good). I could not take it long term. Also would be worried about side effects (e.g. androgen responsive pathogens) and diminishing returns (which happens very quickly).

I've tried this whole route (treating pathogens & trying hormones), and it got me nowhere. But you have to realise I'm sicker than 95% of people that post here. I was too sick to work when I first got ill 10 years ago, and since then I have declined massively, so what applies to me may not apply to others.

Fair enough then, you sound like your stuck between a rock and a hard place. I havent tried hydrocort but got improvement with pregnenolone but dosages i ended up using were much lower then recommended, this helped cortisol and testosterone levels for me, something i need to start trying again now i have dhea and estrogen levels sorted. I might be a lucky one as treating the viral issues has helped me and now going after hormonal abnormalities which seems to be helping but its a long slow process. Many of us are sensitive to these hormones just like other meds, so doses seem to be alot lower for us.

Garcia are you on gcmaf? be interesting to see if something like that helps your immune system. What sort of doses of testosterone did u use? were u on a gel/cream or injections and what testosterone levels did u come back with after testing? Did u also monitor estrogen as this seems to be something that can cause testosterone to stop working when u have been on it for awhile??

cheers!!!

 

[garcia]

Fair enough then, you sound like your stuck between a rock and a hard place. I havent tried hydrocort but got improvement with pregnenolone but dosages i ended up using were much lower then recommended, this helped cortisol and testosterone levels for me, something i need to start trying again now i have dhea and estrogen levels sorted. I might be a lucky one as treating the viral issues has helped me and now going after hormonal abnormalities which seems to be helping but its a long slow process. Many of us are sensitive to these hormones just like other meds, so doses seem to be alot lower for us.

Garcia are you on gcmaf? be interesting to see if something like that helps your immune system. What sort of doses of testosterone did u use? were u on a gel/cream or injections and what testosterone levels did u come back with after testing? Did u also monitor estrogen as this seems to be something that can cause testosterone to stop working when u have been on it for awhile??

cheers!!!

I was on gcmaf, but had to stop due to excess inflammation. Am hoping to try it again at some stage. I think it could really help someone of your functionality.

I used 1 tube of testosterone gel (5g). For me the main problem with testosterone was it tanked my cortisol (this is a well known effect of testosterone), so I would never be able to use it long term. Also I'd be really worried about it increasing replication of adrogen-sensitive pathogens. Finally I think a lot of the good effect I get from testosterone is because my receptors are up-regulated (hence I get a massive boost from the initial dose). Clearly that can't be done long term, so I prefer to only take it on an ad-hoc basis when I absolutely need it.

I'm really not a big fan of tests, and certainly not treating tests. I'm more of a "big-picture" kind of person. Treat the person first, then the disease, then the test last of all. Tests make sense when you don't know whats wrong and you have one or two abnormalities. When you know what the underlying disease is and you have many many abnormalities, treating an individual test doesn't make sense IMHO.

For example I've had a steadily declining ferritin over the last couple of years till in November last year I went below the range. So my doc put me on iron tablets (naturally enough). Big Mistake! My pathogens went into overdrive, in particular a helicobacter infection I had been harbouring for many years (never showed up on tests - again showing how useless tests are) went into overdrive, and gave me a stomach ulcer. Given my previous antibiotic use I know it is drug resistant to all the helicobacter regimes currently used. So I am up a certain creek without a certain rowing implement. Sometimes the body has its own wisdom (or may be not), but in either case I think treating tests is not always the best idea.