Introduction and a question about mechanism of action

mormiles · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 10:01 pm Post subject: Antivirals

Hi Frank, My husband is on several medications. The only side-effects he has experienced from any of them are: 1) one day only of dizziness and slight nausea on starting LDN---no side effects after that first day, and 2) a short period of mild depression following his first pulse of flagyl (metronidazole)---now he takes St. John's Wort for several days following his flagyl pulses, and the depression has not recurred. Because so many different medications and supplements were started within the same period, we cannot say that this one or that one had this or that effect when assessing all of these medications. Here are the exceptions: die-off reactions to starting and doubling doxycycline, less definitive die-off reactions to starting azithromycin, die-off reactions to flagyl pulses followed by clear improvements, urogenital improvements within a few weeks after starting LDN, less fatigue immediately after starting Lunesta (a sleep aid).

Frank, you are only just now immersing your mind in the subject of treatment with antibiotics, and you have much reading to do. I've told you that my husband is receiving comprehensive treatment, and he needs the full complement of what that entails. I consider the combined antibiotic protocol to be the most critical aspect of his treatment program. Please learn more about the antibiotics before splintering your focus.

That being said, I'll tell you that my husband is on two anti-virals: valtrex and amantadine. I don't know how much they cost yet because, by the time he started them last year, his medical costs had already exceeded the limit of expenses that we had to pay out of our own pockets before our insurance began to pay 100%, so they were free to us last year. Now a new "insurance" year has started, and we will soon find out how much they cost. After you have learned more from reading on Dr. Wheldon's site and CPn Help, then would be a good time to read what I have written about my husband's comprehensive treatment. Trying to learn everything about everything at one time has the result of not having learned very much about anything.

My husband/s treatment was begun in August 2006, and these are his improvements to date: much less fatigue, brain fogginess is gone, no more restless legs and feet, better balance, slightly better gait, improved vision. The fatigue, balance, gait, and vision are all improved, but still need more improvement. At this point, it is still unclear to what extent his remaining symptoms are due to current inflammation from infection or to "permanent" neurological damage. His short term memory still stinks, but we expect improvement in that area as well. We expect the antibiotic aspect of treatment to last 1-1/2 to 2 years before he switches to intermittent therapy. If his MS symptoms were more severe, we would expect a longer treatment, as that might indicate more extensive infections.

CureOrBust · Posted: Sun Jan 07, 2007 10:54 pm Post subject:

Frank · Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 12:38 pm Post subject:

I've been offline for the last two days, because I switched my PC to the new Windows Vista operating system...

Thanks all for your kind explanations Smile

!
I'll be reading a lot in the next days and weeks. I'll talk to my health insurance, whether they would compensate my expenses for ABX.
I'll also ask my neurologist and GP about their thougths on ABX.

Anecdote · Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:14 pm Post subject:

Frank, send me your email and I will forward you some useful papers to show your neurologist and GP. That'll give you even more reading! Smile

You can get my email by clicking on the profile button.

Sarah
_________________
An Itinerary in Light and Shadow
Completed Stratton/Wheldon antibiotic regime for aggressive secondary progressive MS in June 2007, after four years. Still slowly improving with no exacerbation since starting. EDSS was 7, now 2 or often less.