Grouppe Kurosawa: HIV - Letters From Blanche Vol. 4, Part 1 (print)

Letters From Blanche
Vol. 4, Part 1

1.26.2005
Dear Dr. Steve:
Would you believe ALA is spicy? No shit! I think it actually makes the concoction taste better because the heat drives out some of the bitterness. Mind you, I'm in the Southwest and people here eat a lot of hot food. I could not recommend this to somebody who was not into "nippy" stuff. It packs a noticeable bite. I don't think it's hot, but there are a lot of people even here who can't eat my chili.

I think ALA is a permanent addition to my kocktail. Tomorrow we try just 500mg of NAC and see if it makes me puke. If not, we'll try two. Then everything. Sometimes things that taste okay alone don't combine well.

Isn't this fun?

Speaking of spicy, I had bought some oil of Oregano and find that it is actually a tad too hot for comfort. How do I take it orally? The net recommends olive oil but you said once upon a time that olive oil was not a good choice. I was thinking actually of sesame oil; it's sweet and should make a good "cover." I have a similar problem topically; the stuff burns on contact.

Ouch! -- Blanche

Blanche,
Olive oil is out, but sesame oil is in. Sesame oil inhibits the breakdown of omega 6 oils to arachidonic acid. This is what we want. Go for it.

ALA actually activates the excitatory neurons, which probably includes those involved in heat sensation, etc. Don't EVER take ALA or NAC before bed. You won't sleep.

The essential oils of herbs are usually very toxic if added to the skin in high concentrations. However, oil of oregano and basil are fantastic anti-microbiological agents. You have to dissolve them in an oil, sesame oil maybe, or they will be too strong.

The essential oils of herbs are most effective if taken topically. Maybe they would do something beneficial if taken orally in another oil carrier, but I don't know. Let me think about it.

Good work, you mouse.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
The next step was one 600mg cap of NAC, added alone to the kocktail (coconut milk, quercetin, EGCG, curcumin). Normally, I take two caps three times a day, for 3.6 grams of NAC total. This means I will need three caps pr serving; I'm sneaking up on that.

I did not add the ALA this time; I wanted to see what the NAC did to the mix. It's rather interesting. The NAC is very acidic, kinda like lemon juice without the lemon; the high acid content tingles on the tongue. Interesting. This is "checking the taste" with a damp finger, not in the Kocktail.

In the mix itself, the NAC appears to be harmless and barely noticeable at one cap per serving. We'll see what happens when the dose is raised.

I don't know if it was the ALA or what I had for dinner, but I had trouble getting to sleep because of heartburn. Once I've adjusted the NAC to final levels, I'll go back and try the ALA again and see if that is gonna be a problem. I've been taking three 500 mg caps a day, so that will mean two per serving until I'm sure of this mix and can make up a larger batch with the ALA , NAC in it.

I hope the ALA doesn't present a heartburn problem when not in capsule form; it really cuts the bitter from the EGCG! Right now I'm adding it to the hot kocktail and adding milk. I used to use juice; that might be a better choice with the other stuff in it. We'll have to see...

Do good mice get to keep their spleens? That would be good. Squeak! -- Blanche

Blanche,
Juice in the kocktail? Oh NO. Juice is largely acidic and can extract the EGCG, in particular, OUT of the fat and into the water phase. EGCG doesn't enter the body effectively unless it is dissolved in fat. You mix the ingredients in with coconut milk or 1/2 and 1/2 or a combination of the two, boil it, let cool and drink it. That's it. No changes. Otherwise, your spleen is mine, so to speak.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Y'know, I told you months ago that I was using V8 Splash to cool and cut the kocktail, and you never said a word. V8 is, of course, juice. I didn't switch to milk until we went to the quercetin.

Is it possible that all this time I was getting fuckall EGCG into my system? -- Blanche

Blanche,
I remember the comment about the V8, but I was apparently under the impression that you were chasing the kocktail with the V8 to cut the aftertaste. If you want to cut the kocktail with something, not recommended, it cannot be acidic. pH changes the conformation of molecules and makes them less lipophilic. Bad news!

I am certain you got a ton of the EGCG into your system, but you lost a lot of it too.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Foo! Besides probably contributing to the high viral load, the waste is also annoying. It pains me to spend all that money on EGCG (not a cheap supplement) and then find out I've literally been pissing it away!

Not just that, but it badly skews the experimental results. Was I taking enough EGCG to prevent the high spike and it didn't get absorbed? Would I have gotten Shingles if the HIV hadn't gotten so far out of whack? Do I get some cheese? -- Blanche

Blanche,
Yes, you get cheese AND a cracker. Whatever cracker you want.

I found out that TRAIL, a death pathway implicated in the cell death of uninfected CD4 T cells in HIV, is inhibited by blockers of the STAT 1 biochemical pathway. EGCG is an inhibitor of the STAT 1 pathway. So we need to optimize EGCG intro into the body.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Mixed reviews on adding supplements to the kocktail.

1. ALA is spicy (actually hot) and spifs up the kocktail somewhat. One problem appears to be heartburn; I have had heartburn after taking the kocktail w/ ALA at night. I am not prone to having heartburn.

2. NAC is tart, kinda like lemon juice (although it does not particularly taste of lemons). One cap in a serving is fine (that's 600mg). More gets a little puckery, if you know what I mean.

3. The real bad news is that the combination of both in the kocktail is a bit much -- very strong-tasting and not entirely pleasant. Mind you, it's no more horrible than the naked kocktail. Just a lot zippier.

Since I take the kocktail twice a day, I must take three NACs and 1-1/2 ALAs per serving. Very strong.

Also, I tend to take the kocktail a little late in the evening to give dinner time to clear. This has kept me up on several nights, which is unfortunate because it gives my leftover Shingles time to mess with my poor little mind.

I could, I suppose, put one NAC in one serving and an ALA in another (to aid absorption). That is a lot of trouble and will probably lead to skipped doses because I'll space the extra pills. Probably not a good idea. I think the best bet is to cram everything into my pill organizer and go from there.

All in all, I think this will definitely be a matter of individual taste, and depend heavily on the dosage. You might tell anybody who wants to try it that it is odd and somewhat strong but not undrinkable. Note that the ALA is VERY spicy and a lot of people might not be happy with that. A single 600mg NAC is fine.

Otherwise, I got a good B complex and some vitamin E to add to the bajillion pills I take already. I've been putting yogurt (plain, no sugar added, lotsa active culture) on the skin problems here and there and it seems to help. Lactic acid is good, and acidopholus fights other microorganisms. We'll see. I have yet to find a preparation of Oil of Oregano that doesn't fry my hide. What light oil that comes in cheap bulk can I use? Sesame is rather expensive when you're covering large areas, and I'm one large area! I'm very dry right now and sensitive because of that and leftover neuralgia. Will keep trying. Did you ever have a chance to find out about oral applications?

I'm still not sure whether or not this skin thing is an opportunist, leftover Shingles, or just really, really dry, abused skin. It doesn't seem to get better; it doesn't seem to get worse. I'm probably gonna have to get to my CIGNA doc so that I'll have somebody who can actually look at the stupid stuff instead of relying on vague descriptions from me. He wants to see me anyway, and I've been putting it off because I've been too Shingled to wear pants (also I'm chickenshit). I need to call to get a lab slip anyway. I can make an appointment then or when I go in for the blood test.

I went to my Wednesday night class at Phoenix College and am proud to say did not drop my drawers in the middle of the classroom and start scratching! Actually, it's a three-hour class; with the bus time that's almost six hours total round trip. Nothing horrible happened. I was surprised but delighted.

Now all I have to do is find out why I can't walk and things will be better. I was treated for a neuroma on my right foot (remember the cortisone shots?) and finally discovered that I was overly pronate. Overcompensated. Now I'm too supinate. Fixed neuroma and screwed up the entire right leg. Still trying to find a happy medium; the podiatrist to whom I was referred is a nice ineffective soul who is never gonna be able to figure this out. Also, I can tell he's terrified of handling anybody who is HIV positive, poor soul. I believe this affects his judgment.

One major bitch with HMOs is that there is apparently no case management. My primary care physician is supposed to tend to that and he's obsessed with HIV/AIDS. I definitely do not feel I am getting adequate care in other areas. Too bad I can't afford to tell them to stuff it and find a competent health care situation!

Gripe, gripe, gripe. You can tell it's summer. Also that I'm feeling better 'cuz I'm bitching. -- Blanche

Blanche darling,
Quick comment. You NEVER take ALA or NAC before bed. They activate the very "awake neurons" that melatonin is trying to turn off. Do not take these supplements after 5PM . Go back to the capsules if necessary.

More soon. Glad you are feeling better. I do worry about you. You are such a fragile soul.

Well, maybe not...

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
I know that about the ALA , NAC. The problem is I can't take it in the kocktail far enough ahead of bedtime to avoid the bugeye syndrome. I think I'll just go back to popping caps. It was worth a try... Thanks.

**I** am a fragile soul? Maybe not, indeed. – Blanche

(Note: the following was my opinion at the time. No longer)
Blanche,
I think I figured out why the Adams CD4 counts rebounded so quickly. Here is the gist.

There is a lipid called sphingosine 1-phosphate that is responsible for the normal migration of CD4 t cell. it is secreted by the cells themselves, and turns around and stimulates a receptor on the surface of the cells. If anything interferes with the synthesis of this lipid or its receptor, the t cells cannot migrate from the blood to the lymph and back again. They remain trapped within lymph nodes and other areas of the lymph system. This is an old argument about how and why CD4 t cells decrease in the blood and now there is real biochemical proof for it.

Now, I have a client, Eric, who has been only on quercetin and the anti-oxidants from day one. At his last blood test, his HIV counts went down 68% but his CD4 counts decreased 15%. Now Adam, who was on EGCG and curcumin and anti-oxidants, had his HIV counts decrease 20% but his CD4 counts increase anywhere from 300-400 in less than a month.

Quercetin is good at containing the virus, but it blocks a pathway that activates the sphingosine phosphate receptor. This means that quercetin is going to prevent the CD4 count from increasing in the blood. Sphingosine phosphate is also an anti-apoptosis signal. If its receptor isn't expressed, the cells are going to be more prone to programmed cell death.

Take home message, stop taking the quercetin. We want to increase your CD4 T cell counts as fast as possible and quercetin is going to interfere with this. Quercetin continues to be a great medicine, but for people with already high CD4 t cell counts.

Didn't know you were going to get a lecture today, did you?

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Holy bat, shitman! Warn me when it's BAD news!

Too bad about the quercetin; it actually made the kocktail taste nearly drinkable. What does this do, if anything, to the amounts of curcumin/egcg I'm taking. The original kocktail was 5 grams curcumin, 2 grams egcg per day, in two doses.

In the final throes of the newsletter. Will get back to you with an update soon -- Blanche

Blanche dahling,
Don't worry, Eric is very healthy and he took primarily quercetin. As I said, quercetin is great at containing the HIV virus and that ain't bad. But it appears that quercetin might also impair, indirectly, the proper recirculation of CD4 t cells. This means the CD4 count goes down in the blood and up in the lymph. This doesn't mean the CD4 cells are dead. Remember when your count went down to 55? I suspect you do. Well, a CD4 count of 200 normally indicates AIDS and you don't have AIDS. Your CD4 cells weren't dead because if they were, someone with a cold in the next apartment, whatever, would have enough germs to kill you. This really is good news. It explains a lot.

Back to the computer. I am on a roll.

Stay cool, dearie.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Yep. I know. Over 400 viral titer, under 200 CD4 count = AIDS. Been there, done that.

One reason I avoided the "ten-year-old with a runny nose death syndrome" is because I went under ground. (No choice; couldn't wear pants and didn't want to frighten the neighbors). I was not exposed to much in the way of opportunists. Of course, there's always some, and I did resist them. Encouraging.

Actually, things appear to be looking up. I went to class last night and again failed to fall over or drop my drawers in front of everybody and start scratching. Was pretty tired when I got home and somehow forgot to take my melatonin. Slept through the night anyway. It was great! I'm still going to use the melatonin, but it's nice to know I can now skip a night-time dose without losing several square inches of skin.

I still have random itching and pain, but it is fading gradually into "background noise." Good thing, too; I was just starting to snivel. (Snivel, snivel, bitch, whimper, whine). Healing is coming just in time.

Now my biggest problem is the fact that my right leg is still messed up. This started with a neuroma (remember the bizillion cortisone shots?) and now that I seem to have conquered that has moved up to my knee (sometimes hip) and I still can't walk. This is not a good thing.

My podiatrist gave me the four (four!) cortisone shots in the same damned foot even though it was pretty obvious they were not working. His alternative was to cut the transverse intermetatarsal ligament and remove a section of the plantar nerve. Since he suspected the problem might be bilateral, that would have meant both the lateral and medial nerve. In effect, I'd had this totally dead toe right in the middle of my cute little foot.

He never checked my stance. Never checked the wear on my shoes. First drug it and if that doesn't work take a knife to it. Modern medicine seems to have forgotten the "first, do no harm" bit. I got my own inserts, but apparently they went tooooo faaaar, which may have caused the problem with the knee.

This is one of the things I intend to discuss with my CIGNA doctor when I finally get around to making an appointment. He will want to talk about HIV and I'll want to discuss mobility issues. Should be a remarkable office visit! I'm afraid I may have to find an alternate health care giver and pay for the office visits myself. This Medicare HMO business is for the birds, but the office visits are inexpensive and most tests are free.

I've still got to call for a new lab sheet for a blood workup, then when I have those results I'll go in and see him. Last time the nurse didn't want to give me my numbers, I guess so I wouldn't get upset. Not getting my information upset me even more and I did get those figures, as you know. I'll probably have to go through the same song & dance this time. I'm nearly sixty; why do these silly people think I need protection from the ruth? Will that somehow change the results? Argggh.

Life is never boring – Blanche

Blanche,
I didn't read this email. I will soon. You aren't going off the quercetin. It does a wonderful job of controlling virus production. We simply have to figure out a ratio of EGCG, curcumin, quercetin and the others that is optimal. The CD4 t cells counts won't up as quickly but they will go up.

More soon,

Steve

Blanche,
Life for you is never boring, dear. Of course, you and I are not exactly normal.

I've had one of those "Holy Shit" afternoons. I am almost stunned by the info I found. Keep in mind the info I found is not exactly obvious. It’s one of those A=B=C=D situations. If you don't know anything about B, C and D, the data from A won't mean much.

One of the arguments in the HIV scientific world is that the viral titer does not necessarily correlate to the reduction in CD4 T cells. Now I know why. Quercetin is a great treatment for HIV because it seriously interferes with the synthesis of HIV virus and the infection of new cells. Nice work if you can get it. But it also causes CD4 T cells to leave the blood circulation, or at least it impairs it to some extent. We have to find the right ratio between EGCG, curcumin and quercetin and the supplements.

It’s show time, darling. Squeak, squeak. Its funny almost, if you told the average HIV doctor or scientist that your CD4 count was 55, they'd be renting out your room right now. The assumption is that the lack of CD4 T cells in the BLOOD is a primarily indicator of the total amount of T cells in the body. WRONG. In your case, your T cells simply went to the suburbs for awhile. We simply have to balance the destruction of HIV infected cells with a redistribution of T cells back into the normal circulation. YOU are it, Blanche. Get ready to be famous. Besides, you are the only one I know tough enough, and reliable enough to carry out the protocol perfectly. I just paid you a HUGE compliment.

Seriously. I am going to call OUR findings, the Blanche Equation. Sounds like a nice movie title. Stanley can direct...maybe. You can live in Bel Air and throw garbage over your fence into your neighbors yard like that Sharon Osbourne woman.

May The Force be with us,

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Inquiring mice want to know:

1. Do I get cheese?

2. Do I get to keep my spleen?

This is wonderful. Indeed, a CD4 count of 55 is daisy-pushing country. Since I've already been told once to go home and put my affairs in order I'm not too impressed with numbers anyway. I feel really good if you discount a couple of problems that mostly do not involve HIV. You've already heard my bitching on that account, so I won't go over it again.

One thing you might want to consider is 5-HTP, which you suggested I take to boost my CD4 count. The original dose was 100 mg/day, which I have increased to 300mg 'cuz of the missing CD4's. You had recommended more for low CD4 counts, I believe. Should I perhaps increase this dosage?

Currently:

Changing kocktail to 5grams/2grams unless you change my mind. No quercetin at present.

1.8 grams/day ALA

3.6 grams/day NAC

1.5 grams/day Acetyl l-carnitine

50 mg DHEA

300 mg 5-HTP

3x3 melatonin + 18-21 mg at night before bed

200mg B complex

400 IU Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols; research has proven they are better than the straight alpha).

Centrum Silver (multivitamin)

Glucosamine-chondroitin (for joints)

I'll be getting a blood test (I think; that's up to my CIGNA doc) within the next week or two. That won't really give us much opportunity to test whatever we decide to do here, but I still need a place to start on the

dosage. As I said earlier today, I'm planning to go back to 5 grams curcumin and 2 grams egcg/day (the original dosage for me). If you want to change that let me know. -- Blanche

p.s. "Blanche Equation," eh? Not too shabby. Squeak!

(email on other mouse deleted)

Blanche,
Anyway, niacin is another possible addition to the mix. I'll send you more info on this. I already talked to you about it. How much is in the B complex? The word B complex doesn't tell me much. What’s in it?

OK, lets go with this. Stay off the Quercetin until after the test results. Lets see what kind of numbers we can get.

We'll work out a ratio of G/C/Q after that. The soon to be famous Blanche Equation. Right up there with E=MC2.

Steve
Yes, you may have cheese, and yes you can keep your spleen.

Dear Dr. Steve:
Pleeeeeze don't ask me to add a B vitamin to the kocktail. I was just laughing with you about people complaining about taste? Well, this is the revenge of the universe. Nothing in the supplemental world tastes worse that B's !! I think it's the sulfur.

I am currently taking Country Life "Coenzyme B-Complex Caps." It is supposedly easier to digest than "regular" Bs. Each cap contains:

B1 = 50mg

B2 = 50mg

B3 = 100 mg; there's the niacin

B6 = 80mg

Folic acid = 800mcg (yes, micrograms)

B12 = 500mcg

d-Biotin, whatever that is 200mcg

Pantothenic acid = 50mg

Inositol Hexaniacinate = 130mg (never heard of it 'til now)

PABA = 50mg

Soy Lecithin = 100mg

PAK (pyridoxine alpha-ketoglutarate = 50 mg (this is a new one on me!)

Phosphatidyl Cholate = 40 mg (assume this is some form of choline but don't know. Is this your phosphadiddly stuff? From the eggs?)

Inositol =26 mg

ALA = 100mcg (again, that's micros)

That's the whole enchilada. I'm taking two a day, which means 200mg/day of niacin. I saw several warnings that more than 500mg/day of niacin can cause "flushing or possibly a rash." No thanks.

Oh, every time I write you with my protocol I forget something, it seems. Last time I think I spaced the Indole-3 Carbinole. 200mg/day.

Been on the net. Apparently my legpit problem is candidiasis, although my "personals" aren't apparently affected. Weird. The stuff has found a nice warm crease at the top of my legs in which to raise a family. Any suggestions on that one?

I've been postponing the next blood test 'cuz I'm a major chickenshit. This is now probably just as well 'cuz I'd like at least a full week off the quercetin to get a baseline reading. I make two batches of kocktail per week, so when the time comes, I can add as little as 500mg of quercetin to the entire seven doses if that's what we want to do.

The only major problem is I don't know how long CIGNAdoc will authorize monthly tests, as they are cheap bastards at heart. If we go back to every three months, this could make the Blanche Equation years in the making! Maybe you should start thinking about "bracketing" the dosage and working that way? Just a thought...

I get cheese AND get to keep my spleen? Wow! -- Blanche

Blanche,
Relax, take the B vitamin complex as a pill.

I'd give it more time before going back for a blood test. Give it at least a month on EGCG and curcumin, sans Quercetin. And reverse the concentration of EGCG and curcumin. 5 gr. EGCG and 2 gr. curcumin. EGCG inhibits the TRAIL pathway which has been implicated in the programmed cell death in HIV infections. It’s the only compound I know that does this. And drop the indole-3-carnitol for now. It can activate the TRAIL pathway. Do this for a month, get tested, and we will drop the doses as necessary. I know EGCG is expensive, but it does bring the CD4 count up quickly.

Since they aren't going to test you more than once every three months, we need some good numbers now.

If you have a fungal infection, buy diaper rash ointment with a high concentration of zinc oxide in it. Works like a charm. Best fungicide around. Zinc oxide works on eczema and psoriasis as well.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Ah, B-complex pill dispensation (is that anything like a pill dispenSER?)

Gotcha. No more Indole-3 for a bit. Also 5 grams/day EGCG and 2 of curcumin. I'm gonna buy stock in the coconut milk company, 'cuz I can't drink EGCG in that concentration and will have to double the coconut milk per dose or I'll puke. This is not helpful, so up goes the coconut. Whee!

When you get a chance, tell me more about the TRAIL pathway. You mentioned it in a previous email and said you would explain later, but alas! later never got here. I'm curious.

Will get zinc oxide for booty rash. Pleased to wait for the next blood test 'cuz I've been putting it off anyway. Bawk! Bawk!

Good grief! Squeak, bawk. I'm turning into a menagerie! -- Blanche

Blanche,
Also try to keep the fungal infection clean and dry.

TRAIL is a protein hormone that induces programmed cell death in a number of cells. For a long time, no one could really figure out why HIV caused programmed cell death in normal uninfected t cells. Now they know. NEF, Tat and some other viral proteins induce the TRAIL death pathway. EGCG blocks the fundamental biochemical step necessary for the synthesis of TRAIL. There is one paper in the world that linked EGCG to the inhibition of this pathway and I, Dr. Steve, Pet Detective, found it.

Look, you don't need to down the EGCG in two large doses. You can take it in smaller, more numerous doses. If anyone can figure out how to cut the nasty taste of EGCG, you can dear.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Thanks for the rundown on TRAIL. Pet Detective? What happened to Ace Ventura? Did you take over his agency? Also, you need to go "bwaa-ha-ha-ha" in a crazed tone of voice when you talk like that. Very important.

I'm gonna try to just add another can of coconut milk and see how foul the results turn out to be. That's three 13.5oz cans with 35 grams of EGCG and 14 grams of curcumin. I'm already adding brown sugar, which goes a long way towards making the shit drinkable. I'm hoping as I feel better to be out and about and not have time to run home for a dose of kocktail, so I'll have to figure out how to choke it down in two swoops.

I still have a little residual itching here and there, and am really hoping it's not lurking Shingles. There's one spot on my hand and one on my leg that appear to come in "rows." This is scary 'cuz that's what the Shingles does; runs down nerves. Please note these are not new. I've cut back on the ibuprophen and this may just be a withdrawal symptom.

If it is residual shingles, the extra EGCG may help banish it for once and for all. Otherwise I'm just gonna have to find the money for drugs someplace. Famvir will knock out the remaining Shingles virus in a heartbeat, but isn't cheap. Rats! -- Blanche

Blanche,
May The Force be with you.

Dear Dr. Steve:
Just made up my first batch of revised kocktail. Yuck! EGCG is really ugggggly.

Added more brown sugar. Also tried adding just one more 13.5 oz. can of coconut milk. No go; tasted like somebody already drank it! Added another can, cut with milk. Drinkable if you're a masochist. I guess this is what I'll be choking down for at least the next month.

I know you said I could drink more doses per day, but this way I know exactly how much is going down at once. Making up multiple doses at once is more efficient and allows me to adjust contents with some degree of control.

I think I mentioned this before, but will do so again because it's pertinent (or possibly impertinent; who knows?): Overheating is what makes tea bitter. I mix everything else and boil the socks out of it. Then I turn it off. It's still steaming but no longer bubbling when I add the EGCG. Definitely still hot enough to get everything into proper solution. I reheat servings one at a time -- pour into pan and heat individually, that is. Therefore the EGCG is exposed to the minimum amount of heat necessary to get the job done. This method goes a long way to cutting the bitterness from the EGCG. I recommend it; it makes an undrinkable drink merely an unpleasant one. All the same, it won't hurt my feelings if we cut back on the EGCG after the next blood test. What a wimp!

Zinc oxide is helping with the candidiasis. Also I'm taking the time to "air-dry" affected parts several times a day. Maybe I'll win this one without a cannon. Having skin again would be very nice! At the moment the parts that aren't sore feel like abused leather. I can see this is gonna take multiple "fixes" over time to get back to normal. (My skin, not my brain; I know better than to claim that!) – Blanche

Blanche Dear,
You will happy to know that its about 102 today, but with little humidity. I am not happy. OK, good news on the EGCG. Please carefully write out a protocol that I can copy and forward to others. Make it as detailed as possible and make comments about why this or that is important.

I have one poor soul who has a real problem downing EGCG.

Did the wart ever come back?

Oh, did you ever have a problem with loose stools or stinky bowel movements or stinky farts taking the new formula, as in EGCG, quercetin, etc.?

I never heard back from the HIV idiot who thinks HIV doesn't exist. I think I scared him to death.

Have you been keeping a diary of your experiences on the protocol, including the Shingles episode? You really do need to write it all up for publication in the new GK website. You will be called Blanche and no one will know your identify. I have all our emails and some of them are absolutely hysterical. Even Anna, who I shared a few of our more infamous emails with, wants to know how you are doing, what you are doing, and what your blood test results are. Its really touching, I've got all these crazy wonderful people with terrible diseases rooting for each other. I'd cry except it’s too fucking hot.

Trying to remain cool...

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Sorry you're hot; at least it's non-sticky, which is a blessing. We're just coming out of the Monsoon here, and a couple of nights I've actually had to turn the cooler off. Probably wouldn't do that normally, but I'm still not wearing britches most of the time Drying candida, y'know.

Protocol:

Hope I get this right 'cuz I'm famous for leaving pieces off (the email, not the dosage). I'm not sure if you want the whole enchilada or just the kocktail, so I'll include every flapping thing.

1. Kocktail:

In blender, mix

1 13.5 oz can coconut milk (I use "Taste of Thai" 49% saturated fat; the more lauric acid the better, I figure)

14 grams curcumin (this is not exact; I use bulk curcumin and probably put in a bit more than necessary)

about 20 grams brown sugar (yeah, it's a lot but necessary at this mixture) pour into saucepan & bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer while preparing the rest.

By the time you have the EGCG de-capsulated you can turn off the burner.

In blender, mix 13.5 oz can coconut milk and 17.5 grams (35 500mg caps, yep, yep) 70% EGCG. (I'm currently using Food Science of Vermont because I can get it through iHerb, my all-time favorite website for supplements. Cannot recommend this site highly enough!) Scrape down the sides 'cuz EGCG sticks. Blend thoroughly. Pour into saucepan with very very hot curcumin/brown sugar/coconut milk mixture.

Pour back into blender and give it another whirl. Don't forget to leave airspace on lid when you do this, as with any hot liquid! Pour into container. Add two more 13.5 oz cans of coconut milk to container and shake thoroughly. I do it this way because the whole thing won't fit in the blender. The curcumin and EGCG are already thoroughly blended so all that's needed is to thoroughly mix in the coconut milk to even out each dose.

To take: first one's obviously still very hot. After that it's coming out of the fridge. It's important to remove from refrigerator a while before pouring or the fat will stick to the sides of the container and the dosages will be sadly uneven in potency. Just pour what you need (a little over a cup per dose for 2 doses/day) into a small saucepan and heat gently; there is no real need to boil again because everything stays in solution quite nicely. Pour into glass and add whatever (non-acidic!) liquid you choose, if any, to thin. I'm currently just using regular milk.

Okay, that's the fun part. Now for the supplements. This is all per day:

1. ALA : 3x600mg caps = 1.8 grams/day

2. NAC: 6x600mg caps = 3.6 grams/day

3. acetyl l-carnitine: 3x500 mg caps = 1.5 grams/day

4. melatonin (ah, melatonin!) 3x3 mg caps + one-time 18-21mg at bedtime, per day

5. 5-HTP 3x100mg caps = 300mg/day

6. DHEA 1x50mg cap = 50mg/day. This was for the lipomas and I really don't see significant improvement, just for the record.

7. E (mixed tocopherols) 400 IU/day

8. B Complex

(from previous email:

I am currently taking Country Life "Coenzyme B-Complex Caps." It is supposedly easier to digest than "regular" Bs. Each cap contains:

B1 = 50mg

B2 = 50mg

B3 = 100 mg; there's the niacin

B6 = 80mg

Folic acid = 800mcg (yes, micrograms)

B12 = 500mcg

d-Biotin, whatever that is 200mcg

Pantothenic acid = 50mg

Inositol Hexaniacinate = 130mg (never heard of it 'til now)

PABA = 50mg

Soy Lecithin = 100mg

PAK (pyridoxine alpha-ketoglutarate = 50 mg (this is a new one on me!)

Phosphatidyl Cholate = 40 mg (assume this is some form of choline but don't know.

Is this your phosphadiddly stuff? From the eggs?)

Inositol =26 mg

ALA = 100mcg (again, that's micros)

that's all the Bs...

9. Epsom salts in juice. This varies and I admit that it is one I often "space out" So velly solly.

10. Centrum Silver (a multivitamin for seniors) This is just insurance; I realize there's never enough of anything to do much good, but sometimes that little bit of whatever can make all the difference...

I have stopped the Indole-3 carbinol at your instructions. I stopped the Inosine earlier on because of a histaminic reaction. If I ever -- ever -- stop itching entirely I may try to sneak back up on that one. Stopped taking quercetin at your instructions.

Otherwise:

Wart never came back. Blanche's Herp-Be-Gone is amazing stuff!

I do not recall having any GI problems associated with a change in protocol. I had a little diarrhea when the Shingles cropped up on my bottom (making things even more interesting than before!) but other than that, perhaps a touch of constipation. Of course, when you forget your Epsom salts... Oops. Most certainly nothing worth mentioning and nothing, to the best of my memory, that coincided with a change in protocol. Wasn't paying attention to that; sorry.

This "HIV doesn't cause AIDS" business has killed a shitload of people in South Africa, where the Prez was of the same opinion and didn't think spending any money on HIV was appropriate. Even though there is nowhere near enough money there to fight this bugger, it would have been nice, were I a South African, to believe my government was at least TRYING. Do ostriches range as far south as South Africa?

I've also kept all the email. I've created a Word file with every last exchange immortalized therein. That will give me all the "notes" I need to write "The Blanche Equation: One whacko's story" or whatever we call it. When you're ready let me know how much space you want to fill and whether or not you want it as a text file or in .html.

I think that this website is gonna be a great thing. (info deleted on other client) Back to the website: This is gonna help a lot because it will facilitate this support structure you're talking about here. People will KNOW others are concerned for them. The ones we really need to reach are the people who are putting off treatment for cancer, as HIV will -- kinda -- wait around, whereas cancer will most definitely not do that little thing. – Blanche

Blanche,
If it wasn't for brave, utterly determined women like you and Anna, I'd have given up long ago. I asked a few questions and you wrote a text book explanation of what you were doing. Maybe its the heat, but you made me cry. I was literally overwhelmed by your comments and your interest in helping others. Anna does the same thing all the time. I am blessed to know you both. NOW , I want you both to stop making me cry. I have work to do.

Thanks for being a kindred spirit pain in the ass.

Steve

Blanche,
(copy deleted on other clients)

So thanks again, oh wise Senior Mouse, for your observations and help. By the way, the kocktail you are taking is similar to the cancer formula. If you had any cancer in your body, its going to be gone soon. The stuff works. If Stanley comes down with prostate cancer or something else, you can watch in glee as he attempts to choke down the EGCG, etc. every day. That would be fun.

Still hot here. I am going swimming today.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
I'd LOVE to watch Stanley drink coconut milk, never mind the bitter yuckies. He hates coconut. Of course that would mean he needs the stuff, so I'd better be damned careful what I wish for...

(copy deleted on other clients)

There are indeed a lot of worse things than being a witch doctor. Some of their patients thrive, which is more than can often be said for modern Western medicine, which seems to want to use vicious drugs or possibly operate if somebody has split ends in their hair. -- Blanche

(several emails deleted)

Blanche,
Anyway, get this. Grapefruit juice and to a lessor extent OJ contain a flavonoid that reduces the breakdown of various drugs in the liver. They also enhance the uptake from the intestines of the drugs. So, what does the medical community tell us? Drum roll... don't drink GF or OJ with your meds because this could mean your meds exist in higher, more potent concentrations in the blood. What they should tell you is this...

For each drug, the FDA should test the dose of the drug with and without GF or OJ. GF and OJ could REDUCE the amount of drug you need to take because it increases the effectiveness of the drug by increasing uptake and reducing destruction in the liver. BUT NO, that wouldn't occur to the bastards. That's not in the interest of Big Pharma. That might hurt their sales. Screw the poor public who could exist on smaller doses of drugs if only they were consumed with GF or OJ.

Makes you want to spit, doesn't it!

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Yeah, spitting would be appropriate. Is there any data on what GF or OJ do to the "stages" of drug breakdown in the liver? Some drugs need to be processed as quickly as possible, 'cuz pausing at an intermediate processing stage means they are extra toxic for longer periods. It is good to keep the liver from breaking down necessary medication for as long as possible, but once the process starts, sometimes it is essential to zoom through it as quickly as possible to avoid transient toxicity.

There are apparently many herbal remedies on the market that can accentuate or inhibit the action of prescription drugs, and nobody much is paying attention. Currently, the only safe bet appears to replace the medication with supplements entirely to avoid incompatibilities (or too much compatibility, I guess). Naturally Big Pharma is not paying through their collective noses for clinical tests that prove you don't need their product, or need a heckuva lot less. Caveat emptor – Blanche

Blanche,
What kind of vitamin E did you use to get rid of the keloid?

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
I used 1000 IU caps. d-alpha tocopherol acetate. These days I might be inclined to use mixed tocopherols because of new research, but the d-alpha worked fine. Poke a hole with a pin and squeeze on, rub in. I don't know that Vitamin E creams are as concentrated or effective. They certainly age faster than the caps and lose potency.

Also, I am in the process of trying to eliminate some rather severe scarring on my arms. No keloids but yucky all the same. Some rather intense web research revealed that Emu Oil seems to be the new and exciting choice for eliminating scars. I have ordered some 100% Emu oil from iHerb and am gonna give it a try. It's not very expensive.

Please note: Emu oil is made from Emus (large, flightless Australian birds). The good news is that they are killed for the table and the Emu Oil is a side process, so the poor little birdies are not being done in for cosmetic reasons. The bad news is that it is indeed made from dead birds. I guess it's kinda like killing a pig for pork chops and finding a use for the lard. I personally have no objection to killing to eat, but cannot understand taking a life to look cute! Of course I'm weird. This is not a good choice for those who wish to avoid animal products entirely, however.

I'll let you know if this does any good. I should get the stuff within the week. In the meantime I know that d-alpha tocopherol acetate works on keloids. – Blanche

Blanche,
OK, I will pass on the info. Thanks.

I am trying to figure out if I can use ALA in the cancer protocol without screwing up necrosis or apoptosis. NAC is definitely out. Let me know about the EMU oil.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Got some stuff from iHerb yesterday, including the Emu Oil we were discussing earlier. Since I just got the stuff I can't really say how it works, but it is soothing and, although it is a trifle oily, soaks into the skin quite nicely. It does not sting or burn. Nice.

The container says, "for sore joints, minor sprains, bruises, scars, burns and abrasions." That's quite a lot from squashed birds, eh? Even though I know the Emus are killed for their meat I still feel a little bit guilty for using dead animal parts for cosmetic purposes, but I assume I'll get over it.

2 oz. $14 at iHerb (Internet). A little goes a long way. We'll see how well it works. In the meantime I hope Anna is using the d-alpha tocopherol acetate (Vitamin E); it certainly helped with my keloid all those years ago.

I also got some stuff called "Candida Clear" from iHerb. It's a nutritional supplement that is supposed to improve the intestinal environment and prevent overgrowth of candida. We'll see. It has caprylic acid, pau d'arco and oil of oregano, in caps -- four a day is the recommended dosage. I figure I'll give it a whirl because if I don't

solve my skin problems soon I'm gonna wind up in a rubber room. When I'm not itching I'm hurting and this simply has to stop! My tolerance for constantly feeling weird and awful is pretty much shot. Plus I'm still pretty much housebound 'cuz wearing britches is intolerable most of the time. Argggh.

I've been tempted a thousand times to go back on the cortisone because it stops everything. Instead I'm going to mix up some more EGCG (Blanche's Herp-Be-Gone). See if that works.

This all goes back to the shingles. I was soaking in Epsom Salts to dry and shrink them, and it worked wonderfully. However, it dried the rest of me pretty badly also and caused more itching in spots. Then there is

the candida, which happily spreads in the warm wet tub. However, there are nights when soaking is the only -- I mean the only -- thing that keeps me from running naked & screaming down the middle of the street. The neighbors would talk. Into the tub I go.

Now of course my skin is all dried out. I sometimes don't do a very good job of regreasing when I'm up and itching in the middle of the night and soaking my woes is the only solution. Right now I'm using a "bubble

bath" made from antibacterial dish soap, which of course requires a shower to rinse. This is not fun in the wee small hours. I'm cold, wet and naked and not a happy camper at all.

Right now my hopes are on the Herp-Be-Gone moisturizing and stopping itches all at once. If not Stanley will need a good strong spatula to scrape his wife off the ceiling.

Will keep you informed on the Emu Oil. Wish me luck -- Blanche

Blanche, DON 'T use that stupid anti-bacterial soap. My mother’s hands broke out in a rash using it so I checked the contents. Contains SDS or lauryl sulfate, a very powerful ionic detergent. This is a harsh detergent, because only harsh detergents can kill bacteria. It is taking the upper layer of your skin off, babe, and activating the itch response. STOP! You need to find a good moisturizer, not a soap. I still think mixing cheap Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion in with EGCG is a go. Try it.

Put the EGCG in with the Emu oil for spot applications. See what happens. I can't leave you alone for a second...

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
I can be inventive in ways to damage myself, huh? Lauryl Sulfate, yep. Just read the label.

I just started using this a few days because I thought it might bump off the candida faster. However, the itching is far from new; that has been with me since the Shingles and has never given me any real peace. The problem with most topicals is that they don't stay where I need to put them. Every time I have to pee, they get washed away.

I haven't found a single thing I can put ON ME, including lotion w/EGCG, that will stay where I need it. Also, sometimes something that felt great last time burns now. Next time it will be fine again; I have no idea what's with my stupid bippy.

I need something I can put ME IN, actually. Desperately. The warm water is the only -- this is not an exaggeration; the ONLY -- thing that has kept me sane as this business wears on... and on... and on. Alas, the stuff I've been adding to the water has not worked out so well, and plain water is much too drying; for some reason it's worse than -- or at least no better than -- soap. I try to moisturize after soaking, but sometimes all this happens at 3am and I run outta steam.

The Shingles are still with me. That is, some of the scars are deep and nasty, and will take months and months to go away. This is in spite of the EGCG, dear. It did wonders for killing off the active virus, but isn't doing squat for the aftereffects.

Now there's this other business in my legpits, one armpit, under my tits. (Not much there in either case -- that is, not much rash and not much tit). EGCG makes it itch worse; go figure. It also started up on my arms where the old Shingles lesions are, and is only now starting to clear up -- and that's out in the open air! My right elbow still looks like the dog's been chewing on it. And I can't wear pants, sit for long periods or walk much. This is not good. I must admit the entire thing is very wearing and probably stressing me at a time when stress is a major no-no.

I really want my skin back. Any ideas? -- Blanche

Blanche,
I am beginning to suspect that I am a masochist.

Off the cuff, there must be something sold to people who have eczema and need to soak in the tub. What about calomine lotion (sp) that people with poison oak used to slather all over themselves. Have you tried that for spot relief?

I've got some ideas. Back to you later.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Have used Aveeno (which is calamine lotion with a topical antihistamine); there is also Caladryl but it costs more. The Aveeno works fine sometimes, does nothing on other occasions and sometimes outright burns. I have been totally unable to piece together what causes which (or which causes what, if you will).

The soak for Excema sounds promising; I'll look into it. I've also heard of using baking soda, but don't see why alkalizing myself will be of any use.

Actually, what we need is a soak that eliminates itching, helps skin heal and reduces cellulite. Oh, inexpensively, of course. It wouldn't hurt if it smelled good, either. That way you can kill two birds with one stone.

Who's demanding? -- Blanche

Blanche,
OK, I was right about skin dryness. It turns out that many skin problems like eczema and dermatitis are associated with the loss of water from the skin. The defect appears to be in the synthesis of the lipid ceramide, which is rich in the lipids of the skin. I am an expert on ceramide synthesis since it is important for killing cancer cells.

I have another email from you coming in. Oh God...

You want an anti-itch, skin healing, bath soak that cures cellulite at the same time? You're pretty damn high maintenance, Blanche.

So I figured out a crude formula, which will take a few more days. I can induce ceramide synthesis in the skin. I’ll make up something and mail it to you. Anyway, you dissolve the stuff in cheap Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion and spread it on. This isn't a bath soak. That would provide only temp. relief. I am going, as usual, for the home run.

More later. May The Force be with us.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Cool. Let me know when you have a preliminary formula and I'll slather stuff on the ol' bod and see what falls off. – Blanche

Blanche,

I expect nothing less, My Mouse.

(email deleted)

Dear Dr. Steve:
Strangely, the most common bath ingredients for itch-soothing baths were apple cider vinegar and Epsom salts, sometimes together and sometimes singularly. Another common ingredient is baking soda, which doesn't really make sense in the same thought with apple cider vinegar, does it? Maybe any radical pH change helps? Don't ask me. Also oatmeal, although in previous research I found that oatmeal can aggravate Shingles, so have been avoiding same. I can also picture the plumber's face when the oatmeal clogs up the drain...

Epsom salts definitely soothes the itching from Shingles, cuz I've used it. However, it is far and away the most drying thing I've immersed the poor ol' bod in to date. Also trying some essential oils. Oil of Oregano. Ginger Oil. Tea Tree Oil. These need to be emulsified in order to be used in a bath, of course. I once made the mistake of just adding Oil of Oregano and it floated. And burned! Sat in the tub fairly dancing with pain until I could get the water drained and refilled. Argggh! I do not recommend anybody ever try that!

To emulsify I normally use Benefiber, which is a guar gum supplement for regularity. It emulsifies nearly anything, so far as I've been able to tell. I mix the oil and guar gum with water and stir. If it stays in solution it's ready to use.

I haven't found any essential oil yet that doesn't help, but I also haven't found one that really does the trick. Ginger oil appears to get the most votes thus far. Still looking...

I supposed a good soak in Epsom salts would be fine if we had your salve to slather on after dessication had occurred. One little reminder: I also have Shingles scars that are so deep they occasionally open to a deeper level and then reclose. Sometimes I scratch these open in the middle of the night when my brain's not wired on properly, sometimes their tops soak off in the tub. I also still have what I believe to be a candida overgrowth in legpits, one armpit and a little under m tits. I'm grateful for the one unaffected arm pit, otherwise I'd be a tad worried about the ol' lymphatic system right about now. The candida tends to weep, also the skin comes off in little gritty patches at the slightest touch. I'm pretty raw in spots.

So, The shingles are still happier mostly dry, although they can get too dry. The candida needs to be absolutely dry. All the rest of my skin, what little remains, wants to be moist. I don't see any way to make everybody happy, so can only hope that first, the Shingles scars and any post-herpal neuralgia, will disappear. Then I can tackle the candida with a free conscience. After that I can re-moisturize and heal any skin that may have survived that long.

All I have to do is not go insane while this is happening. I'd say "go crazy" but we both know it's much too late for that – Blanche

Dear Dr. Steve:
It may a bit soon to get excited, because I've had the weirdest intermittent success with various soaks and topicals, but it is possible that good old vinegar may be a winning ticket.

I used this back the first time I had Shingles and it seemed to help, but this time the EGCG seemed to be a better shot and I didn't do much soaking with the Shingles.

Once I did start with the Epsom salts, the Candida set in, also dry itching skin. Whether or not that was a result of soaking is impossible to tell.

At any rate, the net mentioned apple cider vinegar. Didn't have any of that, so used plain white vinegar. So far, so good. Still have itchy spots but that appears to be a semi-permanent condition. Will get some apple cider vinegar and try that soon.

Oh, the Emu oil is very moisturizing, but leaves a somewhat greasy residue, so is not appropriate for all times and places. It appears to be helping with my "chewed" elbow, however.

Film at eleven – Blanche

Blanche,
There are all kinds of home remedies associated with apple cider vinegar. It’s not strictly the low pH because white vinegar should substitute. It doesn't. I have NO idea what is going on. If the ACV works for you in a bath, use it dear. And let me know.

STEVE

Dear Dr. Steve:
Pectin? Apples are famous for being good sources of pectin. Whatever the reason apple cider vinegar does indeed do a good job on the itching without drying everything to a dessicated mess. At least for a while.

It has been one of the most frustrating parts of all this skin business that nothing -- that is nothing -- works consistently. Wonderful once, painful twice, neutral the next. I have a whole repertoire of stuff I can soak in or rub on at various times. The biggest problem is when my first few guesses for the night are the wrong ones; then I suffer.

It gets pretty serious. Serious enough that Stanley finally scored some percosets from a friend. Yes, percs. Sorry. They're in their little bottle, cut in half, waiting for the next nerve emergency. Haven't used any yet, obviously; I hate drugs. It is an amazing comfort, however, to know that little bottle is sitting there in the small hours of the morning when nothing works. I suspect wishing I was dead is not good for my numbers, and that's what happens about 3am when nothing stops the itch or the pain. (The pain starts when I have to keep scrubbing off what didn't work for the itch, you see). Knowing I can stop hurting if I'm that determined is a great boon.

Just had to use soap again. Added some essential oil to the mix (ginger, grapefruit, clary sage) but everything is still pulling pretty badly right now. This seems, however, to be the only thing that will dissuade the candida (I think that's what it is) from getting farther and farther out of control. Now it's both sides of the groin, both armpits, under tits. Before the soapy tub the discolored areas were bright crimson red and weeping; now they're pink and dry. That's worth a scratch or two...

What's that stuff they used to immerse mummies in? That's how I feel right now, but the candida or whatever is in retreat. I still have to figure out a way to eliminate the dry skin itch because I run into healing scars from the Shingles and open them back up, especially in the middle of the night when the ol' brain's not wired in properly. I now have dark, ugly scabbing following the lines of the original Shingles lesions. Argggh. Sometimes I pick at my arms because I must -- simply must – do something and I am determined to leave my tail alone. This is not good for the arms. Please don't bother telling me I shouldn't do that. Duh. If I could stop I would...

So, I can use apple cider vinegar until the candida gets too happy, then I have to switch back to soap. Because of the location of my main problems, I can only address them by either soaking in the tub or rubbing myself raw. I normally choose the tub, for some reason! When I'm forced to use soap everything dries out until I jump around like a flea and usually wind up hurting myself when I accidentally hit a serious scab with my nails. This is where the moisturizing, anti-itch topical comes in. Zinc oxide, by the way, is a difficult choice. The affected areas tend to weep, as I said, and it spreads the zinc oxide out all over me and the sheets, leaving damned little where I need it. I also have medicated body powder that contains zinc oxide, but it often burns too much to use and also tends to dry me out tooooo faaaaaar.

Or, if you can think of anything that will clean and dry the candida while not making the rest of me itch, let me know. Again, this has to be a soak; I simply cannot access all the areas necessary any other way.

I realize this is a mighty tall order, and expect to dry out in the tub and re-moisten the other parts once out. Note: Stanley had a brainstorm. He fetched one of the sponge paint applicators (kinda a small sponge on a stick). This proved to be ideal for slathering moisturizer between my shoulder blades where I simply cannot normally reach. He has volunteered to grease the old girl up, but this often happens at 2-3am, and that's a cruel thing to do to anybody! "Here, honey. Wake up and put some greasy stuff on these itchy sores, huh?" Stanley has stood by me through thick and thin and would still love me if I had three heads, but good grief! There oughta be a limit, poor guy!

In a way, this whole thing is kinda interesting. I'm often so busy trying to fix my hide that I forget my numbers are awful and if I don't fix them I'll probably croak. Ribbit! (Obviously feeling froggy).

I'm faithfully popping all my pills and sucking down the kocktail. I'm looking forward to the next blood test, which should hopefully happen the first week of OctOgre. Once I have my results (which will not be perfect, of course, but should show a dramatic improvement) I need to see my CIGNAdoc so that somebody can actually take a look at my skin problems and stop taking my word for what I think I have. Well, the Shingles was not a guess. Been there, done that. Candida fits the description best, but I'm no medic. My local doc may take one look and say, "Oh, that!" and fix me right up. Who knows? Stranger things have happened and no, I'm not holding my breath. – Blanche

Blanche,
I am working on it. For now, buy some cheap biotin and take big doses. It’s a vitamin. I found an article a long time ago that claimed most candida infections were due to a lack of biotin in the diet. So try it. I am working on a cream for you, but it’s not a bath. It’s something that can be used to restore the normal lipid composition to your skin.

Did you look for something on the net that pertains to tub soaking and eczema?

Steve