slayadragon
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Actos is a drug that Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker recommends for some patients. He states that it can help them to tolerate cholestyramine, which is another drug that he uses (that one to bind mold toxins in the intestines and carry them out of the body).
Shoemaker explains why some patients have a hard time taking csm (cholestyramine or brand-name Questran) in his book "Desperation Medicine" (I think the chapter is called something like "Surviving the Herxheimer"). Apparently patients who have problems with Lyme toxin may have particular issues with this, but mold illness patients can have this problem too.
I don't see anything about Actos on the "Surviving Mold" website, but here is some info about Shoemaker's use of it (in a summary by Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum).
>It is not uncommon for people to have their symptoms worsen -- sometimes dramatically -- when one first kills off a chronic infection. This is called a Herxheimer reaction and was first noted in the early days of treating syphilis. Since then, it has been seen in many infections, including fungal infections. Interestingly, some people also experience this when they begin Questran to remove the toxins. In speaking with Dr. Shoemaker, he recommends that those who flare with the Questran be tested and treated for Lyme disease and that they take a medication called Actos 45 mg a day for 7 days before restarting the Questran (and continue it for 3 days after resuming Questran) to decrease the die off reaction. While you're taking the Actos, you should also be on a diet that is very low in sugars (a low amylose diet"). For this diet you should also avoid any root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, etc. and you should also avoid all grains during that ten-day period as well. Because people with CFS/fibromyalgia tend to be very sensitive to medications anyway, you may choose to begin with one teaspoon of Questran once or twice daily for 1-2 days and then increase the dose as able to decrease the risk of getting a severe die off reaction. Although the infection/toxin die-off reaction is uncomfortable, it is a good sign that things are being cleared out and is worth going through. If you get the die-off, fill and take the Actos as discussed above for a week before resuming the Questran and let us know so we can look for Lymes and treat it. Fortunately, most people who do not have chronic Lymes syndrome improve without an infection/toxin die-off reaction. Although the Questran has ~ 1 tsp of sugar per scoop, it is still OK to use in this situation. Using unsweetened cranberry juice (add stevia) instead of apple juice, or simply mixing it with water if even minimal sugar is a problem will decrease the amount of sugar youre getting as well. You can also get Questran lite with NutraSweet.
http://www.ei-resource.org/articles...es/neurotoxins--treatment-information-sheet/
My experience is that the best way to tolerate csm is by getting to a really good place. I've actually never encountered anyone who's been helped in taking it by using Actos. But I'm still interested in it.
One thing I did not realize until today is that Actos (pioglitazone) is a very popular drug -- apparently the tenth-best-selling drug in the U.S. in 2008. It is mostly used for diabetes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioglitazone
This drug works as a PPAR gamma agonist. Here is some information.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peroxisome_proliferator-activated_receptor_gamma
>Recently pioglitazone, a PPARg agonist has been shown to be effective in reducing inflammation in Parkinson's Disease models. Levels of MMPs and microglia (and therefore TNFa and other cytokine levels) were found to be reduced. Thus it has been shown to be neuroprotective in MPTP mouse models.
I've only taken Actos once. It made me feel pretty sick. My heartbeat jumped to a much higher rate than usual, which I always take as a sign that I'm doing something wrong. So I'm not going to take that any more.
However, I was interested in reading today that vinegar also can serve as a PPAR agonist.
http://chetday.com/vinegarfatfighter.htm
Kondo T, Kishi M, Fushimi T, Kaga T. Acetic Acid Upregulates the Expression of Genes for Fatty Acid Oxidation Enzymes in Liver To Suppress Body Fat Accumulation. J Agric Food Chem. 2009 May 26. PMID: 19469536
Laplante M, Festuccia WT, Soucy G, Glinas Y, Lalonde J, Berger JP, Deshaies Y. Mechanisms of the depot specificity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma action on adipose tissue metabolism. Diabetes. 2006 Oct;55(10):2771-8. PMID: 17003342
Does it seem like vinegar also could be helpful in helping people to tolerate csm? Has anyone found it helpful for that (or for other reasons)?
Thanks, Lisa
Shoemaker explains why some patients have a hard time taking csm (cholestyramine or brand-name Questran) in his book "Desperation Medicine" (I think the chapter is called something like "Surviving the Herxheimer"). Apparently patients who have problems with Lyme toxin may have particular issues with this, but mold illness patients can have this problem too.
I don't see anything about Actos on the "Surviving Mold" website, but here is some info about Shoemaker's use of it (in a summary by Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum).
>It is not uncommon for people to have their symptoms worsen -- sometimes dramatically -- when one first kills off a chronic infection. This is called a Herxheimer reaction and was first noted in the early days of treating syphilis. Since then, it has been seen in many infections, including fungal infections. Interestingly, some people also experience this when they begin Questran to remove the toxins. In speaking with Dr. Shoemaker, he recommends that those who flare with the Questran be tested and treated for Lyme disease and that they take a medication called Actos 45 mg a day for 7 days before restarting the Questran (and continue it for 3 days after resuming Questran) to decrease the die off reaction. While you're taking the Actos, you should also be on a diet that is very low in sugars (a low amylose diet"). For this diet you should also avoid any root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, etc. and you should also avoid all grains during that ten-day period as well. Because people with CFS/fibromyalgia tend to be very sensitive to medications anyway, you may choose to begin with one teaspoon of Questran once or twice daily for 1-2 days and then increase the dose as able to decrease the risk of getting a severe die off reaction. Although the infection/toxin die-off reaction is uncomfortable, it is a good sign that things are being cleared out and is worth going through. If you get the die-off, fill and take the Actos as discussed above for a week before resuming the Questran and let us know so we can look for Lymes and treat it. Fortunately, most people who do not have chronic Lymes syndrome improve without an infection/toxin die-off reaction. Although the Questran has ~ 1 tsp of sugar per scoop, it is still OK to use in this situation. Using unsweetened cranberry juice (add stevia) instead of apple juice, or simply mixing it with water if even minimal sugar is a problem will decrease the amount of sugar youre getting as well. You can also get Questran lite with NutraSweet.
http://www.ei-resource.org/articles...es/neurotoxins--treatment-information-sheet/
My experience is that the best way to tolerate csm is by getting to a really good place. I've actually never encountered anyone who's been helped in taking it by using Actos. But I'm still interested in it.
One thing I did not realize until today is that Actos (pioglitazone) is a very popular drug -- apparently the tenth-best-selling drug in the U.S. in 2008. It is mostly used for diabetes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pioglitazone
This drug works as a PPAR gamma agonist. Here is some information.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peroxisome_proliferator-activated_receptor_gamma
>Recently pioglitazone, a PPARg agonist has been shown to be effective in reducing inflammation in Parkinson's Disease models. Levels of MMPs and microglia (and therefore TNFa and other cytokine levels) were found to be reduced. Thus it has been shown to be neuroprotective in MPTP mouse models.
I've only taken Actos once. It made me feel pretty sick. My heartbeat jumped to a much higher rate than usual, which I always take as a sign that I'm doing something wrong. So I'm not going to take that any more.
However, I was interested in reading today that vinegar also can serve as a PPAR agonist.
http://chetday.com/vinegarfatfighter.htm
Kondo T, Kishi M, Fushimi T, Kaga T. Acetic Acid Upregulates the Expression of Genes for Fatty Acid Oxidation Enzymes in Liver To Suppress Body Fat Accumulation. J Agric Food Chem. 2009 May 26. PMID: 19469536
Laplante M, Festuccia WT, Soucy G, Glinas Y, Lalonde J, Berger JP, Deshaies Y. Mechanisms of the depot specificity of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma action on adipose tissue metabolism. Diabetes. 2006 Oct;55(10):2771-8. PMID: 17003342
Does it seem like vinegar also could be helpful in helping people to tolerate csm? Has anyone found it helpful for that (or for other reasons)?
Thanks, Lisa
