Adam's Story

11.20.2004
Adam found the Grouppe Kurosawa web site in December, 2003 as he searched the web for information about treating his HIV infection. He resisted the wishes of his physician to go on anti-HIV medicines because he considered them “poisons”. He wanted to find a more natural, less toxic method to treat his infection. At the time, Adam could have never known that he would make history as the first person in the history of the AIDS epidemic to actually see his immune system return to normal and his viral titer continue to reduce without the use of drugs. Keep in mind that people who use expensive anti-AIDS drugs never see their immune systems return to normalcy. Adam’s immune system, according to him now, is functioning better than it ever did in the past, pre-HIV infection.

Adam had a very bad sero-conversion and would be considered a “fast progressor” to full blown AIDS. He was out of work for over three weeks with blinding headaches and fevers that varied between 104-107 degrees F. He was sicker than he had ever been in his life. Prior to his HIV infection, Adam caught every cold his children brought home and had numerous seasonal allergies. In retrospect, his immune response to his environment in general wasn’t very good.

Adam sero-converted in August, 2003 and was tested for HIV in December. In a little over three months, Adam’s CD4 count declined over 350 points to 853. Normal is 1200 plus/minus 50. His viral titer was up to 54,000. These numbers, and taking into consideration his horrific sero-conversion and history of recurring infectious illness, categorizes Adam as a so-called Fast Progressor. He was in serious trouble.

Adam began using our protocol on March, 30, 2004. In the four month interval between his first blood test and beginning our protocol, it is reasonable to assume that his CD4 count continued to decline, while his viral titer continued to increase. Although we will never know the extent of his CD4 decline, we conservatively believe it must have decreased another 200 points, at a minimum. On April 21, 2004, Adam had another blood test, scheduled interestingly in the middle of a full blown hepatitis B infection. In the three week period that Adam was on our protocol, his CD4 count increased to 1024 while his viral titer decreased to 40,000. Although we cannot speculate on what his HIV numbers were on March 30 when he began our protocol, we are comfortable that his CD4 count increased by at least 400 points during that three week period. We now believe we know why there was such a dramatic increase in CD4 cells in the blood in such a short period of time. Our reasoning will be discussed in the Kurosawa Kocktail™ for HIV Infections presented elsewhere on this web site.

We want to make it clear that our treatment protocol for HIV infections, while scientifically sound, was untested. Adam, and the other two volunteers, or so-called Kurosawa Mice, are heroes to us because they put their very lives in our hands. And we made some mistakes along the way. We used both inosine and curcumin to treat the infection, which turned out to be mistakes. Curcumin, we found out later, activates the FAS cell death pathway and probably was responsible for activating Adam’s latent hepatitis B infection. Inosine, although documented as an inhibitor of pro-inflammatory hormones, also turned out to cause histamine release. We fixed the problems, forced Adam’s hepatitis B infection back into a state of latency and moved on.

In September, Adam gave us the good news that his CD4 count was now largely normal at 1150, while his HIV titer had continued to decrease to about 5200. Adam continues to follow our HIV treatment protocol. We will follow his progress to see if the HIV titer can be reduced further or completely eliminated with his now reconstituted immune system. Stay tuned…

This is Adam’s story or diary of his treatment experience. The actual treatment protocol is posted to the Treatment Protocol folder on this web site.

We would like to close our comments here by reminding people that some things or events that appear too good to be true actually are true. This story is true. The Kurosawa Kocktail™ treatment protocol for HIV infections works, it’s non-toxic, and it’s inexpensive.

Adam’s Treatment Diary

First test date: December 1, 2003

Official start date of the oral coconut milk cocktail was Tuesday, March 30, 2004

First protocol 2 grams EGCG in water in the morning and 3 grams EGCG dissolved in coconut milk at night. 3mg Melatonin at night before bed.

03/30/04 – Started my first 3 grams EGCG coconut milk combo last night. YUK! Also took my melatonin. Woke up four times last night.

Took my tea this morning. I’m feeling a little nauseous right now.

Experiencing low grade fever today. This isn’t unusual because I’ve been having a low grade fever on and off for the last 3 days. I felt like crap all day today….no energy, weak and sleepy.

03/31/04 – Slept better last night. Only got up twice. I’m feeling ok today. Still not big on the energy level, but feeling ok.

If HIV doesn’t kill me, mixing these raw EGCG capsules with water and coconut milk will. This stuff tastes so bad it makes me want to throw up just smelling it. I’ve tried it with ice cream and it’s still the most horrible stuff I’ve ever choked down. I’m trying to change my diet to not include any soy or any of the other stuff Steve told me to take out. MAN, is there ANYTHING that doesn’t have some kind of soy product in it??? Sent update.

04/01/04 – Slept ok. Got up a couple of times. Not feeling very well today. Light headed, kind of nauseous and a little irritable. I’m feeling drained and just want to go home and lay down. Nothing but 7UP sounds good to drink…….not even water.

04/02/04 – Slept ok. Feeling ok today. Nothing much to report. Pretty normal.

04/03/04 – Got up twice. Felt good all day. Nothing out of the ordinary.

04/04/04 – Got up 4 times thru the night. Feeling very tired and drained. Low energy and kind of nauseous. Began adding 5 gr curcumin. 2.5 in coconut milk at night and 2.5 in coconut milk in the morning.

04/05/04 – Slept ok. Felt pretty normal today. Added 250 mcg of sodium selenite (selenium) once a day

04/06/04 – Slept ok. Low energy and more nausea today. I’ll be quite glad to be over this thing so I can stop feeling nauseous and draggy all the time.

04/10/04 – Slept ok. Spent most of the day quite nauseous. Energy level was ok. Got some 7UP. That seems to help with the icky feeling. How much longer on this protocol? How much more is it going to take? Low grade fever. About 100 degrees. Began taking 1 gram of Magnesium (Epson Salts) today.

04/11/04 – Didn’t sleep much at all. Tossed and turned. Was very sleepy most of the day. I found that if I keep something on my stomach, the nausea isn’t near as bad.

04/12/04 – Got up several times last night. I’m noticing that I’m having to get up thru the night and use the bathroom A LOT more often the last week or so. Fatigue is still a battle. By the end of the day, I’m just beat.

04/13/04 – Slept more last night. Noticing muscle aches. Not sure if that’s due to my exercising less or a result of the kocktail. Just wanted to note it. Energy not too bad today.

04/14/04 – Was up about 5 times to use the bathroom again last night. Still fighting with some nauseous ness, but it’s tolerable. Energy level not too bad.

04/15/04 – Up again about 4/5 times to use the restroom. My family is commenting on how “yellow” my eyes are becoming. Still have muscle pain. Bought a massager to help work on my muscles. Not much nausea and energy seems pretty normal. FINALLY

04/16/04 – Up a couple of times for bathroom break. Very little nausea and energy is good. Muscles are feeling some better after using the massaging machine. My eyes are quite yellow. Will have to find out about that.

04/17/04 – Silly me. Wrote Steve and told him I’ve actually been feeling better. Figures that today I’d be feeling sick as a dog. Battled nausea all day. Energy level isn’t too bad, but it’s the weekend and I’ve been taking it easy. Got up about 4 times thru the night to use the restroom and felt sick most of the night. Muscles soreness isn’t too bad. Been using the massager some each day and that seems to help.

04/18/04 – Didn’t feel well most of the day. Still sick at my stomach. What on earth is happening to me? I’m tired of trying to keep something on my stomach all the time. My stomach constantly feels like it has a knot in it and I feel bloated and full most all the time. I’m sick of eating. Nothing tastes good anymore.

04/21/04 – Stopped EGCG altogether because of possible HBV infection.

First, I must say:

OH!

MY!!

GOD!!!

 I am in complete shock and a bit of a panic.  Hepatitis?  If I have that too, can we cure that as well?  I feel on the verge of tears.  My aunt died of Hepatitis and it was a most horrible death.  Can we cure that along with the HIV?

 I will of course, ask my doctor to re-test me for all three Hepatitis' tomorrow when I go for the other.  I'll let you know as soon as I get the results. What should I be taking now until I find out for sure?  Should I just be doing the coconut milk and curcumin morning and night.  Then Melatonin at night?  Or should I go ahead with adding the n-acetylcysteine (NAC) twice a day using pills. 3 grams twice a day. Add alpha lipoic acid ( ALA ) at 400 mgs twice a day, and at least 1 gram of magnesium into my body each day?

04/21/04 - Well, the nausea has subsided.  That's a good thing.  I'm only feeling a little tired but nothing like I had been dealing with.  I didn't sleep any better last night, but I suppose that's part of thinking about today. The yellow in my eyes is still there but my wife and one of my daughters told me, this morning, that they didn't believe it was as bad as it had been.  I have a little discomfort right in the middle of my stomach and I feel a little "bloated".  My wife said that's characteristic of liver problems.....discomfort and the fluid build up in the abdomen.  Neither of these symptoms is to the extent of being unbearable, just noticeable and uncomfortable is all.

Had new blood test.

04/22/04 - I am feeling better today.  No nausea at all.  I also have very little discomfort in my stomach today.  I had my wife check my eyes closely.  Although I still have some yellow in my eyes, most of the yellow is now concentrated around the outer portions of my eyes.  Almost like it's clearing from the middle and going out.  She says it is getting better but just has some more to go. I'm still fighting the fatigue but it is more intermittent throughout the day and not concentrated at any particular time.

04/23/04 - I'm experiencing more fatigue today.  I got up about 3 times during the night (which is the usual for me).  I feel myself dragging a little today.  Nothing like it was before though. No nausea but I'm having a little discomfort in my stomach.  Not bad though.  The swelling in my belly has completely gone.  I look normal again. Still some yellow in my eyes today, but I'm personally beginning to notice the change.  To me, they are finally starting to whiten up. Over all, I'm not doing too badly

04/25/04 - Yesterday was a fairly normal day.  Felt pretty normal except for some bloating in my stomach.  Today is even better.  Most of the yellow is gone from my eyes.  I'd say they are about 75% clearer.  The last 2 days - mostly evening, I've had a low grade fever.  Don't know what that's all about, but some fever is good so I'm counting it as a good thing.  Over all, I'm feeling pretty good.

I've apparently been stressing a little because my muscles are all tense in my back, shoulders and neck.  This is nothing really new cause that's how I've always reacted to stress.......tense, then painful muscles in my shoulders and neck.  I must learn to relax and just chill.  I'm going to be fine, I really do know that.  I just wish it were today.......lol

04/26/04 - I'm feeling ok.  I only got up once last night.  I'm finding that I'm not having to get up to use the restroom as much the last few nights.  I wake up but I'm able to roll over and go back to sleep.

The yellow in my eyes is the same as yesterday and the day before.  Some yellow still there.  No more improvement, just staying right where it's at.  Over all, my eyes are about 75% clearer than they were at the worst of it.

Energy level bounces up and down. I found myself quite tired when I got home at about 5:00.  I took my daughter to the tutor at 8:00 and decided to go to they gym for the hour she spends there.  After about 25 mins of aerobics and a little weight lifting, my energy level is way up.  I'm not feeling that tiredness right now.  I'm going to try and be more consistent with my workouts and try to get back up to 5 days a week like I was about 2 months ago.  I had cut it back to 3 days a week, but I just seem to be more sluggish with only going 3 days.  I seem to have more energy when I go 5 days........does that make any sense???  Odd.

Over all I'm doing well.  It's about 9:45pm now and I should be getting my nightly kocktail ready.

04/28/04 - Still don't have any test results yet, but I'll call again tomorrow to see if they've come in.

I've been feeling about that same.  Good, but not 100% The last couple of days I've been feeling very "full" in my stomach.  I eat (normal portions and not large meals at all) but then I feel like I've eaten two Thanksgiving dinners right in a row.  I don't know if that's significant, but thought I would tell you about it.

Still have some yellow in my eyes.  It's the same as before.  About 75% clear

Energy level is good.  The days don't drag like they were. I guess that's it for now.  Not a lot to tell.  It feels like things have basically leveled out.

04/29/04 - I called and my results are in.  You were right, I tested positive for Hepatitis B.  As a matter of fact, he said the tests showed I am at a highly infectious stage right now.  I don't understand.  I don't understand how I got this thing.  I don't understand why it didn't show up when I was tested in December.  He tested me for EVERYTHING then.....Chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, hepatitis, HIV, syphilis, etc.  Why now???  I don't understand.  I'm on the verge of tears right now.  I'm not normally a cry baby, but I can hardly keep the tears back.

Doctor is completely confused. My viral counts are going down and my CD4 counts are going up in the middle of a massive hepatitis B infection.

Doubled NAC to 6 gram/day. Doubled ALA to 800mg/day. Began taking Inosine 3 gram/morning and 3 gram/night. Stopped adding curcumin to my coconut milk. Still continuing the Melatonin at night. Began to add 3 grams of Quercetin to my milk in the morning and at night.

05/02/04 - I began the coconut milk and quercetin.  I have the liquid quercetin.  It's kind of sweet.  It doesn't taste bad, just a very different kind of taste.  I also began the Inosine and increased the NAC and ALA.  I appear to be doing well with all of it.  No stomach upset or anything like that.

My eyes still have about the same amount of yellow to them.  No change there.  My wife said my skin has made some improvement.  It doesn't have as much of that orange look to it like it did.  I still fight with some fatigue.  It's not overwhelming, just annoying.  I also still battle with that heavy, full feeling in my stomach every evening.  I do fine all day, but by the time evening gets here, my gut feels like I'm carrying about 50 lbs of bricks in it.

I've noticed for the past 3 days, I began running low grade fevers.  Somewhere between 99.5 - 100 degrees.  I've only noticed it mostly in the evenings.  I believe I've also felt it during the day, but wouldn't swear to that.

I believe that's it for now.

05/05/04 - There wasn't much of anything different to tell you until today.  The two most significant changes are my eyes are about 85% clear and my belly has gone down a lot.  YEA!  I can actually see signs of the six pack I had before all this began.  I was beginning to think I would have yellow eyes for the rest of my life......I know that's a bit dramatic, but it's just how I felt.

I'm staying on everything you've suggested and keeping my workouts to a real minimum.  I'm in the process of changing my diet quite a bit.  I'm eating just fish and chicken, fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables and hardly any processed foods.  This kind of diet seems to agree with me the best right now.  I'm loosing weight since I'm not working on building muscle and changing the kinds of foods I'm eating.  That's one part I am happy about.  I have wanted to loose about 10 lbs of fat for about a year and just haven't been able to do it.  I'm about half way there.  Another YEA!

05/07/04 - Yesterday was probably the first day I've felt really great in quite a while.  I felt more normal, looked more normal and slept more normal than I have in a long time.  It was quite encouraging. 

Today, however, has negated every bit of yesterday.  In one flail swoop, I went from great to really crappy.  I slept well enough last night and woke up feeling fine.  I took my supplements and made one fatal mistake.  This morning is the first banana I have eaten in months.  I thought it would be a nice change for breakfast.  Within 30 mins, the wave of nausea that came over me was every bit as intense, horrible, weakening and crippling as it used to be when I was taking the EGCG.  My body temperature raised enough that it caused me to break out in a sweat..........it was just a banana for pete sakes!

Nevertheless, I have learned a valuable lesson.........NO BANANNA'S EVER AGAIN for me!  It's been almost 3 hours since I ate it and although the nausea has subsided, I am still feeling quite weak and drained in the wake of that episode.  That was an experience I do NOT wish to repeat.

I checked just a little bit ago and the yellow in my eyes is a little greater today.  Maybe as a result of "The Bout With the Banana"........catchy title......I think I'll keep that one in memory.

05/11/04 - My eyes are just about 100% clear again today.  That's three in a row.  Maybe I'm on the downward slope of this hepatitis thing........THANK GOD!  I was getting pretty tired of looking in the mirror and seeing the yellow eyes staring back at me.

Another good thing, I went to see my chiropractor yesterday.  It had been about three weeks since I had been there last.  I was talking with one of his staff and she stopped in mid conversation and asked me if I had done anything to myself to change my appearance lately.  She said that I am looking really good.......that something had changed but she couldn't figure out what it was.  Well, you and I both know how sick I've been the last month or so, but it appears to finally be letting up and I'm getting back to my attractive self.

Please understand, I'm not being conceited or anything, but I have always been a pretty good looking guy.  Since all this HIV and HBV thing started and I haven't felt well, my appearance has definitely reflected that.  It was just so encouraging to me to have someone compliment me like that again.  It's just an outward sign of the work you and I are doing on the inside.  It's all working Steve and it's really showing.

05/13/04 - I'm only waking up about once or twice during the night now......which is pretty much normal for mebased on history. My appetite is becoming more regular and normal. My eyes have returned to normal.  The yellow is gone. My skin is actually feeling better as well......not so dry and leathery. I'm doing really well.

05/17/04 – Pretty close to normal still. Sleeping patterns are more normal for me. My stricter diet has helped very much. Energy levels are better and my eyes and skin are staying clear. I’ve kept my workouts light but find that doing something helps with my moods and helps to keep my spirits up.

Added 500mg 5-HTP at night.

05/20/04 – Nothing much new to report. The last few days have been almost exactly the same. Since May 13 th, nothing much has changed. Everything has seemed to level off.

Added 1 gram Ester C and 600mg of Vitamin E daily.

05/22/04 – Cut Inosine in half to 2 grams per day. 05/25/04 - Tuesday - Seem to be sleeping more thru the night and not getting up as often.  I'm feeling pretty good most all the time now. 

05/27/04 - Thursday - I decided today to go back to my more restrictive diet (fresh fruits, vegetables, more fish, etc).  As I felt myself feeling better and recovering from the HBV infection, I started adding things back into my diet that had caused me so much trouble while I was so sick.  This week I've begun noticing a small drop in my energy level and I think it's because I started adding those heavier foods back into my diet, i.e.:  breads, chips, some candy, etc.  Today I'm going back to the other, healthier diet.

06/03/04 - Not much in the way of any change.  I haven't experienced any fevers for (it seems like) a few weeks now.  I'm sleeping fairly well.  My weight is good.  My eyes have remained totally clear and my energy levels have stayed pretty normal.  All in all, everything seems fine.

06/08/04 - Everything has been status quo since my last update.  Last night was the first night in a very long time that I had to get up about 5 times.  Needless to say, that's not an easy feat when you have all that 5-htp and Melatonin in your system.  LOL

Appetite has been ok, weight is fluctuating a bit.....up 5 lbs one day, down 5 lbs in the next 2 days and so on.

06/10/04 – Stopped 5-Htp

06/16/04 – I was doing well until Sunday.  My family had all had a nasty stomach/intestinal flu about 2 weeks ago.  I thought I was fortunate enough to have it pass me by.......NOT!  I wasn't so lucky.  It hit me Sunday night like a ton of bricks!  I've been down since then.  Today is my first day back to work.  It's only 11:00am and I feel zapped already.

Since Sunday, my whole system has been out of wack.  Haven't been able to keep much of anything in me.......I won't gross you out with the details.  Suffice it to say, I've lost about 6 lbs.

I've tried to keep the supplements going, but when you can't keep em down, you just can't keep em down.  I hope to be back on my regular supplementation by Friday.

Up till Sunday, I was doing great.

06/25/04 – My 21 st Wedding anniversary today. I've been feeling very well.  No changes in health or in how I've been feeling.  Still taking the supplements and doing just fine with those.  My sleep patterns have pretty much returned to normal.......normal in the sense they are back to where I was before this infection.

07/09/04 - Everything is exactly the same.  Nothing's changed in a very long time.

07/19/04 - am doing great.  I'm feeling great, looking good and seem to be maintaining my present weight.  My skin has even returned to normal.  For the longest time, my skin seemed to be so dry and scaly.  It feels almost completely normal now. A couple of things I needed to mention.  Last week, I began having bouts with tiredness in the evenings.  I know it's normal to be tired at the end of a work day, but this is the kind of tiredness I was having back in the beginning of working with you and the protocols.  It's not every day, but thought I should mention it.  One other thing is I have begun having headaches periodically over the last week.  I don't normally have headaches ever, so thought I should mention this as well.

Began cutting Quercetin in half to 3.2 grams

07/22/04 - Here's an update of what's going on since cutting the Quercetin in 1/2.  The only huge difference is that last evening, I broke out with this huge rash of hives.  Small and large, itchy, bright red, warm blotches covering about 55% of my lower body.  Nothing has appeared from the waist up.  It's all been from the waist down.  I started taking my Zyrtec again after discovering this and also took Benedryl for the tremendous itching.  After taking both of those, in about an hour most of the hives has gone away....not all, but most.

When I awoke this morning, my legs were still pretty clear.  After I had been up and taken my shower, I found I was once again covered from waist down with these hives.  I took another Zyrtec and have held off taking any Benedryl to see if the Zyrtec would take care of it by itself.  So far (it's been about 2 hours since I took it) it looks like most of it has drastically decreased.  It's not gone, but it has decreased in size and itchiness.

I'm not sure if this reaction has anything to do with reducing the Quercetin, but wanted to mention it to you.  I was quite freaked last night when I got home and took my pants off to find myself covered in this.  Very unusual.

Stopped Inosine completely and increased Quercetin back to 6 grams per day.

07/30/04 - Today is the first day that I have not had any hives.  Whatever it was in my system, seems to have worked its way out......FINALLY!

Other than that, everything else is status quo.  Nothing new to report.

08/25/04 - I am feeling very good.  Everything seems to be doing just fine.

09/09/04 - FINALLY, new numbers for you.

I know, it took long enough, but I had to give him the "nudge" to give me the tests.  You know, you would think this guy would be happy that I'm not having to depend on him or see a "specialist" to keep me healthy.  Guess maybe I'm tapping into some of his revenue......that was a very bad comment, huh?

Hope you're doing great!  I'm doing really well.  Thank you so much for your involvement in my life.

09/10/04 - Just an FYI, I am taking 3 oz coconut milk, one tablespoon of coconut oil and 3200 mg of Quercetin boiled together twice a day.....first thing in the morning and just before bed.  I am also taking 3 grams of NAC, 450 mg of ALA twice per day,

one multi-vitamin every morning and extra Magnesium (every other day or so. more often than that gives me terrible runs). 

I also added Silymarin (Milk Thistle) 450 mg once a day, after my bout with HBV.  My mother and wife both suggested it to help support my liver.

I think that's it.  I'd much rather do this than meds.  The side effects to all of this are actually pretty good.  I've not had near as many seasonal allergy problems and I don't seem to catch everything my kids get.......colds, flu etc. whereas before, if they got it, I always got it.  Not the case anymore.

It would be nice to not have to take so much "stuff" all the time, but I'm NOT complaining.  I'll just counting my blessings and keep taking it.  Do you think there will be a time where you have me lay off of the protocol for a while?  I don't know how these things work.  I wasn't sure if my own defenses would eventually take over and keep it under control by itself or if I will always need to help it a little with supplements.

I'm relieved to hear you made the EGCG not taste so bad.   WHEW!  LOL

09/20/04 - Just got the results of my physical and ALL the tests for liver, kidneys, thyroid, pancreas, prostate, cholesterol, heart, diabetes, etc.  I am 100% textbook normal.  He said I am healthy as a horse and that what ever I'm doing, to keep it up cause it's having a positive effect in every aspect of my health. 

He looked back over my previous years test results (from 3 and more years ago) and I have actually improved over those.  I would have never thought that having HIV over this last 10 months could have actually been the best thing that has ever happened to me..........now that's the craziest statement I have ever made.  I was not very conscious of my body and my health back then, but a lot of that has changed now.

I started my Hep A and Hep B vaccines as well.  Got them both at once and only had a slight reaction to them.......felt like I had a little flu for about a day. That was it.  No bad reactions or side effects.

That's it.  Just wanted to send you some good news.  You've not only helped me with one thing, but have helped me become "in tune" with so much more.

No one has to write a book about me to feel famous.  Just being around to play with my children, grand-children and great-grand-children is all the fame I need.  Besides, you're the one that's done all the research and all the work.  All I did was swallow the stuff........and sometimes not so willingly.  LOL.

END

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Chief Scientist, Grouppe Kurosawa
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