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

Letters From Blanche
Vol. 1, Part 4

Dear Dr. Steve:
Just checkin' in. Everything is going very well; my energy is increasing all the time and I just generally feel better. I realize that's not very specific; sorry. It's probably partially just attitude, but it still feels good.

Slowly increasing my level of activity and hope to be ready for the deep heat when it hits. Phoenix is a little much in the summer, and you have to be acclimated and prepared in order to get around outdoors at 115+ degrees!

Ordered the 40+% EGCg; it arrived in good order. 500 grams in a jar. Clear plastic, so must be kept in the closet, but still much easier than wrestling the curcumin into an empty container. Eeeek! Orange! I have some of both the EGCg and curcumin left in capsules, and am using that up before getting into the bulk stuff, although I have tried the bulk curcumin. Lots easier.

Did you ever get a chance to check out silymarin (milk thistle) for that poor guy's liver? – Blanche

Blanche,
Anna is doing so well that her Doc is happy beyond words. The chest lesion is disappearing and he doesn't know why. The guy with the suspected HBV does in fact have HBV, big time, although he didn't know it. Nevertheless, in a two months period his CD4 count increased 250 and his viral titer decreased by 20%. Not bad. Hopefully, his Doc will shut up now.

Have to test another HIV/HBV protocol now.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
I will be rooting for your new protocol for HIV/HBV.

It occurred to me after reading your email that you are really the only hope "combination" people have. The prescription drugs used for treatment of HIV can destroy a healthy liver. I don't even want to speculate what happens when someone's liver is already ravaged by hepatitis.

Figuring out a way to fight both HIV and HBV without doing more harm than the viruses themselves is a real challenge. Best of luck to you, "the poor yellow-eyed guy," and people like him. – Blanche

Dear Dr. Steve:
I'm not sure if this has anything to do with treatment or not, but my knees are getting weird. As my energy levels rise this has become more evident. They really bother me when I walk, and I have also noticed they appear to be rather weak these days.

I should note that I had a problem with Morton's Neuroma (right foot) and finally found orthotics that appear to be helping. All my podiatrist wanted to do was give me cortisone shots. If that didn't work he wanted to cut the transverse metatarsal ligament and remove a section of the plantar nerve. Dead toes!

Yes, I did get cortisone shots. No, I would not have done so had I been in my right mind. No, I will not do so again. Sorry. Besides the more serious effects, between stopping smoking and the cortisone I've put on thirty pounds and am now 190. The weight is getting to be a mobility problem and I am honestly not stuffing. I'm afraid the main problem is lack of exercise and I'm finding that unreasonably uncomfortable these days. The only "silly" calories I'm eating are in the coconut milk, and I'm stuck with those.

At any rate, the pain in the foot led me to avoid the walking that has been my mainstay since I got strong enough to do so after my initial hospitalization. I am fifty-eight, and I realize that parts fall off much faster the older you get, but I feel like I've lost three years of strength in six months, and that's fairly depressing. Also, the pain in the knee may be arthritis; I have no way of knowing because I don't believe in arthritis and will be very disappointed if it now believes in me.

I thought perhaps some of the discomfort might be due to the increase in melatonin. Also, I'm only taking 3 grams/day of the inosine because that's frankly all I can afford. I am a person who simply must stay active. Any advice? -- Blanche

Blanche,
I don't know anything about the knees, but let’s experiment. Drop the melatonin and see what happens.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Okay. How long should it take to see a difference? I know there may not _be_ a difference, but what time frame am I looking at here?

Blanche,
I have no idea. Part of the problem, if you want to call it that, is that your knees aren't used to all this new activity and energy of yours. All the stuff you are taking is anti-inflammatory. But melatonin does lower hydrocortisone levels so let’s eliminate it. Melatonin was most important during the change over from MEDS to the protocol. I would continue to take 3 mgs at night though. It will help you attain a deep sleep which is critically important.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve
I had intended to keep the nocturnal 3mg; somehow I thought that would be appropriate. I suspect a lot of the problem is overweight and inadequate muscles from the enforced inactivity brought on by the neuroma. (It's hard to get out and boogie with one foot in a bucket of molten lava). I'm probably in too big a hurry and expecting too much at once; I have just a slight tendency to do that. Onward. – Blanche

Dear Dr. Steve,
Reducing the melatonin seems to be helping with the inflammation in the joints. Whee!

Fighting a bladder infection. Most of these go away on their own; this one required antibiotics. I'm hoping that just means a stubborn infection. This did happen once before. In fact, that time it got into

my kidneys. This one at least is more local. Of course, this makes it a little hard to judge the status of knees and such, because I've been sticking very close to the bathroom bowl. Every ten minutes, I swear! The moving I have been able to do seems to be easier, though.

My appetite fell off. Now, I am overweight. Also, Phoenix saw 110 degrees last week, very abrupt and early in the year, so that may well be it. I do tend to eat less in the summer. Also perhaps the infection threw me off. Not to mention the gallons of water I’ve been drinking due to aforementioned infection, etc. All the same, loss of appetite is probably one of the things you want to hear about, so I'm mentioning this.

Don't get me wrong, I am eating. It's just that the portions shrank to about 1/4 and the nibbles are gone. I'd be happy about this if it hadn't been so abrupt. Of course, as I said, so was the weather change (and the water guzzling).

"What, me worry?" -- A.E.Neuman

Blanche,
It's funny but so many women I know just happen to mention that they currently have bladder infections. Drink cranberry juice. That’s what everyone else does.

I don't eat when it gets hot either. There is something about heat and loss of appetite that goes together.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
The other polyphenols indeed! I got some 40% bulk EGCg because I am fighting to reduce the cost of treatment. I always thought your other clients were wimpy for complaining about the taste of the 70%, which I didn't find that difficult to deal with at all.

40% is quite another story. This stuff is ugggggly. Aftertaste is not the problem when you gag while trying to swallow! I bought a 500 gram jar of the junk and was beginning to think perhaps I'd have to pitch it out. Cheaper isn't cheap when you can't get it down...

Got on the internet and researched what makes tea bitter. Heat. Turns out you are never supposed to make tea with boiling water; it needs to cool just a hair first. Also never let it stand; the longer it stands the more bitter it gets. Live and learn.

You may recall I mentioned that I make three days' worth of the Kocktail at one time? Reheating is deadly for tea solids, dahlin'. I can attest to that because the first time it tasted bad; after that it was undrinkable. Well, nothing's really undrinkable if you're determined enough, but I finished off that batch by using enough sugar to float a battleship, also high-fructose juice, and it still tasted like somebody already drank it. Truly grim.

So here's the new plan, based on what I learned on the net and my own unfortunate experience. If this works for the 40% it's got to make a ton of difference for the 70%.

Prepare the Kocktail in the usual manner but don't add any EGCg. After (that's after) the concoction has boiled and is all nicely integrated, allow to cool somewhat. It should still be hot enough to keep the fat in solution but needn't be steaming madly. Dissolve the EGCg in water _just hot enough_ to do the trick; add to Kocktail Stir well or put in blender. Do not on pain of pain ever reheat this; don't make it ahead and let it stand. Just chug it down after adding whatever you are going to add.

This really removes a lot of the bitterness from the Kocktail 40% EGCg still tastes pretty awful. If you are someone who can afford the concentrated stuff my hat's off to ya!

Blanche,
OK, this is now the definitive oral protocol. Good work. Anna always made her stuff fresh and choked it down. She didn't object to EGCG either. She had to drink Paw Paw with it because he had cancer (70% gone now), and that stuff is really horrible.

And how are you feeling these days?

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Doing very well, actually. Still following protocol. Reducing the melatonin has eliminated creaky joints and also the intermittent skin rash (small side benefit). I'm still taking 3mg every night.

I'm just getting started on the DHEA. All I could find was 25mg, so I'm taking an extra pill every so often. Will report any changes to lipomas. Of course small changes over time are hard to see, but I hope to be able to see some difference within a couple of months. -- Blanche

(refers to the notitification of a protocol change)
Yo, Dr. Steve!
Just checkin'. Are you _sure_ you mean 1/2 to one KILO/day of this stuff? Even 100 grams seems... well... a tad high. Milligrams makes more sense. The largest dose I'm able to find is 200mg (60caps x200mg = $22). One hundred grams is 50 caps per day, or is my math broken? Please tell me I don't need to rob a bank to keep my supplies up!

Dear Dr. Steve:
OOPS. 500 milligrams to one gram. God, you are sharp. Now I have to send another email. Rats. Keep watching my back Blanche.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve,
Just a short note to let you know I'm still around. I'm six weeks into the protocol now, and feeling pretty good. It's kinda hard to judge my energy level because somebody turned the heat on here a little early, and it's rough getting around on foot.

A lot of the energy thing has nothing to do with HIV or the protocol. I had a neuroma on my right foot and wasn't getting around well. Now I'm all weak and squishy and need to rebuild my strength, but it's not fun when you don't have a car and the thermometer registers in the 110's. Last year I was ignoring this weather, but I had acclimatized myself gradually. This year it's like a hot wall. Hot weak and squishy.

Not much time right now anyway. I'm in the middle of a quarterly publication on martial arts (yikes, almost typed marital arts!) No. Martial. Taiji, Bagua, that sort of thing. HIV and marital arts are not a good combination. My partner-in-crime is one of those "wait until the very last minute and then run screaming in circles" schedulers, and I am now a Combat Nagging Master. I open my face, strong men quail. Yes!

I was an editor and typesetter in another life, and martial/marital arts reminds me of my all-time favorite typo. I have been known to leave the "L" out of public relations. My mind's not in the gutter but my fingers are...

At any rate, I may not see a lot of energy improvement until it cools off again in the fall. Bummer. Of course, just getting around in Phoenix on foot in the summer and coming home vertical is a victory of sorts.

Not that there's much choice. You fall down, you _cook_. Sizzle, sizzle.

Finally got rid of the stooopid bladder infection, but was forced to take antibiotics to do so. Is there anything I should do about rebuilding my system besides yogurt?

My husband's getting laid off; business going down tubes like so many others. He has job offers, but no! Now he wants to work from home. When I murder him, can I get curcumin in jail? We usually get along famously by being in different places most of the time. I've already told him he'll need to get lost a couple of days a week or we'll make headlines. He doesn't coordinate well, just does what he does and if you trip over him doing whatever it is you do, well that's your problem. I must go find a big stick. -- Blanche

Dear Dr. Steve:
Just a quick note to let you know I'm still around.

I'm in the middle of this newsletter here. Over a year ago, I made a casual remark to one of my teachers and somehow wound up being editor, typesetter and part-time space sales on the thing. At least she pays the bills.

We only publish quarterly, but my partner-in-crime wouldn't know a deadline if it bit her in the ass, so things get a bit hectic and crowded around now. This is the time (four times yearly) when I swear I'm never gonna do this again unless I get some damned cooperation, etc. Then I do it again. Go figure. Must be masochistic.

Otherwise everything's going well. Losing weight gradually. For one thing my appetite kinda slopes off in the summer, and I guess the EGCg may be implicated here too. I read that it's marketed basically as a weight-loss aid. I don't mind; too fat anyway.

How are things in your neck of the woods? Anna? How about the guy with the hepatitis eyes? I noted in the email about the 5-HTP that you had a note for "those coming off meds." Do I have company now or are you just planning ahead?

For any who _are_ coming off meds: I won't have any "hard" news until the first week of July, when I get my first "post-med" blood test. 'Til then I guess the fact that I'm alive and froggy will have to do. -- Blanche

Blanche,
Everything is great. The guy with the yellow eyes got over his HBV attack when we changed the protocol. We figured, conservatively, that 4-5 weeks on the EGCG, curcumin protocol drove his CD4 count up maybe 400 points. Doesn't suck, does it?

I am also working with a dear friend who has type 1 diabetes. I put her on a low dose protocol and the feeling is coming back to her feet. Now we've upped the protocol and will wait 6 weeks before the final phase. We are going to inhibit the immune response against her beta cells and regenerate the insulin secreting cells. Exciting. I probably shocked her a little when I told her to write down everything in a diary, including changes to vaginal dryness, libido and intensity of orgasm. She was probably a tad shocked since I never mince words, but these are issues of importance in diabetic women.

Yes, EGCG does cause weight loss.

Did you harm your husband yet? I don't think they will allow EGCG, etc. in jail. Try to restrain yourself.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
So I suppose you call me Blanche?

No, haven't harmed husband yet. He's still working so there has been no need. Still looking for big stick so I'll be ready when the time comes...

I'm happy for the hepatitis guy; 400 CD4's is wondermous.

You are not impossible. Highly improbable at best – Blanche

Blanche:
That right, dear. I call you Blanche. Actually you are the exact opposite of the Blanche from Streetcar Called Desire, but I like the name. It's kinda funky, not unlike yourself.

You made up a new word! Wondermous. It’s loverly.

When I was at Berkeley, one of the graduate students made up a new quantitative term. "Buttloads". As in "When we treated the virally infected cells thusly, buttloads of virus were produced." The faculty hated it

and went crazy when we did it. So we continued to do it.

You and I subscribe to the same basic philosophy. "Life is short. Why be boring?"

Toodles, Blanche. Try not to hurt anyone.

Steve

(refers to picture of Dr. Steve)
Dear Dr. Steve:
Thanks for the pic. Is that where you learned the technical term "buttloads?"

I also like your basic philosophy, although expense often exceeds income around here, so it often winds up more like "Life is boring, why be short?

I have found a big stick in case domestic violence is called for, but have thus far had no urge to damage partner. Of course Friday was his last day at work, so he's just now underfoot. We'll have to wait and see. Long weekends are boring whether you're short or not, I fear. We're just mumping around the house, too lazy to start anything major. The hubby managed to hurt his foot the second-last day of work. Nothing serious, but he's hobbling around right now; a pitiful sight. This does mean that he's not doing anything himself, of course, and every time I move I trip over him. Argggh. I'm keeping the stick handy, although I shall try to practice self-restraint. -- Blanche

Dear Dr. Steve:
You've heard me talk about iHerb before as an excellent Internet source for the many supplements we must take. I finally found a semi-decent price on Food Science of Vermont 70% EGCg, and decided to check iHerb again. They do carry some FSOV products, but not the 70% EGCg.

The guys at iHerb fill orders exceptionally fast, and they give discounts for repeat customers and quantity orders. I'm working on getting organized enough to order once every 3-4 months or so for a whopping 25% off plus free shipping. Their "base price" before all this happy discounting is generally lower than other sites to begin with. Quite a bargain.

Now it looks like I'll be able to get the 70% EGCg there as well. This means the only thing I order separately is the bulk curcumin, which is too good a price to pass up. (And much less orange to handle in bulk).

Anyhow, thought I'd forward iHerb's message to you. I'll let you know when I have a price on the EGCg. In the meantime I highly recommend this site for other supplements; I've been dealing with them for something like five years and never had a mishap.

Sorry your pics didn't work out -- Blanche

Dear Dr. Steve:
Argggh! I've got this absolutely maddening rash!

It's been going on for about a week and a half now on this pass, and is apparently not going away on its own. I haven't a clue what it might be.

I have no allergies and have never had contact dermatitis except from truly nasty stuff like "Clorox out of the bottle" on very soft skin like the inside of my forearm. Splash. I have not changed diet or soap.

We spoke about this a while back and you reduced my melatonin to 3mg at night. The rash went away. Now it's baaaack and driving me bonkers. If this is any help, it pops up in bunches and looks like mosquito bites at first, then once it calms down it turns into itty bitty hard bumps that are more felt than seen. They still itch. Cortisone helps but requires repeated applications before it works, which is somewhat worrisome. Also I wake up scratching and have often made things worse before my brain actually catches up with my fingers.

My only consolation is that this is definitely not shingles (been there, done that). That was my first concern when I started itching, because I've been there, as I said, and shingles are a sign that the immune system is out for a beer again. This is nothing at all like a herp, let alone herpes. (One herp, two herpes, right?)

Do I drop the melatonin entirely? I mean, I'm glad that my cortisol is no longer running out of control, but itch, itch, itch. Did I mention argggh?

What's a mother to do?

Blanche,
Drop the inosine. Inosine can cause histamine release. Let’s see what happens.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Ahhhhhhhh.

The nice thing about itching is when it stops. This does, however, lead to an auxiliary question: what do I do with darned near $100 of inosine? I have three months' supply at 3 grams/day: nine bottles of 60x500mg caps, Source Naturals Inosine, free to a good home. It would be nice to recover the shipping cost, but that can't be very much.

If you think I should just stop taking the inosine permanently and know somebody willing to give me a shipping address, let me know.

Blanche,
Cut it down to one gram a day. The inosine is great stuff. Just got back from a 3 day vacation in Tahoe. It snowed Wednesday morning. Did it snow in Phoenix?

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Strangely enough, it did not snow in Phoenix. Such a disappointment!

Unless you have an objection, I shall wait until the scabs from the hives go away before going back to the inosine. The dratted things do itch somewhat as they heal and I would not be able to tell which was what. Once I'm past that I'll start with 500mg/day and see if anything blows up. If not I'll increase to 1 gram. I'd like to take my time with this because it took a long time for the original reaction to pop up and it was an experience I can well live without. Never had hives before; don't want them back. Not a particularly fun experience.

Hope you enjoyed your mini-vacation. – Blanche

Blanche,
Sounds great. What is your melatonin schedule these days? Let me know ASAP. May want to make an adjustment.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
I had cut back after the original problem with rashes started. Currently taking only 3mg every evening. Change?

Blanche dearest,
3 mgs at night is fine. How are you sleeping? Do you wake up refreshed or with a headache or exhausted?

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
I sleep the sleep of the just, of course.

I am "getting up in years" and do have to make the occasional nocturnal potty trip, otherwise it’s hop, skip, run, cuss, trip over cat in the morning. I do have the occasional problem drifting off, but that's fairly rare. (Sorry, never really paid attention to frequency). Wake up without an alarm and feel fine. I have always been an Olympic sleeper and haven't changed. The "less sleep as you get older" bit seems to be passing me by. Eight hours or better. I do not normally take a nap.

I don't get headaches, I give 'em. – Blanche

Blanche,
I DO love you. No one makes me laugh more. You are never going to die, unless it has something to do with a bus accident or killing your husband with kindness, because non-approved deaths REALLY piss me off.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Still a little itchy; these darned bumps are taking forever to clear up! Tried everything topical I could think of this side of grape jelly. Cortisone works but only briefly. Vitamin E oil is good but awful greasy. Noxema is helpful but doesn't last. Nothing lasts. Finally got disgusted and started taking antihistamines, which work but seem a little abrupt. They also tend to put me to sleep, so I'm either scratchin' or snoozin', it seems.

The biggest problem I'm having with this is that back when I was merrily dropping dead the first symptom that all was not right was that I got Shingles. Those are, of course, a major sign that the immune system is not pulling its weight. This takes me back to the thrilling days of yesteryear and makes me just a tad nervous. These bumps are _not_ shingles; I know what those puppies look like! Still, the constant itching feels hauntingly familiar; I'll be glad when it's over.

The second problem is that I'm a picker. Sunburn, mosquito bites: pick, pick, pick. I try to resist but as soon as my mind wanders, there I go. This is not helping matters. I wake up scratching, which makes me itch, which... you see the problem.

Oh well, that's the bitch of the week from a candidate for Bitch of the Year. Otherwise things are going well. The first week of July I'll be getting my first blood test since going on the protocol. Keeping fingers

crossed. The hubby is wandering off for a little while each day so I haven't used the Big Stick yet, although sometimes it _is_ tempting.

How's your own good self? -- Blanche

Blanche,
Inosine definitely increases histamine release, but I've never had anyone react to it like you are.

Tell me your protocol right now and ANY other supplements you are taking. Also, what are you eating, in general. Are you taking melatonin only at night?

Fill me in and I'll try to figure it out.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
I'm taking basically the supplements you indicated: ALA , N-AC, Acetyl l-carnitine. Also now DHEA. The melatonin we discussed. Still haven't gotten any 5HTP; sorry, I only order supplements every 3 months or so. Otherwise Centrum Silver and 400IU Vit E. Right now, that's it for the supplements. The Epsom Salts. Of course the kocktail twice a day.

Actually, my diet changes seasonally, and I went into "summer mode" after the rash had already appeared, so it crosses two diets. I eat more meat in the winter. Summer I eat more salads and we use the barbeque for a lot more stuff. We don't have air conditioning and so I really can't use the oven from May 'til October without broiling everybody.

I'm not eating a darned thing I don't normally ingest in the summer, although I have increased my intake of yogurt (those drinkable things are just too good to resist). They're also too expensive so I make my own with nonfat yogurt and milk. I've always eaten yogurt, especially in the summer. I eat a lot less in general in the summer. I drink diet Coke altogether too much, probably. I know it's not good for you but "water's for washing your feet in" as grandma would have said. Also green tea; I figure more can't hurt.

No change in detergent or... oh, shit. I recently bought a new kind of dish soap. It's Palmolive, which is what I've always used, but this is the "aromatherapy" stuff because it was on sale and I'm cheap. Note that although I do have a few spots on my lower legs the majority of the rash is on hands and forearms. I'm desperately trying to reconcile the timing on the dish soap with the little red bumps and coming up empty, but they are quite close together, I believe.

If you need an ingredients list on that let me know. I'd sure like to know what's causing this! -- Blanche

Blanche,
The inosine is making your body sensitive to allergic reactions. Something you are touching is causing this problem, because no one else using the same amount of inosine has these problems. I think I can fix it. Buy some cimetidine (Tagamet). It is a generic histamine blocker, but it only blocks the histamine pathway that releases IgE, the allergy antibody. Histamine, per se, is good for you because it activates the cell mediated immune response which is responsible for killing off the virus.

Try 200 mgs cimetidine in the morning and 200 mgs at night and see if the itching goes away. Let me know.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
I have discovered a use for husbands who hang around the house; he's on the way to the store in the blazing desert sun to get some Tagamet. If he were at work I'd have to do this myself. This is better than a big stick! -- Blanche

Dear Dr. Steve:
... and it cures heartburn!

Almost lost my poor hubby. He was wandering around Walgreens, where he would probably still be looking for Tagamet if a nice managerial-type hadn't directed him to heartburn treatment. We both just figured Tagamet was an allergy medication!

He bought the Tagamet, although generic cimetidine is far cheaper. Is there any reason I can't buy the generic in the future? Same stuff, same dose, much lower price.

Sometimes he comes in handy. I guess this means I can't beat him with a big stick after all, even if he is underfoot. Darn! -- Blanche

Blanche darling,
I TOLD you to buy cimetidine. It’s generic and cheap. Tagamet is just a trade name for the same stuff. Many people have died wandering around Walgreens in the heat. Be careful.

PS. Anna is now about 99% healed. She is writing up her experiences. Shaun Connery will play me in the movie.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
Stanley says not to worry; his bicycle has air conditioning. So glad to hear about Anna.

Incidentally, the Tagamet appears to work; the itching has, at least temporarily, stopped. Yay! -- Blanche

Blanche,
I am not just a pretty face darling. I know stuff.

Steve

Dear Dr. Steve:
You win some, you lose some.

The cimetidine does a marvelous job of canceling the itching, but I think it's wearing off too soon. After about eight hours or so I start scratching again. At that point I am starting new bumps also. Can I take

three doses a day?

The biggest problem is in the morning. I wake up pickin' and scratchin' and it's downhill from there. By the time I can slather on enough cortisone and take another pill, it's too late. I've irritated the hell out of both arms and naturally knocked the scabs off what was healing. Perhaps if I could take a dose right before bedtime (and space out two others during the day?) it would cure the morning problem? I can't seem to train myself to half wake up, notice I itch, and slather on cortisone before applying fingernails (and oh, yeah, do I have fingernails!)

When I had chickenpox as a little girl my mother told me to slap the itches instead of scratching, but that would require me to beat myself up, I'm afraid...

How long do you expect the Inosine will continue to affect me this way? I stopped taking it over two weeks ago -- entirely, until my skin clears up -- and am still popping up with new little bumps every so often. I've never had a "histaminic reaction" before so have no idea what to expect. I have never had any kind of allergic reaction in my entire life.

A curiously disturbing problem; maybe it's really fleas? -- Blanche

Dear Dr. Steve:
Cancel the panic. It appears that I am too impatient and some things just... take... time...

Woke up Sunday morning with vastly reduced itching. It's almost 8am and haven't taken any cimetidine yet. Am aware I have skin on arms; it feels kinda more "there" than it should, but isn't really itching. Also I need to bear in mind that it is healing and healing itches, too. Am going to try topical cortisone for minor irritation and see what comes of it.

I still plan to wait until my poor hide heals entirely before sneaking up on the Inosine again.

So far, so good. This has been an unusual experience all around -- Blanche