Been taking it for 15 days.
Can you guess why?
It wasn't even my idea but was the suggestion from my rheumatologist....who said, direct quote from Dr. Richard Bell "I've been prescribing hydroxychloroquine every day for patients for the last 31 years"
https://www.sharecare.com/doctor/dr-richard-e-bell
Harken back to the days of 2020 when HCQ was getting bashed to death because Trump mentioned benefits and said that he took it.
Then, dozens of bs stories came out from the MSM telling us how dangerous it was and every non Trump supporter believed every word of it. This included pj, who left because of it and his hatred for Trump(I had BBC syndrome...blinded by the clown syndrome and he was totally convinced my belief in HCQ was based on that)
and joj, who very fortunately, didn't let that make a difference for him.
Here's an excerpt from one of the latest conversations:
https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/62920/#63169
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: 84% fewer hospitalizations for patients treated with hydroxychloroquine
By metmike - Dec. 22, 2020, 5:20 p.m.
To pj and joj:
"You might remember that this drug has been in widespread use for a very long time to treat lupus and osteoarthritis because it reduces inflammation. It's also used to treat malaria because it kills the parasite by a different mechanism. I stated on the forum several times that I would love to use hydrox if I got COVID because the worst thing that could happen is that it would at least help with my inflammation/autoimmune issues."
Same thread:
https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/62920/#63171
If me or my wife get COVID, I will want HQ, especially for me as it would probably also help with my autoimmune disorder that I've been taking prednisone for the past 26 years...........it could kill 2 birds with one stone!
Besides effectively treating lupus and RA, HQ has been shown to treat other autoimmune issues based on its ability to modulate the immune and inflammation response.
This is just science/medicine.
http://www.gidoctor.net/hydro-crohns-ulcerative.php
++++++++++++++++++++++
I should make clear that this is NOT evidence that HCQ works much to help people with COVID. There is actually good evidence of that(with modest benefits) in several studies but that's not my point here and I'm not certain of that. I think that Ivermectin works for sure and took that for several days.........based on the authentic science, when my wife thought she had COVID. I'm pretty sure she had 2 false negatives and really did have COVID for 2 weeks based on EVERYTHING.........except the tests came back negative........but that's a different story.
So far, I've had ZERO benefits to help my inflammation/arthritis issues after 2 weeks. However, the drug, supposedly takes up to 12 weeks in order to really start helping for many people and can continue to increase benefits for up to a year. This particular affect, then would be pretty useless in treating a person with COVID, who would be dead or recovered in 12 weeks.
I'm just saying that its relatively safe and could help with my autoimmune disease/inflammation..........which was a huge point from me last year.............and now..........I'm actually taking it. 200 mg, twice daily with food.
The benefits might work a different way though, outside of modulating inflammation.
However, the zillions of articles last year claiming Trump was killing people or advising them to use a dangerous drug by recommending HCQ was total science fiction. And the people believing it...........didn't even understand what they were believing in..........they just BELIEVED IT because they read it and WANTED TO BELIEVE IT, while having almost no knowledge in the subject/science themselves and then arguing with somebody that did understand the science as if they knew as much based entirely on them being MISinformed by the MSM about HCQ last year.
Previous discussions on HCQ:
84% fewer hospitalizations for patients treated with hydroxychloroquine
31 responses |
Started by metmike - Dec. 18, 2020, 12:35 a.m.
https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/62920/
Trump touts HCQ again and wacko doc who promotes it
24 responses |
Started by pj - July 28, 2020, 10:49 p.m.
https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/56930/
Trump-touted COVID-19 drug hydroxychloroquine works
18 responses |
Started by metmike - July 3, 2020, 8:07 p.m.
https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/55059/
AND HERE:
Previous threads on this topic:
Scientists/academics-On the “science” of COVID
15 responses |
Started by metmike - May 31, 2020, 2:40 p.m.
https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/53061/
Trump’s taking hydroxychloroquine (and he could cause alot of deaths-bull)
Started by metmike - May 18, 2020, 7:30 p.m.
https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/52380/
FDA approves COVID-19 fighting drugs
15 responses |
Started by metmike - March 30, 2020, 11 p.m.
https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/49777/
https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Treatments/Hydroxychloroquine-Plaquenil
Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) is considered a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD). It can decrease the pain and swelling of arthritis. It may prevent joint damage and reduce the risk of long-term disability. Hydroxychloroquine is in a class of medications that was first used to prevent and treat malaria. Today, it is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, some symptoms of lupus, childhood arthritis (or juvenile idiopathic arthritis) and other autoimmune diseases. It is not clear why hydroxychloroquine is effective at treating autoimmune diseases. It is believed that hydroxychloroquine interferes with the communication of cells in the immune system.
Even if HCQ does NOT work for me, I am going to see if I can get it for my my 86 year old mother in law that is crippled with extreme arthritis.
Just looking at the poor lady and her deformed body, as she barely hobbles along makes a person imagine how bad her condition and pain is.
I've had Crohn's disease for 22 years and this is the first time I've ever heard of this drug as a possible treatment for Crohn's. The big game in Crohn's treatment these days is 'biologics' which are really expensive medications with a list of side effects long enough to put you to sleep at night (or keep you awake worrying about the side effects).
22 years and 5 GI docs and I've never heard of this drug as a possibility.
MM,
It's crazy!
I hadn't heard of it at all until I spent tremendous time studying it in early 2020 because of COVID.
After learning how it worked, a light went on in my head that shined the facts about its benefits in autoimmune disorders, so I was gung ho about taking it. Instead of treating the SYMPTOMS of the disease, like most drugs/supplements do, HCQ modifies and treats the actual disease!
It doesn't take the disease away permanently but it blocks the mechanism causing the disease BEFORE it happens. It causes the disease to go into remission.
I guess prednisone does that too when it suppresses your immune system but reducing inflammation is more like treating a symptom of the disease. Lots of side affects with prednisone and I've been on it every day since late 1994.
My sister, who's in the medical field and also is afflicted with a similar autoimmune disorder was noting risk/reward considerations on taking some of these drugs with side affects when I mentioned.
My comments about the risks of prednisone are all worth it because the benefit has been............BEING ALIVE!
Without it, there's a near 100% chance I would not be alive and if so, my body would have been destroyed and the amount of pain obliterated the quality of life.
I've been helping my mother in law a bit with her medical issues(and had to change several treatments from her doctor) and after starting HCQ, thought "what the heck, this poor lady crippled with arthritis has never had it offered to her!"
Her doctor never even recommended a rhumo doctor! To me, this is almost medical negligence by her long lived family doctor. Most people like her just rely on their doctor for 100% of their treatments and meds.
I've picked, probably 80% of everything that I take, then I decide 100% on what works for the stuff the doctors prescribe based on results.
I would be dead if I had relied on doctors.
I had been to numerous doctors for several years on this issue, in the late 80's/early 90's, including one that was considered the best rhumo dr. from Louisville, KY, Dr. Nuestadt. They found nothing and tried several things, including Welbutrin, which I thought that you mentioned.
In late 1994, rhumo dr. Norton, after 2 years of looking and finding nothing worked was shaking my hand and wishing me good luck because he said he couldn't help me. OMG, he was giving up and my body was being obliterated by inflammation(I'd lost 35 lbs, mostly muscle). This was back before the internet and people didn't have access to information to educate themselves and take control of their medical decisions.
An angel must have whispered in my ear because after all that time, I just remembered an incident 7 years prior to that when an ortho surgeon gave me prednisone. Dr. Rene gave me it for an elbow flare up and I suddenly told Dr. Norton about how that made my entire body feel good.
Dr. Norton gave me 2 cortisone shots and told me to come back in a week. I felt like superman! Alot of my body was wrecked prior to that(I've had 20 surgeries) but it saved my life......and adds another day to a wonderful life every morning that I wake up.
MM,
You should insist that your GI doctor try the HCQ. If they won't without giving you a dang good reason.........find another GI doctor.
It's very safe but there are 2 issues that should make a person consider the risks. If you have a serious heart arrythmia and if you have a retinal disorder in your eye. Even in those cases, close monitoring and using a lower dose could still be justified.
So the risk is minimal..............and the rewards could potentially be massive. Each patient is different.
OC-140 Hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for crohn's disease: enhancing antibiotic efficacy and macrophage killing of E coli
https://gut.bmj.com/content/61/Suppl_2/A60.2
https://www.gidoctor.net/contents/hydroxychloroquine
https://www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/news/preliminary-trial-of-antibiotics-and-hydroxychloroquine
25 August 2020
In their new scientific publication, Professor Jon Rhodes and colleagues report that hydroxychloroquine in combination with two antibiotics, ciprofloxacin and doxycycline, induces a long-lasting remission in some people with Crohn’s Disease.
MM,
There are numerous additional links, and stuff in the scientific literature, similar to this above which is pretty compelling, that you are very capable of finding yourself. Please let me know how it goes.
Dr. metmike (-:
ps. Seriously, you finding HCQ just made my day!
HCQ can take up to 12 weeks to notice benefits, improvement can be experienced for up to a year before it stabilizes.
It's only been 3 weeks for me and I have special bloodwork ordered at the end of the month to make sure the HCQ is not causing an adverse effect that might show up in my bloodwork.
There's a ton of stuff that I've taken without medical assistance/advise(like the Ivermectin) but on this one, you MUST use a doctor.
Not just to get a prescription but for safety/monitoring.
Been taking the HCQ for just over a month now and noticing exactly ZERO.
Supposedly it takes up to 12 weeks or longer before it starts modifying my autoimmune disease and helping to reduce inflammation, so that won't be until around Christmas.
To be honest, I'm not extremely hopeful and just want to be realistic with expectations but it can't hurt to try.
Literally it can't hurt because the side affects are fairly rare.
Heart arrhythmia's and problems with the retina in your eyes are the 2 main ones and those for mostly people on it for long duration.
Whether it works to help with COVID or not, I sort of feel extra protection(in my mind) when I go to places like Walmart, where I was wearing an N95 mask sometimes before.
I really need to get my booster shot from Pfizer though to get solid protection maximized.
Regardless, people that took/take HCQ with a doctors prescription have only a minuscule health risk and here's the thing .....its mainly for people that are on it for numerous months. A person taking it for COVID would NOT take it for numerous months. People like me would take it for the rest of our lives because we have a permanent disease based mostly on genetics.
This drug is one of the safest drugs on the market and in 2020, the MSM and even bs/biased scientists, disgraced themselves by manufacturing risks that DO NOT EXIST..............all because Trump recommended it.
One of the more pathetic twisting of science and facts to vilify Trump.
The thing with the bleach was up there too.