Haley
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Member # 22008
posted
I'm sure that this is in one of my books about Lyme, but I'm too tired to look it up.
I believe it is used to help detoxify the liver, but not sure.
What is the main purpose of Glutathione in treating Lyme?
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Keebler
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posted
- Rather than actually "detoxing" - since glutathione is naturally manufactured by the liver itself - it allows the liver to do its job to metabolize toxins.
It's fine difference but I just keep going back to how it's really the liver doing the work. Glutathione is a bit different than how antioxidants quelch free radicals.(Also important help to the liver but a different action.)
There are many kinds of liver support that can help the liver make glutathione. Milk Thistle is just one of those.
I find Wiki usually provides a great start: ---------------
The Importance of Glutathione to Human Disease (Townsend, et.al.)
Eleven page pdf - 2003
===========================
Google: Glutathione, Townsend+Letter
============================
It's important to know that Acetaminophen blocks the liver's ability to produce glutathione. (And Ibuprofen can sharply decrease blood flow to the kidneys). -
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-------------------- aperture Posts: 551 | From Louisville, KY | Registered: Nov 2011
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Carol in PA
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posted
From what I understand, the liver uses Glutathione to detoxify poisons.
Apparently it's better to supply the liver with all the things it needs to make glutathione, rather than take the glutathione itself. But some people feel better when getting glutathione by intravenous infusion.
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Summer3
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posted
I have read that glutathione is an antioxidant that helps your immune system, helps to prevent cell damage, and helps to detoxify your liver
I tried adding milk thistle and foods that boost glutathione like broccoli, garlic, onions, eggs, meat etc., along with supplements like alpha lipoic and NAC. I didn't really feel much of a difference.
I have tried glutathione IV. I felt better (actually really good almost like pre-Lyme) for a couple of hours each day until about 3 days after the IV.
I had liver enzymes that were headed up week after week despite milk thistle, liver detox teas, stopping all meds and herbs, and other detox methods. After one glutathione IV they went down lower than they have ever been. So for me, that was the most important benefit.
Catgirl
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posted
Ditto what Summer said.
I also tried IV glutathione and felt really good that day (excellent detoxer).
-------------------- --Keep an open mind about everything. Also, remember to visit ACTIVISM (we can change things together). Posts: 5418 | From earth | Registered: Mar 2011
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tickled1
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posted
I just started getting regular glutathione infusions and am loving the results.
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Haley
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posted
Thanks for all of the feedback. I'm going to give it a try.
Did you use the IV push? What dosage did you use? Also, do I need a prescription from my doctor to order this?
I have a port in my chest and can administer it myself. I will discuss it with my doctor at the next visit.
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Keebler
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- I never had IV glutathione, yet I found out the hard way that, for other things, a drip is MUCH better than a push.
A push is fast, say 20 minutes. A big syringe is used and it's literally pushed into the vein.
A drip, about 45-60 minutes and is much easier on the body because it's slower.
Now, it may be that if IV glutathione is the only thing in the push, it would be very short and easy. Just be sure to ask. -
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Haley
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Thanks Keebler. Do you feel that you benefitted from the Glutathione?
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Summer3
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I've only had a push at a doctor's office. It takes about 15 minutes and they do use a huge syringe. The glutathione I get is mixed with other things sort of like a Meyer's cocktail. I haven't had a drip (other than anesthesia once) to compare it to.
With the push I generally get dizzy and have some head pressure which feels kind of strange.
One time I had some burning but I think it was because I had just had blood drawn in the same arm.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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tickled1
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I get a push (big syringe). If they go too fast I get the head rush but if they go slow it's fine. I guess it crosses the blood brain barrier. If they do it over 15-20 minutes I'm fine.
One thing I learned is that it can cause a detox reaction that looks like an allergic reaction. this happened to me but after it passed I felt much bette than before.
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Keebler
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- Haley,
I never got glutathione as IV. I just did not know at that time (12 years ago) to ask about it from non-LL offices when I got IV magnesium & vitamins.
Wish I had known.
I will say that the magnesium & vitamin IVs were manageable from one place as a drip, but - at another ND's office, a magnesium PUSH was sheer torture. SHEER TORTURE. It burned beyond belief. -
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Sammi
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posted
Be aware that if you have an allgery to sulfa drugs, you may react to the Glutathione.
I am allergic to sulfa drugs. I was given an antihistamine prior to the Glutathione push. It did not affect me immediately, but the day after getting it I started have horrific itching. This went on for some time.
My doctor believes in my case it could be a detox reaction and not a reaction to the Glutathione. Because it was so intense, I doubt I will do it again.
Hopefully it will help you.
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tickled1
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I also did get some sort of reaction at the highest dose which included a couple of hives and some burning.
Doctor said it was a detox reaction. He said the fact that I felt significantly better after the reaction (best I've felt in awhile) that it confirmed it was a detox reaction.
They said allergy was unlikely to glutathione. That being said, you can get too much of a good thing. My doctor was working up my dosage slowly. Next time we are taking a step back on dosage.
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tickled1
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posted
...it was burning skin on my chest and neck 4 hrs. after infusion, not at the injection site. I have no burning at injection site.
By too much of a good thing I mean you can detox too fast. Your body can dumpt toxins faster than you can handle.
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Summer3
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posted
Mine was mainly burning along the vein running up my arm to my shoulder. It had magnesium in the push so I'm wondering if maybe that caused the burning? One time it hurt, the next time it didn't. The magnesium was in it both times.
It wasn't enough pain to keep me from doing it again though.
posted
I did the push at my docs office the first visit two years ago and I have NEVER had a headache that bad and I have had some horrendous headaches with Lyme. I think I may be like Robin. My doc said it was because I am not a good detoxer and couldn't process it. I have stayed away ever since.
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tickled1
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So what does someone do if they have so called "glutathione wasting" but can't tolerate glutathione? I thought everyone needed glutathione. I'm just trying to understand.
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posted
I think it's a search to see what we do tolerate for treatment and detoxing. For example, I'm doing well with food substance anti-inflams like mangosteen juice, noni juice, grape seed extract and curcumin. FIR sauna detoxing is working.
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tickled1
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posted
If I do have an issue with sulfur and keep trying the glutathione IV's is it dangerous?
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posted
Just had my first glutathione IV. Took about 30 minutes. I was herxing pretty badly the last three days. Just started pulse rifampin about 3 weeks ago and it seems to have hit me pretty good (on Mino and Azith also).
After 10 minutes I felt very relaxed and calm. I went from feeling at a two or three to maybe a 6. Neck stiffness has dimished, joints not near as achey and head seems a little clearer.
I will do this next week as well so we will see if this improvement continues. I took epsom salt baths and lots of minerals but this did not help much until the glut IV today.
All the Best, MattH
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CD57
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posted
An alternative to these infusions would be to take undenatured whey proteins, like Immunocal. Also expensive though, but less of a pain.
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posted
I had the same experience as Matt H. It was wonderful. I now use Glutathione suppositories from compound pharmacy. Not as good as IV, but still better than gel cap form.
-------------------- aperture Posts: 551 | From Louisville, KY | Registered: Nov 2011
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posted
So I have some questions about glutathione. If most people get a few hours of relief......first off why take it? Does it eventually offer longer or does it help the immune system to kick back in?
How do docs know that you need it?
How long and how often do you take it? Is it a long term thing?
Thanks.
-------------------- Tick bite in 2006, bullseye rash, treated with 2 rounds of 2 weeks of doxy. (once in 2006, once in 2009) Dx with chronic Lyme May 2011. LLMD April 2012, Treating with omnicef/zith Lots of supplements! Posts: 640 | From Connecticut | Registered: Apr 2011
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Summer3
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I think most people get a few days of relief. I just started and only get a few hours but they are well worth it. To go from feeling so poorly to completely energized and healthy is great. I had one today and ran 3.5 miles! I have not been able to do that for a LONG time.
The main reason I get it isn't really for relief of symptoms although that's nice. I have liver issues that don't respond very well to other detox methods like milk thistle, dandelion root, NAC, liver detoxes etc. My liver enzymes get very high and then I can't take antibiotics and many herbs. The glutathione and perhaps other elements in the IV help to keep my liver enzyme levels in the normal range.
I also have neurological and heart issues that were rapidly getting worse. These symptoms are helped by the other vitamins and components of the push. The IV seems to keep them from getting worse and sometimes even improves them for a few days even though the energy doesn't last.
posted
So I have some questions about glutathione. If most people get a few hours of relief......first off why take it? Does it eventually offer longer or does it help the immune system to kick back in?
How do docs know that you need it?
How long and how often do you take it? Is it a long term thing?
Thanks.
-------------------- Tick bite in 2006, bullseye rash, treated with 2 rounds of 2 weeks of doxy. (once in 2006, once in 2009) Dx with chronic Lyme May 2011. LLMD April 2012, Treating with omnicef/zith Lots of supplements! Posts: 640 | From Connecticut | Registered: Apr 2011
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tickled1
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posted
pme,
If you could feel the effects first hand you would know why we do them. They make you feel awesome and if it's only for a short time it's worth it.
They are supposed to lessen your toxic load so the effect should last longer and longer each time.
As far as it being a long term thing, I think once you get to a place where you've significantly lowered your load of toxins you can switch to other methods of getting it like liposomal glutathione, glutathione suppositories or a precursor like NAC that can help you make your own glutathione.
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tickled1
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posted
Also, my husband has seen enough of a difference in me from them in a short amount of time that he is willing to fork over the cash for them. That's saying a lot.
I also have a cold and feel better than usual. Come to think of it, it's probably thanks to the glutathione that I actually have the cold. I'm sure you've heard of others on here say how they haven't had a cold in ages b/c our immune systems are too tapped out to form the immune response to have a cold.
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posted
Tickled Thanks. That makes sense. I would pay a million dollars for a few hours of feeling good. I hear ya.
Congrats on your cold! I know what you mean. My daughter has awful food allergies since birth but never got sick with a cold. It was when she started to be less reactive/immune challenged that she started to get common childhood illnesses.
Thanks for explaining
How expensive is it?
-------------------- Tick bite in 2006, bullseye rash, treated with 2 rounds of 2 weeks of doxy. (once in 2006, once in 2009) Dx with chronic Lyme May 2011. LLMD April 2012, Treating with omnicef/zith Lots of supplements! Posts: 640 | From Connecticut | Registered: Apr 2011
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posted
I was caught in cytokine storms. It lessened the cytokines and gave me some time to breathe.
-------------------- aperture Posts: 551 | From Louisville, KY | Registered: Nov 2011
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tickled1
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posted
I pay $75 per infusion where I go b/c it is closer to my house than my LLMD's office. My LLMD charges $50.
I was told to get them once or twice a week. I know. Incredibly expensive. We are still trying to figure out how to finance this whole thing!
Aperture, Can you tell me how you were able to determine what you were experiencing was a cytokine storm? I was suspecting that with myself when I was taking cholestyramine but I didn't know how to figure out if it was that or not.
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My eyes would get cloudy, red and glazed over. My face would get red. I would get so weak that I felt like I was gonna collapse.
It happens when I am on too many antibiotics, can't detox the bugs nor the meds.
I'm stuck in a lower level cytokine issue fighting off just the bugs.
It was HORRIFIC on the Cholestyramine. All of the above symptoms plus I was so weak it felt like too much energy to breathe in and out.
pme: the Glutathione suppositories are $98 for 15, I use one every other night. I tell you, I have only used them twice so far, but I slept through the night both times...all because of lowered cytokines.
I wish I could use the push regularly, but I don't know anyone in the medical field who can give it to me.
My body cannot detox anything...I have the bad HLA gene...so I need all the detox help I can get because stuff stays in my system and the cytokines go after it.
-------------------- aperture Posts: 551 | From Louisville, KY | Registered: Nov 2011
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tickled1
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posted
Thanks aperture,
I'm so sorryt you went through that and have the dreaded genotype. Glad you get some relief from glutathione.
Do you know what specifically about cholestyramine causes cytokine storm? I never was able to pinpoint that info.
I think after I do a few more infusions I will switch to suppositories. Do you have any experience with liposomal glutathione?
Posts: 2541 | From Northeast | Registered: Jan 2008
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posted
tickled1: I also take Liposomal Glutathione and have been for 2 mos. It cannot compare to the IV push or the suppositories.
I would rank them: #1 IV push, #2 suppositories, #3 Liposomal
Others keep in mind, it only reduces cytokines, so if cytokines are not your problem, I doubt the result would be so noticeable. (I need to qualify my post: my LLMD told me that it only reduces cytokines, but many here have stated it helps with detox)
I don't really know what it was about the Cholestyramine that caused the cytokine storm.
I guess it pulled too many toxins out too fast and my body couldn't cope. I think in Dr. S' biotoxin protocol, he uses Actos to prevent this...Actos or not, I am never going near Cholestyramine again.
-------------------- aperture Posts: 551 | From Louisville, KY | Registered: Nov 2011
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tickled1
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Thanks aperture. I'm sure all of us here at LymeNet could benefit from a little detox or else we wouldn't be here. It is accumulation of toxins which causes us to be sick in the first place.
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posted
My DO knows what I am dealing with and lets me make the call. After a tough weekend and the increased fatigue, brain fog and other symptoms and a nice note from Brussels I figured this would be helpful.
So I talked to the nurse and she gave it to me at 11 this morning. I think it has reduced my toxin load. So I will do it again next week and see what happens.
Insurance will not pay for it but at 50 dollars an IV it was worth it so I could go into work today. My son is feeling pretty bad today also so we my take him in for an IV on Friday. He has no school on Friday.
My DO is not my LLMD she is the one that diagnosed my mercury that finally led me to my LLMD when only some of the symptoms resolved.
I will update this after next week.
All the Best, MattH
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tickled1
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posted
Matt, glad it brought you some relief. I hope it does the same for your son. I'm so sorry to hear he is struggling. Really tugs at my heartstrings when it comes to the kiddos.
I have to address my one amalgam soon. I think it is fragmenting.
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