This post is to address your issues with hydrocortisone. It seems to me that regarding this very serious issue, you seem to have either been: 1) so symptomatic from the effects of the HC and low liver clearance that you can't make sense of it and address is safely and adequately; or 2) you're too stubborn to deal with the facts.. And these symptoms include the emotional / mental instability your frequently exhibit, as well as episodes/posts that exhibit psychoses and/or psychotic thinking....along with the lack of memory, depression, confusion and other symptoms you've spoken of.
This post is not an attack; it is not criticism of you; I am not brow-beating you or angry with you. I care about you very much, and I am now extremely concerned. I am posting all this to 'do MY best' to help you clearly understand what you seem to not be able to understand because of your symptoms.
All of these "symptoms"; they are not really you. These symptoms can be caused by physical/emotional problems you had before ever having severe liver compromise or taking hydrocortisone, or they can be caused by using and withdrawing from hydrocortisone, or from manganese toxicity caused by low liver clearance of manganese (or a combination of all of it). No one should ever feel ashamed or embarrassed because of a "symptom of disease" and no one should be ridiculed or shamed by another because they have a "symptom of disease". But one must recognize the symptoms in order to safely & adequately deal with the situation and heal themselves.
To start with, below I have pasted some of the symptoms of use & too fast withdrawal of hydrocortisone (and symptoms of manganese toxicity). Because I am so concerned, I have gone through all these symptoms and underlined every one that I remember you posting that you have experienced (many of these symptoms you have attributed to herbs...even when the herbs did not cause symptoms until you made an alteration in your level of hydrocortisone). And I'm also going to underline the ones you have exhibited in your posts (some/many of the posts that exhibited these symptoms, you have gone back and edited or deleted).
Corticosteroids may aggravate the symptoms of psychosis and emotional instability. Patients with these conditions should be monitored for increased or worsened symptoms during corticosteroid therapy.
Psychic derangements may appear when corticosteroids are used, ranging from euphoria, insomnia, mood swings, personality changes, and severe depression, to frank psychotic manifestations. Also, existing emotional instability or psychotic tendencies may be aggravated by corticosteroids
There is an enhanced effect of corticosteroids on patients with hypothyroidism and in those with cirrhosis.
Joe, after20+ years of Hepatitis C, you very likely have some level of cirrhosis of the liver. Hydrocortisone is contraindicated for anyone with any type of liver problems, and this drug should never have been given to you. As you can see above, when you have cirrhosis, you are even more likely to have the adverse-effects of hydrocortisone.
Cortisol is a powerful chemical and has numerous adverse effects in excess. It is therefore recommended that cortisone medication be taken in as small a dose as possible for as short a time as possible. A partial list of the adverse effects of cortisol follows:
·Immune system suppression
·Loss of muscle tone
·Accumulation of body fat
·Depression and anxiety. Initially, however cortisol can produce a short term euphoric effect
·Increased permeability and fragility of the linings of blood vessels
·Loss of bone mass, leading to osteoporosis
·Damage to the hippocampus, a brain area associated with memory
From WebMD:
hydrocortisone
The following side effects are associated with hydrocortisone Oral:
Infection
Severe
Conditions of Excess Stomach Acid Secretion
Less Severe
Chronic Trouble Sleeping
Less Severe
Increased Hunger
Less Severe
Nervous
Less Severe
Bleeding of the Stomach or Intestines
Severe
Osteoporosis
Severe
Diabetes
Severe
Cushing's Syndrome
Severe
Irregular Periods
Less Severe
Extreme Sense of Well Being
Severe
Depression
Severe
Pseudotumor Cerebri
Severe
Disease of the Nerves
Severe
Muscle Disease
Severe
Increased Pressure in the Eye
Severe
Increased Pressure in Eyes
Severe
Cataracts
Severe
High Blood Pressure
Severe
Complete Stoppage of the Heart
Severe
Slow Heartbeat
Severe
Abnormal Heart Rhythm
Severe
Chronic Heart Failure
Severe
Obstruction of a Blood Vessel by a Blood Clot
Severe
Obstruction of Blood Vessel caused by a Fat Globule
Severe
Vasculitis
Severe
Blood Clot in Vein
Severe
Hemorrhage of Blood Under the Skin
Severe
Fluid in the Lungs
Severe
Ulcers of Esophagus
Severe
Ulcer from Stomach Acid
Severe
Acute Inflammation of the Pancreas
Severe
Inflammation of Skin caused by an Allergy
Severe
Redness of Skin
Severe
Skin Stretch Marks
Severe
Hives
Severe
Rupture of a Tendon
Severe
Muscle Weakness
Severe
Nerve Pain
Severe
Delirium
Severe
Hallucination
Severe
Fit
Severe
Rash
Severe
Visible Water Retention
Severe
Fast Heartbeat
Severe
Trouble Breathing
Severe
Enlarged Liver
Severe
The Presence of Sugar in the Urine
Severe
Abnormal Liver Function Tests
Severe
Broken Bone
Severe
Impaired Wound Healing
Severe
Life Threatening Allergic Reaction
Severe
Reaction due to an Allergy
Severe
Water Retention
Severe
Confused
Severe
Mood Changes
Severe
Paranoia
Severe
Over Excitement
Severe
Mental Disturbance
Severe
False Sense of Well-Being
Severe
Disorder involving Personality Changes
Severe
Excessive Hairiness
Less Severe
Acne
Less Severe
Feeling Faint
Less Severe
Sensation of Spinning or Whirling
Less Severe
Dizzy
Less Severe
Excessive Sweating
Less Severe
Temporary Redness of Face and Neck
Less Severe
Small Reddish-Purplish Pin-Point Sized Spots on the Skin
Less Severe
Scaling of Skin
Less Severe
Weight Gain
Less Severe
Head Pain
Less Severe
Hiccups
Less Severe
Feel Like Throwing Up
Less Severe
Swelling of the Abdomen
Less Severe
Numbness and Tingling
Less Severe
Not Feeling Well
Less Severe
Abnormal Fat Distribution
Less Severe
General symptoms caused by HC withdrawaland HC usage
Weakness
Fatigue
Decreased appetite
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Rapid heart rate
Dizziness
Fainting
Low blood pressure
Steroid withdrawal symptoms can mimic many other medical problems. Weakness, fatigue, decreased appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (which can lead to fluid and electrolyte abnormalities), and abdominal pain are common. Blood pressure can become too low, leading to dizziness or fainting. Blood sugar levels may drop. Women also may note menstrual changes. Less often, joint pain, muscle aches, fever, mental changes, or elevations of calcium may be noted. Decrease in gastrointestinal contractions can occur, leading to dilation of the intestine (ileus).
Below are actual adverse effects caused by taking HC (they are actual reports made to the FDA since 1994. Remember, the FDA says only 1 in 100 actual adverse effects are ever reported, so be sure to multiply the numbers).
On Feb, 13, 2011: 11,437 people who reported to have side effects when taking Hydrocortisone are studied
From a past post: And here,http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3614334 if you do a Google search on HC + magnesium, the very first hit is a 'rat study' that conclusively shows that HC interferes with magnesium processing and lowers magnesium levels in rats...and there's pages of other hits on how it negatively effects magnesium in humans.
...how many times have you attributed diarrhea (a known side-effect AND withdrawal effect from HC) and the magnesium loss you sense (also a known effect of the HC), to IF#1 and/or cayenne (that are not known effects unless taking way too much or upping the dosage radically)?...when HC lessens magnesium levels AND causes diarrhea?
You have said>>>With me, the sweaty feet have to do with elevated manganese levels, not HC. Been dealing with that for a good 10 years or more<<< >>> I have all kinds of imbalances that I think are due to excess manganese due to 26 years of Hep C<<<So you believe that elevated manganese levels has been something you've experiences for a long time. You've had HepC for over 20 years, and elevated manganese levels are common when liver clearance is low. Of course, sweating is a common side-effect of HC...so the sweating might be cause by both things.
Excessive manganese in the bloodstream is known as manganism, and here are some of the symptoms (from various sites):
Symptoms of manganism include tremors, slow movements, a staggering gait, body stiffness, and a fixed gaze. In some cases, patients may suffer memory loss, and even mood swings and irritability.
***
Manganism is associated with elevated brain levels of manganese, primarily in those areas known to contain high concentrations of non-heme iron, especially the caudate-putamen, globus pallidus, substantia nigra, and subthalamic nuclei. Manganism could initially be characterized by a psychiatric disorder (locura manganica) that closely resembles schizophrenia. Symptoms could include compulsive or violent behavior, emotional instability, and hallucinations. Other early manifestations of manganese neurotoxicity include fatigue, headache, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, apathy, insomnia, and diminished libido. As exposure continues and the disease progresses, patients may develop prolonged muscle contractions (dystonia), decreased muscle movement (hypokinesia), rigidity, and muscle tremors (Pal et al., 1999). These signs are associated with damage to dopaminergic neurons within brain structures that control muscle movement.
***
Symptoms of manganese toxicity have been
described in three grades. Mild toxicity produces
manganese psychosis and includes the following
symptoms: asthenia (weakness, loss of strength, malaise), anorexia, insomnia,
muscular pains, mental excitement,
hallucinations, unaccountable laughter, impaired
memory, and compulsive actions. Moderate
toxicity symptoms include speech disorders,
clumsy movements, abnormal gait, poor balance,
hyperreflexia in the lower limbs, and fine
tremors. Severe signs include, rigidity, spasmodic
laughter, and mask-like face-all similar to
symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
***
Behavioral Changes - Symptoms include fatigue, headache, muscle cramps, loss of appetite, apathy, insomnia, and dimished libido. These symptoms may be associated with psychotic reactions involving aggressive behavior and difficulty controlling emotional reactions.
Parkinsonian Features - Symptoms include difficulty with movement and balance, muscle stiffness, tremors, an expressionless face, impaired writing, and postural instability.
Dystonia and Gait Disturbances - As the disease progresses, dystonia (abnormal muscle tone) becomes evident, and the patient displays a "cock-walk" gait (walking with an extended trunk and flexed arms, while strutting on one's toes). Patients usually display a low amplitude postural tremor of the arms, forearms and hands (the "upper extremities").
This article is a great summary of risks and how to get off hydrocortisone safely (from About.com):
Corticosteroids: Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
The potent effect of corticosteroids can result in serious side effects which mimic Cushing's disease, a malfunction of the adrenal glands resulting in an overproduction of cortisol. The list of potential side effects is long and includes:
* increased appetite and weight gain
* deposits of fat in chest, face, upper back, and stomach
* water and salt retention leading to swelling and edema
* high blood pressure
* diabetes
* black and blue marks
* slowed healing of wounds
* osteoporosis
* cataracts
* acne
* muscle weakness
* thinning of the skin
* increased susceptibility to infection
* stomach ulcers
* increased sweating
* mood swings
* psychological problems such as depression
* adrenal suppression and crisis
Side effects can be minimized by following doctor's orders and keeping to the lowest dose possible. It is also important to avoid self regulation of the dosage,either byadding more or stopping the medicationwithout a schedule.
Corticosteroids: How Do I Stop Taking The Drugs?
Corticosteroids must be gradually reduced so as to permit the adrenal glands to resume natural cortisol production. Eliminating doses too quickly can result in adrenal crisis (a life-threatening state caused by insufficient levels of cortisol).
In cases where corticosteroids were taken in low doses for long periods of time, tapering can continue for months or years.Sometimes doses are lowered one milligram at a time to prevent flare-ups.[Uny here: 1mg at a time is for prednisone; you can cut more than that at one time with HC, but in your case you should never cut more than 10%-15% of the dose you are currently using. But it my educated suggestion you never cut more than that, and you give yourself at LEAST 2 weeks before making another cut in dosage]
When steroids are taken for shorter periods of time, tapering is more rapid and decreases in dosage can be larger.
Another possible complication to coming off steroids is steroid withdrawal syndrome, or rebound effect, which is the body's exaggerated response to removal of the drug. Rebound effect can result in fever, muscle pain, and joint pain making it hard for the physician to differentiate between withdrawal symptoms and a flare of the disease itself.
...it is even 'more so' when slow/low liver clearance of the drug is happening like it is with you. Please go back and spend a bit of time reviewing that table of information in the post above.
Because of the half-life of HC and your low liver clearance, after you've been taking 20mg daily for a week, your plasma level will be similar to having taken 35mg for week. And when you start cutting doses, the half-life/low liver clearance means that you will not 'feel the cut' (or notice much of a change) for several days after you make the cut...and even then, your plasma level will not be down to 20 mg. What this means is that you'll be experiencing symptoms of a dose cut you make, 3-14 days AFTER you make the cut. And of course, no one has a good enough memory to keep track of that.
Those are the facts, Joe (the half-life of drugs and your compromised liver are very real things, they're not something I "believe" or "think")...and I don't particularly enjoy being the one to say it all "outloud" to you. But this drug you are on is very dangerous for someone with a compromised liver that is exhibiting your set of symptoms. And since you have come to the forum, you've reported (approximately) going from an initial 25-30 mgs down to 5mg, back up to 30-ish mg for 'rescue dosing'. According to your last post, you're down to 20mg orally and now adding the cream, and you've been talking about lowering down to 10mg. You've indicated that four 1/2 teaspoons of IF#2 daily is what caused the imbalance, when actually you've cut WAY too fast from 30 to 20 mg.
Another fact that's as solid as granite: IF#2 is only 3/17ths bentonite and charcoal. So if you were taking 5 one-half teaspoon doses a day (2.5 teaspoons), you'd only be ingesting a total of a weensy bit more than 1/3rd of a teaspoon daily of bentonite/charcoal...spread out throughout the day. Joe, that is not enough to alter your plasma HC levels enough for you to sense it, not anywhere close. What you are sensing is the cuts you've made days/weeks ago, that are finally 'catching up'.
Of course, you are free to do whatever you want with your own body. Yet, as I noted initially, it's very obvious to me (and those that care about you, that have PM'd me) that you may not be fully grasping the severity of your symptoms and what you are doing to cause them. So, in order to be very clear, I am going 'sum up' as follows:
--Since coming to the forum, you have altered your dosages of HC (both down and up) in very dangerous ways.
--Even though I have explained very logically, how herbs/kefir cannot "do one thing one day/week and then do something completely different the next day/week" (and provided evidence that the symptoms you exhibited were due to the dose changes in HC), you have been reluctant to believe these facts, claiming I don't know what's going on in your body. But Joe, we all can see from your posts the drastic changes in mood that accompanies your dose changes - and how the physical changes you report coincide with your emotional/mood changes.
--Your posts exhibit clear symptoms of 'emotional hallucinations', paranoia, irritability, anger, depression, confusion, memory loss and psychosis. I/we know these are just "symptoms", they are not you. They coincide with the 'delayed liver clearance' and half-life issues of your dose cuts/changes of HC. But you have not exhibited that you know or understand this clearly...and it seems as though you might not be able to set up and adhere to, a safe withdrawal schedule for yourself. I have no clear of knowing whether this is because you can't, because you won't, because you don't believe the facts, or because it doesn't matter to you. But it matters to me.
--This is very serious, Joe. You've talked about poison gasses being pumped into your home; your ex-boss giving you the flu and preventing you from having a social life (when your ex-boss doesn't live with you); you've accused others on the forum of things they haven't done (and once you accused someone of being controlled by your ex-boss). You also mentioned that people at your local health-food store have commented on your mood/demeanor and said things like "he's off his meds". One of the reasons it is serious (aside from your physical/mental health) is that IF someone outside your home does indeed feel threatened or think you're psychotic, then they could report you. And if an officer or doctor felt like you were a danger to yourself or others, they could force you into a psych-ward against your will.
--You need to set up a slow & safe schedule for withdrawal and stick to it very consistently. Here is what I believe is a slow & safe withdrawal schedule/routine for you at this point.
--First and foremost, get a spiral bound notebook...and everyday write these things: your dose of HC; your dose of herbs; what you ate; what you drank, and exactly what your symptoms are and exactly how you feel. You (and everyone supporting you), need this information to be recorded. If you were a physician, you would record this information for every patient at every visit. You are now your OWN physician, and so you need to keep very detailed records of what you're doing and experiencing. If you don't, you're guilty of malpractice & improper medical care on yourself! (Even someone with an excellent memory and no confusion at all, cannot keep track of this convoluted low-liver-clearance/half-life issue on the HC). Once you've kept a good "file on yourself" for a month or two, you will begin to see the patterns that make the difference between good & bad health and good & bad health management. And you will be empowered because when you decide to make a change or a new decision, you'll know (from the data in your files) that you're making the right decision!
--Continue taking 1/2 teaspoon doses of IF#2 daily and be very consistent with them. 5 doses daily, approximately 2 3/4 hours apart. If some days you have a meal at the same time, this isn't a big issues. What is an issue is inconsistency. Take those 5 doses every day until you are finished with however long you choose to bowel cleanse
--At the same time, increase your dose of oral HC to 30 mg and stay there for at least 10 days, 14 days would be better. Do not mess with the inconsistently absorbed HC cream.
--After you have been on 30mg of HC for 10-14 days (along with 1/2 teaspoon doses of IF#2 5x daily), increase the IF#2 to heaping teaspoon size doses, 5x daily). This will create a very slight cut in dose (probably not discernable). Stay with that combination for a minimum of 2 weeks.
--Then you're ready for your first actual dose cut. It should be no more than 3-5mgs (10-15% of the 30mg you would be taking). Stick at that dose for two weeks.
--If after two weeks your symptoms of that dose cut have subsided, then make another 10-15% cut from whatever your dose is at that time...and continue in that manner unless you have symptoms that don't subside. Always put at least 14 days between dose cuts, and never cut more than 15% of the dose you are taking. Perhaps by late summer or fall, you will have stabilized solidly and you'll be able to make bigger 'percentage cuts'.
--Be sure to have 3 doses of Ashwagandha daily. Physicians in India use Ashwagandha for withdrawing their patients off steroids and to support their adrenals during the withdrawal. It is very important that you support your adrenal glands during this process. You need lots of natural Vitamin C (acerola cherry powder from Pacific Botanicals is a great source) and lots of B5 (the best source is Bee Pollen). The Adrenal tincture we have is very beneficial, too.
--Continue with Milk Thistle seed powder and Superfood daily.
--At any time during this process, after you've done 2 full weeks on full doses of IF#2, you would start doing the 5-day liver cleanse followed by a full liver flush on day 6. You should continue doing tongue drops of 'bitters' 5x daily every day (right after each dose of IF#2 is a great way to remember to take the drops on your tongue). And of course, castor oil packs & foot reflexology are fantastic for your liver.
--After you've done a few liver flushes (you'll likely need to do a flush every two weeks for several months), then you can decide if you want to add the anti-viral herbs to start killing off the HepC. But that's a few months away, so there's no need to be dealing with that now (unless you want to).
Joe, I know I am not in charge of your body (you are). I know that you need to make your own decisions about your body and the drugs you take...I'm not trying (in any way) to dictate what you do. All I am is someone that knows quite a bit, that has devoted herself to helping others heal naturally, and manage a very busy internet forum (where I have dozens of requests weekly for my personal attention, many of which no one on the forum ever sees). I care very much about you (and I care very much about this forum). So no matter what you decide to do, there is one thing you can be assured of, and that's that I am not going to continue this 'negative routine' wherein you change your HC dose one week and then start blaming every herb, food & beverage for your symptoms the next...and then have you become offended when I bring up the HC. So from here on out, you can expect that (like I posted before), that if you want my assistance (and want to use my forum), that I/we will be expecting to know the basic information from your notebook about the last two weeks dosages on everything you take. I know that is more than fair.
I would guess that it's been tough seeing evidence of your symptoms 'in print', and I'm sorry if that's the case. I know that once you've had time to read (and reread) everything, that you'll see how & why this post needed to be made...and how much I (we all) care about you. We all know your symptoms are not "you"...they're just symptoms of what you're dealing with now.
In closing, I believe as did Dr. Christopher and Dr. Schulze. I must listen to my 'healer within' and say what it is that I know, based on facts and the inner voice I hear. If I speak what I know to be the truth in order to help someone (always making "do no harm" the foundation of my truth), and it turns out that I am wrong, I can always apologize for being wrong. But if I don't speak what I see & know to be the truth, the person I'm helping (you) could become sicker, die, or be put into a psych ward. And that's not a risk I'm ever going to take. Besides, I couldn't live with myself if I didn't share what I feel needs to be shared when you're dealing with such an extremely dangerous drug, condition & set of symptoms.
There's no such thing as an incurable disease! Not your Hepatitis C & symptoms, not the HC addiction & symptoms, nor anything else in your life! There are only "incurable people"...and you've already shown (time and time again), that you are NOT an "incurable people"! The real Joe has the drive, the integrity, the intelligence and the ability to win this battle...and we're all going to do everything we can to help you along the way.