Question:

I have a friend that has to get the above shot every 2 months for her beautiful cat. When the shot wears off, the cat starts losing the fur and vomits.  The shots are making her fat also.  She paid 2 00 dollars for an allergy profile and the vet went out of business.  She is reluctant on doing that again.   Does anyone have any suggestions on howto help this cat. Please help as the owner is more desparate than the cat.  This cat is about 3 years old, and developed the problem about a year ago.  Thanks, any help would be appreciated.  The owner and the cat live in the Phoenix Az. and is an indoor cat                  Thank you                         Martha.        

Response:

What is she feeding this cat?

I have a friend that has to get the above shot every 2 months for her beautiful cat. When the shot wears off, the cat starts losing the fur and vomits.  The shots are making her fat also.  She paid 2 00 dollars for an allergy profile and the vet went out of business.  She is reluctant on doing that again.   Does anyone have any suggestions on howto help this cat. Please help as the owner is more desparate than the cat.  This cat is about 3 years old, and developed the problem about a year ago.  Thanks, any help would be appreciated.  The owner and the cat live in the Phoenix Az. and is an indoor cat                  Thank you                         Martha.

Response:

K.      The cat is on dry food.  I think it is Pedigree?           Martha

Response:

Hi, I was wondering??? Is there any way of getting a copy of the results from the allergy screening that was done?  Can you request a copy from the company that did the screening??? Have you ever tried a hypo-allergenic diet?  I work for a vet and we have a couple cats that do well on Rabbit and Potato, this is just  a stab in the dark since you didnt mention what the cat was allergic to.  I would also recommend that your friend call the State veterinarian and see if they can help her get her records from the screening that was already done. Hope this helps. Ellen

Response:

<posted and emailed I’m a little confused – did the vet go out of business without giving her the results of the tests they ran?  I would think she could take the results to another vet.  Were any other possible causes ruled out? Vomiting is a symptom of so many different things.  To get an idea of how many, have a look at this web page: http://users.erols.com/thevet/html/body_feline_vomiting.html After reading this info from URL http://www.vetinfo.com/catvomit.html#Vomiting it sounds like the previous vet suspected a skin problem was the root. Here’s a quote from that URL:      "Q: Cat vomit (ugh).Not a pretty sight in the morning to wake up to on the      carpet.  I have been brushing her and applying a store bought gel on her paw      once a day that is supposed to stop her problems with this.  I feed her only      premium dry cat food (usually Science Diet).  Any advice?  Is it better to stick      with one label or diversify it?  Thanks in advance.      "A: m-      "I think that most vomiting in cats is due to either inflammatory bowel disease      or skin disease that is leading to itchiness and hair ingestion. There are a      number of other causes, but these two are almost certainly the top two in our      practice.      "We usually look very carefully at the skin. If there is any sign at all of skin      disease then we try to treat for that first. My own cat has allergic skin disease      and she starts to vomit whenever her skin starts to flare up. We usually use      corticosteroid injections to treat her but if she was easier to give pills to I think      I’d use oral antihistamines and/or corticosteroids as necessary.      "If there are no signs of skin disease then we usually try to look for causes of      inflammatory bowel disease. We start out doing a fecal exam for parasites. If      this is negative then the next course of action varies a lot, depending on the      cat’s circumstances and the owner’s circumstances. We recommend lab      testing, sometimes including feline leukemia testing, a general chemistry panel,      blood cell counts, food trials for food allergy, X-rays or intestinal biopsy by      endoscopy.  Clients vary pretty widely in how far they want to go with      diagnostic testing prior to trying treatment to see if it works. In general, it is      usually better when possible to actually get a diagnosis prior to initiating      treatment but that is often not possible.      "Most cats with inflammatory bowel disease will respond one of the following      treatments:  addition of fiber to the diet, limited antigen (one protein source)      diets, metronidazole (Flagyl Rx) or corticosteriod administration. The      problem with this approach is that you end up with a treatment that is really      intended for long term use — without knowing FOR SURE if that is      necessary. In some cases, this is an acceptable circumstance, especially when      fiber or other dietary additives work.      "Your vet can help sort through these possibilities.      Mike Richards, DVM      6/10/99 " It sounds to me like your friend is going to have to see a vet, one way or another.  I hope she can find some way to help her poor kitty.  Let us know what happens, okay? Paige – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a friend that has to get the above shot every 2 months for her beautiful cat. When the shot wears off, the cat starts losing the fur and vomits.  The shots are making her fat also.  She paid 2 00 dollars for an allergy profile and the vet went out of business.  She is reluctant on doing that again.   Does anyone have any suggestions on howto help this cat. Please help as the owner is more desparate than the cat.  This cat is about 3 years old, and developed the problem about a year ago.  Thanks, any help would be appreciated.  The owner and the cat live in the Phoenix Az. and is an indoor cat                  Thank you                         Martha.

Response:

I have a friend that has to get the above shot every 2 months for her beautiful cat. When the shot wears off, the cat starts losing the fur and vomits.  The shots are making her fat also.  She paid 2 00 dollars for an allergy profile and the vet went out of business.  She is reluctant on doing that again.   Does anyone have any suggestions on howto help this cat. Please help as the owner is more desparate than the cat.  This cat is about 3 years old, and developed the problem about a year ago.  Thanks, any help would be appreciated.  The owner and the cat live in the Phoenix Az. and is an indoor cat                  Thank you                         Martha.        

Response:

What is she feeding this cat?

I have a friend that has to get the above shot every 2 months for her beautiful cat. When the shot wears off, the cat starts losing the fur and vomits.  The shots are making her fat also.  She paid 2 00 dollars for an allergy profile and the vet went out of business.  She is reluctant on doing that again.   Does anyone have any suggestions on howto help this cat. Please help as the owner is more desparate than the cat.  This cat is about 3 years old, and developed the problem about a year ago.  Thanks, any help would be appreciated.  The owner and the cat live in the Phoenix Az. and is an indoor cat                  Thank you                         Martha.

Response:

K.      The cat is on dry food.  I think it is Pedigree?           Martha

Response:

Hi, I was wondering??? Is there any way of getting a copy of the results from the allergy screening that was done?  Can you request a copy from the company that did the screening??? Have you ever tried a hypo-allergenic diet?  I work for a vet and we have a couple cats that do well on Rabbit and Potato, this is just  a stab in the dark since you didnt mention what the cat was allergic to.  I would also recommend that your friend call the State veterinarian and see if they can help her get her records from the screening that was already done. Hope this helps. Ellen

Response:

<posted and emailed I’m a little confused – did the vet go out of business without giving her the results of the tests they ran?  I would think she could take the results to another vet.  Were any other possible causes ruled out? Vomiting is a symptom of so many different things.  To get an idea of how many, have a look at this web page: http://users.erols.com/thevet/html/body_feline_vomiting.html After reading this info from URL http://www.vetinfo.com/catvomit.html#Vomiting it sounds like the previous vet suspected a skin problem was the root. Here’s a quote from that URL:      "Q: Cat vomit (ugh).Not a pretty sight in the morning to wake up to on the      carpet.  I have been brushing her and applying a store bought gel on her paw      once a day that is supposed to stop her problems with this.  I feed her only      premium dry cat food (usually Science Diet).  Any advice?  Is it better to stick      with one label or diversify it?  Thanks in advance.      "A: m-      "I think that most vomiting in cats is due to either inflammatory bowel disease      or skin disease that is leading to itchiness and hair ingestion. There are a      number of other causes, but these two are almost certainly the top two in our      practice.      "We usually look very carefully at the skin. If there is any sign at all of skin      disease then we try to treat for that first. My own cat has allergic skin disease      and she starts to vomit whenever her skin starts to flare up. We usually use      corticosteroid injections to treat her but if she was easier to give pills to I think      I’d use oral antihistamines and/or corticosteroids as necessary.      "If there are no signs of skin disease then we usually try to look for causes of      inflammatory bowel disease. We start out doing a fecal exam for parasites. If      this is negative then the next course of action varies a lot, depending on the      cat’s circumstances and the owner’s circumstances. We recommend lab      testing, sometimes including feline leukemia testing, a general chemistry panel,      blood cell counts, food trials for food allergy, X-rays or intestinal biopsy by      endoscopy.  Clients vary pretty widely in how far they want to go with      diagnostic testing prior to trying treatment to see if it works. In general, it is      usually better when possible to actually get a diagnosis prior to initiating      treatment but that is often not possible.      "Most cats with inflammatory bowel disease will respond one of the following      treatments:  addition of fiber to the diet, limited antigen (one protein source)      diets, metronidazole (Flagyl Rx) or corticosteriod administration. The      problem with this approach is that you end up with a treatment that is really      intended for long term use — without knowing FOR SURE if that is      necessary. In some cases, this is an acceptable circumstance, especially when      fiber or other dietary additives work.      "Your vet can help sort through these possibilities.      Mike Richards, DVM      6/10/99 " It sounds to me like your friend is going to have to see a vet, one way or another.  I hope she can find some way to help her poor kitty.  Let us know what happens, okay? Paige – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a friend that has to get the above shot every 2 months for her beautiful cat. When the shot wears off, the cat starts losing the fur and vomits.  The shots are making her fat also.  She paid 2 00 dollars for an allergy profile and the vet went out of business.  She is reluctant on doing that again.   Does anyone have any suggestions on howto help this cat. Please help as the owner is more desparate than the cat.  This cat is about 3 years old, and developed the problem about a year ago.  Thanks, any help would be appreciated.  The owner and the cat live in the Phoenix Az. and is an indoor cat                  Thank you                         Martha.

Response:

I have a friend that has to get the above shot every 2 months for her beautiful cat. When the shot wears off, the cat starts losing the fur and vomits.  The shots are making her fat also.  She paid 2 00 dollars for an allergy profile and the vet went out of business.  She is reluctant on doing that again.   Does anyone have any suggestions on howto help this cat. Please help as the owner is more desparate than the cat.  This cat is about 3 years old, and developed the problem about a year ago.  Thanks, any help would be appreciated.  The owner and the cat live in the Phoenix Az. and is an indoor cat                  Thank you                         Martha.        

Response:

What is she feeding this cat?

I have a friend that has to get the above shot every 2 months for her beautiful cat. When the shot wears off, the cat starts losing the fur and vomits.  The shots are making her fat also.  She paid 2 00 dollars for an allergy profile and the vet went out of business.  She is reluctant on doing that again.   Does anyone have any suggestions on howto help this cat. Please help as the owner is more desparate than the cat.  This cat is about 3 years old, and developed the problem about a year ago.  Thanks, any help would be appreciated.  The owner and the cat live in the Phoenix Az. and is an indoor cat                  Thank you                         Martha.

Response:

K.      The cat is on dry food.  I think it is Pedigree?           Martha

Response:

Hi, I was wondering??? Is there any way of getting a copy of the results from the allergy screening that was done?  Can you request a copy from the company that did the screening??? Have you ever tried a hypo-allergenic diet?  I work for a vet and we have a couple cats that do well on Rabbit and Potato, this is just  a stab in the dark since you didnt mention what the cat was allergic to.  I would also recommend that your friend call the State veterinarian and see if they can help her get her records from the screening that was already done. Hope this helps. Ellen

Response:

<posted and emailed I’m a little confused – did the vet go out of business without giving her the results of the tests they ran?  I would think she could take the results to another vet.  Were any other possible causes ruled out? Vomiting is a symptom of so many different things.  To get an idea of how many, have a look at this web page: http://users.erols.com/thevet/html/body_feline_vomiting.html After reading this info from URL http://www.vetinfo.com/catvomit.html#Vomiting it sounds like the previous vet suspected a skin problem was the root. Here’s a quote from that URL:      "Q: Cat vomit (ugh).Not a pretty sight in the morning to wake up to on the      carpet.  I have been brushing her and applying a store bought gel on her paw      once a day that is supposed to stop her problems with this.  I feed her only      premium dry cat food (usually Science Diet).  Any advice?  Is it better to stick      with one label or diversify it?  Thanks in advance.      "A: m-      "I think that most vomiting in cats is due to either inflammatory bowel disease      or skin disease that is leading to itchiness and hair ingestion. There are a      number of other causes, but these two are almost certainly the top two in our      practice.      "We usually look very carefully at the skin. If there is any sign at all of skin      disease then we try to treat for that first. My own cat has allergic skin disease      and she starts to vomit whenever her skin starts to flare up. We usually use      corticosteroid injections to treat her but if she was easier to give pills to I think      I’d use oral antihistamines and/or corticosteroids as necessary.      "If there are no signs of skin disease then we usually try to look for causes of      inflammatory bowel disease. We start out doing a fecal exam for parasites. If      this is negative then the next course of action varies a lot, depending on the      cat’s circumstances and the owner’s circumstances. We recommend lab      testing, sometimes including feline leukemia testing, a general chemistry panel,      blood cell counts, food trials for food allergy, X-rays or intestinal biopsy by      endoscopy.  Clients vary pretty widely in how far they want to go with      diagnostic testing prior to trying treatment to see if it works. In general, it is      usually better when possible to actually get a diagnosis prior to initiating      treatment but that is often not possible.      "Most cats with inflammatory bowel disease will respond one of the following      treatments:  addition of fiber to the diet, limited antigen (one protein source)      diets, metronidazole (Flagyl Rx) or corticosteriod administration. The      problem with this approach is that you end up with a treatment that is really      intended for long term use — without knowing FOR SURE if that is      necessary. In some cases, this is an acceptable circumstance, especially when      fiber or other dietary additives work.      "Your vet can help sort through these possibilities.      Mike Richards, DVM      6/10/99 " It sounds to me like your friend is going to have to see a vet, one way or another.  I hope she can find some way to help her poor kitty.  Let us know what happens, okay? Paige – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a friend that has to get the above shot every 2 months for her beautiful cat. When the shot wears off, the cat starts losing the fur and vomits.  The shots are making her fat also.  She paid 2 00 dollars for an allergy profile and the vet went out of business.  She is reluctant on doing that again.   Does anyone have any suggestions on howto help this cat. Please help as the owner is more desparate than the cat.  This cat is about 3 years old, and developed the problem about a year ago.  Thanks, any help would be appreciated.  The owner and the cat live in the Phoenix Az. and is an indoor cat                  Thank you                         Martha.

Response:

Question:

I posted the following message in alt.skincare.acne  and received only one reply. Anybody else wishes to comment?

[ acne.txt < 1K ]

Newsgroups: alt.skincare.acne I am  puzzled that there is not much info anywhere about allergic skin reaction to alcohol. I know that it is a definite cause and effect for some people. Is there a medicine which allows people to drink without getting pimples all over their faces, heads, etc. And why does this happen anyways? Comments from people with the same problem  and comments from doctors (I am not sure if there are any in this group) would very much be appreciated. Necati

Response:

I posted the following message in alt.skincare.acne  and received only one reply. Anybody else wishes to comment?

Newsgroups: alt.skincare.acne I am  puzzled that there is not much info anywhere about allergic skin reaction to alcohol. I know that it is a definite cause and effect for some people. Is there a medicine which allows people to drink without getting pimples all over their faces, heads, etc. And why does this happen anyways? Comments from people with the same problem  and comments from doctors (I am not sure if there are any in this group) would very much be appreciated. Necati

Its likely you are sensitive to ingredients other than alcohol. You could be getting hives (urticaria) from corn or other ingredients. Quoting from the book ‘Allergies A to Z’, M Lipkowitz, "Most beers contain corn products, although at least one, Michelob, is made with rice, and most rums are corn free. Beers also contain a mix of ingredients, including barley, hops, malt, and yeast. Whiskeys, gin, and vodka are often complex, and an individual sensitive to any of their many ingredients may react when drinking them. Persons sensitive to some beers or other alcoholic beverages may be able to tolerate others." Ellis

Response:

Question:

So, many moons ago (and probably under a different name) i asked this group about highly sensitive/allergic skin and getting a tattoo. A skin test with the ink was suggested to me. So now i have money and drive and e-mailed one of the two studios [1] that have been reccomended to me about if they could set up an appointment for just a skin test. I was informed that since each colour ink would react different, i could be allergic to one and not another and a skin test wouldn’t really help. So i’m not really certain what to do. Of all the people who have told me to "just start out with a small one".. it doesn’t matter how small it is if i’m going to react badly to it.. I know that one of the possibilities is that my skin may reject the ink and it will always look like it’s fresh and unhealed. But what if i have an allergic reaction and get rashy or worse? What do you do about that? For the record, i’m allergic to most metals and plastics (bad bad sometimes scarring rashes if i wear any kind of jewelry for too long). I had a bad reaction to a cheap leather buckle bracelet that we assume is from the dye.. but that was after sleeping with it on and i think my skin got wet underneath it… but i have no problem with any kind of hair dyes (vegetable or otherwise) or bleaches. So, what do you suggest? What should i do and what are the consequences going to be? thank you, *mouse [1] while i’m at it, where does the newsgroup reccomend for good places in CT/nyc if need be?

Response:

m I was informed that since each colour ink would react different, i cou m be allergic to one and not another and a skin test wouldn’t really hel         the shop isn’t willing to wipe some of each color you’d be using on your skin? or were you planning a ’skin test’ in the form of a small tattoo? i’d figure if you were going to react to it, you’d react to it on your skin as well as you would in your skin. (nina?) m [1] while i’m at it, where does the newsgroup reccomend for good plac m in CT/nyc if need be?         from the great list of lish-approved tattooists: + conneticut         jerry issle             green man studios       w hartford, ct         # eric merrill                                  new haven, ct + new york         andrea elston           eastside inc            new york city, ny         # stephan lanphear      richie seen’s place     bronx, ny         # maya                  third eye               new york city, ny         tee jay                 white tiger tattoo      rochester, ny                         http://www.whitetigertattoo.com/ lish 29.1% / 32

Response:

m I was informed that since each colour ink would react different, i cou m be allergic to one and not another and a skin test wouldn’t really hel    the shop isn’t willing to wipe some of each color you’d be using on your skin? or were you planning a ’skin test’ in the form of a small tattoo? i’d figure if you were going to react to it, you’d react to it on your skin as well as you would in your skin. (nina?)

No, not unless you’re only testing for contact dermatitis.  Most allergy tests are of the "scratch" variety, where a small amount of the potential allergen is punched into the skin with a needle.   A skin test would work _if you know what colors you want_.  My very first tattoo is almost a color wheel because I was trying to see what colors took well in my skin.  Found out that yellow, ultramarine blue, and red were more likely to reject.  They take after the second time around.  But if you were really worried about severe allergic reactions, you could have pin-points of the colors you’re interested in done.  All it’d take is a couple sterile needles (don’t even have to use the tattoo machine) and a drop of each ink. My artist recommends black and grey work for allergic clients.  I made myself a guinea pig because I _really_ wanted the color work.  We found in the process of doing my larged pieces (planned from the start) that my skin took the color ink better if we did the outline, then let it heal before doing any shading.  I also found that appying topical Benadryl both before and immediately after tattoo sessions significantly reduced the amount of welting, redness, and ink rejection.  The first tattoo looks a little faded, all the others (including the white) have turned out vivid and solid.  Remember that the best way to manage an allergic reaction is to not let it happen in the first place (pre-medicate).   — Member, Knights of Xenu (1995).  Chaos Monger and Jill of All Trades. "There are some people who will argue whether the flames are blue or green, when the real question is that their arse is on fire."

Response:

      the shop isn’t willing to wipe some of each color you’d be using on your skin? or were you planning a ’skin test’ in the form of a small tattoo? i’d figure if you were going to react to it, you’d react to it on your skin as well as you would in your skin. (nina?) No, not unless you’re only testing for contact dermatitis.  Most allergy tests are of the "scratch" variety, where a small amount of the potential allergen is punched into the skin with a needle.

Yes. Wiping a sample on your skin is only good for things that are meant to stay *on* the skin, like cremes. You could ask your artist to tattoo a couple of dots in different colors Nina — C’est les microbes qui auront le dernier mot.                         Louis Pasteur http://www.critterwoman.de 1. RfD fuer de.rec.bodyart in de.admin.news.groups!

Response:

this is good cause for concern, I can tell you that darren rosa at rising dragon NYC uses only the safest pigments, i’ve worked closely with him and we use basically the same formula www.acidbaby.com

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So, many moons ago (and probably under a different name) i asked this group about highly sensitive/allergic skin and getting a tattoo. A skin test with the ink was suggested to me. So now i have money and drive and e-mailed one of the two studios [1] that have been reccomended to me about if they could set up an appointment for just a skin test. I was informed that since each colour ink would react different, i could be allergic to one and not another and a skin test wouldn’t really help. So i’m not really certain what to do. Of all the people who have told me to "just start out with a small one".. it doesn’t matter how small it is if i’m going to react badly to it.. I know that one of the possibilities is that my skin may reject the ink and it will always look like it’s fresh and unhealed. But what if i have an allergic reaction and get rashy or worse? What do you do about that? For the record, i’m allergic to most metals and plastics (bad bad sometimes scarring rashes if i wear any kind of jewelry for too long). I had a bad reaction to a cheap leather buckle bracelet that we assume is from the dye.. but that was after sleeping with it on and i think my skin got wet underneath it… but i have no problem with any kind of hair dyes (vegetable or otherwise) or bleaches. So, what do you suggest? What should i do and what are the consequences going to be? thank you, *mouse [1] while i’m at it, where does the newsgroup reccomend for good places in CT/nyc if need be?

Response:

Mouse, You describe multiple allergies to multiple agents and I would seriously reconsider how important it is to get tattooed. As you only describe allergies to metals and plastics I would be curious to know more information. If you have a personal or family history of drug allergies, hay fever, asthma, or eczema, you may be predisposed to these allergies making it a risky venture as they increase the incidence of reactions. The problem with medical histories such as these is with repeated sensitization, or contacts, with the offending allergens. Repeated exposures can lead to worsening symptoms and, worst case scenario, anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is any or all of an acute symptom complex that includes; generalized redness (erythema), itching (pruritis), hives (urticaria), swelling of the skin or mucous membranes (angioedema), nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, wheezing (bronchial constriction), throat swelling (laryngeal edema), and cardiac irregularities with or without cardiovascular collapse. Anaphylactic reactions can be graded as follows: Grade I – Large local skin reaction, 15 cm in diameter Grade II – generalized pruritis and urticaria, with or without mild shortness of breath (dyspnea) Grade III – Any of the above plus at least two of the following: generalized angioedema, mild wheezing, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Grade IV- Any of the above plus at least one of the following: severe dyspnea or asthma, tongue swelling with difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), laryngeal edema with hoarseness, low blood pressure (hypotension), or passing out (syncope). Grade III or IV is a true medical emergency, which untreated, can result in death. If an allergen you are exposed to produces this severe of a reaction, the course is very quick with fatalities reported in as little as fifteen minutes. As today’s tattoo inks are ALOT safer than those of the past, and a reaction of this magnitude is very rare, I would still proceed with great caution. To follow the recommendations of a "skin test" by non-medical personnel, with your history of multiple allergies, would be, IMHO, reckless. However, as it seems that this is a well thought out plan of yours, and not a impulsive one, I would recommend seeking the help of an Allergist or a Dermatologist before proceeding any further. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly. Good luck, Mike Fiedler, RN, CEN (A well inked nurse) University of Pennsylvania Medical Center Department of Emergency Medicine http://ariesgrafix.com – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – So, many moons ago (and probably under a different name) i asked this group about highly sensitive/allergic skin and getting a tattoo. A skin test with the ink was suggested to me. So now i have money and drive and e-mailed one of the two studios [1] that have been reccomended to me about if they could set up an appointment for just a skin test. I was informed that since each colour ink would react different, i could be allergic to one and not another and a skin test wouldn’t really help. So i’m not really certain what to do. Of all the people who have told me to "just start out with a small one".. it doesn’t matter how small it is if i’m going to react badly to it.. I know that one of the possibilities is that my skin may reject the ink and it will always look like it’s fresh and unhealed. But what if i have an allergic reaction and get rashy or worse? What do you do about that? For the record, i’m allergic to most metals and plastics (bad bad sometimes scarring rashes if i wear any kind of jewelry for too long). I had a bad reaction to a cheap leather buckle bracelet that we assume is from the dye.. but that was after sleeping with it on and i think my skin got wet underneath it… but i have no problem with any kind of hair dyes (vegetable or otherwise) or bleaches. So, what do you suggest? What should i do and what are the consequences going to be? thank you, *mouse [1] while i’m at it, where does the newsgroup reccomend for good places in CT/nyc if need be?

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -<snip Anaphylaxis is any or all of an acute symptom complex that includes; generalized redness (erythema), itching (pruritis), hives (urticaria), swelling of the skin or mucous membranes (angioedema), nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, wheezing (bronchial constriction), throat swelling (laryngeal edema), and cardiac irregularities with or without cardiovascular collapse. Anaphylactic reactions can be graded as follows: Grade I – Large local skin reaction, 15 cm in diameter Grade II – generalized pruritis and urticaria, with or without mild shortness of breath (dyspnea) Grade III – Any of the above plus at least two of the following: generalized angioedema, mild wheezing, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Grade IV- Any of the above plus at least one of the following: severe dyspnea or asthma, tongue swelling with difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), laryngeal edema with hoarseness, low blood pressure (hypotension), or passing out (syncope). Grade III or IV is a true medical emergency, which untreated, can result in death. If an allergen you are exposed to produces this severe of a reaction, the course is very quick with fatalities reported in as little as fifteen minutes. As today’s tattoo inks are ALOT safer than those of the past, and a reaction of this magnitude is very rare, I would still proceed with great caution. To follow the recommendations of a "skin test" by non-medical personnel, with your history of multiple allergies, would be, IMHO, reckless. However, as it seems that this is a well thought out plan of yours, and not a impulsive one, I would recommend seeking the help of an Allergist or a Dermatologist before proceeding any further. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly. Good luck, Mike Fiedler, RN, CEN (A well inked nurse) University of Pennsylvania Medical Center Department of Emergency Medicine http://ariesgrafix.com

OK, after reading this I’m REALLY WONDERING how you think it’s OK fer a random tattoo machine buyer to start stenciling and inking up people without any training at all.  Seems like you’d be in a pretty good person to recognize the folly.

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Dave, I’m definately not condoning the actions of the above novice, what I was trying to point out was someone could have kindly pointed him in the direction of apprenticeship. The importance of appropriate training is indeed paramount and cannot be understated. And yes, you are right, I have seen my share of butcher jobs, infections, and allergic reactions after 12 years in urban emergency/trauma centers, so, no, I would NEVER think it was OK for some yahoo to go out and start permanently marking people…my purpose, I guess, was to make people realize that without proper guidance from the experienced professionals on this newsgroup, this guy is probably going to forge ahead anyway…truely endangering people. Take care, Mike – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – OK, after reading this I’m REALLY WONDERING how you think it’s OK fer a random tattoo machine buyer to start stenciling and inking up people without any training at all.  Seems like you’d be in a pretty good person to recognize the folly.

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Question:

I was just told that guns are BAD for ear piercing.  I have five holes in my ears and they  were all done with needles.  They some times ictch like mad.  I think that is just the soap I use.  Can any one recommed anything that will work so they don’t itch.  I would hate to have to rip my ears off to solve the problem.   Lisa

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I was just told that guns are BAD for ear piercing.  I have five holes in my ears and they  were all done with needles.  They some times ictch like mad.  I think that is just the soap I use.  Can any one recommed anything that will work so they don’t itch.  I would hate to have to rip my ears off to solve the problem. Lisa He lisa!,

  I perfer Antibacterial Liquid Dial for Sensitive skin.

  If it was the soap you use they would most likely itch more often. Because they only itch somtimes i would try changing shampoos and stay away from conditioners until they heal. As you sweat it picks up the residue from your shampoo and allows it to get into your piercings. If they still remain itchy than try changing your soap to something that is labled hypo-allergenic.  If the itchiness happens while you are in bed change your laundry detergent to one without a stain remover( protien disolving enzymes )   As far as products labled for sensitive skin as in the case of ivory soap or liquid dial ,that does not mean they would not cause an allergic reaction. I have allergic skin and boyh of these products will give me a bad rash. One time my girlfriend washed my clothes in wisk and i could not put my arms down because my skin was so red and sore.   Tom Brazda Stainless Studios

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In article I was just told that guns are BAD for ear piercing.  I have five holes in my ears and they  were all done with needles.  They some times ictch like mad.  I think that is just the soap I use.  Can any one recommed anything that will work so they don’t itch.  I would hate to have to rip my ears off to solve the problem.  

You may be sensitive/allergic to the jewelry you are wearing or to the aftercare product(s) you are using.  Do you notice any discharge from your piercings?  Are your piercings healed, or are they still healing? —                                  * Ardvark *                               Anne  Greenblatt                   Piercing FAQ Manager for rec.arts.bodyart                              Piercing Exquisite                          http://www.c2.org/~ardvark/

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Question:

I post Duesberg because he points out that drugs harm the immune system.

Do you know what Duesberg’s position is on the anti-herpes drug acyclovir? It is a nucleoside analog drug, like AZT. -George

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 But many AIDS patients have used drugs heavily, and many have histories of STDs, and multiple recurrent infections. TO say that your friends do not fall into this category is not to assert that many people do. So even though your theory of drug usage in no way fits or explains a large number of AIDS cases you still think that it’s a probable cause of AIDS?  How so?  Many of the gay men with AIDS had moustches. Many live in big cities.  Are all these things equally suspect?

Greg, I can’t speak for James.  I haven’t figured out what all of his theories are.  But you say that drug use doesn’t work as a theory because it doesn’t explain all the cases.  Neither does HIV. Many things cause a runny nose.  And looking at someone with a runny nose and saying "you have allergies" is ridiculous. But since the only "accepted" cause of AIDS is HIV, people assume that the two are interchangeable ("HIV==THE aids virus"). IMHO, this is also ridiculous.  AIDS is a collection of symptoms. We have no proof that it is caused by only one agent. regards Todd —         <I speak for the only person I can speak for Does it bother anyone else that _every_ economic report, whether good or bad, ends with the phrase, "…analysts fear this will cause the Fed to raise interest rates."?

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HIV is a much more supportable theory.  It’s not at all fair to compare HIV and drug usage (or having a bazillion sex partners or taking PCP prophylaxis.)

And because it is more supportable it is, de facto, the _only_ answer? Many things cause a runny nose.  And looking at someone with a runny nose and saying "you have allergies" is ridiculous. But since the only "accepted" cause of AIDS is HIV, people assume that the two are interchangeable ("HIV==THE aids virus"). Lots of people have had runny noses caused by one or both of allergies and viruses for generations.  It’s not a new syndrome, it didn’t appear seemingly out of nowhere and it doesn’t follow epidemiological patterns that indicate specific modes of transmission.

And HIV is the only sexually transmitted disease?  Or the only thing needle sharers and hemophiliacs are exposed too? I’m not sure why, since runny noses have more than one cause, that it’s required that AIDS does.  It may well be true but this example doesn’t prove anything.

Did I say required?  I repeat: "possible". IMHO, this is also ridiculous.  AIDS is a collection of symptoms. We have no proof that it is caused by only one agent. You have another theory that explains more of the cases?

Did I say I was trying to explain "more of the cases".  No. I’m trying to explain the cases HIV can’t.  Most researchers now agree that HIV must have one or more co-factors.  But they can’t seem to see the forest for the trees.  If they’d spend some time looking at the patients who don’t have HIV they might find the co-factor(s) expressing themselves more readily. Greg, I have tried and tried just to get you to admit that something besides HIV may be at work here, but you won’t do it.  All you can do is recite the "HIV does it" party line. IMHO, you are the type of person who would have excommunicated Copernicus (you spell it, I’m bitter.  (that’s a joke I don’t expect you to get)). regards Todd —         <I speak for the only person I can speak for Does it bother anyone else that _every_ economic report, whether good or bad, ends with the phrase, "…analysts fear this will cause the Fed to raise interest rates."?

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HIV is a much more supportable theory.  It’s not at all fair to compare HIV and drug usage (or having a bazillion sex partners or taking PCP prophylaxis.) And because it is more supportable it is, de facto, the _only_ answer?

No.  Look, if you’re saying that money should be put into figuring out how people progress from infection to AIDS and what other factors are involved then I’d say I agree with you.  If you’re saying that (as Scutero does) that any money spent on HIV research is a waste because it’s a "harmless retrovirus" then I’d say that you’re basing your statements on wishful thinking. Many things cause a runny nose.  And looking at someone with a runny nose and saying "you have allergies" is ridiculous. But since the only "accepted" cause of AIDS is HIV, people assume that the two are interchangeable ("HIV==THE aids virus"). Lots of people have had runny noses caused by one or both of allergies and viruses for generations.  It’s not a new syndrome, it didn’t appear seemingly out of nowhere and it doesn’t follow epidemiological patterns that indicate specific modes of transmission. And HIV is the only sexually transmitted disease?  Or the only thing needle sharers and hemophiliacs are exposed too?

A bunch of people start showing the same sorts of immune suppression around the same time that’s associated with a previously unknown virus that infects the immune system and is shown in individual cases and epidemiologically to be spread in a certain way. I mean, there are lots of things that people get.  So what? Just because they exist is NOT a reason to investigate them. There has to be more, there has to be thought, there has to be rationality. I’m not sure why, since runny noses have more than one cause, that it’s required that AIDS does.  It may well be true but this example doesn’t prove anything. Did I say required?  I repeat: "possible".

Moustaches.  Nutrasweet.  Where do you stop?  How do you decide? First it was number of sex partners.  Clearly bogus.  Then it was drugs.  Clearly bogus.  The point is to collect evidence, acquire knowledge, and get closer to the truth, not to say that you don’t like an answer so there must be a different one and there’s a conspiracy when people don’t jump on your bandwagon. IMHO, this is also ridiculous.  AIDS is a collection of symptoms. We have no proof that it is caused by only one agent. You have another theory that explains more of the cases? Did I say I was trying to explain "more of the cases".  No. I’m trying to explain the cases HIV can’t.  Most researchers now agree that HIV must have one or more co-factors.  But they can’t seem to see the forest for the trees.  If they’d spend some time looking at the patients who don’t have HIV they might find the co-factor(s) expressing themselves more readily.

What makes you think that non-HIV immune suppression – a small percentage of the cases named as AIDS – is going to tell you anything about how HIV works, what the co-factors are?  I’m serious.  Would studying your patients with allergies tell you about how rhinoviruses work? Greg, I have tried and tried just to get you to admit that something besides HIV may be at work here, but you won’t do it.  All you can do is recite the "HIV does it" party line. IMHO, you are the type of person who would have excommunicated Copernicus (you spell it, I’m bitter.  (that’s a joke I don’t expect you to get)).

Great.  You don’t like being questioned, challenged on what you say, so you resort to declaring yourself a misunderstood martyr to a truth that you can’t even discuss clearly – and in order to make yourself that martyr you have to accuse other people of following a party line, whether it fits or not.  It’s a very feeble response and doesn’t provide any more support for your *ideas* than you had before.   I bet you’d be one of the people arguing that antibiotics don’t work because they don’t cure all infections and why aren’t they investigating demonic possession? — Greg Parkinson       "Isn’t this a disgusting spectacle!"

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Keep asserting that all my friends who have or have had AIDS were or are currently using drugs and you’ll be known for being even more of a agenda-driven looney than you already are.

CALL IN THE BATF- I AM AN AGENDA-DRIVEN looney! Listen, smart guy, look at the number of drugs that an average person who tests HIV+ is put on by their doctors. AZT, bactrim, acyclovir, diflucan, flucaonazole, Mycobutin, and so on. Can you say IATROGENIC POISONING? AIDS is not caused by HIV alone. That’s where the research is going or haven’t you been keeping up? -James M. Scutero, agenda-driven looney.

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Keep asserting that all my friends who have or have had AIDS were or are currently using drugs and you’ll be known for being even more of a agenda-driven looney than you already are. CALL IN THE BATF- I AM AN AGENDA-DRIVEN looney! Listen, smart guy, look at the number of drugs that an average person who tests HIV+ is put on by their doctors. AZT, bactrim, acyclovir, diflucan, flucaonazole, Mycobutin, and so on. Can you say IATROGENIC POISONING? AIDS is not caused by HIV alone. That’s where the research is going or haven’t you been keeping up?

Do you have a problem with time, with past, present, and future? Do you really believe that someone who tests HIV+ but is otherwise healthy and with high T-cells is going to be given the fatal drug cocktail that your assertion depends on? It’s just not true. I know people who have tested HIV+ who had taken no drugs and who continued to take no drugs until they became symptomatically ill.  You can’t retroactively blame the whole progression on the 1/2 dose of Bactrim they start taking every morning when their HIV disease has progressed to the point that they are at risk for PCP. — Greg Parkinson       "Isn’t this a disgusting spectacle!"

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writes: | Let’s look at everything so we can end AIDS this year, ok? I’m amazed…. — Baard Kjos                            | http://www.idt.unit.no/~baardkjo/ Div. of Comp. Sci. and Telematics     | ____ The Norwegian Institute of Technology |  / The heart is a small N-7034 Trondheim, NORWAY              |  /       indomitable muscle…

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Keep asserting that all my friends who have or have had AIDS were or are currently using drugs and you’ll be known for being even more of a agenda-driven looney than you already are. CALL IN THE BATF- I AM AN AGENDA-DRIVEN looney! Listen, smart guy, look at the number of drugs that an average person who tests HIV+ is put on by their doctors. AZT, bactrim, acyclovir, diflucan, flucaonazole, Mycobutin, and so on. Can you say IATROGENIC POISONING? AIDS is not caused by HIV alone. That’s where the research is going or haven’t you been keeping up? Do you have a problem with time, with past, present, and future? Do you really believe that someone who tests HIV+ but is otherwise healthy and with high T-cells is going to be given the fatal drug cocktail that your assertion depends on? It’s just not true. I know people who have tested HIV+ who had taken no drugs and who continued to take no drugs until they became symptomatically ill.  You can’t retroactively blame the whole progression on the 1/2 dose of Bactrim they start taking every morning when their HIV disease has progressed to the point that they are at risk for PCP.

People who have autoimmune diseases of MANY kinds have allergic reactions to drugs. Take a look at CFS sometime. If bactrim is so innocuous then why do HALF of the people who take it get allergic reactions to it? Why is there a Bactrim/Septra "desensitizing" program? Science has found that long term use of antibiotics is detrimental.Antibiotics promote drug resistant strains of microbes. Bactrim is a GENERAL purpose, sulfa based, antibiotic that kills the intestinal flora resulting in malapsorbtion. I have had friends who were hospitalized because of Bactrim/Septra! According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine dated December 23, 1993, 28% of people who took PCP prophylaxis along with AZT developed PCP pneumonia. The study also showed that people who took AZT and PCP prophylaxis were twice as likely to develop MAC complex, CMV, thrush, and wasting syndrome than people who took AZT and did not prophylax. TRIMETHOPRIM AND SULFAMETHOXAZOLE (CO-TRIMOXAZOLE, TMP-SMZ) BRAND NAMES: BACTRIM (ROCHE) SEPTRA (BURROUGHS WELLCOME) ADVERSE REACTIONS: MOST COMMON: GI Disturbances (nausea, vomiting, anorexia); allergic skin reactions (eg., rash, urticaria). OTHER: Generalized skin eruptions, rash, drug fever, chills, purpura, abdominal pain, diarrhea, pancreatitis, headache, mental depression, convulsions, hallucinations, tinnitus, vertigo, insomnia, apathy, fatigue, weakness, nervousness, renal failure, cough, shortness of breathe. SOURCE: DRUG FACTS AND COMPARISONS 1994 EDITION PUBLISHED BY FACTS AND COMPARISONS 111 WEST PORT PLAZA, SUITE 400, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI  63146-3098. ISBN 0-932686-94-X. (314) 878-2515

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People who have autoimmune diseases of MANY kinds have allergic reactions to drugs. Take a look at CFS sometime. If bactrim is so innocuous then why do HALF of the people who take it get allergic reactions to it?

Uh, because they have problems with their immune systems? Why is there a Bactrim/Septra "desensitizing" program?

Because it’s needed, and it works?  Because Bactim is an effective prophylaxis so it’s worth making the effort to get people past reactions to it? Science has found that long term use of antibiotics is detrimental.

This statement is so vague as to be meaningless. Antibiotics promote drug resistant strains of microbes.

Antibiotics prevent and clear up bacterial infections. They’re not being used for no purpose at all.  Bactrim is a GENERAL purpose, sulfa based, antibiotic that kills the intestinal flora resulting in malapsorbtion.

You can’t possibly be asserting that everyone who uses Bactrim for PCP prophylaxis is suffering from physically- apparent malapsorbtion?  I have had friends who were hospitalized because of Bactrim/Septra!

People have been hospitalized because of reactions to aspirin.   According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine dated December 23, 1993, 28% of people who took PCP prophylaxis along with AZT developed PCP pneumonia.

I can’t imagine this was the only figure they published. I have seen at least one review that showed that PCP prophylaxis was good for preventing a number of infections that PWAs are prone to get.  No matter how much you want it not to work – because it’s a DRUG – it *does* make a difference for a lot of people. The study also showed that people who took AZT and PCP prophylaxis were twice as likely to develop MAC complex, CMV, thrush, and wasting syndrome than people who took AZT and did not prophylax.

Well, sure.  Bactrim helps prevent PCP.  People who have AIDS who prophylax against PCP – and don’t get it – end up getting one of the other opportunistic infections. This was pointed out the *last* time you tossed out this fact. — Greg Parkinson       "Isn’t this a disgusting spectacle!"

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: I’m not saying let’s all disregard privacy laws because I feel it’s : the right thing to do. I’m saying it’s contradictory to say "it’s ok, : people with aids won’t hurt you, the more you know, the better", etc, : and then on the other hand say "If you tell _anyone_ that so-and-so : has aids, you’re going to jail". I don’t think it is contradictory, because the two situations are quite different. As I read you, in the first case you are dealing with individuals, some with AIDS, some not, who are interacting directly and, therefore, voluntarily. In the second, you’re talking about one person disclosing sensitive information about a second person to a third party without authorization, information that can have serious consequences because, sadly, not all people are as rational and sensitive and enlightened as we all are here. It’s not a principle unique to AIDS. There are plenty of situations in which you cannot disclose information about someone to a third party without ending up in deep trouble. Example: if I’m a real estate agent showing your house, and I tell the potential buyers, "They’re asking for $200,000, but I happen to know they’ll take $175,000", I can end up pretty far up the creek. Steve Teeter

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It amazes me how many of the same people who demand an "exact mechanism" of how HIV affects the immune system or they can claim that it’s categorically not involved in AIDS will make claims about a link between KS and poppers based on supposition and ignorance of research. — Greg Parkinson                  Phone: 212-657-7814  Fax: 212-657-4599 New York, New York  10043 The opinions expressed are my own and not those of the big ‘ol bank.

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You are right about the openess thing. Unfortunately high ideals and reality dont mix when it comes to AIDS. People with this disease, which has been proven over and over again, are the objects of cruel, sometimes violent and even hysterical discrimination. This is why laws in many states have been erected to protect the privacy, dignity and rights of people with AIDS. You dont have to agree with such laws, only obey them.  I for one have seen this sort of discrimination at work first hand and I would protect the identity of any AIDS victim if it is their choice to be so protected. If it is their wish to come "out" then that is up to them.  Dont make decisions for other people, only for yourself.

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Greg Parkinson writes: It amazes me how many of the same people who demand an "exact mechanism" of how HIV affects the immune system or they can claim that it’s categorically not involved in AIDS will make claims about a link between KS and poppers based on supposition and ignorance of research.

It amazes me that people can watch their friends die for 14 years and never question the prevailing paradigm . Keep denying that drugs are killing your friends and you will end up with no friends at all. -James M. Scutero

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You are right about the openess thing. Unfortunately high ideals and reality dont mix when it comes to AIDS. People with this disease, which has been proven over and over again, are the objects of cruel, sometimes violent and even hysterical discrimination. This is why laws in many states have been erected to protect the privacy, dignity and rights of people with AIDS. You dont have to agree with such laws, only obey them.  I for one have seen this sort of discrimination at work first hand and I would protect the identity of any AIDS victim if it is their choice to be so protected. If it is their wish to come "out" then that is up to them.  Dont make decisions for other people, only for yourself.

I’m not saying let’s all disregard privacy laws because I feel it’s the right thing to do. I’m saying it’s contradictory to say "it’s ok, people with aids won’t hurt you, the more you know, the better", etc, and then on the other hand say "If you tell _anyone_ that so-and-so has aids, you’re going to jail". Why do you think there is so much discrimination? What is the best way to combat discrimination? Are the privacy laws helping prevent discrimination, or only hiding the people who could be targets of discrimination? People are afraid of the unknown. Fear breeds discrimination. With knowledge, fear is removed. I know my view is ideal, and probably a little niave, but the current status is just plain contradictory and self-defeating. We may as well chuck promoting awareness out the window, imo… John

Response:

James Scutero’s posted article implies that there are few if any young gay men with KS who have never used poppers – but since I fall into that category unequivacably, I think it’s worthwhile to bring up another theory which he leaves unexplored – the possibility that whatever causes KS can be acquired through the oral-fecal route. Several studies have found an equally strong correlation between the sexual practice of rimming (analingus) and KS. This theory would both explain the prevalence of KS among gay men as opposed to the other groups with AIDS, and would also explain its prevalence in Africa, where contaminated water supplies are common. I cannot agree with Dr. Duesberg’s pet theory about AIDS either (that since in his book, HIV cannot cause AIDS, all cases must therefore be related either to drug use or the use of AZT) since I have never used drugs of any kind for any reason, and my immune system was severely compromised long before I ever touched my first AZT pill. I have doubts about HIV, too, but these other explanations are much too glib and unconvincing to me.

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I am just trying to shake things up a little. HIV has been studied to death and we are still dieing. I don’t want to rule anything out. HIV? OK -sure, but what else is killing us? I post Duesberg because he points out that drugs harm the immune system. He is right! Contact with fecal matter-that too! I don’t want to rule anything out. Let’s look at everything so we can end AIDS this year, ok? -James M. Scutero

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Greg Parkinson writes: It amazes me how many of the same people who demand an "exact mechanism" of how HIV affects the immune system or they can claim that it’s categorically not involved in AIDS will make claims about a link between KS and poppers based on supposition and ignorance of research. It amazes me that people can watch their friends die for 14 years and never question the prevailing paradigm . Keep denying that drugs are killing your friends and you will end up with no friends at all.

Keep asserting that all my friends who have or have had AIDS were or are currently using drugs and you’ll be known for being even more of a agenda-driven looney than you already are. — Greg Parkinson       "Isn’t this a disgusting spectacle!"

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SPIN Magazine     November 1994 AIDS Words from the front At gay clubs across the country, the air is heavy with the acrid smell of poppers, a drug from the ’70s known for its quick high. Tom Bethell finds a lone crusader at the National Institutes of Health who thinks poppers may solve one of the oldest mysteries of AIDS. ONCE A WEEK, DR. HARRY HAVERKOS puts on the white uniform of the Public Health Service and goes to work as the director of the AIDS office at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), one of over 40 departments comprising the Maryland-based National Institutes of Health (NIH). Haverkos, 43, is a cautious man, not given to dramatic statements, but he is also persistent, and for over ten years he has mounted a quiet, one-man crusade.      Since 1983, when he began analyzing the early data on AIDS, he has been intrigued by a widely abused drug called poppers and its possible role in AIDS. He believes these nitrite-based inhalants may be the mysterious cause of Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS), the rare form of cancer that, at the outset of the epidemic, almost defined AIDS. "It’s clear that HIV alone can’t explain Kaposi’s," says Haverkos. "There has to be something else."      Haverkos’s career in publicc health began just as AIDS was discovered. In July 1981, he joined the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta. That year, young gay men in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York were reportedly coming down with previously rare illnesses, among them Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) and KS. In the past, KS had almost always affected elderly men and was benign. The new version was potentially fatal.      Dr. James Curran, then head of the CDC’s Venereal Disease Prevention Service and now associate director for HIV/AIDS, set up an investigating committee-the Kaposi’s Sarcoma and Opportunistic Infections task force (KSOI)-and immediately signed Haverkos up. From their first field interviews, the KSOI members suspected that nitrites were involved in this strange new syndrome, since many of the men in the initial cases had frequently used poppers.      Nitrites-amyl,butyl, and isopropyl-have a respectable medical pedigree. In 1867, amyl nitrite was first used to relieve angina pains in heart patients. A volatile liquid, it came in a mesh-covered glass ampule that could be broken or "popped" and held to the nose. When the fumes were inhaled, the pain subsided. Nitrites expand arteries by permitting muscles to relax.      No reports of KS or immune problems surfaced in those heart patients, but the inhalant was used only rarely and during the patients’ later years. Even so, there were early warning signs about the recreational use of nitrites in the medical literature beginning in the 1970s. Dr. Guy Everett of the Chicago Medical School noted in MEDICAL ASPECTS OF HUMAN SEXUALITY that amyl nitrite was "widely used by men, who most commonly sniff an inhaler or break a ‘popper’ shortly before orgasm." In 1975, the same journal explicitly described the function: They enable "the passive partner in anal intercourse to relax the anal musculature." Three years later, the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY warned that new research "raises the issue of whether repeated use of these products could increase the risk of developing cancer." This last point was underscored when, on the eve of the AIDS epidemic, a researcher at the Food and Drug Administration warned that if a certain metabolization occurred, nitrites would produce potent carcinogens.      Hank Wilson, a gay activist in San Francisco who founded the Committee to Monitor Poppers in 1981, is candid about why poppers are so prevalent. "If you’re having casual sex, in a park or a bathroom, wherever, you don’t have as much foreplay, you’re more orgasmic-oriented. Poppers facilitate quick anal intercourse."      Analyzing the data from three early CDC studies, Haverkos and other researchers found that out of 87 patients with KS,PCP, or both, all but three admitted to using poppers. But government officials did not seem interested in a toxicological cause of AIDS. Curran thought there might be a "bad batch" of cantaminated poppers out there-the "brown acid" of nitrites. Another KSOI member, Harold Jaffe, insisted, "If the puzzle was that simple, somebody would have solved it by now.’      SURROUNDED BY STACKS OF MEDICAL journals in his cramped office, Haverkos gives four main reasons why he links KS with nitrite use. First, there is the statistical connection: Repeated use of poppers and incidence of KS have been confined to gay men. "About 96 percent of Kaposi’s cases occur in gay men, who make up 65 percent of all AIDS cases," he says. Twice as many whites as blacks use poppers-and twice as many get KS. After warnings about nitrites spread through the gay community in the mid-’80s, both the use of poppers and the incidence of KS declined.      Second, there is the lack of a firm HIV connection to KS. No cases of KS have been reported among blood-transfusion recipients where the blood donor himself later developed the cancer. This suggests that HIV alone is not sufficient to cause the disease, and that whatever does cause KS is not readily transmitted through blood. In addition, a number of HIV-free cases of KS have been reported by two doctors, Alvin Friedman- Kien in New York and Marcus Conant in San Francisco.      Conant, clinical professor of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco, told the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE in 1993 that he had found six non-HIV cases of KS in the Bay area, that "dozens more" have been found elsewhere in the country, and that the evidence is "overwhelming that [KS] is not caused by HIV." Conant rejects the nitrite theory as well, although he admits he has made "no formal study" on the use of the drug by his KS patients.      The third reason Haverkos suspects a nitrite connection to KS is that the disease is caused by an abnormal growth of blood vessels, and nitrites act on blood vessels. Dr. Sidney Mirvish of the University of Nebraska Medical Center has found that isobutyl nitrite vapor causes cell mutation and that inhaled vapor is 11 times more dangerous than nitrite in its liquid form.      "The primary action of nitrites is cell intoxication," says Dr. Peter Duesberg, a molecular biologist at the University of California, Berkeley. "They reach into the bone marrow and interfere with the creation of new blood cells, including T- cells. They kill enzymes, and they mutate DNA." Duesberg believes nitrite use alone is sufficient to explain most of the early AIDS cases, where immune suppression and a rare cancer were found.      Finally, Haverkos says, "The KS lesions are most common on the face, nose, and chest. If you’re inhaling vapors, that is where you will have the highest concentrations." Put those points together, he says, and "you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that there is some logic to the hypothesis."      Unfortunately for the hypothesis, he adds, "the CDC and the NIH published two big studies where they didn’t find an association between nitrites and KS." The most important of these was the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study. Between 1984 and 1985, about 5,000 gay men in various cities participated; those who developed AIDS were compared with HIV-positive controls who did not. However, the authors noted the limitations of their research: "We did not attempt to quantify [nitrite] usage…It is thus possible that we have missed or obscured a meaningful association." As Haverkos points out, by the time those in the study were asked if they had "used nitrites during sex in the past two years," many gay men had become wary of poppers through point-of-sale warnings in gay bars and porn shops. Statistics from the San Francisco Health Department show a dramatic drop in the use of poppers between 1982 and 1988.      In retrospect, it seems incredible that professional disease sleuths would find it so hard to believe that a carcinogen, reported as a new fad among gay men in the early 1970s, might be the cause of a cancer that emerged in the 1980sand emerged among the very peole who had been inhaling it. But in 1983, before HIV was identified as " the virus that causes AIDS," the Public Health Service put out a brochure, "What Gay and Bisexual Men Should Know About AIDS," specifically claiming that nitrite inhalants had been "ruled out" as a cause of AIDS.      The second large study that the NIH refers to when dismissing the role of nitrites was conducted in 1988. The researchers found that while the white blood cell count of treated male mice went down to one thired of those in untreated controls, nitrites "had no significant detrimental effect on the immune system of mice." Haverkos believes the dosage was too low and the duration of the experiment too short to approximate the condition of habitual users of poppers. (In fact, one of the scientists involved in the study has since explained that the dosage was kept low because at higher levels of nitrites, they had "lost" the mice.)      As Duesberg likes to say about drugs, "The dose is the poison." And as with cigarettes, the dose accumulates. In 1993, Duesberg proposed a new study using mice. He discussed the idea with Daniel Koshland, editor of SCIENCE magazine and a fellow member of the department of Molecular and Cell Biology at Berkeley. Although Koshland had been critical of Duesberg in the past, he wrote a letter to NIDA supporting his colleague’s proposal.      Despite this endorsement from the editor of the nation’s leading science journal, the NIH refused to offer funding, citing Duesberg’s lack of "preliminary experiments" in the field and his failure to give full hearing to opposing views; the NIH also complained that the longer proposed test periods corresponded with the natural lifespan of mice. Duesberg is resubmitting an amended proposal. BUTYL NITRITES WERE OFFICIALLY BANNED in the U.S. in 1988, but manufacturers … read more »

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Question:

While out on the West Coast (San DIego, CA), I knelt in some very damp soil, total shade, to adjust the water supply for my Mom’s house.  As I remember, the soil was very damp, but not wet, black, with scattered white spots. There may have been ferns growing there, but I’m sure I did not see poison ivy, oak, or sumac.  The soil had a strong moldy odor.  I soaked the knee of my long trousers.  Within a day I had a small red spot on my knee.  Within a week, it covered the knee, half the thigh, terrible itching, swollen, with a large infected area.  I sought medical attention, and received a powerful antibiotic, cream, cortizone for the itch and a provera (4 meds in all). Healing is slowly taking place, but now I have other spots on my body developing with the same symptoms.  Itching continues intense.  Spread is slow, but appears to continue to grow. Can anyone out there help me with a possible cause?  I am open to conventional Rx medication information, as well as alternative/herbal.  I don’t much believe in multiply-diluted and re-diluted homepathic remedies. Thanks.

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Tea tree oil cures a number of fungi if that is what it is.  Bergall

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While out on the West Coast (San DIego, CA), I knelt in some very damp soil, total shade, to adjust the water supply for my Mom’s house.  As I remember, the soil was very damp, but not wet, black, with scattered white spots. There may have been ferns growing there, but I’m sure I did not see poison ivy, oak, or sumac.  The soil had a strong moldy odor.  I soaked the knee of my long trousers.  Within a day I had a small red spot on my knee.  Within a week, it covered the knee, half the thigh, terrible itching, swollen, with a large infected area.  I sought medical attention, and received a powerful antibiotic, cream, cortizone for the itch and a provera (4 meds in all). Healing is slowly taking place, but now I have other spots on my body developing with the same symptoms.  Itching continues intense.  Spread is slow, but appears to continue to grow.

Please go BACK to the doctor.  Whatever you have [and it may be a fungal or bacterial infection] has gone systemic.  This is VERY serious.  The doctor can give you prescription meds to control the itch. Chris Owens

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I posted a recipe for poison ivy here a few days ago (see www.dejanews.com). This works for all kinds of severe skin allergies, and freezes well, too. Wendy

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<< now I have other spots on my body developing with the same symptoms.  Itching continues intense.  Spread is slow, but appears to continue to grow. I. Get thee to a dermatologist. 2. Have your mother send you a sample of the soil. Take it to the nearest poison control center. 3. Don’t fool around with home remedies. Get back to your doctor & ask about a referral to a dermatologist. Stat! Iris, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40 "That lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne

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I have seen a number of posts concerning the aggressive nature of Yarrow and the caution needed to insure it doesn’t take over. With this in mind, is there a way to plant it to keep it confined to a certain area? Perhaps build a wooden box to put it in and than plant the whole works? Yarrow seems high on list of plants butterflies like, so I would like to add anyway, thanks in advance to all who reply john clarke

my yarrow was not aggressive.. wish it had been more so, but it probably had to do with the soil in which it was planted, pretty much clay.  Here is an exerpt from a collection of information; this particular item from ec.herbs.folklore or some such: The growing plant repels beetles, ants and flies. A liquid plant feed can be made from the leaves. This  plant is an essential ingredient of ‘Quick Return’  herbal compost activator. An essential oil obtained  from the leaves is used medicinally. The leaves  contain from 0.6 to 0.85% essential oil. Yellow and green dyes are obtained from the flowers. A good ground cover plant, spreading quickly by its roots.  Hazards:  Extended use of this plant, either medicinally or in  the diet, can cause allergic skin rashes or lead to photosensitivity in some people.  This is an astringent, a mild abortifacient, and shouldn’t be taken during pregnancy except in combination with other herbs — Non Commercial site http://www.geocities.com/tvksi/index.htm

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Finally a question I can answer.  I am a novice gardener, but am partial to medicinal herbs. One small yarrow leaf will speed decomposition of a wheelbarrow full of raw compost.  It’s root secretions will help with disease resistance of nearby plants.  It can staunch blood flow of minor cuts and is a potent healer (menstrual and pregnancy related problems, and GI)  Also it is used for toothache.  Refer to a herb book to tell you how to make decoctions, infusions, etc., if you are enticed enough to want to try this. Now, is that more than you wanted to know?

  No, but it’s a great start Thanks for a very interesting post. I have long *meant* to try some yarrow in the compost heap and am going out right now to pick some from the roadside.   I believe yarrow is one of the ingredients in some Biodynamic gardening preparations too.   Janet. (Scotland).

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I have seen a number of posts concerning the aggressive nature of Yarrow and the caution needed to insure it doesn’t take over. With this in mind, is there a way to plant it to keep it confined to a certain area? Perhaps build a wooden box to put it in and than plant the whole works? Yarrow seems high on list of plants butterflies like, so I would like to add

The annual rainfall here is roughly 29" and it struggles. I would never worry about mine "jumping" but it will have to come out of my (sorta) wildflower plot since I water that occasionally and it’s taking over. In two other spots it’s barely enlarged; in the driest almost inactive. In other parts of the country this may not be the case. I read that in some places it grows in lawns. A barrier might work but I find them most useful (the black plastic kind) just for the decision of what belongs on which side (while weeding).   -Paul (Central Minn.)

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I have seen a number of posts concerning the aggressive nature of Yarrow and the caution needed to insure it doesn’t take over. With this in mind, is there a way to plant it to keep it confined to a certain area? Perhaps build a wooden box to put it in and than plant the whole works? Yarrow seems high on list of plants butterflies like, so I would like to add anyway, thanks in advance to all who reply john clarke

John, Don’t let those sissies spoil yarrow for you!  There are lots of well-behaved yarrows that will look gorgeous and attract butterflies….and will need very little attention.  Look for a wonderful hybrid called Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ or a mix called Achillea ‘Summer Pastels.’  (And there are others that are similarly gentle.) These may need dividing in fall or spring, but they won’t take over the garden.  They also have the added benefit of a longer bloom period than the species.  Stay away from Achillea millefolium, which is weedy, unless you need a lovely groundcover for sun and dry soil. Best, Tyra z6b nNJ usa

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I have seen a number of posts concerning the aggressive nature of Yarrow and the caution needed to insure it doesn’t take over. With this in mind, is there a way to plant it to keep it confined to a certain area? Perhaps build a wooden box to put it in and than plant the whole works? Yarrow seems high on list of plants butterflies like, so I would like to add anyway, thanks in advance to all who reply john clarke

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Finally a question I can answer.  I am a novice gardener, but am partial to medicinal herbs. One small yarrow leaf will speed decomposition of a wheelbarrow full of raw compost.  It’s root secretions will help with disease resistance of nearby plants.  It can staunch blood flow of minor cuts and is a potent healer (menstrual and pregnancy related problems, and GI)  Also it is used for toothache.  Refer to a herb book to tell you how to make decoctions, infusions, etc., if you are enticed enough to want to try this. Now, is that more than you wanted to know? Carol

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have seen a number of posts concerning the aggressive nature of Yarrow and the caution needed to insure it doesn’t take over. With this in mind, is there a way to plant it to keep it confined to a certain area? Perhaps build a wooden box to put it in and than plant the whole works? Yarrow seems high on list of plants butterflies like, so I would like to add anyway, thanks in advance to all who reply john clarke

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You are increasing the circulation of the microcapillaries.  Nosebleeds are commonly caused by a lack of vitamin K (found in green leafy vegetables and some multivitamins)  It is not recommended to take vitamin K supplement alone. Incidently, B vitamins should be taken in the complex form with vitamin C(which should also help improve vascular integrity and prevent nosebleeds. Check out naturalmom.com for more nutritional information: http://www.naturalmom.com also, adequate calcium/magnesium helps curb pain in some cases. always harvesting food for thought, Skyfarmer

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been taking Ginkgo Biloba for treatment of tinnitus for 2 1/2 months, and the last month increased the dosage to 120mg (120-240mg. is the popular range).  I’ve begun having copious and spontaneous nosebleeds.  I have no history of this, except once three years ago when I took ginkgo with niacin.   I quit then for that reason, and for the black eyes that also occured, but decided to try it again this time without the niacin, and monitor the dosage closely. Is this dangerous?  Should I quit altogether or stay off it a week or two and then start again at a lower dosage? Ron Newman Troubadour Technology Music http://www.imt.net/~ronman/animal.htm

 In Germany  a special commission (Kommission E) of the Bundesgesundheitsamt (the German Federal Health Agency) was responsible for developing plant monographs. Based on safety and efficacy data, more than 230 positive monographs were published in the Bundesanzeiger (equivalent to the Federal Register). Phytomedicines could be marketed according to the indications, mentioned in the monographs. Commission E Monographs, excerpt monograph on Ginkgo. Ginkgo Published July 19, 1994 DESCRIPTION OF DRUG Dry extract (35-67:1) from Ginkgo biloba L. leaf, (family Ginkgoaceae) extracted with acetone/water. Active Ingredient Classification (ASK No) No .05939. COMPOSITION OF DRUG A dry extract from the dried leaf of Ginkgo biloba L. manufactured using acetone/water and subsequent purification steps without addition of concentrates or isolated ingredients. The drug/extract ratio is 35-67: 1, on average 50:1 The extract is characterized by:      22 to 27% flavonoid glycosides, determined as quercetin and kaempferol including isorhamnetin (via HPLC) and      calculated as flavones with a molar mass of mMr = 756.7 (quercetin glycosides) and mMr =740.7 (kaempferol      glycosides);      5 to 7% terpene lactones, of which approximately 2.8 to 3.4% consists of ginkgolides A, B, and C, as well as      approximately 2.6 to 3.2% bilobalide;      below 5 ppm ginkgolic acids. The given ranges include manufacturing and analytical variances. PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES, PHARMACOKINETICS, TOXICOLOGY The following pharmacological effects have been established experimentally: Improvement of hypoxic tolerance, particularly in the cerebral tissue. Inhibition of the development of traumatically or toxically induced cerebral edema, and acceleration of its regression. Reduction of retinal edema and of cellular lesions in the retina. Inhibition in age-related reduction of muscarinergic cholinoceptors and 2-adrenoceptors as well as stimulation of choline uptake in the hippocampus. Increased memory performance and learning capacity. Improvement in the compensation of disturbed equilibrium. Improvement of blood flow, preferably in the region of microcirculation. Improvement of the rheological properties of the blood. Inactivation of toxic oxygen radicals (flavonoids). Antagonism of the platelet-activating factor/PAF (ginkgolides). Neuroprotective effect (ginkgolides A and B, bilobalide), The pharmacokinetics have been investigated both in animal experiments and in trials involving humans. An absorption rate of 60% was found in rats for a radioactively labeled extract (specified as under COMPOSITION OF DRUG) in humans after application of an extract specified as above. Absolute bioavailability was 98-100% for ginkgolide A, 79-93% for ginkgolide B and at least 70% for bilobalide. Both the acute and the chronic toxicity of an extract as specified under COMPOSITION OF DRUG is very low; accordingly, the LD50 in the mouse was 7725 mg/kg body weight after oral application and 1100 mg/kg body weight after intravenous application. Investigations with this extract specified as above showed no effects which were either mutagenic, carcinogenic, or toxic to reproduction. No evaluation was performed on the transferability of the experimental results to extracts other than those investigated. [Eds. note: This statement refers to the fact that only a few proprietary ginkgo extracts were used in the studies upon which this monograph is based. Whether these results can be extrapolated to other ginkgo extracts is uncertain.] CLINICAL DATA 1. USES: (a) For symptomatic treatment of disturbed performance in organic brain syndrome within the regimen of a therapeutic concept in cases of demential syndromes with the following principal symptoms: Memory deficits, disturbances in concentration, depressive emotional condition, dizziness, tinnitus, and headache. Note: Prior to starting treatment with ginkgo extract, clarification should be obtained as to whether the pathological symptoms encountered are not based on an underlying disease requiring a specific treatment (b) Improvement of pain-free walking distance in peripheral arterial osclusive disease in Stage II of Fontaine (claudicatio intermittens) in a regimen of physical therapeutic measures in particular walking exercise. (c) Vertigo and tinnitus (ringing in the ear) of vascular and involutional origin. 2. CONTRAINDICATIONS: Hypersensitivity to Ginkgo biloba preparations. 3. SIDE EFFECTS: Very seldom stomach or intestinal upsets, headaches or allergic skin reaction. 4. SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS IN ADMINISTRATION: None. 5. PRECAUTIONS FOR PREGNANCY AND LACTATION: No restrictions known 6. INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER DRUGS: None known. 7. DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION: Unless otherwise prescribed: Daily dosages: Indication (a): 120 to 240 mg native dry extract in 2 or 3 doses. Indications (b) and (c): 120 to 160 mg native dry extract in 2 or 3 doses. 8. MODE OF APPLICATION: In liquid or solid pharmaceutical forms for oral intake. 9. DURATION OF APPLICATION: Indication (a): Length of administration should be judged according to the severity of symptoms and should extend at least 8 weeks in the case of chronic illness. Administration for more than 3 months should be reviewed as to justification for continued administration. Indication (b): Improvement of ambulatory range requires administration for not less than 6 weeks. Indication (c): Administration at or more than 6-8 weeks has no therapeutic benefit. 10. OVERDOSAGE: Not known. 11. SPECIAL WARNINGS: None. 12. WARNINGS FOR DRIVERS AND OPERATORS OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT: None. Approved Herbs Commission E Monographs Revised March 4, 1996

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been taking Ginkgo Biloba for treatment of tinnitus for 2 1/2 months, and the last month increased the dosage to 120mg (120-240mg. is the popular range).  I’ve begun having copious and spontaneous nosebleeds.  I have no history of this, except once three years ago when I took ginkgo with niacin. I quit then for that reason, and for the black eyes that also occured, but decided to try it again this time without the niacin, and monitor the dosage closely. Is this dangerous?  Should I quit altogether or stay off it a week or two and then start again at a lower dosage? Ron Newman Troubadour Technology Music http://www.imt.net/~ronman/animal.htm

I think this a good example of the dangers of taking herbs without seeking the advice of someone qualified in these matters. Some of the herbs being mentioned on this ng as being "good for xxx" are being pulled out of the original context of Chinese Herbalism, where a single herb would never be prescribed without additional herbs to balance out any side-effects. My materia medica says bai gou (Ginkgo) is slightly toxic and high doses or long-term usage can lead to skin disorders, increase in shedding of mucous membranes, fever, tremors and nosebleed. From a TCM point of view, it may be effective for tinnitus which is related to an excess condition like hypertension, but there are other causes of tinnitus…. Ron, If you are suffering badly enough to risk these side-effects, wouldn’t it be better to see a qualified herbalist or homeopath? Godders        remove nospam from address)

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: Is this dangerous?  Should I quit altogether or stay off it a week or two and : then start again at a lower dosage? : I tried high doses of ginkgo, and found no effect on my mild tinnitus. I also found that cuts bleed a lot, and took a long time to heal. Ginkgo has a potent aspirin-like effect on bleeding. I’d stop taking it if I were you. Personally I have found that 6 grams of fish oil helps my tinnitus. However I am one of the few people who’s tinnitus is responsive to blood pressure lowering.

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I’ve been taking Ginkgo Biloba for treatment of tinnitus for 2 1/2 months, and  the last month increased the dosage to 120mg (120-240mg. is the popular  range).  I’ve begun having copious and spontaneous nosebleeds.  I have no  history of this, except once three years ago when I took ginkgo with niacin.   I quit then for that reason, and for the black eyes that also occured, but  decided to try it again this time without the niacin, and monitor the dosage  closely. Is this dangerous?  Should I quit altogether or stay off it a week or two and  then start again at a lower dosage? Ron Newman Troubadour Technology Music http://www.imt.net/~ronman/animal.htm

Ginkgo has at least two effects that could account for your reaction: like aspirin, it inhibits platelet aggregation (the basis of blood clots), and it’s a vasodilator.  Maybe you have a bit of a bleeding tendency which ginkgo is exaggerating in this maanner; perhaps, the way aspirin will make some people bleed in their stomachs, ginkgo is making you bleed in your nostrils (and under your eyes).  There are some substances for which there is evidence or claims that they can staunch or prevent internal bleeding: bioflavonoids, cayenne (seems to have a normlizing effect on excessive bleeding or clotting), vitamin K, and probably others.  If ginkgo is indispensible for your tinnitus, maybe balancing it with one or more of these other substances would allow you to use it safely. Syd

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I’ve been taking Ginkgo Biloba for treatment of tinnitus for 2 1/2 months, and the last month increased the dosage to 120mg (120-240mg. is the popular range).  I’ve begun having copious and spontaneous nosebleeds.  I have no history of this, except once three years ago when I took ginkgo with niacin.   I quit then for that reason, and for the black eyes that also occured, but decided to try it again this time without the niacin, and monitor the dosage closely. Is this dangerous?

Yes, losing large quantities of blood on regular basis is not good for your health!   Should I quit altogether or stay off it a week or two and then start again at a lower dosage?

Is it helping with your tinnitis?? Are you consulting with a physician about your problem?? This newsgroup is NOT the best place to get an opinion about someone that one has not seen and evaluated. Go to a professional and get a full workup if you have not already gotten one. Have they determined the cause of your tinnitis?? Aloha, Rich Ron Newman Troubadour Technology Music http://www.imt.net/~ronman/animal.htm

Far better to be uncertain Than to be sure and be wrong Note: Remember to remove the antispamming "NOT" in email address  before sending me email

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I’ve been taking Ginkgo Biloba for treatment of tinnitus for 2 1/2 months, and the last month increased the dosage to 120mg (120-240mg. is the popular range).  I’ve begun having copious and spontaneous nosebleeds.  I have no history of this, except once three years ago when I took ginkgo with niacin.   I quit then for that reason, and for the black eyes that also occured, but decided to try it again this time without the niacin, and monitor the dosage closely. Is this dangerous?  Should I quit altogether or stay off it a week or two and then start again at a lower dosage? Ron Newman Troubadour Technology Music http://www.imt.net/~ronman/animal.htm

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Question:

I have this generalized itching that is about to drive me crazy. The dermatologist told me to take allegra and use dermatop(topical steriod). These help but the allegra kinda makes me dizzy and nervous…the dermatop helps alleviate symptons. Any suggestions as to what to do would be most surely appreciated….John

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I have this generalized itching that is about to drive me crazy. The dermatologist told me to take allegra and use dermatop(topical steriod). These help but the allegra kinda makes me dizzy and nervous…the dermatop helps alleviate symptons. Any suggestions as to what to do would be most surely appreciated….John

Call the dermatologist’s office, tell them of the side effects of the Allegra, and ask if they have an alternative suggestion. There will be no charge for the call. — Larry Preuss Ann Arbor, MI USA

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have this generalized itching that is about to drive me crazy. The dermatologist told me to take allegra and use dermatop(topical steriod). These help but the allegra kinda makes me dizzy and nervous…the dermatop helps alleviate symptons. Any suggestions as to what to do would be most surely appreciated….John

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I have this generalized itching that is about to drive me crazy. The dermatologist told me to take allegra and use dermatop(topical steriod). These help but the allegra kinda makes me dizzy and nervous…the dermatop helps alleviate symptons. Any suggestions as to what to do would be most surely appreciated….John

Try Zyrtec—5 or 10 mg/day—it may make you sleepy, but it should work.

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I have this generalized itching that is about to drive me crazy. The dermatologist told me to take allegra and use dermatop(topical steriod). These help but the allegra kinda makes me dizzy and nervous…the dermatop helps alleviate symptons. Any suggestions as to what to do would be most surely appreciated….John

Did you by chance end up with Allegra D rather than Allegra? The D means it contains the decongestant pseudoephedrine, which can cause jitteriness and make you nervous. For your condition you want plain Allegra. You could also try another prescription nonsedating or slightly sedating antihistamine, Zyrtec. Or in the evening just try an OTC antihistamine, Chlortrimeton (chlorpheniramine maleate). http://www.allegra.com/ Allegra Your itching might be caused by eczema (atopic dermatitis) or allergic contact dermatitis. You may want to consult an  allergist. http://www.aaaai.org/public/publicedmat/tips/allergicskinconditions.stm Allergic Skin Cond (AAAAI) Ellis

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I go through this every winter.  I use Aveeno soaps and lotions and they do help.  I also use intermittently Gold Bond Medicated lotion. It helps too.  Other than that, you could try Benadryl at night. I have this generalized itching that is about to drive me crazy. The dermatologist told me to take allegra and use dermatop(topical steriod). These help but the allegra kinda makes me dizzy and nervous…the dermatop helps alleviate symptons. Any suggestions as to what to do would be most surely appreciated….John

Evelyn Check out my woodcarving site at:  http://home.swbell.net/lbiggio

Response:

I was so itchy one time for about 6 months i thought i was goign to go condition……. fish or elephant skin i think the common name is. Turned out when my sife changed laundry detergent to all with no think that was 6 years ago. Do yourself a favor and at least consider the laundry detergent !! John – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have this generalized itching that is about to drive me crazy. The dermatologist told me to take allegra and use dermatop(topical steriod). These help but the allegra kinda makes me dizzy and nervous…the dermatop helps alleviate symptons. Any suggestions as to what to do would be most surely appreciated….John

Response:

Question:

My most valuable comments would be that people should simply ignore you.  Mark Thorson’s reply to your ridiculous claims was dead on target.

I did make one error — sodium dodecyl sulfate is a synonym for sodium lauryl sulfate.  But it is just a detergent, and it ain’t sulfuric acid.  It’s commonly mixed with oil to make a dormant spray — which kills insects simply by suffocating them.  The spray coats the insects, and the holes they breathe through get plugged up.  The MLM hucksters will tell you this substance is used in insecticide, which is technically true, but they won’t tell you it doesn’t kill insects by poisoning them.  The detergent helps the oil coat the insects, and they are just smothered, not poisoned. (Although some dormant sprays contain additional ingredients which are poisons.)  The way these MLMers spin this story shows you how dishonest these people are.

Response:

I didn’t see any trying to scam anyone into MLM. His whole spiel about propylene glycol, etc. was just regurgitated sales literature from Neways.  If you’d seen it before, you’d recognize it.

Jan

Response:

And the scammer sounds retreat while putting on an "I’m so injured" posture.  Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, peddler.

I have not gone anywhere nor have I been injured.  However, I will say that I am a paralegal by profession and truly interested in alternative health issues.  Although I don’t believe this information is something you really need to know.  I believe I have as much right to post my opinions and thoughts as anyone else in this group.  As I mentioned before, if anyone disagrees, that is certainly your prerogative and I am certainly open to constructive discussions. Apparently, some of you have a problem with the name I chose to use which may have led you to believe that I was trying to sell something.  I don’t believe it was any more silly than some of the others I have seen here.  And by the way, I am not a "he." Lynn – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

Urine therapy would be very helpful.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a 10yr old boy who has had eczema since birth when it flares up it gets infected and bleeds its not weeping but his skin goes scabby and he’s constantly scratching until it bleeds I have tried aeurocort, and viscopaste bandages but I’m wondering whether there are any herbal remedys out there to help him? It may be helpful if you would switch your shampoo, bath soap, etc. to something that does not contain sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, TEA, colors or propylene glycol.  If you do some research, you will find that sodium lauryl sulfate is a surfactant that is a harsh detergent and wetting agent used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, and auto cleaning products.  It is a common skin and scalp irritant according to the scientific community. It is also rapidly absorbed and retained in the eyes, brain, heart and liver, which may result in harmful long-term effects.  In addition, SLS could retard healing, cause cataracts in adults and keep children’s eyes from developing properly. Your Longevity

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As far as SLS is concerned, however, I offer the following information for your edification.  The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act requires pesticide manufacturers to register with the EPA before they are allowed to market their product.  SLS is registered with the EPA as number 151-21-3.  The National Toxicology Chemical Reporting Agency lists the primary name of SLS as sodium dodecyl sulfate.  It is interesting to note that one of the many synonyms for SLS is sulfuric acid.  This chemical is a known gastrointestinal and liver toxicant according to the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Registry.  I could go on but find it unnecessary. You don’t know what you’re talking about.  SLS is sodium lauryl sulfate, not sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) nor sulfuric acid.  It is used as a detergent in the formulation of some insecticides to help the active ingredients penetrate the insect, and it is used by itself as a miticide (mites being particularly sensitive to detergent).  But it’s not any more toxic to humans than other soap-like substances.  Insecticides which contain only SLS in combination with fragrant oils like mint oil or spearmint oil are exempt from EPA registration under the Federal Insecticide, Rodenticide, and Fungicide Act. You’re just trying to stir up fear to make a dishonest dollar off the public.  You are a shameful piece of work. My goodness but I am truly amazed at the ignorance of some of the general public.

Yeah, like people who don’t know what SLS is. It is altogether unfortunate that some people out there choose to make statements without researching their topic beforehand.

Pot.  Kettle.  Black. You should have checked the EPA’s website before making your statement as it is absolutely false.  Or did you ignore the registration number I referenced?  Oh, and by the way, rudeness will get you absolutely nowhere in life.  Also, no one has mentioned making any money here except you.  Isn’t that rather interesing!  Honestly, can’t a person make a simple statement around here without being attacked by persons who choose to digress to a state of childhood in order to rebut it?  Are we not adults here?  I truly thought this was a discussion forum but it seems that a couple of you have radical ideas as to exactly what a civilized discussion entails.  In any case, I choose to opt out of this discussion in the hope of finding a group of people who know how to conduct a genuine discussion and can express informed opinions while exercising common courtesy.

And the scammer sounds retreat while putting on an "I’m so injured" posture.  Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, peddler.   — David Wright :: alphabeta at prodigy.net      These are my opinions only, but they’re almost always correct.        "If I have not seen as far as others, it is because giants                   were standing on my shoulders."

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As far as SLS is concerned, however, I offer the following information for your edification.  The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act requires pesticide manufacturers to register with the EPA before they are allowed to market their product.  SLS is registered with the EPA as number 151-21-3.  The National Toxicology Chemical Reporting Agency lists the primary name of SLS as sodium dodecyl sulfate.  It is interesting to note that one of the many synonyms for SLS is sulfuric acid.  This chemical is a known gastrointestinal and liver toxicant according to the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Registry.  I could go on but find it unnecessary. You don’t know what you’re talking about.  SLS is sodium lauryl sulfate, not sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) nor sulfuric acid.  It is used as a detergent in the formulation of some insecticides to help the active ingredients penetrate the insect, and it is used by itself as a miticide (mites being particularly sensitive to detergent).  But it’s not any more toxic to humans than other soap-like substances.  Insecticides which contain only SLS in combination with fragrant oils like mint oil or spearmint oil are exempt from EPA registration under the Federal Insecticide, Rodenticide, and Fungicide Act. You’re just trying to stir up fear to make a dishonest dollar off the public.  You are a shameful piece of work.

My goodness but I am truly amazed at the ignorance of some of the general public.  It is altogether unfortunate that some people out there choose to make statements without researching their topic beforehand.  You should have checked the EPA’s website before making your statement as it is absolutely false.  Or did you ignore the registration number I referenced?  Oh, and by the way, rudeness will get you absolutely nowhere in life.  Also, no one has mentioned making any money here except you.  Isn’t that rather interesing!  Honestly, can’t a person make a simple statement around here without being attacked by persons who choose to digress to a state of childhood in order to rebut it?  Are we not adults here?  I truly thought this was a discussion forum but it seems that a couple of you have radical ideas as to exactly what a civilized discussion entails.  In any case, I choose to opt out of this discussion in the hope of finding a group of people who know how to conduct a genuine discussion and can express informed opinions while exercising common courtesy. Your Longevity Your Longevity

Response:

I didn’t see any trying to scam anyone into MLM.

His whole spiel about propylene glycol, etc. was just regurgitated sales literature from Neways.  If you’d seen it before, you’d recognize it.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – The obvious first step in this case would be to try switching soaps, shampoos, etc.  It could be a reaction to some ingredient in whatever is being used at the moment.  However, there is no reason to inject the Neways Note of Hysteria about SLS, propylene glycol, etc.  The maligned ingredients are not the horrific substances that their detractors attempt to make them. The original poster needed to go into more detail about what approaches he or she had tried so far in terms of changing products, doctor visits, etc.   — David Wright David:  Normally, I do not allow myself to be drawn into senseless repartee, however, since I suspect that the person who originally requested information concerning this particular malady has long since exited the conversation, I will address your comments concerning SLS. I do not know to which body of research you refer when making such comments, but I suspect your statements are founded in mere opinion and not in research.  I also do not know what issues you have with Neways, nor what you perceive them to be, but suggest a possible conflict of interest on your part.

Nope.  I sell no products.  You, on the other hand, either are or were a Neways distributor. Basically, I find your statements tasteless, argumentative and uninformed.

On the contrary, they were both informed and to the point.  Yours, on the other hand, are truly a piece of work. As far as SLS is concerned, however, I offer the following information for your edification.  The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act requires pesticide manufacturers to register with the EPA before they are allowed to market their product.  SLS is registered with the EPA as number 151-21-3.  The National Toxicology Chemical Reporting Agency lists the primary name of SLS as sodium dodecyl sulfate.  It is interesting to note that one of the many synonyms for SLS is sulfuric acid.

Sulfuric acid is H2SO4, which is miles from SLS.  Doesn’t even have any sodium in it.  You’re either amazingly uninformed, incredibly stupid, or some new and noxious variety of troll. This chemical is a known gastrointestinal and liver toxicant according to the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Registry.  I could go on but find it unnecessary. I will leave it to you to do your own research as to propylene glycol!

Done long since.  Despite the ravings of the Neways people, propylene glycol is a relatively innocuous substance, as a reading of the MSDS sheets on it will show. As an aside, the term "spamming" is not applicable in this context.

So are you claiming that you do not and never did sell Neways products?  Let’s be nice and clear about this. The originator of this conversation requested information and it was freely given.  If you do not agree with what was said, that is simply your prerogative.  I have not seen any helpful comments from your corner other than what I originally tendered.

My most valuable comments would be that people should simply ignore you.  Mark Thorson’s reply to your ridiculous claims was dead on target.   — David Wright :: alphabeta at prodigy.net      These are my opinions only, but they’re almost always correct.        "If I have not seen as far as others, it is because giants                   were standing on my shoulders."

Response:

You are a shameful piece of work. : New Year’s Resolutions

You’re right, Jan, I forgot.  Seeing somebody trying to scam people into his MLM got me carried away. I’ll try not do it again.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You are a shameful piece of work. : New Year’s Resolutions You’re right, Jan, I forgot.  Seeing somebody trying to scam people into his MLM got me carried away. I’ll try not do it again.

Okee Dokee. I didn’t see any trying to scam anyone into MLM. Jan

Response:

You are a shameful piece of work.

: New Year’s Resolutions

Would it be too much to ask that certain posters forgive any recent provocations and start the new year with their tit-for-tat counters set back to zero? I’m not asking you to ignore any legitimate provocations made in the new year, but can’t we just break any cycles remaining from the old year?

Jan

Response:

As far as SLS is concerned, however, I offer the following information for your edification.  The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act requires pesticide manufacturers to register with the EPA before they are allowed to market their product.  SLS is registered with the EPA as number 151-21-3.  The National Toxicology Chemical Reporting Agency lists the primary name of SLS as sodium dodecyl sulfate.  It is interesting to note that one of the many synonyms for SLS is sulfuric acid.  This chemical is a known gastrointestinal and liver toxicant according to the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Registry.  I could go on but find it unnecessary.

You don’t know what you’re talking about.  SLS is sodium lauryl sulfate, not sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) nor sulfuric acid.  It is used as a detergent in the formulation of some insecticides to help the active ingredients penetrate the insect, and it is used by itself as a miticide (mites being particularly sensitive to detergent).  But it’s not any more toxic to humans than other soap-like substances.  Insecticides which contain only SLS in combination with fragrant oils like mint oil or spearmint oil are exempt from EPA registration under the Federal Insecticide, Rodenticide, and Fungicide Act. You’re just trying to stir up fear to make a dishonest dollar off the public.  You are a shameful piece of work.

Response:

Gee, Jan, do you suppose that’s because the newsgroup is for discussion of *alternative* medicine?  It’s not misc.health.bash.the.mds, no matter how much you love doing that.

Gee David, do you suppose this newsgroup has become a place for people to vent their anger? And make unfounded statements as above? Or follow certain people around with something nasty to say? And react to *anything* posted that doesn’t come from you camp? When have you *discussed* anything alternative? Or is it mostly bashing? I saw NO note of hysteria, nor horrific substances listed in the post. The original poster needed to go into more detail about what approaches he or she had tried so far in terms of changing products, doctor visits, etc.

So *YOU* could do some more bashing and making personal insults. Think more about what *YOU* need to do. Jan

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a 10yr old boy who has had eczema since birth when it flares up it gets infected and bleeds its not weeping but his skin goes scabby and he’s constantly scratching until it bleeds I have tried aeurocort, and viscopaste bandages but I’m wondering whether there are any herbal remedys out there to help him? It may be helpful if you would switch your shampoo, bath soap, etc. to something that does not contain sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, TEA, colors or propylene glycol.  If you do some research, you will find that sodium lauryl sulfate is a surfactant that is a harsh detergent and wetting agent used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, and auto cleaning products.  It is a common skin and scalp irritant according to the scientific community. It is also rapidly absorbed and retained in the eyes, brain, heart and liver, which may result in harmful long-term effects.  In addition, SLS could retard healing, cause cataracts in adults and keep children’s eyes from developing properly.

Your Longevity If you do more thorough research, you will discover that the foregoing is a load of crap primarily used by Neways distributors to attempt to scare you into buying their products.

David Wright And then if you read this newsgroup for a while, you’ll find hissy fits thrown over the slightest little things, but very little interest in the needless mistakes and deaths from conventional medicine.

Jan The obvious first step in this case would be to try switching soaps, shampoos, etc.  It could be a reaction to some ingredient in whatever is being used at the moment.  However, there is no reason to inject the Neways Note of Hysteria about SLS, propylene glycol, etc.  The maligned ingredients are not the horrific substances that their detractors attempt to make them. The original poster needed to go into more detail about what approaches he or she had tried so far in terms of changing products, doctor visits, etc.   — David Wright

David:  Normally, I do not allow myself to be drawn into senseless repartee, however, since I suspect that the person who originally requested information concerning this particular malady has long since exited the conversation, I will address your comments concerning SLS. I do not know to which body of research you refer when making such comments, but I suspect your statements are founded in mere opinion and not in research.  I also do not know what issues you have with Neways, nor what you perceive them to be, but suggest a possible conflict of interest on your part.  Basically, I find your statements tasteless, argumentative and uninformed. As far as SLS is concerned, however, I offer the following information for your edification.  The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act requires pesticide manufacturers to register with the EPA before they are allowed to market their product.  SLS is registered with the EPA as number 151-21-3.  The National Toxicology Chemical Reporting Agency lists the primary name of SLS as sodium dodecyl sulfate.  It is interesting to note that one of the many synonyms for SLS is sulfuric acid.  This chemical is a known gastrointestinal and liver toxicant according to the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Registry.  I could go on but find it unnecessary. I will leave it to you to do your own research as to propylene glycol! As an aside, the term "spamming" is not applicable in this context. The originator of this conversation requested information and it was freely given.  If you do not agree with what was said, that is simply your prerogative.  I have not seen any helpful comments from your corner other than what I originally tendered. Your Longevity

Response:

Spamming Piece of Shit: In addition, SLS could retard healing, cause cataracts in adults and keep children’s eyes from developing properly.

David Wright: If you do more thorough research, you will discover that the foregoing is a load of crap primarily used by Neways distributors to attempt to scare you into buying their products.

Jan Drew: And then if you read this newsgroup for a while, you’ll find hissy fits thrown over the slightest little things, but very little interest in the needless mistakes and deaths from conventional medicine. Jan

Yeah, like that crazy lady who keeps posting "CHECK THE TEETH"!

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a 10yr old boy who has had eczema since birth when it flares up it gets infected and bleeds its not weeping but his skin goes scabby and he’s constantly scratching until it bleeds I have tried aeurocort, and viscopaste bandages but I’m wondering whether there are any herbal remedys out there to help him? It may be helpful if you would switch your shampoo, bath soap, etc. to something that does not contain sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, TEA, colors or propylene glycol.  If you do some research, you will find that sodium lauryl sulfate is a surfactant that is a harsh detergent and wetting agent used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, and auto cleaning products.  It is a common skin and scalp irritant according to the scientific community. It is also rapidly absorbed and retained in the eyes, brain, heart and liver, which may result in harmful long-term effects.  In addition, SLS could retard healing, cause cataracts in adults and keep children’s eyes from developing properly. If you do more thorough research, you will discover that the foregoing is a load of crap primarily used by Neways distributors to attempt to scare you into buying their products. And then if you read this newsgroup for a while, you’ll find hissy fits thrown over the slightest little things, but very little interest in the needless mistakes and deaths from conventional medicine.

Gee, Jan, do you suppose that’s because the newsgroup is for discussion of *alternative* medicine?  It’s not misc.health.bash.the.mds, no matter how much you love doing that. Thank you Jan.  I have done a little reading and have found that some people imagine themselves to be so-called "moderators."  However, a moderator usually injects alternate ideas or proposes food for thought rather than attacking those whose intentions are merely to offer some guidance.  I would be interested to hear David’s thoughts on what would be helpful for those who suffer from eczema.

The obvious first step in this case would be to try switching soaps, shampoos, etc.  It could be a reaction to some ingredient in whatever is being used at the moment.  However, there is no reason to inject the Neways Note of Hysteria about SLS, propylene glycol, etc.  The maligned ingredients are not the horrific substances that their detractors attempt to make them. The original poster needed to go into more detail about what approaches he or she had tried so far in terms of changing products, doctor visits, etc.   — David Wright :: alphabeta at prodigy.net      These are my opinions only, but they’re almost always correct.        "If I have not seen as far as others, it is because giants                   were standing on my shoulders."

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a 10yr old boy who has had eczema since birth when it flares up it gets infected and bleeds its not weeping but his skin goes scabby and he’s constantly scratching until it bleeds I have tried aeurocort, and viscopaste bandages but I’m wondering whether there are any herbal remedys out there to help him? It may be helpful if you would switch your shampoo, bath soap, etc. to something that does not contain sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, TEA, colors or propylene glycol.  If you do some research, you will find that sodium lauryl sulfate is a surfactant that is a harsh detergent and wetting agent used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, and auto cleaning products.  It is a common skin and scalp irritant according to the scientific community. It is also rapidly absorbed and retained in the eyes, brain, heart and liver, which may result in harmful long-term effects.  In addition, SLS could retard healing, cause cataracts in adults and keep children’s eyes from developing properly.

If you do more thorough research, you will discover that the foregoing is a load of crap primarily used by Neways distributors to attempt to scare you into buying their products.   — David Wright :: alphabeta at prodigy.net      These are my opinions only, but they’re almost always correct.        "If I have not seen as far as others, it is because giants                   were standing on my shoulders."

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a 10yr old boy who has had eczema since birth when it flares up it gets infected and bleeds its not weeping but his skin goes scabby and he’s constantly scratching until it bleeds I have tried aeurocort, and viscopaste bandages but I’m wondering whether there are any herbal remedys out there to help him? It may be helpful if you would switch your shampoo, bath soap, etc. to something that does not contain sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, TEA, colors or propylene glycol.  If you do some research, you will find that sodium lauryl sulfate is a surfactant that is a harsh detergent and wetting agent used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, and auto cleaning products.  It is a common skin and scalp irritant according to the scientific community. It is also rapidly absorbed and retained in the eyes, brain, heart and liver, which may result in harmful long-term effects.  In addition, SLS could retard healing, cause cataracts in adults and keep children’s eyes from developing properly. If you do more thorough research, you will discover that the foregoing is a load of crap primarily used by Neways distributors to attempt to scare you into buying their products. And then if you read this newsgroup for a while, you’ll find hissy fits thrown over the slightest little things, but very little interest in the needless mistakes and deaths from conventional medicine. Jan

Thank you Jan.  I have done a little reading and have found that some people imagine themselves to be so-called "moderators."  However, a moderator usually injects alternate ideas or proposes food for thought rather than attacking those whose intentions are merely to offer some guidance.  I would be interested to hear David’s thoughts on what would be helpful for those who suffer from eczema. Your Longevity

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a 10yr old boy who has had eczema since birth when it flares up it gets infected and bleeds its not weeping but his skin goes scabby and he’s constantly scratching until it bleeds I have tried aeurocort, and viscopaste bandages but I’m wondering whether there are any herbal remedys out there to help him? It may be helpful if you would switch your shampoo, bath soap, etc. to something that does not contain sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, TEA, colors or propylene glycol.  If you do some research, you will find that sodium lauryl sulfate is a surfactant that is a harsh detergent and wetting agent used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, and auto cleaning products.  It is a common skin and scalp irritant according to the scientific community. It is also rapidly absorbed and retained in the eyes, brain, heart and liver, which may result in harmful long-term effects.  In addition, SLS could retard healing, cause cataracts in adults and keep children’s eyes from developing properly. If you do more thorough research, you will discover that the foregoing is a load of crap primarily used by Neways distributors to attempt to scare you into buying their products.

And then if you read this newsgroup for a while, you’ll find hissy fits thrown over the slightest little things, but very little interest in the needless mistakes and deaths from conventional medicine. Jan

Response:

Do send them some of your posts while you are at it. Perhaps they are interested in those who try to deconstruct others. Jan The world cares very little about what a person knows; it is what the person is able to do that counts. Booker T Washington

Response:

I have a 10yr old boy who has had eczema since birth when it flares up it gets infected and bleeds its not weeping but his skin goes scabby and he’s constantly scratching until it bleeds I have tried aeurocort, and viscopaste bandages but I’m wondering whether there are any herbal remedys out there to help him?

It may be helpful if you would switch your shampoo, bath soap, etc. to something that does not contain sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, TEA, colors or propylene glycol.  If you do some research, you will find that sodium lauryl sulfate is a surfactant that is a harsh detergent and wetting agent used in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, and auto cleaning products.  It is a common skin and scalp irritant according to the scientific community. It is also rapidly absorbed and retained in the eyes, brain, heart and liver, which may result in harmful long-term effects.  In addition, SLS could retard healing, cause cataracts in adults and keep children’s eyes from developing properly. Your Longevity

Response:

I have a 10yr old boy who has had eczema since birth when it flares up it gets infected and bleeds its not weeping but his skin goes scabby and he’s constantly scratching until it bleeds I have tried aeurocort, and viscopaste bandages but I’m wondering whether there are any herbal remedys out there to help him?

Response:

I have a 10yr old boy who has had eczema since birth when it flares up it gets infected and bleeds its not weeping but his skin goes scabby and he’s constantly scratching until it bleeds I have tried aeurocort, and viscopaste bandages but I’m wondering whether there are any herbal remedys out there to help him?

Has he been checked for psoriasis?  And have you looked for the cause of the eczema in allergies?   Ask in alt.folklore.herbs about treatments.   Tsu Dho Nimh It is my job to completely create professional technology in order that we may seamlessly supply competitive data.

Response:

I am the junior herbalist at http://www.tibetanherbs.com

So what happened to the parkinson’s patient? YOU LYING SPAMMING HYPOCRITE!   What do the sutras say about spamming newsgroups when the charter of the group prohibits it?  What do the sutras say about lying for profit … you are the admin contact for the site This is their web address http://www.tibetanherbs.com

Yes, and anyone who knows how to use a whois site can find this: Registrant:  Traditional Tibetan Healing Inc.  13 Harrison Street  Somerville, MA 02143  US  Domain Name: TIBETANHERBS.COM  Sponsoring Reseller; for Technical Support  with respect to this domain contact:     614-865-1527  Administrative Contact:     13 Harrison Street     Somerville, MA 02143     US     617-666-8635  Technical Contact:     P.O Box 141313     Columbus, OH 43214     US     614-865-1527  Billing Contact:     13 Harrison Street     Somerville, MA 02143     US     617-666-8635 Tsu Dho Nimh It is my job to completely create professional technology in order that we may seamlessly supply competitive data.

Response:

Dont you have something else to do. We have 3 people currently working from the same computer at different times since we have just started our business. Just look at the information that our herbalist has written. Go search for anywhere else on the internet and they all have a bad theory We are not a company here just for profit. We are looking forward to healing you. Tsu do nimh visit our website and see the guarantee and go find that guarantee anywhere else. You should be ashamed of yourself you jerk.

You, John, are a spamming jerk.  Quit spamming.  Quit complaining about being told not to spam.  

Response:

Hi,   anyone know a holistic cure for eczema?  I’ve got it on my face: red inflamed skin which flakes white dead skin from its surface. I also get a stomach ache that moves around randomly and is worse when the eczema is worse and when the stomach ache dies down then so does the eczema. Must be a link there.

Sounds like psoriasis,which is definitely stress-influenced. I also suffer from stress very easily.

The skin poroblem is a SYMPTOM of the stress.  Deal with your stressors and then see ig you stillhave a skin problem. Tsu Dho Nimh — Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you criticize him, you are a mile away from him and you have his shoes.

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True – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi,   anyone know a holistic cure for eczema?  I’ve got it on my face: red inflamed skin which flakes white dead skin from its surface. I also get a stomach ache that moves around randomly and is worse when the eczema is worse and when the stomach ache dies down then so does the eczema. Must be a link there. Sounds like psoriasis,which is definitely stress-influenced. I also suffer from stress very easily. The skin poroblem is a SYMPTOM of the stress.  Deal with your stressors and then see ig you stillhave a skin problem. Tsu Dho Nimh — Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you criticize him, you are a mile away from him and you have his shoes.

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Hi,    anyone know a holistic cure for eczema?  I’ve got it on my face: red inflamed skin which flakes white dead skin from its surface. I also get a stomach ache that moves around randomly and is worse when the eczema is worse and when the stomach ache dies down then so does the eczema. Must be a link there. I also suffer from stress very easily. desperate for a cure Scott. — Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server – http://www.Mailgate.ORG

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Can anyone with sufficient knowledge in this area comment on what you know about eczema, and specifically about the relationship between eczema and diary consumption.  What remedies do you know that work for this condition – to either lessen it considerably or to eliminate it altogether.

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Eczema is an allergic skin condition. Like many allergic conditions, consumption of dairy products sometimes makes it worse. What happens in these cases is that an allergy to milk contributes to the eczema. To see if dairy products are making your eczema worse, don’t consume any dairy products for 4-6 weeks and note the changes. Then drink a glass or two of milk and notice how your eczema responds. If you want to try to treat your eczema yourself, I suggest taking 500 mg. capsules of Evening Primrose Oil or Black Currant Oil twice a day. These oils are often effective treatments for skin inflamations, but you will need to take them for at least a month before you see the effect. If you want professional help for your eczema, I would suggest seeing a homeopathic doctor. Homeopathy is often effective against eczema and other skin problems. The National Center for Homeopathy can help you find a homeopathic doctor in your area. Call them at (703) 548-7790. —

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Eczema is an allergic skin condition. Like many allergic conditions, consumption of dairy products sometimes makes it worse. What happens in these cases is that an allergy to milk contributes to the eczema. To see if dairy products are making your eczema worse, don’t consume any dairy products for 4-6 weeks and note the changes. Then drink a glass or two of milk and notice how your eczema responds. If you want to try to treat your eczema yourself, I suggest taking 500 mg. capsules of Evening Primrose Oil or Black Currant Oil twice a day.

I suggest you try a teaspoon of flax seed oil daily. It is much cheaper than EPO or BCO and just as effective. In fact I found EPO made my eczema worse. —  "From an early age, I have abjured the use of meat, and the time will  come when men will look upon the murder of animals as they look upon  the murder of men."                 — Leonardo Da Vinci

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Eliminating dairy products from my then 6 year old’s diet completely cleared up a bad case of eczema that she has had since age 11 months. They only times she has a problems with it is when she cheats on her diet, she is sick (which is rare, only once in 2 years), or other allergies are aggrevated.   I strongly recommend NOT seeing conventional doctors about this.  Unless they are willing to treat the actual cause of the problem or are willing to even look for the cause of the problem, they are really not doing you any favors.  My experience has been that they are too quick to pass out steroid creams (or even pills!) which cover up the symptoms of a problem and, in my opinion, cause more harm than good.  Clearing up my child’s milk allergy problem (her skin scratch test was negative – they are not very accurate said the allergist) has helped with other problems that one would think were unrelated.  Aside from congestion, runny nose and ear infections which it did eliminate, it also eliminated her sleepwalking. Almost every night at precisely 11:00 to 11:30 for 4 years she did this. Once she even got out of the house and tried to get a neighborhood friend to play with her at 3:00 AM.  Within 3 weeks most of her problems were gone (she is now and she has only walked in her sleep twice since then. Andrea Kwiatkowski

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help!!  can anyone suggest a remedy for eczema.  i’ve already tried the following: cranberry juice cod liver oil various cortizone creams from 5 different specialists aloe vera vitamin e ETC…. it appears mostly on my legs and back and scalp.  it will disappear in the summer, but returns in the winter would appreciate some serious suggestions. thanks  jeni

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I only can give you TEMPORARY suggestions for relief. My eczema flares up in cycle very viciously and this is what I do: If it is extremely bad I soak in a colloidal oatmeal bath for 20-25 minutes (try Aveeno).  Afterwards I apply the topical corticosteroid to the infected areas.  Then I put on moisturizer (make sure that it is fragrance free).  Keep applying the corticosteroid every few hours. Also, make sure you take a strong antihistamine to calm down the itching.  Make sure that your skin is always "moisturized" because dry flaky skin will always exacerbate the problem.  Vitamin E is only good for cuts and maybe scars.  The best thing I can suggest is that you maintain a good skin care routine.  My skin is not always "eczema-free" but I have noticed that it has become better by adopting a good routine.  I cannot really give you real specific suggestions until knowing what your eczema outbreak looks like.  I am not a MD but through all the crap I have suffered through I know what helps and what dosen’t.  Feel free to e-mail me with any questions. shawn

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I’m 25 and i’ve suffered from eczema all my life. I’ve tried all sorts of remedies from the doctor-prescribed steroid creams and lotions to acupuncture and hypnosis. I’d appreciate any other suggetions however wild and far-fetched. I’m at my witts end and feeling quite weary. thanks Sarah — Bsc in Electronic Imaging and Medea Communications pending

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: ….. suffered from eczema all my life… : I’d appreciate any other suggetions….. — I had that problem years ago.  I lived in a cold, dry climate and found that it disappeared on a trip to Mexico. It never really came back  and I have since moved to a warm, moist climate.  

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chford) writes: I’m 25 and i’ve suffered from eczema all my life. I’ve tried all sorts of remedies from the doctor-prescribed steroid creams and lotions to acupuncture and hypnosis. I’d appreciate any other suggetions however wild and far-fetched. I’m at my witts end and feeling quite weary.

As a topical application, a sorbalene base cream made with the succuss of chickweed is very helpful for the symptoms, and you might find that some sort of allergy is the cause, and I know that biolab in Englant is very affective for these sort of tests. The next thing is to observe anything in your environment that may be adding to the toxic overload in your body, then try and remove that, as well as treating the toxicity with antioxidants and a depurative (ask a herbalist) I would recomend burdock, but some people are allergic to it, so if you have a reaction, get back to me and I will recomend another. Natasha

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I’m 25 and i’ve suffered from eczema all my life. I’ve tried all sorts of remedies from the doctor-prescribed steroid creams and lotions to acupuncture and hypnosis.

After years of doing various cortisone treatments,etc.  I found a world-class homeopathist and began a treatment with her.  During the time I totally stayed away from all cortisone things, acupuncture or other alternative treatments, other than chiropractic, which is ok. It took about four years, and a lot of heavy eczema episodes in that time (the stuff "coming out") but I am 99% cured.  And as I undertand it, it is CURED, not just temporarily soothed, as topical treatments tend to do. I was sceptical going into it (what can these little sugary pills really do, afterall?), but nothing else offered any hope.  Now, I am quite a believer. If you go this route – it’s important I think to find a really n=knoweldgable homeopathist – not just a self-prescribed or rookie regime. Good Luck,

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: After years of doing various cortisone treatments,etc.  I found a : world-class homeopathist and began a treatment with her.  During the time : I totally stayed away from all cortisone things, acupuncture or : other alternative treatments, other than chiropractic, which is ok. Properly used herbals also don’t seem to interfere. Glad you had this result! It is the expected result of traditional homeopathic therapy for such chronic, inherited disease.

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