Hello everyone,
As I mentioned in my previous post, I decided to try a new method to improve DON absorption. Ideally, an IV or subcutaneous administration would be best, but that’s a bit above my pay grade right now. I might consider subcutaneous in the future if I can figure out the reconstitution values from previous studies. I haven’t delved too deeply yet, as the risk/reward hasn’t entirely tipped in that favour.
So, for dose one of this new method, I decided to go with 0.6mg/kg of body weight, which totalled 36mg placed into an enteric-coated capsule. Based on how I felt about an hour after taking Metformin, I gauged my gastric emptying time to be around an hour. I had my DON dosing all planned for 10:00, theoretically moving from my stomach to my small intestines by 11:00, then ramping up in my system slowly. By noon, I planned to be in the HBOT tank, reaching peak plasma concentration by 13:00 and staying there until 14:00. This was the plan, and I was so focused on the 10:00 dose that I completely forgot to plan for the regular meds I take daily in the morning.
At 09:30, when I realized I also needed to take my usual morning meds—anastrozole, green tea, Berberine, Effexor, Metformin, and fish oil—I decided it wasn’t too late. I took those at 09:30 and then the DON at 10:00. I ran a bit late for HBOT, having mistimed the traffic. Very close to the HBOT, a familiar feeling came over me—was I going to be sick? No urgency at first, but then, as I’m flying down the Malahat, my mouth starts watering. Suddenly, about two tablespoons of bright yellow liquid spray came out of my mouth onto my dashboard as I reached for an empty Tim Hortons tea cup to puke into. Some got on my crisp white shirt, and some, but very little, made it into the cup. That was at 12:05, but after that, I was fine. I got into the tank and was up to pressure by 12:30. I came out at 15:00 and was totally fine.
I’ve had a few people ask if I’m okay, thinking that this is a bad reaction, but to clarify, I am more than happy to puke to at least know it’s real DON and it’s likely working. Obviously, I’d prefer just mild nausea, but if it tips over that slightly, it just means I won’t up my dose. I may stay the same or down to 0.5mg/kg.
But I am curious about why I puked up what looked like Berberine. I’m thinking out loud, so feel free to jump in if you see something I am wrong about or missing. If I took the Berberine at 09:30 and the DON at 10:00 and puked up Berberine, then it had to still be in my stomach to puke up. If the pill I took at 09:30 had its contents floating around my stomach at 12:05, then the DON in the enteric capsule would have also still been in my stomach. But if it was the DON that made me sick (and this was a DON-made-me-sick feeling), then the contents of the enteric capsule must have at least partially leaked, but probably completely leaked.
So, that leaves me with two questions:
1. Why did a dose as small as 0.6mg (going into the stomach) make me puke when before that did nothing?
- I have no clue, but it makes me more confident that Protocol 4 was counterfeit. Read the protocol four posts for those who don’t know what I am talking about.
2. Why did the meds sit in my stomach for so long?
- Perhaps my guesswork on personal gastric emptying is wrong. I want to get gastric emptying scintigraphy. This test would show my speed since everyone is different, but I assume it will be a PIA to get a doctor within our disease management systems (not a health management system). I won’t order one because I don’t yet have a gastric disorder. However, I am possibly on my way. Or the Metformin has reduced gastric emptying time. Upon quick search, I did find this comment, “Metformin has been reported to slow gastric emptying in some cases.” Ding Ding. This is probably it.
So, on Friday, I will take my meds way early in the morning, like at 07:00, and then my HBOT is a bit later. So I won’t be taking DON until 11:00, then getting into the tank until 13:00. If my stomach is not holding onto the enteric-coated pill overly long, it should pass to the intestines as planned.
Until Friday, my friends! Feel free to weigh in on any of this – I am no expert and open to others’ thoughts.