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Hi Everybody, I haven't been around here for a while but an email from James just woke me up. I imagine you all got it, the one about daclatasvir probably being used in Iran for covid19.

I've already been through it with sof and dac and I'm SVR now. Which is to say that I'm used to receiving strange pills in the post from trusted sources. I am 70 years old and I'm wondering if I should order a course of dac in case I get covid19? I am in the UK where the virus is not in check at all so I do feel that I am at risk.

dointime

Probably a good idea to take a look at the papers Dr. James posted with regard to Indomethacin, as well. As the drug is used for arthritis (with which I have a history thanks to Hep C - hip replacements, spinal stenosis), obtaining a prescription though an online physician wasn't a problem.

Not taking it currently, but now have a supply available for myself and my wife "just in case".

From Dr. James letter it looks like Sof/Dac rather than Daclatasvir alone was used by the Iranians to cure SARS-CoV2 (Covid 19).

Have no idea what the going price is, but if I came down with Covid 19 symptoms again, having already tolerated generic DAA's well during my Hep C treatment in 2016, I would most likely not hesitate to do so again.

Hi Fitz, thanks for this amazing information! I have looked at the papers that Dr James posted, also your previous post on the subject and I've ordered the Indomethacin. Given the price and the ease of access it's a no brainer.

I read the article about the Iran trials again. The way I read it, Dr James is suggesting at the end that dac by itself (without the sof) might be enough, seeing that resistance should not develop until after the covid19 infection is over. I don't right now have a source of dac who is willing to send without prescription or a doc willing to prescribe off label but I think this is still worth pursuing. (Dr James, if you would be willing to supply dac for covid19 please pm me).

So, all the best to you Fitz, and Dr James - humanity needs you! I thought I was done with kicking viral ass but it turns out hepC was just the first round. Oh well, on with the virus slaying,

dointime

Good to hear you were able to get a supply of Indomethacin

Still nothing reported about this in the US. But given the fact that like Hydroxycloroquine, it's off patent and difficult for drug companies to charge a ransom for, its not surprising no one is writing about it.

With few exceptions, the politicized media here in the US is panning Hydroxycloroquine while extolling the virtues of Gileads expensive Ebola drug Remdesivir. You'd almost think they were on big pharma's payroll

One interesting tidbit that's come out is Covid 19's clotting effect. Current thinking is that the 'vampire virus' (my term) inexplicably causes micro-clots which in turn block oxygen exchange in the lungs, and lead to sypmptoms like 'Covid toes', strokes, and organ failure.

Perhaps another reason why the NSAID Indomethacin (aside from powereful anti-viral properties) has promise in treating SARS-CoV2?

I really do hope that Indomethacinis is effective enough to stave off a visit to the ICU. I've put my order in to a trusted source which requires no prescription but unfortunately takes a long time to ship because of not many planes flying.

I heard that Trump had an interest in hydroxycloroquine but I don't know if that is true.

I hadn't heard about the micro-clots issue so that's interesting. Man is this virus scary. Here in the UK there are no cures being touted, just a hopeless procession of high figures for daily death toll and infection rate and politicians who dropped the ball and are destitute of answers. Going to a medical facility has as much chance of killing you as curing you. It's bad, bad, bad and no letup in sight until an effective vaccine is available.

dointime

Sorry to hear things are so rough in the UK. Here, they're actually getting pretty good results with HCQ.

And yes the political media WAS reporting that, and all manner of other nonsense, all the time, but that's long debunked as it turns out one of the blind funds he's invested in owns a $1,000 share of a company that produces the stuff.

Meanwhile Gilead is running commercials non-stop on the same outlets that 'broke' the now debunked story, so use your imagination as to the motivation for the dangerously flawed reporting.

We are also getting real news from a Stanford University study which found the actual rate of infection is between 50 to 85 times the numbers being reported. Because many don't show symptoms, have no idea they've had the virus and widespread serological antibody testing is only now being rolled out, there is discussion that once all is said and done the actual mortality rate will prove to be much LOWER that current models predict, by orders of magnitude.

Common sense tells me that at the truly unprecedented rate this spreads, it's already washed through large segments of the population, and while the mortality rates are no less alarming, they represent only a tiny fraction of those already exposed, infected, who are or were asymptomatic, and are now (or soon to be) immune.

If I'm right, we're already closing in on a level of 'herd immunity'. If not, it'll be a rough ride for some time to come.

Either way, finding effective treatments for those who do get sick is imperative, and I'm really relieved Dr. James is leading the way on this.

I wasn't able to get any HCQ. Forget about doctors here writing a prescription off label, and most countries are forbidding export of their HCQ. Interesting to hear that it is giving good results. I mean, lets use anything at all that helps.

Even if you are right about the extent of the infection, I think you are making a flawed asumption that the infected will remain immune for long enough to give significant herd immunity. Countries which were early in their first wave of infection like South Korea are reporting that some people who were cured of covid19 are getting it again. Corona viruses leave a notoriously short immune response in the host. A good vaccine should create a longer lasting response than getting infected with the actual virus will.

There's still a lot that's not known but my bet is that it'll be a rough ride for some time to come. Dr James is not going to run out of work any time soon.

dointime

Hope you're wrong about immunity. For what its worth, the consensus among the talking heads with medical degrees here is that immunity will last a while. If not, it stands to reason that even the best vaccines will have a limited period of efficacy.

We are definitely hearing very positive numbers from physicians treating with HCQ. I didn't even bother trying to get a prescription personally ( many of the docs here were hoarding it for themselves and their families), but did pick up high doseCinchona (natural quinine) while I was still sick.

In terms of continued mortality numbers, yes I agree. As of today the official count in the US is north of 47,000 and by tomorrow or the next day, we'll easily surpass 50K.

From all accounts a vaccine is still a year or so out, so here's hoping the tools we already have work!

They are talking here that vaccine efficacy could last a year. That's the hope. Natural immunisation from the virus less than that. Nobody actually knows yet, but to assume you are immune because you've had covid19 could be a mistake. I mean, what a bummer to get it twice.

I quote your words about cinchona from another thread:
"About 10 days in, I sought out and found Cinchona tablets, and some rather powerful low sugar high quinine tonic water, and perhaps it was placebo effect, but I began to feel better within a very short time after starting the Cinchona and tonic combination."

I'm reading all kinds of warnings about cinchona but with your recommendation and the advice of a herbalist I'd give it a try.

It has been so interesting hearing about how it is going over your way and what people are trying. They are really not trying anything here except to make a vaccine. It feels like we are all still horror-struck by the images out of Italy of zombies on ventilators dying en masse. It is refreshing to hear a bit of can-do out of the US, and Tasmania.

dointime

You know - and I'm sure my experience isn't at all unique - when I decided I wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer and simply allow the system to determine my worthiness to live or die from Hep C, a light went on. And, it's stayed on.

I will never again take 'no' for an answer.

"Can do", or "can't do" in a connected world is a completely false choice. I sought out Fix HepC because I understand this, and you sought out Fix Hep C for the same reason. James Freeman knows "can't do" is a false construct, and literally lives, and embodies the spirit of "Can Do".

If there's a cure, a better way, he'll set out to find it, and share it with the entire world when he does.

I rather suspect that your PM didn't recover on Oxygen therapy alone, but things being as they are, if whatever allowed him to emerge alive on the other side of this plague wasn't immediately available to everyone, he'd have been tarred and feathered, and run out of office on a rail as an 'elite'.

Hopefully, whatever that was will make its way very soon into the public health system.

Great post Fitz!

You express exactly why I am out here looking for any weapon I can find, rather than just sitting and waiting for covid19 to come and run me over.

As for your speculation about our pm, sadly I don't agree. The UK is the home of all things 'elite' starting at the top with the monarchy. Preserving the class system is what the UK is all about. The British people have acquiesced to this for centuries and I can't see it changing now.

dointime

Thanks for the kind words, dointime

As for your PM's treatment, that's just my theory. Could well be wrong.

I also suspect the US President, Vice President, and not a few of the cabinet are on prophylactic HCQ, and maybe other things. But once again, that's just conjecture on my part.

Anything besides Remdesivir( with which our media in the US is currently infatuated - because Pharma $$$), is being hyper politicized. A shame, really.

I'm grateful we have Dr. James in our corner, the opportunity to learn about promising new treatments, and to carry on a frank and productive discussion here . What a wonderful thing!

Be well my friend!