Sorry I haven't answered your post Bill, but I've been held prisoner for a week in hospital and I'm trying to catch up. But I've been reading these posts with interest, keep up the work and thank you for the update.

Fred.

No worries, Fred. I hope you get a good rest after masterminding your escape. I took the cysteine and DMF after a meal again this afternoon. My objective in doing this is to get the two agents to form a conjugate in my stomach via a Michael addition and so reduce my side effects. I use l-cysteine and not acetyl cysteine. I do not know whether there is a difference in their reactivity with DMF. I tried a slightly bigger dose of cysteine with the DMF (1.75 grams; no cysteine taken this morning), but it did not seem to reduce the side effects any more than the 1.3 gram dose.

Cheers,

Bill

Well, I thought I might make taking DMF a little easier by mixing it first with l-cycteine in the hope that the result would be something more palatable. No such luck, but I have another idea. While I think a cysteine DMF conjugate is an idea worth investigating, it is a job for an industrial chemist, not me. Instead, I will try freezing the DMF in an ice cube. A lump of ice should be much easier to swallow and should disperse quickly in the stomach. I am now on a single dose of DMF weekly (810 mg) and daily doses of l-cysteine (~1.3 grams). I do get a little arthritis returning on the last couple of days, but the disease is almost gone and slowly reducing: So for this reason, the side effects and the risk of dropping my lymphocyte count I have no interest in taking DMF more often. The other advantage is that my DMF supply will last for over ten years, so it is a very safe and effective treatment for less than $8 US per year. I just wish it was a little more fun.

Cheers,

Bill

Hi Bill it's always good to read your updates, you are always thinking of new ways to take your dmf . Freezing in ice cubes is a novel idea. I hope it makes it more palatable for you, as it does work wonders on your disease

its certainly a cheap and very effective treatment for you
Thanks for the update
Jim

Thanks, Jim. Dr Schweckendiek esterified fumaric acid to make it absorbable, and in the process created a very effective drug with very unpleasant side effects. Creating a conjugate has the potential to reduce the side effects without altering the efficacy. My tummy ache may yet be a driving force.

Cheers,

Bill

Bill you say your supply will last ten years. Does it not have a use by date or once opened time limit. I was just wondering as some things spoil after contact with the air, etc.

I like your ice cube idea, but again will it affect the DMF in anyway like say ice crystals breaking up the structure.

I'm probably thinking to much as it's not a food product, but I was curious.  

No, the DMF should be stable, but it will sublimate in air very slowly, so it is best kept in an airtight container. Ice should not harm it either, and I will make the cubes on the day I take them.

Cheers,

Bill

(Sun-18-10-2015, 13:55 PM)Bill Wrote: No, the DMF should be stable, but it will sublimate in air very slowly, so it is best kept in an airtight container. Ice should not harm it either, and I will make the cubes on the day I take them.

Cheers,

Bill

Thank you Bill.

I'll watch this space as I've never been able to swallow or even suck ice cubes myself. It makes me shiver just thinking about it.  

Good luck mate.

(Sun-18-10-2015, 14:00 PM)Fred Wrote:

(Sun-18-10-2015, 13:55 PM)Bill Wrote: No, the DMF should be stable, but it will sublimate in air very slowly, so it is best kept in an airtight container. Ice should not harm it either, and I will make the cubes on the day I take them.

Cheers,

Bill

Thank you Bill.

I'll watch this space as I've never been able to swallow or even suck ice cubes myself. It makes me shiver just thinking about it.  

Good luck mate.

Nor me Fred they give me brain freeze. And make my teeth hurt .

I continue to go very well. I have been on doxycycline (100 mg twice daily) for nearly two weeks now. The reduction in arthritis is not huge, but it is noticeable and I am testing a reduction of my 800 mg DMF doses from twice weekly to once every five days. I take the DMF as a powder with a sweet drink, and I find this as easy as any other method. While I am sure that the l-cysteine is useful, I have so little psoriasis now (PASI of ~0.1) that I am only taking about a gram a day. I continue to use a tar based topical which I find helpful.

At this stage the challenge for me is to increase the flexibility of my spine. I have been using an inversion table since early 2012, as well as occasional traction to help me stretch. My goal at this stage is to be able to lie flat. Currently I am within 5 cm of this goal and I hope to achieve this before the end of next year.

Cheers,

Bill