Is it possible for you to get a blood sirolimus level test where you live? It would be really interesting to know what levels you’re getting from your combination. Between the GFJ and EVOO you could be getting from 3 to 6 X or higher the normal levels, so equivalent to up to 24mg or more. Everyone is different… I’ve tried as high as 28mg equivalent (with GFJ and EVOO) with no noticeable side effects, but then I also got a mouth sore at around 6mg once, and used to get rashes every dose when I wore my Fitbit (which I’ve now stopped wearing due to this issue). Everyone is different. You may be finding that this dose level is too high for you (if you don’t want the side effect).
From what I’ve read, rapamycin does penetrate the blood-brain barrier, and probably the higher you go the greater the penetration (though I doubt its from the topically-applied head lotion).
Rashes are such a common issue with rapamycin, that I suspect its mostly the rapamycin that is your issue.
To be honest, the rash is just an eyesore. I don’t want to lose any health benefits for a cosmetic issue. I was more worried about the hand rash, but I would like to find a solution to the neck one as well. I am trying lots of lotions and creams. Antibacterial ones seem to be working best.
As for a blood sirolimus test, I will talk to my hospital when I get my next health check-up.
Also, since taking 4 mg + GFJ + EVOO, I have developed a craving for hamburgers. I normally do not have this. Is this a sign that I may have affected my MTOR2 pathways since my body is craving meat?
I guess anything is possible, but I certainly haven’t noticed this, but then I am on a relatively low carbohydrate diet. I don’t recall having seen this mentioned here or on other forums.
Sorry, but my lab is unavailable right now. When I have my team of doctors available to do a full scientific analysis, I’ll let you know. Maybe you can share yours in the meantime.
Considering how many stories here are anecdotal, including the one on the front page right now…
I was wondering if others had experienced the same thing. If not, then it’s probably not the Rapamycin. I just found it odd and out of character for me. The higher dosage is the only big change I’ve made recently.
I admit, it is kinda cheesy in a cheeseburger sort of way…
It seems like many that are experiencing sides are also using grapefruit juice. Is there a possibility that in addition to increasing the blood levels of rapa, it is causing addition side effects in some other manner? The write up on my prescription specifically states GFJ will increase sides
They’ve done studies on this… they evaluated rapamycin (sirolimus) with GFJ because it greatly increases the bioavailability (by about 3.5 times on average, but it seems there can be a very wide range of responses - from 3X to 6X or higher).
The point of trying this, was to actually reduce side effects for a given equivalent dosing… because in Cancer patients they were testing as high as 90mg doses of rapamycin per day and that causes lots of side effects like diarrhea, GI issues, etc.
The answer to your question about does GFJ increase side effects is sort of yes and sort of no. Because rapamycin increases your “effective dose” by 3 to 6 X what you are taking, it does increase the risk of side effects. But, if you compare the side effects (for example), of taking 30mg dose of rapamycin via 30 tablets of 1mg sirolimus, to taking 10mg consisting of 10X1mg tablets of sirolimus with GFJ, then the side effects tend to be lower than if you are taking the 30 tablets.
You can read all about it at these following links:
I’ve been doing it with GFJ and dealing with cystic acne as a side effect. I’ve done a 2 week washout and I’m going to start a higher once-a-week dose without GFJ to see if that makes a difference
I have upped my dosage to 5 mg + GFJ + EVOO + metformin on a bi-weekly schedule. Surprisingly the negative side effects are diminished. The rashes on my right hand and neck have reappeared in the same spots (exactly) but are much fainter than before. No canker sores. The euphoric fatigue occurred the day after dosing and was much more euphoric and less fatiguing. This doesn’t make sense to me unless my body is adapting better to taking Rapamycin. The only major change is that I have added more exercise into my lifestyle over the past two weeks (daily squats) so this could be a factor. Also have been getting a lot of sleep as I have been on vacation for the past 10 days and been sleeping in an extra 3 hours.
I started at 1 mg a week with grapefruit juice and doubled every week till I reached 6 mg, still with grapefruit juice.
I got a cold sore on week 2 or 3, which is highly unusual for me — I only got them when I was feeling and eating and sleeping like utter crap and under a ton of stress back in 2020. That’s latent herpes simplex virus so it’s clearly rearing its head due to the immunosuppressant effect of rapa.
Also last week I got a lot of little pimples on my face. I have unusually clear skin so anything like that stands out. I treated them with a high frequency wand and they’re gone.
A few days ago I also felt the slightest hint of a UTI — because I’ve had them so much in the past I have a spidey sense for when one is around the corner. Went ballistic on cranberry extract pills and it seems gone.
The last thing is elevated resting heart rate the month since I’ve started taking rapa.
This last one is the only thing that truly concerns me as it probably indicates that I’m taking my next dose before all the rapa has cleared my system. Haven’t done any blood tests yet to perfect my timing so I’ll try switching to biweekly schedule of the same dosage which is still pretty high if taken with GJ.
Re: UTI: try D-Mannose instead. It’s astonishingly effective. I would now use d-Mannose over anything when I feel UTI coming on. I have found it more effective than even Rx antibiotics.
I ordered it a few days ago! Between it and the cranberry pills those UTIs won’t stand a chance. But it was interesting that one was starting to bud. Rapa does have a mild immunosuppressive effect even at our pulsed weekly doses. I think part of body inflammation attacks pathogens so a side effect of systemically lowered inflammation can be greater susceptibility to them. Even the skin rashes and pimples people have reported have an element of dermal colonization by fungi or bacteria.
Rapa does have a mild immunosuppressive effect even at our pulsed weekly doses. I think part of body inflammation attacks pathogens so a side effect of systemically lowered inflammation can be greater susceptibility to them.
I have found the same. I find it intriguing that–for myself, anyway–these side-effects seem to fade after weeks of doses. I wish I understood that better.
Hmm what is your dose though? And do / did your symptoms include higher resting heart rate? It’s the only one that worries me a bit. Yeah the others have faded for me, the body probably adjusts to a new equilibrium.
You really are the king of anecdote.