Previously on HU I have mentioned the use of a nasal spray called "XLEAR" as a very good nasal spray to help treat sinus infections and nasal issues in general. This product contains xylitol and grapefruit seed extract which can both kill certain bacteria, virus and both have biofilm busting qualities all contributing to the effectiveness of this nasal spray.
This new study also suggests that XLEAR may help treat an existing Covid-19 infection as an adjunctive treatment that shows potential to speed the recovery process which could be useful and especially if you have other health issues which may be exacerbated by Covid-19 as lessening the duration of Covid-19 infection may help reduce the potential for exacerbation of the existing health condition.
Just thinking out loud hear, but I wonder if using Xlear before going into a crowded area might be useful??? I have used colloidal silver in this way previously, but Xlear is easier for most people to get and is reasonably priced plus you know what you are getting. When I use the colloidal silver, I just put it in a two ounce spray bottle and spray generously into each nostril while inhaling and I suspect I could do similarly with the Xlear product. Here is a link to the product :
Xlear spray is also available at CVS. You want the product that contains grapefruit seed extract and xylitol.
The study mentions that Xlear has shown antibacterial and antiviral properties which potentially include SARS CoV-2. In Covid-19 patients, Xlear was reported to result in rapid clinical improvement and shorten time to negativization on repeat intranasal swab test via PCR.
The clinical reports also lists the way in which the nasal spray was implemented and frequency of use. This study is very interesting and suggests a new and novel use for Xlear as an effective adjunctive treatment for Covid-19.
Art
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A correction. I found Xlear Nasal Spray on Walgreens.com and CVS.com, but apparently Walgreens only carries it on line, but I did buy it at a local CVS pharmacy. I have also ordered it from Amazon. Target and Walmart did not stock it in store either.
I have just ordered Xlear online and didn’t like to respond to this thread when you first posted it for fear of being told it was inappropriate by certain members as my question is regarding me, not my husband who is the PwP.
I have bronchiectasis (lung didn’t clear after double pneumonia) but I want to be around to help my husband.
I had asked park_bear some time ago and he gave me some excellent areas to research.
Apparently NAC breaks down biofilms that are in the lung, and research shows if used in conjunction with a certain antibiotic (can’t remember at the moment which one) excellent results are achieved. After talking to my doctor about it, he said that particular antibiotic was one of the many that I am allergic to. I can tolerate doxycycline but he didn’t think that would have the same result?? He previously had me on doxycycline for 5 MONTHS!! I was too frightened to come off it and subsequently I lost my sense of taste, resulting in losing weight that I couldn’t afford to lose.
I’m trying to work out if by using the Xlear to break down the biofilms, would that then expose the bacteria within to then multiply? You say the Xlear can ‘kill certain bacteria, virus and has biofilm busting qualities’, any possibility it could work on the bronchiectasis without the need for antibiotics?? By using a nasal spray it seems the appropriate way to reach the bronchiectasis. Sorry, so many questions.
Also, I’m with you regarding using a nasal spray before and after shopping. I had previously bought a saline spray to keep the nasal passages moist...so far so good!
This is a tough one and bronchiectasis can be dangerous! I do think the Xlear might be helpful , but little if any is likely to make it to the lungs as a nasal spray. You can also take grapefruit seed extract (GSE) in oral form. It acts to breakdown biofilms, is antimicrobial, antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal. Olive leaf extract is another potent antibacterial that can be taken orally. These two are worth looking into for their potent antibacterial effects. You will have to check with your pharmacist to make sure these two are compatible with whatever meds you are currently taking. The GSE will be important in this aspect because it can interfere with certain drugs and may change their absorption rates. If there is a conflict, it still may be possible to use GSE, buy altering the dosage schedule of GSE away from other meds. Your pharmacist can determine this for you.
Melatonin can help to reduce lung inflammation and elevated oxidative stress, helping the lungs to repair and heal. This is one way that melatonin is thought to be effective in the treatment of Covid-19, by helping to prevent the cytokine storm by stifling excess oxidative stress and inflammation in the lungs and preventing further damage, allowing the lungs to heal. Melatonin can also help prevent fibrosis. It has some similarities with NAC, that park_bear recommended, but it has differences and I think the combination can be useful.
The one thing that I think can be quite useful for this condition is colloidal silver(AgNPs)inhaled through a nebulizer or cold process small room ultrasonic vaporizer, but I can not recommend it because there are no studies. The AgNPs are antibacterial, antibiofilm, antiviral, moderately antifungal and when inhaled directly into the lungs can kill pathogens relatively quickly by interacting directly with the pathogens in the lungs. It is something that I have used for myself, but can't recommend.
I can probably think of more options, but I think this is a good group to try and overcome a tough health condition like this. If you are not tolerant of melatonin, I can suggest a potential replacement. Because of the serious nature of your health issue, you need to discuss these options with your doctor before seriously considering them.
Thanks, Art, for your detailed and prompt reply. It’s greatly appreciated.
I don’t take any prescription drugs for the bronchiectasis, preferring to do daily beach walks to inhale salt air and try and keep up my fitness to help my immune system.
Is there any particular GSE brand that you would recommend? And what quantity please?
I used to take melatonin but only 3 drops per night. How much would you say to have an effect?
Thanks also for the tip on colloidal silver...definitely look into that one as well.
I also take liposomal Vit C, K2, D3, B12, boron and magnesium.
Thank you for all of the really helpful information. It gets a bit overwhelming at times and I tend to put my own health on the back burner.
I hope you realise how much you are appreciated by all on this site and I can’t thank you enough for your reply considering it has nothing to do with Parkinson’s.
Some brands have lower dose capsules, so you have to watch for that. These are 250 mg and the bottle says to take two for a total of 500 mg.
On the melatonin, I would give consideration to the dose that Dr. Neel is using in his patients for Covid-19, but you would need your doctor's approval and monitoring to be safe and of course considering that you tolerate HDM in the first place.
Oh, Art, I can’t thank you enough for thinking of me and supplying this great information! This is so interesting and has definitely come at the right time for me as I’m still recovering from a chest infection.
My doctor has just started me on 600mg NAC daily and I will be seeing her again in 2 weeks so I will take this info in as I’d like to be monitored.
Good luck, Jenny and let me know how the visit goes.
I think in that case report, there was an underlying infection elsewhere in the body that was driving all of the lung issues because when you take colloidal silver orally, it usually doesn't get in the lungs, that is why people nebulize it so they can inhale it directly to the lungs. In such a case, a high potency probiotic may be useful to use at the same time.
Thank you, Art. I will keep you posted. I appreciate you saying that.
I’ve just finished another course of antibiotics so have already started on probiotics and have also recently bought a nebulizer, so I’m good to go with the colloidal silver when given the go ahead by my doctor. 🙏
Just a quick update as I thought you might be interested. I had to stop the 600mg NAC that the doctor put me on as after only 2 capsules I started having a throbbing headache (and still have it) but I didn’t realise it was the NAC until this morning upon waking. So in total I have had 4. Interesting to see how long before it leaves my body.
Looking forward to taking the GSE and colloidal silver information to the doctor after Easter.
Although there are probably few if any studies on the topic, there is plenty of anecdotal reports to suggest that NAC may cause a Herxheimer reaction in some people and a herx reaction often entails a headache and or flu like symptoms such as body ache depending on the level of toxins or pathogens as NAC is known to kill a few pathogens. Melatonin can pretty much do what NAC can do and more in terms of acting as an antioxidant, but it likely offers more protection to the major organs than NAC does. Both increase glutathione and it acts as a detoxifier which is helpful in dealing with a herx.
NAC is a very potent bacterial biofilm destroyer and that debris could potentially cause a herx reaction as the body works to clear the debris field. With your health situation, biofilms are a real possibility.
If it is a herx reaction, it could last a moment, whereas NAC will probably be out of your system in a day or so.
I have had a very mild herx reaction to colloidal silver and iodine, once for each substance. My herx reaction only produced a mild headache for about 3 days, which in the case of colloidal silver was a cross between a headache and a beer buzz. The iodine just produced a mild headache with no beer buzz.
So I hope I’ve read this correctly, if I take some melatonin tonight that should help with the herx reaction? Sorry, but I’ve never heard of it. You are a wealth of knowledge.
Looks like melatonin is my go-to. I’ve had small amounts before so know I can tolerate it.
I’m also taking aspirin to take the edge off the throbbing.
Melatonin is only if NAC is off of the table now. The actual name is a Jarisch- Herxheimer reaction which can result when the body is dealing with getting rid of dead pathogens which it can only do so fast. It can be mild like what I have had or it can be as bad as the flu. Both NAC and melatonin are protective of the lungs.
Generally when a herx reaction occurs or is suspected, stopping the NAC until symptoms subside and then restarting at a lower dose can sometimes allow a person to continue with the NAC, assuming of course that it actually is a herx reaction. Trial and error is the name of that game. Perhaps you can ask the doctor if biofilm die off from the NAC supplementing could cause a herx reaction in you? Since he prescribed it, he might be willing to try NAC a bit longer to see how you do.
Just letting you know that I haven’t been able to get back to the doctor with my questions as we have just today returned from visiting our daughter and whilst there, an unvaccinated infected Covid nurse from interstate attended a hen’s party weekend so the usual Covid restrictions applied, which means that I’m unable to attend my doctor’s surgery for 14 days.
I’ll keep you posted after my rescheduled appointment in 3 weeks.
My doctor today didn’t think the throbbing headache and flu-like symptoms that I had 36 hours after taking the NAC were related to the herx reaction. But I KNOW it was from the NAC! She said any sort of reaction usually happens 7 days after.
She is keen for me to start again at a lower dose, when I’m ready.
She didn’t think that biofilm would die off as a result of supplementing with NAC, but then in the next breath mentioned it’s used with cystic fibrosis patients?? I’m confused 🤔
Once biofilms are broken down, the body, antibacterial supplements and antibiotics can attack the underlying bacteria and this can cause a herx reaction if the die off is fast. With the biofilm intact, the body, antibacterial supplements and or antibiotics can only attack bacteria on the outside of the biofilm which is generally a smaller amount which creates a small die off that the body is able to handle with minimum problem.
Thanks so much, Art. You’re reiterating previous research, and it’s greatly appreciated!
I thought I’d test the doctor to see if we were on the same page. Unfortunately when I first mentioned it she looked a little puzzled. It didn’t give me a lot of confidence.
I asked for a referral back to see the lung specialist as I would like to be monitored more closely. Hopefully he will be more up to speed but sadly as he’s a fly-in-fly-out specialist as we live in the country, it will be many months before I see him.
I’ll give the NAC a lot more thought as I’m not a fan of that reaction I had.
How long did it take for your flu like symptoms to go away once you stopped NAC?
Generally when you have a herx reaction and stop the use of the effective agent, which in your case could be NAC, the symptoms start to decline as the body clears the debris field. Once symptoms are gone, people will sometimes start the agent again at a reduced dose.
It is not a bad thing if this turns out to be a herx reaction because it indicates that the NAC is working to destroy biofilms and or pathogens. The trial and error comes into play in trying to find a dose that does not cause too rapid of a die off and strong flu like symptoms. A mild to moderate headache would be a lesser symptom that would be more tolerable.
The throbbing head took about 3 or 4 days to start easing off, then about another 3 or 4 days to be gone completely. The stuffy nose was there for about 3 days.
I saw a new naturopath today for an unrelated problem as well as the bronchiectasis and she was going to start me on NAC. My first reaction was no, as I didn’t feel up to going through all that again, but in hindsight, she has the powder version and I would be able to tweak the amount better than breaking a tablet into pieces. I will restart when I get stronger.
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