#193

Hi, I am new here, so forgive my naive question: you talk of “20 mg equivalence (6 mg + GFJ)”. What is GFJ ?
Thank you

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#194

GFJ = Grapefruit juice

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#195

Hello DeStrider,
20 mg equivalence (6 mg + GFJ) would imply drinking GFJ continuosly for several days to mantain inhibition of 3A4. Is this how you do it ?
Thank you, Maxi

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#196

Its not that long. There are a number of inhibitors GFJ, Pomelo and pomegranate. The assumption of a x3.5 factor of biolavailoabilty is probably ok.

#197

You only need to drink grapefruit juice 1-4 hours before you take Rapamycin to get the multiplied effect. In my case, I eat two grapefruits 1-3 hours beforehand.

Due to side effects, I’ve switched to 14 mg equivalent (4 mg + GFJ) for two weeks and then one week off. That seems best for me.

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#198

GFJ inhibits in the lining of the gut only. CYP3A4 also works in the liver, but GFJ doesn’t get there well enough to do any good, so it just helps absorption. This is my understanding.

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#199

Its uaeful for bioavailability. I would be concerned in inhibiting metabolism as that could extend the half life.

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#200

Hello, I am new here hence so late on your post. I have severe chronic muscle pain and fatigue (ME/CFS,IBM) and I am starting Rapamycin 6 mg/week in the hope it helps. Could you please give more info on the chronic pain and Rapa effect ? Did lower doses than 7mg+GFJ also help ? Tnx

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#201

Hi Maxi,

I recommend starting with a lower dose and gradually increasing it to 6mg per week. This way, you can monitor any side effects and see how they interact with your conditions. Perhaps begin at 1mg per week and increase by 1mg each week until you reach 6mg, then assess your situation from there. This is the approach I took.

It’s hard to determine for sure if it’s helped my condition. Sometimes days after a dose, I feel it was beneficial, but I can’t dismiss the placebo effect, and I’m still managing my illness, so no miracles yet. Rapamycin is a powerful molecule, but its positive effects might go largely unnoticed.

Currently, I’m taking 5mg with grapefruit juice every 15-16 days. Given that I’m also APOE4/4, I believe the potential benefits outweigh the risks, as I’m actively trying to prevent any cognitive impairment. However, it’s crucial for each of us to conduct our own risk-reward analysis.

You’re definitely in the right place to make an informed decision. Good luck and let us know if there’s any more questions.

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#202

Dumb question and I’m not a doctor, but are you on a statin?

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#203

No, I take only blood pressure medications and muscle relaxants/pain killer because of my chronic deseases (ME/CFS,IBD). I am just starting Rapa 6mg/week in the hope it helps.

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#204

@DeStrider What side effects made you lower your dose? Are they gone or just better on the lower dose. It still is a 12 mg equivalent dose so not that low.

I ask partly because it is always difficult to tell which supplement is causing the effects.

#205

The side effect that made me lower the dose was itchy hives. You can see the pic here. At 6 mg + GFJ, I had over 50 itchy hives all over my torso which appear after dosing and last several days.

At 5 mg + GFJ, I get 5-10 hives and at 4 mg + GFJ, I get 0-1. So, I’m sticking with 4 mg + GFJ. I believe this is my body developing an allergic reaction, because the first few times I dosed at high levels, I did not get hives. However, now it is very reproducible.

I do get hives when I overexpose myself to other things I am allergic to such as animal dander. So I’m pretty sure it’s allergic in nature.

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#206

Thank you very much for the information. What do you mean by high dose rapamycin? What dosage?
Laura.

#207

Could I enroll in your study?

Thanks. Laura

#208

What do you mean by taking high dosage? What dosage of rapamycin you are taking. Thanks. Laura

#209

This is the scale I use for weekly doses:

1-4 mg a week - low dose.
5-9 mg a week - average dose
10+ mg a week - high dose

I personally take 14 mg a week (4 mg + GFJ + EVOO) but have gone up to 21 mg a week at my highest.

@John_Hemming takes ultra-high doses very infrequently (60 mg+)

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#210

My current (ultra?) high dose is 22mg plus GFJ. A rule of thumb multiplies that by 3.5 for bioavailability. (-> 77mg) I am currently waiting for my WBC to be reliably above 2G before taking my next dose. I do blood tests weekly so I will know this soon.

I have posted glucose charts and blood work from one of my doses.

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#211

What made you decide to stick on a weekly dose rather than extend to around 14 days like a lot of people who take a higher dose?

#212

My body can still only take 4 mg + GFJ before developing side effects whether it is every week or two weeks. So, I’d prefer to dose more often, although that does mean there’s always at least 1 mg of Rapamycin in my system while dosing. I do take a break every 3rd week to clear the Rapa out. So essentially I’m on for 2 weeks and off for one. It’s almost an every other week schedule.

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