#TheNicotineTest -- Citizen Science

Don't Rush into Low-dose transdermal nicotine! 1. Watch our YouTube videos 2. Join the private FaceBook group for support 3. Go slow and low... linktr.ee/thenicotinetest

2/2 It does help to understand why some benefit from SSRIs without depression. #LongCovid #MECFS biorxiv.org/content/10.648…

They cite our paper, but are careful to not mention nicotine. "These findings are particularly interesting within the context of ongoing pharmacological trials investigating neuromodulatory agents - such as vortioxetine" 1/2

What do you think of this proposal? #LongCovid #MECFS #POTS

@KatBoniface @Canal1point5 @PanickedFoodie Thanks. That receptor is important "Agonists of the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR), expressed by ILC2s, decreases ILC2-mediated inflammation in the lung"

@Canal1point5 @PanickedFoodie @TheNicotineTest pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11…

Many report allergy reduction with Low-dose nicotine (me included) but this story is an extreme example: @TheNicotineTest #LongCovid #MECFS

@TheNicotineTest Yes. Mastcell syndrome improved also a lot. In general nicotine patches delete my PEM and reduce allergic reactions a lot. So I’m a human again 🙏 since over 2 years

@DentTotaldent1 great to hear! Thanks for sharing 😍

Anyone else with similar reduced allergic reactions? #thenicotinetest

@StevePhillipsMD This has been the focus of research in remission biome @remissionbiome . I personally saw benefits from antibiotics after diverticulitis, but I also fasted for 9 days... The combo probably helped.

I was just asked what’s been the one most effective treatment I’ve seen for Long Covid, & I’ve seen lots. It’s been antibiotics. The virus persists, causing reactivation of other infections. Some, ie bartonella, are antibiotic responsive. Some need different treatments.

@DrDenDunnen @CellRepMed @amsterdamumc @UMCUtrecht 👏👏👏 Thanks for your continued efforts. It would be great to see how low-dose nicotine affects the mice after they show symptoms... pain behavior, CNS/DRG markers, and autoantibody kinetics. And if the subgroup response is different.

Our paper is (finally) out in @CellRepMed: antibodies from #LongCOVID patients transfer symptoms to mice, pointing to a potential causal role for autoimmunity: cell.com/cell-reports-m… @amsterdamumc @UMCUtrecht 1/12

Thanks in advance for sharing and giving input: #LongCovid #MECFS

NICOTINE - a cognitive enhancer. Low doses (~7 mg): • Increase brain metabolism by ~30% • Restore memory • Enhance learning By stimulating the cholinergic system. **not advice to start doing nicotine**

@sunsopeningband Would B1 be useful in this case?

Related: This is why throwing a well-meaning pharmacologic or neutraceutical agent at the first something that looks weird in a complex physiological system isn't always effective.

If PDH doesn’t allow producing acetyl-coA like we see in #MECFS, the process is liable to drive toward fatty acid synthesis and metabolism like we see in #MECFS. Sometimes an abnormality (abnormal use of fatty acids as substrate) isn’t the problem (poor aerobic glycolysis).

@sunsopeningband Healthy people also have viral debris. The problem is the immune response. The book "The Great Nerve" cites an experiment where anti-TNF alpha meds kept a lab-animal alive and well while the control died from the same ecoli injection in 8 hours. Nicotine is an immune modulator

I know the immune system takes a central role in many people's imagination for the pathophysiology of #MECFS and related conditions but few people are asking why the immune system is acting that way. (And at least according to current data, the answer isn't pathogen persistence.)

@rhymeswithvery 2/2 Nicotine has benefits that Mestinon doesn't and viceversa. For example, Mestinon will affect muscarinic receptors as well as the nicotinic... so you could see different effects. Ask your Dr about slowly adding it while titrating down your nicotine to make it more gradual.

do pwME &/or LC who take mestinon *not* use the nicotine patch? the patch is one of few tools with a very noticeable daily impact & i'm reluctant to give that up. now i have a mestinon rx but found this while reading in. (my ME dr knows i use the patch & didn't mention.) TIA 🫂

@rhymeswithvery Yes. Cholinergic crisis is a risk, but the little feedback I see on FB is that on small doses it should not be an issue if you are titrating carefully with your doctor's help. One comment mentioned low b1+b2 causing low Acetylcholine. Maybe try that first. ..1/2

@Yrrepmot This video explains it better. It is about the iron in the brain: x.com/Canal1point5/s…

@TheNicotineTest People keep mentioning low iron but I think I have iron overload! High serum and transferrin saturation, but ferritin can be low or higher. Confusing.

Who else with #MECFS or #LC has Restless Leg Syndrome? I think this is what I’m experiencing. It only happens at night before sleep. And luckily it doesn’t keep me awake anymore but it use to. It’s such a weird sensation - the compulsion to pull, stretch & pull your legs. Can’t be ignored. I’ve had it for as long as I can remember. I’m wondering how common this is? Has anyone found anything that helps?