# Tendonitis cures?



## Dibaby35 (Jan 16, 2008)

Okay so my ankle has been bothering me for well over 6 months off and on. It gets to the point where I'm limping around. Anyways for some strange reason the only thing I can accurately say that makes it worse is stress. It's very odd but if I'm stressed out it's when it's the worst. Then it magically disappears. But now it's sort of always there. Anyways..what I'm asking is I have heard of supplements that can help. Anyone know of good ones? Also has anyone had this condition and does it ever fricken go away? I exercise alot and it's interferring with it. I just recently went in to get it diagnosed (along with my carpal tunnel) and I'm just suppose to get a brace or ace bandage it. There was really no other solution other than take Motrin. 

God I feel like I'm getting old..sigh


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## southernfa (Jan 16, 2008)

Two minutes on Google:
"The initial treatment for Achilles Tendonitis is usually non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like aspirin and ibuprofen, and physical therapy to stretch the muscle-tendon unit and strengthen the muscles of the calf. In addition, any activity that aggravates the symptoms needs to be limited. Occasionally, casting is used to immobilize the heel and allow the inflammation to quiet down. Functional braces or boots have also been used to limit ankle motion and help with inflammation."

Thanks for making me do this, I've been limping around since a hike 2-3 weeks ago strained an Archilles and of course I would rather limp and complain than do something. When I do remember I use an analgesic cream called Voltaren which gives temporary relief.


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## Dibaby35 (Jan 16, 2008)

southernfa said:


> Two minutes on Google:
> "The initial treatment for Achilles Tendonitis is usually non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like aspirin and ibuprofen, and physical therapy to stretch the muscle-tendon unit and strengthen the muscles of the calf. In addition, any activity that aggravates the symptoms needs to be limited. Occasionally, casting is used to immobilize the heel and allow the inflammation to quiet down. Functional braces or boots have also been used to limit ankle motion and help with inflammation."
> 
> Thanks for making me do this, I've been limping around since a hike 2-3 weeks ago strained an Archilles and of course I would rather limp and complain than do something. When I do remember I use an analgesic cream called Voltaren which gives temporary relief.




Thanks for the info. Yeah I waited too long to get it looked at. I think I was worried they would tell me to stop exercising. Although I had to stop step aerobics cause that was just awful for it. Any type of stairs is bad. I'm going to research the stretches. I wish my doctor would have brought that up. I'm gonna see if that cream is here in the states. Thanks


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## sugar and spice (Jan 16, 2008)

Hi, I have Tendonitis too but mine is in my thumb and ball of my hand area is both hands. I think I developed mine from lifting my hand weights 7lbs. each, I was probably holding them wrong. My Dr. told me this is a common area to get it and frequently mother's of newborns get it from constantly having their hand in the position to support the babies head. for me it especially is aggravating because I am allergic to aspirin and ibuprofen so I cant take any of the best over the counter medicines. It does just seem to flare up and then go away from time to time. Two things that help me have been Ben-Gay and keeping the area warm when its hurting. I hope this helps I totally sympathize with your frustration.


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## Dibaby35 (Jan 17, 2008)

sugar and spice said:


> Hi, I have Tendonitis too but mine is in my thumb and ball of my hand area is both hands. I think I developed mine from lifting my hand weights 7lbs. each, I was probably holding them wrong. My Dr. told me this is a common area to get it and frequently mother's of newborns get it from constantly having their hand in the position to support the babies head. for me it especially is aggravating because I am allergic to aspirin and ibuprofen so I cant take any of the best over the counter medicines. It does just seem to flare up and then go away from time to time. Two things that help me have been Ben-Gay and keeping the area warm when its hurting. I hope this helps I totally sympathize with your frustration.



I had problems with my hands when my little one was in the baby carseat. I know its from having to turn that handle on the carseat. Once she got out of it was sooo much better. Anyways sorry to hear your having issues too. This is just depressing because it seems like its never going to go away. Hope yours gets better. Isn't there a brace or something you can wear?


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## sugar and spice (Jan 17, 2008)

I did try wearing my hands wrapped in ace bandages stabilizing my thumbs from moving at night when I slept. It did make them feel better but of course this just wasn't practical for the daytime because then I couldn't use my hands. Luckily it only flares up from time to time and the only ongoing thing I notice is I can't lift something heavy like a pot of water with only one hand like I used to be able to. Oh well, I will just have to tough it out I guess, thanks for the suggestion though.


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## SMA413 (Jan 17, 2008)

Sugar&spice- since you're allergic to the common NSAIDs, have you tried alternating heat and cold for the pain? Do about 10 min of heat, then let your hand rest for about 10 min, and then apply 10 min of cold. Let your hand rest again, and then repeat the cycle.


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## Friday (Jan 17, 2008)

I have tendonitis in several joints because of the work I do. The only thing I've found that helps long term without any negative side effects is fish oil capsules. Yes, fish oil capsules. It's a natural anti-inflammatory and doesn't tear up your stomach like the nsaids will sooner or later. Try them. Get them cheap at Costco.


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## sugar and spice (Jan 18, 2008)

Thank you for the suggestions of alternating heat and ice and also the fish oil capsules. I would love to find a natural anti-inflamation pill so I will definitely give these ideas a shot.


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## IwannabeVERYfat (Jan 18, 2008)

I have it in my right elbow area. is there a brace I can wear to help support it?


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## Friday (Jan 20, 2008)

Yeah, it's like a hard plastic U with an adjustable band. The U go around the outside of your arm just below the elbow and the band is on the inside of the arm. When adjust properly it fools the tendon into thinking that it ends about 2"-3" short of the elbow and gives the inflamed section a chance to heal. A cortisone shot helps too, but they aren't pleasant to get.

There are other styles or bands/braces that work on the same theory, I just prefer the one above. Check at your local pharmacy or a sporting goods store.

Something like this


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## IwannabeVERYfat (Jan 20, 2008)

Friday said:


> Yeah, it's like a hard plastic U with an adjustable band. The U go around the outside of your arm just below the elbow and the band is on the inside of the arm. When adjust properly it fools the tendon into thinking that it ends about 2"-3" short of the elbow and gives the inflamed section a chance to heal. A cortisone shot helps too, but they aren't pleasant to get.
> 
> There are other styles or bands/braces that work on the same theory, I just prefer the one above. Check at your local pharmacy or a sporting goods store.
> 
> Something like this



thanks, I'll go look for one  I wanted to try some type of cortisone pill, but he gave Me a 2 week trial of Celebrex instead


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## Friday (Jan 22, 2008)

I don't know that cortisone comes in a pill form. I do know that I would be very careful with the Celebrex because it can wreak havoc on your stomach.


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## IwannabeVERYfat (Jan 22, 2008)

Friday said:


> I don't know that cortisone comes in a pill form. I do know that I would be very careful with the Celebrex because it can wreak havoc on your stomach.




yeah, that's what I heard, I'm going to see if he can give me a sample course of prednisone instead. I also found a brace like the one you pictured, I'm gonna see about buying one.


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## Friday (Jan 22, 2008)

Prednisone is generally used for respitory issues and allergic reactions. It's a very strong drug and not something you should be taking casually. Getting a brace and _carefully_ trying the Celebrex is a much better idea than going straight to steriods. I can tell you from experience that Predinisone is not something you want to take if you can avoid it.


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## IwannabeVERYfat (Jan 22, 2008)

Friday said:


> Prednisone is generally used for respitory issues and allergic reactions. It's a very strong drug and not something you should be taking casually. Getting a brace and _carefully_ trying the Celebrex is a much better idea than going straight to steriods. I can tell you from experience that Predinisone is not something you want to take if you can avoid it.



ok, I'll try the brace,and Celebrex and see how it does, 

I did notice this: I accidentally bumped the elbow yesterday,and I really felt a pain, seemed to be right on the bone itself. hopefully the brace will help heal it.

thanks for the advice


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## OppositesAttract(fa) (Mar 15, 2009)

A possible explanation of the apparent link between stress and joint pain is found in U.S. patent number 35304574, 'Methods of treatment of clinical conditions using pantothenic acid ', excerpts of which patent follow this introduction.

The excerpt of the patent most relevant to the subject of this thread is inserted first, with said most relevant excerpt being followed by a series of excerpts which cover the subject more thoroughly.

Finally, please note, as you read the patent excerpts, that pantothenic acid is a necessary building block of coenzyme-A.

-

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/5304574.html

"Since the steroids are vital for the immediate survival of the individual, their synthesis will not be curtailed to any significant extent even if there is a gross deficiency in Coenzyme A. In the body, there are probably other biochemical reactions in other tissues that are equally important to life, such as the brain tissue and the heart muscles, and these, too, are not easily sacrificed. However, biochemical reactions in maintaining the wear and tear of less important organs which are not essential for the immediate survival, such as joints, tendons, connective tissues, skin, etc. are not as fortunate. When there is a deficiency in Coenzyme A, their activities are curtailed drastically and disproportionately as compared to other more important organs. These organs, in a way, are losers in the battle of competitive inhibition, and their activities are inhibited, leading to common clinical manifestations in these tissues. This theory in fact correlates very well with clinical observation. Many of the disease processes that are benefitted by chronic steroid administration are diseases involving the tissues that are not essential for the immediate survival of the individual, such as the connective tissues and joints and tendons."

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. . .

1. A method for treating a human being suffering from chronic bronchial asthma, acute rhinitis, disseminated lupus erythematosus or neurodermatitis which comprises administering to said human being a therapeutically effective amount of pantothenic acid or a derivative thereof which is converted to pantothenic acid in the body.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said therapeutically-effective amount of said pantothenic acid or said derivative thereof is about 2 to 20 grams per day.

. . .

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said pantothenic acid or said derivative thereof is administered orally in divided doses 4 or 5 times per day.

. . .

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the treatment of individuals in steroid therapy wherein pantothenic acid or a derivative thereof which is converted to pantothenic acid in the body is administered to the individual in place of the steroids. Substitution of the pantothenic acid or derivative thereof for steroids not only retains all of the usefulness of the steroids, but, at the same time, it avoids all of the undesirable effects that go along with chronic steroid therapy.

. . .

All steroidal compounds are synthesized from acetate units in the form of acetyl-CoA, so that a deficiency in acetyl-CoA will necessarily affect the synthesis of the sex hormones, be it the androgens or the estrogens, and the level of these hormones will not be at their optimum level. In accordance with the present invention, administering pantothenic acid as a replacement for steroidal compounds will help to reverse the situation completely. Through the auto-regulatory function of the body, all the steroidal hormones will be synthesized to their optimum level, and the desired optimum level of the androgens are achieved, resulting in the best anabolic effect possible without any of the side effects being experienced. The ideal situation is thus achieved.

As another aspect of this invention, steroids are widely used in a great variety of clinical conditions to alleviate symptoms of various diseases. Steroids, in this context, include all the corticosteroids secreted by the adrenal cortex and all the synthetic steroid analogues of cortisol with similar actions. However, aside from their use as replacement therapy, in situations where the body fails to secrete an adequate amount of natural steroids, the use of synthetic steroids in clinical practice is empirical. The mechanism is never adequately explained, and their use is never curative in the sense that it is not directed towards the etiology of the disease process, but is merely palliative. The use of steroids has the added disadvantage in producing a lot of very grave undesirable effects, particularly when used on a long term basis, though a short course of a few days is unlikely to produce any serious side effects. Despite the undesirable effects, steroids are powerful drugs in symptomatic treatment, so that in many instances their use is reserved as a last resort when all other forms of medical treatment fails. To minimize the side effects, the dosage prescribed is always kept to the minimum.

. . .

Since steroid treatment is empirical, one very pertinent question is whether the action of the steroids is indeed due to the steroids themselves. This question is not odd and seems all the more reasonable since the range of action of steroids is so wide, from arthritis to allergy, from connective tissue diseases to asthma, from skin disorders to inflammatory diseases and others. It is not only amazing but intriguing and there are few other drugs having a similar wide range of action. With such a wide range of action, it is unlikely that it will act through certain target receptors, and some other explanations must be sought.

It is postulated that the action of the administered steroids in all these disease processes is not exerted through the steroids themselves, but that these administered steroids are in fact only sparing the raw material for steroid synthesis, and that it is the raw material for steroid synthesis that is actually doing the healing work. As is known, the steroids are synthesized from units of acetates derived from acetyl-Co A. And it is the acetyl-Co A, or rather, Coenzyme A, that is doing all the healing work. Coenzyme A is unique among all the coenzymes of the body in that it is the only coenzyme to stand in the crossroad of the final common pathway of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism, and is the key precursor in the synthesis of many different lipids. And the significance of Coenzyme A in lipid synthesis is even more impressive when it is known that most cell membranes contain about 40% of lipid, and that cholesterol, the precursor of fecal sterols, bile acids, and the steroid hormones, is synthesized from units of acetate derived from acetyl-Co A. A deficiency in Coenzyme A thus has the potential of extensively affecting the biochemical reactions in the body, depending on other concommitant conditions.

Steroids are peculiar in the sense that they are not stored in the body, so that they have to be synthesized almost continuously. And steroids are also essential for survival. For these two reasons, the steroids have to be synthesized continuously, under any condition, even when the body is deficient in acetyl-Co A, which, for practical purposes, is equivalent to a deficiency in Coenzyme A. This means that steroid synthesis has the privilege of claiming priority for units of acetyl-Co A in case of shortage at the dispense of other biochemical reactions, even though the derangement of these other biochemical reactions will, in the long run, lead to other forms of illnesses, which may be fatal. The body is concerned with the immediate survival rather than the distant future, and these reactions are sacrificed in preference to steroid synthesis.

As has been explained in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/580,019, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,039,698, a deficiency in Coenzyme A through a deficiency in pantothenic acid is very common. In such a deficiency state, all the metabolic processes that go through the crossroad of the final common metabolic pathway will have to compete with each other for the limited supply of Coenzyme A. Since steroid synthesis is obligatory, it becomes compelling to curtail other less urgent metabolic processes. The final clinical presentation will depend on which metabolic process is affected most. If, however, in a situation where an exogenous steroid is administered, making steroid synthesis no longer mandatory for the time being, the activities of the acetyl-Co A related to steroid synthesis will be temporarily withheld, making available Coenzyme A for other metabolic processes that are urgently in need of the participation of Coenzyme A. This will lead to a temporary relief of the symptoms of the pathological process, which actually represents a particular derangement of a certain metabolic process.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the use of, by conventional standard, a huge dose of pantothenic acid to enable the body to synthesize the optimum level of steroids. The administration of pantothenic acid or a derivative thereof which is converted to pantothenic acid has the effect of imparting a sense of well-being to an individual and at the same time producing an anabolic effect in the body with subsequent increase in physical strength, resulting in improvement of athletic performance and exercise tolerance. During this process, because the natural balance of the various androgens is not disturbed, no side effect is observed. The dosage varies greatly with different individuals, but is estimated to be in the broad range of 20 mg to 20 gm per day, both on a short term and a long term basis.

The invention further relates to the administration of pantothenic acid to allow the body to synthesize the optimum amount of steroids the body will need and at the same time to have enough of pantothenic acid in the form of Coenzyme A to satisfy all other metabolic processes that may require the participation of Coenzyme A, thus treating the basic pathological processes of the clinical conditions that show improvement with empirical steroid treatment.

. . .

[T]here is evidence to show that, in most people, there is a deficiency of pantothenic acid in the body. This deficiency can be mild, but very often, it can be very severe, as can be seen by the amount, which can be up to more than 1,000 times the daily amount that is recommended by the Food and Drug Administration, needed to correct the deficiency over a period of several months

. . .

_n the female...the ratio of the female steroidal hormones, the estrogens and the progesterones, to the male androgens is just the reverse as in the male, with the female hormones making up the majority of the sex hormones. However, even with this minor proportion of androgens in the body, the body can still manage to synthesize enough anabolic steroids, when properly stimulated with exercise, to increase the muscle bulk and to improve the physical strength without producing any masculinizing and virilizing effect.

Pantothenic acid is a natural food, a vitamin that is essential to the well-being of the human species. So that, even if it is taken in large quantities, quantities much larger than is recommended by the Food and Drug Administration, there are no known side effects. This is true with even very prolonged administration.

. . .

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method whereby pantothenic acid or a derivative thereof which is converted to pantothenic acid in the body as a substitute for steroids which are used for medium and log term treatment of various clinical diseases. This substitute not only retains all the usefulness of the steroids, it also avoids all the undesirable effects that chronic steroid therapy may carry.

There is a sound theoretical basis for this. The steroids have two characteristics that are of particular interest with reference to the present context. Firstly, it is essential to life. Secondly, the steroids are not stored in the body, the amount that is stored in the adrenal cortex where steroids are synthesized is perhaps enough to maintain the body for a few minutes. For these two reasons, it is necessary for the body to synthesize steroids almost continuously. It is known that the steroids are synthesized from units of acetate in the form of acetyl-Co A, and because of their vital importance in the body, their synthesis overrides almost any other functions in the body.

. . .

Coenzyme A is perhaps the most important coenzyme in the body because it plays a key role in the biosynthesis of many different lipids, including fatty acids, triacylglycerols and other complex lipids, prostaglandins, and cholesterol from which the steroid hormones are derived. That is why a deficiency in Coenzyme A will affect extensively the biochemical reactions in the body. When this occurs, the various metabolic processes and reactions that will require the participation of Coenzyme A will compete with each other, with the more important functions that are vital for the survival of the individual naturally gaining the preference.

. . .

Since the steroids are vital for the immediate survival of the individual, their synthesis will not be curtailed to any significant extent even if there is a gross deficiency in Coenzyme A. In the body, there are probably other biochemical reactions in other tissues that are equally important to life, such as the brain tissue and the heart muscles, and these, too, are not easily sacrificed. However, biochemical reactions in maintaining the wear and tear of less important organs which are not essential for the immediate survival, such as joints, tendons, connective tissues, skin, etc. are not as fortunate. When there is a deficiency in Coenzyme A, their activities are curtailed drastically and disproportionately as compared to other more important organs. These organs, in a way, are losers in the battle of competitive inhibition, and their activities are inhibited, leading to common clinical manifestations in these tissues. This theory in fact correlates very well with clinical observation. Many of the disease processes that are benefitted by chronic steroid administration are diseases involving the tissues that are not essential for the immediate survival of the individual, such as the connective tissues and joints and tendons.

. . .

It is also interesting to note that many of these diseases affect the female more than the male. Hitherto, this is not explained. But here again, with this theory in mind, it is easily explained. As explained in copending patent application Ser. No. 07/580,019, the absolute amount of sex hormones synthesized is a lot more in the female than in the male because of the large amount of progesterones synthesized during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, not to mention the sky-high progesterone levels during pregnancy. And sex hormone synthesis, like steroid synthesis, requires a lot of Coenzyme A. So that, in the female, throughout the adult years with incessant menstrual cycles, more Coenzyme A is used up towards that end, making a chronic deficiency in Coenzyme A more likely. That is why the connective tissue diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatism, etc. are much more common in the female than in the male.

It is to be noted that the deficiency in Coenzyme A always develops very slowly, over a relatively long period of time. Pantothenic acid, the only component of Coenzyme A that is likely to be deficient, is present in all tissues. This is to be expected, considering its positioning in the crossroad of the final common metabolic pathway. Regardless of the type of food one takes, it is always included in the diet. The only trouble is that the requirements of pantothenic acid are quite different for different individuals, for various reasons, including biochemical individuality. It is likely that most of us, if not all, are deficient in pantothenic acid, though the degree of deficiency may be quite different. This can account for the various clinical presentations, from symptomless to a wide range of disease entities, depending on probably the type of concommitant deficiencies in other coenzymes in other enzyme systems and other factors. In any case, the onset of these disease processes is always very gradual. In most cases, the biochemical changes and structural changes will take a long time to develop, in terms of months and years. So that, to reverse the situation with replacement with an adequate amount of pantothenic acid will not happen overnight. The biochemical changes, and in particular, the structural changes, will take a long time, if ever, to get back to normal.

The advantage of this form of substitution therapy with pantothenic acid to replace steroids in conditions that will be benefitted by chronic steroid therapy is obvious. Not only are all the side effects of steroid therapy completely avoided, but that the treatment has all the theoretical basis of treating the basic pathological processes. Whereas with steroid treatment, because of the serious side effects, the treatment is reserved as a last resort, and even then, the treatment has to be carefully monitored, with the dosage always kept to the minimum, and the duration the shortest possible. With this replacement therapy with pantothenic acid, there are no side effects to worry about. The initiation of the treatment no longer needs to wait till all other treatments have failed. Quite the contrary, the treatment can be put right to the very front line of defense. Since the treatment is directed right at the root of the pathology, the treatment has the added advantage of being curative. This form of treatment is not only curative, but preventive if a liberal amount of pantothenic acid is recommended to all very early on in life.

. . .

As indicated earlier, to achieve therapeutic effects in accordance with the present invention, pantothenic acid is administered in daily dosages of 0.02 to 20 grams. The exact dosage will vary with the condition treated, the method of administration, and the age and condition of the patient.

. . .

EXPERIMENTAL EXAMPLE 4

Ten individuals, 2 males and 8 females, all in their 40's, complained of chronic rheumatic pain in their back, neck, shoulders, and the limbs for various duration of 2 to 10 years' duration. Investigations failed to pinpoint any pathology. They have to take analgesics from time to time to relieve the rheumatic pain. These patients were given pantothenic acid, in the form of syrup in the dose of 10 gm. per day in 4 divided doses. Initially, they were asked to continue their usual analgesics as required of the condition. Mild subjective improvement was noted by some after 2 to 3 weeks of treatment. However, over a period of months, at least 2 to 3 months, there began definite and noticeable changes in the degree of pain experienced, aside from the general improvement of well-being. The frequency that necessitates the intake of analgesics obviously decreased, and the dosage that is required to relieve the pain also decreased. The treatment was continued for one year and longer, the 2 males and 6 of the females had their pain completely relieved, with the 2 remaining females also having their pain relieved more than 80%. The 8 that had their pain relieved were put on a maintenance dose of 2 gm. per day, with no recurrence of the pain. The 2 that still had the pain were maintained on 10 gm. per day, with the symptom of pain getting better and better.

EXPERIMENTAL EXAMPLE 5

Three cases of established rheumatoid arthritis with more than 5 years of history in each case, all females and all in their forties, were studied. All had swollen finger joints with a definite deformity in one subject. They were all given 10 gm. of pantothenic acid per day in 4 divided doses. They were asked to continue their own analgesics whenever there were symptoms of pain. There was a definite decrease of stiffness and pain in the joints after three months. There was little change in the swelling and deformity of the finger joints. After six months, the need to administer analgesic became very occasional, and all three patients agreed that the symptoms must have improved by more than 80%. The pantothenic acid was continued for another six months until the symptoms of pain and discomfort had almost completely disappeared, although in one case, the pain never subsided completely and is still receiving 10 gm of pantothenic acid per day. The other two were put on a maintenance dose of 2 gm per day.

. . .

EXPERIMENTAL EXAMPLE 8

One case of connective tissue disease was studied: a female aged 30 with disseminated lupus erythematosus presenting with rashes and itchy skin. She was put on steroid and chloroquine. After three months, the patient was put on 10 gm. of pantothenic acid per day, in four divided doses in addition to the steroid and chloroquine. The steroid and chloroquine were tailed off over a period of six months, and the improvement of the disease process, as a general impression, was much better than was expected of the disease process in general. The patient was given a maintenance dose of 5 gm. a day._


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