Patch MD - 3 months post OP tests

Yup, it's dimethyl sulfoxide - we are talking about the same thing. :) I've seen it mentioned in patch studies for humans more rarely, and I recall it's also used as alternative medicine of a sort. It's a solvent that causes things to be absorbed much easier. Not sure if it's that. I know very little about it in humans other than very general stuffs.

There is actually a skin permeability coefficient used to determine the likelihood particles will be transported through skin. Factors that affect absorption include: weight, skin condition, skin age, surface area exposed to the compound, the concentration of the compound, and...I can't recall the rest off-hand. It'd be interesting to see the skin permeability coefficent for the patches, actually. For example, what this means (theoretically) is that if you are obese and older with just a small patch, you will likely absorb less of the desired substances, typically. Conversely, if you are younger, have better and undamaged skin, and are a normal weight, you will absorb more, typically.

DMSO/dimethyl sulfoxide makes things more absorbable because it damages the outer layer of skin called the stratum corneum. I dunno about it being bad for human applications - any chemical be it DMSO, water, food, caffeine and so on, can be toxic and/or lethal to humans is dose dependent. The difference between a drug and poison only is the dose, after all. But, I've seen DMSO in quite a few human studies I glanced over, however I don't remember much other than this.

I have seen DMSO (I know what it is compound wise lol.. just too lazy to write it out. Biochem degree here) I just know that all the inserts discuss keeping gloves on when handling it and to not get it on your skin. Yet you can buy it on amazon... I have never delved to greatly into the why. I have always just erred on the side of caution.

I think the bigest issue with DMSO is that you have to be SO CAREFUL about what is on your skin before and after it's on it, so you don't carry something nasty through into your body. The skin is a great barrier and DMSO circumvents it. Back in the 80s people thought it was the fountain of youth and were smearing it all over their joints without even thinking about what else might be carried inside.

As I'm typing this I'm tasting the garlic/seafood (but not GOOD garlic seafood) taste that would be in my mouth if I got any on my hands while treating the horses. YUCK!

Too bad I couldn't rub it on my head before my last exam...

Kidding aside, I recall some skin irritation thingy. I assume it must have something like that, but I wonder if it shouldn't have a warning then, for sure...for humans, too. That's interesting about the vetrinary use, though!

I'm always surprised as to why people put up such resistance to monitoring their own health.

It takes very little time to ask for a copy of your labs or place the numbers in a spreadsheet. In addition to then being educated on your own health, you can also see if labs were ever forgotten or not ordered.

Honestly, it's not that big a deal, yet some postops put up a fuss, insisting their doc is infallible. News flash: your doc can and will make mistakes. Who will catch them if you are not informed?

Plus...Unless I see my own results I really can't tell if the lab tested all I know I need to be tested. I.e. until some people reported having toxic levels of B6 - my doc never ordered that. Once I asked for that test - it show that I do had really high B6. Toxic levels that could cause permanent nerve damage if I would allow it to continue.

That's when I noticed that taking 2 multi, b-complex, my calcium pills, plus drinking vitamin water I was getting a lot of B6 daily.

I had to switch calcium, and really watch any flavored drinks, protein powders, etc to make sure I don't supplement too much. But it took me 2 years to get my B6 to normal levels.

The trick is to supplement enough but not too much. Unless I see trends I don't know if I am getting too much or not enough.

My doctors actually insist on giving me the actual numbers. I want my own numbers. There's a huge difference, for instance, in testing for magnesium in red blood cells and just "magnesium" - the former is more accurate and the latter is less accurate. That's also why people with malabsorption should (my opinion here note) always get the PTH stuff done for calcium rather than the usual test. The PTH stuff catches deficiencies sooner, almost always. Ferritin also catches iron issues way sooner than the standard tests, too.

The last time I had labs done, they started using a blood test for ceruloplasmin. It's the copper carrying protein in the blood. It's a more important number than just a plain copper test. You can have plenty of copper, but if ceruloplasmin is low, it won't do you much good.

Your info about the magnesium tests made me recall this, and the analogy seemed apt.

Interesting - I hadn't heard about that one. I must add it to my notes! Thank you, Grim.

Makes you wonder how many people get inadequate tests done. Sadly, probably too many of us, is the answer.

Im not putting up resistance at all, that is not the problem at all. Just tying to share my expiernce so far that's all.