MEDICAL UPDATE: More on Cimetidine

MEDICAL UPDATE: More on Cimetidine

Being Alive Newsletter, Being Alive/Los Angeles - June 1992
Mark Katz MD and reported by Jim Stoecker

A few months back, we discussed the use of the ulcer drug cimetidine (brand name Tagamet) as a possible immune booster. What we know today is based on a German study conducted in 1988. Thirty-three people with symptomatic HIV disease were put on 1200 mg of cimetidine daily for five months. Researchers found that the mean rise in CD4 was from 385 to 779 in twelve weeks. They also found that various symptoms, such as fever and diarrhea, were alleviated.

These are very impressive results, but no further studies of cimetidine have been done. Now Los Angeles's own Search Alliance is set to begin a study of this promising immune booster. If interested, you can call Search Alliance at 213.930.8820.

You might also consider asking your physician for a prescription. Cimetidine is safe and easy to obtain. The recommended dose is 400 mg three times a day. The big caveat is, of course, that we do not know for sure whether cimetidine really does raise T-cells. Further, we do not know for sure whether increasing CD4 count alone actually contributes to survival. Nonetheless, it is safe to say that most HIV+ people want to see their T-cell counts higher rather than lower. And, from what we know today, this may be a key way to forestall disease progression.
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