Immune System

Immune reconstitution syndrome (IRS), or immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS), is the name given to a diverse group of symptoms that can occur soon after a patient starts treatment with anti-HIV drugs (or as a patient recovers from any other serious immunosuppressing condition).

Although the condition is not yet fully understood, the paradox of the syndrome is that the patient appears to get ill because their immune system is reconstituting (getting healthier).

What seems to happen is that, as untreated HIV infection progresses, the immune system fails to mount as effective a response as it normally would to a whole range of opportunistic infections .. however, when drug therapy to combat the HIV infection is commenced - and the immune system grows stronger - there is a sudden upsurge in the response to these other opportunistic infections.

It is essentially a hypersensitivity reaction and will normally occur between three and twenty-four weeks after initiation of antiretroviral therapy.

The syndrome is particularly common when suppression of HIV is very rapid, or when therapy is commenced when the immune system is already dangerously compromised (i.e. at very low CD4 counts).

Studies seem to indicate that as many as 20% of patients starting anti-HIV treatment for the first time will experience some form of IRIS event and that this will occur at a median of 12 weeks after initiation of treatment.

In approximately 80% of cases IRIS manifested itself as an occurrence / reoccurrence of dermatological problems, which can vary from mild skin complaints to such things as warts, genital herpes, genital warts, molluscum contagiosum and chickenpox / shingles.

A much smaller number of patients experienced non-dermatological IRIS, with reoccurrence of tuberculosis symptoms and hepatitis B. There were also isolated instances of patients experiencing PCP and Kaposi's sarcoma relapses.

Although it is vital that you seek medical advice if you suspect that you are experiencing some sort of immune reconstitution syndrome (this is to guard against the very rare occurrence where it develops into something more serious); it is also important to note that these symptoms are generally a good sign and indicate that your immune system is growing healthier and is now able to deal with infections that it couldn't previously respond effectively to.

IRS, although extremely mild, manifested itself in two waves:

• At around four weeks I developed a very mild flushing and redness on the central face and across the cheeks and nose.
• At around sixteen weeks, a small outbreak of warts on my face.

By week twenty-four, all of these had resolved themselves without any sort of medical intervention (except for freezing of the warts for cosmetic reasons).

What is Glutathione?

Glutathione is your body's master antioxidant. It is a small protein produced naturally in our cells when certain vital elements are present. It functions both as an antioxidant and an antitoxin and is a major defense system against illness and aging.

Our glutathione level actually indicates our state of health and can predict longevity. Although there are more than 60,000 published papers on the beneficial effects of glutathione replacement, it is still largely ignored by mainstream medicine.

In the near future the significance of glutathione will be widely recognized because it has the ability to boost the immune system and fight off the damage of free radicals on the cells.

Modern research has shown that individuals who have low levels of glutathione are susceptible to chronic illness. Decreased levels of glutathione can be brought about by continual stress upon the immune system. As we now know, a lowered immune system can bring about illness and disease. This is a ferocious cycle. While you need glutathione for a productive immune system, a weakened immune system hampers the production of glutathione.

Glutathione has been shown to decelerate down the aging process, detoxify and improve liver function, strengthen the immune system, and reduce the chances of developing cancer. Glutathione also works to help improve mental functions, increase energy, improve concentration, permit increased exercise, and improve heart and lung function - just to name a few.

As we age, and expose our bodies to stress, chemicals, pollutants, and average lifestyle habits, we begin to lose energy, vitality, mental alertness, and more. Most of us are aware that there are consequences for our actions; however the danger lies in the fallacy of believing that you will start taking better care of yourself tomorrow.

Dr. Robert H. Keller, one of the worlds leading scientists, dedicated 10 years of research and development in creating MaxGXL to assist the world in its quest for a higher level of health.

Out of all the biological processes that Dr. Keller could have focused his attention on, he chose to investigate a way to naturally optimize the bodys production of glutathione. Glutathione may not be well-known outside of medical circles, but your body relies on its function every single day.

Discover how to strengthen your immune system to fight off diseases and illnesses like: Lupus, Cancer, Alzheimers, Fibromyalgia, Gout, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Many more.

My prostate cancer is in remission. Review my story @ www.mycancerremission.com.

Flares are triggered most often by physiological changes or stressors within the body. Examples of stressors include:

• physical or emotional stress
• injury
• illness