Sunlight Kills Trypanosomas in the Skin
As noted previously, I used to dream I had "dragon eggs" in my skin. I was living in Southern California at the time and I bought myself some tan-through bathing suits and for a time I laid out in the sun in the backyard somewhat regularly to kill trypanosomas in my skin.
I've never been a sun worshiper. My maiden name is Irish in origin and when I was younger I used to joke "I have three shades: white, off white and lobster red." I didn't tan until sometime during my time on the street in the North County (northern part of San Diego County).
I didn't yet REALLY know it was trypanosomas. Some forms of trypanosomas live in the skin and sunlight helps with THIS specific issue, though it doesn't kill trypanosomas deeper than skin deep -- though it's possible making extra vitamin D will be generally helpful.
When I began tanning while homeless, one day I replaced my t-shirt with a smaller t-shirt than I normally wore and more of my arms were exposed to sunlight. I began vomiting, so we found me a really cheap hoodie to put on over it and the vomiting stopped.
People with CF misprocess fats, so we are usually deficient in all the fat soluble vitamins, including D, and vitamin D is technically NOT a vitamin at all. It's really a hormone and it's pertinent to immune system stuff.
So more vitamin D may have systemic benefits in battling tryapnosomas but the primary value in getting some sun is it kills trypanosomas in the skin and those are, from what I gather, inherently treatment resistant.
I didn't yet know how to make REAL progress against my infection, but temporarily becoming a sun worshiper helped keep my symptoms at bay and helped keep my nightmares about dragon eggs down to a dull roar while I figured out more effective systemic treatments.
I've never been a sun worshiper. My maiden name is Irish in origin and when I was younger I used to joke "I have three shades: white, off white and lobster red." I didn't tan until sometime during my time on the street in the North County (northern part of San Diego County).
I didn't yet REALLY know it was trypanosomas. Some forms of trypanosomas live in the skin and sunlight helps with THIS specific issue, though it doesn't kill trypanosomas deeper than skin deep -- though it's possible making extra vitamin D will be generally helpful.
When I began tanning while homeless, one day I replaced my t-shirt with a smaller t-shirt than I normally wore and more of my arms were exposed to sunlight. I began vomiting, so we found me a really cheap hoodie to put on over it and the vomiting stopped.
People with CF misprocess fats, so we are usually deficient in all the fat soluble vitamins, including D, and vitamin D is technically NOT a vitamin at all. It's really a hormone and it's pertinent to immune system stuff.
So more vitamin D may have systemic benefits in battling tryapnosomas but the primary value in getting some sun is it kills trypanosomas in the skin and those are, from what I gather, inherently treatment resistant.
I didn't yet know how to make REAL progress against my infection, but temporarily becoming a sun worshiper helped keep my symptoms at bay and helped keep my nightmares about dragon eggs down to a dull roar while I figured out more effective systemic treatments.
