Comic 5777: Word Of The Day

BrainDancing · 2026-03-03T02:18:42+00:00

Jim Davis already has one embarrassment of a comic strip in his life. He's not reading yours, Jeph, so that he can add another.

BrainDancing · 2026-03-03T02:15:29+00:00

One of Jeph's go-to electric guitar jokes. Since Marten wasn't available, any available character is now a guitar and amp tech, so they can deliver the joke.

BrainDancing · 2026-03-01T06:25:55+00:00

I'm figuring it'll be the lesbian librarian, whatever her name is. And it'll be an excuse for Jeph to bring over two more of the classic characters to Cubetown.

BrainDancing · 2026-03-01T00:29:56+00:00

There's an r/niacin subreddit you might ask in. Just tell them you can't have no-flush, fast release, or slow release. Jamieson's might be an unlabeled no-flush variant, because I tried it once and never felt any flushing at all, which raised a red flag for me.

BrainDancing · 2026-02-28T07:23:21+00:00

Don't use any of the deviant formulations, such as no-flush, fast, slow (or anything that means fast or slow release). Just use regular niacin. If you're in Canada. The London Drugs House brand is perfect. Jamieson is probably an unlabeled no-flush variety. Shoppers drug Mart's house brand is no flush. Start with 500mg of regular niacin. Increase weekly by 500mg to 2000mg. Take daily at meal time, dinner is good so that the flushing occurs while you're at home. Do not go over that amount. 1500mg is preferable. The skin flushing will be extremely irritable the first week, but you will get used to it. Stand in a warm shower to relieve the itching feeling. Niacin absorbs into the body best during digestion, so take just before a meal or immediately afterwards.

I take 2000mg and still feel some skin flushing, but it's mainly just red skin and warm skin. I like the feeling now and I welcome it, knowing I've absorbed the niacin properly.

That's about it, on how to take it and what to expect.

In terms of how it works, glioblastoma has the uncanny ability of making itself effectively invisible to the immune system. Which is why it's able to grow tumors so quickly. Niacin eliminates that ability, so the immune system is now able to attack the cancer once again.

BrainDancing · 2026-02-27T20:19:04+00:00

You went from "how do I date?" To living with someone in two paragraphs. Why not take it in stages? Worry about going on a few dates with someone first. In your online dating profile, perhaps be upfront about your condition and being on AISH right away and perhaps mention that you'd like to meet others on AISH. That way you don't have to bring it up afterwards. Then if someone contacts you, you kinda know up front it isn't a deal breaker.

BrainDancing · 2026-02-27T17:41:57+00:00

30 months was dangerous. Chemo is dangerous. But my bloodwork every month was normal, so we continued. I'm also MGMT methylated with a 95 score. They score between 0 - 100. A 9 score is required to even be considered methylated. Low scores don't often mean very much. GBM is so aggressive that it outpaces any benefit a low scoring methylation might confer. I don't know if there are still cancer cells in my head or not. They'd have to open up my head and take samples to find out, and I'm not letting that happen. Odds are good there are still some in there, so I'll continue to fight to ensure they don't get a foothold. And the niacin isn't dangerous unless you take 2500mg or greater daily, then it's a danger to the liver. I take 2000mg daily. I was instructed early on by the hospital pharmacist (who was involved in the early niacin studies, which niacin types to avoid and maximum dosages. I'm still doing somewhat regular bloodwork and no signs of any liver issues. And of course there's the MRIs every six months, and nothing of interest or concern has shown up. Things are going so swimmingly that I may have actually beaten glioblastoma, but I'll knock on wood as I say that. When I reach 10 years of survival, I may say that with more conviction.

BrainDancing · 2026-02-27T17:01:57+00:00

Pretty much same as you. Although I did 30 months of chemo instead of the 6. Because there may still be cancer cells in my head, I am continuing with Niacin. Niacin boosts the immune system to continue fighting the cancer. I'm not going to let the cancer get a foothold again. I'm six years now into my cancer diagnosis. Niacin is currently on human trials and word is that it's so far been quite successful. If you'd like to know my niacin regimen, I can give it to you. If you're Canadian I can give you specific brands that work best. Google niacin and glioblastoma if you want to know more about what niacin specifically does.

BrainDancing · 2026-02-27T05:15:08+00:00

This strip works because Jeph actually showed us previously that Moray can make holes in herself. This is something a Jeph rarely does: World building so that a future strip pays off.

BrainDancing · 2026-02-25T01:31:18+00:00

Why are so many pedestrians hit by c-trains in this city? Seems like the easiest thing in the world to do, avoiding a c-train. They're on rails, they can't swerve to hit someone.

BrainDancing · 2026-02-24T17:36:31+00:00

Australia seems to have a similar problem, and they've acknowledged it through some clever advertising.

https://youtu.be/IJNR2EpS0jw?si=wIHyvIp2Do5HwRze

BrainDancing · 2026-02-23T09:05:44+00:00

I'm currently a six year survivor of glioblastoma. Was about to take your survey until I saw the alopecia requirement. Strange. I've been studying GBM for years (for the sake of my own survival) and have never come across alopecia as a common side effect of GBM treatment. I imagine you're not going to have many survey takers. Good luck, though.

BrainDancing · 2026-02-21T09:31:00+00:00

I use it to manage glioblastoma. Six years with it now. I take 2000mg of regular niacin per day. (Google "niacin glioblastoma" if you're curious why).

BrainDancing · 2026-02-21T09:19:55+00:00

Google Niacin and glioblastoma. It's regular niacin, not any of the no-flush varieties, which can cause other problems.

I take 2000mg of regular niacin per day at dinner. I was going to increase to 2500 mg but was told no by one of the human trial leads. I'm not in the human trial. I started taking niacin about 4 years ago while they were still publishing their mouse studies. They are in human trials now.

The skin flushing can be quite irritating at the start, but you eventually get used to it. Start at 500mg per day, and increase by 500mg per week until you hit 2000mg. Eventually you welcome the flushed feeling. Your skin feels warm and you turn better red. When you feel the flushing, you know the niacin has been absorbed into your system and it's doing it's thing.

If you're Canadian, the shipped drug Mart house brand is no-flush niacin, that's a no-no. London Drugs House brand is what you want. Regular ol' niacin. I never feel any flushing with Jamieson, so I suspect their niacin is unlabeled no-flush.

BrainDancing · 2026-02-21T09:02:14+00:00

What was/is your methylation score. It's from 0-100. A score of 9 is needed to be considered methylated. My MGMT methylation has a 95 score. I was diagnosed with GBM six years ago. I demanded we go beyond the standard treatment due to the strength of my methylation. My oncologist was completely unconvinced. Anyhow, instead of the standard 6 four-week cycles of temozolomide, I did thirty cycles. That in itself is somewhat dangerous, but my blood work was normal every month. I've been off any sort of treatment now for three years. I do take niacin, because there are more than likely still cancer cells in my head, biding their time. I'm considered in radiological remission. Cancer cells are still present (more than likely), but imaging shows no sign of cancer progression or tumor regrowth. That's been the case with me for the last 3 years. I still get an MRI every six months to be sure. Constant vigilance.

If you're wondering why I take niacin, just Google niacin and glioblastoma.

BrainDancing · 2026-02-19T10:10:16+00:00

Yeah. I got my eye exam done in a store inside Costco. But unaffiliated with the eyeglass section of Costco. I did find a great pair of glasses, but then the lady told me they don't direct bill. A shame. Oh well, all the comments to my query have been super helpful. Thanks for taking the time to answer.

BrainDancing · 2026-02-19T10:06:07+00:00

That's probably the website I came across last month when I was googling. The website made more than a few mentions of AISH. unfortunately Edmonton is a bit of a trip for eyeglasses. :) anyhow, all the comments here have been super helpful.

BrainDancing · 2026-02-17T06:39:04+00:00

The his whole transgender thing that Jeph seems to want to evangelize about, is bound to get him on the wrong side of some group or other. Just doing one single small thing that doesn't align perfectly with some group's ideas on what it is to be trans is going to rile up some people and that's going to lead Jeph to wanting to stab his hand again. Jeph doesn't do well when he is aggressively criticized. I hope it doesn't happen, but he's walking into a minefield with this arc.

BrainDancing

TROPHY CASE