bk's introduction

[bk-]

Good evening everyone…
Hate to be long-winded but think background and how I arrived here is relevant.
I am a 47 year old male, 6’4” currently @ 290#.
I have been working out consistently about 3 years. 4-5 days a week.
The workouts have consisted of insanity, modified cross fit, basic oly lifts etc.
Diet has been progressing towards ‘natural’ during the same time frame.
Steel cut oatmeal with grade b maple syrup in the mornings
Lunch was normally a large salad, 1-2 cans of tuna in olive oil (“Tonno” brand), with olive oil n vinegar dressing & shredded cheese
Dinner was grilled chicken with season salt and steamed veggies, usually broccoli or the Normandy mix
I am a creature of habit, the fewer decisions the better (food is fuel not fashion)
No sweet tea, cokes etc…mostly water
I have experienced good muscle gains and fat loss, weight has fluctuated but was not a huge concern
The belly fat never would go away.

FWIW I have also fasted periodically, done the Master cleanse and other ‘stuff’…so in a sense my metabolism is WRECKED

The beginning of this year I began experiencing depression, hair loss, weight gain, dry eyes etc…
The depression was so bad I did not want to even prepare my food so I began eating out, didn’t / couldn’t work out etc… which only increased my depression.
Finally was ‘forced’ to go to the Dr by loved ones. ( I don’t particularly care for Doctors…did I mention that??)
Diagnosed hypothyroid and prescribed Synthroid summer of this year. After multiple false starts, almost feeling better and then falling back and increasing the dosage I became aggravated and took my health back into my own hands.

I have been following the HypothyroidsimRevolution diet plan since the beginning of October, very PEATish, and supplementing with the following:
Great Lakes collagen. 2tbs in OJ
American Biologics Thyroid. Began with ½ tablet breakfast and lunch. Temps did not rise in 2 weeks so I went up to full tablet breakfast and lunch.
AC Grace Unique Vit E. I capsule after dinner, bigger dose if I ate out.
Lifelink Micronized Pregnenolone. 1 capsule, 50 mg in the afternoon, after work.
Kenogen Progest-E Complex. Drop or so at night. (all per HypoTRevolution plan)

So on this eating /supplement plan I have dropped @ 10# or so. Not trying to, just want my thyroid better. Side notes; my allergic reaction to carrots has been reduced using the carrot salad and my allergy to apples is reduced when I eat them with slices of cheese…

I found this site while looking up using too much Pregenlone and Thyroid.
Last week I read this thread, 2x, because it made sense, and as usual, I jumped in with both size 13’s.
I began having my coffee with 10oz coffee, with 2 tbs sugar and 2tbs collagen, 4 oz of 2% milk.
My metabolism went through the roof, sweating etc. after drinking. Drank 3-4 of these a day, supplemented with string cheese and OJ to ensure I had enough calories. Carrot salad and potatoes with butter and cheese at night. Tuesday I felt I needed to take additional Pregnenolone in case my excess metabolism was creating Estrogen issues…I took 100mg @ lunch and 100mg at dinner. Woke up @ 2 and couldn’t fall back asleep for a few hours. The next day I repeated this and then fell asleep as soon as I arrived home. Slept till 2am and again didn’t fall back asleep for a few hours. Thursday and Friday I relaxed on the pregnenolone but still woke up early. This weekend I backed off of the pregnenolone and went back to 1 capsule, 50mg in the afternoon. Sleeping better. Also taking milk with cocoa and maple syrup at night. All of this is happening in the middle of recovering from sinus infection and bronchitis. Steroid packs and antibiotics…Went back to my Dr. Friday for follow up and they took blood to check Thyroid. Received a call tonight…now my Thyroid is too high!!

My goal for joining this thread and the forum is to increase lbm and continue correcting my thyroid issues.

Chronometer was @ 3,400 cals. milk protein, sugar etc... (GREAT tool!!)

I reckon my questions are as follows:
Did my coffee changes and eating habits from this thread increase my Estrogen and hence the reactions I felt?
When this occurs should I do the mega dose of pregnenolone like I have read others have done? (meaning I didn’t get aggressive enough when I increased my dosage)
Can I use Bentonite VS AC for toxin elimination?
I will add coconut oil when finances allow…currently only use olive oil in carrot salad and mostly butter for cooking…
Thank you for your patience and everyone’s contributions to the forum…great reading!!
Brian

 

[Blossom]

Re: Getting ripped with Dr Peat

bk.

 

[johns74]

Re: Getting ripped with Dr Peat

bk, just something to pay attention: some people have reported problems with gelatin powders after a while (every brand), suspected to be caused by endotoxin in gelatin products. but others have used it with success, thought I should mention that.

 

[bk-]

Re: Getting ripped with Dr Peat

Awwww..thanks Blossom!!

Thank you for the heads up johns74...from what I understand, few people have issues with the Great Lakes brand...but good to know.
bk

 

[Blossom]

Re: Getting ripped with Dr Peat

Steroids can disrupt sleep. If the early awakening continues a sugary/salty snack might help you get back to sleep.

 

[tara]

Re: Getting ripped with Dr Peat

Welcome bk.
Another possibility, in addition to Blossom's, is that if you increase metabolism, you can burn through glycogen stores quicker during the night. This is one possible cause of 2am wake ups. Hopefully glycogen storage will eventually improve to keep up with this, but I'm still waiting. I keep a packet of dates by the bed, and if i'm awake for more than 3 mins in the night I eat one or two (without opening my eyes or moving much) and usually go back to sleep quickly. I don't sleep if I'm hungry. (I sometimes also take a couple of drops of progest-e but I'm female and you're less likely to need this.)

 

[bk-]

Re: Getting ripped with Dr Peat

Thanks Tara.
It isn't necessarily the 2am wakeups that I am concerned about. It is more the sweating and accelerated metabolism throughout the day and potential increased estrogen and possible pufa from fat stores that concerns me...unless this just means I am using the sugar and milk protein as energy and not going into these fat reserves???
P.s. I do use a drop of Progest-E most nights before bed...

Blessings,
bk

 

[bk-]

Re: Getting ripped with Dr Peat

I also need to note that I have been getting headaches halfway through the day. (This was my main reason for thinking of estrogen dominance or however it is called)
I do not think it is caffeine as I was drinking it black daily for years prior to last week.
bk

 

[tara]

Re: Getting ripped with Dr Peat

I also need to note that I have been getting headaches halfway through the day. (This was my main reason for thinking of estrogen dominance or however it is called)
I do not think it is caffeine as I was drinking it black daily for years prior to last week.
bk

A couple of other thoughts.

Some of us do better eating more early in the day - morning till midday/early afternoon, and less in the afternoon. If I don't eat a good amount before ~1pm, my I lose energy and get stressed in the afternoon (sometimes with headache). I can't catch up with food effectively in the afternoon if once I'm in that state. Here's a thread: viewtopic.php?f=56&t=4400

Personally, I get withdrawal headaches (often migraines) from caffeinated coffee, so I drink decaf. I'll drink the real stuff if/when this changes. I think our reactions to things can change as our condition changes.

Does a drop of progesterone stop a headache? I'm female, and don't know so much about dosing for men (and it's pretty variable between people anyway), but maybe you could try a drop in the morning as well as the one in the evening, to keep it gong through the day. Or just try a drop if/when you get the headache. Maybe there are men here who can advise on this.

 

[bk-]

Thanks Tara!!

I normally start the day with @ 3 eggs, shredded cheese - 'manly quiche' and glass of OJ with a glass of chocolate milk , (14 oz 2% milk, 2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 tbs maple syrup)...

Maybe I need to eat with my coffee in the mornings...string cheese or something...
I like the idea of Progest E as well...just unsure if this would be too much for me...
Thats the reason I was upping my does of Pregnenolone.

have a good evening,
bk

 

[HDD]

bk, you might need more sugar with your breakfast. Maybe increase OJ and don't have cocoa in your milk. The headache could be a blood sugar issue.

 

[bk-]

so...update
I ran out of thyroid supplements and protein powder (GL collegen) so things slowed down...
good news is that I slept better, bad news is my hair started falling out again, dry eyes etc...

Both are back in stock so I have been gradually getting back into the groove.
I dont think I took it slow enough building back up on the thyroid...I went immediately to one pill in the morning and one at lunch. felt kind of 'off' for the first week. Now I am back to my old dosage, 2 in the am and 2 at lunch.

The gelatin is working as well although not as powerfully. I reduced the amounts per cup of coffee to 1 tbs gelatin and 1 tbs of sugar + 4oz of milk. The result is not as strong/fast of a metabolism as before.not a bad thing per se...

note about the headaches...I began taking a teaspoon of honey whenever I felt them coming on and bam, they disappeared. Just not enough fructose to support the higher metab...

On a confusing note I dropped a 2x6 on my big toe a few weeks ago. This trauma, in addition the much reduced water intake by following Peat caused my gout to flair up. I used cherry juice with good results but later the following week it flared up again, worse. I think it was all of the liver I was eating. not fun!!

I have begun supplementing sodium bi-carbonate in addition to more cherry juice. I have a couple of presumptions and questions I hope y'all can help me with:
Presumptions/Questions:
- Gout is caused by high uric acid. Kidneys cannot flush it out fast enough and builds up
does that mean I have acidic blood and the baking soda should neutralize this eventually?
- Since I have not ingested liver in over a week, and the gout is still flaring up, does this lead to the conclusion that I am breaking down my muscle tissue due to lack of protein, hence the uric acid build-up?
- has anyone else gotten frustrated about the multitude of issues that crop up when we begin addressing our bodies broken-down state??? ugh!!

Thank you for all of your input/advice previously shared!! Much appreciated...
blessings, bk

 

[tara]

I think hypothyroidism and bowel inflammation are the important thinks in gout. Raw carrot salad and aspirin, and correcting thyroid function, usually take care of it.

Uric acid is important, and you want some of it in your system. Also, if you don't eat enough sugar, your body will break down protein to create sugar.
Have you cut your fluid intake dramatically? Did you get any improvements from this? Are you drinking when you are thirsty? People in hypotyroid state tend to have a harder time with too much fluid, but it is also possible to get too little. For me, it varies depending on various things, including how much I eat, temperature, exercise, etc. I someimes have trouble if i drink more than 3l. But I also get problems (not gout) if I drink much less than 2l. You can check the colour of the output as one clue. It varies from person to person.
You can test your urine pH to get an idea of whether you could use more alkalising minerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium), or possibly baking soda. I don't know if this is a relevant factor in whether uric acid precipitates out into crystals in joints. Are you getting more calcium than phosphorus?
Low protein intake deprives the liver of what it needs to do its jobs, including converting T4 to T3.

 

[messtafarian]

Hi bk:

I don't think you should add anything else at the moment. I've gone through the same cycle a couple of times where I just get too bogged down/confused with all the info and research and end up not being sure exactly what is working and what isn't.

I am hyperthyroid and menopausal and my real issue starting out with Peat was HOT FLASHES AND NIGHT SWEATS; these need to be capitalized because they were terrorizing. I have also taken the American Biologics thyroid; I am hypertensive and I have just now found out I have some virus or autoimmune thingy. Right now I'm taking progesterone, aspirin, carrot, oj, milk/cheese and supplemental calcium.

what I think is keep up your nutritional efforts and revisit your thyroid dosage. It's interesting that you've gone hyper: RP said to me in an email that he is distrustful of AB brand because it has "excipients" in it and there is no information about the amount of thyroid in it. There could be absolutely NO thyroid in it but I definitely felt effects when using it.

So that's the first thing. Stick with your nutritional program as it is and make *smaller* changes so you can keep track of what is working and how you feel.

According to Peat, often when you fix/support your gut ( gelatin,etc) thyroid issues come back into line. You're pretty lucky really that your body responded so quickly and if you just stick with that you can stabilize and start working with other issues. Essential for thyroid: check your temps and your heartrate. Peat says you should be running warm and have a higher heart rate if your thyroid is working correctly, especially if you are trying to correct your metabolism. I would start doing a heat check every day -- I have gone months now sweating like a champ with LOW TEMPS -- Peat would tell me then that even though my TSH is low I am still somehow not using the thyroid I am making correctly because I have an underlying estrogen dominance due to menopause.

Here is an article by Peat about Gout:

http://www.functionalps.com/blog/2012/1 ... uric-acid/

 

[bk-]

Have you cut your fluid intake dramatically?
Yes because I read too much water was not a good thing. I used to drink 1 gal+ and black coffee, unsweet tea.
Did you get any improvements from this?
No, hence the gout flare ups...
Are you drinking when you are thirsty?
I am drinking more now .
Are you getting more calcium than phosphorus?
Unsure...don't really monitor either

Thanks Tara!!

 

[bk-]

Hi bk:

I don't think you should add anything else at the moment. I've gone through the same cycle a couple of times where I just get too bogged down/confused with all the info and research and end up not being sure exactly what is working and what isn't.

I am hyperthyroid and menopausal and my real issue starting out with Peat was HOT FLASHES AND NIGHT SWEATS; these need to be capitalized because they were terrorizing. I have also taken the American Biologics thyroid; I am hypertensive and I have just now found out I have some virus or autoimmune thingy. Right now I'm taking progesterone, aspirin, carrot, oj, milk/cheese and supplemental calcium.

what I think is keep up your nutritional efforts and revisit your thyroid dosage. It's interesting that you've gone hyper: RP said to me in an email that he is distrustful of AB brand because it has "excipients" in it and there is no information about the amount of thyroid in it. There could be absolutely NO thyroid in it but I definitely felt effects when using it.

So that's the first thing. Stick with your nutritional program as it is and make *smaller* changes so you can keep track of what is working and how you feel.

According to Peat, often when you fix/support your gut ( gelatin,etc) thyroid issues come back into line. You're pretty lucky really that your body responded so quickly and if you just stick with that you can stabilize and start working with other issues. Essential for thyroid: check your temps and your heartrate. Peat says you should be running warm and have a higher heart rate if your thyroid is working correctly, especially if you are trying to correct your metabolism. I would start doing a heat check every day -- I have gone months now sweating like a champ with LOW TEMPS -- Peat would tell me then that even though my TSH is low I am still somehow not using the thyroid I am making correctly because I have an underlying estrogen dominance due to menopause.

Here is an article by Peat about Gout:

http://www.functionalps.com/blog/2012/1 ... uric-acid/

Great post!
Thank you!!

 

[tara]

Have you cut your fluid intake dramatically?
Yes because I read too much water was not a good thing. I used to drink 1 gal+ and black coffee, unsweet tea.
Did you get any improvements from this?
No, hence the gout flare ups...
Are you drinking when you are thirsty?
I am drinking more now .
Are you getting more calcium than phosphorus?
Unsure...don't really monitor either

The way I read Peat, he is saying don't drink water beyond thirst thinking it is good for you. The confusing thing is that when one gets badly water-logged, one can feel thirsty even when one already has too much water onboard. This would result in pale pee. Otherwise, thirst is often a good indicator of what we need.

Getting enough calcium has lots of benefits, including supporting a strong metabolism, and helping to keep the calcium in the bones, rather than out where it can lead to calcification of soft tissue, and maintaning good pH levels. Peat recommends calcium:phosphorus ratio between 1:1 and 2:1.

 

[bk-]

Thanks again Tara...
My last chrongraph was almost 100% across the board. so without focusing on calcium and potassium it seems I am pretty good...

I was going to begin the aspirin regimen and I went to walmart to get eh 325s...but they were coated...
Is this a big deal? They are the equate brand and I thought it was the same on from Toxinless...but I reckon I was mistaken. anyway, I want to begin but have heard that the coated aspirin stay in one place too long and have the potential to cause ulcers???

Have a good night my peeps...
bk

 

[BingDing]

A minor thought about aspirin tablets, crushing them before ingesting them prevents a large lump of aspirin from settling down in one place in the stomach.

 

[Blossom]

A minor thought about aspirin tablets, crushing them before ingesting them prevents a large lump of aspirin from settling down in one place in the stomach.

In addition to BingDing's wonderful suggestion I thought I'd mention that some forum members dissolve aspirin in water and just drink the fluid leaving most of the sediment in the bottom of the cup. I haven't tried it myself but if your concerned about the coating and additives that might be an option. Thanks to forum member Green I found some cheap aspirin at my local Dollar General store that had only aspirin and starch as ingredients. I'm not sure if you have stores like that where you live but thought I'd mention it. IIRC Peat has used Bayer aspirin when in Mexico.