How can I best support my health whilst on a one week course of antibiotics?

[Logan-]

Thanks for all of that. Really interesting and it’s making me think. I couldn’t agree more that sleep is vital for our health and every time I go through a period of time where my sleep is terrible I know it has a huge impact and not just short term either.

I really appreciate all of your suggestions. I have been reading a number of threads on here for some time before joining so between what I have taken away here and from Ray Peat’s work, your suggestions seem like very good advice. I started this new journey after reading Kate Deering’s book and never looked back. But I have been wanting to fix everything with diet alone, if that makes sense. The irony is that everyone else is sleeping very well in my house, husband and three teenagers, yet they eat whatever, whilst I am very careful about what I eat. I squeeze my own pulp-free orange juice, have dairy without issues, eggs, seafood a couple of times a week (crab, scallops or oysters), plenty of fruit (fresh and dry), But the RP based diet is maybe just not enough for my damaged metabolism.

I am very familiar with the email exchange thread which I have read and often go back to. It’s a very informative place even when without having the full context. Thanks for reminding me. I will go back there.

Moving forward, I have ordered some cyproheptadine today because I do need to sleep. I hadn’t realised one could easily buy it in the UK. I intend to use it if needed for 6 days as recommended by Ray Peat at doses of 0.5-2mg. Does this sound sensible to you? Last night I went to bed at 10pm, was still wide awake with eyes wide open at midnight. I was getting stressed about not being able to fall asleep so I got up, had some warm milk with a tbsp of honey, took 2 Phenergan tablets (desperation and nothing else available). I fell asleep quite quickly and slept quite well with some crazy dreams too- despite waking up a couple of times. I had a temperature of 36.6 on awaking. That’s one positive! I have noticed that if I sleep my temperature is almost always good.

Sleep has been an issue for me - on and off. In phases. Over the last 4 years or so - coinciding with menopause I think.
So yes, I should probably get some progest-e. One concern of mine is the surge of estrogen which some women experience when they start supplementing progesterone. I don’t want that. I shall hop over the female corner thread with my questions! I once ordered it and then cancelled my order after a moment of panic.

I have what looks like a good a B vitamin complex in my virtual basket and am also tempted by some Magnesium glycinate + taurate - All from Lifeblud (I get my Mag bicarbonate from them and believe them to be a good company. Clean ingredients, no fillers.)

Breath work ... that’s such a good point! Easily overlooked too ... I have got some work to do there. I meditate and practice yoga and I am mindful of how I breath though throughout the day. I did think of trying mouth taping at night but haven’t yet tried. I will look into Buteyko (which I only know by name and has been on my To Do list for a while). I have not heard of a Mike Mew. Thank you so much. Something new and I am sure beneficial to look forward to!

Apart from the aggravation of my sleep problems, I am tolerating the antibiotics well so far.

Modulating diet alone won’t fix everything. The conditions of your life, your mindset, posture, breathing, light etc. all matter. All interact with each other. A holistic approach would be better.

For cypro, use the smallest dose that creates the beneficial effects you want to experience. If you use it every day, your body will build tolerance to its sleep inducing effects.

I’d definitely recommend progesterone (Ray’s own progest-e is the best product on the market); but I agree the female corner might be a good place to ask about specific questions you may have, as I am not a woman, and there must be certain things I don’t know well. @Rinse & rePeat and @Blossom are some of the female members that may give you good guidance regarding your worries about progesterone, if you ask them in the right place.

I wish you the best.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Modulating diet alone won’t fix everything. The conditions of your life, your mindset, posture, breathing, light etc. all matter. All interact with each other. A holistic approach would be better.

For cypro, use the smallest dose that creates the beneficial effects you want to experience. If you use it every day, your body will build tolerance to its sleep inducing effects.

I’d definitely recommend progesterone (Ray’s own progest-e is the best product on the market); but I agree the female corner might be a good place to ask about specific questions you may have, as I am not a woman, and there must be certain things I don’t know well. @Rinse & rePeat and @Blossom are some of the female members that may give you good guidance regarding your worries about progesterone, if you ask them in the right place.

I wish you the best.

I nominate @Blossom for this one, just because I have no experience in taking anti-biopics. Thanks for the vote of confidence though @Logan-

 

[Blossom]

For antibiotic-induced diarrhea and other GI issues (e.g. gas, bloating, etc.), consider Saccharomyces Boulardii e.g. 5B or 10B CFU

S. Boulardii is even effective against some (but not all) strains of C. difficile

It's best to take it away from meals and in between the antibiotic doses

I second this and always take it anytime I’m on an antibiotic.

 

[Gawdawg]

Why K2 MK-4? I don’t know enough about it. For calcium regulation? Moving it from the soft tissues to the bones? I do eat quite a bit of dairy - milk, cheese, Greek yogurt, ice cream. It may indeed be a good idea.

And do you think this would be a good option?

MK-Seven

***NOW 120 CAPSULES (previously 90), minor price increase as a result.Vitamin K2 Mk7In its fully bioactive, trans-isomer form [21]. Naturally derived. *from MenaQ7, a naturally fermented, highly pure, allergen free, all-trans isomer menaquinone-7. Clinically validated and rigorously tested to be...

lifeblud.co

Thank you for your time. I do the carrot salad every day and shall continue. I also cooking some more mushrooms as we speak!

I've heard several times it is the preferred form. Eggs and cheeses also provide different forms of K2.

 

[Honeycomb]

Thank you @Logan- ! You have provided me with a lot of help. I am grateful. I wish you all the best too.

Thank you for sharing your own experience with S-Bloulardi @Blossom I am bloated today and having mild discomfort ... so I need to research more about this. I have come across many of your posts through my research on the forum. I respect your advice. Same goes to you @Rinse & rePeat I am watching several of your threads. You are very generous with your information. I am sure that I will be seeking advice from both of you when I try Progest-e.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Thank you @Logan- ! You have provided me with a lot of help. I am grateful. I wish you all the best too.

Thank you for sharing your own experience with S-Bloulardi @Blossom I am bloated today and having mild discomfort ... so I need to research more about this. I have come across many of your posts through my research on the forum. I respect your advice. Same goes to you @Rinse & rePeat I am watching several of your threads. You are very generous with your information. I am sure that I will be seeking advice from both of you when I try Progest-e.

I am happy to share Honeycomb. You could also add artichokes and mushrooms in your rotation if you get sick of the carrot salad, as they have the same action.

 

[Honeycomb]

I am happy to share Honeycomb. You could also add artichokes and mushrooms in your rotation if you get sick of the carrot salad, as they have the same action.

Oh thank you so much! It can be quite daunting at times to navigate on one’s own. I appreciate all the help and recommendations made by all already. I am already doing the mushrooms but hadn’t thought of artichokes. Thanks. That’s a good idea for some gut friendly bacteria. I will go and check later if there are any at the vegetable market. I am pretty sure that I haven’t seen any fresh ones lately. End of season plus food shortages ... I do like them very much. It also happens that I come from the land of artichokes, Brittany, France
In the UK, where I live, they are mainly sold in expensive jars and are chock full of PUFAS and other additives. I guess artichokes haven’t quite made it to the British cuisine.

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Oh thank you so much! It can be quite daunting at times to navigate on one’s own. I appreciate all the help and recommendations made by all already. I am already doing the mushrooms but hadn’t thought of artichokes. Thanks. That’s a good idea for some gut friendly bacteria. I will go and check later if there are any at the vegetable market. I am pretty sure that I haven’t seen any fresh ones lately. End of season plus food shortages ... I do like them very much. It also happens that I come from the land of artichokes, Brittany, France
In the UK, where I live, they are mainly sold in expensive jars and are chock full of PUFAS and other additives. I guess artichokes haven’t quite made it to the British cuisine.

I get these packaged ones in the refrigerator section in the produce department.

 

[mimipt]

Hi

I have been reading this forum for quite some time, searching for info about endotoxin and how to get rid of it, and I have really learned a lot
I have been having an issue with this since a travel and what I thought at the time was food poisoning (combined with alcohol intake at an event), which caused something like stomach flu
Everafter I have had symptoms of dysbiosis and endotoxin, but since the complaints were not very specific, I did not know how to proceed. I had a parasite test which came negative, H Pylori which came positive and treated with Tetracycline, busmut and omeprazole and after that is negative (but which I suspect was not the cause of the endotoxin problems at all, anyway) and recently I had a microbiome stool test which revealed an overgrowth of methane producing bacteria, sibo and in general, intestinal inflammation

I got a prescription for Rifamycin but I have been reading that it is very weak and I have decided to take Amoxicillin which I started yesterday night

I would be very thankful to receive advice about several issues

-Dosis: I have decided to take 3x750mg for 2 or 3 days, and then some more days 2x750mg. Would this be ok?
-How many days would the optimal duration of the course be?
-Is it better to take it on an empty stomach or with food?
-I read here that antibiotics deplete vit K, should I just try to eat vit K -rich food such as butter, liver pate, blue cheese etc, or better supplement? I have never supplemented vit K and I am a little reluctant to do it because of some negative stories I read here on the forum.
-last but not least: what can I do to prevent the SIBO from returning when I finish the abx course

Many thanks in advance for your input!

ciao