Hi everyone,
I'm about six months into chronic insomnia (3 - 4:30 AM waking), anxiety, depression, brain fog/"brain on fire", morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, low stress tolerance, and fatigue. My body seems to be "stuck" in the chronic stress state many of you have described. Not fun. Trying to coax it back to "normal" health with all strategies promoting high ox phos metabolism. Given the collective insight and wisdom of this community I am reaching out for ideas, hunches and things to test or try.
Here's some background;
- 50 yr old male. 5'8" 175 pretty good shape.
- Peat diet for last six months, plenty of calories, gained a few pounds since starting; diet of eggs, shellfish, GF beef, liver, OJ, milk, lots of fruit, honey, coffee, ice cream, cooked greens, potatoes, gelatin, salt. Minimal PUFA/no grains. I go for food quality (pastured, GF, wild caught, non GMO, no gums, etc..).
- Coming off Paleo and low carb (who would have guessed)
- Starting to work with a functional medicine MD, not Peat inspired but open to ideas. I'll have more blood work, gut and saliva labs in the near future.
Daily supps;
- Estroban
- Mg biglycinate, carbonate and topical MgCL.
- Zn, Mn, Cu, Se - typical RDA amounts
- Energin, niacinamide, p5p, thiamine, riboflavin
- Collagen (glycine/proline), taurine, tyrosine, lysine
Occasional supps;
- aspirin, theanine, pregnenalone, Pansterone, Oxidal, (yes I'm a Haidut/IdeaLabs fan :)
- have on hand but not currently using; TyroMax, clonidine, tianeptine, cyproheptadine, bromocriptine
- spending a good amount of time outside walking, hikes, gardening. Getting tan this summer.
Out of range labs and sleep data.
- Ferritin 15, other iron labs in range.
- SHBG 70. T of 625
- Cholesterol 275
- 4 existing "silver" amalgams (Hg) fillings, 3 root canals.
- Nighttime SPO2 - dips into the low 80's/high 70's a few times per night (desaturation/apnea). (Using the iOximeter to monitor)
- Nighttime heart rate - dips into mid 30's at times (AV block?). Sometimes as high as 78 bpm.
- Nightime respiration rate varies from 12/min to 22/min (hyperventilating).
- note; snoring/gasping has been much better since I've been taping my mouth and avoiding back sleeping. Tried some bag breath for a while too.
Obviously something going on with my sleep. Sleep study will likely recommend CPAP. Not a fan of CPAP per Ray. Maybe an oral appliance if its obstructive vs central apnea.
Morning temps have been rising from 96 to 97. Daytime temps can range from 96.5 to 98. Pulse is usually around 60 - 65. Often wake with adrenalin surge & headache (probably a reaction to desaturation)
Am I on track continuing to focus on increasing my metabolic rate while I explore the oxygen desaturation events during sleep? Anything else you guys can think of?
- Should I slowly ramp TyroMax or synth T4/T3 3:1?
- Should I try Diamox or 600mg Thiamine before bed?
- Any ideas to reduce glia/brain inflammation? Curcumin? Ginsing extract Rg3?
- Any other ideas to reduce glutamate - Ca excitotoxicity, increase GABA, dopamine?
- Any other ideas to increase synaptogenesis/BDNF expression?
- I'm doing some tests for leaky gut/endotoxin, infections
- Leave the corporate rat race and open a coffee shop in Costa Rica?
Thanks for any help Peat fans!
I'm about six months into chronic insomnia (3 - 4:30 AM waking), anxiety, depression, brain fog/"brain on fire", morning headaches, daytime sleepiness, low stress tolerance, and fatigue. My body seems to be "stuck" in the chronic stress state many of you have described. Not fun. Trying to coax it back to "normal" health with all strategies promoting high ox phos metabolism. Given the collective insight and wisdom of this community I am reaching out for ideas, hunches and things to test or try.
Here's some background;
- 50 yr old male. 5'8" 175 pretty good shape.
- Peat diet for last six months, plenty of calories, gained a few pounds since starting; diet of eggs, shellfish, GF beef, liver, OJ, milk, lots of fruit, honey, coffee, ice cream, cooked greens, potatoes, gelatin, salt. Minimal PUFA/no grains. I go for food quality (pastured, GF, wild caught, non GMO, no gums, etc..).
- Coming off Paleo and low carb (who would have guessed)
- Starting to work with a functional medicine MD, not Peat inspired but open to ideas. I'll have more blood work, gut and saliva labs in the near future.
Daily supps;
- Estroban
- Mg biglycinate, carbonate and topical MgCL.
- Zn, Mn, Cu, Se - typical RDA amounts
- Energin, niacinamide, p5p, thiamine, riboflavin
- Collagen (glycine/proline), taurine, tyrosine, lysine
Occasional supps;
- aspirin, theanine, pregnenalone, Pansterone, Oxidal, (yes I'm a Haidut/IdeaLabs fan :)
- have on hand but not currently using; TyroMax, clonidine, tianeptine, cyproheptadine, bromocriptine
- spending a good amount of time outside walking, hikes, gardening. Getting tan this summer.
Out of range labs and sleep data.
- Ferritin 15, other iron labs in range.
- SHBG 70. T of 625
- Cholesterol 275
- 4 existing "silver" amalgams (Hg) fillings, 3 root canals.
- Nighttime SPO2 - dips into the low 80's/high 70's a few times per night (desaturation/apnea). (Using the iOximeter to monitor)
- Nighttime heart rate - dips into mid 30's at times (AV block?). Sometimes as high as 78 bpm.
- Nightime respiration rate varies from 12/min to 22/min (hyperventilating).
- note; snoring/gasping has been much better since I've been taping my mouth and avoiding back sleeping. Tried some bag breath for a while too.
Obviously something going on with my sleep. Sleep study will likely recommend CPAP. Not a fan of CPAP per Ray. Maybe an oral appliance if its obstructive vs central apnea.
Morning temps have been rising from 96 to 97. Daytime temps can range from 96.5 to 98. Pulse is usually around 60 - 65. Often wake with adrenalin surge & headache (probably a reaction to desaturation)
Am I on track continuing to focus on increasing my metabolic rate while I explore the oxygen desaturation events during sleep? Anything else you guys can think of?
- Should I slowly ramp TyroMax or synth T4/T3 3:1?
- Should I try Diamox or 600mg Thiamine before bed?
- Any ideas to reduce glia/brain inflammation? Curcumin? Ginsing extract Rg3?
- Any other ideas to reduce glutamate - Ca excitotoxicity, increase GABA, dopamine?
- Any other ideas to increase synaptogenesis/BDNF expression?
- I'm doing some tests for leaky gut/endotoxin, infections
- Leave the corporate rat race and open a coffee shop in Costa Rica?
Thanks for any help Peat fans!