Kelly's Log: Blood Sugar And PMS And Spleen Pain - OH MY!

[KellyP]

I do feel like Dorothy. This entire health journey has been long and confusing.

I began posting over at the Peatist Losers thread, but have realized that I'm not just trying to lose weight (although that must happen) and I need to stop hijacking their thread over there.

Here's the repost of my basic background:

Discovered Weston A Price at 20 and hit it hard. By 23 I was married and pregnant with my second child and did low carb/no sugar. I felt like Super Woman! Then, after the birth, I didn't.

I had rage, panic attacks, depression, overwhelming cravings and hunger, confusion, listless, disoriented. I was previously purposeful and organized, but this was the beginning of feeling utterly lost all the time and that hasn't stopped (8 years and going).

Did different hormone tests with all sorts of practitioners but nothing made sense. Some I tried, some I didn't. At the end of 2009 I suddenly put on 25 pounds in 2 months. Discovered Matt Stone, had a third baby in 2011, crashed and did RBTI for a while. Helpful for a short while, but I wasn't healed.

Fast forward 4 years of basically eating whatever (lots of eating out, lots of fried foods, lots of homecooked food as well. TONS OF PUFA). The last year I've been very low energy with lots of crashes in the afternoons and evening, getting worse at a faster and faster rate.

One month ago I did a couple hours of yard work (more exertion than I had done in a long time) and I CRASHED. I think it might be called Post Exertional Malaise. I felt sick. For 3 weeks! I could barely get out of the house. I still feel hot in the face all the time, and like my limbs are so heavy I can't pick them up. But it's slowly started letting up.

I finally went to urgent care to see if I had mono or something and...Diabetes. That's the word she used. My sugar was at 155 and I had so many of the symptoms. She told me to see my doc ASAP but of course I didn't. I was terrified of the low carb/no sugar prescription I would get, which I believe played a role in getting me here.

The last month I've been researching diabetes/insulin resistance/hypothyroid/adrenal fatigue/HPA axis dysregulation etc. I knew of Ray Peat through Matt Stone and have read some articles over the years. I feel like Chicken Little, saying that my high blood sugar isn't caused by sugar or carbs. It's also scary, because I feel on my own, and the risk is my HEALTH, which I have very little left to gamble with.

My stats as of 5/22:
Weight: 188.6
FBG: 166
BBT: 97.9
Pulse: 86

My stats today (6/13):
Weight: 182.4
FBG: 138
BBT: 98.3
Pulse: 80

I desperately dove into @thebigpeatowski's protocol because she sounds like a Unicorn: she healed her high blood sugar and has maintained it for two years (notwithstanding that short period of time her glucometer wasn't calibrated!). I haven't been able to find that anywhere else on the interwebs.

I'm excited by the weight loss (PUFA depletion!!), and am glad that these last 3 weeks my pulse and temp haven't tanked - but they haven't risen either, which they need to.

But the two main issues I'm having the most trouble with right now are:
1) Flushing. It's so uncomfortable and it seems to be an important signal I don't understand. I felt this way occasionally, but since late April, when I crashed big time, my face feels hot most of the time. You can see it a bit on my face too (but not too noticeable). It's most prominent in the mornings, when I get a surge (of adrenaline?), and my face gets so hot I have to put a cold rag to my face, and I feel my hands and feet tingle and swell up, then my whole body tingles and I begin to sweat. This is usually 5-6am.

I've been waking myself up several times a night to drink salted OJ, and having a bedtime snack. And that has helped a bunch. (My fasting blood sugar also correlates much more with how strong my hot flashes are in the morning than what I'm eating.)

I'm reading, but it seems the hot flashes/flushing during the day could be adrenaline, or cortisol, or serotonin.

2) MAH SPLEEN!! It's hurting like crazy tonight. The last couple of weeks, I noticed the area right under and below my left rib cage felt bloated or full. It's been like this off and on for years, and I treat it like a hiatal hernia, assuming that's the extent of it. But several days ago it felt achy or sore. And today it's been HURTING. And radiates around to my lower back on the left side. I'm assuming this is related to my most-likely-horrifically-fatty-sluggish-liver and possibly toxicity from dumping PUFAS? But I don't understand it and haven't found much from Peat or on the forums here.

It could be related to my cycle as well, as for years now I've noticed (well, I'll be honest - my husband noticed) that my irritability, aggression, helplessness, despair, bloating, weight gain, overwhelming hunger, anxiety, brain fog, digestive issues, blood pressure, and all sorts of other things are a lot worse starting around day 13 of my cycle, then a bit better for a week, then gets progressively worse until my sadistically long cycle (usually 38+ days) mercifully ends. I'm on day 31 right now and wonder if there's a connection. I can certainly see one with how often I'm flushing and stressed.

I'm so glad to have found this forum!!!! Thank you all for sharing your stories. They are a life raft for me right now.

 

[tara]

Hi Kelly,
Have you experimented at all with progest-e or other good formulations of progesterone? For symptoms associated with menstrual cycle, I tend to think it might be relevant?
Have you (or your husband:)) noticed if you breath through nose or mouth during sleep? If mouth, I'd think it would be worth seeing of you can change that with mechanical aid. I got some night sweats for a while, but seldom any more. My hunch is that one or more of progesterone supp, mouth closed, and more sugar are what helped, though it could have been other things too. (I'm close approaching menopausal age.)

I don't know much about spleen, so won't comment on that, other than to ask if you've had a medical opinion about that pain?

Good luck.

 

[KellyP]

Hi Kelly,
Have you experimented at all with progest-e or other good formulations of progesterone? For symptoms associated with menstrual cycle, I tend to think it might be relevant?

Yes, I started taking Progest-E this week, after realizing that the cream I ordered a few weeks ago has such a low dose I'd be slathered in it all day to get enough. :/ I *think* it's helping. I'm certainly fairing much better than I usually am on day 31 of my cycle. But it's still not great. Maybe more? I think I'm about 40mg a day right now. It's hard to tell because the stuff is so oozy that I don't really know what one drop is...it just keeps oozing out. So I do a thin line about 3-4 times a day. But not every day, just whenever it occurs to me.

Have you (or your husband:)) noticed if you breath through nose or mouth during sleep? If mouth, I'd think it would be worth seeing of you can change that with mechanical aid. I got some night sweats for a while, but seldom any more. My hunch is that one or more of progesterone supp, mouth closed, and more sugar are what helped, though it could have been other things too. (I'm close approaching menopausal age.)

Yes, I think I sleep with my mouth closed. But I don't know for sure. I'll have my husband check. In 2012 I came across the Buteyko method for some asthmatic symptoms my son was having. It helped so much with MY own stuffy nose that I created the habit of breathing only through my nose. It's amazing how much it helps!

I don't know much about spleen, so won't comment on that, other than to ask if you've had a medical opinion about that pain?

Good luck.

No, but if it continues/a viable theory doesn't pop up that I can try out to help it, I might have to go in to the doctor to have it checked out. Maybe they can do an ultrasound to confirm it's the spleen? And also take a peek at my liver too? Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[thebigpeatowski]

By 23 I was married and pregnant with my second child and did low carb/no sugar. I felt like Super Woman! Then, after the birth, I didn't.

I had rage, panic attacks, depression, overwhelming cravings and hunger, confusion, listless, disoriented. I was previously purposeful and organized, but this was the beginning of feeling utterly lost all the time and that hasn't stopped (8 years and going).

Did different hormone tests with all sorts of practitioners but nothing made sense. Some I tried, some I didn't. At the end of 2009 I suddenly put on 25 pounds in 2 months. Discovered Matt Stone, had a third baby in 2011, crashed and did RBTI for a while. Helpful for a short while, but I wasn't healed.

Fast forward 4 years of basically eating whatever (lots of eating out, lots of fried foods, lots of homecooked food as well. TONS OF PUFA). The last year I've been very low energy with lots of crashes in the afternoons and evening, getting worse at a faster and faster rate.

One month ago I did a couple hours of yard work (more exertion than I had done in a long time) and I CRASHED. I think it might be called Post Exertional Malaise. I felt sick. For 3 weeks! I could barely get out of the house. I still feel hot in the face all the time, and like my limbs are so heavy I can't pick them up. But it's slowly started letting up.

I finally went to urgent care to see if I had mono or something and...Diabetes. That's the word she used. My sugar was at 155 and I had so many of the symptoms. She told me to see my doc ASAP but of course I didn't. I was terrified of the low carb/no sugar prescription I would get, which I believe played a role in getting me here.

Wow KellyP....I could have written these exact same words myself...only I was 25 instead of 23. The rage, depression, overwhelming depression, confusion, listlessness, inability to organize and focus...I had it ALL along with massive weight gain, hair falling out and brutal constipation. It took me ten years to get a doctor to listen to me and finally prescribe thyroid medication instead antidepressants.

I too ate TONS of PUFA, mayonnaise was my best friend. And at the visit to my doc that landed me the glucometer/metformin lecture my fasting blood sugar was exactly where yours was 155. My fastings BS is just under 100 most days now, so there IS hope!

You're still very young and so fortunate to have found this forum, there's LOTS of good help here. Not everything will jive though, you'll need to experiment and see what works best for your particular situation.

Please remember that I did not (and still don't) have a "protocol" to follow....I was and am still winging it. It's all about experimentation. Read and learn as much as you can and then apply stuff that resonates with YOU as it pertains to your specific situation. This is really important regarding food, just because some specific foods work well for people here, does not mean you will tolerate them equally well.

Having said that, there are some things that I think are absolutely crucial:

NO PUFA...really try hard to get it out of your diet. If you haven't already, please go through your house and purge it completely. That would include body lotions too.

I also think it's really important to find the correct number of calories that your specific metabolism can handle. Taking in too much energy will NOT BE HELPFUL in your current situation, but eating just enough to keep stress to a minimum will do wonders. No one can tell you what those numbers are, it's unique to you and as your body heals it's fun to watch your numbers change!

*FAIR WARNING* Most people here don't agree with me on the calorie restriction thing, but I knew for myself that I was absolutely flooding my system with too much energy. If you combine that with a gross inability to use said energy, well it gets real ugly real quick. I desperately needed to clear out some liver and pancreatic fat and a few weeks of restriction does that beautifully. It seemed to reset the signaling between my liver and pancreas AND it helped my liver to clear estrogen more efficiently.

Calorie restriction and herbal antimicrobials combined does wonders...I guess you read about the Raw Garlic Shock & Awe. My very unscientific uneducated opinion is that bad gut bugs can cause cravings, brain issues and also systemic inflammation. Nuke 'em and they won't bug you anymore. If they start to bug you, nuke em again. I think this is critical to maintaining health....like keeping your garden weeded.

I found it very satisfying to track the data, watching blood sugars drop (and seeing how different foods affect me), watching scale weight drop (foods effects can show up here too) and watching my caloric intake actually go up as I heal is AMAZING. Tracking temp/heart rate as you know is very important as well, I hope you're using Cron-O...or some sort of app to keep your info all in one spot.

And remember, it's not a quick fix....most likely there will be ebbs and flows.

I'm so glad you're here!!! XOXO

 

[thebigpeatowski]

If you get a chance please listen to this interview: Dr. Gundry: Turning off Autoimmunity with a Lectin Avoidance Diet - Selfhacked

 

[tara]

So I do a thin line about 3-4 times a day. But not every day, just whenever it occurs to me.

I think Peat has suggested regular doses - ie the same every day - either 2 weeks on (from the beginning of menstruation) and two weeks off or every day if the symptoms are severe enough to require it. I think a sudden drop in the the level can trigger menstruation in at least some of us.

In 2012 I came across the Buteyko method for some asthmatic symptoms my son was having. It helped so much with MY own stuffy nose that I created the habit of breathing only through my nose. It's amazing how much it helps!

Yeah! I have a child with occasional asthma too. Did you find a way that your son could get benefit from it too?

 

[KellyP]

I think Peat has suggested regular doses - ie the same every day - either 2 weeks on (from the beginning of menstruation) and two weeks off or every day if the symptoms are severe enough to require it. I think a sudden drop in the the level can trigger menstruation in at least some of us.

I would love to trigger menstruation right now. I have a lot of the symptoms of PMDD plus an extra long cycle, which means for 3+ weeks out of my cycle I'm a walking anxious/aggressive/exhausted/hunger-crazed/overwhelmed Mrs. Hyde.

I'll do my best to dose regularly. I've also noticed it helps when I have a bout of stress (hot face, stressed/anxious feeling, cold hands and feet), so I don't know that I will stick strictly to a fixed dose.

Yeah! I have a child with occasional asthma too. Did you find a way that your son could get benefit from it too?

Oh yes. That was 4 years ago and he hasn't had an episode like that since. He also used to wheeze when he had a cold (he's always had allergies as well). But it's much better. I try to remind him (and his sisters) to breathe through their nose like some mothers correct posture.

 

[KellyP]

If you get a chance please listen to this interview: Dr. Gundry: Turning off Autoimmunity with a Lectin Avoidance Diet - Selfhacked

Thanks @thebigpeatowski I'll check it out.

 

[tara]

Oh yes. That was 4 years ago and he hasn't had an episode like that since. He also used to wheeze when he had a cold (he's always had allergies as well). But it's much better. I try to remind him (and his sisters) to breathe through their nose like some mothers correct posture.

Mine gets the regular reminders to breathe through the nose too, but forgets most of the time.

 

[KellyP]

Wow KellyP....I could have written these exact same words myself...only I was 25 instead of 23. The rage, depression, overwhelming depression, confusion, listlessness, inability to organize and focus...I had it ALL along with massive weight gain, hair falling out and brutal constipation. It took me ten years to get a doctor to listen to me and finally prescribe thyroid medication instead antidepressants.

I too ate TONS of PUFA, mayonnaise was my best friend. And at the visit to my doc that landed me the glucometer/metformin lecture my fasting blood sugar was exactly where yours was 155. My fastings BS is just under 100 most days now, so there IS hope!

You're still very young and so fortunate to have found this forum, there's LOTS of good help here. Not everything will jive though, you'll need to experiment and see what works best for your particular situation.

Mayonnaise. That's the only PUFA I really think I'll miss and can't seem to replace easily. I cleaned out my pantry 3 weeks ago. It seems so long ago!

Please remember that I did not (and still don't) have a "protocol" to follow....I was and am still winging it. It's all about experimentation. Read and learn as much as you can and then apply stuff that resonates with YOU as it pertains to your specific situation. This is really important regarding food, just because some specific foods work well for people here, does not mean you will tolerate them equally well.

Ugh. It's tempting to just grab someone and do what they did and hope it'll work out as well. But...I'm not you. This is baggage I have to let go of in lots of areas.

That being said, I just wish there was a TEMPLATE. A Quick Start Guide. Ya know? I'm creating one now by compiling the information that is most often repeated by everyone on the forum, and that is helpful. That way I can ease into trying new things based on how likely they are to help and then move on to the next-most-likely if it doesn't jive with me.

So far, fructose is where it's at for me, even though I don't crave it much. But it makes me feel so good!

Having said that, there are some things that I think are absolutely crucial:

NO PUFA...really try hard to get it out of your diet. If you haven't already, please go through your house and purge it completely. That would include body lotions too.

I also think it's really important to find the correct number of calories that your specific metabolism can handle. Taking in too much energy will NOT BE HELPFUL in your current situation, but eating just enough to keep stress to a minimum will do wonders. No one can tell you what those numbers are, it's unique to you and as your body heals it's fun to watch your numbers change!

*FAIR WARNING* Most people here don't agree with me on the calorie restriction thing, but I knew for myself that I was absolutely flooding my system with too much energy. If you combine that with a gross inability to use said energy, well it gets real ugly real quick. I desperately needed to clear out some liver and pancreatic fat and a few weeks of restriction does that beautifully. It seemed to reset the signaling between my liver and pancreas AND it helped my liver to clear estrogen more efficiently.

I've never thought about it that way before, but for most of my life, the way I eat is like air hunger: I keep eating and eating wanting to feel full, but never am. For years and years and years I've thought it was purely emotional (there's some of that), but thank God I've realized it's also (mostly????) biological.

Calorie restriction and herbal antimicrobials combined does wonders...I guess you read about the Raw Garlic Shock & Awe. My very unscientific uneducated opinion is that bad gut bugs can cause cravings, brain issues and also systemic inflammation. Nuke 'em and they won't bug you anymore. If they start to bug you, nuke em again. I think this is critical to maintaining health....like keeping your garden weeded.

I found it very satisfying to track the data, watching blood sugars drop (and seeing how different foods affect me), watching scale weight drop (foods effects can show up here too) and watching my caloric intake actually go up as I heal is AMAZING. Tracking temp/heart rate as you know is very important as well, I hope you're using Cron-O...or some sort of app to keep your info all in one spot.

And remember, it's not a quick fix....most likely there will be ebbs and flows.

I'm so glad you're here!!! XOXO

I was going to ask you about this. At what point do you think I should consider gut dysbiosis a major problem? What are some signs you had that you think would indicate a problem beyond low metabolism/fatty liver?

Here are a few of my lifelong symptoms that make me wonder:
-Spastic colon from puberty (random bouts of diarrhea correlated with social anxiety)
-Fungal issues: athlete's foot as a teenager, tinea versicolor during first pregnancy that I still have to "manage" under my boobs during summer time (ick), second baby got thrush, I was diagnosed in 2009 with candida overgrowth, sometimes I get yellowish toenails
-My digestion is sensitive and highly fluctuates: chronic constipation with one pregnancy, diarrhea off and on, bloating at the tiniest things.
-Oh! And a handful of times, especially around the time when my first was a baby, I had this horrible pain in the middle of my gut. I envy your ability to know exactly where it is and what is happening. All I know is that I would be up for hours and hours, waiting as it slowly moved. Once it reached a certain point in my guts, it let up enough for me to go back to sleep. But it hurt badly enough that I was sweating/breathing my childbirth breaths.
-Low carb/no sugar diet while pregnant with my second!

If you were doing it all over again, way back in June of 2014 when you decided you wanted to take care of your SIBO (and then later the other critters), would you just go ahead and do turpentine for the antimicrobial or still try garlic?

 

[thebigpeatowski]

Mayonnaise. That's the only PUFA I really think I'll miss and can't seem to replace easily. I cleaned out my pantry 3 weeks ago. It seems so long ago!

Good Girl!

It gets easier....Cravings and taste buds change.

Ugh. It's tempting to just grab someone and do what they did and hope it'll work out as well. But...I'm not you. This is baggage I have to let go of in lots of areas.

I know, I desperately wanted that too, unfortunately it just doesn't work that way.

That being said, I just wish there was a TEMPLATE. A Quick Start Guide. Ya know? I'm creating one now by compiling the information that is most often repeated by everyone on the forum, and that is helpful. That way I can ease into trying new things based on how likely they are to help and then move on to the next-most-likely if it doesn't jive with me.

So far, fructose is where it's at for me, even though I don't crave it much. But it makes me feel so good!

Your organizational skills are admirable and will add much to the forum!!!

NO PUFA and plenty fructose have been key for me, I get all of my carbs from organic OJ and raw honey these days.

I've never thought about it that way before, but for most of my life, the way I eat is like air hunger: I keep eating and eating wanting to feel full, but never am. For years and years and years I've thought it was purely emotional (there's some of that), but thank God I've realized it's also (mostly????) biological.

I can so relate....for me it was wheat in particular, but rice, rye and corn will do it too. Really ALL starch from grains makes me feel just as you describe. Make no mistake, I LOVE starch, and ever since fixing my gut issues I have indulged in plenty, but I can tell it is NOT ideal for me. Your mileage may vary.

I was going to ask you about this. At what point do you think I should consider gut dysbiosis a major problem? What are some signs you had that you think would indicate a problem beyond low metabolism/fatty liver?

Here are a few of my lifelong symptoms that make me wonder:
-Spastic colon from puberty (random bouts of diarrhea correlated with social anxiety)
-Fungal issues: athlete's foot as a teenager, tinea versicolor during first pregnancy that I still have to "manage" under my boobs during summer time (ick), second baby got thrush, I was diagnosed in 2009 with candida overgrowth, sometimes I get yellowish toenails
-My digestion is sensitive and highly fluctuates: chronic constipation with one pregnancy, diarrhea off and on, bloating at the tiniest things.
-Oh! And a handful of times, especially around the time when my first was a baby, I had this horrible pain in the middle of my gut. I envy your ability to know exactly where it is and what is happening. All I know is that I would be up for hours and hours, waiting as it slowly moved. Once it reached a certain point in my guts, it let up enough for me to go back to sleep. But it hurt badly enough that I was sweating/breathing my childbirth breaths.
-Low carb/no sugar diet while pregnant with my second!

If you were doing it all over again, way back in June of 2014 when you decided you wanted to take care of your SIBO (and then later the other critters), would you just go ahead and do turpentine for the antimicrobial or still try garlic?

I think you have every symptom of gut dysbiosis. It's merely my opinion and many here don't agree with me, but I simply couldn't work on raising my metabolism with my chronic gut issues. I had to get that under control BEFORE things turned around for me. A lot of people (young men) here will tell you "just raise your metabolism and your guts will heal", it didn't work that way for me....prolly because I am much older and female. I could tell my liver was really struggling.

I can't tell you which anti-microbial to start with, there are so many. Raw honey is great. Ceylon cinnamon will help with blood sugar. Raw garlic can be brutal and some here have not found it as helpful as I did, but I also don't know what the rest of their diet was like. I ate ZERO starch while doing it.

ALL anti-microbials are going to be somewhat toxic, that's by design. I think 100% pure gum spirits is very easy, safe and thorough.....knowing what I know NOW, I personally wouldn't even bother with anything else.

CHEERS!

 

[KellyP]

Since Monday I've been experiencing PMS/PMDD symptoms: bloating/constipation, anxiety, aggression, irritability, spleen(?) pain, HUNGER, confusion/disorientation, fight-or-flight, very flushed face/sweating/swelling.

I've been doing high sugar/fructose+low fat+calorie restriction the last 3 weeks. It looks like if I eat no more than 1500 calories a day I am losing. If I eat more than that I maintain. 1800+ and I gain. The stress responses happened quickly (especially the flushing of the face and stress-feelings, cold hands and feet too), but I'd been doing a fair job of addressing it as I went and it felt doable. Until Monday. Day 31 of my cycle.

Without realizing it I ate 1600 calories on Monday. Whoops.

But Tuesday I woke up and NOT eating everything I wanted was NOT an option. I had a huge baked potato loaded with fatty butter, sour cream and cheese, and a coke for breakfast. And the day went on like that. 3500 calories later and I felt better (especially the flushing and aggression) but still icky. Then Wednesday I ate 2500 calories, more sugar than starch/fat this time. But still feeling grouchy and awful.

Today I was desperate. The bloating and constipation were awful. All those estrogen (I guess?) symptoms were out of hand. My son asked me several times if I was okay and patted me on the shoulder. :/ So this morning I decided to up everything even more. I did at least 70mg of progesterone, 215 grams of just sugar (fructose, OJ, coke, honey), lots of salt, and tried T3 for the first time today. I had a very small dose at 10:45 am and within an hour my temp went up to 98.5 (which had started out at 98.1 and had stayed there after breakfast) and pulse to 92. I felt warm and calm and stayed that way for the most part until 6pm when I had another small dose (1 drop of Blue Sky T3). By 4:30 my temp was 98.8. It hasn't been that high...since I was pregnant? Maybe.

I managed to stay much calmer, even happy, this evening and my cravings became so much more manageable. Bloating is down too and had 2 bms (not great ones, but something). Came in at 1600 calories today. I obviously gained a pound this morning from this week's Estrogen Fest (if that's what I'm experiencing).

Think I'll stick with the T3 and up my fructose and progesterone even more. I will say that it's a big win for me to only begin to feel this way on day 31 of my cycle. I have a longish (35-38 day) cycle and in the last year, I've had PMDD symptoms beginning on day 13, slowly ramping up and then full blown by day 21.

My first health victory!

 

[KellyP]

I ended up with a 37 day cycle and only 7 full blown days of PMDD/PMS/estrogen symptoms plus 3 more after day 1. I'm eager to see THAT go soon.

I think I might be having a weird reaction to Greek yogurt. Most mornings I'm either making a smoothie with Fage Nonfat Greek Yogurt, or having a container of Chobani's fruit on the bottom non fat yogurt. I end up feeling anxious and irritable afterward. It could be something else though.

I still can't handle milk, which is sad because it would help with getting calories and protein in. Going low fat doesn't leave many options for good calories and protein, and my stomach is getting sensitive to beef now (even with gelatin or collagen). And I notice after having a "spell" of bad digestion/anxiety/headache/fatigue, I get swollen and won't lose weight.

I think it's time to consider prioritizing the gut issue first. Then focusing on balancing nutrients, adding massive progesterone and some T3.

 

[KellyP]

It's been 6 weeks since I started this journey so another update.

Two weeks ago I went out of town (PUFA Fest) and I also began another cycle, and had horrible estrogen symptoms (as mentioned above). I haven't seemed to be able to get a handle on them, as my stress response has gotten worse, and I've had little energy or inclination to deal with them for some reason. So I've had really oily hair and face, hair falling out, sinus problems, gut issues, hot face/cold hands and feet, irritability and anger and very tense muscles.

One week ago (at week 5) I lost my appetite (unheard of!) and also stopped losing weight despite lower calories. So I decided to take a break and just eat. I had a lot of fat (BRIE!!) and some starch (rice cakes mostly, but some gluten too). It helped a lot at the beginning (I even lost weight and estrogen/stress symptoms were getting better), but maybe I overdid it because by the end of the week my estrogen/stress symptoms were back. And I was so tired. I go between constipation and diarrhea (when I eat offending foods?).

I also realized that my gut issues have been getting worse - or maybe they're just being made clear? I've always had gut issues. So I got out all the foods I'd been trying to eat on this diet and had my husband muscle test me. Has anyone else done this? It's really helpful! I've been doing applied kinesiology a long time and it should have dawned on me earlier in this process to try it.

So I am now sensitive to milk, eggs, gelatin, gluten, potatoes. Only dairy I can eat is cheese or greek yogurt. That means protein is basically lean meat or yogurt. Orange juice and coconut milk/oil made me as strong as Superman. Supplements were in the middle. @thebigpeatowski It dawned on me that I'm becoming more and more sensitive to the lectin foods! I haven't been able to figure out the connection, because I just can't believe that it's a genetic issue - I think it's a nutritional/gut issue.

I ordered turpentine right away to address any weird bacterial/parasite/disgusting gut issues, to see if this was the cause. I started on Monday. I took 1/2 tsp in 1 tsp of sugar and proceeded to gag and wretch over the sink. It's like how I imagine drinking Pine-sol! Nothing happened though. I took extra magnesium citrate (Natural Calm) and had a not quite but almost normal BM Tuesday morning.

Tuesday morning I didn't have much of an appetite to start. I took a full dose of turpentine (1 tsp on 1T of sugar). Again: disgusting. But I think I'll get used to it and it's only 2x/week. I took it in the morning, and waited to eat something. I could feel myself starting to feel bad: hungry but no appetite and tired. I got more and more tired as the day wore on. And then around 3pm went to my room and by 4 had a sinus headache and tension headache that spread from my forehead to the back of my neck and shoulders. It was so tight I was afraid I was going to get a migraine. I took two different antihistamines (because I thought this was all sinus) and it helped some, but I had to do labor breathing to relax enough to get the nausea under control. I fell asleep and struggled with this all night.

I woke today feeling somewhat better, but the sinus pressure and a dull headache were still there.

I'm not sure WHAT HAPPENED TO ME?!

Some ideas:
1) I ovulated yesterday and this was estrogen symptoms.
2) The turpentine did something? What though?
3) I took an extra dose of T3 yesterday and it through my blood sugar and blood pressure out of whack.
4) I'm not handling PUFA depletion well.

I wish I understood my own body and the science behind it all better. I don't know what my body needs or what happened to it last night.

 

[thebigpeatowski]

Poor digestion and PMS both point to continuing hypothyroidism/excess estrogen (and gut flora imbalance). Have you tried Milk Thistle to help your liver? Or Alpha Lipoic Acid?

The sinus pressure/headache/shoulder tension/nausea is most likely die-off from the turp. Drink water to help flush the toxins, more OJ or vitamin C. I felt like utter sh*t when I first started turpentine, it gets better. Much Better:)

 

[KellyP]

An update after 6 weeks of LFHS protocol, 2 weeks of turpentine, and 3 weeks of a beach vacay:

1) Can estrogen cause allergies? I thought it was connected to hypothyroidism (and may still be?), but when I am having estrogen dominance symptoms, I get tense muscles in my lower back that spreads to my shoulders, then neck and creeps up around my head to my sinuses. Eventually it's awful and I have to take an antihistamine and it goes away. Could I be confusing serotonin for estrogen?

2) I think I can manage stress with Progest-E. All this time (since May) my most pressing symptom is the hot flashes/face flushing and false high temps. From everything I've read that is stress hormones. It also explains my very high fasting blood sugar that lowers throughout the day, and my sweating upon waking.

I'm back from vacation and trying to find my footing again so I've been taking Progest-E with abandon: just squeezing a huge blob of it under my tongue. I did that 3 times today and I finally discovered that progesterone-induced analgesic/euphoria. I should have used this during my homebirths! I wasn't exactly euphoric. I even thought I was just tired at first. But I was also relaxed. I mean RELAXED. And I felt a little odd, or silly. It lasted for a couple of hours and was wonderful. I was so even-keeled with the kids! I cleaned out my closet! Slowly, like a sloth. But steadily and happily. I'm thinking of Ray Peat saying " The production of euphoria has been mentioned as a side effect, but I think euphoria is simply an indication of a good physiological state.". I'm going to concur. :)

But while I felt this way I also noticed that my forehead wasn't nearly as hot as it had been a good part of the day. And it got hot again later. So I did another huge blob of progest-E and within 20-30 minutes it was not nearly as warm and I was relaxed again. Am I misunderstanding what is happening? Why is Progest-E not more often recommended to deal with stress hormones? Peat also said "progesterone was found to be the basic hormone of adaptation and of resistance to stress." I think I will start dosing it this way, along with salt + sugar, to deal with my stress hormones.

3) Turpentine is amazing! I took it over the course of two weeks and here's how it went. The first week I took 1 tsp (with 1T fructose) on Tuesday 7/5. By end of day Tuesday I felt constipated, bloated, icky. Didn't want to move, felt maybe depressed even. Sluggish. I'd also lost my appetite, which I rarely do. I took another dose Thursday, and Friday night I passed some weird yellowish pebbles (I'm assuming were from my liver) but still felt terrible. By Saturday I was overcome with a craving for starch (but not fat, which is how I usually crave my starches). I made a pound of pasta with a bit of olive oil, lemon and parsley and probably ate at least 3/4 of it. And then, over the course of 3-4 hours, I completely emptied my bowels. It was disgusting and so fascinating. Risking TMI, it was dark blackish green the first part and then normal colored toward the end, but all loose. I felt accomplished and my belly was flatter than it had been since........I can't remember? I've always been a little bloated or round in my tummy. For the first time I could feel how much fat I needed to lose in my belly! It was so soft. I think for the first time I felt how it was *supposed* to feel all the time. I'd lost about 3 pounds.

I took another dose the following Monday 7/11 and overdid it maybe, because I had a "stem to sternum" cleanout not long afterward. Very loose and yellowish. But my appetite was back. I was eating at least 2100 calories a day of good food and felt very good. I was craving a lot of saturated fat (eggs, meat, butter...) and starch (tortillas and rice mostly). I took another dose on Friday 7/15 and immediately felt awful. Sick a bit. I lost my appetite, felt tired, and grumpy and off. I ate 2 apples that day, which I don't normally do. Then out everything came. Loose, but not yellow or black - normal brownish. And down 3 pounds again.

Results: I still don't have solid, regular bowel movements but they're much better than before. I didn't see anything very odd in my BMs except the first time. There was some questionable times but I can only confirm the pebbles. I didn't for sure see any parasites.

Right after the turpentine cleanse I went on vacation and that is when the magic happened. I ate and ate and ate. I had lots of starch and fat, and a moderate amount of PUFA (tortilla chips!) and gained 3 pounds in 3 weeks. That is unheard of for me! That means that I kept off my 10 pounds. I cannot believe it! Eating everything I wanted. This is a huge sign of improved metabolism for me.

Also, I began having milk while there. Only 1/2-1 cup but without diarrhea following so I'm very happy.

The final thing: my fasting blood sugar had dropped significantly since May. From average of 180 to an average of 135. After 3 weeks of eating all that I want of sugar, starch, fat and even some PUFA, my average fasting blood sugar (taken several times over the course of vacation, and upon returning) were all 145. WOOHOO! That is a huge win for my body.

Oh and SUNLIGHT! Good gracious it did me so good. I could feel the difference in me after just an hour at the beach. Must get more!

So here's to turpentine and Ray Peat freely sharing all he knows and @thebigpeatowski for sharing her story!

So where I'm at now: starting round 2 of my protocol: low fat, high sugar, high protein, high progesterone, low stress, happy life. :) I'm going to try for 6 weeks and take another break. I do hope to lose more than 10 pounds this time, as every time I turn around there's another article linking excess body fat to another ailment. I think I'll feel much better for getting it off!

 

[thebigpeatowski]

FANTASTIC NEWS ALL AROUND @KellyP !!!


It's a slow and steady process for sure, like peeling back layers....each layer reveals improvements that are permanent and you learn so much about yourself. Repeat and tweak as needed.

Progest-E, T3 and Turpentine have been lifesavers for me.

I read that the body converts T4 to T3 in several tissues, but mostly in the gut/liver. Having a nice clean gut and unburdened liver has been an ABSOLUTELY crucial part of restoring my health.

My fasting blood glucose was 96 this morning and I'm currently taking NO thyroid medication whatsoever......summertime is awesome, I think I must be solar powered.

 

[charlie]

Fantastic updates Kelly!!

 

[Luann]

@Kelly, estrogen causes mast cells to go CRAAZY, get allergic to everything (It's actually histamine, which isn't allergy). The tense muscles and sinuses sound like my histamine responses: a tight muscle, so deep in my head / body that massage can't relieve it. Pain and lethargy, drugginess. But yeah you made that connection correctly

 

[KellyP]

f

FANTASTIC NEWS ALL AROUND @KellyP !!!


It's a slow and steady process for sure, like peeling back layers....each layer reveals improvements that are permanent and you learn so much about yourself. Repeat and tweak as needed.

Progest-E, T3 and Turpentine have been lifesavers for me.

I read that the body converts T4 to T3 in several tissues, but mostly in the gut/liver. Having a nice clean gut and unburdened liver has been an ABSOLUTELY crucial part of restoring my health.

My fasting blood glucose was 96 this morning and I'm currently taking NO thyroid medication whatsoever......summertime is awesome, I think I must be solar powered.

Thanks TBP. It is like layers, and I've noticed that each layer is different than the last, so I'm beginning to understand the need for individual application of the principles and tools without changing the foundation.

I'm missing the beach so much. Where I'm at has tons of sunshine, but the 105 temps make it too awful to go out and enjoy!