Hello everyone, I'm hoping to re-introduce myself, and apologies if this is a disorganised and desperate dump of information, but I am looking for answers beyond typically 'normal' blood tests, inconclusive results, and more bored GPs ushering me out with 'anxiety'.
I have been living with chronic gut issues and brain fog for the past few years. I have intermittently dipped into supplements deleriously, without knowing what is really doing what, and with such chronic brain fog never really monitoring or holding myself accountable in these attempts. I would like to outline my issues as well as my lifestyle and diet, and get some advice on where to start. Perhaps some 'main' things to get tested or start implementing would be useful. I am also a low wage earner, only capable of working a 2-3 days a week or else huge burn outs, so cost is always a factor here, and I would love to hear about other people without much income talk about their strategies around supplements and 'initial steps' regimes. Lastly I will let you know my most recent iHerb basket and considerations, and any additions or subtractions would be appreciated. I understand I am the person who needs to do 'the work', but also realistically when your body and brain refuses to work I am very easily overwhelmed at new information, as well as fearful of implementing radical change at the expense of more fatigue, pain, inflammation, etc.
I currently experience severe gas and bloating every day, with visible stomach distention. Often (but not always) wake up in the morning with a flat stomach, and this develops slowly throughout the day. After 5pm, regardless of what I eat (or don't eat), I am huge. Often even drinking a glass of water will send a bloat signal within 5 minutes. Diorrhea and Constipation are rarely an issue for me, unless I drink something like a milkshake, or eat a curry, rich creamy things usually send me straight to the toilet. Recent tests show no H. Pylori, no SIBO, no polyps, and I am sent to do another sound of hydrogen methane breath tests. My last test showed mild fructose malabsoption, but nothing else. I was quick to remove fruits and veggies from my diet, however found more culprits in things like dairy, coffee, etc. I have since returned to a glass of OJ in the morning to find a slight improvement with my energy. I mostly eat: milk, eggs, cheese, bacon, smoked salmon, kangaroo meat, canned tuna, sourdough bread (although tend to avoid when possible), avocado, carrot and coconut oil salad, grass fed ghee, lettuce, spinach, etc. Food that make me gassiest or nauseous the next day are usually vegetarian dishes, say... a mixed roast of vegetables with some spices. Now I am even reconsidering eggs, which were the one food I started eating again which I felt saved my life with protein.
Coffee is a huge question mark for me still. With milk, I find it immediately stabilising, however, often feel a huge drain behind my face if it is black. However I find the milk does tend the aggravate bloating. I have not yet supplemented with lactase--is this recommended? Sugar so far is a huge no, feeling the crash incredibly hard, or else bloated or generally lethargic. I am a barista, so in a pinch, coffee is all I have to stay awake. Peat's 'strong coffee with heaps of sugar' kind of feels like a nuke in my gut, so obviously I am not ready to tolerate it yet--perhaps healing before giving it another go.
I am a thin build, but been putting on abdominal fat recently. 'Skinny fat' is the term. Most exercise like running is exhausting. Swimming makes me extremely dizzy afterwards.
I also have chronic brain fog and what I can explain as chronic sinus inflammation (but not snotty). Always pinching my nose, pulling my jaw, massaging my cheeks, pressing my forehead to find relief. I feel like when this physical pressure is not around I am more focused, and I generally notice my brain fog is at the same time as this general 'pressure' around my face. It feels as if mood, energy and concentration, my life force.. sits just behind my face, and meals, flourescent lights, too much stimulus, a conversation will just DRAIN it away. The drained sensation is the most annoying, far more annoying than the gut. I become blank. Often if I walk into a shopping center or suoermarket I will immediately blank out, stumble around, hit my shoulders on door frames, lose ability to hold a conversation. Someone told me they thought I was autistic because I seemed so overstimulated and inattentive ADHDish, but its so hard to explain that the drained feeling feels literally like a 'pull' behind my face, a pressure, a literal mental obstacle. I'd rather treat it myself than run to a psych to get pathologised. I use stimulants like modafinil and dexamphetamine when in a pinch to get work done, not regularly though. This helps blast through slightly, but the rebound is often super sluggish.
I am seeking a new GP in Melbourne (any recommendations?), and interested in getting further testing done. Perhaps my hormones, hair mineral analysis, thyroid showed 'normal' in my bloods last time but interested in the saliva cortisol testing. Anyone had the ALCAT tests or the IgG and IgA tests done? Would be interested in a breakdown like this, but also read it is bogus, but would be interested to know if getting the test done might offer an initial path.
As for supplements I have experimented with Betaine HCl, which I would take about 5 or 6 of without feeling 'the burn', so I thought it suggested low stomach acid. However I find an hour or two after taking this kind of dose I feel nauseous, and a thumping style headache comes along.
Oh, and all this discomfort led me to a generalised anxiety and panic disorder diagnosis, as I kept having panic attacks when feeling unwell in crowded places, trains, planes, any moving vehicle really. I am on lexapro 10mg a day, found a noticeable difference for about 6 months in my mood, but now back to my usual slump. I have since cut down to 5mg in an effort to regain concentration which has helped very very slightly.
My current iHerb cart has:
Source Naturals, Pregnenolone, 25 mg, 120 Tablets (for energy)
Garden of Life, RAW Probiotics, Ultimate Care, 30 Veggie Caps (for gut)
Jarrow Formulas, Saccharomyces Boulardii + MOS, 5 Billion, 90 Veggie Caps (for sinus inflammation)
California Gold Nutrition, CoQ10, 100 mg, 120 Veggie Softgels with Jarrow Formulas, PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone), 10 mg, 30 Capsules (for... I already forget why--energy? clutching at straws here)
At my disposal I also have Thorne Vitamin D+K2 which I take intermittently, magnesium, chewable vit c (which makes me bloated and nauseous, so i stay away), B12 (which used to have noticeable effect on energy, now doesen't),
Where to begin? Supplements? Testing? Elimination? Feel like all I can do is sleep bloat zone out pass out. I am looking to Ray Peat for some strategies, some ways to introduce practices into my routine which might alleviate some of this. Thank you if you made it this far, and apologies for my lack of in-depth knowledge. I'm here to learn. Bless.
I have been living with chronic gut issues and brain fog for the past few years. I have intermittently dipped into supplements deleriously, without knowing what is really doing what, and with such chronic brain fog never really monitoring or holding myself accountable in these attempts. I would like to outline my issues as well as my lifestyle and diet, and get some advice on where to start. Perhaps some 'main' things to get tested or start implementing would be useful. I am also a low wage earner, only capable of working a 2-3 days a week or else huge burn outs, so cost is always a factor here, and I would love to hear about other people without much income talk about their strategies around supplements and 'initial steps' regimes. Lastly I will let you know my most recent iHerb basket and considerations, and any additions or subtractions would be appreciated. I understand I am the person who needs to do 'the work', but also realistically when your body and brain refuses to work I am very easily overwhelmed at new information, as well as fearful of implementing radical change at the expense of more fatigue, pain, inflammation, etc.
I currently experience severe gas and bloating every day, with visible stomach distention. Often (but not always) wake up in the morning with a flat stomach, and this develops slowly throughout the day. After 5pm, regardless of what I eat (or don't eat), I am huge. Often even drinking a glass of water will send a bloat signal within 5 minutes. Diorrhea and Constipation are rarely an issue for me, unless I drink something like a milkshake, or eat a curry, rich creamy things usually send me straight to the toilet. Recent tests show no H. Pylori, no SIBO, no polyps, and I am sent to do another sound of hydrogen methane breath tests. My last test showed mild fructose malabsoption, but nothing else. I was quick to remove fruits and veggies from my diet, however found more culprits in things like dairy, coffee, etc. I have since returned to a glass of OJ in the morning to find a slight improvement with my energy. I mostly eat: milk, eggs, cheese, bacon, smoked salmon, kangaroo meat, canned tuna, sourdough bread (although tend to avoid when possible), avocado, carrot and coconut oil salad, grass fed ghee, lettuce, spinach, etc. Food that make me gassiest or nauseous the next day are usually vegetarian dishes, say... a mixed roast of vegetables with some spices. Now I am even reconsidering eggs, which were the one food I started eating again which I felt saved my life with protein.
Coffee is a huge question mark for me still. With milk, I find it immediately stabilising, however, often feel a huge drain behind my face if it is black. However I find the milk does tend the aggravate bloating. I have not yet supplemented with lactase--is this recommended? Sugar so far is a huge no, feeling the crash incredibly hard, or else bloated or generally lethargic. I am a barista, so in a pinch, coffee is all I have to stay awake. Peat's 'strong coffee with heaps of sugar' kind of feels like a nuke in my gut, so obviously I am not ready to tolerate it yet--perhaps healing before giving it another go.
I am a thin build, but been putting on abdominal fat recently. 'Skinny fat' is the term. Most exercise like running is exhausting. Swimming makes me extremely dizzy afterwards.
I also have chronic brain fog and what I can explain as chronic sinus inflammation (but not snotty). Always pinching my nose, pulling my jaw, massaging my cheeks, pressing my forehead to find relief. I feel like when this physical pressure is not around I am more focused, and I generally notice my brain fog is at the same time as this general 'pressure' around my face. It feels as if mood, energy and concentration, my life force.. sits just behind my face, and meals, flourescent lights, too much stimulus, a conversation will just DRAIN it away. The drained sensation is the most annoying, far more annoying than the gut. I become blank. Often if I walk into a shopping center or suoermarket I will immediately blank out, stumble around, hit my shoulders on door frames, lose ability to hold a conversation. Someone told me they thought I was autistic because I seemed so overstimulated and inattentive ADHDish, but its so hard to explain that the drained feeling feels literally like a 'pull' behind my face, a pressure, a literal mental obstacle. I'd rather treat it myself than run to a psych to get pathologised. I use stimulants like modafinil and dexamphetamine when in a pinch to get work done, not regularly though. This helps blast through slightly, but the rebound is often super sluggish.
I am seeking a new GP in Melbourne (any recommendations?), and interested in getting further testing done. Perhaps my hormones, hair mineral analysis, thyroid showed 'normal' in my bloods last time but interested in the saliva cortisol testing. Anyone had the ALCAT tests or the IgG and IgA tests done? Would be interested in a breakdown like this, but also read it is bogus, but would be interested to know if getting the test done might offer an initial path.
As for supplements I have experimented with Betaine HCl, which I would take about 5 or 6 of without feeling 'the burn', so I thought it suggested low stomach acid. However I find an hour or two after taking this kind of dose I feel nauseous, and a thumping style headache comes along.
Oh, and all this discomfort led me to a generalised anxiety and panic disorder diagnosis, as I kept having panic attacks when feeling unwell in crowded places, trains, planes, any moving vehicle really. I am on lexapro 10mg a day, found a noticeable difference for about 6 months in my mood, but now back to my usual slump. I have since cut down to 5mg in an effort to regain concentration which has helped very very slightly.
My current iHerb cart has:
Source Naturals, Pregnenolone, 25 mg, 120 Tablets (for energy)
Garden of Life, RAW Probiotics, Ultimate Care, 30 Veggie Caps (for gut)
Jarrow Formulas, Saccharomyces Boulardii + MOS, 5 Billion, 90 Veggie Caps (for sinus inflammation)
California Gold Nutrition, CoQ10, 100 mg, 120 Veggie Softgels with Jarrow Formulas, PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone), 10 mg, 30 Capsules (for... I already forget why--energy? clutching at straws here)
At my disposal I also have Thorne Vitamin D+K2 which I take intermittently, magnesium, chewable vit c (which makes me bloated and nauseous, so i stay away), B12 (which used to have noticeable effect on energy, now doesen't),
Where to begin? Supplements? Testing? Elimination? Feel like all I can do is sleep bloat zone out pass out. I am looking to Ray Peat for some strategies, some ways to introduce practices into my routine which might alleviate some of this. Thank you if you made it this far, and apologies for my lack of in-depth knowledge. I'm here to learn. Bless.
