Hello Everyone I am new here and happy to be here. I have been dealing with Health issues and just want some guidance. First a little background:
I am 25 years old, male, 6'1 180 lbs.
Since I was young I have had OCD, full OCD with obsessions and compulsions alike. At age 16 I went on the SSRI Zoloft until 23 years of age. I developed severe cystic acne at age 16 and took antibiotics from 17-22 total of 5 years, three of them being Bactrim DS. I have always dealt with alternating constipation and diarrhea accompanied by hemorrhoids. In December 2010 I stopped Zoloft due to libido issues, and had terrible withdrawal symptoms: suicidal thoughts depression, absolutely zero libido and energy; I used to work out consistently before stopping SSRI, stopped having nocturnal emissions completely, used to be regular...probably too much information but i feel it is applicable.
I Decided at that time to take my health into my own hands, started researching constantly and trying more supplements than I care to think about, different diets, most recently Paleoish diet with small amounts of brown rice and potatoes, no gluten or casein because I was told those were the casue of ocd. While diet helped a little, I felt better on lower carb, high fat. I feel I have caused some kind of hypoglycemia because when I eat carbs now in larger amounts I get tired and dizzy and lightheaded, never had this problem until I went lower carb paleo for a few months. No family history of diabetes except for my dads great aunt. In all honesty when I read about Ray Peats diet suggestions some of them seemed absolutely ludicrous, but something piqued my interest and I continued to read. Now I am here because I am searching for the best health plan for my self, and am a somewhat open-minded person. I do have a few questions:
1. First I have never tolerated caffeine and haven't drank soda in years, never drink coffee. Always puts me on edge and doesn't feel right. Some of the biological issues with OCD are poorly regulated norepinephrine so I believe caffeine does me no favors. The diet recommends coffee and soda! What to do.
2. I have recently had clear skin from low carb paleo with no dairy or sugar for the months i did it. Dairy and sugar always bring back cystic acne when I indulge in large amounts. Maybe my acne is insulin related and if that is fixed these two will stop giving me acne only other thing to clear it up was antibiotics, should i try suffering through the cystic acne with all the dairy and sugar and eventually it will balance out?
3. I have been tested with high TSH out of range in April 2012 5.39 and barely in range in October 2012 3.03. T3 levels have been low and out of range since stopping Zoloft in 2010. If you need more specifics on labs please ask. I believe zoloft has thrown my thyroid out of whack because it was normal on it in 2009. Although my stress was crazy for about a year taking 22 credits in a biology program at college that I had to drop out of. Would this diet fix my thyroid issues should I supplement with Kelp (iodine) or selenium while on the diet?
4. I also have adrenal issues low cortisol and evening spike lab tested, cortisol dysregulation is also implicated in OCD. I have been told that huge amounts of sugar ore the absolute worst thing for my stressed adrenals right now. Any advice on how this diet would help my fatigued adrenals?
5. Last question I have been putting faith in diet thinking it would magically cure my health ailments, and while my digestion has gotten better and anxiety seemed lower on low carb paleo I fear that all this sugar and milk will cause an greater increase in anxiety; any experience that this has not been the case. Also anyone with personal experience of this diet helping anxiety issues, OCD, thyroid, hormone dysregulation, and adrenal problems?
If people truly believes this diet can help me, and I mean really help me not just, "i think I feel better" and also not further exacerbate my anxiety and OCD than I will dedicate myself fully to the diet and guidelines but for how long 30 days, 60 days? Some advice would be great. Keep in mind I am new to all of this and really hope this could help, I am running out of options and am just trying to try what I can before I give in and go back on antidepressants for OCD, they didn't help much but better than how I have been these past couple years. I am tired of mental and physical fatigue.
Thank you for your help, any and all advice is much appreciated.
I am 25 years old, male, 6'1 180 lbs.
Since I was young I have had OCD, full OCD with obsessions and compulsions alike. At age 16 I went on the SSRI Zoloft until 23 years of age. I developed severe cystic acne at age 16 and took antibiotics from 17-22 total of 5 years, three of them being Bactrim DS. I have always dealt with alternating constipation and diarrhea accompanied by hemorrhoids. In December 2010 I stopped Zoloft due to libido issues, and had terrible withdrawal symptoms: suicidal thoughts depression, absolutely zero libido and energy; I used to work out consistently before stopping SSRI, stopped having nocturnal emissions completely, used to be regular...probably too much information but i feel it is applicable.
I Decided at that time to take my health into my own hands, started researching constantly and trying more supplements than I care to think about, different diets, most recently Paleoish diet with small amounts of brown rice and potatoes, no gluten or casein because I was told those were the casue of ocd. While diet helped a little, I felt better on lower carb, high fat. I feel I have caused some kind of hypoglycemia because when I eat carbs now in larger amounts I get tired and dizzy and lightheaded, never had this problem until I went lower carb paleo for a few months. No family history of diabetes except for my dads great aunt. In all honesty when I read about Ray Peats diet suggestions some of them seemed absolutely ludicrous, but something piqued my interest and I continued to read. Now I am here because I am searching for the best health plan for my self, and am a somewhat open-minded person. I do have a few questions:
1. First I have never tolerated caffeine and haven't drank soda in years, never drink coffee. Always puts me on edge and doesn't feel right. Some of the biological issues with OCD are poorly regulated norepinephrine so I believe caffeine does me no favors. The diet recommends coffee and soda! What to do.
2. I have recently had clear skin from low carb paleo with no dairy or sugar for the months i did it. Dairy and sugar always bring back cystic acne when I indulge in large amounts. Maybe my acne is insulin related and if that is fixed these two will stop giving me acne only other thing to clear it up was antibiotics, should i try suffering through the cystic acne with all the dairy and sugar and eventually it will balance out?
3. I have been tested with high TSH out of range in April 2012 5.39 and barely in range in October 2012 3.03. T3 levels have been low and out of range since stopping Zoloft in 2010. If you need more specifics on labs please ask. I believe zoloft has thrown my thyroid out of whack because it was normal on it in 2009. Although my stress was crazy for about a year taking 22 credits in a biology program at college that I had to drop out of. Would this diet fix my thyroid issues should I supplement with Kelp (iodine) or selenium while on the diet?
4. I also have adrenal issues low cortisol and evening spike lab tested, cortisol dysregulation is also implicated in OCD. I have been told that huge amounts of sugar ore the absolute worst thing for my stressed adrenals right now. Any advice on how this diet would help my fatigued adrenals?
5. Last question I have been putting faith in diet thinking it would magically cure my health ailments, and while my digestion has gotten better and anxiety seemed lower on low carb paleo I fear that all this sugar and milk will cause an greater increase in anxiety; any experience that this has not been the case. Also anyone with personal experience of this diet helping anxiety issues, OCD, thyroid, hormone dysregulation, and adrenal problems?
If people truly believes this diet can help me, and I mean really help me not just, "i think I feel better" and also not further exacerbate my anxiety and OCD than I will dedicate myself fully to the diet and guidelines but for how long 30 days, 60 days? Some advice would be great. Keep in mind I am new to all of this and really hope this could help, I am running out of options and am just trying to try what I can before I give in and go back on antidepressants for OCD, they didn't help much but better than how I have been these past couple years. I am tired of mental and physical fatigue.
Thank you for your help, any and all advice is much appreciated.