LUH 3417
Member
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2016
- Messages
- 2,990
Hi,
I've been reading this forum for ~5 months and am very grateful for all the positive changes that have occurred in my life. My digestion has improved tremendously and I'm much more hopeful and inspired by many of the posts here. I'm still dealing with a lot of issues and am hoping members will be willing to provide advice or give me some clues as to what is going on.
I am 26 yo female. My main complaints are sweaty hands and feet, knee, ankle and wrist pain, myalgia, fatigue, and low mood. I was diagnosed as bipolar at 14 and took lithium for a few months until my mood stabilized and I could attend school again. It made me gain weight and I've always associated it with being unable to control my body, but I am open to trying it again after reading about various experiences here. I have been at various stages of mania/depression for over ten years but mostly in denial because of the social stigma and my ability to "function".
I've weighed about ~130lbs (am 5'6ft) for most of my adolescence and adult life. At 23 I lost 15lbs as I was commuting mostly by bicycle, fascinated by spirituality/fasting, and did not eat meat for a year. I felt good for about a year but most of this can be attributed to high adrenaline I imagine. This way of eating plus chronic marijuana use and extreme financial, relationship, and environmental stress led to a psychotic episode and I ended up being hospitalized for a week. The medications I was given (not sure what, definitely antipsychotics) stabilized my mood and after being discharged I gained 20lbs and became extremely depressed for 6 months. I did not take medication and pretty much just sat at home for a while.
From 24-25 I was severely low carb high fat no sugar and always tired and moody, thinking my problem was sugar and if I could just win the battle with my sugar addiction I would be healed. It wasn't until I started reading this forum that my life situation has improved tremendously.
In the past 4 months I've been able to handle school, work and moving out of my parents house all while dealing with many of the same stressors that triggered a psychotic episode a few years ago. So I am extremely grateful to Ray Peat and all of you for your research and input.
Ive been incorporating: goat milk, beef liver, pastured eggs cooked in butter; oyster, shrimp, scallops and lobster; beef and chicken broth; mushrooms; carrot salad; cane sugar sodas; potatoes fried in coconut oil (does not bother my digestion); orange, mango, apricot juice; more fruits; chocolate; ice cream. I'm very weary regarding additives and all that bad stuff.
I've been taking veterinarian grade aspirin ~300mg once a week and it has helped tremendously with allergies. I previously had horrible allergies and generalized itching and hives. That has almost completely disappeared.
I also have been taking a dropper full of k2 every day for about a month. I was having lots of spleen pain when I started eating more sugar, but I did 5 acupuncture session which completely eliminated the painful feeling. I also started taking k2 at the same time I started the acupuncture so it could actually be either or.
I've been taking progestE since February 11th but feel as though it is makes me hyper sexual and emotional. I don't know why it is that way; I've seen some recent posts on how progesterone raises cortisol so being that I have a history of bipolar this use of progestE could be incompatible with my current health state. Also my breasts feel very sore the past two weeks which is an old symptom that has resurfaced. Don't know if it's the estrogen being released but it seems to be a reoccurring debate on this forum. Taking progesterone can make me feel very happy/drunk/relaxed and open for a few days followed by neediness and extremely emotional responses. It's made me acutely aware of my desire to be around people and have intimate relationships which is a positive thing but also a reality to face when you've spent so much time alone trying to "get yourself right".
I also take zinc, mg carbonate, vitamin D, vitamin A, and have coffee with cream and honey alongside food.
I have extreme stress response to starvation: I start to sweat, tremble, and tense up. I can't think coherently or defend myself from threats in this state (and lots of things feel like a threat)
My temperature is quite high usually (97.9-99.1) and my pulse is also high (85-100 depending)
I've been having terrible sleep the past few nights and wake up at least 5 times to pee. March is typically the month when I feel most manic so I've been attributing it to that, but my mania is subtle compared to previous years. The waking up to pee has been a reoccurring issue for two years which seems to resolve itself and then come back with a vengeance.
I am open to taking lithium carbonate in hopes of helping my sleep. I've been eating more salt but I think the fact that I sweat so much all the time must mean something regarding electrolytes. It's very hard to wake up and get things done when I've had such an awful nights sleep + nightmares.
Lastly, I've gained 10lbs eating this way which I've accepted and welcomed because I feel so much more grounded and less blown in every which direction. At the same time, i do feel self conscious about being out in warmer weather and not fitting into my clothes. I really don't have the desire to exercise much. I don't care for losing weight, but I currently feel a bit too flabby and would like to tone up without stressing myself out to the point of madness.
I'm open to any advice and hearing about anyone's journey.
I've been reading this forum for ~5 months and am very grateful for all the positive changes that have occurred in my life. My digestion has improved tremendously and I'm much more hopeful and inspired by many of the posts here. I'm still dealing with a lot of issues and am hoping members will be willing to provide advice or give me some clues as to what is going on.
I am 26 yo female. My main complaints are sweaty hands and feet, knee, ankle and wrist pain, myalgia, fatigue, and low mood. I was diagnosed as bipolar at 14 and took lithium for a few months until my mood stabilized and I could attend school again. It made me gain weight and I've always associated it with being unable to control my body, but I am open to trying it again after reading about various experiences here. I have been at various stages of mania/depression for over ten years but mostly in denial because of the social stigma and my ability to "function".
I've weighed about ~130lbs (am 5'6ft) for most of my adolescence and adult life. At 23 I lost 15lbs as I was commuting mostly by bicycle, fascinated by spirituality/fasting, and did not eat meat for a year. I felt good for about a year but most of this can be attributed to high adrenaline I imagine. This way of eating plus chronic marijuana use and extreme financial, relationship, and environmental stress led to a psychotic episode and I ended up being hospitalized for a week. The medications I was given (not sure what, definitely antipsychotics) stabilized my mood and after being discharged I gained 20lbs and became extremely depressed for 6 months. I did not take medication and pretty much just sat at home for a while.
From 24-25 I was severely low carb high fat no sugar and always tired and moody, thinking my problem was sugar and if I could just win the battle with my sugar addiction I would be healed. It wasn't until I started reading this forum that my life situation has improved tremendously.
In the past 4 months I've been able to handle school, work and moving out of my parents house all while dealing with many of the same stressors that triggered a psychotic episode a few years ago. So I am extremely grateful to Ray Peat and all of you for your research and input.
Ive been incorporating: goat milk, beef liver, pastured eggs cooked in butter; oyster, shrimp, scallops and lobster; beef and chicken broth; mushrooms; carrot salad; cane sugar sodas; potatoes fried in coconut oil (does not bother my digestion); orange, mango, apricot juice; more fruits; chocolate; ice cream. I'm very weary regarding additives and all that bad stuff.
I've been taking veterinarian grade aspirin ~300mg once a week and it has helped tremendously with allergies. I previously had horrible allergies and generalized itching and hives. That has almost completely disappeared.
I also have been taking a dropper full of k2 every day for about a month. I was having lots of spleen pain when I started eating more sugar, but I did 5 acupuncture session which completely eliminated the painful feeling. I also started taking k2 at the same time I started the acupuncture so it could actually be either or.
I've been taking progestE since February 11th but feel as though it is makes me hyper sexual and emotional. I don't know why it is that way; I've seen some recent posts on how progesterone raises cortisol so being that I have a history of bipolar this use of progestE could be incompatible with my current health state. Also my breasts feel very sore the past two weeks which is an old symptom that has resurfaced. Don't know if it's the estrogen being released but it seems to be a reoccurring debate on this forum. Taking progesterone can make me feel very happy/drunk/relaxed and open for a few days followed by neediness and extremely emotional responses. It's made me acutely aware of my desire to be around people and have intimate relationships which is a positive thing but also a reality to face when you've spent so much time alone trying to "get yourself right".
I also take zinc, mg carbonate, vitamin D, vitamin A, and have coffee with cream and honey alongside food.
I have extreme stress response to starvation: I start to sweat, tremble, and tense up. I can't think coherently or defend myself from threats in this state (and lots of things feel like a threat)
My temperature is quite high usually (97.9-99.1) and my pulse is also high (85-100 depending)
I've been having terrible sleep the past few nights and wake up at least 5 times to pee. March is typically the month when I feel most manic so I've been attributing it to that, but my mania is subtle compared to previous years. The waking up to pee has been a reoccurring issue for two years which seems to resolve itself and then come back with a vengeance.
I am open to taking lithium carbonate in hopes of helping my sleep. I've been eating more salt but I think the fact that I sweat so much all the time must mean something regarding electrolytes. It's very hard to wake up and get things done when I've had such an awful nights sleep + nightmares.
Lastly, I've gained 10lbs eating this way which I've accepted and welcomed because I feel so much more grounded and less blown in every which direction. At the same time, i do feel self conscious about being out in warmer weather and not fitting into my clothes. I really don't have the desire to exercise much. I don't care for losing weight, but I currently feel a bit too flabby and would like to tone up without stressing myself out to the point of madness.
I'm open to any advice and hearing about anyone's journey.
