Strange Symptoms And Myalgia

[Interactome]

Hi. I wonder if anyone out there has gone through something similar and has some ideas.

I've been having some strange symptoms coming on about 1.5 years ago (difficulty articulating words that clearly, hand/arm stiffness - especially in cold weather, some brain fog). I was low carb before and switched 2 years ago. I've been very stressed over this (anxiety) the past 1 year not knowing what causes all this and started sleeping very badly.

Now, after taking a baby aspirin for about 1.5 months I think I've developed some aspirin toxicity/sensitivity issues.

Short story on the aspirin: I was put in the hospital after they found a borderline EKG and elevated CK levels (I was working out) and gave me blood thinners and aspirin for 3 days until I signed myself out. They advised me to keep up the baby aspirin. 3-4 weeks later I started feeling out of breath, my blood pressure would rise quickly, then stabbing pain in my chest and back. I though it was bc of my heart, so I kept up the baby aspirin for another 2 weeks. Then started kidney pain. Then I felt like my pulse gets very low, especially at night, and my heart skips beats and I'm constantly thirsty. It feels like my blood volume is too low or something, and if I don't drink maybe my heart will stop. I also fasted a bit during this period and lost a lot of weight (bad idea probably). Another thing is that I had a band on my left wrist one day for some hours, and after I took it off some veins around that have dilated more than I know is normal for me, and now, 3 weeks after, they still dilate to that size when I pool blood in them (inadequate energy in my blood vessels to maintain integrity?).
Any ideas of how to correct this? Avoid all salicylate foods and wait it out?

They didn't find anything in my urine nor something wrong with my creatinine, so the doc said it's all in my head. I've been off aspirin now for about 2 weeks and kidney pain has subsided. Still the thirst. I wake up every 2 hours thirsty.

I've been very stressed over all this.

I took some tests 3 weeks ago and found some Candida on my tongue (it has a depapillated patch in the middle and is often sore) and:

- slightly elevated CK levels
- elevated Ammonia levels: 85.3 (normal range 10-60). So I'm probably too alkaline. I feel like my blood pressure falls after I eat some meat.
- prolactin: 448 (98-456) (on the high end?)
- LDL: 122
- total testosterone: 32.99 (9.9-27.8) (but the free was normal)

Normal:
- TSH: 1.21 (0.27-4.2)
- T3: 1.42 (1.27-3.07)
- FT3: 4.4 (3.4-6.8)
- T4: 92.6 (68-181)
- FT4: 18 (10.6-22.7)
- free testosterone: 0.082 (0.015-0.145)
- Progesterone: 2.04 (0.7-4.3)
- Estrogen: 124.7 (94.8-223)
- PTH: 29.4 (15-65)
- Uric acid 5.9 (<7)
- Insulin 6.8 (2.6-24.9)

A cardiologist has done an ultrasound of my heart and found a thickening of one of the valves, and slight insufficiency, which I'm waiting to talk to them about again in a week (due to bacteria?).

A lot of stuff, I know. Just wanna throw this out and see if anything comes of it. I'm thinking of going lower carb for a while (starting today).

 

[bornamachine]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

Hmm... very interesting indeed, I feel your pain though as ive been through much myself and very similar too with the whole thirst and heart situation. Have you ever done a fasting iron panel test?

 

[bornamachine]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

Some questions for you.
Age sex height weight.
When did this begin and progression of it.

Do you also ever expereince:
Arms or arm falling asleep during night
Head pressure
Eyeball pressure
Any physiological stages such as rage, paranoia etc
Heart pain
Heart palpulations

What makes you feel better what makes you feel worse

Do you drink tap water or ro or distilled or well or spring
Around the time of decline were you exposed to any xrays from dentist or doctor
Are you generally warm or do you get cold fast

And anything else of importance.

 

[Interactome]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

Hi, thanks for the reply. Here's more info. Maybe I can figure all this out by brainstorming here :)

Age: 35
Sex: Male
Height: 188cm
Weight: 74kg (lost a lot of weight)

I took a 23andme genetic test and want to do a uBiome gut test.

I do get very cold hands when I don't eat / fast / in the morning, and now I have these muscle aches (in my lower arms and hands only) that get worse when cold.

I very often feel like I have weak arms/no strength in them. I also had that on and off sometimes when I was younger. Though it's not really actual weakness. Just like a feeling that I cannot really lift or hold something. And sometimes they sleep at night, but probably only if I sleep in a strange position - don't know.

I tried eating a wole bunch of carbs/fruit with salt and my temp rises from about 36.5-6 to 37.1-5 and pulse from 65-70 to about 80-85 during the day. At night, when having the heart skipping beats, my pulse was aroud 48-52. It goes a bit up (58-60) after I drink and sit up.

If I eat a bunch of honey at night, I feel like my pulse goes up, I get very warm and sleep very badly at night. Like everything is racing. Endotoxin?

Depending on what I eat (too much salt and sugar) I also sometimes feel like my joints swell the next day and hurt a bit. I've had this on and off before.

Maybe the reason I felt better low carbing was because I was eating 2kg of vegetables (fiber) a day? Lots of squash and celery... maybe I should try that again.

Muscle aches in my lower arms and hands is also worse when I feel stress. It comes on immediately. I don't know the mechanism at work here.

 

[Interactome]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

## The aspirin story in more detail

3 months ago (in the hospital) I started the baby aspirin (79mg), also did some fasting (lost 6 kg in 1 month) and taking some more vit C, E, Mg, CoQ10, some B3 (trying to cure my potentially inexistent heart dissease).

3 weeks later the cest stabbing began and an inabillity to exercise without blood pressure rising quickly. I felt like there was somthing in my lungs - couldn't breath deeply enough.

5 weeks after the hospital, kidney pain (lower back - both sides) and waking up after 3-4 hours with very low pulse feeling like my heart skips a beat every 5 - 6 beats, and that gets better if I get up and drink something.

I then stopped the aspirin for a week and kidney pain got better.

Then started it again and kidney pain started again 2 days after, but this time much worse and the thirst when waking up got so extreme that I thought I had diabetes (did a glucose tolerance test on myself with rice noodles: t0: 4.7, 1h: 8.6, 2h: 5.6).

I've now been off the aspirin for about 2 weeks, finally realizing that it might have caused all this and not because my heart problems suddenly got worse after my hospital visit. No more kidney pain. But the thirst persists and also some crazy dizzy spells while walking - like I'm in a rocking boat.

I also started feeling some calf pain - something like almost cramping, but not quite.

What makes it better? A few times I took my blood pressure when it felt high, e.g.:
- 140/85 before eating
- 115/75 after eating meat with salt

I drink tap water now. At work it's RO I think. It's filtered from the tap. Sometimes I drank some mineral water and it feels like it quenches my thirst a bit better. I need to try that again. I was thinking that I had kidney problems when they started hurting and that might cause some electrolyte and pH imbalance (I've measure my urinary pH to between 7 and 8 with pH paper). But the creatinine is ok, so my doc thinks I'm making it up.

I get more dizzy and higher blood pressure if I eat very alkaline.

 

[Interactome]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

## More background info on the strange symptoms

- I was low carb, lots of vegetables, meat/cheese, some berries, almonds, flax, for some years and often did a warrior type of diet where I fasted until the afternoon, and felt good.

- 2 years ago I slowly dropped that and switched to more carbs (fruit, milk, sugar, some starches, less vegetables). Around that time I also went to the dentist and had a silver filling removed. Also, my girlfriend at that time had some Candida and I took some antibiotics for a strep throat.

- 1.5 years ago I started feeling some brain fog and difficulties articulating words or speaking fast enough. I thought that maybe I didn't sleep enough at first and also read something about candida online (I also get dandruff if I don't use head and shoulder/vinegar) so I cut down on the milk and sugar and felt a bit better after a while.

- 1 year ago I went back on the milk and carbs trying to gain weight and the speech problems started again, now with more dizziness and also started sleeping badly again. Especially if I ate more carbs/milk in the evening. I got scared (full anxiety) and fasted (lost 10 kg in 1.5 months), took some relaxing meds for a few days and then my muscle pain started - don't know if it's related to the stress, not sleeping enough, meds (stopped them after 4 days), fasting, but it has persisted since and is worse when it's cold (better in a sauna). If I don't eat enough I also get more muscle twitches.

- And the tongue keeps burning and is depapillated in the middle, which I think is some sort of Candida... get's better with coconut oil pulling a few times a day, but then comes again if I stop.

 

[Interactome]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

Going low carb, high fat (dairy) today, and I'll see what happens.

 

[Interactome]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

I've also started having pain under my left rib. It comes and goes. Don't know if it's also aspirin related. I'm really a mess. The worst is not being able to exercise because my blood pressure and heart rate goals up super fast.

 

[Giraffe]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

post 102114 3 months ago (in the hospital) I started the baby aspirin (79mg), also did some fasting (lost 6 kg in 1 month) and taking some more vit C, E, Mg, CoQ10, some B3 (trying to cure my potentially inexistent heart dissease).

Do you still supplement vitamin E and magnesium? How much? What is your calcium intake? I wonder if you should add vitamin K2. Are you getting enough vitamin D (sun)? Ray Peat advices against supplementing vitamin C.

 

[Interactome]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

I did take 45mg K2 for a while, but then got scared a few weeks ago that maybe it could cause blood clots. Can that happen?

I've stopped all supplements apart from vit E. I was initially in doubt about what cause these symptoms the past 3 months: aspirin, a few weeks with vit c mega dosing, 500-600mg Mg daily, or blood clots from K2. I'm leaning towards a form of salicylate toxicity.

I've been drinking 1l milk and eating some cheese almost daily. Can the lactose feed bacteria/candida?

I got some sun this summer. My vit D blood levels were 94 (>50).

But sleep is very bad and interrupted because of all this. Often only 5 hours a night.

 

[Giraffe]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

How much protein are you getting and from what food sources? Ray Peat recommends at least 80 g high qualitity protein. Some need more.

What is your digestion like? Bloating, gases, diarrhea/constipation...? You can use eggshell powder to supplement calcium if you want to check if cutting out (or limiting) dairy for while helps.

Try to eat regularly. Don't skip meals. Have breakfast within half an hour or an hour after getting up in the morning. Regarding endotoxins... Ray Peat recommends eating a shredded carrot (or carrot salat - search the forum) before bed.

I would try magnesium again.There are threads here on magnesium bicarbonate (see here and here). Some of us combine topical magnesium (as epsom salt bath or magnesium oil) with magnesium bicarbonate.

Overall it sounds like you are stressed and tense; magnesium, calcium, adequate protein, eating regularly and the carrot might make a huge difference. That your temps and pulse raise after eating fruit deems a good sign to me. Have you tried to combine fruit/honey with some saturated fat (stomach empties slower, antiseptic)?

 

[yomama]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

I'm not a doctor so DO NOT take my post as a medical advice, BY NO MEANS, anyway the symptoms you describe seem typical of hipoglucemia, anemia and liver disease, brain fog is typical of hyperammonemia, do you have jaundice or dark urine? Did you do any blood test lately?

There are no conclusive studies but to get spontaneous formation of blood clots you may need industrial amounts of K1, not K2 at the dosage you mentioned.

High doses of Aspirin + vit. E is NO GOOD cause increases risk of bleeding, what amount are you taking?, did the doctor sent you something more or just Aspirin? There are a few supplement protocols you can use for clots, thickening, etc. but you have to check first if any interaction with the drugs prescribed by your doctor.

 

[yomama]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

BTW, 500-600mg daily of vit. C is no mega-dosing at all, therapeutical dosage starts from 8-10gr (gr not mg) daily.

 

[Blossom]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

In addition to the other replies I will add that since you were hospitalized due to an abnormal CK and EKG you *could* have some minor heart muscle damage. Please ask your doctor about what he/she feels the test results mean. If that's the case I don't think restricting carbs is going to solve anything. When your body is trying to heal you do not want it to be forced to breakdown further muscle for gluconeogenisis. I would also think any adverse reactions you may have had to aspirin should be resolved after two weeks of not taking it.

 

[Interactome]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

How much protein are you getting and from what food sources? Ray Peat recommends at least 80 g high qualitity protein. Some need more.

What is your digestion like? Bloating, gases, diarrhea/constipation...? You can use eggshell powder to supplement calcium if you want to check if cutting out (or limiting) dairy for while helps.

Try to eat regularly. Don't skip meals. Have breakfast within half an hour or an hour after getting up in the morning. Regarding endotoxins... Ray Peat recommends eating a shredded carrot (or carrot salat - search the forum) before bed.

I would try magnesium again.There are threads here on magnesium bicarbonate (see here and here). Some of us combine topical magnesium (as epsom salt bath or magnesium oil) with magnesium bicarbonate.

Overall it sounds like you are stressed and tense; magnesium, calcium, adequate protein, eating regularly and the carrot might make a huge difference. That your temps and pulse raise after eating fruit deems a good sign to me. Have you tried to combine fruit/honey with some saturated fat (stomach empties slower, antiseptic)?

When I fasted I only had about 50-60g protein per day. I did that for 1.5 month and lost a lot. I don't know why I always go to fasting when I think something is wrong. Maybe because I'm in doubt what to eat and cut back on everything.
I'm trying to get 120g now. But I'm not very strict and consistent with my diet so it's difficult to say anything. I switch around too much hoping the problem will disappear if I hit the right formula :)

I've started the carrot salad 2 weeks ago and also some bamboo a few days ago. Let's see.

So it's a good thing that my temp and heart rate goes up after I eat fructose? I felt like it was more difficult to fall asleep the times I ate a lot of honey before bed. Maybe I overdid it.

When I eat a lot of fruit/sugar I get almost the opposite of constipation.

 

[Interactome]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

post 102153 I'm not a doctor so DO NOT take my post as a medical advice, BY NO MEANS, anyway the symptoms you describe seem typical of hipoglucemia, anemia and liver disease, brain fog is typical of hyperammonemia, do you have jaundice or dark urine? Did you do any blood test lately?

There are no conclusive studies but to get spontaneous formation of blood clots you may need industrial amounts of K1, not K2 at the dosage you mentioned.

High doses of Aspirin + vit. E is NO GOOD cause increases risk of bleeding, what amount are you taking?, did the doctor sent you something more or just Aspirin? There are a few supplement protocols you can use for clots, thickening, etc. but you have to check first if any interaction with the drugs prescribed by your doctor.

Ok. I'll stop the vit E (400 IU) now. I will stop all supplements as of right now. Maybe that caused the dilated veins in my arm after I had that wrist band on. Hope they can go back. Don't know if I should start K2 again or just have some spinach now and again.
I got some blood thinning coctail for 2 days at the hospital while they were thinking "blood clot" and then afterwards only the baby aspirin.

I took 3-5g vit C for about 3 weeks. Then I backed off and eventually stopped.

About the high ammonia, I don't know what could cause that. My liver numbers (whatever that is - I should ask for them) were fine according to my doc a month ago. Either the aspirin put too much pressure on the liver, or due to too much fructose coupled with training and some stress for a while before that, or bacteria/candida produces too much of it when I feed it sugar? When I was low carb, I was not eating much fruit (an apple a day and some berries) and almost no starches. So maybe my liver doesn't like fructose, or .. it's all speculation. I don't know how to figure this out.

I also just found that I have some gum problems and carries according to the dentist (which I don't really feel). I think my period of low carbing has made me ignorant towards my teeth health and after I switched suddenly to high carb they started going bad.

I often feel like I'm slightly drunk after I drik some milk. And after ice cream, my mouth just doesn't function.

My fasting blood sugar was 4.7, so normal. I'm waiting for the cardio appointment next week to see what they say. Maybe I'll do a full body MRI too to see if anything is hiding somewhere.

 

[Interactome]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

post 102157 In addition to the other replies I will add that since you were hospitalized due to an abnormal CK and EKG you *could* have some minor heart muscle damage. Please ask your doctor about what he/she feels the test results mean. If that's the case I don't think restricting carbs is going to solve anything. When your body is trying to heal you do not want it to be forced to breakdown further muscle for gluconeogenisis. I would also think any adverse reactions you may have had to aspirin should be resolved after two weeks of not taking it.

Ok, thank you.

I'll see the heart doc in 1 week and I'll see what he says. One of my aortic valves looked a bit thicker on the ultrasound he said.

I'll try to eat regularly and drop all supplements. I have a tendency to try out too much at once without really knowing what I'm doing and I might end up doing more harm than good. I should stick to "When in doubt, do nothing" instead. I'm confusing everyone with doing too much too fast.

 

[Blossom]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

post 102189

post 102157 In addition to the other replies I will add that since you were hospitalized due to an abnormal CK and EKG you *could* have some minor heart muscle damage. Please ask your doctor about what he/she feels the test results mean. If that's the case I don't think restricting carbs is going to solve anything. When your body is trying to heal you do not want it to be forced to breakdown further muscle for gluconeogenisis. I would also think any adverse reactions you may have had to aspirin should be resolved after two weeks of not taking it.

Ok, thank you.

I'll see the heart doc in 1 week and I'll see what he says. One of my aortic valves looked a bit thicker on the ultrasound he said.

I'll try to eat regularly and drop all supplements. I have a tendency to try out too much at once without really knowing what I'm doing and I might end up doing more harm than good. I should stick to "When in doubt, do nothing" instead. I'm confusing everyone with doing too much too fast.

Good luck to you Interactome. I didn't mean to discourage you from all supplements but I do think a good nourishing diet should be the first step for all of us.

 

[Interactome]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

post 102199

post 102189

post 102157 In addition to the other replies I will add that since you were hospitalized due to an abnormal CK and EKG you *could* have some minor heart muscle damage. Please ask your doctor about what he/she feels the test results mean. If that's the case I don't think restricting carbs is going to solve anything. When your body is trying to heal you do not want it to be forced to breakdown further muscle for gluconeogenisis. I would also think any adverse reactions you may have had to aspirin should be resolved after two weeks of not taking it.

Ok, thank you.

I'll see the heart doc in 1 week and I'll see what he says. One of my aortic valves looked a bit thicker on the ultrasound he said.

I'll try to eat regularly and drop all supplements. I have a tendency to try out too much at once without really knowing what I'm doing and I might end up doing more harm than good. I should stick to "When in doubt, do nothing" instead. I'm confusing everyone with doing too much too fast.

Good luck to you Interactome. I didn't mean to discourage you from all supplements but I do think a good nourishing diet should be the first step for all of us.

Well, I'm officially more cautious about everything now. Introducing more than one variable at a too high dose into a complex system is probably not a good way of doing things. I have no idea what effect something has on me and also the drug interactions. Same thing with the docs at the hospital: standard procedure is to shove a bunch of drugs into someone without first knowing what the problem is and weather the person can tolerate it or not. Just in case :)

 

[Blossom]

Strange symptoms and aspirin toxicity?

post 102211

post 102199

post 102189

post 102157 In addition to the other replies I will add that since you were hospitalized due to an abnormal CK and EKG you *could* have some minor heart muscle damage. Please ask your doctor about what he/she feels the test results mean. If that's the case I don't think restricting carbs is going to solve anything. When your body is trying to heal you do not want it to be forced to breakdown further muscle for gluconeogenisis. I would also think any adverse reactions you may have had to aspirin should be resolved after two weeks of not taking it.

Ok, thank you.

I'll see the heart doc in 1 week and I'll see what he says. One of my aortic valves looked a bit thicker on the ultrasound he said.

I'll try to eat regularly and drop all supplements. I have a tendency to try out too much at once without really knowing what I'm doing and I might end up doing more harm than good. I should stick to "When in doubt, do nothing" instead. I'm confusing everyone with doing too much too fast.

Good luck to you Interactome. I didn't mean to discourage you from all supplements but I do think a good nourishing diet should be the first step for all of us.

Well, I'm officially more cautious about everything now. Introducing more than one variable at a too high dose into a complex system is probably not a good way of doing things. I have no idea what effect something has on me and also the drug interactions. Same thing with the docs at the hospital: standard procedure is to shove a bunch of drugs into someone without first knowing what the problem is and weather the person can tolerate it or not. Just in case :)

Sounds very sensible to me!