THE BEST Of TIMES, THE WORST Of TIMES

[kiran]

How much calcium are you getting? How much vit D?

A low vit D level can be an indicator of other issues, like infection etc.

This is a good read on calcium deficiency causing low vit D.
http://www.westonaprice.org/blogs/cmast ... vitamin-d/

 

[Blossom]

Peat recommends prolactin between 2-12 for females so your are not that far out of range. From previous posts it sounds like your current approach should bring that number in line possibly without any other major changes. I guess if it were me I would just consider checking again it in a few months. I've had high prolactin(120) before that I took medicine for but since following a Peat inspired approach it is no longer an issue. It seems like the measures Peat often writes about tend to move us out of the degenerative cycle that often results in things like prolactin being elevated and into a regenerative one where prolactin is naturally lowered. At least that has been my personal experience. I did wonder about you living in the cloudy northwest? Sometimes people who are not able to get regular sun exposure do have to consider vitamin D. It's good to have that data and to get various input on how to proceed but all in all I don't think it's that bad and probably easily remedied.

 

[Blossom]

I take that back bigpeat, I did have a short spell during the winter where I suspect my prolactin might have crept up a bit based on some symptoms. It resolved pretty quickly though and taught me an lesson about how important it is to be mindful of sticking with the measures that have worked for me thus far. I didn't get any labs so I can't say for sure but I suspect the dark days of winter and some holiday eating came into play.

 

[thebigpeatowski]

@kiran...I will go read your link, thanks so much! I get anywhere from 150% to 200% of the US RDA of calcium in the form of local raw organic grass-fed 100% A2 Guernsey Goodness. They are happy cows and I visit them several times a week. I also eat (too much) Italian Pecorino Romano and other cheeses, I love milk and cheese dearly, so I cannot imagine not getting enough calcium unless for some reason I am not absorbing it! Oh yeah, and Haagen Dazs ice cream too, on occasion. Dairy=my favorite food group

I have a vit. D3 supplement that I take a couple of times a week, (Country Life 5000 I.U. Non-fish liver source made from lanolin with medium chain triglycerides, gelatin and glycerin as the only additives). I suppose I could take it DAILY.

@ Blossom...that's good to know regarding Prolactin, I only knew it wasn't supposed to be over 12, I think. WOW, yours was 120! I'm so glad you got that handled!!! Okay, so I won't obsess over Prolactin....THANK YOU :P

 

[thebigpeatowski]

Okay, I have decided to take TWO of my vit. D3 pills DAILY for one week, then back down to one a day until it gets sunny, then I will quit until next winter. I feel better when my vit. D level is is closer to twice what is is now. I also think low D levels affect my immune system and perhaps that contributed to me getting a cold sore. I am sorely lacking sunshine....get it? cold sore? sorely lacking...

Not gonna stress over my Prolactin, but will continue to look for ways to lower it a bit further.

Once again, this cycle came and went with NO PMS. Period did arrive a day or two earlier than expected (day 25), but no pain, no cramps, no bloating (didn't gain an ounce, which is UNHEARD OF, but I did have diarrhea ) No mood swings, scant bleeding....unbelievably normal.

My beard is now so diminished that I am forced to abandon my plans of running away with the circus as the Bearded Fat Lady...new plan for employment in the works.

Looking into B supplements and I'm also gonna switch off of Armour thyroid to Cynoplus and Cynomel....if they ever arrive, will let you know how that goes.

 

[charlie]

My beard is now so diminished that I am forced to abandon my plans of running away with the circus as the Bearded Fat Lady...new plan for employment in the works.

Keep us posted!

 

[Blossom]

Okay, I have decided to take TWO of my vit. D3 pills DAILY for one week, then back down to one a day until it gets sunny, then I will quit until next winter. I feel better when my vit. D level is is closer to twice what is is now. I also think low D levels affect my immune system and perhaps that contributed to me getting a cold sore. I am sorely lacking sunshine....get it? cold sore? sorely lacking...

Not gonna stress over my Prolactin, but will continue to look for ways to lower it a bit further.

Once again, this cycle came and went with NO PMS. Period did arrive a day or two earlier than expected (day 25), but no pain, no cramps, no bloating (didn't gain an ounce, which is UNHEARD OF, but I did have diarrhea ) No mood swings, scant bleeding....unbelievably normal.

My beard is now so diminished that I am forced to abandon my plans of running away with the circus as the Bearded Fat Lady...new plan for employment in the works.

Looking into B supplements and I'm also gonna switch off of Armour thyroid to Cynoplus and Cynomel....if they ever arrive, will let you know how that goes.

Lisuride will probably move things in the prolactin lowering direction, just thought I'd mention that since you posted that you ordered it recently. Back in the winter I added 10 mg b6 which helped me as well. Sorry about the loss of your beard!

 

[thebigpeatowski]

Thanks Blossom...Yes, I am looking forward to the Lisuride experiment. Will look into B6 too. I really hate taking pills, hopefully it won't be forever. I played around with Benadryl for a while, it's great for sleep and gut irritation, but I really think it makes me feel sluggish and depressed the next day. I dunno...it's not something I could take often, I just don't feel like myself the next day.

The Beard, yes the beard...the bane of my existence for 15 years is practically gone in FOUR months. I still have some obstinate dark hairs lurking just beneath the surface of my chin, perhaps twenty instead of close to four hundred. They are VERY slow growing now, face powder can disguise them pretty good. Before there were so many that NO amount of makeup could cover the stubble. I am happy

 

[SQu]

Delighted to hear about demise of beard!! small ( and not so small) seemingly cosmetic things can be very meaningful - like age spots!

 

[thebigpeatowski]

About twelve years ago my boys started calling me Dude instead of Mom. I never thought much about it, they were going through puberty and they called everybody "dude". A couple of years later, on Mother's Day while eating gelato in Seattle, I finally asked them: Why do you guys call me Dude? They both giggled and looked at each other. My oldest boy finally spoke up and said "Cuz you got balls, Mom". I laughed and thought to myself (as a single parent): well okay then, I guess I'll take that as a compliment....

You must realize though, I was a micromanaging anal retentive Control Freak. Super high-strung running on adrenaline and cortisol and every other stress hormone for YEARS. Being a single parent is stressful. Being self-employed was stressful in it's own way because my work completely overtook my house. Homeschooling my children, while I wouldn't change it for anything, was also stressful in that I felt enormous pressure and responsibility.

Fast forward two weeks or so ago... My oldest son sends me a text that says: " Dude, you didn't text me to remind me to put the garbage out...I'm kinda weirded out" (along with a smiley face). They are renting my old house from me and I still pay the garbage bill at that location so YES, I had been micromanaging from a distance even with my cellphone, but I don't do that anymore. And they noticed. I will take that as a compliment... or at least as a small sign that I am mellowing out. I do feel waaaay more relaxed, it's so calming to know that everything will be okay...the best of times.

But speaking of feeling responsible for everything, I noticed (while over analyzing my life) that I have a tendency to feel the pain of others too deeply. Both physical and emotional pain and so much so that it profoundly affects me. For instance my stepmother recently had full hip replacement and MY hip ached for four days after that. Every time I thought of her I would relive the trauma she must have experienced, this is all in my head of course, but it affects me on a physical and emotional level....like I am hypersensitive. I have been like this since I was a very small child. I care too deeply. My brain appears to be hardwired this way and it isn't always pleasant.

I have not watched the nightly news for decades for the very same reason. I would see a story where a child was raped or beaten and I would put myself in that child's place and suddenly be overcome with pain, grief, agony and anger. My (ex) husband would just look at me and say "You think too much." Despite YEARS of my own personal counseling, I have not been able to completely overcome this "over-emotionalism", as my mother calls it.

I am being tested in this area once again: The news of the mudslide in my community is too stressful for me. The faces and stories of desperation are TOTALLY overwhelming. I have avoided going into town because I don't recognize it anymore, the place is surreal. Perhaps my stress hormones have been running so high for so long that adding to that burden is just too much for me to bear, I dunno. Just guessing and thinking out loud.....we need a miracle here and it doesn't look like that is gonna happen. They are bringing in grief counselors now...24 bodies so far....this one qualifies as the worst of times

 

[mas]

Bigpeatowski,

My condolences on the tragedy in your town. It is difficult to live with with such sorrow when you are well and functioning fine, but with health challenges on top of that you have a lot to deal with. You are needing to heal on many different levels.
Blessings for a lot of healing to come.

Megin

 

[thebigpeatowski]

Thanks Megin....I am a bag-breathing Coke drinking fiend about now :)

 

[thebigpeatowski]

I chew two grains of Armour thyroid every morning at 7:00 a.m. Been doing this since February 3rd. It is nearly noon right now and my hands, feet and nose are freezing. I feel cold, dull, lifeless and constipated. Temp is 97.8, bundled up in sweats in a heated house. Pulse is 68. I have been experimenting the last several days with adding 1/4 of a 25 mcg Cynomel in the afternoons with food, but my temps fall even further. I become unbearably cold and tired. Today I am gonna try 1/2 of a Cynomel with coffee...hoping for some warmth.

 

[Blossom]

Well that stinks! I hate being cold. I wish I knew more about the thyroid supplements but I have to admit that isn't my strongest area. Hopefully some more experienced people will give their input! I'm actually still in the process of fine tuning my own thyroid regimen. I have to say that the brooding lights have been a very helpful tool in getting me through the cold winter. I know that's not a permanent fix to your issue but I still think it's a valuable tool to have on hand( if you don't have any already). I just found some incandescent bulbs at my local store and thought I'd hit the Jack pot with that find! I'm still using the brooding lights though because it's not that warm where I live yet. Stay warm my friend, this too will pass.

 

[thebigpeatowski]

Speaking of brooding lights...last Friday I spent several hours in front of my 250 watt infrared heat lamp, as I have been doing every day for the last 3 months. I had it clipped to the edge of the opened top drawer of my nightstand and point it at me while I sit in bed with my lap top. As I went to get up to go get more coffee I accidentally touched my shoulder to the bulb...my skin stuck to the bulb and sizzled. I have one helluva burn...have not sat in front of the bulb since. I am keeping it covered with various burn ointments...gonna try some Progest-E on it next time I change the gauze. I took a picture of my burn, gonna document how long it takes to heal. It's pretty effin ugly.

Mail lady just delivered my Lisuride...YAY! More experiments....

 

[Blossom]

Lisuride had a warming effect for me. I think that is due to decreasing serotonin. Such_saturation posted in response to one person, who wasn't responding to thyroid, that his experience was that focusing on lowering estrogen and serotonin had helped. Maybe it will work that way for you. I'm sorry to hear about your burn. I got a protective cage that goes over my lights so I can't accidentally touch the bulbs.

 

[Mittir]

I chew two grains of Armour thyroid every morning at 7:00 a.m. Been doing this since February 3rd.

RP recommends taking small dose of thyroid supplement with meals.
Are you taking two grains with food?
This slows down the absorption of T3. There are 18 mcg of T3 in two grain of Armour.
Body produces 4-5 mcg per hours. Body will most likely inactivate excess T3.
This inactivation enzyme can continue to do this for some period of time.
It would be a good idea to take 1/2 a grain with 4 meals instead of 2 grain in one meal
and see how it feels.

 

[thebigpeatowski]

Thanks Mittir. Yes, I started taking my thyroid meds with food because I read RP wrote that it is not physiological to take large dose on an empty stomach. Despite what my doctor told me and that the medication bottle itself states to take on an empty stomach, I no longer do this.

I have tried splitting my dose and take throughout the day, but I never get warm when I do this. I admit though that I have only tried it a few times, I am so tired of being cold. I have also tried adding in some Cynomel in the afternoon a few times, it seems to make me even colder or does nothing. Today I am trying Cynoplus instead of Armour thyroid....will post more when I see some sorta change.

 

[thebigpeatowski]

MY BREAKFAST TODAY: Costco Kirkland Signature - Organic Not From Concentrate Orange Juice 100% Valencia, 16 oz
Equal Exchange - Organic Breakfast Blend Coffee, 24 oz
Generic - Sucanat Evaporated Cane Juice, 6 teaspoon
Raw - Whole Milk, 1 cup
Protein Peptides - Hydrolyzed Collagen, 4 TBS (9.64 g)

Some days I have eggs instead of the hydrolyzed gelatin, but always coffee milk and OJ.

 

[SQu]

Do you ever make farmers cheese? That stuff turns me into an oven, but watch your blood sugar.