THE BEST Of TIMES, THE WORST Of TIMES

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only......

Since I am still enshrouded in brain fog, I thought I would let the quote from Charles Dickens above begin to articulate my feelings and experiences along this journey.

I am new to the writings of Ray Peat, just started reading and implementing some of the ideas three or four months ago. I struggle to find the words to express my utter astonishment and gratitude at the treasure which I have stumbled upon. I am profoundly moved by what I have discovered, simultaneously experiencing intense relief and joy while also being deeply saddened by the condition of my own health and that of the larger population. While I have struggled with anxiety and debilitating depression since I was a teen, this winter has been unusually difficult for me. Perhaps there is a reason and a season for everything...

I was born and raised in Washington state. Winters are dark, dreary and rainy in the Pacific Northwest, that's precisely why we drink so much coffee here! I was adopted at birth and bottled fed, many of my health issues began in infancy. Finally realizing three years ago that my issues had something to do with a lack of sunshine, I made a concerted effort to go somewhere sunny and warm for at least two weeks every winter (not an easy feat on my budget). This year I went to Hawaii in October hoping to get my vitamin D on early while trying to figure out way to take another trip in February in order to keep the winter blues at bay, which unfortunately did not happen. After I returned from Hawaii I started googling and came across Ray Peat. Needless to say, my eyes were opened and I decided it was time for a MAJOR change in my life. I closed down my business and put everything in storage. I rented out my house in the city and moved, on December 1st, to a remote piece of land out in the middle of nowhere. I have no phone and no t.v. I just got satellite a few days ago and so up until this point, I have done all of my Peat research on my cell phone which has spotty coverage at best.

I now spend every single morning (and sometimes the entire day) sitting in front of a 250 watt infrared bulb reading and studying. Whenever I read the writings of RP I feel as if I am lying on a warm sunny beach (the red light helps) with gentle sparkling ocean water washing over me. With the lap of each wave I gain more clarity and strength, while little by little the filth and lies of modern medicine and culture get washed away.

I know this sounds extreme, but having traveled down every single path in a never-ending often fruitless search for my seemingly endless array of physical and mental health issues, it feels as though I have finally arrived. I can finally relax for the first time ever. I have often prided my self on taking the road less traveled, but this was getting effing ridiculous....

I'm certain that many of you can relate, I have investigated and subjected myself to it all : First there were endless rounds of antibiotics and over the counter and prescription meds for chronic gut and skin issues, which began in early childhood. Then the counseling, then stronger medications (two rounds of Accutane and several SSRI's etc.) and psychiatric care in my teens and early 20's. None of the SSRI's helped, not even a little and often I felt worse. I began to self medicate first with cannabis and then cocaine. However, I found tiny doses of LSD and psilocybin mushrooms (abundant in our rainy dark climate....hmmm, interesting) more helpful than anything my many doctors had given me. Of course at the time I did not know WHY these substances were useful. Also, I continually craved salt and sugar and would suck on rock salt all day long and eat spoonfuls of sugar. This began in early childhood and I was chastised and shamed for my behavior continually, so I learned to sneak and hide the salt and sugar that I so desperately craved. Looking back, it was clearly evident that I was deficient in many minerals and vitamins, most likely due to my gut issues. My parents divorced when I was five and were so completely self-absorbed and clueless that they did not recognize there was a problem. They still don't....oh well.

I gave up on mainstream medical doctors with the birth of my first child at age 24. My hair thinned, my eye brows fell out and I COULD NOT lose weight no matter what I tried. Chronic fatigue and debilitating exhaustion clouded my thinking and it took me another 10 years to convince someone that something REALLY was wrong, I wasn't just an emotionally unstable hypochondriac. During this era I decided that religion and naturopathic care MUST be the answer, what a GIANT mistake that was. This isn't to say that those paths did not have some merit, they did. Still, my Bastyr trained naturopath who studied under and worked closely with Dr. Jonathan Wright is still utterly clueless when it comes to thyroid issues. How can this be? I find the level of ignorance amongst professionals regarding women's hormones to be mind boggling. My doctor has been "treating" (inadequately) my hypothyroidism for years! My TSH was nearly 4 the last time I had labs. She feels that is acceptable and within range and so therefore will not raise my Armour dose. She was more concerned about my high cholesterol and gave me four bottles of "special doctor grade" herbs and supplements from her dispensary to fix it. How is this any different from the mainstream bull****??? My stress hormones were through the roof (and I have the WHISKERS to prove it), so she sent me to an endocrinologist. He did a bunch of tests and said yes, my levels were definitely high, but perplexing and therefore undiagnostic. And I PAID for this???!!! I am a short woman with a BLACK BEARD, acne and aggression so severe that it landed my **** in jail, but that's another story. I have spent countless hours plucking, shaving and picking. I spent thousands of dollars on electrolysis and laser treatments. Chemical depilatories and contraptions, every herb, every supplement, every crazy radical diet known to mankind and even baptism and casting out of demons (I wish I were kidding).

All of the religion, psychiatric "care", electrical zappers and herbs in the world has not cured me. Oh, the trappings of self-experimentation via the internet and self help books, I could go on and on...but I digress.

Ultimately, it was the internet that led me to Dr. Peat...the best of times and the worst of times. It's been a hellacious journey for sure. Frustrating. Depressing. And now I embark on yet another new way of eating....There isn't a lot of fresh RIPE fruit in the Pacific Northwest at this time of year and I hadn't eaten sugar in years. I have been truly terrified of it, believing it to be the White Death and the sole cause of all my addictions and misery. I desperately want someone to hold my hand through all of this, yet I know that for me to really truly heal I need to do it on my own. I need to learn how to feed myself and take care of myself properly. I believe that RP's writings are all bout finding answers for oneself. Mighty empowering indeed....

This has not been an easy transition for me. Lots of weight gain. Lots of bloating and digestive duress. Lots of anxiety and depression (the worst of times). However, some issues ARE getting better and I have, in just the short time I have been doing this, seen some definite improvements: my skin is clearing and healing for the first time ever without Accutane. Having never grown out of the acne that started when I was in 7th grade (I am 47 now), I find this incredible. Also, I am sleeping better on a more consistent basis. My PMS and periods used to be debilitating (couldn't leave the house, gushing blood-filled anxiety trip). During my last cycle I actually attended a concert... and stood.... and danced.... in the third row in front of everybody.... for hours and hours, unheard of for me! (even tho I was wearing my boyfriends pants because NOTHING fits anymore). The Progest-E has slowed the growth, diameter and pigment of my whiskers....unbelievable!!! The time saved not plucking, shaving and stressing over ingrown hairs has been immeasurable. Wished I would have found Progest-E decades ago.

I know this was a long read. And I am pretty sure I am not the only one out there that has struggled. I hope it can help some poor gal searching to find answers for her hormonal craziness (take the Progest-E, in HUGE quantities...and the gelatin)...Hoping for the Best of Times....

Welcome. I too just joined a few weeks ago and I want to assure you that we are all in the same boat. Before I started posting, I have spent some time reading archived posts here which have been very helpful. I was diagnosed "CFS/FM" (huge list of symptoms) 9 years ago and had to quit my profession, and like you I was trying all kinds of methods to heal me. In the early years, I tried pharma meds prescribed by my doctor, most of which either didn't work and some hurt me badly. After this, I tried all kinds of vitamin and herbal concoctions to no avail. About 3 years ago I found a gluten free forum I went gluten free and still am. This has helped with the terrible IBS symptoms that plagued me but I was disappointed that gluten avoidance didn't restore my health. I found a link to RP on this gluten free forum and read his article SUITABLE FATS, UNSUITABLE FATS,ISSUES IN NUTRITION and then I regularly read his website articles and listened to KMUD.

You have given a lot of informative insights into your medical history. As I kept reading and rereading RP articles, my medical history started to become clearer and clearer. I thought about my history prenatal to young adulthood came in a kind of incrementalism and how symptoms that all doctors miss due to their inculcated medical training started adding up - premature birth, lack of breastfeeding, ibs, allergies and peculiar rashes, migraines, lack of energy and muscle pain ,brain fog, mononucleosis etc…etc... now in retrospect its plain to see imbalances of stress hormones It took about 30 years from young adulthood to cycling between periods feeling relatively alright, but I also had periods when I felt awful, to bring me to a state of coming to a screeching halt. I could no longer function.

What causes diseases according to media propaganda owned and controlled by the PTB?
Viruses
The current dogma that is crammed down the throats of the masses from the early 1900s is VIRUSES. There are probably thousands of classifications of these viruses and our doctors tell us all the time that we have illnesses that are supposedly caused by viruses but don't give us a shread of proof. They inject poisons into children for these said viruses too.

Genes gone wild.
Supposedly your granny had "bad genes" and one day they just went berserk on you causing your bodily tissues to "attack itself."

Let's see what RP says causes diseases:
from Immunodeficiency, dioxins, stress, and the hormone

...unsaturated vegetable oils, ferrous iron and carrageenan in our foods, lead in air, food, and water, exposure to medical, military, and industrial ionizing radiation, vaccinations, pesticides, chlorinated hydrocarbons, nitric oxide (smog and medications) and oral contraceptives and environmental estrogens, in particular...

The viruses and genetic determinism are smokescreens to hide the enormous numbers of toxic assaults listed above that the corporate monopoly fascists benefit from. Don't expect the govt. regulatory agencies to help because they own them too.

The medical system is owned and controlled by the establishment PTB. There are thousands of designated "diseases" out there and the medical mafia insists that they are all idiopathic. Tax money keeps rolling in to the NIH for "research' but this research is designed to fail by leading the public down false alleys and keep chasing their tails with fraudulent research. and disinformation.

RP on medical diagnosis:
In many cases, “diagnosis” consists of what could, at best, be called an educated guess, with no attempt to find evidence to support it. Obviously, if every doctor in the country is guessing wrong about certain deadly conditions, lots of people will die, and no one will see the need to even study the subject, since it has a definite name and an explanation that seems to satisfy.

It is impossible to get a meaningful diagnosis because the doctor is the emperor with no clothes, a miseducated fool and nothing but a corporate tool. It is a bitter blow when you realize that you have been abused and failed by design.

Keep on your path of healing, as we are all doing here. RP said that hope is very important. I live everyday with that thought.

Best,
Megin

We are all paying the price of incoherence in science on one level or another. A radical shift will have to occur before any doctor of any type can truly help anyone. 'Medicine' isn't even a science at all although it does a great job posing as one. Gilbert Ling talks a bit about how we have got to this point in his book Life at the Cell and Below-Cell level. It's a great read for putting all of the misinformation out there into perspective. It's too bad so many people have to suffer because of it. Thank god for Peat!

mas said: "About 3 years ago I found a gluten free forum I went gluten free and still am. This has helped with the terrible IBS symptoms that plagued me but I was disappointed that gluten avoidance didn't restore my health."

Me too! I have been gluten free and grain free for three years. It has helped tremendously with gut issues and so and I will never back and I don't miss them. But, like you, that alone has not been the cure.....

I am thrilled beyond words to have found the writings of Dr. Peat. His brain absolutely amazes me. I find his ability to see the whole picture in context: from the cellular level to a global scale to be a truly rare quality. Early on he knew the appropriate questions to ask and has the exceptional ability to seek REAL answers...as in TRUTH. You combine that with a deeply genuine and generous spirit and all I can say is WOW!

I had an endocrinologist tell me that my thyroid issues were STRICTLY genetic, I say bulls*t. If that were the case we would have died out long ago as a species. Also, if that were true, how would one explain the fact that I have been on thyroid medication for YEARS (fifteen) and been able to go OFF of thyroid medication for years? What, suddenly my "genes" were spontaneously fixed?

You are right Blossom, "Medicine" isn't Science....it's all about the money. I realized this many years ago and it grieves me deeply. It's BIG business and we are being farmed (certainly the WORST OF TIMES). However depressing that may be, I feel like I have finally found a major, if not "THE PIECE" to the puzzle so let the BEST TIMES roll!!!

I read somewhere where RP said: "CRH is more directly associated with depression than cortisol is, and
it by itself activates many inflammatory processes, including the
release of histamine, cytokines, and nitric oxide. CRH is promoted in
the hypothalamus (and in many other tissues) by inflammation,
endotoxin, serotonin, interleukins, and prostaglandins, but also by
the perception of unavoidable difficulties." - Ray Peat (Endotoxin,
stress, depression: Serotonin, starches, fatty acids, and antidotes
2012)

You guys know all this stuff already...but it was a LIGHTBULB MOMENT for me...one of MANY.

So yeah.....riding the Gratitude Wave here

I loved the part about the perception of unavoidable stress! That has been so true for me, a light bulb moment. It's hard to say what comes first but I remember feeling that literally for years on end very disempowered, victimized and of course a doctor gives you an SSRI adding insult to injury! I'm in the process of changing my career and downsizing my home as we speak because walking into my current job in my field results in a 'perception of unavoidable stress'. It's great to hear your story and know that I'm not the only one totally remaking my life after discovering Peat. I just couldn't live that way anymore. The funny thing is I told my husband back in 2002 that I couldn't do it anymore but he wasn't ready to compromise so I did. I'm glad he listened this time because I wouldn't want to lose him but I can't do this job much longer. I'm sure if I had never regained my physical health I wouldn't have made this life changing decision. Peat's work is truly empowering.

I find a mitigating factor in all this mess is that those who perpetuate the system will eventually, down the road,fall victim of their own shortmindness and cowardice.
But not before having caused the demise of many innocent people, saddly.

I know that instinctively I felt like fleeing even during my clinical rotation. I have often compared the work environment to a war zone. The biggest regret I have is not standing my ground 12-15 years ago and continuing on in the medical field because I felt I had to. I had lived through being a single mom in poverty and couldn't bear to bring my daughter up in those conditions. I never realized what destruction would come from a seemingly logical choice. Now all I can do is try to make sure in the end something good comes from this by speaking out about all I have witnessed first hand. I am not proud at all of what I have done even though I never had ill intentions. What constantly amazes me is the number of people I work with that believe in the system. It is as if they are blind to the reality they live everyday. The day I shadowed for my new career I was blown away that the people around me seemed truly at peace and happy, I never realized that people could experience that at work. Medicine casts its ugly shadow on all that are part of it, everyone with no exceptions. I can see why people who make it out don't want to relive it but at some point someone has to speak out or the system will never change. Even if I do my best and it doesn't seem to help, if just one person decides not to be part of that nightmare it will be worth it.

Blossom,
As you were in the medical field, I think that you will find Dr. Jennifer Daniels website quite interesting. Dr. Daniels got her MD, along with an MBA from Wharton sometime around 1980. She came from a very poor community in New York State and she went back there to be a PCP in her local community. Dr. Daniels constantly questioned the medical model and eventually stopped using dangerous drugs that were hurting and killing her patients. The medical PTB took her license to practice away and even when she pleaded to the fact that she helped to heal her patients by removing the drugs, it didn't matter. PTB want drugs or doctors are out and the doctors are surveilled by drug stores that give out info as to how many doctors prescriptions they write out. The "Insurance" carriers also keep tabs on the doctors too. Doctors don't operate autonomously at all now.

Her book is called DEATH BY MEDICINE IS NO ACCIDENT.

The information that she gives on the medical standard of care, dangerous drugs, prepaid "insurance", affordable care disaster, etc…

Her website:
vitalitycapsules.com/truth-files

I found these really mind blowing: scroll down to
March 26: The MInd of the Assassin (how doctors are teflon dons)
November 20: Health Insurance

I don't agree with all her dietary advice and a few other areas, but her insight into how doctors,hospitals and insurance companies get away with murder , fraud, extortion.

She now lives in Panama with her husband and children and sells herbs and coaches individuals health.

Our country is in a very pathetic state of degeneration in every way you look at it.

Megin

Thanks for telling me about that. It is undeniable that doctors have no autonomy in medical practice. I would be devastated if I went to school for that long with the illusion that I would be able to help people only to find out that you are policed by the AM A and whatever corporation you work for. Typically hospital administrators are non clinical but they are able to make or break a doctor's career. All of this would truly be tragic if there were any effective medical practices out there. What we really have is only our own ability to maintain or improve our own health and hopefully meet some like-minded people to interact with in a positive way on our journey. I'm happy that doctor got out and has found a way to help others. I've met some good people who were destroyed by medicine, I was one of them.

mas said:

Blossom,
As you were in the medical field, I think that you will find Dr. Jennifer Daniels website quite interesting. Dr. Daniels got her MD, along with an MBA from Wharton sometime around 1980. She came from a very poor community in New York State and she went back there to be a PCP in her local community. Dr. Daniels constantly questioned the medical model and eventually stopped using dangerous drugs that were hurting and killing her patients. The medical PTB took her license to practice away and even when she pleaded to the fact that she helped to heal her patients by removing the drugs, it didn't matter. PTB want drugs or doctors are out and the doctors are surveilled by drug stores that give out info as to how many doctors prescriptions they write out. The "Insurance" carriers also keep tabs on the doctors too. Doctors don't operate autonomously at all now.

Her book is called DEATH BY MEDICINE IS NO ACCIDENT.

The information that she gives on the medical standard of care, dangerous drugs, prepaid "insurance", affordable care disaster, etc…

Her website:
vitalitycapsules.com/truth-files

I found these really mind blowing: scroll down to
March 26: The MInd of the Assassin (how doctors are teflon dons)
November 20: Health Insurance

I don't agree with all her dietary advice and a few other areas, but her insight into how doctors,hospitals and insurance companies get away with murder , fraud, extortion.

She now lives in Panama with her husband and children and sells herbs and coaches individuals health.

Our country is in a very pathetic state of degeneration in every way you look at it.

Megin

Click to expand...

At least she is speaking out about medicine and let's face it people will be more likely to take her seriously because of her MD credentials. I've discovered that there are so many ways people can approach healing and although I may not personally agree with their methods (for me) it takes courage to speak out against the mainstream dogma. People do need to hear the cold, hard truth about the needless suffering and preventable death that happens more often than not. It's great if you are healthy and never have to be confronted with it but that's becoming a rarity it seems. I would love to never give this issue another precious moment of my life but I couldn't look at my reflection in the mirror if I tried to pretend it didn't exist. People deserve to know, what they choose to do with that knowledge is up to each individual.

Blossom wrote: "I had lived through being a single mom in poverty and couldn't bear to bring my daughter up in those conditions. I never realized what destruction would come from a seemingly logical choice. Now all I can do is try to make sure in the end something good comes from this by speaking out..."

I was/am a single mom as well, I am all too familiar with that whole scene. My boys are grown now and out on their own, so I am finally able to focus on my health and fixing myself. I have a tendency to be outspoken and opinionated, but have found that no one really listens when I speak about the sham that is modern medicine.....I guess since I am not the picture of health. Nobody I know really cares, they just don't see it like I do. I feel like my own family members are completely blind. This would NOT include my sons, they have had to listen to me for too long

I am hoping that as I log my experiences it will somehow help to abate future unnecessary suffering of some poor hormonally whacked gal out there....well I can hope

I'm excited to hear how everything goes for you! I didn't mean to get your post off track. I am especially interested in the facial hair topic since it is far more common than a lot of people realize. It's an epidemic among my female 'patient' and medicine has nothing to offer them but a razor. Peat figured it out though.

Quote from: Upton Sinclair

“It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it.”

What is PTB

?

Powers that Be= Corporate Military Industrial Medical Financial Fascist small elite group that control EVERYTHING

Well, here's the list...unfortunately it's a looong one. I am listing them all so that I can make note of what is working and check them off as they improve:

ACNE-began at puberty, has never let up my entire adult life with the exception of two rounds of Accutane, first round in high school, second round in college.
Gets better with some antibiotics, but skin quality has never been great since 6th grade.
This is slowly getting better...improved after grains were dropped. Much more improvement since eating Peat type foods and adding Progest-E. Pores are shrinking, skin is smoother. Cysts heal faster, but my skin is still quite oily. Extra Zinc seems to help too. Gonna try topical aspirin for sure...

VERY SLOW WOUND HEALING-became very noticeable while on low carb diet which started in 2011.
Is getting better since eating Peatishly, plenty O.J. Hydrolyzed collagen at least 4 TBS a day. Might need to supplement vit. E?

WHISKERS/HIRSTUISM-began in my early 30's, hundreds and hundreds of them. Dark black course hair, we aren't talking peach fuzz here. It's a beard, no mustache...on my face and neck only.
The ONLY thing that has helped over the last 15 years of dealing with this Hormonal Hell has been Progest-E, taken internally and applied topically....EFFING AMAZING IMPROVEMENT IN 3 MONTHS!!! I am truly astounded by these results....really, TEARS OF JOY over this one.

WEIGHT GAIN-began with my first pregnancy. have yo-yo dieted up and down since then, mostly up...I am ignoring it for now while living in sweat pants...F*ck, oh well.

BRAIN FOG/COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT-became hugely noticeable after the birth of my first child, but ultimately began during my third year at university. Continues to this day, but definitely improves with sugar, thyroid and light. Gonna try some B vitamins for which I think I must be sorely lacking, yes?

ANXIETY-began at puberty, continues to this day. Improves when TSH, estrogen and weight are lower... and when guts are happy.

DEPRESSION-began at puberty, not constant, but continues off and on. Noticeably worse during winter. Things that help me: sugar, light, thyroid, movement/exercise, meditation on gratitude, study/learning...not necessarily in that order on any given day. Gonna try reducing serotonin with Periactin perhaps?

DIAGNOSED w/OCD-in my late teens. Seems to cycle with estrogen dominance in second half of cycle. Can become completely debilitating. Progest-E has been very calming. Serotonin reduction through various illegal drugs, which I don't recommend, has helped in the past. Not really sure what to do here...something to reduce serotonin drastically? I dunno.

BOUTS of IRRITABILITY/AGGRESSION-began in early childhood, but has improved since adding carbohydrates back in to my diet...so says the boyfriend, ha ha. I have worked very hard to actively remove ALL negative people and stressors from my life. Again, Progest-E is deeply relaxing for me, imparts a much needed chill factor...that and white russians Take the Progest-E in HUGE amounts...I sound like a commercial.

EXTREME PMS with PAINFUL LUMPY BREASTS and HORRIFIC MONTHLY BLEEDING-began in high school and has caused anemia for years. Normally I cannot even leave the house for two or three days of my cycle. I have tried everything under the sun to alleviate the symptoms. The ONLY things that have helped are salt, sugar, Progest-E and thyroid medication.... and tons of each. Seriously, DON'T SKIMP. Three months into this experiment and I am CURED...as in NO MORE symptoms, at all. My last three periods have been divinely normal. Light bleeding, no pain, no tenderness, no mood swings....A MIRACLE!

SUDDEN LOSS OF UP-CLOSE-A-VISION-came on suddenly after 80 pound weight loss in 2011, probably due to GINORMOUS PUFA release??? Who knows? I need help with this one, I can't read anything up close any more. I had better than perfect vision at my last eye exam in 2010. I initially thought the rapid decline was due to my appendix rupturing in August of 2010, but now I am thinking it could be due to the extreme weight loss of the HCG diet began in February of 2011....dunno. Anyone else have such a rapid worsening of your vision?

LACK OF COORDINATION/AGILITY-became very noticeable the winter of 2012. Upping thyroid meds helps tremendously, also actively moving everyday....which I have NOT been doing cuz I have NO energy or motivation. Maybe this will better itself once I have the energy to get off my a**.

EDEMA and HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE-started with first pregnancy (eclampsia), has occurred for years. I have perpetually been scolded to REDUCE my salt intake, which I cannot because I crave it too much. I have found that actually EATING MORE SALT (like at least 5 tsp. a day) makes puffiness go away...I know this must sound extreme and contrary to what the rest of the world believes, but in my experiment of one, it works. EAT THE EFFIN SALT...and DO NOT DRINK HALF YOUR WEIGHT IN OUNCES OF WATER. I did the water thing for years thinking if I just drank enough my swelling would go away... yeah it's a lie. Does not work for me.

SEVERE JOINT PAIN & MUSCLE TENSION/PAIN-began during first pregnancy, 25 years ago. I actually went in and got tested for rheumatoid arthritis because it was so bad, all antibodies came up negative. I don't have RA.....seems to get better when my TSH is lower. Thyroid meds help A BUNCH!!! Aspirin helps too, just don't know how much is safe to take. I do take Super K every third day or so.

LACK of ENERGY/ FATIGUE-began during first pregnancy, 25 years ago. Seems to get better when my TSH is lower. Thyroid, sugar, salt and COFFEE are helping, but I think I need some B vitamins...er something. Sunlight definitely helps, we don't have that here .

GUT ISSUES/IBS/BLOATING-began in elementary school. Much better since cutting out grains 3 years ago. Much more improvement recently since cutting out vegetable fiber and especially carrageenen...OMG, who knew? My half and half and cottage cheese were causing horrific gut irritation that I could never quite pinpoint, until reading RP. Also, I think aspirin might be helpful, but I am not clear on how much I should be taking. Any thoughts on Bayer dosage for a short fat middle-aged gal? Also, I notice my digestion noticeably improves when my TSH IS LOWER. Raw carrots are perfect for keeping constipation at bay, but I cannot tolerate them when I am in diarrhea mode. Periactin might help here too?

HAIR & FINGERNAILS DON'T GROW-began after birth of first child. Toenails are especially malformed after very low carb diet and taking FOREVER to grow. Hoping improved nutrition and metabolism will help here. I'm ignoring my toes for right now since I can't reach them anyways .

TEETH SENSITIVITY & OPAQUENESS-began in 2013, after being on a very low carb diet for two years. My teeth were perfect before low-carbing, thanks Paleo! This has gotten much better since adding sugar to my diet, WTF? How is that even possible?

THYROID GLAND FREQUENTLY SWELLS-began years 3 ago after very low carb diet weight loss. It comes and goes, but sometimes makes it hard to swallow. I hope that by doubling my Armour (started in February) dose that this will stop, it is annoying and worrisome. Gonna add T3 to my Armour.

COLD HANDS, FEET, NOSE-began during high school years and continues off and on, sometimes quite extreme. Salt, sugar and thyroid help tremendously, but I wish it would just go away altogether....forever.

SLEEP ISSUES-began in childhood, got really bad after low-carbing for years. Salt, sugar, milk, thyroid, breathing and magnesium (NOT taken internally as it irritates the HELL out of guts) have really been helping. Periactin might help here too?

LOSS OF INTEREST IN SEX & ABILITY TO ACHIEVE ORGASM-began after having been very low-carb for two years, 2013. Sugar and salt seem to alleviate...although my new found padding is not helping :-( Poor boyfriend...what can ya do?

DIAGNOSED w/ESTROGEN DOMINANCE-in 1998. Progest-E has been a life saver....really a game changer. Thyroid meds and minimizing gut irritation are invaluable as well. Of course AVOIDING ALL SOY too (contrary to what my doctor told me...pfft, what a wench).

CORTISOL, DHEA , 17-OHPROGESTERONE and TESTOSTERONE LEVELS are THROUGH THE ROOF-since 1998, my (incompetent) endocrinologists are perplexed by this. However RP explains the cascade of hormonal events and salt wasting quite succinctly when hypothyroidism has not been treated adequately for YEARS ON END. I am a a text book case. Apparently my NONE of my doctors read their text books.

CHRONICALLY ELEVATED CHOLESTEROL- 235 in May of 2013. This has fluctuated up and down over the years, there is a direct correlation to my TSH level. When my thyroid is treated properly then my cholesterol levels are normal...again, text book. However my fancy endo at the prestigious Polyclinic in Seattle refuses to see me as his patient any more because I would not take the Lipitor that he insisted on. Once again, I am filled with indcredulity at the level of outright disrespect for the health and well-being of humanity.

I realize that I must sound like a hypochondriac, but I am at the point in my life that I just don't care. I wish to be free from all of these symptoms. I believe that my body can achieve homeostasis, despite having been so unbalanced for decades.

I will continue to update as my symptoms abate. I expect FULL RECOVERY on each and every item.

The absolute cure in my PMS, PAINFUL LUMPY BREASTS and HEAVY BLEEDING as well as the marked improvements with my BEARD, SLEEP, TEETH, EDEMA and overall MOOD have me convinced that this is the route for me to take. Cause for celebration indeed!!! The rest will fall into place, right?

Oh, and I am thinking I will have my PROLACTIN AND VIT. D status checked. Plus I am going to add some T3 to address all the obvious thyroid issues, 2 grains of Armour just is not cutting it.

Any help and/or advice is MOST APPRECIATED....and no Blossom, no worries on thread hijacking! On the contrary, I love sharing with you peeps....I finally feel like I fit in somewhere. After decades of struggling, it is nice to be able to relate....to be continued.

How many drops of Progest-E are you taking, how many times per day, what part of cycle, and where on body do you apply it?

Hi Peata...I have NO idea how many drops I take. I am measuring in BOTTLES I run a bead of oil inside my entire lower gum line and upper gum line as well. I squirt a bunch under my tongue too if I feel really horrid. I do this several times a day whenever I feel like sh*t. I try to hold off and start on day 14 of my cycle, but today is day 12 and I can feel the cysts erupting along my jawline and I'm getting agitated, so I will probably start sooner, which is precisely what I have done every month so far. I take a lot, but it hasn't kept my period away. I did have one morning when I took a massive dose and my legs went numb from the knees down, I was still in bed and it was VERY VERY relaxing and put me to sleep. It was AWESOME. I pretty much slept through all of December and January, I was EXHAUSTED after moving. I certainly could not dose like this if I had to be productive and work. I think I went through four bottles in two weeks the first and second months, maybe more I can't really remember. I have been in a total spaced out FOG ALL WINTER LONG, like hibernation...anyways, I quit dosing on day 27 and then proceed to have a lovely normal period (for the first time in AGES). I also apply it topically to any zits, but especially on the black hairs which have become unbelievably finer, lighter and more sparse. They take waaay longer to grow back in and actually break off when tweezing (is that a verb? to tweeze?). Used to be I would shave (there were too many hairs to pluck) my chin and under jawline while showering in the morning and literally by Five O'clock I had a shadow by that same evening, just like a man! I could hear the hairs making a scratching sound on my shirt collar and/or bed sheets. When my kids were little (shorter than me) they would squirm when I hugged them and tell me beard was prickly. Nice, eh? I should have taken photos, but I was waaay too horrified. Also, I don't apply it topically every day as it is very thick and I am weary of breaking out, doesn't seem to be an issue tho... I do apply topically several times a week....hope this helps!!! I doubled my Armour dose beginning in February and am starting to wake up from my hibernation, ha ha!

"DIAGNOSED w/OCD-in my late teens. Seems to cycle with estrogen dominance in second half of cycle. Can become completely debilitating. Progest-E has been very calming. Serotonin reduction through various illegal drugs, which I don't recommend, has helped in the past. Not really sure what to do here...something to reduce serotonin drastically? I dunno."

I was comparing Benadryl and periactin and noticed the following:

Diphenhydramine can cause strong sedation and has also been used as an anxiolytic as a result.[10] It has also proven to have mild anti-obsessive effects in one study researching OCD medication. Originally intended to act as a control medication, it in fact produced a significant decrement in OCD symptoms.[11]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphenhydramine

My son has OCD, anxiety, and panic attacks. His doctor asked him if he had tried anti-histamines.

Wow, Thank you very much Haagendazendiane! I have been using one Benadryl on occasion at night when my mind is racing (last night I was stressing over taxes) and I can't fall asleep. It does make me very drowsy and If I take it too late I sleep in really late. I actually hate taking pharmaceuticals, hate them with a passion and have avoided them for decades. The box I have is very old, waaay past it's expiration date, I bought it for my son when he got stung by a bee and his hand swelled up like a balloon, that must have been 8 years ago...still it seems to work tho. I do worry about the artificial bright pink color of the pills I need to find some plain ol' diphenhydramine. I still need to research the periactin too, which I guess is an anti-histamine? I guess I should probably work on my pharmaceuticalaphobia I hope your son finds the magical combination that works for him and does not suffer too much. He is soooooo fortunate to have a mother as tuned in as you, he is really truly blessed.