Hyperbaric Oxygen And Elevation

messtafarian

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So I've been basically sitting in a bedroom for about six months except when I went to doctor's appointments.

My stomach has cleared up a lot but essentially after spending six months and twenty thousand dollars I have the same neurological problems I had when I got here. I'm running out of diagnostic paths to go down. I made appointments with an MS specialist and a naturopath and I guess I'll probably get tested for Lyme again.

I think I might be one of the incurables at this point.

So...I started reading on Lymeflash about people who'd had success -- well who knows what that is -- but people who felt better after Mild Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment. I started researching this because it reminded me of one of Ray's articles about altitude. Then I read another poster who said that when they went on vacation to the mountains they felt better -- almost well.

I'm really tempted to just find an extended stay hotel in the mountains somewhere and stay there for two months because it seems like it would have the same effect.

Maybe. The thing is I can't remember how Ray presented these things and how it is that elevation helps the same way the hyperbaric oxygen helps. Does anyone remember this or what the reasoning was?

Thanks.
 

Parsifal

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What I don't understand with this therapy is that Peat says IIRC that at high altitude the atmospheric pressure is lower so I don't understand this hyperbaric concept :?:
 
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messtafarian

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It has something to do with a misunderstanding about respiration. Apparently increased oxygen causes higher CO2 in tissues?

I really don't understand either, thus the question.
 

Blossom

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A hyperbaric oxygen chamber is exactly the opposite of being at high altitude.
 

Parsifal

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Ray Peat said:
A dangerously high level of ammonia in the blood (hyperammonemia) can be produced by exhaustive exercise, but also by hyperbaric oxygen (or a high concentration of oxygen), by high estrogen, and by hypothyroidism. It tends to be associated with an excess of lactic acid, probably because ammonia stimulates glycolysis. Excess oxygen, like hypothyroidism, is equivalent to "hyperventilation," in producing an abnormally low level of carbon dioxide in the blood. The Krebs cycle, during stress, is limited by the unavailability of carbon dioxide. These factors result in the waste of glucose, turning it into lactic acid, rather than carbon dioxide and energy. In these ways, the metabolism of fatigued muscle (or any cell under stress) is similar to tumor metabolism.

Ray Peat said:
Therapies that have been successful in treating “schizophrenia” include penicillin, sleep therapy, hyperbaric oxygen, carbon dioxide therapy, thyroid, acetazolamide, lithium and vitamins. These all make fundamental contributions to the restoration of biological energy. Antibiotics, for example, lower endotoxin formation in the intestine, protect against the induction by endotoxin of serotonin, histamine, estrogen, and cortisol. Acetazolamide causes the tissues to retain carbon dioxide, and increased carbon dioxide acidifies cells, preventing serotonin secretion.
 

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messtafarian said:
post 100747 It has something to do with a misunderstanding about respiration. Apparently increased oxygen causes higher CO2 in tissues?

I really don't understand either, thus the question.
Carbon dioxide is considered a waste product by the mainstream but from a Peat perspective having adequate/optimal CO2 levels is protective and helps us utilize oxygen appropriately. Have you considered bag breathing or Buteyko breathing messtafarian?
 
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messtafarian

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Blossom said:
post 100756
messtafarian said:
post 100747 It has something to do with a misunderstanding about respiration. Apparently increased oxygen causes higher CO2 in tissues?

I really don't understand either, thus the question.
Carbon dioxide is considered a waste product by the mainstream but from a Peat perspective having adequate/optimal CO2 levels is protective and helps us utilize oxygen appropriately. Have you considered bag breathing or Buteyko breathing messtafarian?

Yes, I do bag breathing already but I should probably do more.

This is what is confusing to me though -- It does seem that hyperbaric chamber treatment is the opposite of high altitude. But people with neurological problems, traumatic brain injury, chronic Lyme and other things that seem very resistant to treatment seem to get outstanding results with hbot. It seems like there was some connection -- a way that RP had explained that via his observations about altitude and CO2.
 
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Blossom

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A hyperbaric oxygen chamber can correct tissue hypoxia and may be healing in that regard but most of us here can correct any mild hypoxia (not medical emergency levels) in a simpler and safer way by optimizing our own CO2. Peat often provides us with a different way of looking at ourselves and our environment and respiration is one of those areas where he offers us a fresh perspective.
Here is a generalised view:
Low altitude equals high barometric pressure equals high oxygen and lower CO2.
High altitude equals lower barometric pressure equals lower oxygen and higher CO2. Peat seems to value the high altitude/higher CO2 environment as protective from excess oxygen (oxidation). At low altitude (higher barometric pressures) without the help of adequate CO2 oxygen isn't normally utilized as effectively and often comes at a price with excess lactate, ammonia etc as mentioned above.
 

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messtafarian said:
post 100773 Thanks Blossom.

Now I'm wondering if I should try acetazolamide...
My spo2 (as measured by a finger oximeter) increases by 1-2% when I take acetazolamide. I live at a fairly low altitude.
 
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Luvfoody

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Are there tried and tested ways to improve CO2? Seems live at high altitudes and breathe through brown bag are the main ones. Any other ideas? How often should you take breathes from brown bag?
 

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Luvfoody said:
post 100841 Are there tried and tested ways to improve CO2? Seems live at high altitudes and breathe through brown bag are the main ones. Any other ideas? How often should you take breathes from brown bag?

You can breath in a paper bag several times a day, just stop each time when it gets uncomfortable.

There are many other possible exercises to train calmer breath, eg. Buteyko method (reduced breathing, or brisk walking while holding your breath), yoga pranayama, and many others. First up, to my mind, is to check that your habitual breathing is relaxed, nasal and diaphragmatic, including when you sleep.

Peat tends to also emphasis getting the cells respiring well to produce optimal amounts of CO2 streaming from cells. So many of his suggestions are about ways to help this - optimise thyroid hormones, eat sugar (fruit etc), minimise PUFA consumption, etc.

I think adequate supplies of alkaline minerals (eg Ca, Mg, Na, K) is likely to be important, too. If the body is running too acidic, it may hyperventilate to help correct this.
 
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tara

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messtafarian said:
post 100734 I'm really tempted to just find an extended stay hotel in the mountains somewhere and stay there for two months because it seems like it would have the same effect.

It might be really helpful, or it might not.
I think the benefits occur when one is adapted to altitude. Some people adapt quickly, some have trouble adapting, esp. to higher altitude. Hence altitude sickness.
 
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Blossom

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messtafarian said:
post 100833 Do you notice anything else? Or just general health benefits?
When I first took it a couple years ago it was part of a plan I worked out with a Peat practitioner. I was concerned about the possibility of a carcinoid tumor due to the 5HIAA test the doctor failed to tell me about. Optimizing my CO2 with acetazolamide was part of the attempt to turn things around rapidly. It, along with several other changes, definitely seemed to work! I sort of didn't like the idea of meds at the time but I'm glad I did it now. I really didn't trust doctors after what I went through and felt like an aggressive sort of Peat approach was my only and best option.

Currently I just take it intermittently for edema. My venous CO2 always comes back high normal these days.
 
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messtafarian

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Carcinoid is one of those conditions that Peat himself has said that medicine has completely screwed up diagnosing and treating. By the time they get to treatment 5-10 years of your life has been wasted anyway so why bother at all trying to get a diagnosis?

I'm glad you found some help, Blossom. It was the only way to go.
 

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messtafarian said:
post 100884 Carcinoid is one of those conditions that Peat himself has said that medicine has completely screwed up diagnosing and treating. By the time they get to treatment 5-10 years of your life has been wasted anyway so why bother at all trying to get a diagnosis?

I'm glad you found some help, Blossom. It was the only way to go.
Thanks mess! There are unfortunately many conditions that medicine has screwed up in diagnosing and treating. I've had a much better experience since I started avoiding the medical industry!
 
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Luvfoody

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Tnx would anyone know if you don't have a paper bag handy, is cupping your hand over your nose something to do on a dime? Likewise sleeping with pillow partially over face, woukd that lead to a more co2 enhanced sleep. Are you suppose to only breathe in and out through your nose throughout the day too and keep mouth closed when asleep? Or is in through nose, out with mouth in regular course of day better aside from when doing brown bag breathing? Tnx
 

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