Shrimp's Peat Log- Thyroid, Anxiety And Acne Issues, Oh My!

[thebigpeatowski]

Hi Shrimp...sucrose does not cause dental caries. Cavities are caused by bacteria, streptococcus mutans and others....please watch this video, it's kinda long but VERY thorough.

 

[Shrimp]

Hi Shrimp...sucrose does not cause dental caries. Cavities are caused by bacteria, streptococcus mutans and others....please watch this video, it's kinda long but VERY thorough.

Hi thebigpeatowski!

Just watched the video; it was really interesting, thanks for the link! From my understanding, decay is caused by somewhat of a perfect storm of bacteria colonization, the acid they produce when eating/dying/doing bacteria things, some foods causing acid erosion in the mouth/feeding the bacteria, and nutrient deficiency. It seems like sucrose consumption would cause the strep bacteria to proliferate as it is one of their preferred foods, causing more imbalance and therefore more decay. So while sugar isn't the real cause, it seems it can really worsen the situation. Am I missing something?

The video was good motivation to keep up with my xylitol usage, though! I'd actually ordered some Xyla mints from Amazon last week but haven't been taking them regularly. That video made a really convincing argument for using some xylitol throughout the day.

I also think my remineralizing toothpaste (Uncle Harry's) could actually be contributing to cavities (?!?) because the clay and salt make my mouth dry. I should probably change that up.

--
Bumping up pregnenolone from 5mg to 10mg. It makes my hands comfortably warm soon after taking it, which is nice.

 

[Blossom]

Pregnenolone always warmed me up too. Did you see the recent thread on what to eat with shrimp?

 

[Shrimp]

Pregnenolone always warmed me up too. Did you see the recent thread on what to eat with shrimp?

Wonder if that is from the lowering of stress hormones...certainly feels like a good thing, whatever it is. What sort of dose did you take? For me, even a tiny bit like 5mg seems to have good effect. I don't want to overdo it with the dose since I am only 28 years old and shouldn't need that much. Seems pretty safe, though!

And I stopped by the thread to post a startled smiley ( ) hoping maybe someone would get a chuckle out of it haha.

--
Forgot to note in my last log that reflux seems to be a bit worse (more burping) and arm acne is an issue again; I can understand zits on my upper arms but a few on my forearms? Gah. Feeling colder too (core more than hands/feet now) but temps are still like ~98.8, pulse from 82 up to as high as 110 after eating. The high pulse doesn't make me feel anxious now like it usually would, and it only usually lasts for a bit after I eat.

Also starting to wonder if my ongoing congestion issues may be due to some filler in Thiroyd.

Switching back to Earthpaste toothpaste since it has Xylitol.

Also I stopped taking Caprylic acid a few days ago and am trying to down a spoon or so of coconut oil a day instead.

 

[Blossom]

And I stopped by the thread to post a startled smiley ( ) hoping maybe someone would get a chuckle out of it haha.

Oh Yes, I saw that and it made me smile.

What sort of dose did you take?

A whole lot but I'm older (like old enough to be your mom!) so you know i just experimented until I found the dose it took for me to feel better. I'm glad the pregnenolone is helping you Shrimp. You really deserve some relief!

 

[charlie]

hoping maybe someone would get a chuckle out of it haha.

I did.

 

[Peata]

She's a very nice woman, really, but doesn't exactly have a delicate touch.

--

The Super K seems to be doing good things for my teeth. No progress on the cavities but it has only been a few days. But my plaque has decreased significantly! However, my gums/teeth/jaw have felt weird, like tingly/throbbing at times. Not painful or anything, just...odd. Not sure what to make of it but figured it was worth noting. I also tested my saliva ph a few times and it seems to be slightly acidic, around 6.0-6.5. I get bad breath from post nasal drip and also some reflux, which come to think of it might actually be causing the post nasal drip problem. Gotta work on the reflux somehow. Been making sure to get some gelatin and hydrolzyed collagen.

Let me know how you go about working on post nasal drip and reflux. I have a similar problem.

 

[Shrimp]

Oh Yes, I saw that and it made me smile.

A whole lot but I'm older (like old enough to be your mom!) so you know i just experimented until I found the dose it took for me to feel better. I'm glad the pregnenolone is helping you Shrimp. You really deserve some relief!

Thank you, Blossom! It is nice to have something finally seem to make a positive shift in my body, as so many things have done nothing or made things worse. Taking the pregnenolone really feels like a step in the right direction right now.

I did.

Let me know how you go about working on post nasal drip and reflux. I have a similar problem.

Sure thing, Peata! Right now, I am considering giving Betaine HCl supplements another try.
--

So I've been on the dose of 2 grains NDT + 18.75mcg T4 for two weeks now, after switching from my dose of 2.25 grains NDT. This changed my ratio of T4:T3 from 4:1 to 5:1 if I remember correctly, as I was looking to see if perhaps I was taking in too much T3. At just about the two week mark I started noticing some negative symptoms creeping back in: dry skin on the back of my hands, feeling of derealization/unease, more frequent urination, belching after meals (yuck). I feel pretty gross again, though temps and pulse are high-normal (98.6-99.0 and 70-100bpm). It seems odd that taking very slightly more T4 and slightly less T3 could have that effect, but it seems it has. Going back to 2.25 grains, as I think that dose of NDT + preg + possibly caprylic acid (stopped taking) are the reason I felt better.

Also, I've been popping xylitol mints like some sort of junkie and doing oil pulling for the past few days. No visible improvement in gum recession or cavities yet, but the gross white film I usually have on my tongue has decreased considerably. I will definitely have to get one of the cavities filled very soon as it has been 6 months with no improvement and it is big, but I am glad I tried the remineralizing stuff first so I won't be left wondering if I could have healed it. I am still iffy about using Progest-E because the receded spots on my gums are right around where I always apply it, which kind of sucks because I do feel it helps. I can't figure out how it could have caused the problem but it seems too big of a coincidence that it is in the same spots. I've stopped using it for now.

Another note: I've been craving red/orange bell peppers and kiwis. I am eating red bell peppers just like I'd eat an apple haha. Perhaps I need vitamin C? I drink a glass of OJ a day but get my carbs pretty much all from rice/potatoes. Hm. Gonna keep enjoying these kiwis.

 

[tara]

I've been craving red/orange bell peppers and kiwis. I am eating red bell peppers just like I'd eat an apple haha. Perhaps I need vitamin C?

Fresh black currants are good, too:)

 

[Shrimp]

Fresh black currants are good, too:)

I can't say that I've ever seen fresh black currants in stores around here, though I think I've seen the jams or juice. I'll keep a lookout for them next time I go shopping, thanks!

--
Feeling really sluggish/disoriented today; likely due to PMS as period is due soon. I don't really feel anxious, which is good. Switched back to 2.25 grains NDT yesterday. I'd been taking Thiroyd but I have some extra NP thyroid (minimal fillers) lying around that I am going to take for a week or two now instead to see if the fillers in Thiroyd could be causing my sinus/reflux issues. Unfortunately, my hunch is that it is dairy or even possibly OJ causing the issue. Gonna try the NP thyroid for a week before cutting out any foods, though.

 

[tara]

I can't say that I've ever seen fresh black currants in stores around here, though I think I've seen the jams or juice. I'll keep a lookout for them next time I go shopping, thanks!

I don't see them in the stores here either (occasionally frozen). But they are the easiest fruit to grow, at least where I am.
(Peat tends not to favour the skins and seeds, I just mention them because they are high in vit-C and taste good.)

 

[Shrimp]

I don't see them in the stores here either (occasionally frozen). But they are the easiest fruit to grow, at least where I am.
(Peat tends not to favour the skins and seeds, I just mention them because they are high in vit-C and taste good.)

Unfortunately, I don't have a green thumb; I can barely keep the tiny lucky bamboo plant I have in my room happy haha. But if I find black currants frozen I'll be sure to give them a try; I love trying new foods!

--
I recently invested in a wool/natural latex/cotton mattress for my futon bed, and just received it on Saturday. The mattress I've been sleeping on for the past 5 years had flattened to the point where I could feel the slats for the frame through the mattress, and was literally filled with garbage, so I figured it was probably time for a replacement. The bed is super comfortable but I'm having trouble adjusting to it and am tossing around in my sleep; am assuming this will get better in a few days. Also, my sinuses and throat are ten sorts of messed up right now and I am praying it is just the terrible cold that everyone in my family has had for the past week finally hitting me, and not a reaction to the mattress. My eyes/throat/sinuses feel inflamed. I had a sinus headache/lethargy all day at work yesterday when I was not around the mattress, so I think I am probably just being paranoid. It does have a "sheepy" smell to it which is actually pretty pleasant.

Started taking caprylic acid again a few days ago to see if I can get myself to feel like I did a few weeks ago. Am waiting on a band 31 epitope test my doc ordered to try to clarify my lyme test results. Feeling weak in upper arms and thighs again. Need to get some shrimp, eggs and oysters in my diet again, because it has been pretty nutrient-weak lately.

 

[tara]

It does have a "sheepy" smell to it which is actually pretty pleasant.

Lanolin smells lovely. :)

 

[Shrimp]

Lanolin smells lovely. :)

It really does!
--

So questionable allergy/cold seems to have developed into a full blown cold in the past few days. I have a mild fever of 99.6 today, scratchy/swollen throat, super irritating and nasty hacking cough when I breath in and constant post-nasal drip. I don't really take cough medicines but generic Mucinex seems to help some. I felt short of breath from the coughing and nauseous from the mucus this morning and ended up having a panic attack and taking ativan; my hr had shot up to 127 and i dont think that my anxiety was doing my body any favors when trying to heal. I tend to get super anxious when sick like this and it is frustrating. Hopefully this cold will clear up soon since I've had it for a few days. That was the first time I've had to take ativan in over a month and a half so that's pretty cool.

 

[Peata]

It really does!
--

So questionable allergy/cold seems to have developed into a full blown cold in the past few days. I have a mild fever of 99.6 today, scratchy/swollen throat, super irritating and nasty hacking cough when I breath in and constant post-nasal drip. I don't really take cough medicines but generic Mucinex seems to help some. I felt short of breath from the coughing and nauseous from the mucus this morning and ended up having a panic attack and taking ativan; my hr had shot up to 127 and i dont think that my anxiety was doing my body any favors when trying to heal. I tend to get super anxious when sick like this and it is frustrating. Hopefully this cold will clear up soon since I've had it for a few days. That was the first time I've had to take ativan in over a month and a half so that's pretty cool.

sounds like what I had a couple weeks ago that turned into bronchitus. Hope you get better soon.

 

[Shrimp]

sounds like what I had a couple weeks ago that turned into bronchitus. Hope you get better soon.

Thanks, Peata! I hope so, too, as I'm currently on night 7 with minimal sleep (like maybe 4 hours a night?!) and it's really getting to me. Going to drug myself with Benadryl tonight because I'm sure this lack of sleep is hindering things. Bronchitis sounds miserable; hope you've shaken that!

--
I have never had a cold this bad in my life, I think. It has knocked my whole family out of commission for the past few weeks, particularly my dad who rarely gets ill. The post nasal drip is driving me bonkers when I'm trying to sleep (actively dread going to bed now), and my throat is raw from coughing. My eyes feel puffy, too. I also had a fever of 100.7, down to 100 now but hard to tell if it's accurate since I'm coughing so much. I'm so fortunate that I rarely get sick with colds, but when I do I'm a real baby about it haha. I'm trying to take some elderberry syrup before bed to coat my throat a bit and get some more Vit. C. I just want this constant tickle to stop so I can sleep zzz...

Lyme band 31 epitope test came back negative. Not sure that rules out lyme, as that band was indeterminate to begin with. Gotta do more reading when I get over this cold, I guess.

 

[Shrimp]

Had a bad day at work today. Yesterday I got through 11-7 shift ok but I had taken 0.25mg Ativan in the morning because I was feeling very shaky and anxious. Today I did a 9-3 with no meds but struggled really bad, felt very disoriented and weak, dizzy, derealization set in. Kind of a drunk feeling, but really unpleasant. Also broke out in a cold sweat near the end of the day. Wasn't a blood sugar thing because I was actually able to get a decent amount of food down today. Girls at work said I looked really pale.

I'm on day 10 of cold and my cough and post nasal drip are improved, but maybe the virus is still lingering and making me feel this way. I do have quite the sleep debt built up from last week and that is probably an issue, as well. Back of my neck feels swollen or something, mostly around the base of my skull. I have some weird uncomfortable feeling in my chest/upper abdomen that I can't really explain, too. :/

I feel so frustrated, I had such a good patch for a few weeks, I still don't know why I felt so well and now I feel beyond awful. Just keep telling myself it is this killer cold virus and I'll return to the land of the living once it's gone...

 

[tara]

I do have quite the sleep debt built up from last week and that is probably an issue, as well.

Could well be.

Just keep telling myself it is this killer cold virus and I'll return to the land of the living once it's gone...

That seems likely.
Hope you feel better soon.

 

[Shrimp]

Could well be.


That seems likely.
Hope you feel better soon.

Thank you, tara! :)

--

Still feeling weak/disoriented and very fatigued but the hacking cough and relentless post-nasal drip have pretty much stopped, so I'm happy about that.

Started using MI Paste daily a couple of weeks ago for about 10-15 mins on my teeth in hopes of remineralizing them. Also added Carlson K2 (MK-4) 5mg/day, and am trying to keep up with Vitamin D but I do feel it makes me tired for reasons I can't understand. Too cloudy to get much D from the sun lately, though. I rinse my mouth with water and eat xylitol mints after every meal i can. Also started taking 500mg Sodium Ascorbate 2x/day to try to help with my gums. I don't like taking all these supplements but getting those vitamins from cheese and OJ really doesn't seem to be enough to help my oral health.

I feel like I'm hallucinating, but I think the massive cavity on the base of one of my left molars is shrinking slightly. The dark brown area seems slightly reduced in size (maybe about 20 reduction%), and that 20% area that used to be dark brown is now a chalky white color beside the dark brown cavity. I had to check a few times in the mirror because I thought I had food or plaque stuck there covering the cavity, but it is a white patch where there used to be brown. I will see what the dentist has to say when I see her in two weeks. I will still probably have that one filled as it is large, but I think I might see if I can leave the small ones and try to heal them. Still getting plaque buildup along gum line but it is easily removed with brushing.

Doctor wants me to trial antibiotics or herbs for potential Lyme. The antibiotics would be a 3 week trial of Mepron and Zithromax, while the herbs would be a month long trial of Cryptolepsis (sp?). I don't know about the antibiotics as those ones seem harsh on the liver (I'd prefer Doxy) and Mepron is absurdly expensive. I watched this documentary called "Under Our Skin" about the Lyme epidemic and while I feel pretty awful, the Lyme victims in the documentary were sick on a whole different level. Bedridden, convulsing, could barely walk or talk etc. So I'm not sure if Lyme is really what's going on. I think I might trial the herb as it seems safer, though I had a pretty violent reaction to some "A-Bab" herbal blend she gave me for potential Babesia (flu-like with 104 deg fever in middle of summer after a few weeks of raising dose). It is hard for me to tell if I legitimately have some some infection these herbs are stirring up or if the herbs are actually toxic...

Been having decaf coffee with gelatin and maple syrup lately and it is DELICIOUS.

Eyes have been really dry; some sort of deficiency, maybe? Gotta get more nutrient density in my diet, more eggs/oysters/shrimp. Been eating a lot of white rice with butter and chicken breasts lately so not much in the way of vitamins. Acne is flaring up, probably due to lost sleep from the cold I had. Temps/pulse are good, ~98.6-99.0 and 80-100bpm.

 

[Shrimp]

I've been using Dr. Ellie's system for preventing/stopping cavities for a week now, which involves rinsing with Closys, Listerine and ACT Fluoride rinse, and taking xylitol after eating anything. I am also brushing with my electric brush on the sensitive setting, and not flossing as I find it unnecessary with all of the rinsing. My teeth feel smoother/stronger and the large cavity I have has turned a dark black and feels hard, almost like a scab. Still no pain in that tooth. I'm interested to see what my dentist will say; surely I still need it drilled, but the edges of the decay seem much cleaner now and a filling will probably hold a lot better than it would have before. Still taking Vit K2 and D.

Period is due in a few days and I am exhausted, spacey and weepy. I think Progest-E really makes me irritable. It is the weirdest thing, it helps the anxiety for a bit but when it wears off I am way more irritable than before. I've noticed this happening in the past.

I am still scratching my head on what I did that allowed me to feel somewhat normal for a few weeks. It was like I got my personality back, and now it has slipped away again. That stable feeling has almost completely faded now, and I'm back to feeling braindead, derealization, and fatigued most of the time. The derealization is really terrible because sometimes I feel like I lose my bearings completely when I am out in public, like talking to a customer at work I might completely space out, or I might feel like the restaraunt is a topsy-turvy funhouse when I go out to eat. At times it feels like my entire sensorium is going dark, almost like the feeling before fainting, but I never faint; I just feel far away, sound gets quiet, I get tunnel vision/greying out. Strong sunlight and flourescents really exacerbate this, as does the dryness of my eyes.

Still can't eat nearly enough; stomach feels gross when I eat most things, and food doesn't usually alleviate any of my symtoms. Starch makes me tired, fat gives me reflux, fruit makes me cold and doesn't have a lot of calories. I don't have one staple food/meal that I can eat a ton of and feel ok after. My weight, temps and pulse are stable but I always have a mild hungry feeling...I don't know why I can't seem to fix this, I know it is important but I am stuck. I'm about to spend like $30 on ice cream and just binge on that and see what happens.

Also feeling trapped at my current job (bakery clerk at a bakery and deli) which I really dislike but feel too ill/cloudy-headed to find a new one. I can pretty much go on autopilot at my job and also make my own schedule which helps when I am sick, but there are so many completely arbitrary rules and things that need to be done that it is stressful and hard to keep track of everything. We are usually understaffed and very busy so it is hard to get everything done, and all employees constantly complain about how much the work sucks. I am also working with the public constantly and even though most people are nice, there are some people that really treat food service employees such as myself like garbage. Customers complaining and even yelling at my face over a stale pastry or cake mistake that is not my fault is a fairly regular occurrence, and is really demeaning. I try to be optimistic and sympathetic but I feel like you see the dregs of humanity when you work in customer service or retail. It is upsetting for me to be wasting my college degree working at a bakery (six years now?!? ugh) but I am so tired and in debt that I can't think of an escape route. I know I am lucky to even have a job, but I am sure getting out of this job will be a key part of my recovery. Am thinking of trying some meditation for stress reduction in the meantime but good lord it is BORING.

I mostly have been using this log to keep track of what I am doing, and also in the hope that some day someone who has had similar struggles can look at it and find something helpful. After reading some of my old posts, I think one thing I constantly neglect is the mental/spiritual side of illness, instead focusing on the nuts and bolts of nutrition, diet and supplements. Since that approach alone seems to be fairly unhelpful for me, I think using my energy to focus on other things such as finding a better job, getting in touch with old friends, playing piano, meditating etc. might help the other things fall into place. It is extremely tough working on these things when I feel so ill and tired, but it certainly won't hurt to try.