Where Do I Start? So Many Things Wrong

[danishispsychic]

Not berating you at all- Just that if you really get more knowledge of Ray Peats work- you will be able to understand your situation and through self experimentation be able to heal. You will have more power over your health than doctors do. It is a worth while journey.

Ps. Iodine is what you need for breast lipomas, most of the time.

 

[Lilac]

Your panic attacks and high cortisol sound a bit like the problems my mother (in her 80s) experienced a few years back. Ray Peat is very much about "generalities," so I now look at these symptoms as low brain energy. To cut to the chase: Ray suggested large doses of progesterone (1/4 teaspoon of Progest-E at a time was what we used). This was the only thing we found helpful for relieving a "spell" when my mother was at her lowest. Red light and carbs (custard, ice cream, sugar cola) were also helpful. My mother is much better now, and last winter had almost none of her symptoms recur. Antibiotics from time to time also seemed to bring about strong improvement, so I wonder if infection of some sort was a component of her situation.

The Powerade you mentioned gave me pause--municipal water supply, plastic bottle, added vitamins (probably cheap ones). I would ditch that. And as someone upthread suggested, cut back on the supplements. In Ray's view, these are often the cause of strong bad reactions. Add supps back in one at a time to gauge your reaction. Dan Wich's Toxinless site is my go-to to choose the least-bad supplements. In the meantime, get nutrition from food as best you can. Do you eat liver? Lamb is generally raised on grass, so you don't have to seek out a special "grass fed" label. Eggs and egg yolks. Oysters if you can stand them.

Good luck.

 

[Kartoffel]

On Amazon there is Progestelle, and also a product called Progest-avail. Do either of you have experience with them? Or can see (if you don't mind) whether ingredients are good? Amazon is my best friend for getting products delivered quickly. If neither look promising to you, I may order the Progest-e and wait for it.

If you decide to try progesterone again, don't try anything other than progest-E. There are several online shops ypu can order it from, or you can order it directly from kenogen by writting them an email.

 

[mostlylurking]

I'm 68. I was estrogen dominant and then I got rheumatoid arthritis. In the past I suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome, heavy metal poisoning, irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut, a multitude of food allergies, hay fever, hypothyroidism, arthritis, anxiety, and environmental sensitivities. Then I found Ray Peat's work. I followed what he advised in his many articles and in his radio interviews. Now I'm pretty healthy, for the most part.

Here goes:
1.Meat is bad for you because of the tryptophan; it is inflammatory and carcinogenic. Replace most of your meat consumption with Great Lakes gelatin, green can or red can if you cook it a little bit, and lots of dairy. Get at least 100 grams of protein each day. Gelatin is very safe. I go through about a can of the green can and half a can of the red can each week.
2. Eat raw carrots every single day. You can have some cooked to death mushrooms too if you want. Eat NO raw salad items or under-cooked vegetables ever (except for the carrots). Cook them to death.
3. Armour thyroid is garbage. It does NOT work since the company took out the calcitonin to sell as a separate product, spring 2015. That change nearly killed me and that is why I got rheumatoid arthritis. I now take Acella brand natural desiccated thyroid; it works. I take 180 mg (3 grains) a day. If I take a lower dosage my inflammation comes back.
4. The Progest-E didn't work for me; it is too weak for me. I got my doctor to prescribe bioidentical progesterone mixed in pure vitamin E, at 20% (double the strength of Progest-E) made by the compounding pharmacist. I take about 1/32 of a teaspoon rubbed into my gums and 1/64 teas. vaginally with a little coconut oil, every night. At this dosage, I'm aware of feeling pleasantly relaxed while watching TV before bed. Your needs may vary. My blood work shows my progesterone is 100 times higher than my estrogen, which is where it is supposed to be.
5. I take about 1/64 teas. pregnenolone each morning. My blood work shows my DHEA is normal. I don't take any DHEA itself. Pregnenolone is safe, DHEA is tricky; it can turn into estrogen.
6. Starch makes you fat. Eat ripe fruit or drink orange juice instead. Cook your apples and pears.
7. I avoid PUFA like the plague. No nuts, no seeds, no grains. No more than 1/2 teas. olive oil a day. I use hydrogenated coconut oil, also known as 92 degree coconut oil.
8. I take 100 mg niacinamide 3 X day and 100 mg thiamine 3 X day. Here's a story: My husband tested as having high blood sugar and was over weight. The doctor freaked out and told us he was prediabetic and he had to stop eating all sugar and go on a paleo diet. Instead I got the doctor to put him on some natural desiccated thyroid and I got my husband to take 100 mg of niacinamide and 100 mg of thiamine in 8 oz orange juice three times a day and stop eating PUFA. He lost 25 pounds in three months. The doctor's nurse asked him how he did it, paleo diet? He said no, he increased his sugar intake and stopped eating all PUFA. The nurse had no clue what he was talking about.
9. My supplements include: B1, B2, B3 as niacinamide, B7, D3 (4mg/day), K2(4 drops/day), magnesium carbonate, calcium (homemade eggshell powder), E with the progesterone. I take aspirin every day, around 500 mg before bed.
10. I eat very little meat. I eat liver about 2Xmonth. I eat shrimp, oysters, scallops maybe 2X week. I do eat eggs from my own free range chickens.
11. I take cascara sagrada twice each day. Happy gut, happy liver.

I use Bulk Supplements brand pure powders vitamins. I just put them in my orange juice and drink it down. The cascara sagrada is an acquired taste.

I've been on this regimen for 3.5 years. I lost weight at first and am still 15 pounds lighter than when I was 65. But I've gained some weight back after learning how to make skillet brownies with eggs, green can gelatin, sugar, cocoa, milk, & a little coconut oil. Yum. 10 minutes to make it. Oh, and the pizza concoction with eggs, sauteed onions, mozzarella, chopped olives, sheep feta cheese, topped with organic pizza sauce probably isn't helping either. I don't feel deprived. Eating out is really difficult. Usually I get a glass of milk with a side of mashed potatoes and a side of overcooked green beans so I can feel like I'm participating.

On the personal care products: I buy bulk shampoo that is unscented and doesn't have the really ghastly additives regular store bought shampoo has. I use Squiggle brand tooth-builder toothpaste. I use baking soda & water in a vinegar bottle for deodorant. I use witch hazel and hydrogenated coconut oil on my face. I use well water so I don't have exposure to municipal water additives.

You have to figure out what works for you. It is really important that you read and listen to Ray Peat for advice. A lot of the advice you get on this forum has nothing to do with Ray Peat's teachings. Ray Peat saved my life.

A big key for my recovery was getting the doctor to change the brand and to increase the amount of my thyroid prescription. That took some doing and it made all the difference in the world. Between that and my increased sugar intake I no longer have allergies or chemical sensitivities.

 

[fradon]

Hi all,
need to fix the cortisol issue too, but don't know where to start.

What to do first? Then what to do next, etc., to make this all get better.

the first step to lowering cortisol is to eat more CARBS. Insulin and particulary carbs/sugar will stimulate the brain and also lower and antagonize cortisol.

I was watching a video about how to raise T for men and one of the biggest issues is cortisol it basically blocks everything good because its the body's ultimate stress hormone. the video said that eating more carbs will help keep blood sugar normal and prevent cortisol this gives the body time to rebuild hormones and nuerotramitters instead of dealing with stress.

low carb diets work for healthy people but they stress out unhealthy people because they reaise cortisol and adrenaline. some can do low carb for years and feel great but in the end balance is the key.

seems a lot of poeple lose a lot of water weight on low carb diets but they gain back as sson as they eat carbs since carbs trigger fluid and sodium retention.


a lot of your problems also seem HORMONE RELATED you might want to see an endocrionologist since they deal with hormones and glands.

 

[Travis]

@danishispsychic and @Kartoffel, I think I may try progesterone again.

On Amazon there is Progestelle, and also a product called Progest-avail. Do either of you have experience with them? Or can see (if you don't mind) whether ingredients are good? Amazon is my best friend for getting products delivered quickly. If neither look promising to you, I may order the Progest-e and wait for it.

@Blossom and @Travis
What dose would be recommended and how often? If I were to try it...

Methylfolates are the most common form found in plants, followed by they formyl-folates, so a few milligrams per day is completely natural and safe. [Yet, large giraffes would be estimated to ingest nearly a gram per day.] The so-called 'folic acid' found in most supplements is planar, nonreduced, somewhat of a misnomer, and used simply on account of its easier synthesis. Although some of this commercial proto-B₉ will be reduced into L-dihydrofolate in the body, and then into L-tetrahydrofolate, experiments show that a bit more of this will actually become D-dihydrofolate: The 'L' and 'D' forms are mirror images of eachother, or enantiomers, and because of this the D-tetrahydrofolate is an antifolate. All of the chemo-'therapeutical' antifolates used in modern oncology to block folates—those having intent of inhibiting dNA synthesis—all have the unnatural inverted 'D' stereochemistry. Since the commercial form of vitamin B₉ found in most vitamin supplements is expected to create slightly more antifolates than folates, it's probably better just be buy tetrahydrofolates of the proper 'L' stereochemistry. About 99% of natural folates found in foods have the 'L' stereochemistry, and most or which are methylated. The planar nonreduced form often implied by the term 'folic acid' is not entirely synthetic, and can found in plants at about 1% of total folates. Consuming much more than this would be expected to raise the D/L ratio, or the antifolate/folate ratio.

This is an important vitamin, and even though it may not significantly lower cortisol it should: (1) lower homocysteine by creating methyl groups via serine hydroxymethyltransferase; (2) increase adenosine synthesis through the enzyme phosphoribosylaminoimidazolecarboxamide formyltransferase [sic]; (3) create guanosine triphosphate through said enzyme—the überprolix one—needed for microtubule elongation and tetrahydrobiopterin synthesis; and (4) increase yet another dNA base through thymidylate synthase. Folates and the similar biopterins they create are also cofactors for myelination enzymes.

 

[Braveheart]

I'm 68. I was estrogen dominant and then I got rheumatoid arthritis. In the past I suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome, heavy metal poisoning, irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut, a multitude of food allergies, hay fever, hypothyroidism, arthritis, anxiety, and environmental sensitivities. Then I found Ray Peat's work. I followed what he advised in his many articles and in his radio interviews. Now I'm pretty healthy, for the most part.

Here goes:
1.Meat is bad for you because of the tryptophan; it is inflammatory and carcinogenic. Replace most of your meat consumption with Great Lakes gelatin, green can or red can if you cook it a little bit, and lots of dairy. Get at least 100 grams of protein each day. Gelatin is very safe. I go through about a can of the green can and half a can of the red can each week.
2. Eat raw carrots every single day. You can have some cooked to death mushrooms too if you want. Eat NO raw salad items or under-cooked vegetables ever (except for the carrots). Cook them to death.
3. Armour thyroid is garbage. It does NOT work since the company took out the calcitonin to sell as a separate product, spring 2015. That change nearly killed me and that is why I got rheumatoid arthritis. I now take Acella brand natural desiccated thyroid; it works. I take 180 mg (3 grains) a day. If I take a lower dosage my inflammation comes back.
4. The Progest-E didn't work for me; it is too weak for me. I got my doctor to prescribe bioidentical progesterone mixed in pure vitamin E, at 20% (double the strength of Progest-E) made by the compounding pharmacist. I take about 1/32 of a teaspoon rubbed into my gums and 1/64 teas. vaginally with a little coconut oil, every night. At this dosage, I'm aware of feeling pleasantly relaxed while watching TV before bed. Your needs may vary. My blood work shows my progesterone is 100 times higher than my estrogen, which is where it is supposed to be.
5. I take about 1/64 teas. pregnenolone each morning. My blood work shows my DHEA is normal. I don't take any DHEA itself. Pregnenolone is safe, DHEA is tricky; it can turn into estrogen.
6. Starch makes you fat. Eat ripe fruit or drink orange juice instead. Cook your apples and pears.
7. I avoid PUFA like the plague. No nuts, no seeds, no grains. No more than 1/2 teas. olive oil a day. I use hydrogenated coconut oil, also known as 92 degree coconut oil.
8. I take 100 mg niacinamide 3 X day and 100 mg thiamine 3 X day. Here's a story: My husband tested as having high blood sugar and was over weight. The doctor freaked out and told us he was prediabetic and he had to stop eating all sugar and go on a paleo diet. Instead I got the doctor to put him on some natural desiccated thyroid and I got my husband to take 100 mg of niacinamide and 100 mg of thiamine in 8 oz orange juice three times a day and stop eating PUFA. He lost 25 pounds in three months. The doctor's nurse asked him how he did it, paleo diet? He said no, he increased his sugar intake and stopped eating all PUFA. The nurse had no clue what he was talking about.
9. My supplements include: B1, B2, B3 as niacinamide, B7, D3 (4mg/day), K2(4 drops/day), magnesium carbonate, calcium (homemade eggshell powder), E with the progesterone. I take aspirin every day, around 500 mg before bed.
10. I eat very little meat. I eat liver about 2Xmonth. I eat shrimp, oysters, scallops maybe 2X week. I do eat eggs from my own free range chickens.
11. I take cascara sagrada twice each day. Happy gut, happy liver.

I use Bulk Supplements brand pure powders vitamins. I just put them in my orange juice and drink it down. The cascara sagrada is an acquired taste.

I've been on this regimen for 3.5 years. I lost weight at first and am still 15 pounds lighter than when I was 65. But I've gained some weight back after learning how to make skillet brownies with eggs, green can gelatin, sugar, cocoa, milk, & a little coconut oil. Yum. 10 minutes to make it. Oh, and the pizza concoction with eggs, sauteed onions, mozzarella, chopped olives, sheep feta cheese, topped with organic pizza sauce probably isn't helping either. I don't feel deprived. Eating out is really difficult. Usually I get a glass of milk with a side of mashed potatoes and a side of overcooked green beans so I can feel like I'm participating.

On the personal care products: I buy bulk shampoo that is unscented and doesn't have the really ghastly additives regular store bought shampoo has. I use Squiggle brand tooth-builder toothpaste. I use baking soda & water in a vinegar bottle for deodorant. I use witch hazel and hydrogenated coconut oil on my face. I use well water so I don't have exposure to municipal water additives.

You have to figure out what works for you. It is really important that you read and listen to Ray Peat for advice. A lot of the advice you get on this forum has nothing to do with Ray Peat's teachings. Ray Peat saved my life.

A big key for my recovery was getting the doctor to change the brand and to increase the amount of my thyroid prescription. That took some doing and it made all the difference in the world. Between that and my increased sugar intake I no longer have allergies or chemical sensitivities.

....nice, you got it goin'

 

[CaliforniaKat]

Went back to work after summer break this week. All week I am waking up between 4 and 5 am. Tossing and turning and mostly not sleeping until my alarm goes off at 6 am. Ick. Daily temps are ok except for yesterday, so are waking temps. I am having milk, sugar, salt and Great Lakes hydrolyzed collagen before bed. Early waking I know is cortisol related *sigh*
It was what started this whole rollercoaster the last 8 months.

 

[Jackrabbit]

Went back to work after summer break this week. All week I am waking up between 4 and 5 am. Tossing and turning and mostly not sleeping until my alarm goes off at 6 am. Ick. Daily temps are ok except for yesterday, so are waking temps. I am having milk, sugar, salt and Great Lakes hydrolyzed collagen before bed. Early waking I know is cortisol related *sigh*
It was what started this whole rollercoaster the last 8 months.

My advice is short and sweet. If someone like Travis says methyltetrahydrofolate is worth a shot...TRY IT! Not everyone is willing or even able to spend endless hours researching and purchasing specific foods and all that. Look for supplements with 5-MTHFR. I know a lot of people will downright disagree with my advice, but I can tell you are a normal person who just needs results and can’t live on, much less feed her children, gelatin for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yes, cut out crap food. We all know what those are. And maybe don’t be afraid of real sugar and favor it over artificially sweetened drinks. Avoid highly processed foods. My experience is progesterone and all that can actually cause more harm than good if you don’t know the full picture.

 

[CaliforniaKat]

Hi all,

I just wanted to update this thread. I paid for bloodwork and a new cortisol test. Should have results in a week or so. Blood draw is Monday. I take 7.5 mg of Mirtazipine and 400 mg of gabapentin at night since the end of June.

About 2 weeks ago my HMO endo changed me from Armour to Acella brand thyroid. I was on 2 grains Armour and am now on 2 grains NP thyroid by Acella for just under 2 weeks. My temps have tanked, and I am slowly gaining weight. I am hoping bloodwork can help tell me why. I don't have a lot of faith in HMO docs in general, and endos especially.

My diet is mostly peaty-milk, fruit, honey, shrimp and crab, some red meat, cheese, and some liverwurst recently. Carrot daily with some coconut oil. Chicken cooked in coconut oil every other week. Peat is new, so only been at it about 2 months.

I feel decidedly worse than I did 2 weeks ago, and basal and daytime temps are down almost .5 degrees F from this time a month ago. I think it is the new thyroid meds. Have considerably slowed BM time and other hypo type symptoms (but could also be cortisol related).

I am also tapering the gabapentin slowly and have gone from 700 mg to 400 mg across the last 6 weeks, at a rate of 100 mg every 2 weeks. I have not had any symptoms of 'withdrawal', like anxiety or panic, etc., (which was I was on it, but that is another story) but am making sure to get extra magnesium every day.

I am not drinking caffeine right now, but do have decaf coffee every morning. I take a baby aspirin every day too. I supplement D most days, and K2. Other supplements are not daily but include selenium, zinc, b vitamins, and calcium.

I'm thinking of going back to t3 only. It is when I have felt best, and it was Grossman Cynomel from Mexico. But had (and maybe still have) high cortisol and worried about adrenaline symptoms.