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Hi Walt, Bob, and BB friends
I have been practicing SR for over a year now, have been on the whole foods diet for seven months, and feel I have been successful in eliminating the discomfort I had from FMS. My two remaining challenges are reactive hypoglycemia and LGS. I was so hopeful the LGS would have been much better by now, but a test at 6 months showed NO CHANGE from the first test, very discouraging.
I have lots of food restrictions and am only able to eat meat, poultry, fish and vegetables, with H-G restrictions. I continue to lose weight and receive a lot of comments from people, "Oh, you've been sick!" I am 5'8" and only 118 now. I recently developed an allergy to almonds, which were about my only snack food, and I'm fearful I will develop more allergies with this limited diet, and then what will happen? I eat about 4-5 small meals a day.
My questions, what is my future with hypoglycemia? Is it reversible? And do you have any further direction for me regarding the LGS?
Thanks so much for all you've done for me!
Johnelle
In Reply to: Discouraged with hypoglycemia posted by Johnelle on November 17, 1999 at 18:26:58:
Johnelle,
I haven't been around lately due to some stuff that needed a lot of personal attention. I've missed a lot it seems, but I remember when you were just starting out on this journey, and it seems to me that you have come such a long way! I know these two problems must be somewhat discouraging, but really, last year, we were both struggling with the ediet and trying to get a handle on what was going on. I know you have a great handle on it, and you had such a complex bunch of symptoms and reactions.
I guess I want to say that 6 months for LGS testing isn't a long time, is it? Which test are you talking about, anyway? I haven't been back to the doctor, and have had my ups and downs, but feel okay right now, so I'm trying not to go overboard with freedom! I had trouble with candida, if you recall (which of course implies LGS).
Have you tried pumpkin seeds for a snack? Do you rotate foods? Maybe it will just take you a little longer. I know in talking with Bob McFerran that he has some similar frustrations in that he seems to be stuck with a lot of restrictions, too. I am very lucky that I have not had such serious troubles as you two, but maybe it's just a time factor.
Just trying to offer some encouragement and wish you well!
take care
trish
In Reply to: Sorry to hear that, Johnelle... posted by trish on November 17, 1999 at 20:54:29:
Thanks for your kind words of encouragement, Trish. I am very thankful to know what is going on. The LGS test I take is through Great Smokies. I just sent in my third one, because I thought surely something had to be wrong with the second read, since it was almost identical to the first, and maybe even a little WORSE.
Right now I am down because I overdid it in throwing a huge surprise party for my husband's birthday ten days ago, and I came down with laryngitis during the party, now a cold. I am just depleted. But it is so discouraging to not even be able to drink tap water or have a meal with any flour or sugar in it ... think about that, it really cramps your style!
I have virtually eliminated all of my outside commitments -- Walt would be proud. I know it takes time to see change, but six months ought to show a little progress. It makes me lose faith in all I'm doing when there is no change in the LGS test results. That was supposed to be my proof. And I just continue to lose weight slowly but steadily, which makes me feel I might be more vulnerable to catching something. I'm on the fourth day of this cold, which is a long time for me.
Oh, well, I'll wait to see what Walt and/or Bob says.
Thanks again for caring.
Johnelle
In Reply to: Glimpse at the future posted by Johnelle on November 17, 1999 at 21:40:17:
Hi, Johnelle.
Six months should show a LOT of changes---especially in how you feel (That changes before lab results change.) However, the average IS 6-12 months.
Please carefully detail exactly what you have done and how long you have done each thing.
Walt
In Reply to: Discouraged with hypoglycemia posted by Johnelle on November 17, 1999 at 18:26:58:
Hi, Johnelle.
Start with my response to your other note today.
Namaste`
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Glimpse at the future (Good learning thread.) posted by Walt Stoll on November 18, 1999 at 12:13:39:
Thanks for your interest, Walt. Here is what I have done, as much as I can recall ...
1. Body cleanses too numerous to recount, and extensive herbals. All this took me only so far.
2. Reflexology once a week for the last 2-3 years.
3. Coaching session with you, Fall of '98.
4. Began steady practice of SR, September of '98. Had biofeedback testing and training to help with brainwaves in the Spring of '99. I feel I am effectively in the A-T waves about 50% of the time I do it, and I now practice SR for 30 minutes twice a day rather than 20 minutes. I can definitely feel myself tensing up if I miss a few days when we travel or have houseguests, so it's doing me lots of good.
5. Did about 15 rolfing sessions a year ago, and I had a couple recently to correct a hip that felt it was pulling out a little when I did my walking.
6. Began aerobic walking last spring, 30 minutes 3X a week.
That got my heart rate down to about 72-80, lowered it by 40+ points!!!
7. Elimination diet, food testing and whole foods diet for H-G starting in February.
8. Last month I got a BAD intestinal virus with severe cramps that lasted three weeks, or else it was the allergy I developed to almonds. I can still eat other nuts without problems. I also had stools that were pure black for a week before that. Had a stool test that showed no blood.
I know I am much, much better, and I don't even think of myself as having fibromyalgia, which was my main complaint before. I know your advice has been invaluable, and last night I read extensively about hypoglycemia in the Archives. I am hopeful that maybe that isn't even my problem and that eventually this strict eating style will be more forgiving. I have to take my own water everywhere even! And if we go out, I eat a big hunk of dark meat beforehand to avoid the bonk from eating wrong for the H-G type.
Then there's the LGS. Shouldn't there have been some progress by now?
I've contemplated another coaching session with you, but didn't know if you would have any other guidance than what I'm doing.
Thanks again for your interest!
Johnelle
In Reply to: Discouraged with hypoglycemia posted by Johnelle on November 17, 1999 at 18:26:58:
Hi Johnelle, It has been a long while since I have posted here but thought I might jump in. I am so sorry to hear that you are under the weather and struggling with LGS and hypoglycemia.
I thought I might throw out a couple of ideas. First, if you will remember I developed new symptoms while on the H-G diet and got worse instead of better. I added some foods back into my diet but try and follow a "liberal" whole foods and loosely structured H-G approach. When I was strict about the H-G diet I felt that I was becoming malnurished. Truly I was in a very bad psychological state and weak, when I started adding foods back I felt better. I even starting eating things that I reacted to initially. The amazing thing is that I am getting well by doing this. But what I am saying is that my diet has not been perfect by any means.
The second thing that I wonder about in terms of your hypoglycemia is this, did you ever do the Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis? The reason that I am asking is that I felt extremely hypoglycemic, but once I was treated for Blastocystis Hominus I got great relief. It really makes a difference if "no one" else is eating your food supply. In September I felt as though it (the blasto) might be returning so I took a round of an herbal treatment (instead of going to my very expensive and not so attentive doctor). I feel as though it has worked. I also checked out the integrity of my gut by having my chiropractor order the intestinal permeability test from GSDL. The good news is that my gut has mostly healed. There was a slightly elevated lactulose/mannitol. However, I interprete that as I am on the tail end of a bad case of LGS... I was .01% away from being normal. The recovery rate of the sugars were both in the normal range.
Just thought I would pass this along and hope that it might shed a bit of a different light on things.
Be well,
Denise Wyrick
In Reply to: Re: Glimpse at the future (Good learning thread.) posted by Johnelle on November 18, 1999 at 14:00:47:
Thanks, Johnelle.
You know, at least as well as anyone could, that humans are NOT machines. There will always be that one person whose response will be not the typical one. These people are very few and far between considering what you have done already but they DO exist.
I think your doing the SR 30 minutes rather than 20 minutes was a good move; especially since you are only getting there 50% of the time.
Now that you have a pretty good idea of what it feels like TO YOU to "be there" it is likely time for you to find a more effective technique. You need to be getting there at least 80% of the time. After this much practice, you are not likely to get a better % with this one.
What is stopping you from doing your own Reflexology every day? I would not do it more than once a day but it sounds to me like you are having someone else do it for you.
For now, those are the suggestions and questions I would have. It IS possible that your LGS was too far gone and that you have parasites established that will have to be treated before the LGS can be totally resolved.
Namaste`
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Discouraged with hypoglycemia posted by Denise Wyrick on November 19, 1999 at 10:15:45:
Thanks for the lengthy post, Denise. I will print it out to refer to. I am presuming the blasto... is some sort of parasite? My comprehensive stool analysis showed no parasites, but of course that doesn't mean I have none, just that they might be good at hiding.
I am encouraged after reading in the Archives about hypoglycemia. And my wonderful doc here says I can reverse it, as does Walt, so I don't feel as dismal now. What do you mean about your statement that it matters if anyone else is eating your food supply?
Thanks again!
Johnelle
In Reply to: Re: Glimpse at the future (Good learning thread.) posted by Walt Stoll on November 19, 1999 at 13:22:12:
Thanks, Walt, for all your comments and advice. My comprehensive stool analysis showed no parasites from GSDL. What would you say should be my next step to deal with the possibility I have a serious case of parasites?
Incidentally, about two months ago I had a week of totally black stools (like tar), with no other symptoms. At the time I made a mental note of it, waiting for something else to develop, which didn't happen. I decided it must be another layer of crud that was working its way out of my colon, or that if I had a problem then the excellent three-legged stool approach to wellness had cured the problem. I had a stool test and it was negative for blood.
What would be my symptoms if I have a serious case of parasites that is undetected? The Pepto test after food testing didn't bring any change at all, and I tested negative for candida but had antibodies.
"What about Bob?" I'd like his input on this whole thread, so Bob, if you're out there, speak (please).
A friend of my husband's was so concerned about my "state" that he researched and found some hotshot gastroenterologist at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas that was recommended by the Fibromyalgia Alliance. This doctor returned my call, which impressed me, since he was calling long distance on his own dime. He sounded young, and he was patient and kind. What baffled me is when we started talking about LGS he said that the leakage is actually INTO the digestive tract from the bloodstream, and there are many more proteins in the blood than in the digestive tract. This so totally scrambled up my understanding that I came at it two more times in different ways, using different terms, making absolutely sure my brainfog wasn't misinterpreting his statement, but he actually said the leakage is in the opposite direction from what you've said and every publication and authoroity has said. My GP and also my reflexologist both concurred with my feelings, so I don't know what to make of this guy. What are your thoughts on his theory? I have an appointment December 1st and am supposed to take all my test results and fill him in on all I have done. What I told him I had been doing didn't seem to distress him, so I don't feel like a sitting duck yet.
Thanks as always for your unselfish time and commitment to wellness for all of us non-paying patients! I shutter to think of what the state of my health would be right now if it weren't for you and Bob.
Johnelle
In Reply to: Parasite treatment with negative test posted by Johnelle on November 19, 1999 at 23:19:32:
Hi, Johnelle.
I am impressed mainly becaused anyone would have put fibromyositis in teh same specialty as gastroenterology! A BIG step in the right direction.
However, I am reminded of the saying about "everyone in the world being crazy except thee and me and sometimes I wonder about thee. (grin)"
First, I would be VERY interested in any research literature saying that the "leakyness" is into the GI tract and not the other way. THEN, I would have to be taught of ANY plausible way that this could cause the problems we are seeing linked to LGS.
After all, the lumen of the GI tract is OUTSIDE the body and I do not see how that could influence ANYTHING inside the body without the leak eventually going from the lumen into the blood.
Next, the Comprehensive Stool Analysis is for dysbiosis and the actual leakiness. It is not designed to find parasites although some may accidentally BE found. The test for that is the Purged Stool Specinen and it needs to be repeated several times to have a good chance of finding most of the parasites that are actually there.
Even though one has to have LGS before they can get the dysbiosis that leads TO parasitosis, once the parasites get established, just eliminating the LGS wil not usually get rid of them without specific treatment of the different parasites. The parasites always further damage the wall of the gut and thud greatly increase the LGS.
This could be the reason why you are so much better in other areas and your LGS symptoms are not.
I hope this is making sense to you.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Parasite treatment with negative test posted by Walt Stoll on November 20, 1999 at 12:53:50:
Hi Walt
My mistake, I was intending to say I had the parasitology test from GSDL. Yes, I follow what you are saying. I had the parasitology in addition to the comprehensive test. They are all beginning to run together. My doc's office staff thinks of me as the "test lady"! Are you saying I need to retake the test several times? I am certainly glad to do that if you think it is necessary.
I am intrigued enough by this doctor in Dallas that I am tempted to keep the appointment with him just to check him out further and see what he has to offer, but I fear I will just get entrenched in his system and think, "Yipes, I need to talk to Walt about this, because I don't understand what's happening here, and I'm probably really stupid to do all this!" I think what I will do is call his office and ask for any sort of info he can furnish me about the leakage being into the GI tract, and I'll hold up on the appointment.
I've started the guaifenesin protocol for FMS just for the heck of it. I'm not feeling any FM, as I stated, but that approach has impressed me and I wanted to experience it and flush out any phosphates that are left. I started November 6th, and I'm beginning to have stiffness in the neck and cramps down the outside of each leg and in my feet, like potassium deficiency or something. I may not stick with the guai; it's a pain in the ---- to not have a trace of salicylates. Last night I popped a piece of mint gum in my mouth and then realized what I had done. And when I go into my garden I have to wear gloves because you can't come in contact with the leaves of plants. Weird. But I want to be able to tell people what it's like to go through the reversal, and I still have mucus in my throat and wonder if the guai will help get rid of that. I read a few days ago that FM's brainfog could be due to blockage of fluids and also mucus buildup, constricting bloodflow to the brain. What do you think?
So, the two questions of this post:
1. Do you mean I need to take repeated parasite tests?
2. Do you think guai can help brainfog, for the reason above?
Thanks!
Johnelle
In Reply to: Re: Parasite treatment with negative test posted by Johnelle on November 21, 1999 at 16:48:02:
Hi, Johnelle.
Before I would spend any money on a "strange theory" I think it is perfectly reasonable to ask for some documentation as to its validity.
Next, I have no idea about the guaifenesin since I have never used it. If you come up with any connection I would be interested in hearing it. I hope I am not too old to still learn.
I already understand a powerful connection between leaked peptides and brain function so I guess I have stopped looking for more (sigh).
So far as the parasites are concerned, I have no other explanation for why you would still have LGS symptoms than that we are still missing a part of the picture and they are the most likely thing I can come up with.
Walt
In Reply to: Parasite treatment with negative test posted by Johnelle on November 19, 1999 at 23:19:32:
Hi Johnelle,
Sorry for the delay in responding. I've read the entire string and it looks like you and Dr. Stoll have done a good job pulling this thing apart. Here are some comments.
I NEVER have anyone run an intestinal permeability test because it doesn't give them any RELIABLE information about what is wrong and what should be done to correct something like fibromyalgia. There are two reasons for this:
We know that high intestinal permeability runs in families of folks with auto-immune disease (including fibromyalgia). The problem is that there is no significant difference in permeability between those that are symptomatic (sick) and those that are asymptomatic (no symptoms and seemingly healthy) within those families.
Another problem is that different TYPES of intestinal permeability tests will yield MUCH different results. The reason is that that different molecules (even the LARGE molecules that are indicative of higher permeability) used in these tests are only taken-up in certain (and different) parts of the SMALL intestinal tract. Beyond that they won't detect a problem in the colon (large intestines) at all.
I know that everyone wants confirmation that they are improving their condition but in the end you should forget these test results and trust the way you feel. That's what is important anyway. Consider how long you lived your life (before your health problems) where you did just fine without ongoing batteries of diagnostic tests.
NOW HERE IS SOMETHING THAT DR. STOLL DISCUSSES IN HIS BOOK BUT DOESN'T GET MUCH PLAY HERE ON THE BB.
We know from Dr. Weston Price and Dr. Francis Pottenger that there is a connection to nutrition and physical degeneration. They found that the nutrition of the parents had a profound impact on whether their children (or kittens in Dr. Pottenger's cat studies) would be healthy or have chronic problems with things like allergies, arthritis, etc. Price and Pottenger found these health problems could be improved by maximizing the nutritional status of the new generation but the problem and the tendancy toward these health problems could not be eliminated. The new generation could never achieve the same health of humans or cats having parents that had optimal nutrition.
I think that this is the reason why things like increased intestinal permeability tend to 'run' in families. This is also the reason why folks that have chronic conditions tied to leaky gut may be able to totally resolve their symptoms but they will seldom be able to return to the lifestyle that they had prior to the onset of their disease without ushering in their symptoms again.
Johnelle, you can continue to search for the 'missing link' -- and if there actually IS a missing link in your case it probably is some sort of intestinal parasite (as Dr. Stoll has already suggested). Just keep in mind that you might have found EVERYTHING that you need to know to be well -- yet you are just going to have to work harder at it than others that might have been born with more in the way of 'immunoloigal reserves'.
Along those lines you should endeavor to eat more meals and snack less. Try preparing a large breakfast and eat half of it within 30 minutes of waking and the remainder two hours afterwards (whether you are hungry or not). Then eat lunch within the next three hours. I've found that this 'loading' of nutrients early in the day is critical -- especially for those skinny H-G's.
As far as the guaifenesin goes, the handful of folks with fibromyaligia that I've worked with that were using it were also using anti-depressants (prozac) and muscle relaxers to get some relief. All of them felt much better using the nutritional approach of weeding out their food allergies and then sticking to the appropriate whole foods metabolic diet.
Bob
In Reply to: Re: Parasite treatment with negative test posted by Robert McFerran on November 22, 1999 at 15:37:26:
Robert:
Wonderful Post! I hope everyone here reads it!
"You might have found EVERYTHING that you need to know to be well -- yet you are just going to have to work harder at it than others that might have been born with more in the way of 'immunoloigal reserves'" --- Such truth there. I wonder how many folks here (me included??) have learned (verbally) all we really need to know. But we must do it.
And that your post gets Archived FOR SURE! and I'm sure it will.
What you said about then next generation never being able to do as well as the prior generation (if they were unhealthy) suggests an automatic unavoidable continuing downward spiral for all humanity. Is that what it means to you? That in some number of additional generations, **all** humanity will be really sick/dead. That's scarry, if true.
Thanks!
RHJ++
In Reply to: Re: You might have found EVERYTHING that you need to know to be well -- yet you are just going to have to work harder at it than others that might have been born with more in the way of 'immunoloigal reserves' posted by RocketHealer Jim++ on November 22, 1999 at 16:06:08:
Jim,
Dr. Pottenger found that in many cases he could 'right the ship' by returning them to their optimal diet. It would take about 4 generations for his cats to regain the status of the healthy control group.
Dr. Pottenger also found that healthy cats given improper/altered nutrition would self terminate their line within 3-4 generations. We see that happening today as seemingly healthy men and women are having more trouble conceiving.
The fact that things like Monostat and other drugs for vaginal yeast infections are now sold over the counter AND advertised on television gives some indication of the great and growing demand by the public for something that was fairly rare two generations ago.
Then there are all the television commercials for powerful allergy meds that, by the way, can be taken by children 6 years or older. This is in response to the fact that there is a literal EXPLOSION of children in the last couple of generations that seem to be born with severe allergies.
It is all daunting but it can be reversed. I don't think that it will reverse however until after the collapse of our present medical system. Costs are bound to continue to skyrocket as more people develop chronic illness -- and at an earlier age. New and more expensive treatments will be required since older treatments just don't seem to work with chronic conditions that are seemingly ever more severe.
The only thing that will give allopathic medicine life over the mid-term is the socialization of medical care. Instead of the exploding medical costs being dealt with they will be hidden in government expenditures and ever increasing taxes to support heathcare that doesn't work.
Bob
In Reply to: Re: Parasite treatment with negative test posted by Robert McFerran on November 22, 1999 at 15:37:26:
nmi
In Reply to: Re: Parasite treatment with negative test posted by Walt Stoll on November 22, 1999 at 10:08:37:
Hello Walt, Bob, RHJ, Trish, Denise, and BB
I posted this info on a separate post, but I decided you may want to save this within this thread, so here it goes again.
I am elated!!! I got my LGS test back today, and it showed I am in the normal range!!! This deserves a new thread; that
other one was getting old and long, and thanks for all the input and for supporting me in my discouragement.
Here are what all three of my tests have looked like:
February '99
Lactulose recovery, 1.6%
Mannitol recovery, 33%
Lactulose/Mannitol Ratio, 0.047%
August '99
Lactulose recovery, 2.2%
Mannitol recovery, 56%
Lactulose/Mannitol Ratio, 0.040%
November '99
Lactulose Recovery, 0.7%
Mannitol Recovery, ll%
Lactulose/Mannitol Ratio, 0.064%
Please feel free to interpret this, Walt and/or Bob. This is the first time there hasn't been two dismal paragraphs of
explanation on a separate page. It just said the ratio is elevated, implying a tendency toward "leaky gut".
Thank you, Bob, for all your precautionary statements about tests, and your great advice. Very interesting about the eating habits of our bloodline. I know I obsess about test results and that I should remind myself how great I feel. I was just at a low place, as sometimes happens, especially since I had laryngitis so badly and then turned around and got a cold.
And thanks, Walt, for all the advice and speculation as to what may be going on. My game plan now is to just cancel the Dec. 1 appointment with the gastroenterologist in Dallas and keep on keeping on with the diet, SR and exercise routine. I have regained the faith I once had in your system!!! Admittedly, I need to change my SR technique, but don't know if I will now that I've received a small rebate!
Thanks again for all the Great Support!!! And have a great Thanksgiving. Pray for me, that I won't be tempted to celebrate unduly and undo all my progress.
Toodles
Johnelle
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