Posted by JLx on November 29, 2003, at 7:24:37
In reply to My first post..............., posted by TeeJay on November 28, 2003, at 16:41:42
Hi TJ, welcome to the board. I hope that eventually we can help you sort things out.
Have you taken Dr. Amen's Brain Checklist? It might be helpful. (Don't be dissuaded by the ADD label, as it's just a good way of correlating symptoms with suggestions for possible solutions, imo.) http://www.brainplace.com/bp/checklist/
> I feel like I have the flu almost all of the time with only the intensity varying. Its worse in the winter months and seems to peak in its ferocity around Christmas. The glands in my throat are almost always swollen and somewhat painful, acompanying that is a kind of tingling/crawling sensation in the area where ones cheek bones meet the nose. Also a kind of cold fullness in the ears with the foggyheadedness and depersonalistion seeming to ease as this fullness eases often with rapid swallowing.
This suggests allergies to me in general, either food and/or possibly exacerbated by other allergies such as to mold/dust from being indoors more in the winter months. Vitamin D and/or light also occurs to me as possible factors. And how about exercise, which is generally harder to do in the dreary months.
If you're up for dietary changes, eliminating dairy products and grains might be a good place to start as they are common allergy/addictions for many people. My sinus-head symptoms were helped greatly by this. I've heard of other people too who lost that full feeling in the head after eliminating dairy.
If you habitually eat a fair amount of sugar, eliminating it altogether will help a lot. Not at first though, as first there will be withdrawal. (For motivation to try this, "Sugar Blues" is an old book, but I guarantee, you'll never feel the same way about sugar again after reading it. ;))
In general, a high protein, low carb diet is energizing for many people.
> If I may drift a little, I'veoften wondered if its not partly a sleep problem as I am almost always worse when I wake up and am better late at night.....for example, I felt lousy all day yesterday but felt well enough and bright enough to paint my ceiling at 1am last night.This particular symptom may be related to hypoglycemia problems. In fact, this page sounds a lot like your description of your symptoms:
Conquering Anxiety, Depression and Fatigue Without Drugs - the Role of Hypoglycemia
by Professor Joel H. Levitt
http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/hypoglycemia.htm
> As you may have gathered, my symptoms are not static. I'm never well and even my best days most people wouldnt enjoy, but to me they are all that get me through the really awful and dark periods. The periods can vary from days to weeks and very rarely a bad spell can last just hours as can a good spell. I've tried very hard to try and work some kind of pattern to it but i'm at a loss to do so.I used to feel that way too, and now feel a lot better. For me, it took big dietary changes and a lot tweaking of supplements....over time.
> When things have done good (ginkgo springs to mind here) it usually only works for around 6 months before its affect seems to wear off.
This is a discouraging and perplexing problem, I've experienced it too and you see it a lot on this board. Have you tried periodic supplementation of these things, or do they not work the next time after a break?
> Currently taking.......
>
> N acetyl cysteine 600mg on waking
> zinc and B6 twice a day 15mg and 50mg
> mega fish oil 3 a day 310epa 210dha
> magnesium glycinate 400mg when i remember (one or two a day)Is that 400 mg in one tablet? I haven't seen any like that, most I've seen are 400 mg in two tablets so taking one will only give you an additional 200 mg a day. I would definitely try to remember and shoot for at least 600 a day or even more at first, to the point of diarrheal intolerance and then back off. It may take a few weeks or even a couple months to get up to speed on what magnesium can do optimally for your bod. Mg glycinate is a good type ordinarily but I've read that mg malate is particularly recommended for CFS. I take malate and like it a lot.
Do you get much calcium in your diet? I was overloaded for many years while also being mg deficient, which was a big factor in how I felt like crap all the time.
> I stopped smoking back in january and the NAC is to try and sort out my lungs etc.
>
>I would suggest Vit C for that purpose too, possibly also to the point of diarrhea and then back off a bit. Given the possible allergies also, a formulation that includes bioflavanoids might be particularly helpful.
> It may be my imagination, but the fish oil seems to make me feel a bit "doped up" although I do seem to feel less anxious on the whole.
>
> Well, that will do I think as my first post (has anyone fallen asleep yet?? LOL).....if anyone has any remarks, comments or suggestions, I'd be more than grateful to hear them.We were with you all the way. :) Besides Jan's (tealady) suggestions and the above, for the candida (unless it's no longer a problem) I'd suggest probiotics, and possibly also digestive enzymes and definitely chromium for hypoglycemia-symptoms. In general, unless you eat a very healthy, balanced diet, a multi-vitamin/mineral is probably a good idea as well.
Here's another good article. This guy writes for a commercial site, but I like his stuff usually.
Tired of being tired? by James South MA http://smart-drugs.net/ias-tiredness.htm
JL
poster:JLx
thread:284809
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20031122/msgs/284923.html