triffid113
This stupid ipad just lost the message I was sending.
Anyway, I was telling you that mercury damages adrenals of rats. The animals post normal cortisol levels at rest but they "tank" when the animals are stressed. Therefore, accepted testing of a.m./p.m. cortisol will not detect this problem. The adrenals showed bleeding and scar tissue. Coincidently, this is the same finding with B2 deficiencies. Most of this work occurred 50 - 60 years ago when they were trying to figure out what starvation was doing to kids in Africa.
So, while I read about the B2/adrenal connection here, I kinda doubt that my B2 levels were low enough to cause damage on its own...however, if mercury was beating them into the ground anyway, B2 problems may have added to the problem. I take 25 mg/day of cortef and 3 attempts to wean have failed.
The last time I only got to 22.5 mg and then had a stressful event. My Dr just shakes his head. He thinks that I am a masochist I think, and has told me repeatedly that my adrenals can contribute to my daily totals of cortisol by helping in times of stress but they can not carry the load ....ever.
I'm going to try one last time but I have to steel myself as it makes me feel like I am dying when they crash and it takes weeks to recover the ground that I lose.
I'll look into your recommendations. I had about 50 IV treatments that were loaded with B vitamins and Vit C and stuff to treat CFS. Cost a fortune and did absolutely nothing. I have taken B5 in varying amounts orally and I inject a bit as well each morning. I will look up rhodiola of which I know nothing.
I had a DHEA level done and get the result on Wed. I will ask to have the homocysteine level checked as well. I hope that it isn't dropping too low. I have 4 CBS +-. I have had lots of problems with sulphur and sulphite conversion over the past couple of years. The homocysteine was a bit high in Feb 2011. High enough the the particular Dr recommended folate and B12 supplements only to notice that I was taking folate 1400 mcg and B12 1000 mcg daily x 4 years.
If he had known more about methylation he could have saved me a lot of suffering. I was MTHFR and needed mfolate and mB12.
I have taken TMG various times and have not responded to it. With my history of psychiatric problems and my NeuroScience testing showing dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin to be low, I assumed that I needed to avoid adding fuel to the short-cut in order to increase BH4 (?) I only have one BHMT +- the rest are good. According to the site you gave me, my intake is just "fair". I do eat quinoa and while I enjoy spinach, I do not eat enough of it. There are changes that I can make to increase intake...those are all healthy foods for other reasons as well.
SAMe was a freaking disaster. My adrenal Dr (the one that I like) thought that I had a problem with methylation and had me try it. It made all my symptoms much worse. The worst part was that I lost all objectivity and insight and just kept sinking further into a deep soul-sucking depression. Just kept taking it.
I am torn about folacin. On the one hand, I have read various places not to take it. Concentrate on mfolate. Since I am C677T++, that makes some sense. But I am also TYMS++ and I think it is folacin that is needed to produce and repair DNA. Man, I should have gone to university instead of traveling as a young man
I am good with the other supports. After my colon was taken out, I take much of my magnesium topically and should have been doing this all along. I can tell the difference.
Listen triffid, you've given me a few avenues to pursue and I thank you for bringing homocysteine levels to my attention. I am still making my way through all the material here. I haven't found a "kindred spirit" yet and am beginning to think that I never will. While others may share some SNPs with me, it is unlikely that they would have had the mercury exposures that I had in my childhood. Kind of leaves me as a "one man show".