Low VEGF, air hunger

[fireflymd]

I've had air hunger for years, even before developing CFS. I have a history of asthma but albuterol, steroid anti-inflammatory inhalers, oral steroids, antacids, meditation, work up with cardiologist and pulmonogist did not help. With the onset of CFS I was also diagnosed with POTS, but treatment with Midodrine did not help the air hunger.

I did not experience air hunger during the time I was taking sustained-release T3 (to resolve feeling cold). The air hunger for the most part resolved, and when I stopped the T3 (it was causing Plummer's nails at the dose that worked) it recurred. This was consistent with the work of a chiropractor, Dr. Lowe, that being functionally hypothyroid causes air hunger.

Recent lab work shows a very low VEGF <30.

I have read that low VEGF causes impaired oxygen diffusion resulting in air hunger, so I'm thinking that this low VEGF is the cause of my air hunger, and perhaps the liothyronine (T3) was helping with oxygenation.

The only thing I can find that causes low VEGF is mold biotoxins.

Anyone else have low VEGF?

Is there any way to increase VEGF besides going through Shoemaker's Mold Protocol with VIP nasal spray?

 

[fireflymd]

I just read that low VEGF may also indicate Babesia. I find it hard to believe I've had Babesia since my teens without any other symptoms, but I do have a mildly elevated ECP (Eosinophilic Cationic Protein) so that or other parasite infection is a possibility. But high ECP can also be associated with allergies/asthma.

 

[JaimeS]

I also have very low VEGF and air hunger. So n=2 now.

Haven't found anything for increasing VEGF; it's a cytokine, though, so improving the activity of your macrophages might increase your numbers. I take Lactoferrin which is a macrophage activator.

I started taking it pretty early in my illness, so I can't tell you whether or not it helped that particular symptom... sorry about that!

For air hunger, I take Vitex agnus-castus. It really helps. I don't just take it during episodes, though, I take it daily.

 

[grapes]

I also have very low VEGF and air hunger. So n=2 now.

Haven't found anything for increasing VEGF; it's a cytokine, though, so improving the activity of your macrophages might increase your numbers. I take Lactoferrin which is a macrophage activator.

I started taking it pretty early in my illness, so I can't tell you whether or not it helped that particular symptom... sorry about that!

For air hunger, I take Vitex agnus-castus. It really helps. I don't just take it during episodes, though, I take it daily.

Hey JamieS, I'm curious if taking the lactoferrin helped raise your VEGF...and how much you were taking if it did or didn't....

 

[Jesse2233]

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can increase VEGF

https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.e...=Hyperbaric_oxygen_induces_VEGF_expressio.pdf

 

[JaimeS]

Hey JamieS, I'm curious if taking the lactoferrin helped raise your VEGF...and how much you were taking if it did or didn't....

I'm taking one pill of Lactoferrin, which is a half-dose, at 250-mg.

I've had some cytokines measured; the ones produced by NKCs are, in fact, up, while others are normal. Good.

Haven't had VEGF measured again. I suspect it's still low, but no data. It's not exactly measured on CBC.

 

[JaimeS]

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can increase VEGF

https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/41487239/Hyperbaric_oxygen_induces_VEGF_expressio20160123-26667-8lv58r.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAIWOWYYGZ2Y53UL3A&Expires=1506656322&Signature=8T2DxAWEJUIAt1qEtgVgrtey0Gg=&response-content-disposition=inline; filename=Hyperbaric_oxygen_induces_VEGF_expressio.pdf

That link didn't work, but I did find quite a few papers that say so.

It may be that VEGF being low is actually a sign of long-term hypoxia. I've got at least one paper that says VEGF expression is elevated in initial hypoxia but eventually it's suppressed. It's credible, then, that oxygen therapy might help return it to normal levels.

Additionally, glucocorticoid administration seems to block the production of VEGF-A (in tumors, though, so... grain of salt; a lot of these articles on VEGF are talking about angiogenesis in tumors).

Finally, I see for the first time that low VEGF has been associated with other neuromuscular disorders like ALS, in the early stages.