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COMT, MAO, CBS, VDR, MTRR, where to start?

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3
Hi,

I recently ran my 23andme data through the Neurological Research Institute tool. Here are my pertinent results:

SNP Gene Variation Result Call
RS4680 COMT V158M +/- AG
RS4633 COMT H62H +/- CT
RS731236 VDR Taq TT AA
RS2228570 VDR Fok FF GG
RS6323 MAO A R297R +/- GT
RS1801394 MTRR A66G +/+ GG
RS1802059 MTRR 11 +/+ AA
RS1801181 CBS A360A +/- AG

My Sterling's App results have some additional results...I don't know if those matter....

This makes so much sense now. I'm 38 and have struggled with lifelong health problems. Allergies, asthma, GERD, esophageal stricture, migraines, eczema, extreme fatigue, arrhythmia for which I had two catheter ablations in my 20s, panic attacks, phobias, high blood pressure, severe depression, anxiety, skin cancer, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and thyroid cancer (complete thyroidectomy in 2012). I went gluten-free 4 years ago and started taking lots of supplements. GFCF diet helped A LOT. I recently found a better ND who recently changed my regimen. I'm now on low-dose atenolol, lisinopril, ashwaganda, 5-HTP, NatureThyroid, triphala, aloe juice, 50 CFU/d probiotics, 4 gr/d fish oil...I also take vit c, vit. D, B complex, magnesium, d-ribose, L-acetyl carnitine, alpha-lipoic acid, NAC, and Apex Neuroflam.

My ND did some specialized testing. My sister has a worse SNP profile than I do...she has many of the above + MTHFR mutations. She is 34 and had Hashi's and thyroid cancer at age 18. Mom and maternal aunt and g-ma all got breast cancer like clockwork in their mid 50s. Now I know why. The ND found my sister and I do not metabolize estrogens. My estrogen, DHEA, and catecholamine stress hormone metabolites are through the roof. They are 3 to 6 times higher than the high upper limit. My serotonin is also high (I had been on as much as 600 mg of 5-HTP, I'm now down to 200). My epinephrine and glutamate are through the roof. My norepi and GABA are low. Dopamine is low normal. Severe depression/anxiety in the family. My father, I'm pretty sure, has high-functioning Asperger's. His brother has schizophrenia.

My testing also revealed that my 24-hr cortisol patterns are "normal" although low for all time pts. Spectracell nutrient testing shows that despite all my supplementation, I'm deficient in vit D (my blood levels are close to 70 but it's not getting into the cells), zinc, calcium, B2, vit C, B12, and insulin. My sis and I have poor phase 2 liver detox. I eat beans, nuts, and fish...my BUN is still low. I used to get terrible bouts of low blood sugar. It's better now but still a bit of an issue.

The doc had me do a bit of a "washout" period and stop most of my supplements to give my liver a chance to rest, clear these metabolites out, and get an accurate reading of what my body is doing unassisted. I eat fairly well. I'm allergic to and avoid gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, almonds, peanuts, and shellfish. It's very discouraging that I've made so many changes and things STILL aren't right. The ND now put me on a grain-free paleo diet w/ an emphasis on the gatherer, not the hunter. I avoid 95% of processed foods as I am now scared of the high glutamate (no hydrolyzed proteins, MSG, yeast extract, etc.). I'm not crazy about it, but I think I will add red meat back into my diet.

AND I had eosinophils in my esophageal biopsy (I had an endoscopy to open my stricture years ago...no villous atrophy but I know gluten is a poison for me). My stool test also shows eosinophils are through the roof. I'm avoiding my food allergens...why is this still happening?

I am heterozygous for one of the DAO SNPs and wonder how that factors into my continuing allergies. They're much better, but still there. I no longer take oral allergy meds...just flonase occasionally.

This is all so overwhelming. Where do you start? Is the Yasko protocol indicated for someone like me? Can I get away with the simplified version for CFS patients? My ND doesn't seem to think hydroxy B12 is indicated for me (I read the opposite...). She's giving me once a week infusions of vit C, zinc, calcium, chromium, B vitamins, glutathione, and occasionally taurine (I thought I'm not supposed to have this because of my CBS SNP). I'm chronically iron deficient. My iron goes up just a few pts even w/ aggressive supplementation.

My sister and I did the Paragone parasite cleanse earlier in the year. We both shed worms. I could only do 12 days out of 30...after the second dose on day 12, I could barely get off the couch. My sister completely crashed after 8 days. Severe adrenal fatigue. She was bedridden for 2 months and now 7 months later she is still weak and it triggered suicidal depression and severe OCD in her. We're still trying to recover and put her back together. We both need to detox....obvsiously we did it too fast and didn't know our systems (especially hers), would be so overwhelmed.

I forgot to add I had Genova CDSA 2.0 stool analysis post parasite cleanse (I'd also taken some green ilite clay for 4 weeks)...and the results said: no more parasite infection...I did have an overgrowth of a potentially pathogenic bacteria for which I took 1 week of antibiotics several months ago, and I had no (zip, zero zilch) detectable good gut bacteria.

I was not breast fed. I was given soy/rice in my formula as a baby because I wasn't gaining weight. I had MANY courses of antibiotics throughout my life...first one at 18 months old due to an ear infection..many more in my 20s due to recurrent sinus infections. My father is an MD so my parents gave me allergy shots for years. I received the standard vaccine protocol for a child of the 70s...unfortunately, I had a couple of flu shots in my life...and stupidly I got a DTaP booster several years ago after I stepped on a nail.

I've recently (last 2 weeks) put myself on a low glutamate diet (no MSG, processed foods, hydrolyzed protein, etc.) and on the advise of my ND, I was taking NAC, L-acetyl carnitine, alpha lipoic acid (ALA), and Apex Neuroflam. I'm also now completely grain free. I lowered my dose of 5-HTP from 300 mg/d to 200 mg/d and I also stopped my "homeopathic dose" (5 mg) of elavil recently. I was hyperthyroid so I'm on a little less thyroid hormone (which we changed from Armour to NatureThyroid because it has fewer fillers, etc.). I feel hypothyroid now. Switched back to Armour today. I also stopped the NAC and ALA....I think they + the IV infusions I've been getting (included glutathione), made me worse. This is so frustrating.

I have a dull headache, tremendous brain fog, and my fatigue is much worse since making these changes. My limbs feel very heavy.
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I also feel a bit panicky and/or like I have low blood sugar...I have a lot of muscle tension in my back and shoulders.

I need to lower my glutamate, serotonin. I'm full of metabolites I need to clear Why am I feeling worse? Do we think I'm just adjusting to all the new levels of neurotransmitters, etc. or am I pushing my liver too hard or??? I would love to hear any suggestions/thoughts. Has anyone ever experienced something similar?

I'm also going to do some chlorophyll enemas/sesame seed oil enemas to assist my liver and some castor oil liver packs. Will those help or overwhelm my system right now?

Thanks so much for all who've gone through this process before me and can offer some help/guidance!

Best,

Susan
 
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Great...but it's supposed to help CFS and mito fxn, no? I don't know what to believe anymore. I think we're all so individual...how are we to tell if something will help or hurt us? Thank you, UM MAN.
 
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And I was advised to take ~250 mg/day of activated charcoal. Again, helpful or harmful? I'm trying to clear stress hormones and excess estrogens. I have poor phase 2 liver detox due to methylation issues. I cannot afford to feel worse/more depleted. If I take it I'll space it out many hours away from my other supplements and meds, but I do NOT need to be more depleted! Thank you.