Thanks Leopardtail and AkeBono,
To answer your questions:
I've been pretty grain free for about 2 years. Found gluten wasn't doing me any favours, but also gluten free alternatives still gave discomfort, so just dropped most grains entirely and upped my fats and veggies. I guess that makes me more low-carb, but I do try to eat plenty of fruits and veg, and still have some rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, and fermented in my diet most weeks. I do get hungry between meals, but usually just take a handful of nuts. Been a bit dizzy since having the fatigue, but thought that was brain fog as it doesn't necessarily seem linked to meals, etc. I used to get low blood sugar symptoms before I dropped grains 2 years ago.
Thyroid was given all clear by blood test from Doctor, but not had it tested more thoroughly by private tests.
When the MAP was done, the only supplements I was on was a daily vitamin shake. Since having the tests I've been on Biocare's Mitoguard, Some adrenal supporting herbs, Berberine and Grapefruit and Candibactin for Giardia as well as probiotics.
Looks like the Giardia has been there for a while as they said it was well established. Maybe picked it up 7 years ago open water swimming in Canada or drinking from streams while hiking in mountains a decade ago, but that's just speculation. Did 7 day course of Metronidazole. Not convinced it worked as started getting some minor symptoms again about 3 weeks later.
I don't know what sigA is I'm afraid. My wife wondered if I had H. pylori too, but not sure what she based that on.
Will try to post CDSA a bit later on. Many thanks!
Pjam,
When I had a closer look I noticed three things:
- the possibility of infection
- B-Vitamin markers that are okay but not ideal
- Noticeable and linked disruptions the Metabolism of Tryptophan & Vitamin B3 (aka NAD).
One of the chemicals that is rather high is converted to Vitamin B3 by Ribose. Ribose is derived (rather slowly) from excess Glucose, that in turn is derived (ideally) from fibre or starches. That same chemical disrupts the mechanism that carries Ammonia out of the brain (by converting Glutamate to Glutamine)- the Ammonia could cause your low Neurotransmitter levels. If you rare not producing Glutamine the Ammonia would not enter the Urea cycles and your doctor's standard test would not pick this up.
Thing to look into below in order I would recommend.
Andrenal & Possibly Thyroid
You need to start taking
Licorice extract (as mentioned above) ASAP - it helps with blood sugar stability and several causes of brain fog. It may cause very slight stomach upset.
Vitamin C - this is the major thing for both
Adrenals and
ME, it spares all kinds of things inside the body, improves immunity, Adrenalin and Noradrenaline production. I strongly disagree with their report on this point. I find it takes min 5g=5000mcg and up to 15g=15000mcg of Vitamin C to keep me feeling well, you seem to be a prime Candiate. Buy this as powder, tablets are vastly more expensive - if you can take yoghurt, mixing it with that protects your teeth, otherwise brush after taking. Your high levels of lipid peroxides indicate high need for Vitamin C too.
Iodine is vital to every gland in the body not just the thryoid, if things do not pick up, I would suggest supplementing min 1mg=1000mcg per day. If you need to do this you may get detox symptoms. The type of Iodine matters - Potassium Iodide is preferable, any Iodide is okay - there are other forms of Iodine that are cheaper but have more side effects and potential toxicity.
Iodine can cause detox symptoms. I would not recommend large amounts of Iodine until the other steps have been performed, unless your TSH (thyroid test) was above 2, or there is some other pressing reason.
B1, B3, Ribose
Because Ribose is derived from carbs and B1 also comes with carbs - your diet may play a role in several issues here. Low carb can be good, zero-carb definitely isn't
I would suggest you start by eating
small snacks with Carbohydrate between meals (a
small amount of sugar would be no bad thing here). Once you get your Ribose up the B3/NAD may well fix itself.
You can also supplement Ribose but take it after carbs, at meals try vegetable based carbs such as potatoes, sweet potatoes etc.
If you can't tolerate any grains at all, nor bran you may need to supplement, or find a source of Vitamin B1.
One question on this : do you know what your SOD function is like?
B-Vitamins
I would like to see you taking a good quality
active B vitamin supplement (e..g Jigsaw Health is mine). This is in addition to your general multi-vitamin supplement - but don not take them at the same time. Prefer to take your B-Viamins after breakfast and your other a lunch or dinner. These all have Niacinamide, but we just have to live with that.
Carbs
Was the low blood sugar verified or worked out from the symptoms?
There are other issues that can create the impression of low blood sugar that are common in ME.
Your reactions to Carbs could be downstream if your issues with Adrenalin and Cortisol. You hunger between meals makes this likely. I they still occur (even slightly less with Potatoes & Yams) then I would be even more inclined to thing this. Fixing the Ammonia issue and the Ribose issue may eventually resolve this.
Make sure you take some carbs in the morning - this will spare your Cortisol a little. Take your carbs in the morning at first, keep the amounts small, and do them in bursts every 90 mins (building up slowly). If you have low blood sugar, a single teaspoon of sugar under your tongue will not cause further low blood sugar.
Dysbiosis
Being short of Ribose makes you short of ATP, being short of ATP messes up your immune system, as does high Ammonia (if I am right about that). Whether the possible infection is an inherent problem, upstream of the other metabolic issues, or due to low ATP is high to say at this point.
One thing worth trying for bugs is Eucalyptus oil. I buy a bottle of the stuff (not the Aromatherapy version) and put a small drop in a cup of water then drink it. Eucalyptus disrupts the cells walls of most microbes. Be warned, it tests foul. You will need to take pro-biotics afterwards though.
Ammonia
The biotin mentioned in the report is good advice, it stimulates the urea cycle to get rid of ammonia. I would recommend you follow their guidance.
If you follow their advice on Vitamin B3
do not use Niacinamide (it contains Ammonia) instead use simple Niacin in a very small dose. If you sort Ribose out, you may not need this though.
I would be inclined to have a closer look at your Urea cycle and Glutmate/Glutamine levels if things do not improve - this will confirm or disprove my hunch.
I can't recommend anything more for this until we know how the other things work out.
I hope that "Novel" of an answer helps.
Leo