I am so happy for you Jason!
My POTS has also improved. My typical bpm jump was from ~60 to ~110 upon standing and I couldn't stand very long. Lately, my bpm jumps from ~60 to ~85 bpm and I can stand much longer.
Any improvement brings you to a better place to fight this fight. And this is a proof that you are in the right direction, at least regarding this symptom!
increased pin/needles feeling in scalp, face, arms and legs.
I had the same at different stages of healing. It probably means that something is happening in these places that did not happen before (oxygenation? repair?).
Now this could also mean that all this thiamine is suppressing the ethylmorphine, a natural morphine made by the liver, which was eliminating sensations in these places. In fact my husband was surprised to feel the pain at the dentist's more than usual (still very bearable). But we feel absolutely no pain where there should not be! Not a pinch of fibromyalgia or other unexplained pains.
From : G. Gordon Gibson, Paul Skett Introduction to Drug Metabolism 3rd Edition and not in the previous editions, 5.1.2.2 Thiamine (vitamin B1)
Thiamine deficiency has been shown to increase the metabolism of aniline and reduce hexobarbitone metabolism whereas excess thiamine inhibits aniline and ethylmorphine metabolism. The effect of thiamine is related to changes in the microsomal cytochromes (P450 and b5) and NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase levels. The effects were not similar to starvation although it was suggested that the effects of thiamine were mediated via a reduction in blood glucose. More recently thiamine has been found to change the type of cytochrome P450 present – an increase in CYP2E1 and reduction in CYP2C11 – and this could account for the effects seen.
Some emotional instability, increased aches in leg muscles, and increased craving for high electrolyte foods, i.e. salted potato chips, salted corn chips, salted nuts, etc. Increased energy, but in a slightly uncomfortable restless way which is very difficult to explain.
Need for electrolytes but maybe also looking for MSG, a fake folate that is not a good idea. Better a spoonful of organic peanut butter.
For the emotional part, we have started an orgy of funny pictures and try to laugh as much and as long as possible! Then in bed as soon as possible! [/QUOTE]
I wish I had a better idea of what replenishment and healing looks like.
So do we all, but maybe the process will be different for different people.
This aspect of thiamine changing something at the P450 level is interesting, and the authors had on the previous page said :
ibid, 5.1.1.4 Starvation and re-feeding (haha, this re-feeding is popular here on PR!)
This may be further illustrated by looking at one particular aspect of diet, starvation. Starvation of female rats causes marked rises in some enzyme activities (contrast this with the effect of isocaloric protein deficiency) while having little effect on other activities while in male rats there is a marked reduction in aminopyrine N-demethylation and an increase in aniline 4-hydroxylation. It would appear that starvation can actually induce the synthesis of some microsomal proteins in contrast to the marked loss of protein from the liver as a whole. The effects of starvation in the male rat can be directly related to the change in the cytochrome P450 profile – CYP2C11 falls (thus the decrease in aminopyrine metabolism) and CYP2E1 rises (thus the increase in aniline metabolism). The rise in CYP2E1 is most likely a result of the breakdown of fatty tissue releasing free fatty acids that are partially converted to ketone bodies (e.g. acetone) that are known to induce this enzyme (see the effect of diabetes in Chapter 4). It is interesting to note that over-feeding of rats (a good model of human obesity) also causes an increase in CYP2E1 for the same reason, i.e. excess free fatty acids in the blood.
In humans the effects of starvation and re-feeding are also somewhat confusing, with the clearance of paracetamol (acetaminophen), chloroquine and metranidazole all decreased whereas in malnourished children, aspirin clearance may be enhanced.
I am not sure why I find this interesting, but someone might explain?
A link between thiamine and refeeding maybe?
Be well!