Need help w/Metametrix GI test results please!!! H.Pylori and...

[Jeri Lynn WI]

Hi everyone
I'm a newbie to the forum but an educated layperson about all this stuff. Have had some tests including genomics (see sig.) and this GI test (will update with actual result attachment when I figure out how!!)


Background:
Diagnosed years ago w/IBS by allopathic doc & leaky gut by functional med doc & altern. paractitioners. Have tried many digestive enzymes & probiotics over the years, plus betaine, etc. etc. ad nauseum. Still suffer from bloating/distention, gas, and low-grade constipation (unless I overload on hummus-type foods!!) Have many food intolerances, a true dairy allergy (ELISA), & while negative for all celiac tests thus far, wheat definitely causes problems, not so much gastro, but for example, sleepiness.
General health issues are classis hypothyroid stuff (I'm not Hashi's) & I'm only starting to deal with the methylation cycle.


O.K. The biggie from the stool test is probably the H. Pylori which is High. No other pathogenic bacteria. Yeast/Fungi was +1, unknown, which the guide I downloaded said was probably transient, apparently NOT Candida. Can I relax about that???!!!
I have a parasite, also unknown, which they define as possibly from a pet (we have cats.)
All my "good bacteria", the 'obligate anaerobes', are good but not great-ish. There are supposedly NO opportunistic bacteria present, or not in clinically significant amounts. This is good, right??


Let's see, what else...Total SCFA's were 31, LOW, but the n-Butyrate was 5.3.
Inflammation markers were low or negative. Fecal sigA seems pretty high, at 133 (range 5-161.)
pH was 6.5. Elastase 1 was 302 (should be>100), Triglycerides were HIGH at 139.
LCFA'S were 3.2, out of a range of <15.1

So, any advice/wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Do I need drugs for the H.Pylori, for starters? I have occasional minor reflux but no "ulcer" symptoms, per se. Would botanicals work?
I'm having insurance issues & not sure i'd even be able to get a drug paid for, if the Dx was based on this test.
Thanks in advance! caledonia, maybe you could pop in on this one, too??
Jeri

 

[helen1]

I also had no detectable yeast on the metametrix GI test, but had extremely high metabolite levels for yeast (arabinose) on the organic acids test. So... sorry for the bad news but from my experience and others here, the GI test can miss yeast.

 

[Jeri Lynn WI]

Thanks, Helen, that's the next test I'm getting. I won't be shocked if I do have yeast, but I have my hands full with a low-sulfur/thiol eating regimen I will probably need, not to mention that H. Pylori. I'm thinking of using emulsified orgegano just in case, I think it was Star-Anise who mentioned that working for her w/yeast. Sheesh, always something

 

[helen1]

Thanks, Helen, that's the next test I'm getting. I won't be shocked if I do have yeast, but I have my hands full with a low-sulfur/thiol eating regimen I will probably need, not to mention that H. Pylori. I'm thinking of using emulsified orgegano just in case, I think it was Star-Anise who mentioned that working for her w/yeast. Sheesh, always something

JeriLynn, I know how you feel about the diet issues as I've been on low thiol/sulfur, low oxalic acid, and trying to keep up the anti-yeast diet but finding that impossible. I've been eating mainly squashes, avocadoes, moderate protein, cukes, zucchinis, coconut oil, olive oil and goat butter. Makes ya either laugh or cry doesn't it...
For yeast, what I found most effective was 3 weeks of nystatin then 3 months of saccheromyces boulardii, the latter especially working fabulously to improve gut function for me.
Warm wishes to you.

 

[Jeri Lynn WI]

Wow, Helen, you're in the same boat, yikes!!! What kind of protein do you eat?? Sounds like meat is off-limits; I don't like it, anyways.
You know what? I'm taking Sacch. B already, because of Ben Lynch, but maybe i should wait until after any yeast treatment??
BTW: don't cukes give you problems??
Thx for your kind input!!
JL

 

[helen1]

Wow, Helen, you're in the same boat, yikes!!! What kind of protein do you eat?? Sounds like meat is off-limits; I don't like it, anyways.
You know what? I'm taking Sacch. B already, because of Ben Lynch, but maybe i should wait until after any yeast treatment??
BTW: don't cukes give you problems??
Thx for your kind input!!
JL

I used to eat more meat, now I eat more moderate amounts, about 40-50 g per day. I've read conflicting info about whether it raises sulfate levels; but I'm pretty sure it would do for ammonia levels. I plan to buy some sulfate & ammonia strips to monitor levels. Yes, my naturopath had me do the s.boulardii after the antifungal Nystantin to reduce yeast levels first. I made improvements weekly on the s. boulardii. I still have other issues with the GI thing, low SCFA for example like you. Am eating at least some raw veggies for that. And low bifido type bacteria so am taking bifido probiotics. I think it's probably good your sIGA is high as that's your main immune system. Not sure what optimal is though. Mine's too low.
Will be doing the ELISA food allergy test next week.
I hope others will chime in here to help you out with h.pylori and anything else.
All the best.

 

[LaurieL]

Mastic Gum for H. pylori, see net for details.

You will find a connection of your high elastase to the H. Pylori infection.

 

[caledonia]

Hi Jeri Lyn. This test is on my list to take, but I haven't gotten into it yet. So you may be teaching me on this, rather than the other way around!

I know for sure I have yeast and leaky gut. I have tons of food intolerances. My Nutreval showed problems with malabsorption, gut dysbioisis and yeast/fungus. I'm also suspecting h. pylori as I have both MTHFR C677T and a high need for taurine, suggesting taurine wasting. Interestingly, my digestion has no apparent symptoms of these problems - no IBS, nausea, bloating, gas, heartburn, etc.

The one thing I do know about this test is, there is a section that tells you what bugs you have and what herbal substances will kill the bugs. So it seems to me that it would be a good idea to kill the bugs with the herbals, while pouring on various probiotics.

I've also found out that bone broths are good for leaky gut and also bone health, not to mention the benefits for your skin. I've added this to my diet. This might be a good way for you to get some meat protein back into your diet without eating meat per se. Weston Price has some delicious recipes: http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/broth-is-beautiful

 

[Star-Anise]

Hi Jeri Lynn: I'm not an expert at interpreting Metametrix results but can try to shed some light based on my own experiences. I have some questions that will help us narrow down what might be happening. See below in blue:
Diagnosed years ago w/IBS by allopathic doc & leaky gut by functional med doc & altern. paractitioners. Have tried many digestive enzymes & probiotics over the years, plus betaine, etc. etc. ad nauseum.
Still suffer from bloating/distention, gas, *Do you notice a pattern in response to certain foods, i.e. high carbs? and low-grade constipation (unless I overload on hummus-type foods!! Can you elaborate? What do you mean Hummus type foods? Like high fibre lentils. Does this cause you to have a more "normal" stool, or is it just more loose?) Have many food intolerances, a true dairy allergy (ELISA), & while negative for all celiac tests thus far, wheat definitely causes problems, not so much gastro, but for example, sleepiness.Tell me about what you are eating. Are you 100% avoiding all dairy, wheat, and food additives? Are you eating 100% paleo? If so, for how long?


O.K. The biggie from the stool test is probably the H. Pylori which is High. Hmmm, this makes me suspicious about stomach acid, and possible adrenal dysfunction. There is treatment for the H. Pylori via antibiotics. Personally I would do it. And then do a yeast/gut rebuilding test afterwards. In Canada we have a breath test (urea based) that we need to do to get the antibiotics from our physician.

No other pathogenic bacteria. Yeast/Fungi was +1, unknown, which the guide I downloaded said was probably transient, apparently NOT Candida. Can I relax about that???!!!I personally have not had a history with false positives with yeast, nor has anyone I have known. What I would be highly suspicious about, however, is possible yeast becoming a problem in future due to the obvious transient nature of your gut. But I wouldn't put my energy here. My hunch is that you have bigger fish to fry.

I have a parasite, also unknown, which they define as possibly from a pet (we have cats.) Again, personally, I wouldn't worry about this. I feel you can focus your energy elsewhere at least for now.
All my "good bacteria", the 'obligate anaerobes', are good but not great-ish. There are supposedly NO opportunistic bacteria present, or not in clinically significant amounts. This is good, right?? Yes. This is really good. It might not be a bad idea to continue on some type of probiotic to maintain a good baseline of good, helpful bacteria in your gut. *BUT, and this is very, very important. This probiotic cannot cause bloating, or any other symptoms. Due to your obvious issue with dairy, I would be worried about d-lactic acidosis. I have absolutely very little tolerance to acidophilus based probiotics and they wreak havoc with my gut health, and cause +++fatigue. I use the following to tolerance:
http://www.natren.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=N&Screen=PROD&Product_Code=85090&Category_Code=020
Very clean, biffidus, dairy free powder. I find that I must take reduced amounts of probiotics, much less than recommended amounts to avoid bloating, or loose stools.

Let's see, what else...Total SCFA's were 31, LOW, but the n-Butyrate was 5.3.

From the metametrix guide:

Beneficial SCFA come from dietary carbohydrates that have
escaped digestion or absorption in the small bowel, or from
prebiotics that have undergone fermentation in the colon.
They are also produced by fermentation of fiber by anaerobic
bacteria in the large bowel. Production of SCFA in the
intestinal lumen plays an important role in the maintenance of
the intestinal barrier. Short chain fatty acids and specifically
n-butyrate serve as the fuel for the colonocytes.
[20]
Butyrate has been shown to be protective against colon cancer.
Cause:
Low anaerobic bacteria (see “Predominant Bacteria”) *Could be part of picture, as you alluded to above.
•
Antibiotic treatment
•
Insufficient fiber intake/poor diet *I'll know more once you give me more info re: your diet.
•
Slow transit time (more time for SCFA absorption) *We know this is a problem for you, based on what you said regarding constipation.


Inflammation markers were low or negative. Fecal sigA seems pretty high, at 133 (range 5-161.) *yes that is quite a bit higher then mine was at 55.
From Metametrix guide:
Cause:
Immune response to eliminate pathogenic organisms in
•
GI tract
Sensitivities to foods *This would be my strong suspicion for you.

•
Treatment Options:
Support immune function
•
Remove pathogens, parasites, opportunistic bacteria,
•
virus
Rule out food sensitivities *This is where I would focus.
•
Elimination diet *This is where I would focus.

pH was 6.5. Same as mine.

Elastase 1 was 302 (should be>100) *Right around same area as mine. Good. If low demonstrates issues with bile production and pancreatic enzyme function.
Triglycerides were HIGH at 139. Yes this is very high. I wonder if this is related to reduced HCl which is common with
H. Pylori versus pancreatic function. One of the treatment options for high triglycerides in metametrix guide is Betaine with pepsin, this might be worth exploring. Especially if you are having issues with protein digestion. What was your SCFA levels (related to protein digestion)? I have not had a problem with H. Pylori, but did need to supplement with a small amount of Betaine for a bit.

In summary:
a) I would definitely look at getting H. Pylori addressed. This could definitely account for some of the GI disturbances you are experiencing. As effective treatment in my mind involves antibiotics, I would look at doing a gut building protocol and small yeast cleanse following treatment
b) I highly suspect food sensitivities that have led to leaky gut symptoms. I would look at the GAPS diet or paleo diet.
c) What other symptoms are you having? Fatigue? Have you had snps done?
d) Do you have mercury fillings?

Star

 

[Star-Anise]

Ah yes Jeri Lynn I see you do have your snps:
+/+ CBS/C699T, MAO A, VDR/Taq & Fok
+/- ACAT, MTRR/A66G, MTRR/11, CBS/A360A, SHMT, NOS
I suspect that with the CBS mutations is why you are eating low sulphur/thiol. I would worry about your ability to rebuild your gut, which I suspect has deteriorated from eating gluten/dairy, without adequate protein intake. As Caldonia suggested bone broths are touted as excellent gut rebuilders, and likey are more tolerable on a the low sulphur/thiol diet we have to maintain. I also have had excellent results with the following products:
a) http://www.renewlife.com/intestinew.html (as long as you are not sensitive to glutamate)
b) http://www.metagenics.com/mp/products/glutagenics (as long as you are not sensitive to glutamate)

Since you have both the ACAT, and SHMT mutations, gut protocol is a must for you. I am also quite concerned about mercury and aluminum toxicity. I would read what Yasko says about both of these mutations in detail, as they are first priority mutations to address.
What supplements are you taking to address your MTRR mutations? From Yasko:
I find that if we limit “traffic” through CBS, SHMT, and BHMT so that we
shunt the traffic through MTR/MTRR, we often see increased excretion of
metals, especially mercury. Doing this means that we supply all the necessary
ingredients for the MTR/MTRR reaction, while balancing the other pathways
at a maintenance level. Accordingly, my supplement recommendations for CBS,
SHMT, and BHMT will help you limit traffic down those pathways. In this section,
we focus on enhancing MTR/MTRR, which entails increasing B12 levels.

Star

 

[Sushi]

...
In summary:
a) I would definitely look at getting H. Pylori addressed. This could definitely account for some of the GI disturbances you are experiencing. As effective treatment in my mind involves antibiotics, I would look at doing a gut building protocol and small yeast cleanse following treatment
b) I highly suspect food sensitivities that have led to leaky gut symptoms. I would look at the GAPS diet or paleo diet.
c) What other symptoms are you having? Fatigue? Have you had snps done?
d) Do you have mercury fillings?
Star

Hi there!

Have you discovered the "reply" and "quotes" function? I used the reply button above. It saves you from having to differentiate what you write from what you are quoting by using colors. Some here have problems reading things in color.

You can also just select a part of a post, paste it in and use the

"

button at the end of the formatting list. Then you will get the same effect:

O.K. The biggie from the stool test is probably the H. Pylori which is High

BTW, great to read your take on the Metametrix.

Sushi

 

[Star-Anise]

ya Sushi for the life of me, I can't get it to work! Let's try again:

Have you discovered the "reply" and "quotes" function?

 

[Sushi]

ya Sushi for the life of me, I can't get it to work! Let's try again:

You did it!

 

[caledonia]

Hi Star Anise - great info.

I replied to Jeri Lynn on another thread about this, but she's been trying methylcobalamin and possibly experiencing stress/cortisol symptoms from the CBS drain. I suggested that she discontinue mB12 to see if it clears out, and also do testing for ammonia and sulfur to see if CBS is expressed. If that's the case, she would need to address CBS before continuing with methyl supps (really just methylcobalamin in her case).

 

[Jeri Lynn WI]

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for replying; I didn't get an alert that you had so I hadn't come back. So sorry.

Star-Anise, I just read through your excellent posts quickly,I will re-read carefully & answer your questions in detail, so you can so kindly offer more help I've felt abandoned by the holistic doc on this; his office called just a little while ago & he ordered an antiobiotic that's been discontinued-heliodox or something like that??? Sheesh.


I'm scared of wiping everything out in my gut by treating the H.P., but that doesn't seem to be optional. I had just started using the Lynch Probiota powder, too, but I guess I'll save it for after antibiotics. Star, should I just break down & see a gastro?? Our insurance would pay.

I have ordered the urine amino acids and toxic/essential elements kits, BTW. I've been overwhelmed reading Yasko & other stuff the past few days & think caledonia is right, it's crucial to see what's actually going on, not just throw supplements at the SNP's, right??

Be back later w/food details, etc. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!! J.

 

[Star-Anise]

I'm scared of wiping everything out in my gut by treating the H.P., but that doesn't seem to be optional. I had just started using the Lynch Probiota powder, too, but I guess I'll save it for after antibiotics. Star, should I just break down & see a gastro?? Our insurance would pay.

Hi there girl, what I do know for sure is that your body will need to be strong to take any antibiotics. In order to provide you more advice I would need to know more about what current symptoms you are experiencing.I know sweet Caledonia did express some concerns in regards to your adrenals (post above).

Essentially it becomes a bit of a cost-benefit analysis. For example, I had a parasite, but needed to wait to do the antibiotic treatment until my adrenals were strong enough. I'm not familiar with your US healthcare system. In Canada H. Pylori is a fairly easy thing to treat from what I have heard, so I'm not sure if you need a referral to a gastroenterologist. It is easily something that could be treated effectively by family physician in Canada.

However, if you are extremely worn down, and weak, then it doesn't take much to wear you down further, and the antibiotic therapy might be contraindicated at this time. I personally think that the major area of intervention at this point would be to stabilize your diet, and start on a gut-building program with some of the supplements I recommended (or something similar - but those are the best I have tried). In regards to the probiotics that you are taking: if they are not something that is further irritating your gut, then they would likely be beneficial at this time. You will need to experiment to see if they are helping or hindering.

Here's some info re: H Pylori:
http://www.cdc.gov/ulcer/files/hpfacts.PDF
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1479565/
...over the course of a lifetime, H. pylori decreases gastric acidity. This causes all kinds of digestive problems, as food often is not digested properly, inefficient or incomplete metabolism, which provides food for bacteria and yeast in lower gut. Bloating, IBS symptoms, these can all be related.
From what I know as well, there is a huge connection between the development of stomach ulcers, and even cancer if left untreated. So it is definitely something you want to take care of eventually, but I think timing is key. Personally, I would want to get as strong as possible & my main advice would be to use a strategic diet (free of irritants) & supplements to really try to build a solid base of gut health prior to doing any antibiotic treatment.

In my research, the main thing that can lead to the development of an H Pylori infection is decreased stomach acid. And then the H Plyori causes further weakening of this process. One of the main things that affects stomach acid production over time can be chronic stress and adrenal weakening. And one of the main things (in my opinion) that can lead to adrenal weakening overtime is methylation issues.

it's crucial to see what's actually going on, not just throw supplements at the SNP's, right??

That really depends. Yes, especially if you are quite weak and can't really risk experimentation. As well, this depends on how aware you are of your symptoms and able to work through the information. Testing allows you to cut to the chase versus engaging in informed guesswork, which is time-consuming and overwhelming especially for individuals that are low on energy and surplus.

Star

 

[Jeri Lynn WI]

Hi again, star & all (forgot to thank LaurieL before, I love you r great, helpful posts on here!!)~
Decided to put off some chores to answer your questions/address issues raised. Way more important than laundry

For starters, my diet has been all over the place for years. I haven't followed ANY specific approach. I mostly did/do a protein powder shake in the morning, as I'm never really hungry. Until I read about the arsenic levels in rice, I used high-quality (even 'medical grade') rice protein powders that I mixed with rice milk. When the arsenic thing broke, I switched to pea protein (now worried about thiols w/peas, crap) & switched to almond milk. I started adding in blueberries and banana just recently, but those would be a problem for yeast, I assume, and/or thiols. Sigh.

I snack on nuts & seeds, good ones w/out salt or bad stuff, usually raw. Pumpkin, almonds, mostly. I'd eat an Organic Food Bar mid-day, maybe, and later, some cooked vegies w/chicken, sometimes salad, IF I ate a real meal. Too often I just had a bowl of rice cereal, I'm afraid. I do like crunch, so I buy things like Terra chips, flaxseed chips, etc. I also liked raw vegies like peppers, celery, radishes.

So that would be 95% of the time- no wheat, no dairy, & then a few days a month I'd eat "normal" food e.g. a burger, soup at our local family diner, Basically, clean if unbalanced most of the time, & "bad" eating a few days per month. I drink 1-2 c. of coffee w/Stevia & Silk creamer.

As for the bloating: it seems like almost everything causes it, as I have it daily. I think if I ate only chicken or maybe other meat, I might not bloat. I cannot eat large quantities of fruit, or anything sugary.

Most of the winter I made a big pot of lentil soup/stew that I threw all sorts of veggies in & ate off of that, but when I started reading up on thyroid/sulfur I gave that up. Eating lots of fiber like that, or hummus, first gives me gas & discomfort, but then I have frequent, loose stools. (Ugh, sorry for TMI here.) Otherwise I do generally go once a day. But years ago I had real constipation, where I could wait several days, which was awful. Not entirely sure why that got better. I did take Yaeyama chlorella, sort of cyclically, & that did help. I have also, over the years, periodically taken all sorts of probiotics, none w/acidophilus, because I always knew my gut was problematic. Either didn't do it right or consistently enough, no miraculous fixes, but as you say,Star, I haven't completely kept allergens out.

I had a stool test about 15 yrs ago when seeing another holistic doctor & I think those results are somewhere in my "files"!! Seems I recall being low butyrate back then, too. I remember he gave me Yodoxin, oh, and an allergist (also holistic) gave me Nystatin, so I did have yeast.

I am SURE my adrenals are stressed and weak, I did the saliva test a few months ago & I was low in a.m. and high p.m., just as I had been when I had the test w/that same doc 15 yrs ago. Back then he gave me DHEA & I was mega-dosing Vit.C. I'll be frank: my life & marriage were chaotic & dysfunctional until we straightened things out 5or 6 yrs ago, so my follow-through with all these health regimens wasn't great. I think at one time or another I tried almost everything that came down the pike.

General symptoms other than Gi are anxiety, mild depression (I've had major episodes), tiredness, inabilty to lose weight, puffiness/edema, feeling reactive & sort of "toxic" much of the time, sensitivity to foods/smells/light/noise, and just recently, my hair seemed to thin drastically practically overnight. That was freaky & really got my attention. Oh, & of course, I was diagnosed w/osteoporosis at 50!!! So yes, I've long suspected malabsorption issues.

I've had all the sophisticated celiac blood tests incl. antibodies & supposedly they're negative, but as I said, wheat makes me sleepy, so that's why I don't have it MOST days!!! I did do a strict gluten-free avoidance (including 'hidden' sources like skin-and-hair care products) for 5 weeks earlier this spring, maybe that wasn't long enough, but I felt no difference whatsoever.

Well, you've got to be as sick of me right now as I AM, so I'll wind this up for the moment. I'm not really taking anything consistently right now b/c what I was taking can be an issue w/certain SNP's, so I stopped. For example, I took evening primrose oil for the hair thing, but then I read that was bad for some reason. My regular doc put me on mega-dose D because I'm low, but I stopped recently & went to 5000 D3. I'm up to 1 1/2 gr. Armour & use 100 mg. progesterone cream at night; those two supps have been a little over a month so far.

Star, did I see you recommend emulsified organo oil somewhere here?? Maybe that would be helpful???

I'll be happy to answer any other questions & am grateful as always. I alternate between thinking I'll just take some $ my mother left for travel & buy every single supp Yasko recommends, & sanity I would still like to travel one day!!!!

Later, my gurus/new friends,
J.L.

 

[roxie60]

I needed to stay away from antibiotics (I had had so many rounds of various antibiotics just to address sinus and lung issues) so when I found out about having Hpylori I used Mastic gum for 3 months (Jarrow brand I think). My IBS has much improved although I have not the $ right now to retest GI for status of Hpylori. Now when I get antibiotics my Dr has me take probiotics also (20mil+).

 

[Jeri Lynn WI]

Like your signature, Roxie!!! You're the 2nd person to advise mastic gum- I've actually never heard of that one, so I'll look it up right away! Yes, if/when I do antibiotics, I will also use probiotics. I'd be terrified not to. Do you recommend one in particular?

 

[Star-Anise]

Hi there! Re: diet, you know there really can be so many things going on, as is the case with all of us. Due to CBS issues avoidance of thiols is obvious, however, with me I found with effective charcoal clearing, and supplementation of molybdenum and manganese, that I had great gains in my health. However, I don't know if it is so easy with everyone. I have found that a paleo inspired, whole foods diet, which I have had for years has really laid the foundation for my recent improvements in health.
As I said above with your ACAT, and SHMT mutations gut protocol is a biggie.
So that means
a) ensuring what you put in your mouth is healing and not harmful to gut. In my experience these things are the most unprocessed, whole foods.
b) ensuring that you are supplementing with gut rebuilding supplements. I too have used Mastic Gum with great results, not particularly for H.P, but other upper GI issues that I have had. I too have heard that it is good for H.P.
c) ensuring that you have effective, regular elimination. I used ground chia seeds for a long time. I found it to be the least bloating fibrous substance that I have tired.
Just be careful of "health" foods, as they are often laden with all kinds of crap that is not healing to gut.
I would strongly recommend looking into the GAPS diet if you don't already know about it.
http://gapsdiet.com/The_Diet.html

So that would be 95% of the time- no wheat, no dairy, & then a few days a month I'd eat "normal" food e.g. a burger, soup at our local family diner, Basically, clean if unbalanced most of the time, & "bad" eating a few days per month. I drink 1-2 c. of coffee w/Stevia & Silk creamer.

Is this around PMS time?

As for the bloating: it seems like almost everything causes it, as I have it daily. I think if I ate only chicken or maybe other meat, I might not bloat. I cannot eat large quantities of fruit, or anything sugary.

In my mind it's critical to do an elimination diet to determine the big triggers.

Eating lots of fiber like that, or hummus, first gives me gas & discomfort, but then I have frequent, loose stools. (Ugh, sorry for TMI here.)

Yes, this is IBS like symptoms. Your gut is irritated. I would avoid things that cause the frequent stools.

I did take Yaeyama chlorella, sort of cyclically, & that did help.

interesting. there is a strong mercury-gut connection to sulphur/thiol intolerance. Chlorella is used to chelate heavy metals. Perhaps this is something you should look into more.

General symptoms other than Gi are anxiety, mild depression (I've had major episodes), tiredness, inabilty to lose weight, puffiness/edema, feeling reactive & sort of "toxic" much of the time, sensitivity to foods/smells/light/noise, and just recently, my hair seemed to thin drastically practically overnight. That was freaky & really got my attention. Oh, & of course, I was diagnosed w/osteoporosis at 50!!!

A lof of this sounds like it could be related to adrenal dysfunction. Are you sleeping?

I've had all the sophisticated celiac blood tests incl. antibodies & supposedly they're negative, but as I said, wheat makes me sleepy, so that's why I don't have it MOST days!!! I did do a strict gluten-free avoidance (including 'hidden' sources like skin-and-hair care products) for 5 weeks earlier this spring, maybe that wasn't long enough, but I felt no difference whatsoever.

I've heard that once it actually shows up on the test that there is significant damage to gut. You have to avoid gluten not because you are/or are not celiac, but because even in healthy individuals with oodles of energy it can be difficult to digest gluten products. I would plan on avoiding gluten until you obtain more optimal health however long that takes. Especially because you are suspecting malabsorption issues I would avoid gluten.

I'm up to 1 1/2 gr. Armour & use 100 mg.

Do you have baseline thyroid issues? How did you know you needed to supplement for your thyroid? Did you notice improvement when you started? Has this tapered off?

progesterone cream at night;

Same questions as above... testing to indicate you need to supplement? Any improvement?

Star, did I see you recommend emulsified organo oil somewhere here?? Maybe that would be helpful???

With everything you have told me above, I wouldn't go there right now my dear. I would focus on clean eating, whole foods, supplements that are geared towards rebuilding your gut to help with any leaky gut symptoms and malabsorption issues. I would question Mercury toxicity (have you had "silver" fillings?), and look into supporting your adrenals.

I'll be happy to answer any other questions & am grateful as always. I alternate between thinking I'll just take some $ my mother left for travel & buy every single supp Yasko recommends

One step @ a time my dear, been there & spent my holiday money, and now have a closet of supplements that are not useful to me. We want to be like a sniper. We don't have much energy. We want to make sure every move is strategic and on target.
Star.