Sunday, May 31, 2015

Training 5/30-6/7 (race week)

5/30- I recently learned that sulfur/CBS issues can impair lung function so I will likely go with the molybdenum without the glutathione when it arrives.  The need for Serine is clearly increasing.  Took one last night and it clearly wasn't enough so I took 1 more when I woke up and delivered perhaps my best performance of the year.  I was liberal with the water stops on a humid day but my moving time was 74:05 for 10 miles for a strong 7:25 pace.  Not bad for someone who has been doing mostly junk runs over the last 6 months.  Training is overrated.
Distance= 10.0

5/31- One of the most embarrassing group runs.  Felt very strong early and cruised through the first 2 in 14:14 but recognized that I could not finish just about a half mile later so I turned around and went back.  Managed a 7:26 in Mile 3 but after that I was done.  Mile 4 was over 9 so I quit and completed the walk of shame.  Because I turned around, only a couple people saw me walking.

PM- Popped another Serine pill and was better.  2 miles in 14:25 with a fairly even pace.  I could have gone longer but at this stage, it is wise to limit myself to 30 MPW.  Need to increase my Serine and take it in the morning.  I will be ordering the stronger stuff from the Health Coach and am confident that it will NOT be a waste of money.
Distance=6.0

6/1- AWFUL.  It seems like Serine has replaced ADHS as the one supplement that I absolutely cannot do without.  I could NOT break 10 minutes for 1 mile today.  I need to stop taking NADH, which is intended to help produce ATP and improve mitochondrial function.  Another failure and illustrates why I need professional help.  What will happen to my reaction to Serine when stop?

UPDATE:  The molybdenum has arrived sooner than expected so it is okay to try it now.  I wasn't any worse after one pill and may have been a hair better.  If I take it with glutathione as planned, it could drop copper too quickly and force me back on the Liver.  Still 8 days before the next consult.

PM- Wisteria Mile in 8:12 with even splits for an improvement of 2 minutes in just 6 hours.  Again, it is all about the pills.
Distance=2.0

6/2- This is NUTS!  AM- Took 3 Serine pills, which helped but were not enough.  Passed 2 miles fading in 14:51.  Mile 3 likely would have been near 8.  Popped a molybdenum and got worse immediately.  The next half mile took 4:43 (9:26 pace) then tried a glutathione and much to my surprise and relief, I was a lot better.  The next half mile took just 3:03 (6:06 pace) for an overall time of 22:37 (7:32 avg). Need to raise the Serine for sure.  Not sure what to do about the moly/glutathione.  All in One does contain moly but I may need a mega dose to get what I need.  The All in One also contains some sulfur containing amino acids.  The questions never end.

PM- Just like last time, I got a temporary boost from the glutathione but it faded within a few hours then left me worse off than I had been before.  I have now exhausted every option for the CBS mutation.  All have failed.  My only option is to take more All in One.  I'm giving it until the end of next week.  If I don't see sustained improvement by then, I'm taking a planned break for at least the rest of the month.
Distance=3.0

6/3- Solid Trak Shak run.  Moving time was 35:37 for 5 miles (7:07 pace) with even splits but once again, it was interrupted by a portajohn stop in Mile 3.  Could be a detox reaction.  I took nothing for CBS or sulfur today.  Increased Serine to 5 pills and ordered the stronger stuff from Health Coach.  I will try to increase the All in One from 2 pills to 3 tomorrow, which will be my last run before the race.
Distance=5.0

6/4- RELAPSE.  That does it.  One more day like this and I'm shutting it down for a month.
1 Mile in 9:26.

6/5- Improved to 8:24 after cutting out the Serine.  Leaving for Asheville.

6/6- Finished the Asheville 10K in 49:04 (7:52 pace).  This appears to be the new normal.

6/7- Run on the Silver Comet.  Hoped to run 6 but had to settle for 4.  Again, I blew up early after a good start.  1st half: 15:06, 2nd half: 18:34.  If this had been a loop course, it would have included the walk of shame.

Friday, May 29, 2015

Results of the Experiments

Glutathione- This is a NO and it was recommended at #2 on my list.  I do not believe that zinc/copper is to blame.  It's all about the sulfur and CBS issues.  I got a nice boost the first time I tried it but on day 2, I started strong but faded badly after 3 laps and barely held on for a 15:52 for 2 miles while fading fast.  That broke the string of non-horrible days. UPDATE: I've learned that CBS issues can impair lung function.  I'm not surprised.

St. John's Wort-  NO.  This one was awful.  I got a brief elevation in mood that lasted about 2 hours then I became severely over-stimulated by the end of the work day.  The 2nd dose made it much worse.  I ran 1.5 miles at a pace just south of 7:30 then it took me 4:24 (8:48 pace) to run the next half mile after popping half a SJW pill.  Why I am so convinced that I am not bipolar?  That's why.  The turn for the worse occurred just after I took the pill.  I pitched the bottle.

Phosphatidyl Serine-  This may very well be a winner.  It's not magic but it should not be after just 1 dose.  I definitely calmed down within a couple hours of taking it and was NOT terribly overstimulated when I woke up the next morning.  I did need the ADHS but it was not a desperate need.  I was able to run a little bit without it.  If this reduces my need for adrenal suppressants, that could be HUGE for stability concerns.

Where to go from here?

A new option has emerged.  Molybdenum.  My reason is that it will most definitely reduce my sulfur and others have reported that it really helped their CBS.  At the end of 2 months on that stuff, my sulfur was so depleted that I actually needed taurine.  It also left me with a near perfect zinc/copper ratio.   The risk is that it could lower copper and raise sodium.  Perhaps if I take it with glutathione or taurine or even with the Liver pill, it will negate those ill-effects.  MAYBE, it will work.  I'm afraid if it doesn't, I need a few weeks off from any running at all.

No pressure at all for the Asheville 10K next weekend.  I should know at least something about the molybdenum by my next consult on 6/9.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Wellness plan from Health Coach 7

Running update:
An extremely hollow victory but here it is.  I have had 4 straight non-horrible days (3+ miles @ sub-8 pace).  The best of which was a group run that did not involve the walk of shame in which I managed 8 miles @ 7:44 pace.  I will be traveling to Asheville, North Carolina next weekend to finish up the 10K challenge.  At 2,200 feet altitude on a hilly course, I'll be lucky to finish much below 50 minutes.  I don't really care.  I've done 9 states already so I might as well finish.  It should be a fun trip too.  I'll get to see my old stomping grounds at Clemson and Greenville then catch the North Georgia mountains on my way back and stop at Nick's place in Atlanta.

I have signed up for Peachtree but I will likely scratch.  I don't think I can enjoy that event unless I can break 45 minutes and it would be a downer after the solid effort I had there last year (41:54).

I am still planning on those last 2 half marathons this Fall (Pennsylvania and South Carolina) to finish the Half 2 Run challenge.  I don't think I can go 13.1 without walking right now but I've got another 3.5 months to train and try to get healthy.

Now about the Wellness Plan.  I expected to get a few recommended tests and supplements.  Instead, I got a 26 page document detailing my genome in which the mutations were categorized by the following categories: Methylation, Metabolism, Inflammation, Neurotransmitters, Hormones.  It was quite valuable and I've learned quite a bit.  I also got some recommendations about my diet.  That was nothing earth shattering and I pretty much already knew it.  One important point is that it was recommended that I continue my running program with a mix of speed and long runs.  I already knew it but I am best suited to Middle distances such as the Mile-5K so that's what I'll train for if I ever get healthy again.

As for the supplement plan:
That was disappointing.  9 tests were suggested along with 15 or 16 supplements to consider.  I can't afford all that and even if I could, there's no way that I'm taking that many pills.  The top supplement listed was a product called PhosphoMax, which is mostly phosphatidyl choline.  It costs $100 and it's iffy that it will work.  I do know that a choline/inositol supplement did NOT work.  Also recommended was a Methyl B-12, which I know won't work because of COMT issues (he should have known that too) and a MTHFR product which I had already told him that it didn't work,  Fortunately, there is chance to straighten this all out.  I have a FREE 15 minute session in which I can ask all the questions that I want then, we will agree on the 2-3 supplements that are most important.  If I can find an effective product that is similar for less money, I'll do it and I ain't playing the "buy it from me or else" game.  Also, I am still waiting for my recording of the consult and will complain if I don't receive it soon.  For $250, customer service should be better than this.

One suggestion:
I really wish that these companies would offer a sample such as maybe a 5 day supply at a lower price so the patient can determine whether or not it will work for them.  I won't pay $100 unless I am nearly certain that it will work.  Offering a partial money back guarantee if say 3/4 of the bottle remains would be really nice but it's too much to ask given the potential for tampering.

Possible key:
The most important question that needs to be answered is the relationship of B-12 with copper and ceruloplasmin production.  I asked the Health Coach via e-mail and predictably got no response. Thanks to Facebook,  I do know that where there is copper deficiency, a B-12 deficiency is likely.  I also know that B-12 is involved in mercury detox, which may play a role in sensitivity issues.  Does B-12 help produce copper and ceruloplasmin?  That, I do not know and I'll have to find out with another test in about 2 months.  The Liver Beef has been great at raising my ceruloplasmin but while an important number looks a lot better than it did last year, I feel worse overall.  I hope to quit the Liver and simply maintain-improve my Cp by taking the B-12.  Health Coach was leery about me taking a liver glandular as well.

My options:
1. Glutathione-  In the past, it only worked when I was taking the Liver and in theory, it will clean out the unbound copper quickly and leave me with a zinc excess.  Of course, that was before I started on the B-12.  Again, DOES B-12 PRODUCE COPPER?  So much depends on that answer.  Since it is sulfur containing, I must be judicious with it because of the CBS issues. For the time being, it is a YES.  I did a better with or without workout today.  I opened with 3@7:38 then popped a glutathione and ran a 6:56 after a short rest.

2. Phosphatidyl Serine- This lowers cortisol and adrenaline.  My adrenaline was very low when first tested, which is common among adrenal fatigue patients but normalized in 2009 and would not be surprised if it has since been trending up.  Despite taking mega doses of adrenal suppressants and modulators, I wake up every morning VERY overstimulated and have to take mega doses again just to function.  MAYBE just MAYBE I won't be so dependent on that stuff if I take this.  My weight has been steadily creeping up the last few years and though I still look fit, I am getting a little soft in the midsection.  I'm up to 165 now, which is 10 lbs above my target.  Excess cortisol may be the culprit.  This has about a 50/50 chance of working for me.

3. St. John's Wort- This is intended to improve my mood by balancing my serotonin and dopamine.  It'll be a case in which I finish the bottle and be done with it.  Again, it's got about a 50/50 chance of working.

The FREE consult is on June 9th so I'll have plenty of time to experiment.

Friday, May 22, 2015

Brief thoughts on 1st consult with Health Coach

I'm going to make this one brief because I will not get the supplement recommendations until next week.  I wanted a simple answer: What mutated gene is responsible for the sensitivity and what can be done to stop it?

Unfortunately, there is no simple answer.  There are thousands of potentially problematic genes and worse yet, they can interact with one another.  I knew this before the consult but here it is.  It's bad enough to have a CBS mutation but if you couple it with NOS issues, it makes it much worse.  That is just one of many examples.

Here's a small list of problems:
-Moderate to severe weakness in mitochondrial function.  That has to do with energy and ATP production.  As I've mentioned before, I cannot reach my max heart rate which explains why I can run close to race pace and have it feel easy enough to come back for more the next day.  The workouts were not too hard.  I just lacked the top gear in races.

-Potential for severe neurotransmitter issues and for bipolar and major depression.  No surprise here.  My symptoms are similar to bipolar but I maintain that the ups and downs are all due to whether or not I take the right pills.  If you lived with me, you'd know that.  I've been known to have negative reactions within minutes of taking the wrong pill.  That's not bipolar.  Yes, I do have a very high energy level when I'm on but I've never had any real issues with mania.  Lastly, I've not been cold this long in almost 10 years.  If I was bipolar, I would have snapped out of this low months ago.  Where do my neurotransmitters stand now?  I was low in dopamine and adrenaline early in the treatment but would not be surprised if both are elevated now, which is not a good thing.  I've also considered the possibility that both are high but biounavailable (present but can't be used).

Moderate tendency for inflammation- Again, this makes sense.  I'm often sore for no good reason even if I have not worked out hard for days-weeks but have a remarkable capacity for work when I am hot.  An elevated Na/K ratio could make this one worse.

Potential autoimmune issues-  Again, this also makes sense.  Some people have a near fatal reaction to something as benign as a peanut.  While I am not in that category, I have had some pretty scary reactions to pills before.  Once, I could actually SEE my heart try to "leap out of my chest" after taking 1 pill containing too much B-6.  Perhaps my system just simply responds to certain minerals as if they are poison when they are actually beneficial.  It may be possible to "teach it" not to do that.

Early plan:
I've tried targeting single mutations which was not the right decision.  Just like with minerals, single replacement usually does not work because of all the interactions.  One interesting thing happened in my trial and mostly error period.  All CBS supplements caused a horrible reaction.  All SOD supplements caused a horrible reaction.  However, if taken together, I was not half bad.  I may consider a couple Yasko products but unless I see ingredients that I know I can't take, I'm going with Health Coach supplements.

One change:
I am switching permanently from Thym-Adren to ADHS.  I suspected that the garlic in Thym-Adren may be giving me problems and the Health Coach confirmed it based on a specific gene.  I also suspect that Thym-Adren is slowing my oxidation rate too quickly and may be contributing to my weight gain.  As for the zinc/copper, I'd love to quit taking the Liver pill altogether but it seems unlikely that I can maintain my copper and ceruloplasmin without it.  Perhaps something less strong could work.  Also, I've read some evidence that B-12 may be involved with copper and ceruloplasmin production.  If I could just increase that and pitch the Liver, that would be great.

-Best run in a while this evening:
2 miles in 13:58 with splits of 7:11-6:47.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Zinc and copper sensitivity

No relief in sight.  If I go a few days without taking the Liver, my system will demand more copper.  If I do take the Liver for more than 2-3 days, my system will demand more zinc and the cycle repeats itself.  I'm still running the Asheville 10K in 3 weeks and I may actually pull out something semi-respectable if I time the pills perfectly.  A half marathon at this point would almost certainly be a Gallowalk finish well over 2 hours.  All I have to do is finish in 2 more states and I've got the Half2Run completed.

I've pretty much reverted back to where I was in Adrenal Fatigue where a good day was 2-3 miles at 8:00 pace and a bad day was a total inability to run.

It is clear that zinc and copper are the problems and the likely SNP that is causing it is SOD, which I attempted to treat twice unsuccessfully.

Obviously, I need professional help and the full hour phone consult will be on May, 18 after work.  There may be other tests involved and it may take 3 more weeks to get a full plan from the doc.  In the meantime, I have a couple of ideas for some temporary relief:

1. Lay off all zinc and copper and try a thymus supp without those minerals.  I had a pretty good run with Lithium in 2009-10 but it eventually trashed my thyroid.  Standard Process has a thymus based product without zinc or copper that may be worth a shot.  However, at the end of the day, I know that I'll end up deficient in both minerals if I take it long-term.

2. Increase methylation with TMG (trimethyl glycine).  That will be tricky.  I tried DMG earlier in the year and it did indeed solve the zinc/copper sensitivity but the sensitivity to the DMG was worse.  Perhaps minute doses will help.

3.  St. John's Wort for depression.  It does work on MAO issues but it's got at best a 50/50 chance of being helpful.  If my dopamine is too high as it is, it could make it worse.



If this does not work out, everything I've done since my recovery from Adrenal Fatigue, including the website with its devotionals, will be all for naught and I'll never be the same again.

Update #1- Tried the thymus alone and it failed.  Struggled to a 7:53 finish in a 1 Mile.  TMG is next.

#2- TMG is likely a failure as well.  2 miles in 15:13 and my splits were 7:17-7:56 and felt very over-stimulated.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

What might have been/Aging

Let's take a look at some times in my best event in HS, which was the 800 meters:
-1:40.9- Current World Record set by David Rudisha
-1:45- Olympic hopeful
-1:50- Top collegiate runner.
-1:55- All-State in HS, Strong D-II or III runner but mid-back pack at a major D-I school.
-2:00-2:05 Top HS runner, Good D-II or III competitor but not good enough for D-I.
2:05-2:10- Wins most dual meets in HS and might place in a small invitational.  Competitive in D-II and D-III but near the back of the pack on a good team.
2:10-2:15- This was me in HS.  Will usually place in a dual meet but that's it.
2:15-2:20- Mid-pack in HS, usually good enough for Varsity and to participate in invitationals but will score few points and usually finish about 5th in a dual meet.
2:30- Competitive in HS.  By that, I mean you won't be dead last in a meet and you can train with the team but you won't even sniff the Varsity.

I had a best of 2:13 and averaged 2:15 by my senior year.  Even on a bad day, I was under 2:20.  That's why I say that being 5% off is a red flag that something is wrong.  At the professional level, it's the difference between a WR and failing to make the finals in the Olympics.

  I don't kid myself, I never had what it took to be a top collegiate runner even if I was healthy.  Still, given that I was still growing and hadn't filled out at all, I was certainly capable of further improvement.  Also, my pacing was poor with my 1st lap at least 5 seconds faster than my 2nd.  Given better coaching, pacing and natural growth, I believe that I could have averaged 2:05 in college but probably not broken 2:00.  I would not have been a star even on a D-2 team but certainly would have enjoyed the camaraderie of the team.  That's all in the past now and the only good that came out was that I never developed the arrogance that is common among elite runners.

Let's shift gears now.
I find it interesting that those who are the best in the world in their 20s and 30s are not the best in the Master's ranks.  The world's best 50 year olds usually were not the greatest in their 20s-30s.  While there are exceptions, the nation's top high school runners are rarely the best ten years later.

Anyone ever heard of Obea Moore?  I thought not.  He set national records in the 400 every year from age 10-17.  As a junior in HS, he clocked a 45.xx and raced against Michael Johnson in the '96 Olympic Trials.  He never improved beyond that.  Sadly, I heard that he never even competed in college because he didn't have the grades and it was rumored that he got messed up on drugs.  Still, if you look at age group record holders among say 13-14 year-olds, you won't find any that did anything at the professional level.  That's interesting to me and I often wonder why that is the case.  I'd say that in many cases, it is simply accelerated physical maturity and in the late teens-20s, others simply "catch up."  Burnout due to over training at a young age is also possible.

Growing up, I knew of the Christiansen running family.  One kid could break 20:00 for 5K at just 7 years old and by the time he was 9, he was in the 17s and he had a younger brother that did the same.  Neither one of them did anything major as an adult runner and the last I read, both did run in college but not at the D-I level.

If you keep running consistently as an adult, you should be able to maintain or slightly improve your HS Mile-5K time through your early 30s especially if you are not obsessed with the LSD of marathon training.  Your times at distances 10K and above should be better than you were capable of in HS.  In spite of my issues, I've fit that description.  

It is common that runners take a decade hiatus from running after HS them come back 10 years later when they are pushing 30.  Some are able to pick up right where they left off within a year or 2 even if they took up smoking during their hiatus.  Others struggle to match their 9th grade times despite steady training for several years.  Why is that?  It could very well be due to slower oxidation rates or activated genetic mutations.  I believe the world class Master's runners are blessed with better genetic material and they are only now training at a world class level.  It is commonly believed that world class fitness can only be maintained for 10-15 years before burnout sets in.  That may very well be true.

As for me, at 34, age related decline should be negligible if it even exists at all. Tulsa last November was my last race as serious runner.  Do I want to be competitive again?  Hell yeah!  I don't just love racing.  I love to train and push myself to improve.  I miss the camaraderie of the group runs and would really miss the travel to places that I would not normally visit.  That said, it's not why I am pursuing the genetic solution.  I just want to be free from this awful instability,  I want to have a few dates and eventually get married and would like to help raise a child or two.   That's more important to me than racing but as of now, it's not an option.  My health coach consult is on Monday the 18th after work so stay tuned.


Thursday, May 7, 2015

Impact of genetic mutations on the rest of my life

I was hesitant to do this test because I feared it would lead to pessimism and fatalism.  It has.  Right now, my symptoms would qualify as full blown clinical depression and I don't believe there are any meds out there that can help me.
-SSRIs are bad for MTHFR mutations.
-SNRIs are bad for COMT issues.
-The only one that I might consider is MAO inhibitors such as Wellbutrin but at the end of the day, the chemical sensitivity is still there even if the drug is effective.  Moreover, the side effects and withdrawal symptoms could be severe.  I have a lot of other problems besides MAO issues so I'd really prefer not to go down that road.  It's a last resort.

I only did the genetic test when it became clear that I would never get in balance by following the hair test protocol alone.  Again, I wanted to see mutations because there had to be some explanation for this extreme sensitivity.  Based on everything that I have read, the symptoms arose as a result of a combination of a congenital vulnerability and environmental factors such as high stress, poor diet and prescription drug use.  I often wonder how things would have been different if I had never taken Accutane as a teenager.  I believe that by refusing to take it, the acne would have cleared in my early 20s but it would have only delayed the energy crash until early adulthood.   I was no champion before the crash.  I was a decent high school runner who could place in a duel meet but did nothing in a major invitation and I was also injury prone.  My body had some quirks from a very young age and even as early as elementary school, I had a sneaking suspicion that something might be wrong.

I expected a tough fight ahead when I got the results but I did not expect my system to reject treatments such as charcoal and yucca, as well as pretty much everything out there for CBS issues.  Some early success would have really been a nice confidence booster but as it is, I'm actually feeling worse overall that I was when I got the results at the end of March.  I MUST talk to the Health Coach.

My future:
  A few years ago, I said that I was undecided about children.  I am now firmly in the NO camp.  While I am sure that caring for an infant and a toddler is very rewarding, it is also VERY draining.  More importantly, now that I know that there is a genetic basis for my illness, my child would be vulnerable to the same issues that I have.  Seeing that happen knowing that it was my genetic defects that caused it would break my heart.

I turn 35 in September and that's generally considered the age that men have got to consider a woman that has been married before.  That's contrary to how I was raised but given my situation, I'm beginning to think that it may be for the best.  Birmingham is a better city for singles than Montgomery but it's still hard to find a woman much over 30 that has never been married.  I tend to relate better to people a few years older as well.  Helping raise 1 or 2 pre-adolescent children would be quite rewarding and I know that I would be a darn good stepfather to teenage boy.  I'll skip the diaper changing and "terrible 2s and 3s" as well.

Still that said, I would need to know who initiated the divorce and for what reason before I got serious with anybody.  I can think of several circumstances in which divorce and re-marriage are acceptable:
-Abuse (physical or emotional)
-Adultery (that's obvious)
-Drug use, alcoholism or any other compulsive behaviors such as gambling addiction.
-If you got dumped for no good reason such as a medical problem, I won't hold that against you because it could have very easily happened to me.
I would still be very leery about it if it was due to arguments about money or so called "irreconcilable differences"  and I believe in a waiting period of at least 1 year for dating and 2-3 for re-marriage.
I have talked to my mother about this and she's disappointed but understands.  Of course, none of this matters as long as I am sick.

My faith:
 I'm sorry to report that I have lost all enthusiasm.  I'll never walk away but right now I'm just a garden variety church go-er.  I'm done with devotionals and Bible study until further notice. It's not just my situation that is the problem.  I've read so many reports of sick children too.  There are genetic diseases that have no known cure and it's hard to square that away with a loving God. When it comes to mutations related to detox and methylation, it's treatable but very hard to beat and it does not seem like I'm getting any help from the Great Physician.

  Countless times, I felt like I was on the verge of a full recovery and I actually met my 3 most important long-term running goals.  I called it the trifecta, which included my HS 5K PR, a sub-40 10K and a sub-90 half marathon.  I fell short in the 400, Mile and Marathon but given all the right ingredients, the potential was there.  However, the symptom free periods were nothing more than an illusion and it became painfully clear that balance would never happen unless I addressed my genetics.  That's devastating.  My demands are far from unreasonable.  I just want stable chemistry that will allow me to enjoy life.  I don't even care about PRs anymore.  In fact, I'd actually enjoy the running community more if I was a little slower than I was at my peak because more people will match my pace.

One piece of good news:
I got a promotion at work and am now a Revenue Examiner II.  It will require more work and more responsibility but the pay raise is significant and it does not require longer working hours.  The only real downside is that my standards of evaluation will be tougher.  I won't turn down the promotion but I am afraid of running into trouble at work if my health does not improve soon.


Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Training 5/4-5/10

Update:
It has become painfully clear that I MUST talk to the Health Coach.  I don't mind paying the money but I had better get top notch service in return and I will not play the "buy supps from me or else" game.  The CBS/NOS product is a NO!  I cannot even take a quarter of a pill without a reaction and the zinc/copper sensitivity is BACK WITH A VENGEANCE!  A quarter of a liver pill is not enough but half is too much.  I simply cannot manage this on my own.

I have ordered another SOD supplement and a product called Butyrate for ammonia issues.  I'm also looking into an ammonia blood test.  Needless to say, all my emotional strength is gone.

5/4- Horrible has become the norm as of late.  2 miles in 16:50 with splits of 7:53-8:57.

5/5- Took a quarter of a liver pill and improved to 15:26 with even splits.  If I had taken half ....

5/6- Slightly better.
AM- 2 miles in 14:57 but faded badly at the end.
PM- Trak Shak 3 in 22:20 (7:27 pace) but this time, I kept the pace even

5/7- A better with or without test with 5-Methyl Folate and I failed it.
AM- 1 mile in 7:30 and fading at the end.  Popped half a pill and was MUCH worse.
PM- Got some clearance.  2.5 on Lakeshore in 19:40 (7:52 pace) but this time, it was evenly paced.
4 miles on the day and so far, 13 on the week.

5/8- Canterbury 4 in 29:52 (7:28 pace) with a slight negative split.  Not half bad today.  I took half a Liver pill and tolerated a bit of taurine.  I'm not touching any MTHFR support or CBS/NOS until further notice.  I want to try the Butyrate tomorrow and I want to see where I stand with the blood ammonia test.

5/9- Attempted the BTC group run and ended up with another walk of shame.  Held a sub-8 pace for 2 miles then crashed and called it a day after 3 miles in 25:57 (8:39 pace) with a 3rd mile over 10 minutes.  Tacked on another junk mile in the evening and felt no better.  Filled out the form for the Health Coach consult and I could have my appointment as early as next week.

5/10- This is NUTS!  It was another better with or without test.  Led off with a comfortable 7:18 mile then tried butyrate (for ammonia) and had seen enough with a 4:32 over the next half mile (9:04 pace) then took a SOD pill and improved to 3:38 (7:16 pace).  Walked a lap then ran a 3rd mile in 7:39.  Butyrate is a NO so that means I have exhausted every option for CBS.  They all failed but the SOD is a success and may help the copper sensitivity.

Totaled 24 miles.

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Mutation update

Yet another HORRIBLE week.  Totaled just 11 miles and only 1 of which was at sub-8 pace.

Despite the fact that the customer service from Dr. John, the Health Coach, has been marginal at best, I've decided to bite the bullet and pay the $250 for the full hour consult.  If nothing else, it may prevent me from wasting more money on supplements that don't work.  I will send his assistant my genome and say that I expect him to study my case BEFORE the consult.

Current status:
Once again, the Liver pill is giving me fits.  Just last week, I was getting a nice boost from taking Nutricology's Liver Beef.  I was a good 30 seconds faster per mile than before taking it.  Now, I am AWFUL if I take it and signs point toward going back to the Thym-Adren yet my ceruloplasmin is still almost certainly sub-optimal.  The cycle will repeat itself if changes are not made and the shift will be sudden.  One day, I'll be okay (not good) and the next will be awful despite taking the same pills.  Do I take about a quarter of a Liver pill every day or take a full pill 2x/week?  I want to try the quarter option to achieve more stability.  I know the reason is probably the SOD mutation but it seems that I can't do anything about that until I address the CBS/NOS.

Reaction to CBS/NOS:
 VERY sensitive.  If I take more than about a third of a pill, I won't only have fatigue, malaise and depression.  I'll get headaches and a rash.  Then, about 12 hours after taking it, I'll have a sudden need to defecate and often walk away feeling better. (Tried to be as tasteful as possible).  Supposedly, tolerance will increase with time as it has with the B-12 and All in One.  That's my strategy for the next month.  I'll race the 10K in North Carolina to complete that milestone and don't care at all about my time.  If that fails, it's 4 weeks of inactivity.  Either way, I'm likely OUT for Peachtree.
Then, I will suffer through 2 more half marathons to complete the Half 2 Run challenge;
9/12- Montour Trail in PA (state #24)
10/31- Spinx Run Fest in SC. (state #25)
  If I am not MUCH better by the end of October, I will officially retire from racing but will continue to do light running as tolerated.  At this point, I don't even care about setting PRs or even racing at all.  I just want to solve this awful chemical imbalances and sensitivity.  If I could trade my right leg for freedom from this disease, I would do it and I'm dead serious too!