MTHFR- Homozygous. Impairs folate metabolism. I need 5-Methyl folate, NOT folic acid. Though this is often considered the worst mutation to have, I seem to be managing it fairly well. I take a relatively small amount of Methyl folate (200 mg) as part of my Jigsaw Mag and have tolerated it pretty well. When I tried to go off the Jigsaw earlier this year, I knew within 2 days that I would not work.
CBS/NOS- Compound hetero on CBS. Homo on NOS. If you've been reading for the last few months, you know that this one is a "priority" mutation and has given me fits. By priority, I mean that it must be treated first before tackling methylation. Treatments such as charcoal, CBS/NOS caps, CBS drops, Sparga and orinthine have all been MASSIVE failures and caused intolerable fatigue and depression. This is actually an upregulation (overactive) enzyme in the trans-sulfur pathway. Patients with these mutations are likely to see high levels of taurine without supplementation and toxic ammonia. I feared the worst but my results were not too bad according to my UAA test. Taurine was mildly high but could come down now that I've been off it for several months and ammonia was within range. If the genetic defect is not expressing itself, there is no need to treat it. Patients with this defect need to limit B-6 as well as methyl donors because they contribute to buildup of sulfur. However, as I will explain, it does not offset a MTHFR defect. Patients with MTHFR and CBS still need methyl folate but must limit it because it will worsen the sulfur burden. Is the sensitivity beginning to make sense now?
SUOX- 23and me does not test the key SNP (370A) so I am not 100 percent certain that I have it but all signs point in that direction. Patients with this mutation will have very high sulfites and sulfates and I've heard it can really wreak havoc by causing a bottleneck in the pathway, which can lead to intolerance to methyl as well as other treatments that should work in theory. That sure sounds a lot like me. The only effective treatment that I've found is the SUOX drops and I must be judicious early.
NDUFS- I have tested homo here as well. This is a mitochondrial weakness, which robs me of my top gear in races and explains why I often under-performed relative to my workouts. CoQ10 is the recommended treatment here and so far so good with Yasko's spray.
GAD- Compound hetero. I haven't discussed this one much and don't think it is expressing much. In these cases, taurine is HIGHLY recommended but once again, it does not offset a CBS upregulation and patients will have to be meticulous to take an extremely narrow range. (2 pills may work but 3 are too many) and a single dose could be the difference. Fortunately, this gene does not seem to be active at this time.
COMT/VDR- This one impacts dopamine production and is one of the rare cases that mutations do cancel each other out. I am compound hetero on both and as I understand, it is better to have both mutations than one or the other. This one also tells you which B-12 to take, which in my case is hydroxy but there is another complication as I will explain below.
MTR/MTRR- Homozygous on both. In this case, methyl B-12 is NEEDED and I've read that it is THIS mutation, not the SUOX that is responsible for my VERY LOW methionine. I will be VERY
CAUTIOUS with both hydroxy and methyl B-12. Even if the methyl B-12 fails, taking the TMG should be better than nothing. Once again, I am faced with a situation where a treatment is needed but cannot be tolerated due to issues with CBS, SUOX and COMT so hello sensitivity.
Oxidation rate:
I have not done a hair test this year and intend to wait until I get at least some handle on the methylation. I do suspect that by doing so, it will be easier to get my numbers in balance.
Mercury amalgams:
I am continuing to go back and forth. I've heard reports that it was the key to getting your life back while others contend that it made them worse or had no real impact. If I am to do it, it will be after all else fails with a denty certified under the safety protocol. I will not rush into a potentially risky procedure than cannot be undone.
Friday, August 28, 2015
Monday, August 24, 2015
Negative response to B-12?
The only advantage to being so sensitive to supplements is that usually within 2 or 3 doses, I know whether or not a treatment will work for me. Sometimes, 1 pill is all it takes. With the B-12, that did not happen. I started on it back in April after a mediocre half marathon in Kentucky (1:50 on a hilly course). The next day, I got my 23and me test results, which showed that I was compound hetero for COMT and thus should benefit from hydroxy B-12 (not methyl or cyano). Also, it was supposed to help reduce sulfur and increase tolerance to methyl donors. It certainly seemed like a good choice on the surface. Unfortunately, as is often the case, a pill or treatment that is SUPPOSED to work on paper does not necessarily work in reality.
Most of the time when I take something that doesn’t work, I get a swift negative reaction often within minutes of taking the pill. That didn’t happen here. Though I have had a few days in which I appeared to be doing a little better, the overall trend has been a gradual but steady decline over the last 4 months.
Why the intolerance? That’s difficult to say. Yasko has suggested that I may be low in Lithium and that deficiency can prevent B-12 from reaching the cells. That seems unlikely because I have taken Lithium in the past and my ADHS (adrenal modulator) contains a small amount of it. More likely, I have developed a cobalt toxicity from taking too much of it. I may have missed a dose here and there but the vast majority of the time, I was taking 500-1000 mcg/day. My All in One contains 50 mcg but that should be okay. A small dose will likely be a benefit as it should continue to keep my copper in line. It is possible that a large dose caused too much of a sulfur detox reaction but if cobalt is the culprit, it would cause weakness in the cardiovascular system, which would make sense. B-12 does lower homocysteine, which is a dangerous amino acid. There may be a downside to having it too low however as it may be needed to produce Methionine.
It is possible that all of the stuff that I tried for the CBS/sulfur detox failed because of the B-12. I have traced the intolerance to Thym-Adren to B-12 so it may be possible that I could give the Sparga another try. Then again, what is the cause of my sulfur toxicity and intolerance to methyls?
CBS or SUOX revisited?
I know that I am compound hetero on CBS because the test showed it. That said, based on my symptoms, I expected that my UAA test would show taurine and ammonia through the roof but that didn’t happen. Ammonia was a little on the high side but well within the range. Taurine was just a hair above the range but that may have been due more to my history of supplementation than the mutation. My sulfur test strips showed extreme high levels and though I desperately need Methionine, I still could not tolerate it despite taking the B-12. I am unsure where I stand with the SUOX because 23and me does not test for the key SNP but signs certainly point in that direction and I seemed to improve at least initially after being judicious with the drops.
Mercury and additional tests and products:
Again, I am beginning to consider amalgam removal but if I am to go down that route, it will be in Atlanta or Dotahan with a denty that is certified under the safety protocol. Yasko gave me a free urine test for toxic metals and the result should answer the question of mercury burden and cobalt toxicity.
I am going to try a couple new things:
ACE drops to lower tissue sodium
Methionine drops- 1 pill is too much but I may be able to take a drop or 2 and yes, that could make a difference.
I expect that if I go off the B-12 for a few days, I will again be able to tolerate Thym-Adren again.
I will stay on the SUOX drops and may try Sparga again. Sparga is reasonably priced so I don’t mind wasting $20.
Bottom line:
Even if I am doing everything else right, I could still be screwed by 1 wrong treatment. I realize that this is an extreme analogy but here it is: Suppose that you have an enemy that slips a trace of arsenic in your bowl of grits every morning. If the dose is small enough, you won’t notice it at first but you will continue to get sicker. It would take a few days off it to notice that you are getting better. Of course, it would not matter how healthy the rest of your lifestyle is if you regularly take something that toxic.
Training 8/24-8/30 (Off the B-12)
8/24- Day 1 and did improve a bit as the day progressed. Wisteria 2 mile in 15:46 (7:53 pace). Splits were 7:50-7:56 so I held the pace well on the up side. I should be noticeably better by tomorrow morning.
8/25- AM- Struggled this session. 1 Mile at Vestavia in 7:57 and had to work to secure the sub-8 but I don't think I would have collapsed in Mile 2. It has become clear that the TMG is needed. Why? The smart money is on the SUOX drops opening up the methylation pathway.
PM- Spain Park 3 in 22:21 (7:27 pace). Pretty decent splits too (7:21-7:32-7:28).Wisteria is probably about 10 seconds slower than on a track so figure that my pace was 15 seconds faster over an extra mile. This is only the 2nd day and I did nothing different. I'll take it. New stuff will arrive tomorrow but the only thing that I will try is the Methionine drops. Maybe next week, I will try to go back on Thym-Adren. Faint glimmer of hope.
8/26- AM. Another Vestavia Mile. This time I was down to 6:22 but was not pleased with how I felt. Faded badly (3:04-3:18) and my last lap was my slowest, which never happens with me. I did increase the TMG from 1 pill to 1.5 and I'm going back to 1 tomorrow.
PM- Trak Shak 5 on a beautiful evening. Finished in a solid 36:56 (7:23 pace) though I did fade a bit at the end (18:06-18:50). The new stuff did arrive and I took just 1 drop of the methionine. Too soon to say if it's helpful but it clearly didn't hurt. I beat yesterday's pace while adding 2 additional miles.
8/27- Methionine drops FAILED. Just 2 drops caused a collapse. ACE drops also hurt. I may try the latter again but for now, it's on the shelf. I've read that methionine is B-12 dependent but the preferred form is methyl B-12 which is a BIG no no for me. Maybe, I will try Methyl B-12 in drop form but not for a while. I fell off pace after just 100 meters and just jogged the rest of the mile naked. No panic. I should get at least some clearance tomorrow.
8/28- 2 mile quickie at Gold's in 13:52 (6:56 pace). Tempo effort and not sure if I had another mile in me at that pace but I think I could have beaten Wednesday's 5 miler. Took just a trace of methyl B-12 with no ill-effects. No excuses tomorrow. I NEED a double digit run no matter how slow it is. NO walk of shame. I am just 2 weeks out from race day.
8/29- SUCCESS. Trak Shak 10 mile with the group though I pretty much did my own thing. Finished in 81:22 (8:08 pace). Pacing was fairly even with nothing much over 8:30. This projects to a half mary in about 1:46-1:47. Given cooler and less humid conditions and less hills, it's plausible that I could go under 1:45 in 2 weeks. Of course, it all depends on the pills.
8/30- FAILURE but it was not a surprise. I had been taking just a trace of methyl B-12 and today I took a whole pill, which ended in disaster. Just a naked mile on Wisteria.
Weekly summary:
Overall, one of my better weeks of the year. Managed 25 miles with 5 out of 7 non-horrible days. I will be doing some experimentation next week. I want to try Sparga one last time as well as Thym-Adren and possible PEA, which was low on my UAA test. I am going to do a hair test through a different lab because it is best to rule out mercury toxicity and lithium deficiency.
8/25- AM- Struggled this session. 1 Mile at Vestavia in 7:57 and had to work to secure the sub-8 but I don't think I would have collapsed in Mile 2. It has become clear that the TMG is needed. Why? The smart money is on the SUOX drops opening up the methylation pathway.
PM- Spain Park 3 in 22:21 (7:27 pace). Pretty decent splits too (7:21-7:32-7:28).Wisteria is probably about 10 seconds slower than on a track so figure that my pace was 15 seconds faster over an extra mile. This is only the 2nd day and I did nothing different. I'll take it. New stuff will arrive tomorrow but the only thing that I will try is the Methionine drops. Maybe next week, I will try to go back on Thym-Adren. Faint glimmer of hope.
8/26- AM. Another Vestavia Mile. This time I was down to 6:22 but was not pleased with how I felt. Faded badly (3:04-3:18) and my last lap was my slowest, which never happens with me. I did increase the TMG from 1 pill to 1.5 and I'm going back to 1 tomorrow.
PM- Trak Shak 5 on a beautiful evening. Finished in a solid 36:56 (7:23 pace) though I did fade a bit at the end (18:06-18:50). The new stuff did arrive and I took just 1 drop of the methionine. Too soon to say if it's helpful but it clearly didn't hurt. I beat yesterday's pace while adding 2 additional miles.
8/27- Methionine drops FAILED. Just 2 drops caused a collapse. ACE drops also hurt. I may try the latter again but for now, it's on the shelf. I've read that methionine is B-12 dependent but the preferred form is methyl B-12 which is a BIG no no for me. Maybe, I will try Methyl B-12 in drop form but not for a while. I fell off pace after just 100 meters and just jogged the rest of the mile naked. No panic. I should get at least some clearance tomorrow.
8/28- 2 mile quickie at Gold's in 13:52 (6:56 pace). Tempo effort and not sure if I had another mile in me at that pace but I think I could have beaten Wednesday's 5 miler. Took just a trace of methyl B-12 with no ill-effects. No excuses tomorrow. I NEED a double digit run no matter how slow it is. NO walk of shame. I am just 2 weeks out from race day.
8/29- SUCCESS. Trak Shak 10 mile with the group though I pretty much did my own thing. Finished in 81:22 (8:08 pace). Pacing was fairly even with nothing much over 8:30. This projects to a half mary in about 1:46-1:47. Given cooler and less humid conditions and less hills, it's plausible that I could go under 1:45 in 2 weeks. Of course, it all depends on the pills.
8/30- FAILURE but it was not a surprise. I had been taking just a trace of methyl B-12 and today I took a whole pill, which ended in disaster. Just a naked mile on Wisteria.
Weekly summary:
Overall, one of my better weeks of the year. Managed 25 miles with 5 out of 7 non-horrible days. I will be doing some experimentation next week. I want to try Sparga one last time as well as Thym-Adren and possible PEA, which was low on my UAA test. I am going to do a hair test through a different lab because it is best to rule out mercury toxicity and lithium deficiency.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Training 8/17-8/23
8/17- I know for sure now that the Methionine is a NO at least for now. I do believe that the SUOX drops and the TMG will work for me. Did 1.5 at Gold's in a time of 12:22 (8:15 pace). Passed 1 mile fading in 7:42 then popped the forbidden pill and slipped to a 4:40 (9:20 pace) and bagged it.
Distance= 1.5
8/18- AM- Bumped the SUOX up to 3 drops and the TMG up to 2 pills and ran the same distance also at Gold's in a time of 9:30 (6:20 pace) for an impressive MINUS 2:52 overall (1:55/mile). In a mile time trial, I believe I would have been faster than the 6:09 last week but just short of breaking 6. Maybe I will try tomorrow but with a half marathon in 3.5 weeks, I need to get my distance up if I am to finish with a non-disaster.
PM- Felt just a hair off on 2 TMG so I tried a 3rd and it was a mistake. No attempt to run this evening. There is a CHANCE that the SUOX will solve my sensitivity to TMG.
Distance=1.5
8/19- 1 Mile in 8:45. That's a failure for today. I thought that the TMG would allow me to take as many drops as I want. WRONG! 4 drops was a disaster. It's got to be 2-3 with 2 TMG. I've had to pee a lot and felt a little better afterwards every time. It's got to be detox. I need to get up to 6 drops but that's not going to happen for a while The only other thing that I am considering is Methyl-Force from Yasko but that will likely wait until after the next race.
Distance=1.0
8/20- Not much better. Endured 3 miles at Gold's in 25:51 (8:37 pace).
8/21- AWFUL! Did not even attempt a workout. ADHS is the culprit.
8/22- Same formula as my good day on Tuesday. It allowed me to run 1.5 @ 6:20 but today, I managed only 1 mile in 7:58 and needed a downhill finish to break 8. BLEAK!
PM- Little better. 3 miles at Gold's in 23:29 (7:50 pace) with splits of 7:44-7:56-7:49. I am going to detox tonight. Little to gain but nothing to lose.
8/23- AWFUL! This time I DID tolerate ADHS but not the TMG. I did detox last night but did not pass many stones and don't think it was very effective. Passed 1 mile in 8:02 then died and it was so bad in Mile 2 that I didn't want to know.
Summary:
I am now 3 weeks out from Pennsylvania and 10 out from South Carolina. Looking bleak, I'm going to try 3 drops of SUOX and a new nucleotide product called ACE for sodium retention. It's looking more and more like I will be an ex-runner come November.
Distance= 1.5
8/18- AM- Bumped the SUOX up to 3 drops and the TMG up to 2 pills and ran the same distance also at Gold's in a time of 9:30 (6:20 pace) for an impressive MINUS 2:52 overall (1:55/mile). In a mile time trial, I believe I would have been faster than the 6:09 last week but just short of breaking 6. Maybe I will try tomorrow but with a half marathon in 3.5 weeks, I need to get my distance up if I am to finish with a non-disaster.
PM- Felt just a hair off on 2 TMG so I tried a 3rd and it was a mistake. No attempt to run this evening. There is a CHANCE that the SUOX will solve my sensitivity to TMG.
Distance=1.5
8/19- 1 Mile in 8:45. That's a failure for today. I thought that the TMG would allow me to take as many drops as I want. WRONG! 4 drops was a disaster. It's got to be 2-3 with 2 TMG. I've had to pee a lot and felt a little better afterwards every time. It's got to be detox. I need to get up to 6 drops but that's not going to happen for a while The only other thing that I am considering is Methyl-Force from Yasko but that will likely wait until after the next race.
Distance=1.0
8/20- Not much better. Endured 3 miles at Gold's in 25:51 (8:37 pace).
8/21- AWFUL! Did not even attempt a workout. ADHS is the culprit.
8/22- Same formula as my good day on Tuesday. It allowed me to run 1.5 @ 6:20 but today, I managed only 1 mile in 7:58 and needed a downhill finish to break 8. BLEAK!
PM- Little better. 3 miles at Gold's in 23:29 (7:50 pace) with splits of 7:44-7:56-7:49. I am going to detox tonight. Little to gain but nothing to lose.
8/23- AWFUL! This time I DID tolerate ADHS but not the TMG. I did detox last night but did not pass many stones and don't think it was very effective. Passed 1 mile in 8:02 then died and it was so bad in Mile 2 that I didn't want to know.
Summary:
I am now 3 weeks out from Pennsylvania and 10 out from South Carolina. Looking bleak, I'm going to try 3 drops of SUOX and a new nucleotide product called ACE for sodium retention. It's looking more and more like I will be an ex-runner come November.
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Training 8/9-8/16 (SUOX updates)
8/9- Had a bit of a rough afternoon yesterday after an extra dose so I laid off it last night and was pleased with the result today. Gold's 5 in 37:19 (7:28 pace). Splits were 18:25-18:54 so yes, I faded but I could have kept going for another few miles. If I raced a half mary today, I likely would have been in the low 1:50s with Gallowalking in the last 5K. I've still got 5 weeks until race day. As for the SUOX treatment, I need to go low and slow. No more than 2 drops at night for now and no action at all with methylation for another few weeks.
Distance=5.0
8/10- Lakeshore 5 in 39:35 (7:55 pace). Not horrible but a bit of a downer after yesterday's step forward. Ran with a group of college runners who had an easy session so I felt out of place. Passed 3 in 23-flat (7:40) then slipped to a 16:35 (8:17) for the last 2 and didn't have much left in the tank when I finished. I took Sparga yesterday afternoon and reacted badly to it so I'm done with that stuff. I believe the culprit today was too much SUOX (3 drops last night). I going down to 1 from now on. The jury is still out. I had to start out LOW on both the All in One and B-12 but now I can take as much as I want/need. Not surprisingly, I reacted badly to half a TMG pill (too much methylation). Tomorrow will be a big day. Planning either a Mile time trial or an indoor tempo if it rains.
Distance=5.0
8/11-Opted for a tempo at Gold's. Finished 3 miles in 21:54 (7:18 pace). 5th straight non-horrible day but I should be progressing faster than this. If I had kept going, I would have been hard pressed to beat my 5 miler from 2 days ago. Took 2 drops last night. Here's what I predict will happen:
I will be better tomorrow morning after laying off it tonight but if I stay off, I will revert back to 9 minute miles within 3-5 days. I may have to alternate days for a couple weeks until I can tolerate more. That means a long road ahead. I'm okay with that so long as the road is not a dead end and progress is relatively steady. I plan to run in the morning tomorrow then take another dose after that.
Distance=3.0
8/12- Made it 6 in a row but it was downer. Group run on Lakeshore and called it quits after 3 miles in 23:45 (7:55 pace). Turned around early to avoid the walk of shame. I was pushing pretty much all out and just could not get the pace much below 8. To my credit, I was able to hold it there and actually managed a slight negative split (11:56-11:49). Again, I believe I could have finished a half marathon today but would have struggled for a sub-2.
SUOX: Woke up in the morning and knew that I was way off after not taking it last night. Took 1 drop and felt better but 2 drops were too much. A 3rd drop after I got home made it worse. I HATE this sensitivity but it's just the way it is right now. The alternative is to accept defeat. My tolerance should improve in time and it is comforting to know that I have found something helpful. If I can make it 7 tomorrow, it will be a big boost.
Distance=3.5
8/13- AM- Took ZERO drops last night and was probably as close to equilibrium as I get this morning. Vestavia Mile time trial in 6:09.6 (89-95-96-89). I was hoping for 10 seconds faster but this is still my fastest time since starting the methylation treatment (I did a 5:48 earlier in the year). At my peak, I was ripping off 96 second laps for a full 10K and this time is 54 seconds from my goal. At least I am within a minute/mile. I might try again this afternoon but I predict that I will begin to deteriorate after another half day without a drop.
PM- Started fading before lunchtime today so no attempt to run this afternoon. This still counts as 7 in a row. A key question has been answered. I need to SUOX drops every day. 3 dosage options remain: 1 drop, 2 at night or 2 in divided doses.
-2 at night yielded the 21:54 3 mile. I'll see if I can do better on the other options. Again, I hope to increase the dose over time.
Distance= 1.5
8/14- Took only 1 drop last night and it clearly was NOT enough. I'm nearly positive that the best formula right now is 2 drop at night and hope to eventually bump it up to 4-6. The sooner I can do that, the sooner I will be able to tolerate methyl.
- 1 Mile at Vestavia and slipped to 6:56 with splits of 3:23-3:33. I'm unsure if I could have done sub-8 for 3 miles so I can't count it as non-horrible but I don't consider it a real attempt either so the streak is still alive.
Distance= 1,0
8/15- BAFA day. 3 miles with the BTC in a time of 28:54 (9:38 pace). That's a failure for today. Held the pace with the group for just 1.2 miles then died. Funny thing is that I didn't feel half bad when I woke up but got much worse after taking my normal ADHS. I will try some methylation but if that doesn't work, the ADHS must be cut. I don't understand that because it's a modulator. Extra pills should not hurt.
PM- 3 miles again this time at Gold's. Took a half pill of TMG and my time was all the way down to 23:15 (7:45 pace) with fairly even splits. That's right. I was MINUS 5:39 all because of a HALF PILL. This is nothing new for me. Tomorrow, I will first attempt to reduce the ADHS and if that does not work, it's back on the TMG. If the SUOX drops have opened the methylation pathway, it would be EXCELLENT news. If I cannot tolerate it, I'm in BIG trouble yet again.
Distance= 6.0
8/16- Run #1- Cut the ADHS down to 3 pills and was worse. Yesterday, I was able to hold the pace for a mile. Today, I could not even do that. Wisteria Mile in 9:38 (4:46-4:52). Took some TMG and am fixin' to go back out right now.
Run #2- Added nearly a full TMG pill and was down to 14:46 for 2 miles (7:23 pace) this time at Vestavia. I was MINUS 2:15/mile, which is a greater improvement than yesterday. I am going to test out Methionine now.
Run #3- Gold's 3 mile in 20:52 (6:57 pace), which is MINUS 26 over an extra mile. Started strong with a 6:44 opening mile then had to hang on for the sub-7 pace overall. I did pass the test but am a little uneasy about Methionine going forward. It seems like I am getting worse as the pill fully kicks in. If I am to take it, it will be minuscule amounts. I feel better about the TMG. I am not trying the cysteine.
Distance= 6.0
Weekly total= 31 miles
Distance=5.0
8/10- Lakeshore 5 in 39:35 (7:55 pace). Not horrible but a bit of a downer after yesterday's step forward. Ran with a group of college runners who had an easy session so I felt out of place. Passed 3 in 23-flat (7:40) then slipped to a 16:35 (8:17) for the last 2 and didn't have much left in the tank when I finished. I took Sparga yesterday afternoon and reacted badly to it so I'm done with that stuff. I believe the culprit today was too much SUOX (3 drops last night). I going down to 1 from now on. The jury is still out. I had to start out LOW on both the All in One and B-12 but now I can take as much as I want/need. Not surprisingly, I reacted badly to half a TMG pill (too much methylation). Tomorrow will be a big day. Planning either a Mile time trial or an indoor tempo if it rains.
Distance=5.0
8/11-Opted for a tempo at Gold's. Finished 3 miles in 21:54 (7:18 pace). 5th straight non-horrible day but I should be progressing faster than this. If I had kept going, I would have been hard pressed to beat my 5 miler from 2 days ago. Took 2 drops last night. Here's what I predict will happen:
I will be better tomorrow morning after laying off it tonight but if I stay off, I will revert back to 9 minute miles within 3-5 days. I may have to alternate days for a couple weeks until I can tolerate more. That means a long road ahead. I'm okay with that so long as the road is not a dead end and progress is relatively steady. I plan to run in the morning tomorrow then take another dose after that.
Distance=3.0
8/12- Made it 6 in a row but it was downer. Group run on Lakeshore and called it quits after 3 miles in 23:45 (7:55 pace). Turned around early to avoid the walk of shame. I was pushing pretty much all out and just could not get the pace much below 8. To my credit, I was able to hold it there and actually managed a slight negative split (11:56-11:49). Again, I believe I could have finished a half marathon today but would have struggled for a sub-2.
SUOX: Woke up in the morning and knew that I was way off after not taking it last night. Took 1 drop and felt better but 2 drops were too much. A 3rd drop after I got home made it worse. I HATE this sensitivity but it's just the way it is right now. The alternative is to accept defeat. My tolerance should improve in time and it is comforting to know that I have found something helpful. If I can make it 7 tomorrow, it will be a big boost.
Distance=3.5
8/13- AM- Took ZERO drops last night and was probably as close to equilibrium as I get this morning. Vestavia Mile time trial in 6:09.6 (89-95-96-89). I was hoping for 10 seconds faster but this is still my fastest time since starting the methylation treatment (I did a 5:48 earlier in the year). At my peak, I was ripping off 96 second laps for a full 10K and this time is 54 seconds from my goal. At least I am within a minute/mile. I might try again this afternoon but I predict that I will begin to deteriorate after another half day without a drop.
PM- Started fading before lunchtime today so no attempt to run this afternoon. This still counts as 7 in a row. A key question has been answered. I need to SUOX drops every day. 3 dosage options remain: 1 drop, 2 at night or 2 in divided doses.
-2 at night yielded the 21:54 3 mile. I'll see if I can do better on the other options. Again, I hope to increase the dose over time.
Distance= 1.5
8/14- Took only 1 drop last night and it clearly was NOT enough. I'm nearly positive that the best formula right now is 2 drop at night and hope to eventually bump it up to 4-6. The sooner I can do that, the sooner I will be able to tolerate methyl.
- 1 Mile at Vestavia and slipped to 6:56 with splits of 3:23-3:33. I'm unsure if I could have done sub-8 for 3 miles so I can't count it as non-horrible but I don't consider it a real attempt either so the streak is still alive.
Distance= 1,0
8/15- BAFA day. 3 miles with the BTC in a time of 28:54 (9:38 pace). That's a failure for today. Held the pace with the group for just 1.2 miles then died. Funny thing is that I didn't feel half bad when I woke up but got much worse after taking my normal ADHS. I will try some methylation but if that doesn't work, the ADHS must be cut. I don't understand that because it's a modulator. Extra pills should not hurt.
PM- 3 miles again this time at Gold's. Took a half pill of TMG and my time was all the way down to 23:15 (7:45 pace) with fairly even splits. That's right. I was MINUS 5:39 all because of a HALF PILL. This is nothing new for me. Tomorrow, I will first attempt to reduce the ADHS and if that does not work, it's back on the TMG. If the SUOX drops have opened the methylation pathway, it would be EXCELLENT news. If I cannot tolerate it, I'm in BIG trouble yet again.
Distance= 6.0
8/16- Run #1- Cut the ADHS down to 3 pills and was worse. Yesterday, I was able to hold the pace for a mile. Today, I could not even do that. Wisteria Mile in 9:38 (4:46-4:52). Took some TMG and am fixin' to go back out right now.
Run #2- Added nearly a full TMG pill and was down to 14:46 for 2 miles (7:23 pace) this time at Vestavia. I was MINUS 2:15/mile, which is a greater improvement than yesterday. I am going to test out Methionine now.
Run #3- Gold's 3 mile in 20:52 (6:57 pace), which is MINUS 26 over an extra mile. Started strong with a 6:44 opening mile then had to hang on for the sub-7 pace overall. I did pass the test but am a little uneasy about Methionine going forward. It seems like I am getting worse as the pill fully kicks in. If I am to take it, it will be minuscule amounts. I feel better about the TMG. I am not trying the cysteine.
Distance= 6.0
Weekly total= 31 miles
Friday, August 7, 2015
CBS or SUOX mutation
Running update:
8/6- AM. 1 mile on Wisteria in 9:30 with splits of 4:22-5:08.
8/6-PM. Took 2 drops of the new SUOX product and felt better immediately. Hit Gold’s for 2 miles in 15:46 (7:53 pace). Splits were 7:50-7:56.
8/7-AM. After a 2nd dose. Gold’s 3 in 22:52 (7:37 pace). Splits were 7:37-7:41-7:34
8/8- BTC group run. I was shooting for 7 @ 8:00 pace. Made it through 5 on target then collapsed. Finished with 6 in 48:42 (8:07 pace) in humid conditions (72 dewpoint)
8/8- BTC group run. I was shooting for 7 @ 8:00 pace. Made it through 5 on target then collapsed. Finished with 6 in 48:42 (8:07 pace) in humid conditions (72 dewpoint)
If you have read this blog for any length of time, you know that such dramatic improvements are not unusual for me but I could collapse again tomorrow. I will not even allow my hopes to rise until I make it at least 2 weeks without a collapse. I was hoping for a bit more improvement between the 1st and 2nd dose. It would be ugly but I could finish a half marathon now. Yesterday morning? Even with a 3.5 hour time limit, I’m not sure.
CBS mutation:
I know that I have it because my genome shows it but I have no homozygous mutations on any SNPs. Rather, I am compound hetero, which indicates that the key enzyme is about 50% defective. Homozygous cases can have upwards of a 70% defect. I have tried everything for CBS defect including:
CBS RNA drops
CBS/NOS caps
Orinthine
Charcoal
Sparga
Most failed within 2-3 days even at miniscule doses. Only the Sparga worked for about a month before it failed abruptly. That left me with the question that while I am certainly intolerant to sulfur containing amino acids, is CBS the problem? I am beginning to think that the answer is NO. Typically with CBS issues, Taurine and Ammonia will be sky high on a Urinary Amino Acids Test. In my case, taurine was just a hair above the reference range. That may have been due more to my history of supplementation than the CBS upregulation. Ammonia was higher than average but well within the range.
23andme does not test key SUOX SNPs so I am unsure where I stand in that regard. I do know that with this enzyme defect, the ability to metabolize sulfur is severely compromised and it can lead to deficiencies in ATP and well as cysteine and methionine. The latter 2 are critical for the methylation cycle but I cannot support them because doing so will worsen my sulfur burden. What were my test results? Cysteine was low and Methionine was SEVERE low. If Yasko’s test strips are accurate, my sulfur burden is extreme high. That’s certainly strong evidence of a problem with the SUOX enzyme. Did the CBS treatments somehow worsen the SUOX? Can the new product bring relief? Time will tell.
Amalgam removal:
I’ve decided to hold off on it and have cancelled the appointment with the local denty who never did call to confirm that he is certified under the safety protocol. If I am to get it done, it will be in Atlanta or Dothan and not until the SUOX option has been fully explored. Yasko gave me another 3 free tests (God bless her) though I think only 1 of them will be useful. It is a urine test that determines your toxic metal burden, which includes mercury. If mercury tests low, amalgam removal is likely unnecessary.
Monday, August 3, 2015
2nd Thoughts about Amalgam Removal/SUOX mutation?
Last weekend was HORRIBLE and today is even worse. I barely made it through the day at work and if I wasn't on phone duty this week, I may have called in sick. Obviously, I cannot go on like this. Although I do get an occasional window of decent energy levels, the overall trend has been sharply downhill. If I don't do anything about it, I believe that I will be worse in 3 months when it's time for my last race. I've tried everything. What more can I do?
More thoughts on the amalgam removal:
This will be a tough decision to make. Some days, I'm sure that I want to get it done. Other times, I'm scared by the risks. I've heard so many conflicting stories. Some describe it as a life saver while others become even sicker as undergoing the procedure. I heard about a woman who had been very athletic and active who gradually got to the point in which she could not do anything anymore. Sound familiar? She got her life back after the procedure
On the other hand, Morley Robbins, a well respected hair test naturopath, warned me that some of his sickest patients are those who have had amalgam removal and have traced their downturn to that procedure. The key is to find somebody who is very skilled and trained under the Hal Huggins protocol. Even if they are skilled, success is not guaranteed. The risk is that the amalgam could break and thus spill toxic mercury into the rest of your tissues and leave you with other problems and even worsen your fatigue. As bad as I am right now, I can't possibly get any worse right? Wrong. Even if I can't run anymore, at least I can work and live independently. If I suffer a brutal downturn, the worst case scenario is possible.
I am unsure if my local denty is trained to use the Hal Huggins safety protocol and since there was no mention of it on his website, I must assume that he is not. I called his office and asked that question specifically and he has yet to respond. I am suddenly awfully leery about this procedure especially from him. I cannot undo it once it's done.
Again, I cannot accept the status-quo and be miserable more often than not. I have no life at all outside of work and you could say that I am existing rather than living. If I have truly exhausted every option and continue to get worse, then it's a risk that I am going to have to take.
If I am committed to going through with it, I have 3 options:
1). Get it done with the local denty. I have only 3 amalgams on 2 teeth so with fewer of them to remove, my risk of complications is a bit lower and I could get it done no later than mid-September, possibly earlier. It was a good call not to rush into it.
2), Get it done with somebody else out of town. There is a denty in Dothan and another in Atlanta that are most definitely trained under the safety protocol. I'll have to read up on each of them but a 2.5-3 hour drive is not much of a factor.Waiting list and multiple consults could be a factor and the cost will be considerable as well. Another denty may be able to measure my mercury burden, which the local guy has not done.
3). Pull the tooth with the double amalgam. Most people will shoot down that idea quickly but hear me out. It's on the end and above another extracted tooth so I won't miss it and it won't affect my smile at all. I will eliminate 2/3 of the mercury in my mouth without any risk of complications.
If I don't improve, I won't bother with the last amalgam.
How sure am I that mercury toxicity is the source of all my troubles? Not completely. The more likely thorn is sulfur toxicity but that may be at least partly related to mercury. It is known that mercury can mess up methylation, which I am severely deficient.
Final option:
My genetic test from 23andme did not test key SNPs for the SUOX mutaion, which along with CBS and NOS are responsible for sulfur metabolism. I have no official documented test for sulfur toxicity except for a mildly elevated taurine level, which may be due to a history of supplementation. That said, I am nearly 100% sure that I have the gene and the enzyme deficiency. I cannot tolerate any sulfur containing amino acids despite the fact that my UAA test shows that I badly need them. Test strips from Yasko show sulfate levels in the highest range (over 1600). Can I do anything else that I haven't already tried? Fortunately, the answer is yes. Yasko has 2 products specifically for SUOX. One is a pill and the other is a liquid dropper. I have ordered them both in addition to Sparga. I'll know within a few weeks if it is working and my decision will be delayed until then.
I will welcome any comments and advice.
More thoughts on the amalgam removal:
This will be a tough decision to make. Some days, I'm sure that I want to get it done. Other times, I'm scared by the risks. I've heard so many conflicting stories. Some describe it as a life saver while others become even sicker as undergoing the procedure. I heard about a woman who had been very athletic and active who gradually got to the point in which she could not do anything anymore. Sound familiar? She got her life back after the procedure
On the other hand, Morley Robbins, a well respected hair test naturopath, warned me that some of his sickest patients are those who have had amalgam removal and have traced their downturn to that procedure. The key is to find somebody who is very skilled and trained under the Hal Huggins protocol. Even if they are skilled, success is not guaranteed. The risk is that the amalgam could break and thus spill toxic mercury into the rest of your tissues and leave you with other problems and even worsen your fatigue. As bad as I am right now, I can't possibly get any worse right? Wrong. Even if I can't run anymore, at least I can work and live independently. If I suffer a brutal downturn, the worst case scenario is possible.
I am unsure if my local denty is trained to use the Hal Huggins safety protocol and since there was no mention of it on his website, I must assume that he is not. I called his office and asked that question specifically and he has yet to respond. I am suddenly awfully leery about this procedure especially from him. I cannot undo it once it's done.
Again, I cannot accept the status-quo and be miserable more often than not. I have no life at all outside of work and you could say that I am existing rather than living. If I have truly exhausted every option and continue to get worse, then it's a risk that I am going to have to take.
If I am committed to going through with it, I have 3 options:
1). Get it done with the local denty. I have only 3 amalgams on 2 teeth so with fewer of them to remove, my risk of complications is a bit lower and I could get it done no later than mid-September, possibly earlier. It was a good call not to rush into it.
2), Get it done with somebody else out of town. There is a denty in Dothan and another in Atlanta that are most definitely trained under the safety protocol. I'll have to read up on each of them but a 2.5-3 hour drive is not much of a factor.Waiting list and multiple consults could be a factor and the cost will be considerable as well. Another denty may be able to measure my mercury burden, which the local guy has not done.
3). Pull the tooth with the double amalgam. Most people will shoot down that idea quickly but hear me out. It's on the end and above another extracted tooth so I won't miss it and it won't affect my smile at all. I will eliminate 2/3 of the mercury in my mouth without any risk of complications.
If I don't improve, I won't bother with the last amalgam.
How sure am I that mercury toxicity is the source of all my troubles? Not completely. The more likely thorn is sulfur toxicity but that may be at least partly related to mercury. It is known that mercury can mess up methylation, which I am severely deficient.
Final option:
My genetic test from 23andme did not test key SNPs for the SUOX mutaion, which along with CBS and NOS are responsible for sulfur metabolism. I have no official documented test for sulfur toxicity except for a mildly elevated taurine level, which may be due to a history of supplementation. That said, I am nearly 100% sure that I have the gene and the enzyme deficiency. I cannot tolerate any sulfur containing amino acids despite the fact that my UAA test shows that I badly need them. Test strips from Yasko show sulfate levels in the highest range (over 1600). Can I do anything else that I haven't already tried? Fortunately, the answer is yes. Yasko has 2 products specifically for SUOX. One is a pill and the other is a liquid dropper. I have ordered them both in addition to Sparga. I'll know within a few weeks if it is working and my decision will be delayed until then.
I will welcome any comments and advice.
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