Saturday, August 20, 2016

Decided to Talk to a Functional MD

As for the events of last week, I am not too upset about my intolerance to Curcumin.  I should have done my research and found out that it did indeed contain sulfur.  As for the intolerance to Whole Food C, I am also betting that sulfur is the problem as well.  At least 3 food sources listed on the label are indeed high in sulfur.  While many sensitivities have been resolved after I began taking the B-vitamins, I am still VERY displeased by the continued intolerance to sulfur. I'm betting that the sulfur content of Whole Food C wasn't even terribly high either. With the exception of B-12+molybdenum, I cannot tolerate any treatments to control the sulfur.

As for the Iron, the Whole Food C and the Curcumin are off the table but I am not out of options.  I can drink Apple Cider Vinegar to clear Iron and it doesn't taste as bad as I feared.  Also, I still think there is a chance that B-6 will improve my Iron regulation.  Conventional doctors will usually refer patients with Iron overload for blood donation every couple of months.  It's an option for me but I'm a little leery.  I've read that while yes, it does remove excess iron, it will also remove other minerals, including some in which I may have a deficiency.

More thoughts of the Iron results:
My numbers are BAD.  Don't get me wrong.  However, I have seen cases posted online that looked a LOT worse than mine.  While I don't doubt that it will be a good thing to remove the excess iron, it seems to be unlikely that it is the answer to everything that is wrong.

Correcting my Magnesium deficiency is probably what solved my fructose malabsorption and summer allergies but it did NOT solve sensitivity issues.  While my ceruloplasmin numbers were also VERY BAD at 17.9 units, I saw worse numbers.  My last test was 25.9 which though still suboptimal was a massive improvement.  Overall, it did nothing for sensitivity and I actually feel worse overall now than I did at 17.9 back in 2014.

What I want to see is a lab test that shows something WAY OUTSIDE THE RANGE.  Suppose that the so-called "reference range" for something is 4-10.  I want to see a lab value OVER 100.  Something VERY SCREWY is going on and I want to see something that shows it.  It could be a urinary sulfate test or something else that shows "massive oxidative stress"

I have 2 options and both will ultimately be very pricey.
1). Sanctuary Medical just south of Nashville.  http://sanctuaryfunctionalmedicine.com/
  The fact that this guy is a runner and a Christian is a huge plus for me.  He knows about methylation and genetics so he will not fall into the traps that I posted earlier about the Flaws of Traditional Medicine.  It's less than 3 hours from the Ham.  He's letting me do a free 20 minute phone consult this Thursday the 24th before I commit to an appointment.  I want him to have at least a good idea of what's causing these issues, a plan for testing and what he normally sees in cases of extreme sensitivity.  I also want to hear success stories about treating cases like mine.

2).  Gail Clayon, RPH-  I actually talked with her on the phone for a few minutes today (Saturday).  I inquired about a test that involved urinary sulfates and got a response within 2 hours.  She raised the possibility of getting to the root of what is causing these problems with the trans-sulfur pathway and suggested a different test that is more expensive.  She thinks that the root cause is "severe oxidative stress."  In addition to amino acids, it tests needs for B-vitamins, which I already know I have.  She is based in the Houston area (9+ hours) but does do phone consults.  I sent her a follow up e-mail asking what markers on this test are indicative of severe oxidative stress.  I did not ask what she would do about it nor do I expect her to tell me without an appointment.  She is the one who told me about the link of high beta alanine and gut dysbiosis, which I have treated with probiotics.

I will report back at the end of next week on what I decide.  In the meantime, I'm not messing with any new supplements and I'll see how I do next week.
UPDATE:
Regarding the test that Clayton wants me to take, I already had it done through Yasko last Fall and it did NOT reveal anything major.  If I am to go this route, it will be through Sanctuary or nobody.


No comments: