Decided to go see an allergist just to rule out food/pollen/mold/etc allergies. All came back negative and the control test showed a response. So this is good, at least that is ruled out now.
See the GI dr tomorrow to talk about my current symptoms and perhaps neomycin again. Want to see about testing Serotonin and Glutathione levels, but that'll probably be a stretch, probably have to go back to seeing the natreopath for testing like that.
Thanks,
Mike
Back from the GI Dr
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Well the Dr didn't perscribe anything. Said I should get SIBO testing again which I want to do as well, but seems I won't get in until Dec 12th since they're getting more and more folks wanting this testing done.
So I'm thinking about becoming a mad scientist for a while and "treating" it on my own with natural foods/supplements that would work on methane producing bacteria.
I actually had one "normal" BM last week, wish I knew what brought it about.
I'm also thinking about taking Celexa (an SSRI) to see how it helps.
The more I read about mercury and it's effects on the body the more I think it might be a cause of my issues.
So I'm thinking about becoming a mad scientist for a while and "treating" it on my own with natural foods/supplements that would work on methane producing bacteria.
I actually had one "normal" BM last week, wish I knew what brought it about.
I'm also thinking about taking Celexa (an SSRI) to see how it helps.
The more I read about mercury and it's effects on the body the more I think it might be a cause of my issues.
I have the SIBO breath test again tomorrow morning. It'll be interesting to see where it's at now.
Well, since I started taking the Celexa I noticed that my BMs were more normal, though I still have days of abnormal.
I've also made appointments to have all the mercury removed from my mouth. No matter what studies say I can't believe that having this toxic material in my mouth is a good thing, and given the other toxins in our environment I think that bringing down the buren on the detoxing my body has to do each day has got to be a good thing for me and my liver/kidneys.
FWIW I got my hair tested for metals/minerals, I'll post the results soon. Rather interesting.
Thanks,
Mike
Well, since I started taking the Celexa I noticed that my BMs were more normal, though I still have days of abnormal.
I've also made appointments to have all the mercury removed from my mouth. No matter what studies say I can't believe that having this toxic material in my mouth is a good thing, and given the other toxins in our environment I think that bringing down the buren on the detoxing my body has to do each day has got to be a good thing for me and my liver/kidneys.
FWIW I got my hair tested for metals/minerals, I'll post the results soon. Rather interesting.
Thanks,
Mike
Here are the hair test lab results:
POTENTIALLY TOXIC ELEMENTS
element; result; ref range; color
=============================================
aluminum 3.3 <7 green
antimony <0.01 <0.066 no line
arsenic 0.069 <0.08 green
beryllium <0.01 <0.02 no line
bismuth 0.007 <2 green
cadmium <0.014 <0.15 green
lead 0.01 <2.0 green
mercury 1.6 <1.1 yellow
platinum <0.003 <0.005 no line
thallium 0.001 <0.010 green
thorium <0.001 <0.005 no line
uranium 0.001 <0.06 green
nickel 0.17 <0.40 green
silver 0.05 <0.12 green
tin 0.07 <0.30 green
titanium 0.36 <1.0 green
total toxic representation; yellow
ESSENTIAL AND OTHER ELEMENTS
element; result; ref range; color; under/over 50%
============================================================
Calcium 290 200-750 green under
Magnesium 35 25-75 green under
Sodium 48 12-90 green over
Potassium 6 9-40 yellow under
Copper 16 10-28 green over
Zinc 200 130-200 green over
Manganese 0.09 0.15-0.65 yellow under
Chromium 0.46 0.20-0.40 yellow over
Vanadium 0.042 0.018-0.065 green over
Molybdenum 0.033 0.025-0.064 green under
Boron 0.73 0.40-3.0 green under
Iodine 0.19 0.25-1.3 yellow under
Lithium 0.013 0.007-0.023 green over
Phosphorus 188 160-250 green under
Selenium 0.94 0.95-1.7 green under
Strontium 0.47 0.30-3.5 green under
Sulfur 51200 44500-52000 green over
Barium 0.09 0.16-1.6 yellow under
Cobalt 0.003 0.013-0.035 red under
Iron 6.1 5.4-13 green under
Germanium 0.034 0.045-0.065 yellow under
Rubidium 0.006 0.011-0.12 yellow under
Zirconium 0.051 0.020-0.44 green under
Ratios
Elements; Ratios; Expected Range
---------------------------------------------------------------
Ca/Mg 8.29 4-30
Ca/P 1.54 0.8-8
Na/K 8 0.5-10
Zn/Cu 12.5 4-20
Zn/Cd >999 >800
What was strange were some of the minerals and how out of range they were. That and seeing arsenic near the yellow zone. Where am I getting that much arsenic? You'll notice that mercury was above normal, though this was after having 3 amalgams removed so this might be the reason why.
Thanks,
Mike
POTENTIALLY TOXIC ELEMENTS
element; result; ref range; color
=============================================
aluminum 3.3 <7 green
antimony <0.01 <0.066 no line
arsenic 0.069 <0.08 green
beryllium <0.01 <0.02 no line
bismuth 0.007 <2 green
cadmium <0.014 <0.15 green
lead 0.01 <2.0 green
mercury 1.6 <1.1 yellow
platinum <0.003 <0.005 no line
thallium 0.001 <0.010 green
thorium <0.001 <0.005 no line
uranium 0.001 <0.06 green
nickel 0.17 <0.40 green
silver 0.05 <0.12 green
tin 0.07 <0.30 green
titanium 0.36 <1.0 green
total toxic representation; yellow
ESSENTIAL AND OTHER ELEMENTS
element; result; ref range; color; under/over 50%
============================================================
Calcium 290 200-750 green under
Magnesium 35 25-75 green under
Sodium 48 12-90 green over
Potassium 6 9-40 yellow under
Copper 16 10-28 green over
Zinc 200 130-200 green over
Manganese 0.09 0.15-0.65 yellow under
Chromium 0.46 0.20-0.40 yellow over
Vanadium 0.042 0.018-0.065 green over
Molybdenum 0.033 0.025-0.064 green under
Boron 0.73 0.40-3.0 green under
Iodine 0.19 0.25-1.3 yellow under
Lithium 0.013 0.007-0.023 green over
Phosphorus 188 160-250 green under
Selenium 0.94 0.95-1.7 green under
Strontium 0.47 0.30-3.5 green under
Sulfur 51200 44500-52000 green over
Barium 0.09 0.16-1.6 yellow under
Cobalt 0.003 0.013-0.035 red under
Iron 6.1 5.4-13 green under
Germanium 0.034 0.045-0.065 yellow under
Rubidium 0.006 0.011-0.12 yellow under
Zirconium 0.051 0.020-0.44 green under
Ratios
Elements; Ratios; Expected Range
---------------------------------------------------------------
Ca/Mg 8.29 4-30
Ca/P 1.54 0.8-8
Na/K 8 0.5-10
Zn/Cu 12.5 4-20
Zn/Cd >999 >800
What was strange were some of the minerals and how out of range they were. That and seeing arsenic near the yellow zone. Where am I getting that much arsenic? You'll notice that mercury was above normal, though this was after having 3 amalgams removed so this might be the reason why.
Thanks,
Mike
Do you eat a lot of organically-grown products?mle_ii wrote:What was strange were some of the minerals and how out of range they were. That and seeing arsenic near the yellow zone. Where am I getting that much arsenic? You'll notice that mercury was above normal, though this was after having 3 amalgams removed so this might be the reason why.
Thanks,
Mike
You're probably right about the mercury.
Tex
This is just a theory of mine, and I don't believe this subject has been researched very well yet, but there have been a few small studies done that may support this line of reasoning.
There is a feed ingredient, known as roxarsone, that contains organic arsenic. Approximately 70% of the chickens grown today are fed this ingredient, and it has been widely used since the 1960s. The arsenic is not a problem for the chickens, and it passes right through, but unfortunately, they convert it into inorganic arsenic, and the manure is loaded with it. In forty-some-odd years, that's a lot of chicken manure, and a lot of arsenic.
Inorganic arsenic is very persistent in most soils, and it just lies there until it is leeched out by water, or taken up by plants. If it gets in the water, of course, that's bad news too. Chicken manure is a highly regarded "natural" fertilizer, because of it's relatively high nutrient content, (much higher than cattle manure, for example), so it's in much demand for organic crop production.
I don't see anyone talking about the risks for organic food production, (so far, it's a dirty little secret), but sooner or later, it's going to hit the fan, because there's no question that the arsenic is in the manure. Obviously, this could knock organic food production for a loop, if/when the facts hit the media, and get blown all out of proportion, (as is usually the case with our sensationalism-prone news commentators of today).
Here's an article from last spring that talks about it. Most people are worried about the arsenic in the chickens, but that's missing the point. The bombshell lies in all the manure they have been producing, that has been spread on cropland, for the last forty years.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07067/767756-34.stm
Tex
There is a feed ingredient, known as roxarsone, that contains organic arsenic. Approximately 70% of the chickens grown today are fed this ingredient, and it has been widely used since the 1960s. The arsenic is not a problem for the chickens, and it passes right through, but unfortunately, they convert it into inorganic arsenic, and the manure is loaded with it. In forty-some-odd years, that's a lot of chicken manure, and a lot of arsenic.
Inorganic arsenic is very persistent in most soils, and it just lies there until it is leeched out by water, or taken up by plants. If it gets in the water, of course, that's bad news too. Chicken manure is a highly regarded "natural" fertilizer, because of it's relatively high nutrient content, (much higher than cattle manure, for example), so it's in much demand for organic crop production.
I don't see anyone talking about the risks for organic food production, (so far, it's a dirty little secret), but sooner or later, it's going to hit the fan, because there's no question that the arsenic is in the manure. Obviously, this could knock organic food production for a loop, if/when the facts hit the media, and get blown all out of proportion, (as is usually the case with our sensationalism-prone news commentators of today).
Here's an article from last spring that talks about it. Most people are worried about the arsenic in the chickens, but that's missing the point. The bombshell lies in all the manure they have been producing, that has been spread on cropland, for the last forty years.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07067/767756-34.stm
Tex
Interesting Tex. I remember reading something about rice coming from certain contries is also problematic for containing arsenic.
On related subject.
I'll get the offical results in the mail from the lactulose SIBO breath test, but just glancing at the results before I left and them wanting to setup a follow up appointment before the test was completely over. It appears that the SIBO has come back (as I suspected). What's interesting is that it's at a lower level, but still producing methane instead of hydrogen. Which fits in with my current symptoms.
So obviously there's some underlying cause. Either not enough bile, not enough stomach acid or too slow gut motility, or some combination of all these is causing this to come back. What's causing it is unknown at this point. Could be genetic, nutritional, environmental or who knows.
Supposedly Dr Pimentel is working on a long term study on gut motility, so perhaps I'll be one of the lab rats... er patients in this study.
On related subject.
I'll get the offical results in the mail from the lactulose SIBO breath test, but just glancing at the results before I left and them wanting to setup a follow up appointment before the test was completely over. It appears that the SIBO has come back (as I suspected). What's interesting is that it's at a lower level, but still producing methane instead of hydrogen. Which fits in with my current symptoms.
So obviously there's some underlying cause. Either not enough bile, not enough stomach acid or too slow gut motility, or some combination of all these is causing this to come back. What's causing it is unknown at this point. Could be genetic, nutritional, environmental or who knows.
Supposedly Dr Pimentel is working on a long term study on gut motility, so perhaps I'll be one of the lab rats... er patients in this study.
Right, I remember reading an article that discussed concerns about rice from certain parts of the world possibly being contaminated with arsenic, above tolerance levels.
Regarding recurrent SIBO, apparently, pancreatic enzyme activity, or a malfunctioning ileocecal valve can also cause SIBO problems. If I recall correctly, one of the things that the pancreas does is to buffer the acid level of the chime as it leaves the stomach. That would imply that the pH level of the lumen of the small intestine is much higher than the interior of the stomach, but I have no idea if it is normally restored to a near neutral level. I can certainly see how an improper pH level might provide an enhanced environment for development of an opportunistic bacterium, though.
Tex
Regarding recurrent SIBO, apparently, pancreatic enzyme activity, or a malfunctioning ileocecal valve can also cause SIBO problems. If I recall correctly, one of the things that the pancreas does is to buffer the acid level of the chime as it leaves the stomach. That would imply that the pH level of the lumen of the small intestine is much higher than the interior of the stomach, but I have no idea if it is normally restored to a near neutral level. I can certainly see how an improper pH level might provide an enhanced environment for development of an opportunistic bacterium, though.
Tex
I am so glad I'm getting these amalgams out. The first 3 he removed he noticed some decay and said that they were at the end of their life.
He removed 2 more of them today and found a lot of decay and when he took them out he said they almost fell out they were so bad.
That leaves 3 on my lower left and 3 on my upper right. So almost half of them gone so far. I have an appointment to remove 3 more next week and then I have to wait til the first week in January to have the last 3 removed.
Plus they look a lot better too. :)
Mike
He removed 2 more of them today and found a lot of decay and when he took them out he said they almost fell out they were so bad.
That leaves 3 on my lower left and 3 on my upper right. So almost half of them gone so far. I have an appointment to remove 3 more next week and then I have to wait til the first week in January to have the last 3 removed.
Plus they look a lot better too. :)
Mike