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Test Results and Overall Health
Hello B & D ,My doctor ran a series of tests back in April as part of my yearly physical.
Would you be willing to take a peek and see if anything stands out?
I have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Raynauds, Oral Lichen Planus.
Some significant changes this past year or two:- I have gained 30 lbs in 1.5 years.
- My vision is worsening with floaters, very dry eyes and blurred vision.
- The Oral Lichen Planus is more severe than it has been.
- Fatigue
I have attached a PDF, I apologize in advance there are quite a few results, I took a few screen shots of the ones with many tests in the panel, that said I can get more test specific details if needed.I have a sedentary job, but do walk and eat clean (minimal processed foods, eating out etc.) I do eat Gluten and have awful sugar cravings.
Thank you,
Patty -
7 Replies
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before replying in detail, can you please let us know if you’re taking any prescription medication including a history of birth control, over-the-counter drugs (tylenol, advil, etc.) or nutritional supplements, and for how long. Any children? Are you still menstruating? What’s your level of perceived stress out of 10? Can you also give us a timeline of when you were diagnosed with each of these labels please. Thank you
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Hi,
Birth control in youth, surgical menopause at 31. – Estradoil 1 mg since then.
Supplements are- Vit D 5000 a day, L-Lyseine, Magnesium. An eye vitamin. Ashwagandha. L glutamine . Occasional Tylenol. Stress level 8-9, 1 child, 2 miscarriages.
Fibro early 20’s;
Positive Ana tither in 2014. MRI-Small vessel Ischemic changes in 2015. Looking for lupus or MS, no significant findings.
Raynauds 2014
OLP 2016 after dental implant, later explanted. -
Hey ,
Some of these symptoms and labs are typical signs for insulin resistance. Blurred vision, dry eyes, fatigue, weight gain and elevations in cholesterol and last but not least, the cravings for sugar all fit into this picture.
Some of the things you mention (insulin resistance & fibromyalgia) have some common root causes. Mitochondrial dysfunction for example can cause insulin resistance. With fribromyalgia mitochondrial dysfunction is also often present. Here are some suggestions you could try:
• D-Ribose – some research has shown that taking 5 grams of ribose 3 times per day can help with energy production. With firbomyalgia the capilaries of the arteries can become thickened which can lead to less oxygen transport to the muscles. This could then lead to less oxygen transport to the muscles causing stifness. D-Ribose could therefore bring some relief with stiffness, energy problems and pain because ribose can help with energy production.
• CoQ10 – helps with energy production in the mitochondria. Deficiencies of CoQ10 are well known to cause muscle fatigue and soreness (as in statin induced CoQ10 deficiency). CoQ10 has been shown to improve mitochondrial health and it has also been shown to help bring symptom relief in patients with fibromyalgia (see this article). I usually recommend my clients 200-400 mg of CoQ10 per day in the uqbiquinol form.
• Exersice – To help improve mitochondrial function, you need to tell the body it is important to have them as wel. I know in a number of people they have to build a routine very slowly since in the beginning the body can react strong. Depending on your current fitness you could start with walking (not running!) 30 minutes and graduly increase intensity.My recommendation for this is to watch your breathing. Use an intensity that makes breathing harder, but you should still be able to have an basic conversation while doing this. The muscle fibers you’re training here are the type 1 muscle fibres which contain the most mitochondria. Whatever activity you use to accomplish this should be a form of cardio – like swimming, biking, rowing or something else.
It helps reversing insulin resistance as well.
• Acetyl-L-Carnitine – is also often used to support mitochondrial health and helps shuttle in fatty acids into mitochondria. Acetyl-L-Carnitine has been shown in research to improve symptoms with fibromyalgia as wellWhat stands out further is that your white blood cell count is on the lower side. Where you sick at the moment of blood drawn? Related to that, if you are currently taking 5000 IU of vitamin D per day and your current values are 29 ng/ml, I suspect some absorption issues as well. Taking your vitamin D supplements with foods containing fats can help. Temporary using digestive enzymes like ox bile is something you could consider as well.
Getting vitamin D up (see this handout for more information) can help you deal with fighting inflammation. I usually aim with my clients to have serum levels from at least 50 ng/ml.
Other nutrients that are important for white blood cell production are vitamin A, vitamin B12 and zinc.
I’m also curious to learn if there are some gut health related issues. For example how are your stools? Do you for example experience bloating, constipation, diarrhea or cramping?
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can you please share more about your dental history. Any amalgam fillings or root canals done? I have seen OLP improve after root canaled teeth are extracted. Also, do you remember having to take courses of antibiotics in your childhood/teenage years before your fibro diagnosis in your 20’s?
High levels of arsenic is associated with low WBC (especially neutrophils) and Raynaud’s. But also hyperkeratosis (thickening of skin – heels/palms), warts on heels/palms (plantar warts), skin pigmentation changes, Mees line formation on nails, garlic/metallic taste in mouth, hypertension, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, “milk and roses” complexion – arsenic hinders consistent circulation in the skin. Do you struggle with any of these other symptoms as well by any chance?
Up until Oct 2013, arsenic was used in poultry production for growth. It’s also found in turkey and shellfish/shrimps, but most common exposure is contaminated water! Do you have a water filter at home? Including shower and ice machines? You can search the EWG tap water database by entering your zip code to see what contaminants are in your municipal water. https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/ – Please let me know about this!
As I had detailed for you in a previous thread about oral lichen planus. It’s an autoimmune disease that often begins with gut dysfunction/leaky gut, and therefore I STRONGLY encourage you to be following an AIP diet to help control inflammation and calm the immune system while working to address the root causes. Search online for “AIP Diet for Beginners”. There are plenty of blogs, books, and support groups following AIP diets. Let me know if you need help finding a good one. Following an AIP diet will naturally help control your blood sugar levels, which are clearly showing signs of progressed insulin resistance as Daniel had mentioned. The strong cravings for sugar I’m suspecting may also be coming from a yeast/fungal/bacterial overgrowth which is common in fibromyalgia and OLP.
In autoimmune cases, you can expect to have to change your diet for a minimum of 1 year. Both dairy and gluten HAVE to go as a starting point! Here is a handout to help you navigate gluten removal as it’s hidden in a lot of unsuspecting foods. And this one is for dairy removal. It has to be 100% removal of food sensitivities to help calm the immune system.
Do you have a budget to spend on functional testing? If so, the following tests can help you figure out the root cause of autoimmunity like:
• Hair mineral test to see if heavy metals are at play
• OAT + Mycotox to see if overall toxicity is at play, if fungal or bacterial overgrowth have colonized the gut (oxalate build-up from yeast overgrowth is commonly seen in fibromyalgia and ~75% of those with chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia test positive for SIBO), and if you’re exposed to mold & mycotoxins which is common with strong sugar cravings, fatigue and autoimmunity.
• DUTCH hormone test since hormone imbalances are suspected with oral lichen planus, as well as low cortisol in autoimmune activation. And since you rated stress as 8-9/10, I suspect cortisol imbalance is part of your picture as well.Given the complexity of autoimmune cases, it’s unfortunately never a 1-recommendation solution, but instead a holistic multi-faceted approach tackling a fire from all different angles so to speak.
So to help you tackle this step-by-step without overwhelm, please let me know if:
1) you’re able to pursue additional functional tests to help you figure out the root causes (it’s ok if you can’t, we can use symptom forms and best assumptions instead).
2) you’re willing to change your diet to AIP as a good starting point which will have a positive impact on immunity and blood sugar levels which is foundational!
3) you’re willing to prioritize an environment that will reduce your perceived stress.
I’ll guide you further, but need to know if you’re first willing to make these changes. That’s half the win!
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Dental History- 1 filling, 2 root canals, 6 root canals with crowns ( 1 gold & 7 porcelain overlay) looked for a bio dentist in WA, did not have the best of luck.
Many courses of antibiotics- strep throat – tonsils removed age 18
Pneumonia age 8 lasted 6 weeks.
Planters warts in 20’s went away. Vaginal Yeast infections as early as 9 years old. Eczema on hands and feet.
Fingernails currently have red line just above “moon” all fingers. Dermatologist thought Lichen Planus on nails. Steroid cream for this.
I have had metallic taste in mouth off and on throughout life. Non recently.
Heart “ flutters” every now and again. I do retain water easily.
I use a water filter.
EWG results = source purchased surface water with 22 contaminants 13 exceed EWG health guidelines.
I will need help with AIP- I have very disordered eating since childhood.
My budget is tight at the moment. Part of Addressing the stress has me leaving an unhealthy relationship very soon and relocating.
Depending on cost- I may be able to implement next month.I am willing to make changes.
Thank you for the reply and I will read the handouts as well as continue the courses.
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Thank you for the reply and supplement suggestions, I will look into these right away.Exercise can be tricky, that said walking feels nice. I have always wanted to build more
Muscle & Hoping to get to tone up at some point after fat loss and improved health.
I was not sick at or prior to blood draw.
Stools- 1 x per day. Never any cramps or diarrhea. I do bloat and rarely constipated.Warm regards,
Patty -
Thank you for the additional info. Toxicity and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure is seeming to be more and more apparent in your case now.
Antibiotics lead to leaky gut, the development of food sensitivities and LPS overload which are bacterial body parts/debris that the immune system has a very strong reaction to. It’s seen very often in fibromyalgia and other pain syndromes. LPS generates inflammatory molecules (cytokines and interleukins) and builds up and causes mitochondrial dysfunction (impacting energy) which also impairs serotonin synthesis which impacts pain perception and mood.
Your history of birth control ties into this picture as well by depleting your B vitamins early on in life, especially vitamin B6. Low B6 is linked to eating disorders like anorexia/bulimia challenges & self-harm or other addictive behaviors like gambling, alcoholism, etc.
B6 is a cofactor for making serotonin – our “feel good” neurotransmitter, needed for bile production and cleansing which without can lead to SIBO. SIBO is often seen in those diagnosed with fibro!! The fact that you’re supplementing with vitamin D but can’t get your levels up likely indicates sluggish bile production and flow since we need bile to absorb our fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. Hence why Daniel suggested ox bile. Do you still have your gallbladder? I really like a product called Digestion GB by Pure Encapsulations which has a mix of bile, some liver supportive nutrients, but also digestive enzymes to support the breakdown of food.
B6 is also needed for methylation and detoxification so all of these pathways (and more) can become compromised as a result of low B vitamins. I see it a lot in my practice with women who were on oral birth control. Supplementing with a methylated B complex often helps my clients but they need to introduce it VERY slowly when there’s a need for it or else it will push detox too fast/too hard. My clients who show a strong need for B6 usually start with Thorne Basic B Complex and build-up to 3 caps per day (1-1-1) with food for 2-3 months before switching to Thorne’s B Complex #6 for another 2-3 monthswhich has a much higher dose of B6.
I checked the IAOMT.org website for you and found 40 biological dentists in Washington. Hopefully one of them is nearby. https://iaomt.org/search-by-region/region/washington/
Removing the root canaled teeth and amalgam filling with a biological dentist should be a top priority, and since it’s very expensive to work with one, that’s where I would prioritize my money or save up for it. Some offer financing options.
In terms of AIP diet, you can take a look at this e-book by Meal Plan Club which shares a 4-week AIP friendly meal plan with recipes. AIP means gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, nightshade- and legume-free, soy-free, nut- and seed-free. So yes, it is quite restrictive, but it’s very effective at reducing inflammation and calming autoimmune reactivity while working to address root causes. If you feel this will trigger disordered eating again, then try removing eggs, dairy, and gluten if you feel that’s possible for you. Start with gluten (hardest one), then dairy, then eggs.
I’m glad to hear that you’ll be removing yourself from a toxic relationship. The body cannot heal when it’s stressed.
I look forward to continue guiding you on your journey the best I can.
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