Posts by Jessica Fowler4

Kyle Rogers8 said:@Jessica Fowler4
I'm trying to get my A1C under control—hoping that if I fix that, everything else falls into place.
I don't think I'm even a candidate for official medication yet (though maybe I will be if I don't take action soon 😢).
Regarding diet—I'm strictly following the guidelines and recommendations regarding carb ratios. Honestly, I just don't feel educated enough to start playing chemist on my own; I'm terrified of messing things up, even though what I've been doing hasn't exactly worked out great either.
For now, I'm just sticking to what my endocrinologists say about those ratios—on the flip side, I avoid "light" products and stick to full-fat versions.
My food choices are actually solid—whole grains, healthy fats, no fried stuff, no margarine, no sweets, just water and wine. It's the portions that are the problem 🙂

What was that you said about thyroid hormones? Did I catch that right—that taking them might be an issue even if my levels are officially in the euthyroid range?
Of course, I have thyroid issues too 🙄—Hashimoto's diagnosis. My hormone levels are normal and I monitor them closely, but I'm constantly seeing new doctors, and every single one seems to have a different theory on when they should put me on Synthroid 🤷

If there’s a Hashimoto’s diagnosis involved—you really need to find a doctor immediately who will prescribe hormone replacement. In my opinion, hypothyroidism itself causes basically all the features of metabolic syndrome—everything from a bad Lipid profile to high insulin levels and poor sugar control.

The thing is, Hashimoto’s often goes untreated because lab results frequently show euthyroid levels, which can be unreliable and fluctuate quite a bit. But personally, I feel like if there are obvious symptoms of long-term thyroxine deficiency, you should supplement with hormones. It’s not that big of a deal. If they don't fit, you just stop taking them.

The consequences of untreated hypothyroidism are practically identical to the symptoms of metabolic syndrome. With an official Hashimoto's diagnosis, I think you might have a better shot at fixing your "metabolic syndrome" with thyroid hormones than with anything else.
Also, I really feel like high fasting glucose is a huge indicator of fatty liver—something thyroxine can help clear out, though it wouldn't hurt to add those other supplements mentioned above to help lower insulin resistance and support the thyroxine.

Anyway, I think thyroid hormones are incredibly therapeutic, unlike those pharmacological substances mentioned earlier that aren't even meant to actually cure anything, but just to manage the symptoms.

Well, if you’re asking me, I’d probably tackle metabolic syndrome by focusing on a diet really low in carbs but packed with healthy fats, then maybe adding a B-complex vitamin plus higher doses of choline, followed by some taurine supplements, thyroid hormones, and then... well, selenium, chromium, zinc, and Vitamin D seems good too, oh, and Vitamin C, and sometimes iron is needed... those are all just natural substances that actually exist in the human body, unlike those pharmacological substances used in standard medical therapy.

The whole focus is, I guess, fixing liver function, which is basically everything since the liver handles both blood sugar and the Lipid profile (see, man—those are the core features of metabolic syndrome—and the liver is responsible for both). Choline and taurine, they both seem to clear out fatty liver better than any medication, and thyroid hormones help improve liver function and Lipid profiles while boosting the basal metabolic rate in all tissues. Then you have selenium, chromium, and zinc, which also help with insulin resistance and play a part in activating thyroid hormones and stuff. Since people nowadays get fatty liver mostly from overeating carbs—especially fructose, like white sugar and sodas—you really have to cut that out of your diet. Once the liver function recovers and your metabolism gets back to normal, the other symptoms should start resolving themselves. At that point, maybe it’s a good time to start being physically active and sort of "cash in" on that new metabolic level.

I mean, I’m no doctor, but I don't think you need an MD to see that standard therapy for metabolic syndrome is mostly just masking symptoms rather than actually being a cure. All those substances mentioned by vividsailor7 aren't really medicines; they just fix the symptoms while you're taking them. Like, as soon as you stop taking statins, your cholesterol goes right back to where it was—bad. As soon as you stop beta-blockers, your blood pressure shoots up. If you stop using Metformin 850, your blood sugar regulation issues come right back. None of these things actually fix the underlying problem; they’re just meant to be taken for life to control symptoms in ways that aren't even natural. None of these substances are natural to the human body, and they all work by obstructing or inhibiting natural metabolic processes, which obviously leads to different side effects.
Plus, so many people, once they manage to control their symptoms with those drugs, they just go right back to living exactly how they did before, thinking they've solved everything. But the problem stays there, and it keeps growing—it's just hidden because the symptoms are masked... I mean, if you're already at the point where you're taking all these meds, what is your life going to look like in 20 years when they can't mask the symptoms anymore? When you'll need a beta-blocker not just to get your pressure down to 120 or 130, but just to bring it down from 170 or 180... I have a friend on beta-blockers whose pressure is still 160-170, and he's only 30... it's pretty obvious to me that in 10 or 20 years, beta-blockers won't be able to help him at all, and then what?

velvethound62 said:I already laid all my cards on the table in my first post. I went through the whole gauntlet—gastroscopy and colonoscopy included—and finally cleared the HBpylori. Everything looks fine, more or less, except for this note about having a lot of bile in my stomach. My doctor says not to sweat it, though. Also, an ultrasound picked up a tiny polyp on my gallbladder, but again, he’s telling me it’s nothing to worry about and that it couldn't possibly be the root cause of all my issues...

but maybe it could be coming from the kidneys🙂

Aaron Castillo73 said:Hmm... fat malabsorption is usually an issue in celiac during the acute phase. You can still process them because it hasn't caused that much damage yet. When I first had it, I could only manage bread for a little while before it got worse—more symptoms, more food restrictions, until eventually, I couldn't handle fats or fruit or basically any food group. Even probiotic pills made me bloated! Since celiac attacks the intestinal villi, fewer villi means fewer digestive enzymes. The more gluten you eat, the more those villi suffer. That’s why you can still handle fats—you stopped the gluten, so the damage isn't progressing. As for stool tests, make sure to check for parasites and Candida (definitely emphasize the Candida). Your symptoms sound incredibly similar to mine. If you want to go the psychiatrist route, they'll just send you straight to a specialist. When I was at the new hospital, they tried to label me as "psychiatric" because nobody could figure out what was wrong with me—then my psychiatrist actually suggested I see a different gastroenterologist! So I went to the specialist, and lo and behold—celiac!

I have a friend over at the Mayo Clinic, so that's cool...

but I won't be heading in anytime soon. It seems like the thyroid hormone therapy is showing pretty decent results so far... I have a checkup in two weeks and I just don't have the time to be running around from doctor to doctor right now..

I mean, before you go seeing a psychiatrist, maybe check your thyroid first.

It feels like you’ve got almost every symptom of hyperthyroidism:

- aching in your quads whenever you walk up stairs
- just general muscle aches everywhere
- food moving through your system way too fast
- a slightly elevated temperature
- feeling weak
- dark circles under the eyes
- sweating at night while you're in bed
- lightheadedness
- a burning sensation on your tongue and facial tingling
- losing weight
- sharp, stabbing pains

The only thing that seems a bit off is that pressure above your eyes. Because, I guess, a really specific sign of hyperthyroidism is pressure behind the eyes. So, I don't know, maybe, it's close enough 🙂
Another symptom that might be missing is hair loss and having a racing pulse while you're just sitting there resting.

Man, seriously, just go $100 get checked out. Or if you're really not sure, just check your pulse, especially at night when you're sweating in bed and stuff... and check your blood pressure and temperature too... well, see, having a racing pulse while you're lying down trying to sleep, especially combined with a fever, feeling hot, and sweating... that alone is probably hyperthyroidism.

People who have a fever because of an infection actually feel cold—like, they feel chilly even though their body temperature is high. It's only when the temperature starts to drop that they feel hot.

But people with hyperthyroidism? They're sweating and feeling hot, not cold. And they feel especially hot when it's warm out, or even more so if they're doing any kind of physical activity in the heat.

So, yeah, just see which one sounds like you.

vividsailor7 said:Honestly, I don’t even have the energy to slog through this whole thing, but here is the gist of what I managed to parse out for you to fix...
A CT scan isn't going to be particularly helpful here.
Statins aren't contraindicated for hypothyroidism.

Lipitor and all those other statins... they kind of have this tendency to cause rhabdomyolysis, you know? Like, basically destroying muscle tissue, which then puts a ton of stress on your kidneys and causes inflammation, and eventually, they just stop working.
And when you combine statins with hypothyroidism, there's this synergistic effect—meaning, I guess, it might actually ramp up the risk of rhabdomyolysis.
It’s funny how some places frame it—like, in studies, statins were basically marketed as "hyperthyroidism regulators." It sounds pretty good, right? But the real-world translation is more like they slow down the thyroid, which is only a "plus" if you actually have hyperthyroidism.



Here are the contraindications (at least according to what's listed in the US)🙂:

•Personal or family history of hereditary muscular disorders
•Previous history of muscle toxicity with another HMG Co-A reductase inhibitor

•Severe hepatic impairment
•Severe renal impairment (CrCl less than 30 ml/min/1.73 m2)
•Hypothyroidism

Hey there... I was just sitting here thinking about things, and I felt like I should probably say something... maybe? It’s hard to know if anyone is actually listening, I guess. Everything feels a bit scattered lately. My head is kind of all over the place, honestly. Just one thought leading to another, like a messy trail of breadcrumbs through a park or something. Anyway, I just wanted to reach out. I hope everyone is doing okay... mostly okay. That's the goal, right? Just staying afloat. kaže:
So, I guess things have been getting kind of rough lately... like, my stomach issues have basically become my new daily routine. It’s just constant. I think it's because I've been getting so worked up over everything lately—just constantly on edge and getting frustrated. It feels like my nerves and my gut are totally synced up in the worst way possible. Maybe that's just how it goes when you're stressed out this much? I don't know. It's just hard when it happens every single day.🤷
Thanks so much for the advice! I really appreciate it. 🙂

I mean, honestly... that whole thing where you’re constantly getting worked up? I really think that’s more of a symptom than the actual cause. Like, it's just a sign that something else is going on under the surface. I guess what I'm trying to say is... maybe you should keep looking for an actual diagnosis. Just a thought.

Angela Wright said:Celiac disease isn't about your calorie count or fat intake; it's strictly about the gluten found in grains and certain other foods. Your body simply lacks the ability to process it.
Celiac is a chronic condition that affects all organic systems. It is a lifelong struggle. It actually shows up more frequently in adults than in children. When someone genetically predisposed eats gluten, it triggers damage not just to the intestinal lining, but to various other organs in the body as well.
Even tiny amounts of gluten-containing food can trigger an immune response in affected individuals. The clinical presentation of this disease is incredibly diverse. It can manifest at any age, though recent epidemiological data suggests most cases are diagnosed in a person's fifties or sixties.
Distinguishing celiac symptoms from other potential illnesses can be an absolute nightmare. Unfortunately, it’s common for people to bounce between different specialists for years, searching for answers. Sometimes the disease presents with zero symptoms at all, which is why we call it "silent" or "masked."
Source:https://www.celiac.org/
Get tested so you aren't just guessing.

Well, one major symptom of celiac is being unable to metabolize fats. But me? I metabolize them perfectly fine, even in huge amounts.

I’d probably rather go get tested for Lyme disease—you know, from ticks—or maybe start with stool tests... but I think I'll stick with my thyroid medication for a little longer first. I mean, I feel okay for now. It could be better, I guess, but it's alright compared to how things were.

I’m sure I'll get tested eventually if I can't get things back on track, but it’s just not at the top of my priority list right now because, like I said, my fat metabolism is totally fine. Plus, for the last week, I've been eating three or four slices of bread every single day and nothing weird has happened yet... so... yeah.

Before even looking at celiac, I’d check for chronic Lyme (I had it once before), get an MRI of my abdomen and my spine (actually, I definitely need a spine MRI because my mid-back is killing me), run bacterial cultures on my stool, and stuff like that... but for now, all of that is on hold until I taper off my thyroid meds a bit to see how it goes. I'll give the hormones at least another month. They're serving me pretty well so far... then, after all that, if nothing else turns up, I'll look into celiac and some other possibilities.

velvethound62 said:Should I bother asking my doctor for a thyroid referral, or can I just go private? If I go the private route, where should I get tested and what kind of damage am I looking at for my wallet? My doctor has already burned through about thirty different referrals and prescriptions for me this year alone... he’s starting to give me those looks.

Well, if you're in the city, I usually just head over to Quest Diagnostics, I think there's one right near downtown. TSH is probably around $50, and I guess T3 and T4 might be about $23 each. If you're still feeling all jittery and restless, maybe you could check your freeT3 too? It might actually correlate better with how you're feeling, though I'm not sure if the cost is about the same, maybe $23..

Yeah, I totally get it. I really don't feel like talking to doctors too much myself. I know they're going to give me that look because I have this whole list of symptoms that most of the medical community just can't wrap their heads around... or they just try to refer you to a psychiatrist instead. I find those experiences so insulting, really, and I just don't have the patience for being lectured or made to feel like I'm making things up.

velvethound62 said:I’m having this exact same reaction to pretty much any kind of food. On top of that, because of my cholesterol levels, I’m supposedly not supposed to touch eggs or heavy fats. But honestly? The worst part isn't even the diet—it's this crushing lack of physical strength, the constant aches all over my body, and seeing chunks of undigested food in my stool. It's gross and frustrating. I’m trying to get someone to figure out if this is all connected, because every single one of these symptoms hit me at once back in December. Up until then, I was on Lipitor for my cholesterol, but my doctor actually pulled me off it, thinking some of these issues might be side effects from the pills. Well, newsflash: I feel even worse now... both physically and mentally. I'm refusing to just pop painkillers or sedatives for now because I don't think masking the symptoms solves the actual problem long-term (unless I'm totally wrong here). But the absolute kicker? According to every single lab test I've had, I am a perfectly healthy man!!!!!!

You should go get your hormones checked. I'm actually heading in tomorrow myself, so we can do it together, I guess.🙂

I noticed that Lipitor is contraindicated when you have hypothyroidism... and honestly, it feels like all these statins do more harm than good. Like, is it really worth dealing with those risks and side effects just for a 5% improvement in cardiovascular mortality? Especially when overall mortality stays the same. To me, that seems totally crazy. Especially for someone young...

Hey doctors, what’s the prognosis for someone who starts taking statins in their 20s or 30s because of cholesterol? If they've been diagnosed with that famous 'familial hypercholesterolemia,' then it basically means they're on statins for life. Everyone knows that statins wreck your muscles and can mess with your cognitive abilities, too. Plus, besides inhibiting cholesterol production, they also inhibit CoQ10, which muscles seriously need to function properly. Etc., etc.

What's the outlook for someone who has been on statins for 30 years?????

Anyway, just go get your hormones checked first...

velvethound62 said:Let me set the record straight here—it isn't blood in my stool, it’s just on the toilet paper after I'm done. And honestly, my digestion is a total mess right now; things aren't coming out "normal" at all. It’s like looking at a map of everything I ate the day before because there are chunks of undigested food everywhere. Plus, like I mentioned earlier, I’m dealing with this intense pain or a sharp itching sensation in my rectum after using the bathroom, and sometimes it hits me even when I haven't gone. Oh, and I totally forgot to mention the constant, heavy gas—though, thankfully, it doesn't smell too terrible. Then there's the exhaustion and the muscle aches, especially that stabbing sensation right under my ribs. Now, look, I already deal with lower back issues—specifically some slipped vertebrae in my lumbar spine—which occasionally sends shooting pains down my legs, but I fail to see how on earth that would have anything to do with my digestion???

Man, you're hitting close to home again. My mid-back has been absolutely killing me for two or three years now... specifically that spot where it meets the ribs. Everything feels so tight there, it hurts to touch, and the pain sometimes radiates along my ribs toward the front... I'm constantly trying to "crack my own spine" because I feel like it might help, but maybe it's just temporary relief, I guess.

I wouldn't want to just jump in and diagnose you with hyperthyroidism based on what you wrote... I mean, I wouldn't diagnose anything at all, I'd probably just tell you to go get your thyroid levels checked...

So, basically:
- Food moving way too fast through the digestive tract.
- Aching muscles, especially when climbing stairs.
- Dark circles under the eyes...

All three of those are straight-up symptoms of hyperthyroidism...

Even though I had the first two, I'm pretty sure I actually have hypothyroidism.
Actually, I'm not even certain, if I had to guess, I'd say I fluctuate between the two, which I think is fairly common with Hashimoto's, but my antibodies were negative. 0-32 is considered negative, I was at 16, and anything over 32 is positive... but even that doesn't guarantee anything... I'll have to test again...

I honestly have no idea, but it looks like we're dealing with very similar stuff...

velvethound62 said:Which hormones are we talking about? Bloodwork results🙂I went to Quest Diagnostics—checked my CK and LDH (those are markers for muscles and joints) plus the CEA tumor marker... everything came back perfectly within the normal range, except for my cholesterol, which was sitting at 8.7.

How on earth did you fix those symptoms? WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE??? I need some advice immediately, urgently!!!!!

There was this one stretch of time where everything felt exactly the same... I mean, my symptoms were just totally identical. Let me see if I can actually try to describe it... maybe...

It all started with this stinging, itchy sensation around my rear right after I used the bathroom... honestly, it went on for years, I think. I always tried to make sure I headed straight for the shower immediately after using the toilet just to avoid that burning feeling, you know? But then things just... they got worse. My stools became softer and softer, and the stinging was getting way more intense. After I’d go, there would be this inflamed ring around the rectum area. It felt like my stool was incredibly acidic, almost like it was actually eating away at my skin. I really had this gut feeling—maybe I'm wrong, but it felt like my body was just dumping bile uncontrollably, like there was too much bile in my intestines and my system was just trying to flush it out as fast as possible. And the frequency... yeah, it picked up too. I started having to run to the bathroom two, three, maybe even four times a day.
It’s just been this constant, shifting wave of symptoms hitting me all at once... I mean, like what you mentioned, too—my quads started aching by the time I hit the second floor of my building, almost like I'd crushed a heavy leg day at the gym or something, which is crazy because I haven't worked out at all lately. It's weird. And honestly, there are so many other things going on. The stuff that really messes with my head is the brain fog... I just can't concentrate. Everything feels weak. Then there's the mental side of it, too—this creeping anxiety, maybe even a little bit of paranoia, plus just feeling totally lethargic and apathetic most of the time. And then, out of nowhere, I get these bouts of hypoglycemia symptoms several times a day... just total confusion, the shakes, sweating, and feeling freezing cold. Even caffeine has become such a trigger; I swear, just the taste of it on my tongue makes me feel incredibly jittery and on edge. This past winter was especially brutal with the cold, too. Since I smoke, I'd try to step outside, but I couldn't even finish half a cigarette before the shivering and teeth-chattering started. It’s been cycling through these different phases for about two years now, I guess. Though, if I really think back, I've had some rectal irritation starting way back, maybe five or six years ago... I don't know.

So, basically, that whole bathroom issue pretty much cleared up within a few days once I switched up my diet. I went almost completely keto—like, zero carbs—and within two days, most of those symptoms I mentioned earlier just vanished, and things finally started moving normally again. Though, I guess I’m not entirely sure if I actually fixed the root cause or something, because now that I’ve started slowly reintroducing carbs, my movements are still mostly fine—just a little softer, maybe—but that itching and irritation around the area is starting to creep back in. I don't know what to make of it... honestly. Part of me suspects it might be some kind of bacterial thing, you know? Like, if there were bacteria present, cutting out carbs would naturally calm them down, so that would actually make sense. But then again, another possibility—and I'm just speculating here—could be something hormonal. Like, a total hormonal imbalance. I can't prove it or anything, obviously, but I wonder if it's an overproduction of catecholamines—you know, like adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, and cortisol—just trying to compensate for some kind of thyroid hormone deficiency... maybe? I don't know.

So, I changed up my diet, right? And for like, a whole month, I actually felt pretty amazing. It wasn't perfect—some symptoms were still hanging around—but I was doing okay. Then, out of nowhere, one day while I was just eating some chicken and spinach, I suddenly felt totally sick. Like, within five minutes, everything just went south. I ended up stuck in bed for three days straight with this weirdly low fever, maybe around 96 degrees... and ever since then, it’s been rough. I got all foggy again, lost my focus, and that weakness just came rushing back. My digestion stayed fine, though, as long as I keep the food on track. That whole episode really pushed me to go get my thyroid checked out. Turns out, my hormone levels are sitting right at the very bottom edge of the scale. Most doctors here wouldn't even bother treating it because technically, I'm still "within range," I guess. But, I decided to start treatment anyway about a month ago, and man, it made a difference. I got my focus and concentration back so fast. Everything feels more stable now. I’m even noticing other stuff... my blood pressure has leveled out, and I don't feel like I'm freezing all the time anymore. Even the random muscle aches have calmed down, and I think I might actually have the energy to get back into sports soon. Maybe.

So, yeah, I’ve definitely been blaming a massive amount of stress for everything... but honestly, I think if your body is actually ready for it, you don't even feel it as stress. It's more like, when your system is totally compromised, then every little thing becomes stressful. I guess doctors talk about stress way too much. Stress doesn't really exist when you're healthy. But man, just try trying to fix errors on a major bank's production server—where every minute of downtime costs a fortune—while you're dealing with hypoglycemia, and then you'll see what real stress feels like... You can't even remember your own dad's name because five people are standing over your shoulder breathing down your neck, yelling at you to fix something *now* because something else is waiting in line... that's how stress happens. At one point, even just going to the grocery store felt overwhelming. And so? Now I'm working both Saturdays and Sundays from 8 to 4, and I'm getting married in three weeks, so I don't snap and lose my cool over things like... people parking their cars wrong like I used to...

Eh, the diet I'm talking about is mostly LCHF. I think any version with very low carbs will work for you (there's the Atkins induction phase, though personally, I think it's way too much meat)... For me, the best is the Optimal Diet by Jan Kwasniewski. So, the emphasis is on high fat rather than high protein... I mean, you can eat meat, but the whole point isn't just gorging on meat, it's mainly about the fats... healthy fats, animal fats, dairy fats, and fats from nuts... No vegetable oils except for tropical ones (like coconut or palm) and olive oil. Flax is great, but it's not exactly something you eat like a meal, and neither is fish oil... You cook your food in lard or butter, not sunflower oil or whatever mystery stuff they call "vegetable oil." And absolutely no margarine or whatever artificial crap.
And you should absolutely avoid sugar and large amounts of carbs (bread, dough, potatoes, rice, beans)... plus caffeine and all those other stimulants. Eat eggs normally, especially the yolks and stuff like that. As for carbs, stick to vegetables you can eat raw and fruit, but not too much—berries are probably best... Basically, most of this is the exact opposite of mainstream medicine. The only place where medicine and this diet actually agree is that fats from nuts, tropical fats, olive oil, fish oil, and flax are healthy. When it comes to animal and dairy fats, the opinions are diametrically opposed. Same goes for carbs and eggs, more or less. I'm no doctor, I'm just sharing info I've gathered through research and testing it out on myself...

Hormones and the rest of my bloodwork?

It’s weirdly similar to my own digestive issues... I had itching and traces of blood, plus those muscle aches from pacing around for two months straight

I think I've managed to fix most of the symptoms by trying a few different things

I guess I'll just keep going then...

The main culprit is mostly fatty liver or insulin resistance in the liver. And if you ask me, the root cause of all that is sugar—specifically fructose. Fructose is... well, it's different. Almost every cell in your body can process glucose; it’s kind of like a universal fuel, and some cells, like the brain, actually can't function without it. But fructose? Only the muscles, the liver, and I think maybe the testes can really use it. Muscles don't get much energy from fructose because they can't metabolize it properly, you know, all the way through. So, the liver basically has to handle the brunt of the fructose load—it's got no other choice. And the liver mostly turns that fructose into lipids! Also, unlike glucose, fructose gets metabolized incredibly fast—there aren't really any brakes on it. Now, if you eat glucose along with it (since table sugar is basically 50% glucose and 50% fructose), or even if it's just fructose, the insulin levels will still be high enough that the liver just keeps those lipids trapped inside itself. Over time, if you overdo it and if your liver's glycogen stores aren't being emptied regularly (like through exercise), the liver just fills up with all that fat. To "defend" itself from getting even more stuffed, it becomes resistant to insulin. It's like every cell tries to protect itself from being overstuffed—once they become fatty, they become insulin resistant so they stop taking in more.
Since the liver stops listening to insulin, it starts dumping part of its reserves back into the bloodstream—those fats, I mean. It releases them in a way that's "uncontrolled" or poorly controlled because the hormone that's supposed to manage it—insulin—is being ignored. The same thing happens in other cells, too. But the liver is unique because it also has the job of producing glucose (from its glycogen stores and proteins) whenever it needs to. Insulin is supposed to inhibit that function, too, but since the liver isn't listening to insulin anymore, it just keeps pumping out glucose constantly. That keeps the insulin levels slightly elevated all the time, so the blood sugar-insulin balance is always "up." Then you get into that whole cycle I mentioned before.

Honestly, these are mostly just physiological reactions of the body rather than pathological ones. It's just how the body adapts to the fuel you're pumping into it. If your primary fuel is sugar, the body adapts to survive under those conditions for as long as possible. Though, I guess "as long as possible" isn't actually that long. Still, it's longer than if the body hadn't made those changes at all, I suppose.

Glucose has to be cleared from the blood because high concentrations are harmful (and by the way, it's very likely that glucose and insulin are what damage the blood vessels that the body then tries to patch up with cholesterol). Meanwhile, insulin has to be secreted to bring those concentrations down. Every cell is just trying to stay alive, so when it gets overloaded with fat, it becomes insulin resistant to stop the influx. Once most of the cells are filled with fat and become insulin resistant, there's nowhere left for the sugar to go, and that's when you become a Type 2 diabetic. Now, if your body is really good at creating new cells (fatty adipocytes) and produces them faster than you can fill them up, you might last many years, maybe even your whole life, without developing Type 2 diabetes. But even then, you'll probably be suffering from metabolic syndrome the whole time because you're controlling your glucose mostly through fat tissue and density (which is pretty poor control) instead of using your liver and density (which would be much better control), and that's mostly because your liver is half-destroyed, which carries its own set of consequences.

Here is a study done on mice.

http://hyper.ahajournals.org/content/45/5/1012.full

So, just look at how much things increase after such a short period... In my opinion, this is enough to classify fructose as a poison even worse than cigarettes. But, hey, there it is.

There are tons of other studies like this done on mice.

And an analysis regarding human habits.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18395287

vividsailor7 said:Hypoglycemia isn't actually a symptom of metabolic syndrome.

Hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, fatty liver—honestly, call it whatever you want, whether it's an official diagnostic marker or just a symptom or whatever, it's basically the core definition of "metabolic syndrome."

But I guess the way it's officially defined is pretty rigid. Maybe the real truth is that you just constantly have slightly elevated insulin and sugar levels—like, depending on how bad things have gotten, maybe even while fasting—and then that true hyperinsulinemia that defines metabolic syndrome really shows up after you eat. And then, you get that resulting hypoglycemia about two or three hours later.

So, just imagine this scenario... a person eats some toast with jam (which, if you ask me, is one of the absolute worst kinds of poison). They digest it. Glucose floods into the bloodstream in huge amounts. The pancreas senses that spike in glucose and pumps out insulin. But the liver is resistant to insulin—because it’s full of fat, which is what metabolic syndrome officially is—so it doesn't react properly. Instead of taking the sugar out of the blood to store it as glycogen, it does the exact opposite—it keeps producing sugar by breaking down proteins! It just adds more to the blood.
The pancreas still sees all that glucose despite the insulin it just released, so it cranks up the insulin dose even higher. Then the adipocytes—the fat cells—start feeling that increased dose of insulin as it circulates through the bloodstream. Because of that high insulin concentration, the fat cells grab the glucose from the blood and turn it straight into fat.
Since this whole process is kind of slow and sluggish when the liver isn't working right, the pancreas manages to dump out way too much insulin before it reaches a high enough concentration throughout the entire bloodstream (not just in the liver, which is its immediate neighbor) for those fat cells to finally soak up the excess glucose from the blood—that's the hyperinsulinemia part (you know, that feeling of being exhausted after eating, since insulin makes you sleepy). Eventually, the fat cells manage to take enough glucose to normalize the blood sugar level, but there’s still leftover insulin because the pancreas overdid it. Also, a fatty liver is noticeably worse at metabolizing insulin—meaning the liver and kidneys, which are supposed to clear the insulin from the blood once it's done its job, are slower at it. So, that extra lingering insulin drops the blood sugar too low, and that’s when hypoglycemia kicks in. The symptoms that hit you suddenly are intense hunger, weakness, shakiness, and confusion. The body then triggers the adrenal glands to try and save the day with adrenaline and other catecholamines. Adrenaline causes sweating, poor temperature control (cold hands and feet, but a hot torso), irritability, and stress. Adrenaline also numbs that initial massive hunger, so people say, "Oh, I just overate." Even though the liver isn't responding to insulin anymore, it *does* still respond to adrenaline—and what it does in response to adrenaline is create more glucose by breaking down proteins. In this stage, it's mostly proteins coming from breaking down muscle tissue! Man, to avoid these symptoms, people often don't even let it last long (even though letting it pass might actually be better for them), they just scramble for more food that fixes the symptoms almost instantly, and everything seems okay. This can go on for maybe 5 to 10 years before all the other mess starts happening. And then they joke about it like, "Oops, my sugar crashed," haha, hehe. Even though they haven't actually used the energy they ate—they just packed it away into fat and immediately ran out of the energy they just consumed—the person goes right back to eating, usually more carbs, because fats and proteins don't satisfy them very well. That’s why people are overweight. And weak, because all the energy they eat gets shoved straight into fat cells and locked away by hyperinsulinemia, leaving them hungry again. This cycle happens several times a day in metabolic syndrome, depending on what they eat. Now, what all those years of this behavior, these massive hormone and sugar fluctuations, and a half-functional liver will do to the rest of the organs... well, that depends on a bunch of different factors. Over time, even the adipocytes—the fat tissue—will become insulin resistant. Then the pancreas will pump out even more insulin, and shortly after that, the pancreas just burns out from overproducing it—that's Type 2 diabetes. The only cells that can't develop insulin resistance are the retinal cells, kidney cells, and nerve cells—the classic diabetic complications. Some fat cells can handle the insulin for a long time, essentially just filling up with fat, so a person might develop something else first, like atherosclerosis or heart issues... for some, that clogged-up liver might mess up bile production and digestion, leading to IBS. Gallstones can form, etc. Weakened digestion can cause all sorts of nutrient deficiencies with their own set of symptoms, and allow "bad" bacteria to bloom in the gut—again, IBS... and it all started from the liver's resistance to insulin and that first obvious symptom: frequent hypoglycemia. We already established that these abnormal hormone and sugar levels have mental consequences, and eventually, as all the glands start acting weird, someone might even be diagnosed with a mental illness. Probably the kidneys will slow down too... the adrenals will get overworked, and between the kidneys and the constant hypoglycemia, it could contribute to something like CFS in a certain way... etc.

Honestly, I feel like this is stuff they should be teaching kids in elementary school. You know? Just so they actually understand what’s happening inside their bodies when they eat. Instead, you have grandmas telling them, "Oh, your blood sugar is low, just eat some more sugar, it's fine"... but it really isn't fine. It's just not.

If you guys don't think this is how it works, please, tell me why. I mean, I suspect most people dealing with metabolic syndrome are going to recognize this pattern immediately—it's medically sound, regardless of what those official lab ranges or formal diagnoses might say... I haven't even gotten into how stress plays into the whole mess yet, but maybe I'll get to that later. I can definitely keep going on how this whole thing starts.

Maria Fisher46 said:Dear Jessica Fowler4,

I think you’re taking this to an extreme again. Like I said before, these lab results alone don't necessarily point to metabolic syndrome. According to the current medical guidelines, you can't just look at the numbers; a diagnosis requires a clinical exam too, where things like waist circumference play a huge role.

That kind of data just isn't something you can read off a blood work report.

following the usual medical standards... well, I'm not a doctor, so I don't have those kinds of restrictions myself🙂

You're honestly just confusing the user Betty Hughes6 and everyone else reading this thread with these remarks. Look, the criteria for impaired fasting glucose was clearly stated, and it's not just a fasting glucose above 100 mg/dL—it's actually 100 mg/dL or higher. And hey, that threshold has already been lowered compared to how it used to be!

A few decades ago, there was basically just one line in the sand: you either had diabetes or you didn't. Then they introduced these middle-ground categories like 'prediabetes' and 'metabolic syndrome'... then they lowered that threshold... and they'll probably lower it again... I guess it's becoming more of a political thing. When you drop the threshold, a massive wave of people suddenly gets an official diagnosis... which means they all need treatment... and someone has to pay for that, and someone else stands to make a profit from it...

It's a completely different story when you go back and dig up old posts to find a previous diagnosis and treatment just to try and claim that everything is being spelled out in the user's most recent lab results!

I suspected metabolic syndrome based solely on those specific labs and the two symptoms he mentioned right at the start. That's why I went back to check his other posts, just to see if he'd mentioned any other symptoms of metabolic syndrome elsewhere. And sure enough, looking through his history, the guy weighs 260 pounds, has high blood pressure, and so on. I don't spend my time deep-diving into every single person's post who shares their labs... I just don't have that much free time.

I suppose I have a bit of an agenda regarding "metabolic syndrome" and how the medical establishment handles it, I guess, which is why I'm mostly here. But I really do try to be clear that I'm not a doctor. I have no intention of deceiving anyone, or tricking them, or trying to sell them anything. People should just think for themselves. There are tons of people in the same boat, and medicine might eventually give them a formal diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, or maybe they'll just leave them to struggle. Like this guy—just look at how long he's been suffering. You know how much it sucks when someone tells you your labs are "fine." The man spends half the day sweating, shaking, and unable to pull himself together... every single day. And he's supposed to work like that? But according to medical standards, his blood work is fine! And probably all his other tests too... I used to get like that at work... sweating through my shirt even in the winter and stuff... hypoglycemia... it's one of the main signs of metabolic syndrome.

Healthy people don't experience hypoglycemia. You shouldn't even need any other test to diagnose metabolic syndrome. In my opinion... maybe just what he already did—the insulin scan.

Maria Fisher46 said:I mean, looking at this kind of result... I don't know, maybe it's just me, but it feels significant. I guess there's a lot to unpack here. It’s just one of those things that makes you stop and think, you know? Like, wow. Anyway, what do you guys think about this? I guess... I mean, it doesn't really lead anywhere, does it? It’s just sort of... hovering there without actually making a move. Maybe that's the point, though? I don't know. It feels like it's just stalling. So, about metabolic syndrome... I mean, it’s kind of a big deal, right? It’s not just one thing, it’s like this whole cluster of issues hitting you at once—blood pressure, blood sugar, waistline, cholesterol, all that stuff. It's scary, honestly. I was reading about it the other day, and it feels like everything is connected. Maybe it's the diet, or maybe it's just how life works now in the States, with everything being so fast-paced and processed. I guess it really comes down to how our bodies handle energy. It’s heavy stuff to think about, but we should probably pay more attention to it before it turns into something way worse. Just an observation, I suppose.

So, about metabolic syndrome... there are actually several ways to look at it, I guess. It’s not just one single thing, you know? It’s more like this cluster of issues that all hang out together—like high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and maybe some extra weight around the middle. It’s kind of like when several different warning lights pop up on your dashboard at once; it doesn't mean your engine is dead, but it definitely means you should probably pull over and check things out before something goes sideways. Maybe. I was reading about how doctors in the States approach it, and it seems like they really focus on lifestyle stuff first. Like, instead of just handing you a prescription immediately, they might talk about hitting the gym or watching what you eat. It’s complicated, though. Every body reacts differently, right? I mean, I'm no expert, obviously, but it feels like it's all interconnected. One thing leads to another, and suddenly you're dealing with a whole web of health concerns. It's a bit overwhelming if you think about it too much, I suppose. I mean, I guess... there really should be some sort of clearly defined criteria, right? Like, you can't just wing it. You need specific standards to actually go by. It feels like everything is just sort of up in the air sometimes, which is frustrating, I suppose. If we don't have those exact benchmarks set in stone, how are we even supposed to know if things are working? Maybe I'm overthinking it, but it feels important. Just... having those solid, definite rules to follow. It would make sense, wouldn't it? So, I was thinking about this earlier... like, what actually goes into getting an official diagnosis? It’s not just someone saying, "Hey, you seem a bit off today," right? I mean, I guess there’s a whole specific set of criteria that has to be met first. It’s kind of intense when you think about it. You have to check all these boxes—very specific symptoms, certain patterns of behavior, things that meet the standards set by the medical community here in the States, like the DSM. It’s not just one thing; it’s more like a collection of requirements that all have to line up perfectly. Maybe it's because they want to be sure, or maybe it's just how the system works. But yeah, there are definitely strict guidelines that a person has to satisfy before anything becomes official.

So, I was looking at the numbers again, and... I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking this, but one of them shows an A1C of over 5.6 mmol/l, not just over 5 mmol/l like everyone keeps saying. It's a bit different, I guess.

I mean, obviously... that isn't the only thing, and it’s definitely not the main deciding factor either, I guess.

So, just to make sure there isn't any confusion here, I really do completely agree with my esteemed colleague, Dr. Harvey, that the way those user findings are being interpreted... well, I guess you could say he's spot on. I don't know... I guess I'm just thinking out loud here, maybe? It’s hard to put a finger on it. Everything feels sort of... scattered? Like, you know when you're trying to focus on one thing but your brain just keeps jumping to something else entirely? That's kind of how I've been feeling lately. I mean, it's probably nothing major, just a bit of mental fog, I suppose. But still, it's weird. It's just strange. Anyway, I'm just rambling now. Sorry. kako slijedi:

Yeah, so... the other markers are lipids—which are also high. I guess that's part of it too. Maybe? It’s just one more thing on the list.

I mean, honestly? Those official clinical ranges feel like they’re just purely political to me, IMO... I don't know. A healthy person's actual, baseline fasting glucose level is usually around 70 mg/dL... maybe? It just feels different when you look at real people versus what the textbooks say.
So, I was thinking... assuming we aren't talking about extreme stuff like autoimmune issues, diabetes, or maybe pancreatic cancer, and if you don't have those specific hormonal things—like an adrenal tumor or whatever—then fasting glucose is basically just a direct way to measure how much your liver is resisting insulin. And honestly, that also says a lot about your liver fat levels, too. In my opinion, I guess... hepatic insulin resistance is really the heart of the whole "metabolic syndrome" thing. Like, everything else seems to stem from that one point. From that initial liver resistance and the fatty liver part, all the other symptoms and issues start to branch out. It’s like a chain reaction where obesity, atherosclerosis, various hormonal imbalances, and eventually diabetes all start rolling in, maybe in different combinations, but it all feels like it starts right there. Just a thought.

Look, don't be lazy about this. I’ve been going through the posts from this guy, and man, it’s a lot. He’s dealing with metabolic syndrome, his blood pressure is up, and he’s sitting at around 265 pounds. He’s on beta blockers too, which adds another layer to it all. On top of that, he keeps hitting these frequent hypoglycemic lows... it's actually kind of scary. I guess they were already starting to suspect he might be on insulin, or maybe just heading that way. It's a heavy situation, really.

Maybe... I don't know, maybe those ranges could just be, like, totally recalibrated? Or re-educated? I guess it’s worth considering if they should be adjusted entirely. Maybe. 🙂

Hey Mr. Syntr, you really ought to rethink your whole diet. I mean, maybe try switching things up? You should probably focus on animal fats—like pork or beef tallow—and dairy fats too. Like, all kinds of heavy cream or natural cheeses... honestly, the fattier the better. Eggs are great, obviously. And then you could add some tropical oils or olive oil into the mix. For proteins, stick to animal sources, and again, if you can get the fattier cuts, that's even better. Ideally, you'd aim for organs, like kidneys, liver, or even brain if you're feeling adventurous. As for veggies, just keep the carbs low, I guess. Maybe lots of salads, cauliflower, spinach, and stuff like that... anything you can eat raw, really. And maybe just a little bit of fruit, specifically berries or something from the forest. You can eat as much as you want, I suppose, though maybe don't go overboard on the protein side of things. It’s probably best if at least 60-70% of your total calories come from fats. Just a thought!

So, I guess you have to just completely cut out all stimulants. Like, everything. No coffee, no Coke, no tea, no chocolate... nothing. And sugar? Yeah, just stay away from sugar entirely. It means no juices either, and definitely no alcohol—just stick to water and maybe some sparkling water if you're feeling fancy. And then there's the carbs. You really have to avoid the big stuff, you know? Like bread, pasta, potatoes, rice, corn, beans... all that kind of thing. I mean, you don't have to be super religious about plant oils, I suppose, but maybe just stick to olive oil or tropical ones like coconut oil—which is actually incredibly therapeutic, by the way; you can find the good stuff at places like Whole Foods—or maybe palm oil, or flaxseed if you can actually stomach it. But you absolutely, 100% have to eliminate all those hydrogenated fats and that other garbage, like margarine, or those processed cheese slices, or heaven forbid, "light" mayonnaise. Just... no.

So, I was thinking about this earlier, and it's kind of funny... but, I guess, if you look at it closely, this whole diet is actually gluten-free by its very nature. Like, it just happens that way. It’s built into the whole thing, I suppose.

I mean, I was thinking... maybe you should also look into adding some taurine supplements to the mix? Just to help out the liver, I guess. Like, maybe just a couple of grams a day? It might really help.

If you’re worried that this diet is going to totally wreck your blood work, look, you aren't the only one thinking that. I get it. But honestly? Even most doctors will probably tell you that doing this for just a week or two isn't actually going to mess up your labs that much. It's just... well, it takes a bit more time than that, I guess. On the flip side, I'm telling you—and maybe I'm wrong, but I really think—that most of those metabolic syndrome symptoms are going to start clearing up in just a few days. Like, the main thing? That hypoglycemia issue? You should see that vanish within like, two days tops. So, just give it a shot. Seriously. See if I'm right or not. It doesn't take long at all. If I am right, then just keep going with the diet and keep an eye on your blood work just so you can track how things are moving along. And please, please let me know what happens... I don't want to end up looking like a total nutcase here.

And you should probably get your thyroid levels checked out too. I mean, I suspect the thyroid often slows down during this whole process, and it’s just really hard to break out of that downward spiral when your metabolism is basically sitting at zero.

I should say again, though—I’m definitely not a doctor or anything. I’m just speaking from my own experience and what I've seen with people close to me... so yeah, that's all it is... but still, regarding doctors—if you're technically considered "healthy," then I guess there isn't really anyone for you to listen to. 🙂

Paul Ramirez59 said:Hi everyone,

I went in for some blood work this morning because I’ve just been feeling pretty off lately—lots of dizziness, tremors, and just generally feeling lousy during the day.

If anyone here is able to help, could you please make sense of these results for me?

Reference Ranges

ESR up to 10 mm/h
WBC 3.4 - 9.7
RBC 4.34 - 5.72*
Hemoglobin 13.8 - 17.5
Hematocrit 41.5 - 53.0
MCV 83.0 - 97.2*
MCH 27.4 - 33.9
MCHC 32.0 - 34.5*
Platelets 158 - 424
RDW 9.0 - 10.4*
MPV 6.8 - 10.4*

Glucose 3.9 - 6.2
Urea 2.5 - 7.5
Creatinine 65 - 120
Cholesterol < 5.3
Triglycerides 0.4 - 1.9*
Iron 11.0 - 32.0
Total Bilirubin 5.0 - 21.0
AST 0 - 38
ALT 0 - 48
GGT 0 - 55.0

URINALYSIS:
Clear
Yellow
Protein Neg
Urobilinogen Normal
Epithelial Cells Small
WBC 1-2
RBC 2-3
Bacteria Small
Mucus Moderate

I'm hoping someone can walk me through this before my follow-up appointment with the doctor (which is in maybe a week or two)....
I'm especially worried about those MCV and MCH numbers...

Look, I'm definitely not a doctor, but I guess if you look at fasting glucose over 5 combined with the liver producing a ton of lipids, it might point toward "metabolic syndrome" (you know, one of those fancy names doctors come up with to sound official), especially since you're actually feeling symptoms... If it were me, I'd probably start by checking my thyroid too—not just TSH, but maybe T3 and T4 as well—and I'd definitely cut back on carbs, especially sugar.

Maria Fisher46 said:Hi there,

Your DHEA-S levels aren't actually as high as they might look at first glance, even if you're looking strictly at those reference ranges.

I mean, I suspect the reference values listed here (with an upper limit of 7.7 µmol/l) are handled differently in medical textbooks or at other labs, because it just doesn't seem right to me that the exact same range applies to both men and women. We all know that DHEA-S levels in men are typically much higher than in women, especially when you're in that 20 to 30 age bracket.

Also, a slightly elevated DHEA-S in men, assuming everything else looks normal, is often just idiopathic—meaning, well, nobody really knows why it happens.

The ACTH and cortisol numbers in this report look totally fine to me, so I don't see any reason to call them pathological.

It seems to me—and I think I'm following what my respected colleague was saying earlier—that whatever is causing your symptoms might be coming from somewhere else entirely.

Best regards. 🙂

Actually, the DHEA reference value I posted was specifically for men. There are two different sets of ranges for women, depending on whether they've gone through menopause or not. I haven't been able to find much solid literature on elevated DHEA, especially when it shows up alongside high cortisol and low ACTH. The only thing that seems to fit these results is adrenal hyperplasia.
I guess I'm wondering, how does my adrenal gland produce this much DHEA-S and cortisol when the pituitary gland isn't even sending out the ACTH signal to stimulate it?
Don't you think that given the symptoms I'm dealing with, I should probably investigate these weird lab findings? Like, maybe I should go through an ACTH stimulation test or a 24-hour urine test with four samples or something? Standard blood tests for the adrenals feel pretty useless in this case...

vividsailor7 said:The answer hasn't changed.
Maybe Felix the Cat can help you out... if he actually can.

So, basically, having DHEA-S that's 50% over the limit is totally fine? And I guess having low ACTH paired with high cortisol is just me being delusional too? Because that’s what the response implies—that I'm just making things up?

Oh, and I totally forgot to mention my blood pressure. Right now, my average is sitting somewhere between 140-160 over 70-90. There’s always this big gap between the systolic and diastolic numbers. My heart rate stays mostly between 50-60, though sometimes it dips lower... it even hits 30 once in a while. Usually, when it slows down like that, I can really feel it, and the rhythm feels all wonky and irregular.
If I do something physical for just a minute or two—not like running a marathon or anything, maybe just lifting some weights for ten minutes—my pressure seems to normalize, like 120/70, while my heart rate jumps up to around 100-110.