Figuring out digestive issues
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I've been struggling to understand what is going on with my digestion for a good while now, but feel I should try to intervene in some way, as I'm not seeing too much improvement happening.
Basically I've been without appetite or hunger for a very long time (years), with a tendency toward constipation. There's the occasional diarrhea, as well, usually seeming to relate to something upsetting my stomach. I don't experience any particular stomach pains, but can be slightly sore just below the left rib, with some noise and sloshing around happening in that area. I usually have 1 BM daily, but they can vary in size, drier and smaller when constipation is going on. Irritating my stomach can make me very dizzy, for example after drinking excessively salted water or eating uncooked apples has made me wobbly and out of it for several days in the past.
On the diet side I eat cooked oats and eggs for breakfast, which don't seem to bother me too much, but I don't know. Avoiding gluten, and drink about or slightly below half a litre of milk daily. Dinner tends to be some combination of beef or cod fish, greens (spinach, broccoli, and such) and rice or potatoes. Pretty bland stuff, but it's alright. I drink coffee, but am cutting back recently since the gastritis thought came up.
I've been considering whether this is some kind of long-standing gastritis, SIBO, or maybe both. Possibly nicotine use is an issue, previously I remember it promoting evacuation, but nowadays I don't seem to get that effect. I've tried B1 in sub-100 mg doses but didn't feel too well on it, so stopped, but sometimes do 5-10 mg. Lab tests don't find much of anything, not routine blood tests nor things like fecal hemoglobin, no elevated calprotectin, etc. Doctors prescribe unappealing laxatives, like macrogol and bisacodyl, I haven't had the stomach to touch those yet.
Anyway - there seems to be lots of different and sometimes contradictory approaches and experiences in dealing with digestive issues, so I'm curious to hear if anyone has had success dealing with similar things.
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@chosroes try being warm all day by wearing clothes
What cured my bowel movements was actually high temperature
Thyroid helps -
I believe the lack of appetite is caused by excess free fatty acids and/ or hypothyroidism.
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Do you do any mushrooms or carrot salad?
I’d recommend either one once a day -
@Jakeandpace Yeah I've been doing the carrot salad for a couple of years now, mushrooms maybe once or twice a month. I don't really have a sense of how the carrot affects me, but it seems neutral, as long as I don't add vinegar or too much salt
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@chosroes Interesting, I have a habit of not dressing warmly enough. What thyroid do you use? I've been out of the loop for a while on thyroid brands.
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Just had an experience from a little experiment, might as well post here to keep some kind of log.
I tried nutritional yeast two days ago, a very small amount. Have been thinking I might be dealing with some nutrient deficiency since I've been losing weight for a few months now, despite eating normally, hence the yeast. Did a hot water extract of about 1/6 teaspoons worth. Was trepidatious, because the intestinal problems have for a long time gone together with hormonal problems (high E, apparently low T), which I also do not fully understand but seem related somehow. Yesterday I really struggled to fall asleep, identical to what I've experienced before when hormonal problems have been severe. Brain could not settle down and doze off, I felt warmer, and my chest was somewhat itchy. Decided to increase vit E dosage again, which I've been cutting back recently. It appears nutritional yeast is a no-go.It seems, again, like the hormonal and digestive situation are related, but I don't know how. Slowing digestion can for sure lead to worsened hormonal symptoms, and faster, larger BMs often improve libido and so on. Feels like some systematic approach is called for, the question is what. Progesterone is one of the few things I've had, on net, positive experiences from, but have not used it for several months - the hormonal ups and downs it caused were a bit frightening. Maybe try eating some liver again.
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Another recent experience for the log - I lost patience with persistent constipation over the past 2-3 weeks and decided to give cascara a try again, had an unopened Farmalabor bag at home. I used very little, a fingernails worth of powder dissolved in a cup of water, and I drank maybe half the cup. With that amount of powder the water got only weakly colored.
Anyway - on the 2nd day, I had a strange jolt of libido, and went out for a long walk feeling energized. Afterward, stomach started seriously moving, i.e., diarrhea. That was four days ago. Two days after that I felt OK, but today and yesterday are worse. Again, for whatever reason, my stomach seems to affect my hormones, and I've been getting some serious antiandrogenic effects since then. Didn't find too much on the internet about this but some posts on RPF mentioned that kind of effect. Kind of unnerving, it's reminiscent of one of my worst self-medication moments, overdosing on androgens. Some typical estrogenic symptoms are absent though, no itchy chest, but some other related things are going on. My intestines seem too sensitive to really deal with, most any kind of intervention will usually leave a bad taste. Hope things will normalize with time, I assume a non-negligible amount of fluids got lost on that 2nd day.
Just leaving this here for posterity but if anyone has experiences, or just some information about intestinal problems presenting together with hormonal problems I'd be interested. Still at a loss as to what exactly is the problem with my body, it's like I'm trying my best here dude, just freaking work with me for once.
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One man's thoughtful and informative writeup. I've even bookmarked it just in case:
Hopefully something in there helps.
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What helped me most was keeping stress low for appetite, and the the circus of electrolytes and water. Getting plenty of fluids can be difficult but water especially will dissolve gases in the gut and bring relief. IME the gas mimics the same effect as a water-logged intestine by preventing proper intestinal movement, and this dissolution-need diverts water from softening stool, hence the alternating between dry stool and diarrhea.
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This post is deleted! -
Try lowering protein intake from meat and eggs (will help lower serotonin and estrogen if meat quality is poor)
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Thank you all for the replies - first an update, things have shaped up a bit since last time. The estrogenic symptoms have passed, it seems whatever was happening in or traveling through my intestines was causing it. At any rate, it doesn't seem the cascara is doing any direct harm, so that's good. I took a break for a couple of days and was at least as regular as before.
The positive effects I've had, wrt libido (before and after the estrogenic thing) which is usually absent and some other things makes me think I could keep going with the cascara. Probably wait until I notice slower digestion.
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@BioEclectic Thanks, I remember reading through that before but I'll make sure to save it this time.
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@NotShanalotte That's an interesting take. About how much fluids a day do you go for, on average? Do you drink far beyond your thirst? I haven't made any serious attempt to increase fluids, as I'm rarely thirsty and then with the whole waterlogging idea, but maybe it's worth a go.
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@chosroes I have upwards to 2 liters a day but part of that is with salt in drinks (400-800mg), juices, and full-fat dairy. I also salt my food quite a bit. If I over do the salt or feel over-full (gassy) I'll have water or sparkling water, usually half a liter in the evening.
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Any advice from cascara users on what seems to work for you? Using it regularly, or as needed? Was thinking I might go for a once-a-day, and give it a chance to work for at least a week or two if I were to try it again.
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@chosroes Some remarks...
greens (spinach, broccoli, and such)
They may lower your thyroid levels
1/2L of milk provides not enough calcium
Cascara contains emodin which lowers cortisol and estrogen and also increases dopamine a bit as a rather weak MAO-B inhibitor. Emodin has a long half-lifetime: 50 hours
Again, for whatever reason, my stomach seems to affect my hormones, and I've been getting some serious antiandrogenic effects since then.
There is a strong gut-brain connection. Issues in the gut may increase prolactin which lowers androgens...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3214685/ -
@Kvirion Thanks, that's an interesting case report.
In my case, I'm sure there's systemic hormonal things going wrong when my gut is struggling, but often there seems to be a very direct almost physical effect. Like, symptoms can shift with bowel movements. As if the stuff itself is carrying something or causing an inflammatory reaction as it's passing through.
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@chosroes said in Figuring out digestive issues:
@Kvirion Thanks, that's an interesting case report.
In my case, I'm sure there's systemic hormonal things going wrong when my gut is struggling, but often there seems to be a very direct almost physical effect. Like, symptoms can shift with bowel movements. As if the stuff itself is carrying something or causing an inflammatory reaction as it's passing through.
You're being perceptive, i would follow that but not to the point of causing excess worry. I meant to comment earlier on the carrot salad, things may have been worse without it. Now for some spitballing, please pardon if some ideas have been mentioned already:
Have you tried Taurine yet, and by extension, Tudca? Both do a lot of work down there and elsewhere.
I know some have tried activated charcoal with similar symptoms, and i do recall some experiencing relief upon first or second dose.
Microdosing magnesium multiple times a day in case you have retention issues. I've tried multiple forms on a steady basis, the ones that brought the effects i was looking for are Mag-Hydroxide and Mag-Sulfate USP grade. Care must be taken with the Sulfate form for multiple reasons therefore i rarely recommend it, and again i'm referring to microdosing. Mag retention issues can take many months to resolve but you'll be given clues when it is. It also greatly assists with chronic hard stools and regular use may even "cure" it but there's slightly more involved, other minerals etc.
Vit-B1 also does much work down there, and elsewhere of course. The HCL version is excellent but has poor absorbability, either more may be needed or splitting the dose could help. Watch the filler ingredients.
Aspirin for many many things including digestive and hormones. Seems to help with wheat/gluten from what i've read and experienced. Maybe one a day or 1/2 twice a day for those just starting. And again note the filler ingredients, cornstarch only is ideal. The cornstarch can be resolved by mixing in a cup of water, the aspirin portion dissolves quickly and the cornstarch settles at the bottom for disposal.
There's more but this is what comes to mind atm.
Edit: and as Kviron noted, keep an eye on the individual foods and supplements you're taking. They can either be a cause or simply make things worse. Def experiment.
