Another health update

So it's been a year or so since I have done an in-depth health update. The last time was when I talked about histamine intolerance and a LOT has happened since then so it's going to be another long update. My doctor had me take the Genova Diagnostics NutrEval test, which identifies nutritional deficiencies and insufficiencies.

Basically, what we found is that my body is a mess. The chart above was just the tip of the iceberg. My body was in mitochondrial dysfunction, and if not treated can become a permanent state. I had a lot of inflammation in my body, we assumed I was in adrenal fatigue, I was deficient in all the B vitamins, D, K, A, E, C, magnesium, my body wasn't digesting foods properly, and my body wasn't producing cortisol right, or melatonin. My body was in starvation mode so it was storing any fat I was eating, and no matter what I did I could not lose weight. My functional medicine doctor got me on some supplements and we would meet regularly to see how things were going and change what needed to be changed. I started to have a few good days and I was seeing improvements in my memory (hooray!), but the bad days still outnumbered the good. I was/am still on a very strict eating plan. 

Then, at the beginning of October, I had a colonoscopy. It was ordered in March when I started having some pain, but that was the earliest I could get in. The colonoscopy showed that I have mild inflammation in the sigmoid colon, in the descending, colon, in the transverse colon and in the ascending colon secondary to colitis. Other than that the exam was normal. It was recommended that I repeat the colonoscopy in 10 years. The GI doctor did not follow up on the inflammation, nor did my primary.

It was my functional medicine doctor who encouraged me to get further testing so we could see what was causing the inflammation. Again, we knew from my results last year I had inflammation in my body, but we were trying to get that down. I have been on a mostly anti-inflammatory diet. 

When I first started meeting with my functional medicine doctor she wanted me to have a comprehensive stool test run. She wanted to check for parasites and stuff since we had lived overseas for so many years. But, I kept refusing! I mean, come on, who wants to collect poop samples for three days? Not me! Anyway, after the colonoscopy, I agreed with her it was needed. I NEED my health to improve. She also did a fasting insulan test because we have been working on my body breaking down sugar properly for 6ish months, and an adrenal fatigue test. Go big, or go home, right?!

My fasting insulin is 10.3 which as you can see above, states it is in the optimal zone. However, my FMD said it is higher than it should be. Most would prefer it under 8, best if it is under 5. So, this is one thing we will be keeping an eye on to make sure it doesn't get higher. Twice this year, my fasting glucose has been slightly elevated, which never happened before. But, because it's only slightly high, my primary doctor is not worried about it, but we will be keeping an eye on it.

Next, is the results from my adrenal fatigue test.

The first line is the cortisol AM, which was taken when I got it up. It is on the low end of normal. While my lines are going in the right direction, it should be highest when I wake up, by noon I am barely hanging on, and the evening it pops down to too low, with a slight pop back up at bedtime (not normal). It is possible that my cortisol is spiking at night, which is causing me to sleep poorly, and have bouts of insomnia, (currently in one, it's been a few weeks since I had anything remotely like a decent night sleep) and in the morning it could still be coming down. It might be possible to correct this, and we have switched up my supplements to try and work on this. And, if you are like me and didn't understand much about the importance of cortisol, here is a quick break down taken from the Cleveland Clinic health page:

Cortisol is an essential hormone that affects almost every organ and tissue in your body. It plays many important roles, including:

• Regulating your body’s stress response.
• Helping control your body’s use of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, or your metabolism.
• Suppressing inflammation.
• Regulating blood pressure.
• Regulating blood sugar.
• Helping control your sleep-wake cycle.

Your body continuously monitors your cortisol levels to maintain steady levels (homeostasis). Higher-than-normal or lower-than-normal cortisol levels can be harmful to your health.

Now, we get to what was learned from my stool test. First, no parasites or bacteria, yay! 

My fecal fat, Triglycerides, and cholesterol is too low. We will be modifying my diet once again, to try and get my body back in the proper balance. We will tackle this after the new year.

Finally, my beta glucuronidase is too high. If you can see from the chart is is supposed to be under 6,266, some sources say under 4,000, and my number is 44, 003! According to Rupa Health, Beta-glucuronidase is a lysosomal enzyme crucial for metabolism and detoxification. It breaks down beta-D-glucuronic acid from complex carbohydrates like glycosaminoglycans and glucuronide conjugates. These conjugates, formed in the liver, help process substances and make them water-soluble for excretion.

In detoxification, beta-glucuronidase deconjugates glucuronides, reversing the liver's process of attaching glucuronic acid to various substances. This normal metabolic activity can sometimes re-release substances into the bloodstream if the enzyme is overactive, which may pose health risks.

Basically, my body is not detoxing right. High beta-glucuronidase levels can manifest through various signs and symptoms. Recognizing these can help in early intervention and management:

• Fatigue: Persistent tiredness not alleviated by rest.
• Digestive Issues: Bloating, gas, and abdominal discomfort.
• Hormonal Imbalance: Irregular menstrual cycles, mood swings, and acne.
• Skin Problems: Unexplained rashes or skin irritation.
• Detoxification Issues: Sensitivity to medications and chemicals.

Prolonged elevated beta-glucuronidase levels can lead to several health complications:

• Increased Toxicity: Accumulation of re-released substances.
• Cancer Risk: Elevated enzyme levels can reactivate certain compounds.
• Liver Dysfunction: Overburdened processes can affect liver function.
• Inflammatory Conditions: Higher levels can exacerbate conditions like IBD.
• Hormonal Disorders: Persistent hormonal imbalances.

We have changed several of my supplements, but will be keeping an eye on this as well. My FMD had me send her my blood work because she wants to start tracking my liver enzymes (they are trending down). She has also told me that I need to manage my stress better. This has been an on-going conversation because stress aggravates all my symptoms.  Once I sent her my blood work. She noticed two trends, and she is not qualified to follow up on, but wants me to follow up with my primary. My white blood count is getting higher while my red blood count is getting lower. They are all in the normal range, but that is how they are trending.

Finally, let's chat a moment about my blood pressure. It is wonky. For months it was too close together, 88/73, 98/76, 93/63 and we have been working on getting it right for about a year. Now, it is steadily climbing during the day! It might start at 11/74 in the morning, but by the evening it's around 152/86, or 141/91...

I have REALLY been struggling with everything lately. There are days when I literally feel like my body is just going to stop. My legs get weak, I feel like I am going to pass out, and I am just beyond fatigued. Some days I have trouble catching my breath just walking across the room. It is frustrating and exhausting. I mentioned above that I am in another bout of insomnia, so my sleep is more messed up than normal. I would appreciate prayers for wisdom for my doctors, and for them to start working together. There are so many facets to this and it is complicated. I want to feel good, I want to be healthy, and I want to live a long life!

I am thankful for my functional medicine doctor and the answers she has provided for my health, and her ongoing dedication to seeing that I am doing all the right things to get healthy. I am thankful I am able to get up and do things each day (even though it is less than my normal). I am thankful for Matt's support, especially when he has to pick up my slack. I am thankful for his support and encouragement. Most days I am mentally okay. But, on the extremely exhausting days I am low on patience and discouraged. I go back to my primary doctor on Tuesday about my blood pressure and will be speaking to her about some of this. I would appreciate prayers for the right medication for my blood pressure, and the right direction for all of it. If you have read this far, thank you! I appreciate taking the time to see what's going on with me. It's a little bit ridiculous to type all this out, but it was the only way I knew to explain it in a way that hopefully makes sense!

"To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Philippians 4:20

 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17