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Author Topic:   My health journey and why I no longer believe everything my doctors say
coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 1 of 39 (846178)
12-30-2018 4:03 PM


First of all, no I am not another crank. I still don't believe in homeopath medicine. I'm a person of science. I have always been a person of science. I will always be a person of science.
I felt the need to get that out there first before I go on any further. I don't want people to role their eyes and say to themselves "oh great, another anti-science crank".
For as long as I could remember right to the first memories that I have, I always had IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). It was something that I thought was normal. In other words, for as long as I could remember, I had always had diarrhea. Painful diarrhea. In my young teens, I was completely taken by surprise when I found out other people didn't suffer great pain when they had to go to the bathroom.
In my mid-teens, I began to develop auto-immune disorder. I would react to nothing. At first, I only got hives and my face would poof up. Then in my late teens things started getting bad. I almost died several times in the emergency room. I had to carry around my epi-pen everywhere I go. And I had to take regular medication to keep the symptoms down. Also in my mid-teens, I became lactose intolerant.
Then in my mid-20s, I developed type 2 diabetes. Also got high blood pressure.
Before I go on, let me make this clear. I have always been a health freak. I have always been athletic. Played lots of sports like soccer and tracks. I have also always been eating healthy. Without listing my meal plans, just trust me on this. Right around my 20s, I became a gym rat. I was always working out.
My test results came back as if I was 200 pounds overweight and I ate nothing but pizza all the time. My doctors told me I needed to change my lifestyle by being more active and eat healthy. I told them exactly my routines and they were very puzzled.
And that's another point I wanted to bring up. In the last 20 years, I have been to so many doctors and so many specialists. Every time they saw my test results, every one of them said the same thing as if they belonged to some kind of borg collective. They all said I needed to become more active, lose weight, and eat healthy. But I was already active, my body fat percentage was always in the low 10s percent, and I have always ate healthy.
None of them could explain why my cholesterol level was always in the 300s despite their prescribed meds that I always took or why my sugar and triglyceride levels were always super high. Again, looking at my tests alone, you'd think I was eating nothing but pizza all the time and was 200 pounds overweight. My body fat percentage never went above 15%, though. At one point, I was so obsessed with being fit that I got my body fat percentage down to 8-9%.
I also started developing severe pains in my joints. I was told I had inflammation everywhere. And then the unthinkable began to happen: I started losing my hair... in my mid 20s. I did my research into family history and as far as I could find I am the first and only person in my extended family from both sides to have started losing my hair. Get that? I got 4 siblings with full heads of hair. Again, total mystery to my doctors.
It didn't end there. I started developing narcolepsy.
So, here I was having half a dozen serious health issues and taking prescribed meds for them with little to no progress. And all this time, all the doctors and specialists I went to kept saying I needed to lose weight, eat better, and be more active, never mind that I was running 5 miles every other day, was down to around 10% body fat, and was benching 120-130% of my body weight. The painful diarrhea never stopped, by the way. Total mystery to them all.
By this time, you're probably wondering what about my diet?
Let me be clear on this. I have tried all the various types of diets out there. Atkins diet, McDougall starch based diet, low calorie diet, paleo diet, veggie diet, vegan diet, rice diet, banana diet, and just about every other diet you can find on the internet.
Then about a year ago, I came upon something on the internet. It's called fasting. I asked my doctors about it, and they were all horrified. Their reaction was it couldn't be healthy, I would crash my metabolism, I'm just starving myself, etc. They all said DON'T DO IT! By this time, I've had over a dozen specialists told me this, so I brushed it aside.
Then a few months later, during one of my painful sessions in the bathroom I thought what the hell I've tried everything out there let's try this thing. So, I went on a water fast (nothing at all but water) for 5 days. I didn't say anything to my doctors, though. They were against it.
When I came out of fasting, I went into intermittent fasting. Basically, I eat once a day. After just 3 months of eating once a day, without taking any of the dozen meds I'd been taking for years, all my health issues went away. My cholesterol took a nosedive from the high 200s down to 160s. I was declared free of type 2. I no longer felt sleepy during the day, let alone a narcoleptic attack. My joints stopped hurting. My blood pressure finally got down to normal. And for the first time in my life, I knew what it was like to go to the bathroom like a normal person.
Oh yeah, and I am no longer lactose intolerant. I can eat as much cheese and as drink as much cow milk as I want. Just had some mac and cheese with the husband. I particularly like the greek flaming Nagasaki.
My hair didn't grow back, though.
Since all my doctors were strongly against fasting, I never told them. As far as they know, after 20 years of having all kinds of serious health issues, everything went away and now I'm a normal healthy adult. I am still debating with myself whether to tell them or not. They are still monitoring me. I just don't want to get into an argument with a bunch of doctors set in their ways, which is I was suppose to take all their prescribed medication for the rest of my life and that fasting is bad.
My test results continue to come back perfect for the first time since ever. My only regret now is I wish I had found out about fasting a lot sooner.
I can definitely see why some people seek out all the whacko alternative medicine like homeopath meds. There are some weird conditions out there. Modern medical doctors operate within a box and they are not allowed to even think outside that box. 20 years of seeking out one specialist after another, not a single one cared to consider that perhaps all the health issues I've had all my life have been symptoms of an underlying problem. And yes, I do believe that everything I have suffered (type 2, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, IBS, painful joints, regular anaphylactic attacks over nothing, etc.) were just symptoms of an underlying cause. Whatever that cause is I have no idea, since I can't find a doctor open-minded enough to try to track it down. All I know is I am now symptom-free and all I have to do is eat one meal a day 4-5 days out of the week. Every once in a while, I go on a water fast for about a week.
I still go to the gym 5 times a week. My husband cooks the best meals for us. My hair hasn't grown back, though. I'm still working on that one. But for now, defying my doctors have cured me of all my conditions before.
I've never told this to anyone other than my husband. You guys get to be the first to know about my health journey
Edit.
As far as I know, I am the first person I know of to have regained my lactose tolerance. I think I should get some kind of award for this.
Edited by Arachnopuppy, : No reason given.
Edited by Arachnopuppy, : No reason given.
Edited by Lammy, : Spelling

If you say the word "gullible" slowly, it sounds like oranges. Go ahead and try it.

Replies to this message:
 Message 2 by Phat, posted 12-30-2018 4:47 PM coffee_addict has not replied
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 Message 4 by Percy, posted 12-31-2018 10:04 AM coffee_addict has replied
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 Message 25 by Phat, posted 01-04-2019 2:16 AM coffee_addict has replied
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coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


(1)
Message 5 of 39 (846214)
12-31-2018 10:32 AM
Reply to: Message 4 by Percy
12-31-2018 10:04 AM


LOL regarding about convincing my doctors I was active, I must admit that there were times I showed them my muscles and 6 pack abs. It was like all they could see was my test results and completely blind to what I actually look like. One time after one of them told me I needed to lose weight, be more active, and eat healthy, I lost it and asked him how much leaner did he want me to be? At the time, I had reduced my body fat down to around 8%. Doctors seem to have a lot of trouble understanding that my health issues aren't the result of obesity. So please stop treating me like I'm 200 pounds overweight.
I should also add that the low carb diet also did not work for me. The only thing that works to rid me of all my ills is eating one large meal a day. I have experimented with all kinds of things to eat and so far as I can tell it doesn't matter what I eat. As long as I only eat once a day I'm symptom-free. My friends and family have commented on how much I eat when they see me eat. For example, the other night I ate a 12 oz steak, 2 large potatoes, and a variety of vegetables. Some people commented that it's amazing I'm not fat. I had to tell them this was my only meal for the day and I needed to pack enough calories in this meal to maintain my muscles.
And now that I can eat a huge amount of food without having painful symptoms, I can finally try to bulk up muscle mass like no other time before.
What amazes me is all it took to make all my ills go away was something so simple... Simply eat once a day. I would really like to eventually find out what the hell is wrong with me that causes me to not be able to eat like a normal person (eat multiple times a day) without suffering so much. If only I could find a doctor that isn't horrified of fasting locally.
See, I'm an engineering manager. And my husband and I own a business. It would be too much of a distraction to my life if I have to travel far away to visit a clinic that isn't opposed to fasting.

If you say the word "gullible" slowly, it sounds like oranges. Go ahead and try it.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 4 by Percy, posted 12-31-2018 10:04 AM Percy has seen this message but not replied

Replies to this message:
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coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 8 of 39 (846234)
01-01-2019 12:27 AM
Reply to: Message 6 by DrJones*
12-31-2018 8:02 PM


In my case, I developed autoimmunity disorder, type 2 diabetes, regular inflammation of the joints, high cholesterol, high triglycerides level, painful IBS, lactose intolerance, and other things.
Here is something I haven't mentioned in this thread. Before my recent one meal a day discovery, whenever I peed my pee stream would be very thin and lacked pressure. Go ahead and laugh. I would laugh too if it weren't sometimes so painful. It was like having a bottleneck somewhere in my urinal tract. My doctors always dismissed it as me having a smaller than usual urinary tract.
Well, ever since I started eating one meal a day, for the first time in my life I can pee a full stream like everyone else.
My point is how come the doctors never made any connection with all these symptoms? How come they always tried to treat me for each individual problem without looking into the possibility that all of these issues were symptoms of a common cause?
Dare I say this is a failing of science? The unwillingness to consider the opinion or annecdote of the individual?
If you don't believe all my health issues had a common cause and that it was pure coincidence I got hit with all these problems, then how come me eating one meal a day made them all go away? Even my lactose intolerance is gone. My husband and I just came back from an Italian restaurant where I had a lot of cheeae in my pasta. No lactaid pills needed. I even had a cheese cake for desert. Just 6 months ago, even with lactaid, eating a cheese cake would have made me sick the rest of the night.
Is my experience not worth anything to science? Am I suppose to ignore the fact that all my problems have gone away without any medication by simply eating one meal a day because no scientific study has been done on this?
Again, I think I deserve some kind of award for achieving something that so many doctors failed to do for the last 20 years. And I'm not even in a health care related profession.
I'm starting to lean toward confronting my doctors about my findings. I'm sure they will dismiss me like they have done so many times before.

If you say the word "gullible" slowly, it sounds like oranges. Go ahead and try it.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 6 by DrJones*, posted 12-31-2018 8:02 PM DrJones* has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 9 by Phat, posted 01-01-2019 6:01 AM coffee_addict has replied
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coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 11 of 39 (846240)
01-01-2019 9:08 AM
Reply to: Message 9 by Phat
01-01-2019 6:01 AM


Re: Started Fast at 7 PM Wednesday.
I tried low carb for months
Speaking of feet, that's another thing that went away. I was diagnosed with Plantar Fasciitis. Oh my goodness there were times when it hurt so bad.
Went away completely several months ago.
Edit
Wait, wait hang on. Surgery for what?
Edited by Lammy, : No reason given.
Edited by AdminPhat, : No reason given.

If you say the word "gullible" slowly, it sounds like oranges. Go ahead and try it.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 9 by Phat, posted 01-01-2019 6:01 AM Phat has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 12 by Phat, posted 01-01-2019 11:46 AM coffee_addict has replied

  
coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 13 of 39 (846249)
01-01-2019 2:59 PM
Reply to: Message 12 by Phat
01-01-2019 11:46 AM


Re: Started Fast at 7 PM Wednesday.
My sister who is overweight and diabetic (ty 2) has been suffering quite a bit. I talked with her not too long ago. I told her that I defied my doctors' orders and did my own thing and is now free of all symptoms and issues without any medication. Then she told me what her doctor told her. It horrified me.
Her doctor told her to eat like 20 micro-meals a day. Her symptoms are getting worse, and the worse they get, the more micro-meals her doctor told her to eat. That is exactly the opposite of what the latest research tells us what we should do with her problems.
Doctors are supposed to be men of science, yes? And science is supposed to be a self-adjusting, self-improving system based on new evidence, yes? Why the hell don't they keep up with the latest research and adjust? Knowing what I know now, doctors seem to be more like religious zealots who are set in their doctrines no matter what the evidence right in front of them shows.
Edited by Lammy, : No reason given.
Edited by AdminPhat, : No reason given.

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
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coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 20 of 39 (846304)
01-03-2019 10:24 AM
Reply to: Message 18 by Phat
01-03-2019 8:06 AM


Re: Fasting Day One
I don't think so.

If you say the word "gullible" slowly, it sounds like oranges. Go ahead and try it.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 18 by Phat, posted 01-03-2019 8:06 AM Phat has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 21 by Phat, posted 01-03-2019 11:50 AM coffee_addict has replied

  
coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 22 of 39 (846307)
01-03-2019 1:46 PM
Reply to: Message 21 by Phat
01-03-2019 11:50 AM


Re: Fasting Day One
Weight training mostly with dumb bells. Rotate through eqch section of my body. For example, today I will be working on my arms. Bicep curls, triceps, etc.
I work-out at the gym 5 days a week. Sometimes, twice in one day. I add in cardio to my weight training routine twice or 3 times a week, depending on how I feel. All fasted work-out, of course, since I only eat once a day 5 days a week.
No fitness goals for 2019. I'm just bulking up as much muscle as I could.

If you say the word "gullible" slowly, it sounds like oranges. Go ahead and try it.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 21 by Phat, posted 01-03-2019 11:50 AM Phat has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 24 by Phat, posted 01-04-2019 1:42 AM coffee_addict has replied

  
coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 26 of 39 (846332)
01-04-2019 9:24 AM
Reply to: Message 24 by Phat
01-04-2019 1:42 AM


Re: Phats Fasting Day Two
You misunderstand me. I'm not aiming for ketosis. I'm plenty lean. If anything, I'm trying to bulk up. I eat once a day because it's the only thing I can do to not suffer all the health issues I outlined in post #1.
Edit.
Last night, husband and I went to the gym. The gym was full of new year's resolutioners. So, we did our routines as fast as we could.
I did 6 routines, 3 sets each, and 8-10 reps each set in just 30 minutes. For example, I did seated shoulder press with 65 lb on each side 3 sets 8-10 reps each set.
Again, I'm fairly active. Ran 4 miles a couple days ago.
Edited by Lammy, : No reason given.

If you say the word "gullible" slowly, it sounds like oranges. Go ahead and try it.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 24 by Phat, posted 01-04-2019 1:42 AM Phat has seen this message but not replied

  
coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 27 of 39 (846333)
01-04-2019 9:31 AM
Reply to: Message 25 by Phat
01-04-2019 2:16 AM


The problem with trying to become keto adapted is ketosis isn't necessarily good for you. Moderate amounts of ketone bodies in the blood is fine. But keep in mind that ketone is acidic and in the long run can do some damage to your cardiovascular system.

If you say the word "gullible" slowly, it sounds like oranges. Go ahead and try it.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 25 by Phat, posted 01-04-2019 2:16 AM Phat has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 28 by Phat, posted 01-04-2019 3:04 PM coffee_addict has replied
 Message 30 by Theodoric, posted 01-05-2019 5:22 PM coffee_addict has replied

  
coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 29 of 39 (846347)
01-04-2019 4:02 PM
Reply to: Message 28 by Phat
01-04-2019 3:04 PM


Re: Keto damage?
I'm not going to link because there hasn't enough research on this for a definitive answer.
I'm not saying ketosis is bad for you. It is a perfectly natural metabolic state. That much we know. However, I also operate under this philosophy: everything in moderation.
What you are doing is probably fine. I was referring to people who are constantly in a state of ketosis. Until further research is done on this, I'm going to assume it is not safe to keep your body in perpetual ketosis.
Anyway, we can start with the most common denominator. Do you agree that ketone bodies are acidic and raises the acidity level of your blood?
But again, I'm not aiming for ketosis. I eat once a day to avoid having the serious health issues that I've been plagued with since my teens.
I also think that what you are doing is a good thing. Fasting reboots your system and allows it time to rid itself of a lot of things. I'm assuming you are not a very active person?
We are looking at it from 2 different perspectives. I've always been active. I bench quite a bit of weight. Up to 130-140% of my body weight. I'm currently working on gaining a lot of muscle mass in my arms and chest. So, I really need the food to make this happen. You'd be amazed how much food I eat for my one meal during the day. A couple weeks ago, I easily stuffed my face with a 12 oz steak, 2 baked potatoes, a variety of vegetables, and several slices of bread for dinner. Last night, I had 3 large pieces of salmon, 2 eggs, 2 bacons, some quinoa, some rice, and peas.

If you say the word "gullible" slowly, it sounds like oranges. Go ahead and try it.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 28 by Phat, posted 01-04-2019 3:04 PM Phat has not replied

  
coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 31 of 39 (856082)
06-26-2019 11:10 AM


Update on this.
It's been 6 months since I started the thread. I am still feeling as healthy as ever. Still working out at the gym on 5 days a week.
For the past 2 months, I've been experimenting with different ways at going at this. For example, I've been eating lunch again 4-5 days a week. My lunch consists of plain oats and bananas.
I've been taking full advantage of my now status as a lactose tolerant person. Oh my goodness, cheese is so good. The other night, my husband and I attended an lgbt get-together. Someone brought really good cheese, crackers, and wine. I was munching on crackers and cheese all night and there was absolutely no side affect later on. The wine was amazing as well.

If you say the word "gullible" slowly, it sounds like oranges. Go ahead and try it.

  
coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 32 of 39 (856083)
06-26-2019 11:11 AM
Reply to: Message 30 by Theodoric
01-05-2019 5:22 PM


There have been a growing body of evidence that long term low carb diets increase your chances of heart disease.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/...ses/2018/08/180828085922.htm

If you say the word "gullible" slowly, it sounds like oranges. Go ahead and try it.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 30 by Theodoric, posted 01-05-2019 5:22 PM Theodoric has replied

Replies to this message:
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coffee_addict
Member (Idle past 477 days)
Posts: 3645
From: Indianapolis, IN
Joined: 03-29-2004


Message 39 of 39 (856798)
07-02-2019 10:58 PM


Sex drive
There is one thing I forgot to mention before. My sex drive in the last month or so has gone up considerably. We've been doing it almost every-day, sometimes twice a day. I'm not sure this has anything to do with my eating routine.

If you say the word "gullible" slowly, it sounds like oranges. Go ahead and try it.

  
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