help me figure this (out if you can)

[WCM]

I'm getting help from a naturopath and my GP, but nothing is working, so I'm seeking personal experience or ideas.

For the past year+ I've had the following: depression about my life (which is great IMO), acne, irregular menses, sleep issues (waking at 4 am for no reason and being AWAKE for the day, or insomnia) and general lack of appetite.

So first I tried St. John's wort, melatonin before bed and Tryptophan, to balance my mood and help me sleep, based on Change Your Brain book. It seemed to work for the sleep a bit, but after awhile it made me really spacey and stupid (Tryptophan) so I stopped. went to my Doc, he did a basic CBC, my ferretin was utterly depleted, nothing new for me. We tried an anti-depressant, forget the name, that was a sleep aid. I woke up feeling GREAT! but the dry-throat side effect got worse and worse, so I had to stop it.

so I tried a raw foods diet. I felt no different at all. Did it 3 weeks.

then I tried a primal/trad foods diet, upping my fats, doing grass-fed beef and butter, whole milk. I felt no different, but went from a size 10 to a 14 in 5 months. not so great.

My usual diet is pretty healthy, whole grains, veggies, no alcohol, coffee or pop/chips/junk.

Then I cut out sugar and caffeine (I had a bit of sugar in my oatmeal and tea, that's it) and wheat. no difference.

So I sought a naturopath, who said my blood was to acidic and prescribed a detox diet. NO wheat, dairy, eggs, meat, sugar, vinegar, yeast. I've been on it a month. no difference.

I get 8+ hours sleep a night, exercise, drink lots of water . . . no matter.

I got more bloodwork from my GP, hormone tests, celiac tests, liver enzymes, reactive protein tests . . . all normal, so normal it's silly. ferretin is still way too low, has been low my entire life. iron and b12 is nice and high.


What IS this? Prior to last fall, I was happy, had good energy and lovely skin.

I have 3 kids, youngest is 3.5. All this began coincidentally when I weaned her. I nursed each one 3-4 years, and was preg+nursing for 10 years straight.

Even with a newborn I had more energy! I got up and ran each day at 4 months PP with my last one.

my cycles were always 28 days exactly, every time, every year. Now they are 26, 32, 34 . . .


I am 35 this year. I do not want to live like this forever. Nothing has helped (except the anti-D's) and my doctor is at a loss.

My mother takes anti-Depressants, has since she was my age, says her mother did too. She (and my brother) feel it is hereditary and that that is what I need. My DH and I feel depresson is situational, about your life, and that if I'm depressed something in my life is wrong, a need is not being met and so have tried to fix that, but nothing has helped. My life is good, and has been in the past. But who knows, maybe my mother is right??

Any ideas?


Thank you so much for even reading this far.

[Liquesce]

I would suggest that if anti-depressants seemed to help your range of symptoms it might be the best route to talk to your doctor about trying a different medication or a different dose for achieving the same goal with less unpleasant side effects. It's incredibly common to need to play around with levels and types a little before hitting on the exact right one for you.

FWIW, depression isn't strictly situational ... it doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. It can be situational, and it can be exacerbated by situational events, but it can also be just plain biochemical, and just like sometimes diabetes can be treated with diet and lifestyle changes but other times it requires medication, so too can depression sometimes be treated by changes to surrounding circumstances but at other times the root of the problem is just that the body needs a little help to get its own balances right.

[JaneS]

If your ferritin is low it can effect your thyroid. It can also signal gut damage, and is a classic sign of celiac/non-celiac gluten intolerance. Also if you have gut damage, it is likely that you are not fully breaking down your proteins into amino acids that fuel your brain and make up the seratonin and other neurotranmitters.

I completely do not buy the simply genetic explanation for depression (meaning the idea that it's genetic and there is nothing you can do about it ex. drugs) as both your mom and you can have basic body functions or genetic or environmental "Achilles Heels" that is causing the depression. Did that make sense? gotta go, day is starting, will be back...

also depression can be effected greatly by 2 very common nutritional deficiencies, magnesium and vitamin D (esp. since you are in Canada)... stocking my body with large amounts have been amazing for me.

The Magnesium Miracle
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/034...SIN=034549458X

www.vitamindcouncil.org

[HappyMommy2]

Did the docs test your thyroid? That can cause depression. And a million other symptoms!

Also - you can ask your naturopath to do a hormone test. (You send saliva to a lab on cycle day 19 or something). Low progesterone can do wacky things to your skin and cycle.

Low iron can make you totally exhausted. Are you doing something about the low ferratin? You say iron isn't low, but that is confusing. I would personally look into that further.

Good luck mama!

[goldenwillow]

Originally Posted by JaneS

If your ferritin is low it can effect your thyroid. It can also signal gut damage, and is a classic sign of celiac/non-celiac gluten intolerance. Also if you have gut damage, it is likely that you are not fully breaking down your proteins into amino acids that fuel your brain and make up the seratonin and other neurotranmitters.

Agreed. This also was eye opening for me. I have been GF for 7 years, lost 147lbs and can think! I congratulate you for your efforts prior to taking meds. I agree with the Vit D too. Cod liver Oil?

This may help too.

http://www.gutandpsychologysyndrome.com/gaps-book/

[mbravebird]

That all sounds like metabolic issues -- both adrenal and thyroid. Different cycles, everything. Have you tried checking your temps in the morning? They're probably low. Am nursing right now, so can't write more, but take a look at this link to help you get started:

http://www.drrind.com/therapies/meta...ecard#patterns

The function of both the adrenal and the thyroid are very related, and the above chart helps you make sense of the symptoms, if they are mixed, which they almost always are.

Both adrenal and thyroid issues won't always show up on a blood test, so you can't rule it out from bloodwork.

I did major adrenal healing with some sleep changes, some diet changes, and some glandulars. Take heart!

[WCM]

You are all touching on things I'm thinking about. My first blood test was for hormone and thuroid levels. We wondered about PCOS (polycystic ovary) and thyroid functon, etc. All hormone levels, adrenal, testosterone, DHEA, etc were within normal range. My iron levels were mid-range, yet my ferretin was miniscule.

Second test was for liver function, celiac proteins, immunoglobulin counts, etc . . . same as before, all was within normal range.

Now, I was already off wheat at that time, so we debated the accuracy of the test. Dr. suggested celiac as being a cause for chronic anemia/low ferretin b/c it interfered with nutrient absorption.

I have never had what I think of as celiac symptoms (stomach pain, diarrhea). Though I do recall being constipated often as a child. And he said I could be sensitive to it, thus having the poor absorption without the more classic digestive signs.

Off to read the links you've shared.

[WCM]

I've been taking varous things for my low iron over my life. always herbal or naturopath-prescribed, during pregnancies, etc. I started eating meat last year, lots of it, to see if that'd help. bUt nothing.

High iron, high B12, but low ferretin. how?

When I eat wheat I do not feel more tired, just the same. But i'm hearing that perhaps the wheat is not casing the exhaustion, but that it's causing the malabsorption, which is causing the exhaustion.

I visited the links, but do not feel a 'where to start' sense. I've taken lots of supplements in the past (it was my pre-mom career, working with health food stores) and do not feel that if I *just* up my mag and D I'll feel better. I am afraid to even go find the Healing the Gut thread it is huge as I recall, and i feel overwhelmed with the information, all of this while cooking for and homeschooling my three kids and messy house.

Where to start, or what to do now?

[Panserbjorne]

given your tests and symptoms I'd start with going GF. 100% for at least 3 months before you decide if anything's changed. You're right, it's not the wheat that's causing the issues so much as the damage the wheat could be inflicting. I'd highly suspect gluten intolerance at the very least. IME this is often a lifelong issue that is triggered by something. IT doesn't always feel like it makes sense. It's also not uncommon to have symptoms that are neurological in nature as opposed to digestive.

You got some great points and links here. I'd say read them over and consider all the angles. For my money though, I'd go GF and add some nutrients to support your body. Magnesium, zinc and vitamin D would be WAY up there.

[Naturopath Mom]

Great advice by many people. For a termporary help with the depression I would check out flower essences (bach). There are several different ones that help deal with depression. If you want more info let me know, have to go put the kids to sleep now. But you can easily google depression and flower essences and find some good information.

In peace & health,
Kimberly