General finally some good news in my wacky health issues.

fooferdoggie

Elite Member
Site Donor
Posts
4,377
Reaction score
7,729
After my esophagus went nuclear (imagine your worst heartburn 24/7 for months) I finally faced facts and started really controlling what I eat. I had to go hardcore protein only for about a year. But it taught me how bad carbs were to me. Took a couple years till I could add veggies back in. The I got my e bike and it took almost a year before I could put more then basic effort into riding. I got ok then the chocolate almost milk brought me down. took over 6 months to get my muscle back after I really cut way back on carbs and experimenting. A couple months ago I finally made it to a plato where I was healthy enough my energy levels had skyrocketed. Now I know if a food bothers me I can measure how much power I lose in my riding as my bike has a power meter. It makes it easy to control what I eat.
So now I eat the basic foods every day veggies three times a week and try to only lightly eat cabs on the weekends
All the heath problems I had because of food bad lungs and I have level 2 kidney disease. Carbs would make my heart race and they destroyed my muscle.
I have had two tests that show my kidneys were having issues the Bun level and Creatinine levels were a little high. Had trouble peeing and if I eat wrong it makes it worse. For the three years I had been tested they have been high. For the fist time since the test came back right at the end of the normal level instead of past it.
Its amazing how food as screwed up my body. It sucks big time its hard to go out to eat and I don't really enjoy food. But its great to have the best energy levels I have had since my early 20's
 

Alli

Perfection
Staff Member
Site Donor
Posts
5,887
Reaction score
11,792
Location
Alabackwards
Sounds like quite the voyage of self-discovery. It’s a shame doctors couldn’t have pointed that out earlier on.
 

tranceking26

Power User
Posts
237
Reaction score
300
Location
England
Now I know if a food bothers me I can measure how much power I lose in my riding as my bike has a power meter. It makes it easy to control what I eat.
Sounds like a great tool to have.
But its great to have the best energy levels I have had since my early 20's
I'm pleased for you. I can kind of relate, I had low iron and folic acid levels until about a month ago, I'm 32 but feel 22 again!
 

fooferdoggie

Elite Member
Site Donor
Posts
4,377
Reaction score
7,729
Sounds like quite the voyage of self-discovery. It’s a shame doctors couldn’t have pointed that out earlier on.
Docs have had no clues about my food problems. I found a good GP that has understood but all the gut specialists have been hopeless. if I could not take the standard heartburn meds and such there was no hope. I had so many tests and they all were normal. the worst was when the put a tube through my nose and into my stomach to monitor my PH for 24 hours. it was horrible but showed my PH was normal. it was normal because I had been no carb for over 6 months and thats how I learned how bad carbs have been messing me up.
I think the carb problem is genetic as there has been stomach problems running through the male side of my family. but no one really talked about it and they all died many years ago. my bother has had lifelong heartburn but he pops pills to fix it. the food problems I know was from all the antibiotics I was never the same my gut bacteria was so messed up for many years. it was only going no carb that got my gut bacteria to adapt to no carb. all that helped me get more energy but I was stuck at a nominal level. riding took me almost a year to get enough energy to put in effort. Then stupid me tried having unsweetened chocolate almond milt and after months I lost all the muscle I had gained. lt took 6 months to gain it back and then I got way past and and got into a level I could really work hard riding and I knew Now how it felt when i ate foods that effected me and I got it all dialed in. Now I have not been sick in a long time and my energy levels are higher then they have been since I was 20 or so. I have more muscle then I have had since this has started. I have to do everything I can tp be healthy because I don't think there are any meds I can take on a regular basis. I have lost my taste for for carbs for the most part I only eat tiny amounts casually selected. this makes its really hard to eat out or travel. just trying to find food for more then one day would be pretty hard.
 

SuperMatt

Site Master
Posts
7,862
Reaction score
15,004
Doctors are (in)famous for refusing to give “eat this” or ”don’t eat this” advice. I wonder if nutrition was not emphasized in medical school in the past. I wonder if it *is* emphasized in medical schools today.
 

fooferdoggie

Elite Member
Site Donor
Posts
4,377
Reaction score
7,729
Ya ,my GP has helped a lot. She found that fat was causing my esophagus to hurt a lot. I have to stick to dry fats like crisp bacon, cheese, pork rinds and nuts for fat. I feel I need more fat now but I am so limited. I know I don't eat enough as I never go into ketosis.my fear is that I will need a trip to the hospital or need meds and. cant take them or they cant deal with my problems .
 

fooferdoggie

Elite Member
Site Donor
Posts
4,377
Reaction score
7,729
Sounds like a great tool to have.

I'm pleased for you. I can kind of relate, I had low iron and folic acid levels until about a month ago, I'm 32 but feel 22 again!
mine are high I really need to have a multi vitamin without them. all the meat I eat.
 

fooferdoggie

Elite Member
Site Donor
Posts
4,377
Reaction score
7,729
one thing that baffled me is I went to urgent care the day after my esophagus went nuclear. I had gotten a email back from my doc (it was the 4th of July)and had them all freaked out because my left arm was hurting and my esophagus was killing me they thought heart attack. but my arm hurt because I had torn tendons and muscles in it and my esophagus made it ache it still does sometimes. Anyway my BP had been normal even after I tore my rotator cuff and went in. but something cause it to go pretty high for me. it has gone down in the last 3 years but not down to were it was before my esophagus went so bad. but my esophagus is better then it has been in years I mean I don't have heartburn all day long like I have had for many years and my heath has improved a huge amount. my BP is is still around 135/85 in that range almost always below 140 and never above 89. thought when I ride in the evening it seems to go down a little bit. but o one has told me How it could jump up so high in one day and not really go down to normal. I doubt I could take meds to help either.
 

Alli

Perfection
Staff Member
Site Donor
Posts
5,887
Reaction score
11,792
Location
Alabackwards
my BP is is still around 135/85 in that range almost always below 140 and never above 89. thought when I ride in the evening it seems to go down a little bit. but o one has told me How it could jump up so high in one day and not really go down to normal. I doubt I could take meds to help either.
My entire life my BP averaged 117/60. One day it went up to 145/90. My primary was concerned so two months ago she put me on meds. I’m actually going to see her in 40 minutes to see if she thinks they’re doing any good. IMNSVHO, BP is the least consistent measure available. Move the cuff 1/4” and you get a different result.
 
U

User.45

Guest
Doctors are (in)famous for refusing to give “eat this” or ”don’t eat this” advice. I wonder if nutrition was not emphasized in medical school in the past. I wonder if it *is* emphasized in medical schools today.
It isn't really. Definitely not tested, beyond the usual, kidney disease => low protein diet, etc.
It's also the most complex issue and I think people tend to be full of shit about it anyway.
It operates through a trifecta of genes, food and microbiome. Genes are (relatively) fixed, you (kinda) know what you eat. Yet the microbiome being is a secret ingredient that really defines the impact of food and can change after antibiotic therapy.

I'll give an example: diet sodas cause diabetes. How? They contain sugars that don't occur naturally and lead to the development of a totally unnatural gut flora that promotes insulin resistance and thus elevated blood sugars and eventually diabetes.

I don't think we'll be able to give great advice without actually learning more about how the microbiome works. We'll be there in a decade or two. I do think we should really start thinking about the microbiome and further reduce our antibiotic use. And avoid food over treated with antibiotics too. Ironically, probiotics don't seem to work well either, only fecal transplants (literally: eat shit and live).
 

fooferdoggie

Elite Member
Site Donor
Posts
4,377
Reaction score
7,729
: diet sodas cause diabetes. How? They contain sugars that don't occur naturally and lead to the development of a totally unnatural gut flora that promotes insulin resistance and thus elevated blood sugars and eventually diabetes.

I don't think we'll be able to give great advice without actually learning more about how the microbiome works. We'll be there in a decade or two. I do think we should really start thinking about the microbiome and further reduce our antibiotic use. And avoid food over treated with antibiotics too. Ironically, probiotics don't seem to work well either, only fecal transplants (literally: eat shit and live).
I know getting them to understand how gut bacteria works is a really hard one. Like after years of not being able to eat carbs and worse grains I ate them once a week back then) my wife started having issues with complex carbs. Now she cant eat most complex carbs without issues. wheat bother her some but she can manage once a week. but rice screws us both up a lot last time I ate it I suffered for 3 days. beans the same thing. but I can eat dried corn like tortillas without problems but for the carbs. she cant handle corn at all. all our dogs have issues with grains too after we got them.
 
Last edited:
U

User.45

Guest
I know getting them to understand how gut bacteria works is a really hard one. Like after years of not being able to eat carbs and worse grains I ate them once a week back then) my wife started having issues with complex carbs. Now she cant eat most complex carbs without issues. wheat bother her some but she can manage once a week. but rice screws us both up a lot last time I ate it I suffered for 3 days. beans the same thing. but I can eat dried corn like tortillas without problems but for the carbs. she cant handle corn at all. all our dogs have issues with grains too after we got them.
And these things are a moving target too. So what worked for you 5 years ago may not work for you today.
 

fooferdoggie

Elite Member
Site Donor
Posts
4,377
Reaction score
7,729
And these things are a moving target too. So what worked for you 5 years ago may not work for you today.
not with me my problems have been ongoing for over 20 years. They have gotten better in some ways but not others. in all that time I only found one new thing I can eat anytime and thats unsweetened almond milk. I was desperate for something to drink besides water after my esophagus got so bad and that worked. it also soothed it. but thats the only new food I have been able to add on a daily basis. but I am hoping not eating cabs all the time will help that. my problems were not so bad when I was hard core no carbs then I started eating them again and all got worse.
 

SuperMatt

Site Master
Posts
7,862
Reaction score
15,004
It isn't really. Definitely not tested, beyond the usual, kidney disease => low protein diet, etc.
It's also the most complex issue and I think people tend to be full of shit about it anyway.
It operates through a trifecta of genes, food and microbiome. Genes are (relatively) fixed, you (kinda) know what you eat. Yet the microbiome being is a secret ingredient that really defines the impact of food and can change after antibiotic therapy.

I'll give an example: diet sodas cause diabetes. How? They contain sugars that don't occur naturally and lead to the development of a totally unnatural gut flora that promotes insulin resistance and thus elevated blood sugars and eventually diabetes.

I don't think we'll be able to give great advice without actually learning more about how the microbiome works. We'll be there in a decade or two. I do think we should really start thinking about the microbiome and further reduce our antibiotic use. And avoid food over treated with antibiotics too. Ironically, probiotics don't seem to work well either, only fecal transplants (literally: eat shit and live).
Thank you for this explanation.
 
U

User.45

Guest
Thank you for this explanation.
I wish I was more educated on this, but well... It is really cutting edge right now, how your microbiota predicts immunotherapy responses against cancer for example. There's a lot to it and this is why the impact of a certain diet at one end of the world could be significantly different from the same diet on the other. @mac_in_tosh is very much interested in this topic as well.
 

fooferdoggie

Elite Member
Site Donor
Posts
4,377
Reaction score
7,729
Here is a real wold example of How food messes me up and the prices I pay for it.
Last weekend I had cut down on my carbs but I had a lot more liquid fat then usual.I Like to have some tacos from a local truck I toss half the tortillas but they have veggies and I cant eat veggies Saturday and Sunday. Its easy to get the tacos on Saturday but on Sunday we are riding and usually get a big meal like Chinese food or bbq or I make something so I cant fit it in. So I had a small bag of popcorn at the movies of course with butter. Had some whipped cream Sunday and it was raining and we found about this place that had great burgers and fries. Had not had good fries in a long time. So between the bunless burger with lots of sauce and the fries I guess my guts weren't too happy I felt full the whole day and I had a hamburger paddy for dinner felt stuffed I actually ate less calories then I usually do. But my esophagus killed me all night in an unusual way and I still felt full in the morning but I cant go without eating so I did. My bike ride was slow going to work. I was using the router table to roundover these parts that are hard to hold onto and that I had just did 600 or so of last week tired hands tired body and head and I lost hold of the part and my finger got hit by the router bit. The side of my right ring finger got it pretty good. Bled all over the shop trying to find my first Aid kit. Finally had to use a paper towel. Took a Lyft to the emergency room got right in and got a great doctor. Numbed it and started to clean it and had to numb it again. I got all light headed when he was telling me how bad it was. Removed a lot of skin cut the tendon by the last joint and nicked the bone. He sewed up what he could and said I needed to see the surgeon in a few days. Bandaged it up well and told me if I got it wet I had to go right into the cast department to get the dressing replaced.
I had to have intravenous antibiotics and a dose of them and of course pain pills.
It was a bit crazy and it really drained me. I got a little work done but I was really tied and using a mouse really hurt the worst pain even though I held the finger out. I have been tired in a weird way since. The pain pills I only took at night help sleep worked well for the first two nights then ran out in the middle of the night so I took a second and that made me all wobbly in the morning. That sucked. I accident got my hands confused and got the bandage wet when washing a pan. So had to go in at 7 am to get the dressing changed. But it was good that I got to find out it was ok it was stressing me to have a big open wound like that. It was hell getting the dressing off the guy had me take the last off so I could keep from hurting myself. But changing it took care of a lot of the pain I was having. The next day I saw the surgeon and she found the tendon was still working and I could bend my finger on all joints. So Now I just have to be careful and keep the dressing clean till it heals. Got to see the x-ray of the nick in the bone.
Crap like this happens when I eat wrong and it is forcing me more and more to control it. I still feel tired and I think it is the antibiotics I have not taken any in 25 years and taking something new twice a day is not a good thing for me. But I will be done tomorrow.
So with me food can kill or injure me directly.
64539965866__DD2A534D-2985-4D9E-860D-4B9838280D67.jpeg
 

fooferdoggie

Elite Member
Site Donor
Posts
4,377
Reaction score
7,729
it is better but I keep finding new things out. its weird I had that same popcorn I had no problems but the carbs from it for almost a year about a year ago. but Now Find its the butter (or whatever it truly is) really gets me. I tested it Saturday I had the popcorn and no other carbs and I felt full all day long and my esophagus ached worse then usual all night. so something in it I guess. Dried corn is the only grain that does not bother me but for the carbs in it.
no clue why liquid fats hurt my esophagus so much where dry type fats not at all. its not that they hurt when I eat them it is later when they cause the pain. but I never had the issue I have with that movie butter thats a first for me.
the thing I have learned is food is really serious with me everything I eat effects me a lot more then normal people.
 

fooferdoggie

Elite Member
Site Donor
Posts
4,377
Reaction score
7,729
My power output on my bike has been going down since feb or so and I didn't know why. It is because I have not been eating enough. The whole time I have been cutting out carbs as they have been causing issues. After my esophagus went nuclear and I sticky controlled my eating one problem went away I did not have to worry about eating a lot in the evening. If I did not eat enough I would wake up in the middle of the night with it hurting like hell and iH ad to have some protein powder or such to be able to get back to sleep. That went away till now. Now if I goof on dinner it can start hurting even before I go to bed. Or if I almost eat enough when I wake up it will start hurting. So that and Now my energy levels are going up and I have lost two pounds in the last couple weeks seems I am on the right track. I have to be really full when I go to bed now. There is no way I can eat enough meat to keep me going but cheese works well. I bet I eat 3/4 a pound a day. I cant eat a lot of nuts because of the carbs and I don't digest them well so I don't get a lot out of them anyway.
Riding is the only way I can measure how I am doing. So it really helps to let me know what is going on. It used to be I would not know how I was doing till I was really weak.
 

fooferdoggie

Elite Member
Site Donor
Posts
4,377
Reaction score
7,729
I realized years ago my stomach would back up if I ate too late. I breathed in more barf over the years. such a nasty thing that would burn my esophagus. well that went away once I cut down on carbs and its now gone. Now I have to go to bed really full. bodies are so strange.
 
Top Bottom
1 2