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Laurel

by Laurel Munz
(Richmond, Virginia)

I'm 44 years old, I live in Virginia, married to my best friend, have 4 beautiful teenage children. I've had a good life up until 6 years ago. I was helping my husband run his dental practice. Though it is challenging to work with one's spouse I loved it. I looked forward to waking up every morning. It never felt like work. Then one day out of the blue the rug got pulled out from under me and I haven't been the same since. It started with lightheadedness/dizzyness and anxiousness. Then it progressed to extreme hypoglycemia (I had to eat every 1 1/2 hours but had no energy to show for it) and Diabetic type reactions (if I ate anything too glycemic I would get thirsty and sleepy). I have been tested three times and have been assured I am no Diabetic and even though my blood sugar levels on a home tester show I'm within the ranges I still have the hypoglycemic reactions. I would wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air and during the day I had trouble breathing. I developed severe food allergies and chemical sensetivities. Certain foods would make me feel really wired or really depressed. My hair started to fall out. My vision was "funny". I don't know how else to describe it. Had trouble sleeping but I was exhausted. I felt wired all the time but also exhausted. Lost my motivation. Am not having sex. Driving is exhausting. I can get about 10 blocks from my house and I feel like I'm going to pass out at the wheel from exhaustion. Leaving my house for even a short time makes me anxious. I developed an extreme case of exercise intolerance. A Chiro I had been seeing put me on a walking program. It was called "the slow burn" or something like that. My heart rate was not to exceed 132 beats per minute and the warm up and cool down were even less than that. I started out real gradual at 1 minute and every 3 days I increased the time by another minute. My goal was 45 minutes. Well I made it to thirty minutes and one day I noticed that my heart rate was increasing so I slowed my pace. My heart rate continued to increase so I kept slowing my pace to bring my heart rate down. Well it didn't matter how slow I tried to go , my heart just kept racing. The highest reading I got was 188. Finally when I got home and sat in a chair my heart calmed down. I thought it was a fluke. I gave myself 2 days rest and tried it again and the same thing happened at thirty minutes in. The most recent time this happened it didn't take 30 minutes, all I did was cross the street. By the time I got to the other side my heart was racing and I was gasping for air. My cholesterol is fine, my blood pressure is fine, I don't drink and I don't smoke. I have no family history of heart problems. I have had several EKGs, they all come back fine. I have no previous problems with my heart, the issues with my heart arrived at the same time as all these other symptoms so I thing they're related. My Thyroid started hurting and I developed two large nodules, one on each side of my Thyroid(non cancerous) but when I tried glandulars or kelp or iodine preparations it made me feel worse. I've been to many doctors, conventional as well as alternative, searching for the answer to this mystery. I've tried so many things: accupunture, Lymphatic massage, chiropractic, special diets, cleanses. Just to name a few. I would be lying if I said I haven't received "some" benefit from some of these methods but none of them have "cured" me. That's what I'm looking for. I want to be as good if not better than I was before this happened to me. I want my life back. I can't do things with my kids anymore. I have others do my shopping and driving for me. I can't go anywhere or do anything. I basically don't have a life right now. All of my medical tests come back normal, even after 6 years. Except for my hormone levels. I just recently went to a clinic to have my levels checked and found my testosterone low and progesterone low and my estrogen on the high side. I am hoping against hope that this is all it is. I am hoping it's as easy as taking a little pill or a little cream. I am open to comments, suggestions, suggestion reading and links to related sites.

Comments for Laurel

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Jan 11, 2015
 Energy Boost Formula
by: Laurel Munz

I ordered your energy boost formula. I took some yesterday (only 1 teaspoon, just as a precaution because of all my allergies and sensitivities) with breakfast and actually felt a little better than I usually do and so decided to take it again today. Also had a beautiful sleep. Had a teaspoon for breakfast today and felt ok but not as good as I felt the day before. After 3 hours had passed I could feel myself starting to crash. At first I didn't know what it was but when I had a second helping I recovered quite well. That's about as good as my day got because then my adrenals started to become sore. I've had my adrenals hurt before so I'm pretty sure that's what is was. Either that or my kidneys are hurting. I know the energy boost formula has plenty of amino acids and I already eat ample protein (also containing amino acids) so I don't know if this is a problem for the kidneys. Anyway, I started to crash again about 3 hours later. I had another teaspoon for dinner but I have not recovered. I feel exhausted. I thought the energy boost formula was supposed to give me energy. I know it's not just me. I had my husband try some too. I gave him 2 teaspoons for breakfast and he felt quite energized but when I gave him the same serving at dinner time, he is wiped out just like me. What the heck? And I tried searching your site for others who may have had an adverse reaction and some possible remedies and all I can find are success stories. My husband and I cannot be the only ones who are not responding well to this formula. So what gives? First I would like to clarify how much to take. On the package it looks like it's saying to take 5 teaspoons a day but that sounds like an awful lot. I know in Africa you use different measurements than we do in the states so maybe I misunderstand. The other thing I would like to know is, are there any contraindications to taking this stuff? Any reason someone shouldn't take it? Any reason why someone would feel exhausted instead of energized?Can't wait to hear back from you. I am perplexed as to why we are feeling this way. I was really hoping this would work for me as I am generally exhausted and could use more energy. Thanks.
Jan 12, 2015
 Energy Boost Formula
by: Wray

Hi Laurel I've not heard of such a quick reaction. We do explain that a detox can occur with all the attendant symptoms, but it generally takes a few days before it becomes apparent. Evidently you respond very quickly to supplements. Please stop taking the EB and once you feel stable, begin it again but take only 1/4tsp per day, building up gradually. I've not heard of any contraindications, unless an individual finds they can't take one of the ingredients. We do mention the zinc and B vitamins possibly causing an upset. Exhaustion/tiredness is a major problem nowadays and is often due to Insulin Resistance (IR). But can be due to a lack of progesterone or excess oestrogen in women. The measurements on the packet are given in grams and millilitres which are the standard SI measurements used worldwide. Prof Rowlett, who was professor of mathematics at the University of North Carolina, has a website which is an excellent resource for any enquirer, see here and here. He says "All countries have adopted the metric system, including the U.S., and most countries (but not the U.S.) have taken steps to eliminate most uses of traditional measurements." We have this on the website and packet….. Serving size 13.8g (20ml/4tsp), see here. Metric teaspoons do differ slightly from the American and English measurements, they are very slightly larger, but not enough to worry about. For instance 1 metric teaspoon is 1 1⁄64 US tsp, see Milliliters to US Teaspoons table. I missed your first query, and judging by the list of symptoms you gave, you are most certainly short of progesterone. This doesn't surprise me looking at your age, as you are now in Peri-menopause. I found it an impossible time. Continued below.
Jan 12, 2015
 Energy Boost Formula part 2
by: Wray

Hi Laurel Strangely doctors don't know that oestrogen causes prolongation of the QT interval, which results in palpitations, arrhythmia, Torsades de Pointes and sudden death. Whereas progesterone shortens the QT interval, see here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. These symptoms occur far more frequently in women who naturally have a long QT interval, rather than men who naturally have a short QT interval. This effect of oestrogen does not show up on an ECG. Oestrogen also slows the thyroid too, see here. Oestrogen can also cause IR, testosterone too. I generally recommend 100-200mg/day progesterone cream, but it is essential to experiment with the amount and to first read our page on Oestrogen Dominance. Take care Wray
Apr 22, 2015
 Stress
by: Laurel

Hello Wray,
Thank you for your earlier comments and advice.
I felt my symptoms were extremely severe. I started the Progesterone very gradually and kept increasing the amount until I felt my symptoms subsiding. I reached 800mg before I felt somewhat normal and I've been taking that amount since I first contacted you. It's been going well. I have been increasingly feeling better and better. Until just recently.

The highest my Progesterone levels have reached is 9.5 ng/ml with my estrodiol at 57.6 pg/ml. But my Progesterone has been falling steadily over the months. Just recently I suffered some physical stress and my Progesterone dropped to 4.8 with Estrodiol holding steady at 48.2 and I feel awful. I'm experiencing a lot of my old symptoms. I have heard you state in other posts that Progesterone gets used up faster during times of physical and or emotional stress. My question is: is there anything I can do to protect my Progesterone from getting used up during stressful times? I can't live like this. It's like I'm on a roller coaster. Everytime I experience stress, my Progesterone will drop and I will feel like crap? And by CRAP I mean dabilitated. I'm on my couch most the time. And then wait another 6 months for the Progesterone to build up in my system and reach acceptable levels again? There has to be something I can do to keep that from happening. Is there a faster way of building up the Progesterone in one's system? Is there anything that can speed that process? I can't always predict when I will experience stress. What am I to do? It's especially stressful on my Adrenals. My back feels sore in the place where my adrenals would be, I sigh and yawn a lot and I feel it effects my circulation too as I get tingling and numbness in my hands and feet when I try to be active. Help, help, Please help. It can't be healthy for a body to go through this. Just when I thought I had reached a good place, then THIS happens. What a nightmare!
Apr 24, 2015
 Stress
by: Wray

Hi Laurel I didn't realise you had started the progesterone. I don't know why you have to use so much, have you had a Vitamin D test done? A lack of this reduces the benefit of progesterone. I don't know what progesterone cream you are using either, so don't know how well it's absorbed. There's nothing you can do to stop progesterone falling, beyond using more during stressful times. You can't 'build' up progesterone in the system, it's a dynamic process, it will fluctuate. Sighing and yawning sounds like your blood glucose is dropping. Please don't eat any sweet and/or starchy carbs. Stick to high fat, moderate to low animal protein and very low carbs. And make sure these are only the green carbs. Take care Wray
Apr 24, 2015
 Stress
by: Laurel

Thank you for your timely response.

Yes, my vitamin D was very low when I first started the Progesterone. I have been taking 10,000 IU for some months now and my level now is 72.7 ng/ml and since I am concerned about toxicity I have reduced my daily intake to about 5,000 IU for maintenance. Maybe that was the reason I had to take so much Natpro.

Speaking of blood glucose, I do have a problem in that area as well and I'd like to get your feedback on it since we happen to be on the subject.
My blood sugar has been controllable until my Progesterone fell then it went out of control. I WAS eating a very low glycemic diet: meats, fats and oils and greens like you suggest. Broccoli, kale, collard greens, spinach. And I was STILL having hypoglycemic episodes. I was trying to eat every 3 hours. My worst glycemic events were between 10am and 2pm. I tried to increase my fat intake by including coconut oil to my diet and my hypoglycemia got worse. It was the worse episode I've EVER had. So I started to eat starchy carbs and even though that hasn't totally solved it either I can go almost 5 hours without eating and my episodes aren't quite as severe. My hypoglycemic episode will not pass until I've had enough food. In the beginning I would have these episodes for hours until I got the hint that I needed to keep on eating. Only when I have had the right amount of food will my body stop shaking all together and it will relax and I can rest. It has been a very bad time for me. I shook so bad I feared I might have a seizure. My husband would witness this and be fearful for me. I have been to the ER twice because these episodes are so frightening for me. But every time I go and every time I have checked my own blood glucose on a meter my sugars are in a normal range. I have put on weight, which I'm not happy about but don't know what to do about it. I am hoping you have come across someone else who has had a similar thing happen and can advise me on a better course of action.I've followed the link you've posted for the website that offers info on the Ketogenic Diet and as far as I can tell I was following it but still having hypoglycemia. I appreciate any advice you can give. Oh, maybe I should tell you that I also have Thyroid problems. My thyroid blood work always come back in normal ranges but I have a huge goiter and my thyroid does get painful on occasion. I mention it because maybe the thyroid has some influence over blood glucose regulation.
Apr 30, 2015
 Stress
by: Wray

Hi Laurel Starting at the beginning of your query, Vitamin D toxicity is reached at 200ng/ml, mine has been up to 220ng/ml and I've felt none the worse for it. It's only when massive amounts are taken, i.e. 1 million iu/day for 3 months or more that things come unstuck. I'm at a loss as to what to suggest about your food. I feel it best if you can get in touch with a practitioner who understands blood glucose. These are a few links on the keto diet you could explore here, here, and here. Plus Jeff Volek - The Many Facets of Keto-Adaptation This is an interview by Dr Mercola of Prof D'Agostina here. The problem with blood glucose issues is their complexity. Dr Rosedale is an expert on it. The thyroid does play a huge role in metabolism, I'm really surprised the doctors have not addressed your goitre. Have they check your iodine levels? A level below 0.15 mg/L is defined as an iodine deficient state according to the World Health Organisation. Please take a look at Dr Bownstein's website, he's an authority on iodine and the thyroid. Finally we do have a page on Insulin Resistance you could look through. Take care Wray

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