Chi's Recovery
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"Hello
I will follow this up with several sets of bloods from Bouloux’s lab in 2011 and then recent ones from 2016 shortly, then add the same post to PH. I will also add some photos from when I suffered and today.
PFS
PFS is essentially severe CFS with the root cause lying in the gut. For one reason or another finasteride disrupts the micro biotic balance in the gut and damages the gut lining. This results in malabsorption of nutrients and a prevalence of pathogens (not parasites). Pathogens are essentially disease causing bacteria (whereas parasites are organisms which can live off the body but be completely harmless).
The downstream impact of problems in the gut is on the whole endocrine. For example Serotonin, a neurotransmitter and hormone found almost predominantly in the gut, is completely suppressed. Adequate serotonin is required for deep sleep, calming anxiety and relieving depression. It also assists in memory, regulates appetite, cell growth, wound healing, sexual desire and mood. On the contrary low serotonin causes anxiety, fatigue, insomnia and a host of other awful symptoms. This is just one hormonal impact of a dysfunctional gut, but there are others.
Why us?
The reason only a sub-set of finasteride users get affected is because this sub-set of people have a weaker than optimal gut, diet and immune system before the occurrence. Note it is also possible to feel completely normal, yet have a weaker than optimal gut and immune system before the finasteride related issues, at least if that is the way you have felt your entire life or the process of decline was so gradual as to be undiscernible.
Our weaker than optimal gut and immune systems was susceptible to decline and deteriorating health conditions anyway, however that doesn’t mean we would have suffered discernible or deteriorating health in our lifetime. It took the introduction of a potent chemical to completely throw a delicate balance out of whack – for many the crunch point was cessation of the drug – which in itself would have constituted a change in chemical balance. Others suffer at different times dependent on lifestyle, diet and existing health factors.
My symptom List (no particular order)
Shrunken balls
Insomnia / poor unrefreshing sleep
Anhedonia
Low or no libido
Poor or no erections
Penis curvature to left
Muscle wasting (particularly back of shoulders, upper/lower arms, wrists and fingers)
Mild gynecomastia
Pain/flare ups in gyno lumps
Cuticle recession
Low tolerance to stress
Long refractory period
Low tolerance to light
Poor memory
Poor focus
Hair thinning (particularly pubic and lower legs)
Slow wound healing
Skin ageing (wrinkles forming under eyes)
Sunken eyes
Blurring vision / focus
Bloodshot eyes
General weakness
Facial changes, more feminine at times
Increased susceptibility to colds and sneezing
Lowered body temperature
Today
Today I do not suffer from any of these symptoms and in fact I am healthier than I ever have been. The only thing I have is some lines under eyes, but then I am nearly 30 now (I became ill at 24) and I don’t deem mine to be any worse than friends my age, in fact better because I don't really drink alcohol.
Recovery
Nutritionist & Tests
Gillian Hamer - London
Comprehensive Parasitology (checks Pathogens)
Supplements
Bionutri Ecobalance (inner 2 at breakfast, outer 2 at lunch)
Bionutri Tyro-plus
Bionutri Tara-cyn
Biocare Liquid Vitamin C
Biocare Liquid Trace Minerals
Biocare Liquid Multivitamin
Spatone Iron sachet
Ionic Zinc
Viridian Digestive Aid
VSL3 probiotic or Primal Nutrition Probiotics (spore forming)
Lugol’s Iodine (occasionally)
Herbal Tinctures
Swedish Bitters
Wormwood
Clove
Andrographis
Diet
Breakfast = Steamed Vegetables (preferably fresh/home-grown/cruciferous)
Lunch = Salad + Meat/Fish
Dinner = Meat/Fish + vegetables
Intermittent fasting 1 day p.w.
Cook with coconut oil if required
Buy high quality pasture/grass-fed and wild fish only
No fruit (only small handful of berries every few days)
No nuts
No nightshade fruits and vegetables (e.g. tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, aubergine)
No sauces
No oils – high quality extra virgin olive oil OK occasionally on salads, but don’t overdo
No dairy
No carbohydrate foods (e.g. pasta, rice, potato, bread)
No sugar
No alcohol
Only drink spring water
Herbal Teas: Pau D'Arco, Nettle Leaf
Treat: Avocado, Kale, Lemon and Spring Water smoothie
Treat: Hot Water, Lemon, Celtic Sea Salt
Exercise
Run 5k x 3 per week
Hills sprints x 1 per week
Gym x 1-3 times per week, big movements only (e.g. squats, chest press, overhead press, dips, pull ups, deadlifts, clean, snatch)
Yoga daily
Some meditation
Other lifestyle
Use perfume and paraben free body and hair wash
Use fluoride free toothpaste
Do not use deodorant or spray chemicals on body
Wake up between 5:30-6am every day - boosts cortisol/adrenal function
Attach a shower filter to remove chlorine
Take freezing cold showers only, morning and night (easier after exercise)
Do not lie down during the day to rest/sleep
Aim to be asleep by 10:30
Do not use electronic devices after 8pm (including TV, mobile, laptop)
Grow your own organic vegetables – to maximise nutrition and remove risk of chemicals
Spend time outside in the natural light
Walk in forests and near rivers
Go swimming in lakes
Read books about health and nutrition
Remain positive
Laugh
Don’t give up
Try to see friends as much as possible
Remove stressors
Do not visit the internet researching your condition
Avoid mirrors
Cut out people that cause you stress
Final note
I just want to add that all this stuff wasn’t some wild punt in the dark and wasn’t introduced overnight. It was a 3.5year process of research, listening to my body and learning. However, I firmly believe that full recovery can happen to anyone, irrespective of the severity of symptoms and time suffered, within a few months (possibly weeks) if you can get the balance of things mentioned right. To add weight to this, 6 months before full recovery I was still having massive set-backs and terrible episodes of awfulness. However when you’ve cracked the code it doesn’t matter – everything is in your favour to recover.
Today, 5 years post crashing I feel brilliant. I can eat carbs and sugar as and when I want, but I try to limit it. I (nobody) feels good eating these shit foods. I ate plenty of cake this Christmas though and that feels good, just it’s not something I want to make a habit of knowing how bad this stuff is. It’s difficult though in our modern society – sugar and carb is prevalent – which is a great threat to health and longevity. Today I try to live a paleo lifestyle, which is in essence what the above recovery list is but with additional things thrown in. It is not so complicated, but you need to believe and stick to it. And by the way the Bionutri supplements are absolutely critical to this – I recall when I ran out on several occasions, my world started to implode again.
I really hope this helps.
Cheers
Chi"