Here’s my first stab at compiling various things I’ve had trouble with since getting Lyme disease. Roughly chronological for now. Some categories: (1) cognition, (2) connective tissue, (3) respiratory.
I have, as my late mother had, Renaud's syndrome -- poor circulation in fingers and toes when they get cold. I occasionally got chilblains on my toes. Now I'm very careful not to let them get cold.
I've appreciated the quaint Jane Austen evocation of the word "chilblain."
Have you tried either nattokinase or modified citrus pectin to improve circulation in the extremities? (They are also supposed to improve blood flow throughout the body.)
Just googled 'Jane Austen chilblain' since I wasn't aware of the association. Interesting that its appearance in her novels is likely related to the worldwide cooling due to the Tambora eruption.
As for ApoB, it had been improving from taking Biotics Research Red Yeast Rice, although I hadn't quite reached Peter Attia's target (below 60 mg/dL). Biotics Research ran out last summer and I've tried two other brands since which did not work at all. It's back in stock at Biotics, but for the time being my primary care doctor has me trying policosanol (via HCP Formulas LipiCept). I'm getting a lipid panel lab in a couple of weeks to see if it's working. If not, I'll go back to Biotics Research. ... While on Biotics Research Red Yeast Rice I did have to substantially increase my CoQ10 dosage to avoid muscle aches and brain fog.
I've also been concerned about LDL-P (particle count) because nothing has been able to bring it down to the standard target, let alone my doctors' target.
(I can't figure out how to hyperlink within substack comments.)
Haven't tried nattokinase or MCP. I just spent some time browsing dreliaz.org and sites linked from it. On one hand, it *reeks* of quackery -- a single $1/day supplement will ameliorate all these ailments! -- but on the other, maybe MCP really is effective.
I've been taking statins for decades. Recently I switched from high-intensity atorvastatin 40 mg to 20 mg + 10 mg ezetimibe. As of last week my ApoB was 64, as low as it's gotten. My impression was that ApoB was a pretty good correlate of LDL-P.
As you may know run-of-the-mill lipid panels provide a calculated LDL-C. The parameters of the f(TC, HDL, TG) have changed in recent years. I've been adding a direct LDL-C and, more recently, ApoB to my lab requisitions.
... search for 'galactin', Ben's mispronunciation of 'galectin'.
Modified citrus pectin, even Dr. Eliaz's formulation, did not prevent my chilblains. (Not that he said it would! But I was hoping.) Nonetheless MCP has fully restored my kidney function, even though I didn't know it was supposed to until reading Eliaz's book _The Survival Paradox_ last year. After reading the book, I went back and saw definitive results in my lab histories from 2013 to 2016. Back then, I was taking MCP intermittently, but after my review I now take it continuously.
"... statins for decades." Have you looked into PCSK9 inhibitors? Attia has been pretty positive about them (not to the exclusion of statins). I'm taking berberine for this purpose. I can't locate the Attia Drive podcast episode (I think in the past year) in which he reported that berberine has great results for something like 5% of his patients (he still prefers pharmaceutical PCSK9 inhibitors because of quality control).
This 2022 article says that Attia took berberine through 2015 but 'now' favors metformin:
"My impression was that ApoB was a pretty good correlate of LDL-P." Four concurrent measurements of ApoB & LDL-P for me so far, and they're pretty uncorrelated!
"... adding ... to my lab requisitions." In July 2020 I asked my (now) primary care doctor (he wasn't primary care at the time) to add oxidized LDL (OxLDL) to one of my labs, since that might be specifically what causes atherosclerotic lesions. See, e.g.:
Does kidney malfunction ever abate spontaneously? This question is an application of the "many ailments cure themselves in time" school of medical practice in the face of your attribution of causality.
I have been waiting a bit on PCKS9i; will mention to my M.D. on Tuesday during a routine tele-health appointment.
The oxLDL study you cite says, "LDL oxidation might occur not within the interstitial fluid of atherosclerotic lesions but within lysosomes in macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions." In either case, how would a measurement of oxLDL in circulating blood be informative?
after reading your latest Lyme disease dispatch, I looked up the bacterias you tested positive for, and one was described as the cause of “cat scratch fever”. is this correct? do you think you had/have that? did you interact with cat(s) ever?
Yes, Bartonella henselae can cause Cat Scratch Fever. Cats aren't the only carrier of bartonella. As I mentioned, it's possible I got infected with bartonella from a dog bite; no interactions with cats since becoming extremely allergic ages ago after a pillow fight in a house filled with cats.
I have, as my late mother had, Renaud's syndrome -- poor circulation in fingers and toes when they get cold. I occasionally got chilblains on my toes. Now I'm very careful not to let them get cold.
I've appreciated the quaint Jane Austen evocation of the word "chilblain."
TMAO, animal products, etc. -- how's your ApoB?
Have you tried either nattokinase or modified citrus pectin to improve circulation in the extremities? (They are also supposed to improve blood flow throughout the body.)
https://www.dreliaz.org/formulas/modified-citrus-pectin/
Just googled 'Jane Austen chilblain' since I wasn't aware of the association. Interesting that its appearance in her novels is likely related to the worldwide cooling due to the Tambora eruption.
https://janeaustensworld.com/tag/chilblains/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1815_eruption_of_Mount_Tambora
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_Without_a_Summer
As for ApoB, it had been improving from taking Biotics Research Red Yeast Rice, although I hadn't quite reached Peter Attia's target (below 60 mg/dL). Biotics Research ran out last summer and I've tried two other brands since which did not work at all. It's back in stock at Biotics, but for the time being my primary care doctor has me trying policosanol (via HCP Formulas LipiCept). I'm getting a lipid panel lab in a couple of weeks to see if it's working. If not, I'll go back to Biotics Research. ... While on Biotics Research Red Yeast Rice I did have to substantially increase my CoQ10 dosage to avoid muscle aches and brain fog.
https://peterattiamd.com/early-and-aggressive-lowering-of-apob/
I've also been concerned about LDL-P (particle count) because nothing has been able to bring it down to the standard target, let alone my doctors' target.
(I can't figure out how to hyperlink within substack comments.)
Haven't tried nattokinase or MCP. I just spent some time browsing dreliaz.org and sites linked from it. On one hand, it *reeks* of quackery -- a single $1/day supplement will ameliorate all these ailments! -- but on the other, maybe MCP really is effective.
I've been taking statins for decades. Recently I switched from high-intensity atorvastatin 40 mg to 20 mg + 10 mg ezetimibe. As of last week my ApoB was 64, as low as it's gotten. My impression was that ApoB was a pretty good correlate of LDL-P.
As you may know run-of-the-mill lipid panels provide a calculated LDL-C. The parameters of the f(TC, HDL, TG) have changed in recent years. I've been adding a direct LDL-C and, more recently, ApoB to my lab requisitions.
"... *reeks* of quackery ..." ... Heh, even Ben Greenfield complained about this on a recent podcast episode:
https://bengreenfieldlife.com/transcripts/transcript-leland2/
... search for 'galactin', Ben's mispronunciation of 'galectin'.
Modified citrus pectin, even Dr. Eliaz's formulation, did not prevent my chilblains. (Not that he said it would! But I was hoping.) Nonetheless MCP has fully restored my kidney function, even though I didn't know it was supposed to until reading Eliaz's book _The Survival Paradox_ last year. After reading the book, I went back and saw definitive results in my lab histories from 2013 to 2016. Back then, I was taking MCP intermittently, but after my review I now take it continuously.
"... statins for decades." Have you looked into PCSK9 inhibitors? Attia has been pretty positive about them (not to the exclusion of statins). I'm taking berberine for this purpose. I can't locate the Attia Drive podcast episode (I think in the past year) in which he reported that berberine has great results for something like 5% of his patients (he still prefers pharmaceutical PCSK9 inhibitors because of quality control).
This 2022 article says that Attia took berberine through 2015 but 'now' favors metformin:
https://lifehackerguy.com/peter-attia-supplements/
I have been pretty sure that metformin is a bad idea for non-diabetics, and a recent study may have changed Attia's mind:
https://peterattiamd.com/a-recent-metformin-study-casts-doubts-on-longevity-indications/
"My impression was that ApoB was a pretty good correlate of LDL-P." Four concurrent measurements of ApoB & LDL-P for me so far, and they're pretty uncorrelated!
"... adding ... to my lab requisitions." In July 2020 I asked my (now) primary care doctor (he wasn't primary care at the time) to add oxidized LDL (OxLDL) to one of my labs, since that might be specifically what causes atherosclerotic lesions. See, e.g.:
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/epub/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.107.151704
My result was 29 U/L, well below the the 'low risk' ceiling of 60 U/L (my LDL-P at that time was 1577, the highest it had been up to that point).
It's possible that my Lyme-related inflammation disrupts typical lipid correlations.
Does kidney malfunction ever abate spontaneously? This question is an application of the "many ailments cure themselves in time" school of medical practice in the face of your attribution of causality.
I have been waiting a bit on PCKS9i; will mention to my M.D. on Tuesday during a routine tele-health appointment.
The oxLDL study you cite says, "LDL oxidation might occur not within the interstitial fluid of atherosclerotic lesions but within lysosomes in macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions." In either case, how would a measurement of oxLDL in circulating blood be informative?
I'd like to make a motion to change the "love" button to "appreciate" or some other less ambiguous statement.
I'm with you. Let's write up a proposal to send to substack!
after reading your latest Lyme disease dispatch, I looked up the bacterias you tested positive for, and one was described as the cause of “cat scratch fever”. is this correct? do you think you had/have that? did you interact with cat(s) ever?
Yes, Bartonella henselae can cause Cat Scratch Fever. Cats aren't the only carrier of bartonella. As I mentioned, it's possible I got infected with bartonella from a dog bite; no interactions with cats since becoming extremely allergic ages ago after a pillow fight in a house filled with cats.
https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/bartonellosis/