I went to see Dr. Ben via Ronnie and Kim's insistance. I didn't want to go because I was worried about finances, but they insisted - Jason agreed - so I went. I can't tell you how long I've been told I was depressed, but no one could help. I figured this would be the same thing, but I wanted to honor Jason.
I'm still, quite, shocked by what the doctor believes is wrong with me. I feel immense relief to FINALLY have a doctor tell me what's wrong. But, wow. I really am broken. My heart is broken (please Lord heal my heart) and so is my body.
1. He believes I have leaking gut syndrome. He believes I've had this since I was a young kid.
2. He believes I've been in 'fight or flight' mode since I was a baby.
3. I have low progesterone. Very low.
4.. The 'fight or flight' mode for 33 years. This has created a form of ptsd. My adrenals may be in failure mode (at the very least fatigued) because I've been demanding my body make such high levels of cortisol that it's had to take from progesterone (amongst other areas).
So, my gut is broken. It's leaking food particles into my blood stream. And, since my gut is broken it can't produce seratonin and melatonin. Did you know that the gut produces 70 PERCENT of all seratonin and melatonin for your BODY?!
Progesterone, Sera, and Mela are the hormones that calm you down. Oh, and Get this, if you have low progresterone then it's very difficult to get pregnant. And, if you DO get pregnant, it's very difficult to bring your baby to term. Jadon was a preemie and I had to be on bedrest with my 2nd and 3rd to prevent having another preemie. My body literally went into labor at 28-30 weeks with all my kids.
I have none. No wonder I'm always anxious. I'm not a failure with my parenting. I'm not screwed up. NO wonder I struggle with such horrid depression. I'm simply not producing hormones to make me happy, balanced, calm, or peaceful.
He put me on a hard (what I think is hard) diet to heal my gut. No wheat, corn, gluten, white potatoes/rice. No sugars past single digits. I'm waiting for my old doctors office to fax my current blood work to Dr. Ben so that he can order more blood work. He thinks I'll be put on hormone replacement therapy until my body can produce it's own hormones. He won't make that final decision until the blood work confirms his beliefs. (Which I can't imagine it won't.)
Please, if you think of me, pray for me. Pray this heals me. Pray I can think clearly. Pray I can live a life without depression. Pray this diet heals my gut. Please pray for God's discernment and peace as I figure the diet out.
Thank you.
I know this is hard (the changes)..but OH..to have answers and hope! To KNOW it is something you can work with and improve! To know there is real hope!
ReplyDelete:D Praying for you!
I thought melatonin, serotonin, and progesterone was controlled/produced by the brain/pituitary gland?
ReplyDeletemelatonin is produced by the pineal gland, a small endocrine gland[29] located in the center of the brain but outside the blood–brain barrier. The melatonin signal forms part of the system that regulates the sleep–wake cycle by chemically causing drowsiness and lowering the body temperature, but it is the central nervous system (specifically the suprachiasmatic nuclei, or SCN)[29] that controls the daily cycle in most components of the paracrine and endocrine systems[30][31] rather than the melatonin signal (as was once postulated)
ReplyDeleteSerotonin is mainly metabolized to 5-HIAA, chiefly by the liver. Metabolism involves first oxidation by monoamine oxidase to the corresponding aldehyde. This is followed by oxidation by aldehyde dehydrogenase to 5-HIAA, the indole acetic acid derivative. The latter is then excreted by the kidneys. One type of tumor, called carcinoid, sometimes secretes large amounts of serotonin into the blood, which causes various forms of the carcinoid syndrome of flushing, diarrhea, and heart problems.
Progesterone is produced in the ovaries (by the corpus luteum), the adrenal glands (near the kidney), and, during pregnancy, in the placenta. Progesterone is also stored in adipose (fat) tissue.
In humans, increasing amounts of progesterone are produced during pregnancy:
At first, the source is the corpus luteum that has been "rescued" by the presence of human chorionic gonadotropins (hCG) from the conceptus.
However, after the 8th week, production of progesterone shifts to the placenta. The placenta utilizes maternal cholesterol as the initial substrate, and most of the produced progesterone enters the maternal circulation, but some is picked up by the fetal circulation and used as substrate for fetal corticosteroids. At term the placenta produces about 250 mg progesterone per day.
I don't know why this is listing me as anonymous,but it's me, Christina :)
I may need to join in on your diet, maybe it will help with me being tired all the time.
ReplyDeleteHi Christina! Thanks for telling me. LOL
ReplyDeleteAll I know is that there is a clear link to the gut and the brain. And, supposedly, 70 percent of mela and sera come from the gut.
I'm reading "wheat" belly. You shoudl check it out. I'm shocked how BAD the 'new' wheat is for our bodies. It'll shock you.