does anyone feel cold intensely and have periods through the day when you feel too ill to do anything at all

Hi Tracy. I've always been colder than most people. It's 70 degrees in this room right now, and I'm sitting here with a t-shirt and thick winter cardigan on. I'm rarely hot, although I have woken with night-sweats. I hate the winter because cold weather is tough for me.

Hi Tracy,
Yes cold is an issue for me too. It is worse when I am not feeling well.
And yes I too have periods where I am too ill to do anything (that is the norm), I have been unable to look after my own daughter fulltime for the last 3 years. I am gradually getting better though, hopefully soon I can look after her more and more.
Cheers..Karen <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Cold is often a thyroid issue. If you get a a thyroid test, from what I have heard, a saliva test is best and have TSH, free T3 and free T 4 done. However, even the best test for thyroid doesn't always work. You can test normal and still have the symptoms. Also, they have revised the limits as of 2001 yet most labs and most drs. haven't changed to the new standards, leaving many hypothyroids out in the "cold" Are you super tired at times, constipated, foggy in the brain, do you have dry skin, do you have tendinitis, any eye problems (dry, gritty eyes or double vision), slow pulse, low resting early morning body temp - below 98.0F, slow reflexes, etc, etc. You could have even just one of these symptoms and be hypothryoid. I feel that many people in the US are hypo and that is contributing to the obesity problem due to the fact that in many communities they are putting fluoride into the water and fluoride slows the thyroid, and also, the drs are not following the new standards, so many hypothyroid people are not properly diagnosed and just cannot seem to lose weight. I am not properly diagnosed right now, and am gaining weight despite a very limited diet.

One reason why Americans are so obese is their high meat diet. We're meant to have unsaturated fat, but Americans eat a lot of meat, if not every meal, and this is full of saturated fat. Then they drink beers with things like a handful of nuts (puts on weight), then they drink a lot of milk and pancakes and other fattening foods like pizzas. Added to that, they take their car everywhere so don't get much exercise. They have mercury in their teeth and consume flouride.

I've been to many places in America, and it was very hard to get decent vegetarian food, the traffic was horrendous, which would aso be polluting the atmosphere, and people were reluctant to walk anywhere.

I'm not saying Britain is ideal, because we're fast becoming like America, but we're not quite there yet. Obesity is becoming a huge problem, though, especially in young children.

By this I don't mean all Americans, just a lot of Americans. I know some Americans who are very health-conscious and exercise etc. But America is the junk-food capital of the world, and unfortunately we're going that way because this country likes to imitate Hollywood. Not that I think there is anything wrong with Burger King etc, I go there occasionally (though not to MacDonalds as they have no vegetarian options i.e. put beef extract in their fries) but some people eat there and like food too many times, which makes them fat.

I also know people who are fat who eat well, so I'm not saying all big people eat junk food. But I do think the traditional American diet is not good for health. Neither is the British, really, not if you had the traditional every day i.e. fried bacon, eggs, tomatoes, bread everyday for breakfast. People are eating too much saturated fat.

My problem is getting enough fat, lol. I've never been able to keep weight on. I've had as much stick over being thin as someone can get over being fat, so I wouldn't insult big people. I know it hurts, and that there's often nothing we can do about it. But for those who eat high-fat foods and lots of meat, they could do something about it that would help them.

Dear Karen how do you spend your day and who looks after your daughter for you. Have you had tor amalgams removed. I am still waiting. This morning I woke up feeling so ill thought i was going to die. I have had better periods but symptoms have become much worse recently. H ead pains and vomiting all day. Really don't know what to do.

Do you have children tracy?
I have 2 girls, its been incredibly hard to look after them the way i used to. I have only been seriously ill for the last 16mths and it seems like a lifetime. They always tell me i shouldnt be feeling guilty, but i do i cant help it. They can get away with alot more while im feeling ill on my bad days.

I would imagine it's hard to look after children with this illness. I find it hard to be bothered to do things for myself. Everything seems an effort - even coming on the internet. I just feel like "I can't be bothered" with things. I can't be bothered to get out of bed in the morning, can't be bothered to make breakfast, can't be bothered to get dressed (sometimes I don't all day, but am getting better at that), can't be bothered to go shopping for food, can't be bothered to read things, can't be bothered to make dinner, can't be bothered to bathe, can't be bothered to go out, and then once I'm up, can't be bothered to go to bed.

I do feel like I am getting more enthusiasm for things. I'm getting up earlier, going to bed earlier, and finding that I again have interest in things I used to love. I also am more bothered about how I and my home looks. If something seems like a monster of a task, I try to break it down into smaller tasks. I've had to work and study over the past ten years, and it's been really hard to keep focussed.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with you, Demi. Sugar and worthless carb foods make one fat. Saturated fats are good for us especially when we are ill, because our bodies often cannot make them from any fatty acids we ingest. Our bodies were not designed to eat PUFA's like corn oil, etc. If one really checks the saturated fat and cholesterol studies that were done in the last 50 years, you would see the true conclusions of these studies. The more calories, the more saturated fat, and the more cholesterol one eats, the less heart disease and the healthier they are. We have been duped by the early American researchers that performed their studies trying to prove that their theories were correct. True scientific research means coming up with a hypothesis and then tries every means they can to prove it wrong. If it cannot be proved wrong, then the chances that the theory might be correct has great merit. Just see how much weight you can lose on a low-carb diet. This means eating lots of good meat from animals that have been fed correctly (not soy crud or chicken poop or any chemicals), berries, and many vegetables and nuts. Any farmer can tell you that when they feed their animals saturated fats like palm oil and coconut oil - they lose weight, but when they feed them soy bean oil, they gain weight.

Demi, the good thing is my kids are 12 and 14, so they are little adults, they can cook, clean etc, i have been a good teacher, ha ha!
I would still like to do more for them though, like, ie, go to work so our financial situation would improve, anyway maybe one day.

Dear Demi fortunately the youngewst is 12, but its so hard as she remembers me as a very happy ,confident and bubbly person. Like you sometimes I can't be bothered to do anything and sometimes when I want to ,I just feel too ill, those days I have to force myself to do the least little thing, but just want to be asleep. Unfortunately insommnia is a big problem for me. Have you had any amalgams removed? or any chelation? I have my initial appointment on Monday. My biggest fear is that it won't make any difference and I don't want to continue living like this.

I get that too - like I just want to sleep. And yet, when I go to bed, it's ages before I do.

I've had most of my amalgams removed now. I have about three major one left. I have noticed a difference. After my root-canal tooth was extracted, I got a period for the first time in 2 years, and other symptoms improved. I'm sure my vision has improved slightly aswell. Having gone through recent removal, though, some of them are back. I've read that things intensify for a bit, and then the improvement starts.

I am experiementing with different vits. I can't have many things either because I'm allergic or they are not-vegan. I need to improve my diet and vit intake, but it comes down to that again "can't be bothered". But I know I have to "be bothered" if I want to get well. I suffer a lot from depression, both because of mercury and the isolation that I get from my anxiety problems. Aswell as low-self-esteem and just not feeling up to things in general. I have often not wanted to live anymore, and still get that, but I fight that because life is a precious gift and there is so much we can all do, in our own little ways, to make this world a better place. Sometimes I lose interst in everything, even God, though I am a believer, and I have been through hell sometimes. I don't think anyone really knows what I have been through because of this poison, or the pain of panic attacks and how it makes me feel.

But I do believe we will get better if we do things as right as we can - get good dentists, replacement materials, supplements, and do our research on best detox plans etc. I don't expect it to happen overnight, but I definitely have experienced improvements. And that's as a mostly vegan, who they say improves slower.

I generally sleep better now, have a better body-clock, don't get pins and needles in the night as much, my eyes are less light sensitive, and I have more enthusiasm for things. It's only small things, but to me are evidence I'm on the right track, especially as it's only been 4 months since I started removals.

I hope this gives you some encouragement <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> There are those who are doing things better than me (I am phobic of supplements and things, which doesn't help) so if I can get some improvement, there's got to be hope for others.

I totally believe my mother has mercury poisoning, and the hardest part for me is that she won't deal with it. If she dealt with it, then it wouldn't hurt the way it does to see someone you love suffer and not do anything to help themselves. If they help themselves and have a positive attitude, it makes all the difference, in my humble experience. So if your children see you are making an effort and facing things, I think they will admire you for it.

Hi Doris. You are right that one can lose a lot of weight on the Atkins diet, which is meat, meat, meat and more meat.

I used to be a fan of low-carb diets, but now I'm not sure. I have always eaten a lot of carbs as a vegetarian, and have never been over-weight. Since cutting out dairy, I've lost weight. Most vegetarians eat a lot of carbs and are not over-weight aswell.

One concern with low-carb diets is that because the body is not getting the energy it needs from intake of carbs, it burns up stored fat - hence why eating a lot of fatty foods makes no difference to the low-carb dieter. One puts on weight when the body stores more calories than it uses, so I read.

So, if someone is eating a lot of meat and a lot of carbs, it stands to reason they would be consuming more calories than they are using, hence they put on weight. I believe the recommended fat for a woman is about 20-30 grams saturated and 30-40 grams unsaturated. Unsaturated comes from things like nuts, which are also high-protein. A 100g of nuts can give about 50-70g of fat and about 14-25g of protein.

Tracy, I really hope you are feeling better today. Hopefully getting out your amalgams will be a turning point for you. I feel it has been for me. Do you have a date set to have them out? I now get frustrated if I can’t be up and about doing things all day where as a few months ago I was lucky if I could get out of bed and do just one thing.

I am very lucky that my husband is able to stay home and look after my daughter (who is 2). If he wasn't able to do that I dread to think where I would be right now. I understand where Demi is coming from, the guilt of not being able to be there properly for your children is a big one. Most of the time I try and focus on getting better rather than feeling guilty as it doesn’t help myself or my family.

As to what I do during the day, it varies from being in bed all day through to moving to the couch (a big step up!) and on great days I can go out a little bit with my daughter. Lately I have even been able to run around with her a little bit and play. I also (attempt) to work part time from home, luckily it's all over the internet/phone so I don't need to deal with clients direct.

I had my amalgams out about 2 months ago now. I am doing DMSA rounds and they are making a big difference. I am taking it real slow (only 6mg doses) and the rounds are often a couple of weeks apart if I feel my body isn't up to it.

For the topic of oils/fats etc.. I use coconut oil for everything .. it is supposed to have some wonderful health benefits.

How about
Cheers.. Karen <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Dear Karen, thanks for the message. I am going for my initial appointment on Monday. Did you get any immediate symptom relief of any kind after having them taken out? Do you get mood swings or times when you think it's all just too much.I never know from day to day how I'm goin to feel and can wake up in different moods or sometimes they change through the day. If I'm lucky I'll get the odd day when I can be up all day and feel like doing more, especially if the weather is good. Sometimes I can manage to takethe dog for a walk or go a short while into town. On a good day I may visit my eldest daughter and grandadchild. Other days I physically or mentally don't seem to manage much. I tend to wake early or get up during the night and sometimes the days seem so long, I find myself clockwatching, not knowing what to do with myself. As my daughter is 12 tomorrow I forced myself to go to the shops to get her present. Sometimes I have to put on a front with her and pretend everything isw fine even if i'm feeling really down or tired. I find this really hard. I feel like a completely different person to 2 years ago. I wouldn't say I didn't have a care in the world, but I was very happy and enjoyed life to the full in every way.

Hi Demi. The reason why one loses weight on low carb diet is because it makes the pancreas release glucagon instead of insulin. Many with mercury poisioning have hyperinsulemia - which is very damaging to the body. Many with mercury poisioning also have FMS and hypoglycemia - so they need to eat like a diabetic. I know a lot of vegetarians that are fat. My mother is a 7th day Adventist - and a lot of people in her church are really FAT and most SDA's are vegetarians. Their after church potlucks are strictly vegetarian. Many are even vegan. They're probably eating too much sugary stuff. I just know that I can't lose weight unless I cut out most carbs. The only carbs I can use are the ones highest in fiber like berries, and lettuce, cabbage, etc.

I'm reassured to read that many mercury toxic people have problems with hyperinsulemia. This is my biggest problem, and it rules my life. Every 3 or 4 hours after eating my blood sugar crashes and I have to eat again - this often means eating during the night as my body won't let me sleep with low blood sugar. Does anyone else have this? Will this get better as the mercury leaves my body? I had my amalgams out 2 months ago, and this problem seems to have got worse, rather than better. I am already eating a very strict diet - NO sugar at all at all at all, no refined carbs, no dairy, grains etc etc - pretty much meat, vegetables, eggs and nuts, so I can't make any changes there. I take branched chain amino acids to help the body make blood sugar, chromium picolinate, zinc, glutamine, protein shakes - I'm running out of ideas. I haven't started chelating with DMSA yet - maybe this is the only thing that will help. Anyone got any comments?

I have PCOS, which is rooted in Insulin Resistance (so they say). Deciding what to eat is difficult, because I don't believe in eating meat. But, there are some people saying now that vegan diet is actually better for diabetics than meat, so I'm not giving up my beliefs - not that I intended to eat meat anyway.

In my opinion, medical science is presently not very good. They don't know much more than the basics, hence all the controversies. Facts can never be disputed, so that they dispute so much, tells us that they don't have facts, only speculation. And, that they support use of mercury in dentistry, shows how much they don't know. And that we can debate the issue here, because we've all read different things, shows they just don't know.

I therefore don't give much weight to any of the theories (no pun intended, lol), but work out how I feel after eating certain things. I understand others don't want to risk that, but for me it's the only way to go beause I don't think any of the so called experts really know what they are talking about. Some might, but which are they? We can only know by experience, I guess. Some say saturated fat is not good for us, others are obviously saying they are. It's typical of the medical community- they don't know so they guess.

As to vegetarians, I can imagine they would be fatter because they consume a lot of dairy to get protein. I put on weight when I ate a lot of dairy. Now I am mostly vegan (only eat ocasional eggs) I have lost a lot of weight. I know I don't get enough fat, so I need to remedy that.

I really need to draw myself up a good diet plan. I think I need to make it my priority. Getting protein can be a problem because nuts hurt my teeth, but I think I'll get a blender and that should help.

But I have totally lost faith in anything doctors or experts say because it becomes more apparent to me every day that they don't know much.

Hi demi, i grind my nuts in a blender and add them to my porridge oats or if i make biscuits or cakes i add them.
I got a great blender by Anthony Warrel Thomson,i bought it from Argos, cost about £30, a great investment as i too cant eat nuts whole. Also it makes smoothies, purees, crushes ice etc.

Regarding what makes people fat, i believe that we are all different and handle food differently in our bodies. I say if something makes you fat its not doing your body much good. Since i gave up yeast, sugar, alcohol, gluten (except for porridge) dairy, i cannot put on weight no matter what, i eat like crazy aswell.

Hi Tracy ... oooh boy .. yes I definitely get mood swings (just ask my husband). My mental state ranges from thinking I cannot cope another minute, through to feeling I am going to beat this no matter what and that it is just a short phase in the overall scheme of my life.

I know what you mean about not knowing what the day is going to bring. I can’t consistently plan anything more than an hour ahead as I don’t know how I am going to be feeling then.

As for immediate symptom relief, I noticed the evening after I got my amalgams removed I felt much warmer, I even turned off the heaters (it is winter here).

Nothing else much happened until after the end of my first DMSA round. It felt as though my brain was suddenly switched on, I could think more clearly and calmly. So that’s what it is like to feel healthy! Whilst I haven’t had quite the same intensity of feeling since, I find I am generally able to think clearer, more positively and have more energy. It has helped me to see that when I am in a bad mental state it is not really ‘me’ it is just the illness – and it will go away eventually.

Lately I have been trying to focus on what I CAN do rather than what I can’t. I have been frustrated feeling as though I am putting everything on hold waiting for my health to get better or getting frustrated trying to do things my body is unable to. Eg. I am looking into courses I can do via DVD, that way I keep my brain active (without pressure of tests etc..) but I can physically rest at the same time. But all this is a good sign as I am getting frustrated now and looking to the future rather than just trying to get through the day intact. It WILL get better for you Tracy.

I also read a lot, I find I can immerse myself in the book and forget my troubles for a bit. I also avoid negative tv (eg. news) and try to watch/read humorous stuff.

Good luck for your appt. on Monday.

Cheers ... Karen <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I bought a blender from Argos today. It was on sale from £25 to £20 with stainless steel blades. I am a bit phobic of using it (I have so many phobias that make things like this difficult on a daily basis) but I think once I get used to it I'll be okay.

Hi Demi, i was scared of my blender at first but now i wouldnt be without it. The noise is quite loud on mine and i have to plug my ears when i use it.

In the last 2 weeks i have had problems like this and its not 3 or 4 hrs after eating, its more like an hour or two. I go all weak, irritable and have to eat something. I havnt eaten sugar for well over a year and i use stevia. I make my own biscuits and cakes with stevia. The strange thing is, i never got this with amalgam in my mouth, i have had mine removed now for nearly 5 mths.

Dawn

this is reactive hypoglycemia, which I think is due to hyperinsulemia. I think the mercury has messed up the signals to the pancreas, which then produces too much insulin, which brings down blood sugar too low, and you feel hungry an hour or two after eating. If you don't eat anything, the blood sugar will eventually correct itself, but it basically means feeling hungry a lot of the time, or eating very frequently. This happens to me at nighttime a lot, and it means I get very little sleep, as I can't sleep when I'm hungry or have low blood sugar. I don't know what to do about it. This symptoms has got much worse for me after amalgam removal as well - had mine out 2 months ago. I am hoping that it is because mercury levels are generally higher as the body is mobilizing it and excreting it, and that this will eventually resolve itself. I HOPE. Yesterday I was so fed up with it I started a low dose of DSMA (6mg every four hours) to try and ease symptoms a bit. Not feeling any different yet though.

HI thanks for the info, i should build up the courage to start a round of DMSA, i have had the DMSA a while now but too scared to use it. If i start i will do 6mg every 4 hrs to start with.

I too often get hungry within an hour or so of eating. Diabetes is very prevalent in my family, so I am genetically disposed to have insulin trouble. I've found having a high protein meal along with carbs helps me to feel more satisfied. I've also found that having a chocolate bar can help me when I feel a "crash". I got through college by eating 2-4 chocolate bars a day. By 3pm in the afternoon I would be extremely tired (would leave the house about 8am) so I'd have chocolate bars and a drink to keep me going until tea-time. Even now I get huge cravings for chocolate and candy. I know it's probably not good, but it gives me "boosts". I'd also naturally gravitate towards fizzy sugary drinks. Caffeine though has sometimes brought me out in shakes - the coke types, not coffee itself (although I was never been a huge coffee drinker until the last few years - I've now given it up, at least for the time-being). But I definitely feel my sugar levels are messed up, and that is typical of PCOS, which is supposedly rooted in Insulin Resistance.

I am going back on the low-gluten diet. I think it helped me more than I appreciated. I've found a pre-made loaf of bread in Morrisons for only 99p. It's small, but it lasts 2-3 days and can be prepared by just toasting. I only really have bread for toast in the morning (not a big breakfast eater). I'm going to try and make a walnut smoothie with banana and some rice milk, which will give me a good start to the day with the toast, hopefully. I can't really handle boiled eggs. The day I had a migraine I had one, so I'm avoiding them for the moment.

I always feel cold when other people are comfortable. My body temp is low,a symtom of thyroid malfunction. mercury damages the thyroid.

Actually,you need both saturated and unsaturated fat. You need saturated fat to produce sex hormones.the thyroid requires saturated fat.