Tracking my efforts to beat Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), aka CFIDS, aka CFS

Tracking my efforts to beat Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), aka CFIDS, aka CFS

Friday, April 18, 2014

Doubling down on Methylation

I started Dr. Yasko's methylation protocol in about March of last year.  Yasko recommends that patients implement supplements in phases.  She stresses they be implemented in a specific order and then results confirmed with tests before moving on to the next phase.  So it took me over six months just to build up to the point where I could start actually taking methylfolate and B12.

I took a step up in baseline before I ever even started taking B12.  The "step up" occurred in about September last year after I implemented Yasko's "short cut" supplements - mainly PS Complex and DHA.

I didn't really notice much of a difference after I finally added B12 and methylfolate, but I continued to do relatively well.

Toward the end of 2013, I moved residences and lost focus on methylation.  I continued to take the supplements, but didn't monitor my health as closely.  I stopped reading and learning about nutrigenomics, and stopped paying attention to how missed doses affected me.

In February and March this year, brain fog and limb numbness returned after an absence of about a year.  By accident, I noticed that on a couple of days where I forgot to take B12 and methylfolate, the brain fog and limb numbness disappeared again.  So it became clear that I was over-methylating - the methylation cycle was working too fast.

Now I'm off the B12 and methylfolate again (temporarily) and am going to figure out where things started getting side tracked.  At some point I unknowingly switched from taking the hydroxycobalamin form of B12 to methylcobalamin, which can be problematic for CBS+ persons like myself.  This may be why I was overmethylating.

As part of my re-dedication to methylation, I decided to read Yasko's new book, which supposedly makes complicated nutrigenomics a little more accessible.  I'll review it in a later post...


8 comments:

  1. Glad you are tuned in to the effects and smart enough to figure out what was happening! So many moving parts in this thing. I will be interested to hear your take on the book - I gave up on the previous one because there was just So Much and my Dr. C is not so hot on this approach...my fuzzy brain stood little chance of mastering it alone. -Jocelyn

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    1. I hear ya, sometimes I wonder...

      I'd be interested in hearing your doctor C's take on it. I don't think it's the* answer or anything, but I guess I'm convinced enough that it can be one puzzle piece that I'm motivated just enough to keep trying until I either definitely succeed or definitely fail.. :)

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    2. No Poster Girl: That's interesting Dr C isn't a fan. I was a patient of Dr C's yrs ago & am curious why exactly he's against it, do you happen to know?

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    3. CariLea, what he's told me is that he just hasn't found it to be that helpful to patients, and that sometimes it made people worse. It's such a complex thing, though, I don't know if he's given it a fair and unbiased trial - seems like it would be pretty difficult to, with everything else he recommends.

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    4. That makes sense. I think you are right, from what I have read so far in Yasko's new book, it is very complicated and w Dr C doing so many other things, it would be tough to do it all on patients that are often very sensitive. Thanks for the reply!

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  2. Can't wait for the book review! This low-sulfur business is so tedious. :-)

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  3. Oh you did? I never seem to remember to check back on these things. Thank you!!

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