Kristelle's Journal

[TylerDurden]

In cases of hysterectomy, I would imagine that improving the health of the adrenals would be paramount, as they, other than the testicles/ovaries, are the ones which produce the sex-hormones. The trouble with adding in artificial hormones is that the body alwways self-compensates by not producing enough natural sex-hormones by itself, plus the artificial sex-hormones tend to be harmful, in the long run.

[lex_rooker]

I don't have any way of measuring how much estrogen/progesterone is processed by my liver ...

Darn, this would be a very interesting project if it could be done.

....but it is a well-known fact that route of administration greatly influences this. Oral being the worst and parenteral being the best.

I asked my local pharmacist about this and he said that the issue of oral (enteral) hormone administration was a problem of poor absorption, and had nothing to do with the way the body metabolizes the hormone once in the blood stream.  He's not a doctor of course, but he showed me several references from various pharmaceutical companies that supported what he said.

He also said he knew of no tests for hormones like testosterone that could be done at home, but since these tests are now so routine in computerized blood testing, that it may be available within a very few years as the equipment is getting smaller and less expensive with each generation.

Lex

[Raw Kyle]

Kristelle, I believe that progesterone controls things like bone density and the other negative side effects of female hormone imbalances, not estrogen. There is already way more estrogen around in the environment then you need from plastics and other zeno and phyto estrogens that are hard to avoid. Estrogen supplementation I think is a completely misguided practice and it makes a lot more sense to me to supplement progesterone, which if you look it up is the hormone that would keep the negative effects (i.e. osteoporosis, accelerated ageing, cognitive/brain health) from happening.

[Kristelle]

Thanks for the input Kyle.

I've been off estrogen for a little more than a week and things are slowly improving.

[Kristelle]

Significant improvements in the last couple of days including increased libido, less hunger, more energy and way better skin.

My gallbladder is recovering from estrogen's onslaught. That's why I had so much trouble with fat and was showing a deficit in fat-soluble vitamins since my operation. Low iron levels are also not surprising.

I'm slowly regaining my health. 

[Raw Kyle]

Good deal. I don't know why doctors recommend estrogen supplementation and I'm not expert on it but from everything I've read estrogen is something you mostly want to avoid extra of (even as a woman) and if anything you want the progesterone.

[Kristelle]

Energy levels are wayyyyyyyy up, skin is much better and I'm barely hungry. Life is good, estrogen is bad! LOL.

[boxcarguy07]

good to hear!

[Jeff]

Energy levels are wayyyyyyyy up, skin is much better and I'm barely hungry. Life is good, estrogen is bad! LOL.

Kristelle, are you eating more fat again, now?  Glad to hear you're feeling better!

[Kristelle]

Yes, I'm eating more fat. The last 24-48 hours have been unbelievable. I can't even describe the feeling other than to say that it's like being on a high constantly without any of the side effects of drugs. Life is good!

[Jeff]

Yes, I'm eating more fat. The last 24-48 hours have been unbelievable. I can't even describe the feeling other than to say that it's like being on a high constantly without any of the side effects of drugs. Life is good!

I'm glad you're finally discovering what zero carb can be like!  I'm so happy for you.

[Kristelle]

Definetly, my gallbladder was the problem all along. I have been steadily improving since about 2 weeks, in other words, since dropping estrogen. I'm digesting fat better.

I was thinking that maybe blood sugar fluctuations occur (and keto-adaptation never occurs) in individuals who have trouble digesting fat due to pancreas insufficiency or gallbladder problems. Fat is usually a source of energy needed to digest protein and when it cannot be properly digested and used as such, glucose is the substitute and is provided by glycerol. That's why blood sugar rises when protein content increases and why BS is less when protein is reduced.

A sign of fat malabsorption is that upon increasing fat, you get tired, get bloated, gain weight, have abdominal cramps, get dehydrated, etc. In other words, you don't feel good. Things are only worst and ketones show up suddenly.

I hope Lex is reading this...

[coconinoz]

"Fat is usually a source of energy needed to digest protein"

do you mean: fatty acids are needed as liver fuel? or to get bile out of the gallbladder? or something else?

"A sign of fat malabsorption is that upon increasing fat, you get tired, get bloated, gain weight, have abdominal cramps, get dehydrated, etc."

... as well as ammonia body odor perhaps? (from incomplete proteolysis, possibly?)

in my current understanding, no or incomplete proteolysis could be the result of liver weakness or liver being busy with some detoxing task, or lack/insufficiency of the enzymes or bacteria or minerals (iodine etc.) needed for proteolysis, or even of eating the kind of food that the body is not wanting at the moment (sort of an allergic reaction, this last 1)

any thoughts?

[Kristelle]

Digestion requires energy that it can get from either glucose or fat. If fatty acids are lacking, then sugar will provide the energy. In this case, I meant to say that glycerol would convert to glucose.

Fat in the diet is important so as to allow the gallbladder to free itself of bile occasionally and not get too saturated, eventually leading up to problems such as gallstones.

I get body odor and bad breath. But this is likely from fat malabsorption and/or excess ketones in body not being used by cells. I have no problems digesting protein. When I eat lean protein, I am fine.