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Everyone’s progress
I took retinA for a year as a teenager. And it messed me up bad. I’ve had a history of head injuries and their symptoms got severely exacerbated by the retinA. After suffering with poor health for a while and wanting to do something about it, I started doing a high vitamin a diet thinking it would help me get healthy. Lots of liver and raw milk. For another year. 🤦♂️. I’m surprised I didn’t die to be honest. I’ve been super low vitamin a for a year. And have made a good bit of progress. But sometimes I still don’t sleep well and have the definitive mental dullness. Since I took tretinoin, I’m wondering how much progress you guys have made.
Dude, there's an entire section of the forum dedicated to progress reports. I'm sure you'll find your answers there: https://ggenereux.blog/discussion/forum/progress-report/
im curious as to the Accutane specific people.
Quote from Nate on December 29, 2023, 6:44 pmim curious as to the Accutane specific people.
I took Accutane for only 2 months (Sept-Nov 2023). I woke up November 10th with intense head pressure, which only got worse over the next few weeks. I'm talking head pressure, nausea, dizziness, disoriented, confusion, and crippling anxiety. I'll try to keep my story as short as possible. Basically I tried to trust doctors to help me, and I did not do any research or google symptoms at first, because I know that tends to make my anxiety worse. Then after 10 days of that shit and getting nowhere with doctors, I began my tedious research, which led me here. I immediately began low vitamin A diet, and showed improvements immediately. Of course, I don't have much progress, as I've only been at this roughly a month, but I have no other options. When I "test the waters" and try to push it with vitamin A foods, I feel it immediately and the head pressure returns. I have had a lot of good days, but I am nowhere NEAR the same human being I was before. Also, I am still sensitive to loud noises and bright lights, so right now, I cannot enjoy the things I love (motorcycles and sunshine). I could cry.
I'm hoping the head stuff gets better. Others that have had the head pressure and head stuff says it gets better after 6 months, so I am hopeful.
Since I'm still kinda new, I'm still learning. Today I think I figured out what has been making me feel so bad. My sister is into all natural stuff. She gave me some nighttime relaxing cream for Christmas. I've been slathering that shit all over my chest and body. Could not figure out why I feel like I'm dying today and my head feels so bad. I started googling. A lot of those essential oils in that cream have vitamin A. I cannot believe I've been poisoning myself... I should have known... So today I learned I cannot put any lotions, oils, creams, ointments on my body until I know what it has in it. Tough lesson to learn. I don't know about everyone else, but I am extremely sensitive to vitamin A and try to have as close to none in my diet as I can, so I don't think I can tolerate any topical vitamin A either. Will update later...
edited for typos
Quote from Rebecca3 on January 3, 2024, 9:37 amQuote from Nate on December 29, 2023, 6:44 pmim curious as to the Accutane specific people.
I took Accutane for only 2 months (Sept-Nov 2023). I woke up November 10th with intense head pressure, which only got worse over the next few weeks. I'm talking head pressure, nausea, dizziness, disoriented, confusion, and crippling anxiety. I'll try to keep my story as short as possible. Basically I tried to trust doctors to help me, and I did not do any research or google symptoms at first, because I know that tends to make my anxiety worse. Then after 10 days of that shit and getting nowhere with doctors, I began my tedious research, which led me here. I immediately began low vitamin A diet, and showed improvements immediately. Of course, I don't have much progress, as I've only been at this roughly a month, but I have no other options. When I "test the waters" and try to push it with vitamin A foods, I feel it immediately and the head pressure returns. I have had a lot of good days, but I am nowhere NEAR the same human being I was before. Also, I am still sensitive to loud noises and bright lights, so right now, I cannot enjoy the things I love (motorcycles and sunshine). I could cry.
I'm hoping the head stuff gets better. Others that have had the head pressure and head stuff says it gets better after 6 months, so I am hopeful.
Since I'm still kinda new, I'm still learning. Today I think I figured out what has been making me feel so bad. My sister is into all natural stuff. She gave me some nighttime relaxing cream for Christmas. I've been slathering that shit all over my chest and body. Could not figure out why I feel like I'm dying today and my head feels so bad. I started googling. A lot of those essential oils in that cream have vitamin A. I cannot believe I've been poisoning myself... I should have known... So today I learned I cannot put any lotions, oils, creams, ointments on my body until I know what it has in it. Tough lesson to learn. I don't know about everyone else, but I am extremely sensitive to vitamin A and try to have as close to none in my diet as I can, so I don't think I can tolerate any topical vitamin A either. Will update later...
edited for typos
Wow, your situation seems severe. After doing some more research, well I confess Garrett Smith's research on vitamin A toxicity, I believe zinc, protein (beef, bison, chicken, turkey), and taurine are essential in recovery so that the retinoic acid isn't in our bloodstream doing damage, it will get bound in retinol binding protein. Also helpful is fiber to carry it out in your poop.
I am learning this too lol I cut out the beans and ground flax seeds for a several days, because I didn't want to tear my digestive tract up (I was having lots of diarrhea). Now I haven't gone at all in a few days. I cannot seem to get regular. I eat mostly beef and a little chicken. I am scared of turkey lol And I don't know what taurine is, but I will research it and try to figure out how to incorporate it into my diet!
Quote from Rebecca3 on January 3, 2024, 2:32 pmI am learning this too lol I cut out the beans and ground flax seeds for a several days, because I didn't want to tear my digestive tract up (I was having lots of diarrhea). Now I haven't gone at all in a few days. I cannot seem to get regular. I eat mostly beef and a little chicken. I am scared of turkey lol And I don't know what taurine is, but I will research it and try to figure out how to incorporate it into my diet!
If you are eating meat you will be getting taurine. I wonder though about how much zinc is actually in the food anymore. I am now taking a little bit of zinc picolinate. Yeah sometimes beans is too much for people with toxic bile. But definitely don't do ground flax.
taurine is highest in dark meat poultry like chicken thighs. I don’t do well on a supplement. But eat lots of thighs. I would be very careful with any supplement or essential oil anyway. They’re usually high in aldehydes. And Accutane wrecks your aldehyde dehydrogenase enzyme. Also you may want to add the beans back. They bind to bile really well and will help keep you regular.
Quote from Janelle525 on January 3, 2024, 2:52 pmQuote from Rebecca3 on January 3, 2024, 2:32 pmI am learning this too lol I cut out the beans and ground flax seeds for a several days, because I didn't want to tear my digestive tract up (I was having lots of diarrhea). Now I haven't gone at all in a few days. I cannot seem to get regular. I eat mostly beef and a little chicken. I am scared of turkey lol And I don't know what taurine is, but I will research it and try to figure out how to incorporate it into my diet!
If you are eating meat you will be getting taurine. I wonder though about how much zinc is actually in the food anymore. I am now taking a little bit of zinc picolinate. Yeah sometimes beans is too much for people with toxic bile. But definitely don't do ground flax.
Beans are mostly soluble fiber. Psyllium is mostly soluble fiber. Flaxseed is higher in insoluble fiber than soluble fiber.
Constipation is typically resolved with insoluble fiber.
Both diarrhea and constipation can be triggered by soluble fiber.
@janelle525 Are you a Ray Peat fan? I remember you saying you were afraid of flaxseed, due to fear of omega 3s going rancid.
Freshly ground flaxseed is not rancid, unless the whole seeds are very old and “off.” It is clear when that happens, because they will be so bitter as to be intolerable to consume.
I have noticed over the years that many posters here have a history of being afraid of consuming one Essential Fatty Acid or both (omega 3 and/or omega 6) and instead prefer saturated fat, the combination of which I now believe to be part of the reason for their chronic inflammation:
Benefits of Flaxseed for Inflammation
https://youtu.be/b6dReZLYilU
What Fats & Oils Hurt vs Help Explainer Video
https://youtu.be/d8O5uZKIA-8
Omega 3 deficiency isn’t good, and a low vitamin A diet is low in omega 3s unless chia, flaxseed, or hemp hearts are included.
Did you know Grant consumed ground flaxseed for the first while (I believe he said it was a year, but I may be misremembering) he went low-vitamin A? Based on the evidence supporting the benefits of flaxseed, I believe this decision likely supported his recovery.
Of course, flaxseed should be introduced slowly if one is sensitive to fiber. 😅