After a long time away from running due to either injury or illness I used the 2014-15 Winter Trail Run Series from Northwest Trail Runs to try and get back into shape somewhat and get back into running a bit of distance. I managed to volunteer at every single one of the seven events this year and was able to run in five of them. I missed one due to the distance being a bit much for me at the time and another due to just not feeling well enough to run even though I had registered. I got to run the Carkeek Cooler event with Kristen and the Absolution Run with Chris so it became sort of a family series too this year.
Monthly Archives: February 2015
About to mix it up
I had my follow up call with Dr. Keller today about my test results. While not my lowest numbers ever this was in a few ways my best test in that I did not have an early peak like previous low tests and it had a very typical SIBO curve to it instead of multiple spikes in the graph. So, what to do next. She agreed with my basic thought that we had to mix it up a bit and that maybe the AlliMed/Neem/Berberine combo I’ve been doing is only going to get us so far. I am going to continue on that combo for another 25 days giving me a total of 30 days on it but then I’m going to try a new protocol. This one comes from the John Hopkins study and uses Metagenics CandiBactin-AR and -BR. This uses Berberine again but combines it with Thyme and Oregano Essential Oils in the -AR blend. I’ll do 2 pills each/2x a day with meals for 15 days. Then I’ll retest around the end of March. Depending on the outcome then it may mean going to the larger John Hopkins Protocol and using Biotics Research products A.D.P. (Oregano oil), Berberine HCL, FC-Cidal and Dysbiocide (the best named gut product ever).
Frost Eagle 5 Mile
The Winter Trail run series came to an end on a not so wintery day at Soaring Eagle. The race was dubbed Frost Eagle but should have been called Soggy Eagle or Muddy Eagle given the torrential downpours the day before and the amount of mud and muck on the course. I did the short distance which was 5 miles but this is the longest distance I’ve tried to run since slowly trying to get back into shape the last few months during this series. I opted for my new Altra Olympus shoes just because I wasn’t sure how the distance would be, I figured the extra height could keep some surface water off my feet (Ha, the water was almost a foot deep in places!) and my feet had been bothering me a bit after running where I was getting some neuropathic pain and sensitivity again on top of the constant numbness, hoping that the extra cushion would keep that from happening.
Test #7 – Better but not quite clear
On Wednesday Catherine and I made the drive to Portland so that I could do a SIBO test at the NCNM Clinic on Thursday and not have to wait 2-4 weeks to get the results back. I went into it feeling that my numbers were going to be down but not quite all the way down since I was still having symptoms off and on over the last month. Not many though, I only reported symptoms on 8 days in 30 which is a record for me over the past year.
The test was later than I usually do it so I packed along a lunch knowing I’d be about 18 hours w/o food by the time I finished. I sat in the lab area for the test along with one other woman and got to chat with the lab techs and Dr. Keller who I got to meet in person for the first time. After my 3 hour test I chowed down lunch while the results were getting finalized and put into the report. Well, turns out I was right, numbers down significantly but I still have SIBO. The test was another technically “negative” test according to the machine output but Drs. Siebecker and Pimentel have changed the positive criteria to be any methane >=3ppm so I’m well above that. Still, I dropped from a high of 33 methane, 9 hydrogen and combined high of 42 to a high of 13 methane, 14 hydrogen with a combined high of 24. That is a good reduction in methane of 30 ppm and the increase in hydrogen is expected as the levels of methane go down. This is really the best result I’ve had in that there is only one real spike in the graph, it is lower down, and the hydrogen is starting to show up finally since I was usually a high of 2-3 on hydrogen.