u/KoktheBookThief

I received my GI map lately and the lab sent me this description along with it:

« Your GI-MAP has detected H. pylori, but not at high levels. H. pylori is extremely common — it's estimated that 50–70% of people carry it — and most never develop ulcers or cancer. It can present with symptoms such as persistent upper abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, belching, and reflux-like discomfort, though notably many people have no obvious digestive symptoms at all.
The good news is that your virulence factors came back negative, which means the strain you're carrying lacks the more aggressive genetic markers associated with serious gastric damage — this is reassuring.

A parasite called Blastocystis hominis (page 4) was identified. It's a very common gut organism that most people carry without any issues. Therefore, treatment is generally not recommended if there are no symptoms, as it rarely works and can disrupt your healthy gut bacteria. If you do have symptoms (B. hominis can cause diarrhoea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, fever, fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, infective arthritis), you could discuss this with your GP or focus on natural approaches. »

My h. Pylori levels are 2.64e2 (reference <1.00e3)
Blastocystis 1.06e6 (high) < 2.00e3 (reference)

My symptoms are not really gastro centric. I have early satiety sometimes and the occasional constipation but mostly anxiety, PMDD, fatigue, brain fog, exercise intolerance newly developed and low ferritin. Is it better to not do much about it and just try to eat better? I did a stool test at the NHS for H pylori and it came back negative.

I was given ferrous fumarate 210mg by my GP to take twice a day. They didn’t say how to take it just have some orange juice or Vitamin C tablet (no idea what dosage). I took it this morning on an empty stomach for the first time with a vitamin c tablet and immediately felt something in my stomach but it passed. I had my breakfast 40 min later and couldn’t finish it, started feeling like my stomach was upset, had early satiety and now I am extremely tired. Is that normal? I also read online that you shouldn’t eat eggs 2h after the iron tablet? I eat eggs every morning. And I usually wait 1h30 before having coffee or matcha so that’s not a very practical morning because I’d have to take the tablet then wait 2h for breakfast and then another hour or so for coffee which I don’t think I can do. Can I take the first dose in the afternoon and the second dose at night? I will not be able to take the Vit C tablet in the afternoon because it might be too late in the day. How much orange juice should go with it? Or can I vitamin C supplement/tablet work?

Also I’ve read online that it’s better to take the tablet once every other day, how come I’m taking such a high dose twice a day? My ferritin is at 24, was 15 a few months ago and I suspect been chronically low since 2024 at least when it was at 9. Initially I was trying to up the dose by eating lamb liver 3 times a week but now that I’m on the tablet should I stop or reduce this a bit? I’m not a huge fan. For further context: I don’t know what is the root cause of low ferritin. My functional practioner is saying it’s the low levels of non agressive strands of h pylori, I tried a gut protocol but started reacting to food. Does it mean my iron supplements might not work because of that? Also in contrast to the GP, she’s saying it’s better to take a gentler form like bisglycinate. Any info or advice would be welcome I’m not sure who to listen to anymore.

I was given ferrous fumarate 210mg by my GP to take twice a day. They didn’t say how to take it just have some orange juice or Vitamin C tablet (no idea what dosage). I took it this morning on an empty stomach for the first time with a vitamin c tablet and immediately felt something in my stomach but it passed. I had my breakfast 40 min later and couldn’t finish it, started feeling like my stomach was upset, had early satiety and now I am extremely tired. Is that normal? I also read online that you shouldn’t eat eggs 2h after the iron tablet? I eat eggs every morning. And I usually wait 1h30 before having coffee or matcha so that’s not a very practical morning because I’d have to take the tablet then wait 2h for breakfast and then another hour or so for coffee which I don’t think I can do. Can I take the first dose in the afternoon and the second dose at night? I will not be able to take the Vit C tablet in the afternoon because it might be too late in the day. How much orange juice should go with it? Or can I vitamin C supplement/tablet work?

Also I’ve read online that it’s better to take the tablet once every other day, how come I’m taking such a high dose twice a day? My ferritin is at 24, was 15 a few months ago and I suspect been chronically low since 2024 at least when it was at 9. Initially I was trying to up the dose by eating lamb liver 3 times a week but now that I’m on the tablet should I stop or reduce this a bit? I’m not a huge fan. For further context: I don’t know what is the root cause of low ferritin. My functional practioner is saying it’s the low levels of non agressive strands of h pylori, I tried a gut protocol but started reacting to food. Does it mean my iron supplements might not work because of that? Also in contrast to the GP, she’s saying it’s better to take a gentler form like bisglycinate. Any info or advice would be welcome I’m not sure who to listen to anymore.

How long can a die off effect last if I’ve started a gut protocol 2 weeks ago? H pylori low levels, non agressive strands, low igA, low elastase, no Akkermansia, and high levels of blastocystis

So I’ve been working with a functional practioner lately because of a mix of symptoms: intense hunger bouts every few hours, early satiety, exhaustion and new exercise intolerance, PMDD and 37 days cycle (now at 33), sleep problems waking up at night, anxiety, etc. She diagnosed me with hypoglycemia and we decided to do a GI map. Turns out I have low levels of h pylori (2.64e2) and low elastase, low secretary igA, so some dysbiosis. For record I don’t have the agressive strands or symptoms associated with h pylori, just bloating and early satiety. She’s saying it’s from the low acid in my stomach but my understanding is that GI map doesn’t determine that. Maybe the chronic stress caused the early satiety? I also have chronic low ferritin (was 9, 15 then 24 and now 35). She has put me on a « gut protocol » which consists of the GI revive powder (it has 15 ingredients which I know nothing about, such as cats claw), with bitter drops, arabinogalctan powder and another powder called Metadigest made of mostly L-glutamin, quercetin and zinc. Since starting the regime my exhaustion has quadrupled, on some days I can barley walk. I am having strong reactions to food (I don’t usually have those). Yesterday and today I literally got racing heart and intense dizziness eating eggs and hummus. Other time it’s been headaches, migraines, mucus flares, diarrhea and I suspect it is with food that has been in the fridge for longer. Technically it feels like I have become histamine intolerant. I also have more satiety and feels like every food is causing my body something. I am panicking about potentially being allergic to one of these natural supplements or reacting badly to the protocol and she’s saying it’s a « die-off » effect. I want to trust her but I am so tired of all the functional experts. Has anyone any information or similar experience? I can’t get antibiotics because the NHS stool test has come back negative for h pylori.

So I’ve been working with a functional practioner lately because of a mix of symptoms: intense hunger bouts every few hours, early satiety, exhaustion and new exercise intolerance, PMDD and 37 days cycle (now at 33), sleep problems waking up at night, anxiety, etc. She diagnosed me with hypoglycemia and we decided to do a GI map. Turns out I have low levels of h pylori (2.64e2) and low elastase, low secretary igA, so some dysbiosis. For record I don’t have the agressive strands or symptoms associated with h pylori, just bloating and early satiety. She’s saying it’s from the low acid in my stomach but my understanding is that G I m a p doesn’t determine that. Maybe the chronic stress caused the early satiety? I also have chronic low ferritin (was 9, 15 then 24 and now 35). She has put me on a « gut protocol » which consists of the GI revive powder (it has 15 ingredients which I know nothing about, such as cats claw), with bitter drops, arabinogalactan powder and another powder called Metadigest made of mostly L-glutamin, quercetin and zinc. Since starting the regime my exhaustion has quadrupled, on some days I can barley walk. I am having strong reactions to food (I don’t usually have those). Yesterday and today I literally got racing heart and intense dizziness eating eggs and hummus. Other time it’s been headaches, migraines, mucus flares, diarrhea and I suspect it is with food that has been in the fridge for longer. Technically it feels like I have become histamine intolerant. I also have more satiety and feels like every food is causing my body something. I am panicking about potentially being allergic to one of these natural supplements or reacting badly to the protocol and she’s saying it’s a « die-off » effect. I want to trust her but I am so tired of all the functional experts. Has anyone any information or similar experience? I can’t get antibiotics because the NHS stool test has come back negative for h pylori.

So I’ve been working with a functional practioner lately because of a mix of symptoms: intense hunger bouts every few hours, early satiety, exhaustion and new exercise intolerance, PMDD and 37 days cycle (now at 33), sleep problems waking up at night, anxiety, etc. She diagnosed me with hypoglycemia and we decided to do a GI map. Turns out I have low levels of h pylori (2.64e2) and low elastase, low secretary igA, so some dysbiosis. For record I don’t have the agressive strands or symptoms associated with h pylori, just bloating and early satiety. She’s saying it’s from the low acid in my stomach but my understanding is that GI map doesn’t determine that. Maybe the chronic stress caused the early satiety? I also have chronic low ferritin (was 9, 15 then 24 and now 35). She has put me on a « gut protocol » which consists of the GI revive powder (it has 15 ingredients which I know nothing about, such as cats claw), with bitter drops, arabinogalctan powder and another powder called Metadigest made of mostly L-glutamin, quercetin and zinc. Since starting the regime my exhaustion has quadrupled, on some days I can barley walk. I am having strong reactions to food (I don’t usually have those). Yesterday and today I literally got racing heart and intense dizziness eating eggs and hummus. Other time it’s been headaches, migraines, mucus flares, diarrhea and I suspect it is with food that has been in the fridge for longer. Technically it feels like I have become histamine intolerant. I also have more satiety and feels like every food is causing my body something. I am panicking about potentially being allergic to one of these natural supplements or reacting badly to the protocol and she’s saying it’s a « die-off » effect. I want to trust her but I am so tired of all the functional experts. Has anyone any information or similar experience? I can’t get antibiotics because the NHS stool test has come back negative for h pylori.

I am suspecting MCAS but I am not sure what to do anymore. Just had breakfast now which was literally 1 frozen turkey patty, 2 egg omelette with coconut oil, some steamed veggies from yesterday and 2 tablespoons hummus which has been in the fridge for a few days now. Right after food I had an intense spell of dizziness and extreme physical weakness. I didn’t slept great last night but I was fine when I woke up ie. I could walk fine and didn’t feel dizzy. My practioner says I’m hypoglycemic but I usually have mostly hunger + dizziness when this happens and often 3 h after having food so it’s extremely weird that it’s happening right after breakfast. On top of that I’m on a gut protocol it’s been two weeks now (low levels h pylori and dysbiosis) and I’m having more food reactions. Could it be that the supplements for the gut protocol is mimicking MCAS or histamine intolerance? I feel I’m going crazy, I’ve never had this sort of strong reaction to food.

I am following a gut protocol with a functional practioner after doing a GI map that showed 2.64e2 h. Pylori, Blastocystis hominis, low elastase, low secretory IgA. The protocol has powders that have the following ingredients: L-glutamine, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, citrus pectin, deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), aloe vera, slippery elm, mucin, marshmallow root, chamomile, okra extract, cat’s claw, MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), quercetin, prune powder, and zinc carnosine. It also contains other ingredients such as natural peach flavor, natural flavor, stevia, monk fruit, and citric acid. I also take arabinogalactan, bitter drops, and another powder with l-glutamine. Since starting it I am having more reactions to food than usual, just now I was extremely dizzy, heart pounding, physical weakness after my usual breakfast. Last week had a mucus crisis after my snack. Is it possible that these ingredients cause histamine flares? I am also constantly tired despite not being in luteal and I’m wondering if the protocol is not making me worse

I am suspecting MCAS but I am not sure what to do anymore. Just had breakfast now which was literally 1 frozen turkey patty, 2 egg omelette with coconut oil, some steamed veggies from yesterday and 2 tablespoons hummus which has been in the fridge for a few days now. Right after food I had an intense spell of dizziness and extreme physical weakness. I didn’t slept great last night but I was fine when I woke up ie. I could walk fine and didn’t feel dizzy. My practioner says I’m hypoglycemic but I usually have mostly hunger + dizziness when this happens and often 3 h after having food so it’s extremely weird that it’s happening right after breakfast. On top of that I’m on a gut protocol it’s been two weeks now (low levels h pylori and dysbiosis) and I’m having more food reactions. Could it be that the supplements for the gut protocol is mimicking MCAS or histamine intolerance? I feel I’m going crazy, I’ve never had this sort of strong reaction to food.

So I have started developing exercise intolerance in recent months (after attempting keto and stopping it) but did blood tests and ferritin came back at 15. Took some supplements which brought it to 24 but worked with a practioner to help build it up via food. I’ve been eating more liver and beef and it’s been lately at 35 but I still have constant fatigue and can’t workout like before. I suspect the low ferritin is the main culprit although I have low levels of h pylori but I also noticed looking at my older labs that my ferritin had always been low (around 9), at least since 2024, but I could exercise fine back then. I’ve always eaten a varied diet, just not excess read meat per se. Is there a reason my ferritin has been chronically low? Could it be h pylori all the time (I’ve only recently did a GI map so I don’t know how long it has been there). I am really tired of being tired, I also have hair shedding, sometimes restless leg syndrome and heavy limb. Should I just take the supplement or wait and see if diet does it? I am worried it might take forever. Also trying to understand the root cause of the low ferritin.

I was stupid enough to think I could get rid of it easily, I’ve been tapering like my doctor said by missing one dose (I’m at 37,5) once every day and then every two days and I felt particularly fine after not taking it for 4 days but by the 6th day I started feeling the withdrawal. I bought a new box and took 1 x 37,5 yesterday afternoon and one this morning. But I still feel extremely anxious. I woke up very early too. Not sure if it’s still the withdrawal or if it’s my brain getting used to it again? Should’ve taken a lower dose first? What should I do now?

So I have started developing exercise intolerance in recent months (after attempting keto and stopping it) but did blood tests and ferritin came back at 15. Took some supplements which brought it to 24 but worked with a practioner to help build it up via food. I’ve been eating more liver and beef and it’s been lately at 35 but I still have constant fatigue and can’t workout like before. I suspect the low ferritin is the main culprit although I have low levels of h pylori but I also noticed looking at my older labs that my ferritin had always been low (around 9), at least since 2024, but I could exercise fine back then. I’ve always eaten a varied diet, just not excess read meat per se. Is there a reason my ferritin has been chronically low? Could it be h pylori all the time (I’ve only recently did a GI map so I don’t know how long it has been there). I am really tired of being tired, I also have hair shedding, sometimes restless leg syndrome and heavy limb. Should I just take the supplement or wait and see if diet does it? I am worried it might take forever. Also trying to understand the root cause of the low ferritin. Don’t think I can get injections at the NHS.
Labs: Ferritin (NHS)
24.2 µg/L
10–291
Low-normal
Ferritin (private)
35 µg/L
13–150
Low-normal
Iron
16.9 µmol/L
6.6–26
Normal
Transferrin saturation
30%
20–55
Normal

So I have started developing exercise intolerance in recent months (after attempting keto and stopping it) but did blood tests and ferritin came back at 15. Took some supplements which brought it to 24 but worked with a practioner to help build it up via food. I’ve been eating more liver and beef and it’s been lately at 35 but I still have constant fatigue and can’t workout like before. I suspect the low ferritin is the main culprit although I have low levels of h pylori but I also noticed looking at my older labs that my ferritin had always been low (around 9), at least since 2024, but I could exercise fine back then. I’ve always eaten a varied diet, just not excess read meat per se. Is there a reason my ferritin has been chronically low? Could it be h pylori all the time (I’ve only recently did a GI map so I don’t know how long it has been there). I am really tired of being tired, I also have hair shedding, sometimes restless leg syndrome and heavy limb. Should I just take the supplement or wait and see if diet does it? I am worried it might take forever. Also trying to understand the root cause of the low ferritin.

So been on Effexor for 2 years now, at some point got to 150 and didn’t feel it was doing much. Was actually have worse depression at the high dose and I took it for my PMDD initially and it wasn’t doing much in the luteal. I don’t know how I was able to taper it down over the months to 37,5mg and I’ve been on this dose for months now. I’ve tried to stop it cold turkey and I’m not sure if it was that but I started feeling more anxious than usual, insomnia but also weird feelings in my ears as if I need to massage them. No brain zap for me. I’m based in the UK and the GP’s advice here is to stop taking it once every day and there increase to once every 2 or 3 days which I think I’ve managed to do lately but now I’ve stopped it for a week or so and I’m having symptoms like feeling cold, tingling in my throat as if I’m about to get sick, more obsessive thoughts as well. Sleep depends on the day. I’m wondering if that’s it or those symptoms come form something else because I am following a gut protocol as I have dysbiosis and low levels of h. Pylori so I started natural supplements 2 weeks ago that might mimic some of those symptoms like the throat thing. I am just tempted to power through and not go back to taking Effexor unless it will truly fuck my sleep and anxiety.

I apologies for the long message but I am very new to do this and very intrigued and might need some guidance and hopefully that this might be it. When I talk about this outside of the internet, no one has clue this is a thing. A year ago I went to a functional doctor to treat my depression via gut protocol. She advised me to take some genetic tests with a company called Nordic Laboratories. I had no clue whatsoever these things were being done so I said yes why not and took a DNA package (included are Health, Hormones, Resilience, Diet, sports and Pharma). I can see now after spending some time on this sub that people usually go through stuff like my heritagedna and 23andMe. Not sure if I need to do it again through the method I’ve seen outlined in some comments here, but the point is that it revealed that I have MTHFR C677T (heterozygous) and the report also flagged other areas which needed support because of the following genetic variants: SLCO1B1 (poor function), GSTM1 deletion + GSTT1 deletion (both deleted), COMT Val158 (AG), BDNF Val66Met (CT), CYP2C19 (rapid metabolizer), etc. The report offers some advice on what to do but I’ll take it with a pinch of salt, plus I’ve been raised on the idea that the genes load the gun and then lifestyle pulls it, etc. Now my question is the following: (recent labs below)

Could this mutation everyone seem to be taking about the cause of my symptoms: long history of anxiety and depression, sleep problems and one night of bad sleep makes me feel the next day like I have not slept in week, it depletes me from all energy and I can barley move my limbs, even when I sleep 10h I can still feel tired and sleepy. In recent years I’ve developed PMDD, and in general the late luteal is really hard for me, I get very tired and weak and I can’t do much for days before my period. This is accompanied by some physical symptoms like gum inflammation, lip burning, tongue tingling and more bloating and mucus flares. I also have always have mucus flares, my body always produces mucus for no clear reason outside bacterial or microbial infection. I suspect some histamine intolerance but I don’t really have the traditional food reactions but get some allergic-type flares to pollen, dust, animal fur but the occasional breeze as well. I am often cold and get chills easily and will get mild fever when exhausted. I might have temperature regulation problems, I get warm, turn on a fan and then get the chills and mucus will flare. Since childhood I’ve left a trail of kleenexes wherever I go. I often have neck and back pain from sleeping. This only calms down with massages. I have developed exercise intolerance in recent months (used to be a F45er) and now can barely sustain an hour long workout have to rest much more than usual. The EXHAUSTION is constant most importantly. Lately have migraines. Recently I’ve noticed gut issues like early satiety, turns out I have low levels of stomach acid and h. Pylori. Had low ferritin in recent months and now it’s back at 35 after eating more meat and trying a natural protocol for the gut. I also started having « hangry » episodes at the same time as the exercise intolerance, I would get extremely hungry every 3h and couldn’t focus until I’ve eaten. Functional practioner said I was hypoglycemic but it seems to resolve with balanced food. ADHD diagnosis and all associated symptoms, hard to focus, especially around luteal, etc. Weirdly enough despite trying so many things, I can’t pinpoint the « root cause » and now wonder if this is it. And if so, what should I do to address the mutation?

Vitamin B12: 941.9 ng/L (high) (currently taking a B complex)
Vitamin B6: 61.6 µg/L (high)
Folate: >24 µg/L (replete)
Magnesium: 0.93 mmol/L (normal)
Iron status
Ferritin: 24.2–35 µg/L (low-normal)
Iron: 16.9 µmol/L (normal)
Transferrin saturation: 30% (normal)
Glucose & insulin metabolism
Fasting glucose: 4.4 mmol/L
HbA1c: 29 mmol/mol
Fasting insulin: 7.2 mIU/L
Insulin resistance index: 1.2
C-peptide: 923 pmol/L (upper-normal)
Thyroid
TSH: 0.89 mU/L
Free T4: 15.5 pmol/L
Free T3: 4.2 pmol/L
Reverse T3: 0.10 ng/mL
TPO antibodies: negative
Thyroglobulin antibodies: negative
Vitamin D / minerals
Vitamin D: 56.6 nmol/L
PTH: 2.76 pmol/L
Calcium: 2.45 mmol/L
Inflammation
hs-CRP: 0.8 mg/L
CRP: <4 mg/L
Hormones
Progesterone: 2.8 nmol/L (low)
Oestradiol: 187 pmol/L (cycle dependent)
LH: 6.2 U/L (cycle dependent)
FSH: 4.4 U/L (cycle dependent)
Testosterone: 1.1 nmol/L
Free testosterone: 1.4 pg/mL
SHBG: 28.6 nmol/L
DHEA-S: 7.2 µmol/L
Morning cortisol: 432 nmol/L