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Thanks Dollyvee,
I know all this research has taken you quite some time. Yes I am looking at the right ranges and I'm very aware of how they're not always what our docs tell us they should be. I am looking into having another go with a functional doctor.  As I explained to you the last one I spoke to told me that I shouldn't waste my money as my knowledge and the way I implemented that was the ideal for me.

Yes it's sad that there are so many of us on here. I'm glad the thread I started helped in a small way.  I hope it's helped others that have read it too. Especially as you've been so generous sharing your research and your experiences.

Bermuda: I agree that your approach is a great way to go. I try to take an approach whereby I attempt to educate docs by being open about my drug sensitivities and how that has exacerbated my CPTSD, but they don't all react well. Although it is getting better.

The work I did with my T helped lots with that as I was able to drop the toxic shame which stood in the way of me telling others about it.

Great discussion. Thanks
Sweetsixty

Hi Dollyvee,

You've obviously done your homework in this area, wow, that's a lot of research.  I really don't blame you going down this route as very few medics really get it. If many of these are genetic, can we really change it?  I know we can maybe avoid things that may tend to encourage the gene expression but there must be a limit to this. Or at least we may not be in a position to fully understand that yet. Pharmacokinetics is a really interesting area and that's the area I researched for my reaction to pain killers. That's to do with the way the liver metabolises drugs and is also an good area to look at.  These are a simple introduction.

https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/pharmacogenetic-testing-and-opioids
https://www.pharmacytimes.com/view/2008-07-8624
https://www.genomind.com/360/an-introduction-to-pharmacokinetics-four-steps-of-pharmacokinetics

I really can't find a link here to trauma just to genetics.

I think what I was really trying to establish is if others with a trauma background have the same issues and how they cope with them. My problem is often how to talk to medics about things. In this story I had a great reaction from medics but that isn't always the case.
https://www.outofthestorm.website/guest-bloggers/2018/11/17/trauma-illness-and-medics-my-non-phobia-by-sweet-sixty


MS is regarded as having a familial tendency and it's certainly true that my sister also has it. I've been checked for H. pylori and it's not an issue for me. Also although I've taken a PPI for quite a while I don't have low magnesium, B12, folate, Vit D or anything else anticipated with that.

I'm also lucky that I don't suffer with depression, some anxiety but then who doesn't with a history of trauma.

I've not had steroids either so I don't know how I might react to them. Thank you for the links again, I'm still working my way through the others too. There really is a lot of work in these I really appreciate that.

My epilepsy is connected to my MS as I have lesions in the areas that can produce seizures. Every time I've had a seizure I've also had a relapse with it. 

Maybe the link between trauma and physical and psychological issues is as simple as inflammation? It's certainly a link they're seeing more and more related to diet. I cut out gluten a very long time ago but I now eat very few carbs as that has helped with my gut issues and also with my MS. I've also lost 4.5 stone that way and my blood results are always good since swapping out grains, sugar and seed oils.

Thanks again Dollyvee
Sweetsixty.

Hi Dolly,

It's all very relevant but an awful lot to digest (excuse the pun lol).  I've not even heard of methylation so that's a whole new area for me to research. It may take me some time to to look through all of this. Yes I'd appreciate the DM of the FMP you found especially as Herefordshire is probably the closest to me. Grateful of any info in this area you are happy to share.

Thanks again dolly I'm going to stop giving up and try again. I had thought that at 67 it's just too late for me but you've given me some hope that I can at least have a go.
FYI yes my trauma was from a baby and my story is a long one. You'll find the outline of it amongst the personal stories on this website.
Sweetsixty xx

Hi dolly,

Yes, I've been painfully aware for a number of years of the all the links you mention.  I've done a lot of research in this area too as you can imagine. Research is my thing as I've already got a PhD albeit not in the medical field!

The link between PPIs and gut dysbiosis is a familiar one and yes I have GERD and Hiatus Hernia.  I'm sure that SIBO also plays a part in all of this but seeking help is very difficult. We don't have that many really good functional medicine docs in the UK and most are concentrated in city regions whereas I live miles away from cities. I've spoken to quite a few of them but the cost of all has been just too prohibitive and although you say it's worthwhile that only works if you can afford it.

But you've given me some push to think about following this road again and to see if I can find anything. The last time I spoke to a functional medicine doc they took a look at my diet, supplements and habits and told me I was already doing everything I could for myself and they didn't think they could add anything to warrant me paying out lots of money!

Titration from PPIs after all this time has been discouraged by everyone I've spoken too. Mainstream medics of course think it's a really bad idea. I tried to do it myself too often to count  and caused significant damage to my oesophagus. Crazy thing is I'm convinced the PPIs have caused my gut problems.  Although I only take a minimum amount.

I'm sorry you've suffered too with this, it all sucks. Thanks for the good wishes and yes I'll keep you posted.

Sweetsixty x

Hi Dolly,

Thank you for taking the time for a really thoughtful reply. As you can imagine, with a long drawn out diagnosis for MS I had an awful history of not being listened to also.  I can see how inflammation could play a part in much of what I struggle with medically today.

I also have some digestive issues and one of the first non-diagnosis I was sent home with was IBS.  That was after a gastroscopy when the consultant said to my H "Take her home, there's nothing there, she's just neurotic".  Aaaaarrrgghhh .

Now after nearly 30 years of taking a PPI daily my guts are well messed up so maybe that also is an issue with the drugs. I've also seen the cortisol link with digestion too.

Thank you for the articles, I'm going to chase them up especially the one on the gut issues.  The worst of my trauma lasted from birth (or before) until 27 when I finally got away, but going on 55 when I finally went NC as the light dawned on me about it. That's quite some time to be traumatised so that truly makes sense.

I didn't realise the link between Herpes and neurological problems. But the MS professor I follow is convinced of an EBV link with MS. So it would make sense if viruses also play a part in all this.

Thanks again for your time, you've given me some real food for thought.
Sweetsixty x

Thanks to all who've now answered this. I guess the links do make sense but they're common in the population anyway so it's hard to know. I just wondered if others suffered with this too. Especially as Kizzie had mentioned psychological responses.

Phil 72: I don't have allergies in the sense you have them but if it is linked that is rotten too. It wouldn't surprise me if your immune system is impacted too.

Armee: Thank you for what you said but I'm one of the lucky ones as it took them 13 years to diagnose my MS and by then I'd coped so long without drugs and had so many reactions to drugs that I refused the strong chemicals they offered.  I'm still fairly mobile (albeit with the occasional use of wheelchair) at 67. So I call myself lucky.

Gromit: your history with drugs sounds very much like mine, poor you, it's rubbish as often we need drugs. My reaction to Codeine is extreme but consultant said it could have killed me as my heart rate slowed far too much and my breathing was suppressed too. They took me to A&E on a blue light.

I was asked by my doctor some time ago if I could ask my T to help me with my 'drug phobia' . She wrote back to him to say that I didn't have a drug phobia but a normal fear based on real physical reactions. She advised that if I needed to take any new drugs I should try them in tiny increments and sit in A&E whilst I took the first bits.

When I had a major op the anaesthetist wrote a letter telling staff how to titrate drugs slowly for me. This got thrown out  (it was a weekend) and they tried to give me normal amounts and found my oxygen levels dropped so much I passed out for hours and they had to put me on extra oxygen.  I refused all drugs after that and did my recovery from knee replacement on just paracetamol and ice!

It's a difficult journey, so good to know you guys are here but horrid that we all have this.   

Thank you Armee, and apologies for my out burst, it just felt very strange being ignored completely but your explanation does make more sense than my reaction and it helps a lot to know I'm not alone.

Actually that does sound familiar, I've not had the same as you but I do get lots of 'stuff' happening which is always put down to my MS and neurological symptoms. However, when I think back lots of my reactions started after I'd left my trauma situation and should have felt safe?

There was no opportunity to be me, until a few years after the abuse was behind me when I was with my partner whose now been around nearly 40 years. He provided a safe haven and my trauma related physical responses started?  It sounds so feasible but is it a step too far?

It would seem from all the non replies, it's just me  . Back to the drawing board for any reasons why then.
Best  wishes to all you lovely people x

Well this study from 2009 seems to support this link too: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2720843/

"The overwhelming majority of allergies were attributed to antibiotics and analgesics. In the resulting analyses, the total number of allergies was positively correlated with the total number of different traumas indicated"

I certainly have both analgesics and antibiotics in my list of allergies.  My ACE score is 7 btw.

And more:
https://www.thoroldtoday.ca/local-news/brock-study-examines-link-between-childhood-trauma-and-allergies-3841496

Done 

Just thought that following on from Kizzie's discussion on psychological reactions to drugs. It might be helpful to me and others to start a discussion about physical reactions
I've always had issues with drugs but as I've got older there are more and more drugs and also some substances that I'm very intolerant to.

Just to give some examples:
Codeine, just 30mg, half what I was told to take had me rushed to A&E in an ambulance with suppressed breathing and lowered  heart rate. Told to never touch again not even an over the counter  small amount as it's too dangerous.

TARAVID,  Ofloxacin, Penecillin, (all antibiotics) left me with skin rash.

Tagamet (cimetidine) for GERD not sure what the US equivalent left me with a swollen liver and needing a full body scan to ensure no permanent damage to other organs.

Anti inflammatory drugs give me a gastric reaction.
Statins left me feeling  generally unwell, with dizziness and muscle pain.
Gabapentin led to very fast weight gain, I'm talking 20lbs in 6 weeks! Plus insomnia and feeling nauseous  all the time.
Citalopram (and boy did I need that at the time) left me with a gastric reaction as in severe indigestion, bloating and stomach pain
Tramadol - 50mg dropped my oxygen levels so low I passed out for several hours.
Pregabalin - Cold sweat and fainting.

An anaesthetist warned me he believes I'm an ultra-rapid metaboliser. Which means any drug metabolised through the liver can cause me problems or worse may have no effect at all. He diagnosed that from my reaction to Codeine.  A normal reaction is to metabolise 20% of codeine to Morphine through the liver. But ultra rapid metabolisers (like me) metabolise 70%+ into a morphine, hence my extreme reaction. It can kill! I have a similar reaction to all painkillers.  But the way we metabolise drugs is a genetic issue

But I believe that trauma may have over sensitised my system too.
I also have MS, Epilepsy (as part of MS), osteoarthritis so some of these drugs may have helped. I also have GERD so a very sensitive tummy too.

My osteopath believes that my whole system is ultra sensitive because of the trauma. But especially the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, hence the 'brain' in the tummy is ultra reactive. It's a nightmare negotiating drugs as I get older.
I even 'reacted' to digestive enzymes which are supposed to help your tummy. Plus food sensitivities like lactose etc.

Sorry but it's a long list.
Does anyone else recognise this journey?  Is this all down to genetics or can there be a trauma link to physical reactions.
I want to say yes as the ACE study points to physical illness so why not physical reactions? I'd be really interested in others experience with this.

This doesn't really resonate for me in terms of psychological reactions to various drugs or substances as I tend to react in a physical way to so many drugs/substances! I'll start a new thread for anyone who wants to discuss that.

I've just finished reading "What Happened to You" By Oprah Winfrey and Dr Bruce Parry and it's the best book I've ever read on this issue. Believe me I've read many!

If the theories are correct then much of today's maladies are based in childhood trauma. The explanation in there of how indigenous people deal with trauma, which lets face it, has been a part of the human existence forever although different now to the woolly mammal phase, is very illuminating.

From depression to bipolar to ADHD and CPTSD.  The explanation of the brains development and the susceptibility of the infant brain to real physiological change is a real eye opener. I highly recommend it. It's definitely made me re-examine  all my relationships and view my children and grandchildren in a different light. I also saw my M for what she was but that doesn't mean I forgive her.

It took many years for me to feel any anger, and my T was thrilled when she saw a little even. She felt it was very healing. Her description of what I should be aiming for was "righteous indignation" rather than full blown all consuming anger which takes away from your own life as it consumes you with bitterness too.
I have found her to be right over this, it's kinda like taking the moral high ground and knowing you are right whilst have sense of "how dare they treat me like that"!
None of my family ever "admitted" anything, how can our families admit to any of it? To do so would then consume them as they have to see what they had done to another person? Confronting them may just lead to more heartache as they can't admit anything.

Best advice I had on this - Spend time shouting at them in an imaginary world, put a chair opposite you and tell them how you feel. Write a letter to each of them and vent your rage. It really works, after a time you will feel better and you may get to the other side of the anger.
It's very, very hard but a very necessary part of recovery, well done for getting to this point.
Sweetsixty x

Hi all,

Not sure if this is the right place to post this but I think the more research done about childhood trauma the better.  It also helps by spreading the word when the results are published. This one is for Chronic Illness and trauma. The neat trick on this one is that when you have submitted (and it's all anonymous) you can click to see all the results. It's very interesting.

The blog is called chronicillnesstraumastudies.com and the link to the survey is:

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://chronicillnesstraumastudies.com/survey-good-health-bad-health-grandmas-traumas-difficult-birth-make-difference/&sa=D&ust=1506357236713000&usg=AFQjCNEr4gBs6feiVxi3XEk1PbbPqn4Bhw

Thanks all