I am 51 years old, and after having a serious pulmonary edema during a minor surgery about 17 years ago I developed Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which limited my usual active lifestyle. Now I sit for long periods working on my PhD dissertation.
Anyway, about 7-8 years ago I began feeling weaker at times but did not have any definable symptoms. Erections during sex were sometimes, but not always, weaker than normal. I felt that something was not right, but didn't know what. About the same time, I began getting fat bumps under my skin and now have about seven of these on my arms and legs.
My blood pressure is pretty much normal and usually around 120/80 with a pulse of 72. It may have been a little higher at times. My cholesterol has always been a little high, but that may be due to diet. My normal weight is around 160, but I've been over 170 for the past five year s and over 180 for the past three years. I can tell you also that I went toanother doctor around 2005 and he stated that I had the heart of an athlete.
In the past few years my symptoms have worsened, especially in the past year. I've had a dull ache on the left side of my chest for about a year, then I had a bout of swollen ankles for one day last May which was not too serious (as serious goes), but after that attack my ankles are still swollen some, especially the left ankle, and did not entirely return to normal.
Then I began having pins and needles sensations in my hands and feet, and they would go to sleep if I crossed my legs or lay on my side at night. That has worsened considerably over the past few months. In the past few days this has worsened even more and spread up my arms and legs. For the past few nights has kept me awake, and I've had problems sleeping for the past few weeks. Indigestion is a problem too, although that got better when I changed to a Mediterranean diet last fall.
I have been to the doctor before with this but have not done a stress test. However, I went to the doctor last fall after I had an "episode" of dizziness and feeling very strange, which my wife later said sounded like her symptoms when she has hypoglycemia. Anyway, the doctor checked my blood, vitalsigns, and gave me an EKG and found nothing.
Considering all of my symptoms, though, it sounds to me that I may have the sleeper symptoms of heart trouble. I found out about this protocol from someone else about a week ago, read some information on it, and would like to try it. In this regard, I would like for you to tell me what products I should take and for how long. Also, I'd like to know if you hear of many others with symptoms such as mine and what their diagnosis was.
Thank you,
Tim B.
How much vitamin C do you take on a regular basis??
The symptoms remind me of not only a vitamin C deficieny, but possibly a coq10 deficiency. We make this "essential" substance, but less as age. (making it essential). meat eaters can get about 5 mg in their diet. Many drugs deplete it. Required by ALL cells for energy (coenzyme for ATP reaction in mitochondria).
I would start not only vitamin C, you can use this protocol to begin if you are not already a vitamin C supplementer,
http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8026
but add CoQ10. At least 200 mg, but 200 mg 3 times per day (600 mg) would be better to see if this helps overall symptoms. It is not how much you take - but how much is absorbed. Requites bile in digestive track, so take CoQ10 with fats (usually with meals).
Other thoughts include Pauling's basic regimen (vitamin E, A, Bcomplex and multi) plus magnesium. (Magnesium, say 300 mg to 600 mg is a factor in hundreds of metabolic reactions/pathways. )