Have been thinkin exactly the same man 
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Were you having any kind of morning erections before the pine pollen? I havenāt had any unless Iāve drank a lot of alcohol the night before so this sounds promising. Iād also like to hear how you respond to the vitamin A
Occasionally, but I donāt recall 3 days in a row, especially at this level, in a really long time. Iāll try to pick up some Vitamin A this evening and try a small amount in the next few days
On my side morning erections stopped for a while after the crash but came back, at first with a vengeance (I would stay hard for hours and it bothered me as when I toss around in the morning, 1/4 of the time I sleep on my belly.).
I attribute that to the diet but especially to introducing protein shakes, which is when it occurred. At first I was taking them in large quantities (2 shakes a day, 2 scoops of whey protein isolate and 1 scoop of the same size of vegan protein shake. So thatās 50% more protein than a regular protein shake).
I donāt believe in targeted approaches. I believe the post finasteride crash brought an auto immune response that aggravated existing conditions and created new ones. I believe we are now afflicted with multiple conditions all at once, and not the sames for all of us. Adrenal fatigue being one of the common ones.
I believe that the response to having multiple imbalances has to be an overall approach. This is why my first response was to diet and eliminate food allergens (cutting carbs to less than 10 gr a day, 5 if possible) while at the same time supplying proteins and saturated fat so the body could fix itself with those ingredients (the nervous system is 90% animal saturated fat. Eat animal saturated fat and provide material for your nervous system to repair itself) All sexual hormones are made from cholesterol. This diet eliminated 80% of the symptoms by itself. Itās the single most important step in what Iāve been doing, as a matter of fact, I believe without it the rest would bear little results.
Saturated fat is 2.25 times more energetic than carbs and the body works better with it than with carbs. So does the brain, you actually gain a few IQ points and some extra concentration.
At the same time I started the diet, 1 1/2 month after crashing, I began taking vitamin D in large quantities, at least 10000 ui of D2 a day and all vitamin B complex and a multi-vitamin to make sure I didnāt miss anything. I take extra minerals like 100% rdi of magnesium, some calcium, potassium, zinc and copper on top of whatās in the multi-vitamin.
Same principle, an overall approach to deal with multiple imbalances.
I then went further by adding the protein shakes and drinking coconut oil (extra virgin, cold pressed and organic). More protein, more saturated fat. Thatās when the extra long morning erections occurred and I believe itās the Arginine in the shakes, among other aminos, that did that.
Itās only 4 months after doing whatās mentioned above that I started taking individual amino acids. I was already functional and no longer disabled by pfs. Remember that proteins break down into amino acids, so I already had a complete amino acid (and saturated fat) intake in large amount for 4 months before I started targeting residual symptoms with specific amino acids and supplements.
Pine pollen helped elevate my testosterone, possibly my sex drive and possibly sensitivity, Vitamin A appears to help with sensitivity as I had a sudden increase (of sensitivity) after starting it. I believe itās in conjunction with something else Iām taking, which I havenāt identified. L-Dopa helps with sex drive. Choline and Betaine HCL helped decreasing estrogen and getting a better testosterone / estrogen ratio which helps all male sexual traits.
Day 61: My sleep was not quite as good as yesterday. 8.5/10. By mistake, I took a regular dose of 5-HTP, L-Dopa, and forgot Tyrosine altogether after lunch and took it 2-3 hours later. I already know I have to take a full dose in the morning, and half a dose after lunch otherwise it affects my sleep.
But I still went back to sleep after waking up and didnāt take extra Inusitol in the middle of the night. 8.5/10 is a good night.
I started the Indian herb Ashwaganda yesterday. Itās good for adrenal fatigue, the thyroid and all sexual glands plus it reduces cortisol spike, mimic GABA (and as such is an anxiolytic) and increases Dopamine. Itās an adaptogen and seems to be the perfect supplement to fix many of pfs symptoms (and those of concurring distinctive conditions brought by pf crash)
Iām not sure how and when to take it, itās a new addition to my regimen. Iāll start with 250mg in the morning and 250mg in the afternoon and letās see what happens.
Iām considering St-Johnās Worth. Itās an all neurotransmitter re-uptake inhibitor (with no equivalent in pharmaceuticals) as well as being non-addictive and with little side effects. however, it can be dangerous when taken with 5-HTP, L-Dopa (and any GABAergic supplements Iām not taking anyway as they interfere with my sleeping drugs, which Iām hoping to tapper off in the next few months). It prevents the elimination of those neurotransmitters and can cause surpluses of them if taking together with neurotransmitters supplements.
I already know a single dose of those supplements is not enough to last the day and this is why I take a second dose after lunch. Maybe I could replace that second dose by making the first one last longer ?
Iām considering taking 1 pill around 11am, every two days, and not take the second half dose of 5-HTP, L-Dopa and Tyrosine on that day. The day Iām not taking it, I would take the half dose as before. This would put in contrast what happens with the St-Johnās Worth compared to what happens with the half dose.
But Iām not starting that right away. Ashwaganda first.
I will however take 50 mg of Adrenal cortex once every two days and see what happens. itās supposed to help with adrenal fatigue but can also be detrimental. My pills are 250mg which is (again) way too much. Gee those supplement guys, they make pills with mega doses because itās sells better, people think if a little of something is good, a lot of it is better. That just aināt true. I donāt blame those guys for selling it, Iām a business man myself and I know if they would make smaller doses customers would buy elsewhere. But itād be nice if people were educated enough to understand those things.
Iāll keep you posted.
Day 62: Nope, I did something wrong. Sleep was 3.5/10. I basically stayed in a half awake, half sleeping state all night. Canāt have that too often.
So I received a bunch of supplements and couldnāt resist taking more than I wrote yesterday.
I took Calcium Lactate in the morning, some 500mg, together with Calcium Pyruvate 500mg, thatās still less than 50% Calcium rdi. I donāt thing this had a bad effect.
In the 10am shake, I added vitamin K2 5mg (out of a 100mg capsule) I donāt thing this had a bad effect but I wonāt take it today to revert back to my former state. I will try again later on, separately from any other new addition.
I added 50mg of Bovine Adrenal Cortex, out of a 250mg capsule. This is supposed to provide Cortisol and maybe Epinephrine, so in theory when taken in low dose during the day time, it relieves some stress on the adrenal glands so they still have some juice left later on when needed (like during the night, when energy levels are low, Cortisol can be produced instead of Epinephrine which wakes me up at 4am) This may have had a bad result, but Iām not sure because I also put Ashwagandha in the shake. I will stop it anyway and try again later on, separately from any other new addition.
I added Ashwagandha 250mg to the morning shake, and again to the afternoon shake. I felt weird after the morning shake. It could have been this, or the Adrenal Cortex, or the 5mg K2 (which is a very small dose so I dont think so. But who knows). However, in the afternoon shake it was only whey protein and 250mg Ashwagandha and a little after I had anxiety. The rest of the day I felt tense, was discontent and of course I didnt sleep good at all. I do think this had a bad effect. Ashwagandha mimics GABA and may have interacted with Clonazepam. So far, anything that acts on GABA had a bad effect on me (like Taurine and GABA) because of drug interactions.
Ashwagandha also increases Dopamine and decreases Cortisol. So I think it shouldnt be taken with L-Dopa and Adrenal Cortex. Ashwagandha is said to be an adaptogen that helps with the thyroid, the adrenal glands and the hypophysis. I think it would be a good supplement, but I would have to stop L-Dopa, maybe 5-HTP and Clonazepam, which I cant yet as it has to be tapered down. I`ll stop it for now, maybe keep for much later, when I stopped Clonazepam and have time to test interactions with amino acids.
I also took 1 tablet (when 2 is suggested) of digestive enzyme after both lunch and dinner. I won`t take it after lunch anymore, and will take it after dinner only when I eat late. I donāt thing this had a bad effect.
I got many other herbs to relief anxiety: Kava Kava, Bacopa, St-johns Worth, Passion flower, but all of those interact with GABA and other neuro transmitters. I think I will have to stick to individual amino acids, which have a much more understood mode of operation and have specific actions instead of herbs that do so many things at the same time. St-Johns Worth, for example, is an all neurotransmitter re-uptake inhibitor. Its a one of a kind product with no equivalent, either in plants or in drugs. But it just cant be taken with neurotransmitters producing amino acids and interactions with other herbs are probable and difficult to predicts. Herbs just have too many variables, theyre harder to control. I probably will experiment with them, but when I get better and Im almost done with pfs. It won`t be part of my recovery regimen.
So no neurological herbs while I take Clonazepam and neurological amino acids. I may try Horny Goat Weed to see what it does. It`s supposed to increased, or mimic testosterone and increase sex drive, erections and sensitivity. Better not taken on a regular basis I think. Same with Yohimbe.
Im going back to my basic regimen until I feel good again. It souldnt be long, I predict tonight or tomorrow night I`ll sleep good and be back on track.
Ill also cut carbs for a few days. Ive been eating bread in the morning which has the big, bad gluten in it. As a result, I got dandruff back, my joints are cracking again, all of which disappeared when I was fully ketogenic / carnivore. The idea of eating carbs was to broaden my diet so I could meet with customers and eat in restaurant. After doing it, I can confirm I can do it with only minor ill effects (like dandruff) but Im healthier when i stick to the diet. Ill continue taking 5gr of gelatin every day or two to prepare my guts for this, and Ill take Collagen peptides 2.5gr when out on a trip (half dose because theyre more readily available)
I`m still satisfied with my experiment and the results.
Day 63: Again a bad night. 2/10. It doesnāt have so much to do with pfs, but I have a gastroenteritis. I canāt digest anything, it goes right through, including the sleeping pills and supplements, therefore I canāt sleep at all.
It does make it obvious that Iām maintained artificially well through a drug and some supplementation and that without it, my natural state is that of an insomniac maybe with occasional anxiety. Or maybe I did digest some of the supplement and it could be worst, I donāt know.
What I do know it that insomnia was my first pfs 4 years ago, and itās the one hardest to get rid of for me.
Iāll update tomorrow.
Ozeph I think you should try to do some fasting and then have some time of refeeding window to cure that Gastroenteristis that you have. If you donāt really adress this issue with you gut that you are having, all the pills, supplements and food that you are taking wonāt do much.
Iām not aware if you have done prolonged fasting before, but itās not fairly difficult if you supplement while fasting with pink salt, magnesium chloride and potasium citrate; those electrolytes should keep your fasting in check.
Best of luck!
Thanks for the tips.
Norovirus (gastroenteritis) lasts only 2-3 days. Iām better today, tomorrow it will be gone.
I admire those who can do fasting. I canāt, not even intermittent fasting, and thatās because the amino acids Iām taking are proteins and are breaking the fast and Iām sick if I donāt take 'em. I would need a period of time when I can afford to be sick and stop working (iām working 7/7). Iām interested in the aspect of fasting where unhealthy cells are destroyed and replaced by healthy ones. The other aspects of fasting, I get in the ketogenic diet and this is why Iāve seen so more improvement just by doing this diet alone.
I will try to find time to do it.
Day 64: I had a better night of sleep 5/10. Digestive tract is getting back online. Iām taking probiotics as well as hydrolyzed collagen to fix the guts. Iām also taking Lactate and Choline to help the vagus nerve which regulates digestion. (itās not an addiction, itās part of my regular regimen).
By the way, Iāve made minor changes in my regimen but I canāt edit the first post of this thread anymore. Itās locked. I will eventually create a new thread to update the regimen and clarify how I first implemented it for those who want to try.
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Day 65: Still improving. 6.5/10. I kept waking up all night, but not completely and I just turn around and go back to sleep. I didnāt have a 6 hours of straight sleep. The gastroenteritis is over and I can digest food and supplements. I took probiotics and will take it again today to make sure the guts flora is as it should be. For the same reason, I will take some apple cider vinegar with mother as it kills bad bacteria (E.coli) in the guts. And some collagen peptide, 2.5 gr, in case the gutās lining was damaged.
The food allergies didnāt come back so I think the guts are fine. I can eat low quantities of carbs (60 gr a day) like 3 slices of bread, one with jam, in the morning. I put 2 tsp of sugar in my coffee. My body is still used to creating ketones out of saturated fat (ketones are the small fat fragments the body use along with insulin to replace glucose. we can function better without sugar and carbs, ketones are a better fuel for muscle and brain), so Iām not carbs dependent and I donāt get hypoglycemia ever (I used to get it on a regular basis). The rest of the day, I will eat only protein and saturated fat except and 1/2 tps of honey in 1/4 cup of milk (and 5 tsp of inusitol (B8) before sleeping. The B8 helps in not waking up full awake, but half awake instead and makes it easy to go back to sleep.) I donāt have reactions from carbs anymore. This has been fixed.
This dual energy thing is cool. Iām making it a point to still eat high protein and high saturated fat everyday, but I can eat normal food if I want to. No ill effects. I know Iām burning the fat because of the smell of my urine (burned ketones end up in urine and it has a strong, distinctive smell) and because I still have my six pack and Iām not accumulating any fat.
The gastroenteritis episode shows me I still have pfs, and I should know because I still take sleeping pills and even with them have problem sleeping. Iāve been taking Calcium Lactate and Calcium Pyruvate, total 1200 mg a day for less than 50% rdi of Calcium. I take it first thing after waking up and 45 minutes before having breakfast so I make sure the Lactate and Pyruvate protects the Orexin receptors from glucose. It works at making me awake fast and steady throughout the day but doesnāt help improve sleep. I am now ruling out narcolepsy as the source of insomnia (Narcolepsy is a lack of Orexin producing neurons in the hypothalamus due to an auto immune response. It makes the sufferer sleepy in the day time and wake up frequently at night). Of course, I have the second part, but it can be caused by something else. Iām also looking at ruling out adrenal fatigue. I may have reacted badly to Adrenal Cortex supplements (which would have helped if I had adrenal fatigue) and the honey and milk before sleep donāt seem to change anything. It looks like itās the B8 that improves sleep. Anyway, running on dual fuel mode I donāt see why I would have a spike of Cortisol or Adrenalin if lacking Cortisol, my body being constantly supplied with ketones and protein (fat and proteins are all over the place. Only carbs are stored in a limited quantity as itās a plant storage mechanism. Not an animal one.)
I will still double check about adrenal fatigue with a low dose of Adrenal Cortex supplement around 10am to make sure, but most likely what I have is the typical pfs aspect: the lack of allopregnanolone and of tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone, the relaxing neurosteroids, because of the inability to produce 3a-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase (3a-HSD). This is the last piece of the puzzle as far as Iām concerned.
I will try Brussel sprout extract. It apparently boosts 3a-HSD. Itās also an aromatase, which is not so good, so Iāll see if it does good or bad. If anyone has any idea on how to boost 3a-HSD please let me know.
Day 66: Good night of sleep 8/10. Standard 6 hours deep sleep, wake up and toss 2-3 hours with sleep and dreams in between, get up fully rested.
Day 67: Go out of town to meet customer. Bad food, no diet, skip some supplements, go to sleep 2 hours late, horrible nigh in a hotel next to a street 3/10. Wake up and toss all night, with only light sleep in between. Foggy first half of the day but manage to take half the supplements. I end up having a symptom free day, drive 4 hours, half of which on a big bike in Bangkok traffic with a passenger. I get the contract with the customer and go to sleep late after going to pubs with him.
Day 68: Good of night of sleep 8/10. Standard 6 hours deep sleep, wake up and toss 2-3 hours with sleep and dreams in between, get up fully rested. Iām now going to get my customer on the big bike, in the morning traffic in Bangkok, and weāre heading to the factory to train the staff.
In the last 3 days, Iāve been eating normal food, with an accent on steak, but I ate the potatoes as well and drank water (I wouldnāt go for a Coke or any shitty drink, that would be pushing it). I didnāt take all supplements and I was still functional and normal. I consider this a success, except for the obvious sleeping problem. So I will concentrate on getting Allopregnanolone pumping again.
Update: Iām with customers and had to eat at mac-Donald today and didnāt vomit ! although I can feel the body doesnāt like it. Iām still producing ketones (as per a ketogenic diet) and I can run on carbs as well. The less the better, but Iām getting closer to having a normal life. As soon as things stabilizes at work, Iāll be back to eating healthy and doing weight lifting.
Day 69: I slept 9/10. Just woke up once and went straight back to sleep. Food allergies seems to be over. I had coffee with sugar and cream, and oatmeal for breakfast. Rib eye steak, tons of fat and spinach for lunch. No bad reactions from any of that, I feel good, have lots of energy and Iām happy. It seems I manage to stay ketogenic and I donāt depend on carbs for energy. I can have days without any and I wonāt have any carbs cravings. My urine smells like ketones, which shows Iām still burning fat as fuel in large quantity. Plus Iām still thin, no belly fat and I have the high energy levels typical of ketogenic diets. I read somewhere that after a few months of true ketogenic diet, the body can take carbs and can still use fat as its primary source of energyā¦ Itās like a hybrid car that can run on electricity or gazoline.
Iām having a productive day, Iām concentrated, motivated.
I will now reduce the doses of clonazepam and antihistamine and see to which degree I depend on them for sleep. If I can reduce and have 6 hours deep sleep, wake up and toss 2-3 hours with sleep and dreams in between, Iāll keep at the lower dosage until I can reduce again.
As posted on ALLO enhancing drugs that might not have been considered, I will try Sulforaphane to elevated my 3a-HSD and kick start Allopregnanolone which would enable me to stop the drugs.
Iāll keep posting results.
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It seems a good idea!
Questo ĆØ ciĆ² che penso che faccia.
Day 70: Didnāt sleep as good. 7.5/10. Still good enough for a productive day without symptoms. This comes from the reduction of the sleeping drugs.
Considering I will soon start Sulforaphane to boost Allopregnanolone and Tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone, I will wait for this supplement to arrive before tapering off Clonazepam.
Day 71: Sleep 8/10. Itās fine, I can live with that. I increased the dose of sleeping pills to what it was before. Iāll keep it at that level until I receive the Sulforaphane. I will also post less frequently on this thread as not much is changing, my regimen remaining the same.
The Orexin complex / Narcolepsy theory didnāt stand, Iāve been taking Lactate and Pyruvate (in the morning) for a while now, and although it does help staying well awake during the day it does not make sleep worst nor does it improve it (well, maybe slightly, but I introduce Pyruvate in the morning at the same time as large doses of Inusitol (vitamin B8) before sleep so who knows which one makes sleep better. I conclude that my Orexin complex is at least in a descent shape and is not responsible for insomnia.
The Adrenal Fatigue theory does not seem to hold grounds either. I took some adrenal cortex, in small quantities, and all I got was stress and more insomnia.
All that remains, and itās the most plausible explanation for the insomnia, is the lack of Allopregnanolone and tetrahydrodeoxycorticosterone because of the absence of 3a-HSD to convert them from Progesterone.
Iāll post if something happens and also when Iāll start the Sulforaphane experiment which presumably will help produce more 3a-HSD.
Day73: Second night in a row with 10/10 sleep. Granted, I have to take slightly more clonazepam (3.5 instead of 3.0) and antihistamine (5mg insted of 2.5). Nonetheless, I donāt wake up until itās time to get up and Iām not sleepy or tired in the day time.
I had sex twice in a 3 hour interval two days ago, was ready for more yesterday (and today). Sex drive seems normal, so does sensitivity and erections.
Iām slacking off on the diet: although Iām not going maniac on carbs and eat very little sugar, I started eating some almost everyday: no bad reactions. Carbs are empty food, made by plants as an energy reserve that animals can barely keep reserves of. But plants can.
I like protein and saturated fat better, mainly because it gives my body food it can build things with, you canāt build muscle or brain out of bread. I like protein and saturated fat especially because I donāt get sugar spikes and hypoglycemia anymore. And no more stomach aches and headaches that seems to have been linked to cards, not to mention having a six pack instead of a belly that made me look pregnant.
If it wasnāt for the supplements and pills Iām taking, you could swear Iām normal. Iām in better shape than in the last 15-20 years. But than again, all of a sudden Iāll have a sleepless night and pfs would show itās ugly face just to remind me. It usually happens when Iām not home, so I guess Iām more stressed, less comfortable.
I ordered Sulforaphane to boost 3a-HSD. Considering 3a-HSD and 5ar are mutual antagonist, and that both are needed to create ALLO, I also orderd 5ar boosting stuff, like Tribullus Terrestris, Creatine, Boron, and I have Glycine which apparently does wonders to 5ar. All of which I will take only if I have signs of low 5ar. If I overdo the 5ar, it will inhibit 3a-HSD.
Iāll keep you posted !
Whatās your latest supplement stack?