Today I’m sharing how waking in the night may be caused by oxalate issues that are made more severe because of home cleaning products, environmental toxins and fragrances/phthalates. It can happen because of the additional detoxification work required and adverse impacts on your liver and gallbladder. This can impact bile production so fat digestion is impaired. And when you have impaired fat digestion this can contribute to more severe oxalate issues because more oxalates are absorbed in the gut. This can lead to increased pain, worsening sleep and/or waking in the night, increased anxiety, fatigue, depression, more severe bladder symptoms, eye problems etc.
Using extra calcium citrate in the night can help in the short term. But improving fat digestion (with lipase, ox bile, taurine, a lipotropic formula, digestive bitters etc.) and supporting the liver/gallbladder is key because it gets to the root of the problem. And of course, avoid the chemical exposure. Sometimes this can’t be done – which is the case when you are traveling – so you have to do your best to reduce exposure.
This is actually my story. I’m traveling in South Africa at the moment and had a flare of my old oxalate issues, with increased foot pain at night, so much so that it was waking me at 3am in the morning. I’d be awake from 3-5am feeling agitated and restless and waiting for the extra calcium citrate to work. I’m a hot mess when I don’t get a solid 8-9 hours sleep so I had to figure out what the issue was and fix it quickly. It was a somewhat convoluted journey (more on that below) but eventually I landed on taurine as the solution and it’s been wonderful to get my solid sleep with no waking in the night!
I do eat a fair amount of fat – plenty of butter on my steamed veggies, olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, the fat from grass-fed meat, chicken skin, full fat cheese and eggs – and didn’t want to cut back.
So when taurine came to the rescue I was thrilled and still am!
I took 500mg before bed the first day and woke briefly twice but went right back to sleep. The second day I took 500mg taurine mid-morning, 500mg taurine mid-afternoon and 500mg before bed (all away from food). That night I woke briefly once and went right back to sleep. The third day I did the same and slept solidly through the night. My goal had been to increase to 3000mg per day but I’ll stick with 1500mg as long as this continues.
There were a few clues that indicated a need for liver-gallbladder support: the 3am waking is classic for liver issues; and my stool had become pale despite nothing else changing.
Impaired fat digestion leads to an increase in oxalate absorption
As mentioned above, when you have impaired fat digestion this can contribute to more severe oxalate issues because more oxalates are absorbed in the gut. This paper, Fat malabsorption induced by gastrointestinal lipase inhibitor leads to an increase in urinary oxalate excretion, summarizes the mechanism well:
Unabsorbed bile acids and fatty acids may react with calcium in the intestinal lumen, forming “soaps” that limit the amount of free calcium binding with oxalate, with a consequent increase in intestinal oxalate absorption leading to hyperoxaluria
In the above study, it’s orlistat (Xenical®), a gastrointestinal lipase inhibitor rather than environmental toxins and bile issues, that causes the increase in oxalates. I share it because it has a helpful explanation of the mechanism.
I share more about my issues with dietary oxalates here – Oxalate crystal disease, dietary oxalates and pain: the research & questions. My main issues in the past have been foot pain and eye pain, with downstream impacts on sleep. This blog has links to a number of other dietary oxalate blogs if this topic is new to you.
Bile production and detoxification
You may recall my wonderful interview with Ann Louise Gittleman on The Anxiety Summit 5: Gut-Brain Axis. The topic was: Why Bile is the Key to Anxiety & Hormone Havoc. I’ll add sleep to that too.
She covered the role of bile in PMS, estrogen imbalance and thyroid health; and importantly, how it’s involved in the removal of toxins from the body:
Bile is the dumping ground for hormones like estrogen. It’s the dumping ground for heavy metals that create anxiety like mercury, as well as too much aluminum and lead. And it’s the dumping ground, also, for a bunch of chemicals. So you got to keep the bile flowing. You have to keep it decongested. You have to thin it out.
She mentions simple tools to improve bile production: bitters (already part of my routine), lemon and water in the morning (also part of my daily routine), coffee (I can’t drink coffee as it makes me anxious), grapefruit and watercress. She also discusses key nutrients for bile production and quality: choline, inositol, methionine and taurine.
I could not find any lipotropic formula with choline, inositol, methionine (they all had rice flour). And I could not find any products that contained only lipase or ox bile.
While I was looking for something to improve my bile production, I did try a milk thistle extract (for overall liver support) and a liver-gallbladder herbal tincture but both made things worse. So I did some reading on taurine, found a nice taurine only 500mg product and haven’t looked back. Read on for some of the mechanisms.
Taurine and bile acid conjugation and detoxification
Metabolic actions of the amino acid taurine include: “bile acid conjugation, detoxification, membrane stabilization, osmoregulation, and modulation of cellular calcium levels.”
This paper, The Continuing Importance of Bile Acids in Liver and Intestinal Disease, explains the significance of bile acid conjugation with taurine:
After biosynthesis from cholesterol and before excretion from the hepatocyte, bile acid molecules are conjugated with glycine or taurine, which converts a weak acid to a strong acid. As a result, conjugated bile acids are fully ionized at the range of pH values present in the small intestine.
Taurine works on GABA receptors and is a GABA alternative
What is really interesting is that taurine works on GABA receptors and has a synergistic effect with GABA. I suspect this played a role for me too.
In this editorial, Taurine and GABA neurotransmitter receptors, a relationship with therapeutic potential?, the authors share the following::
- “Taurine exerts its neuronal inhibitory effect through the activation of GABAA receptors (GABAAR) but with less affinity than the specific agonists of each receptor.
- GABA and taurine act synergistically in extra-synaptic GABA receptors.
- Some experiments suggest that taurine activates GABAB receptors with high affinity”
In countries where over-the-counter GABA is not available (like the UK, Australia and New Zealand), I will recommend taurine as an option. I don’t find it to be as effective as GABA but it is slightly calming.
You may need to course-correct from time to time
I share this story to illustrate that things can be going well in terms of sleep, pain, anxiety, depression and so on, and then something can happen and you have to course-correct.
I also often hear from folks in my community saying: “GABA and/or tryptophan was working perfectly to help me sleep and all of a sudden it’s no longer working. What is going on?” A situation like this shows how something else can change and it has nothing to do with the amino acids no longer working.
I do already use GABA, tryptophan (more on these below), melatonin and magnesium at bedtime and continued taking these supplements but I had to fix the root cause – the fat digestion issue.
I will add this: even if you don’t have dietary oxalate issues, this approach may be worth considering if you have no gallbladder, have fat digestion issues, are exposed to environmental toxins, have liver issues and wake in the night.
Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements
If you are new to using any of the amino acids as supplements, here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution (you can see all the symptoms of neurotransmitter imbalances, including low serotonin and low GABA).
If you suspect low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the practitioner/health team you or your loved one is working with.
There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control, sugar cravings, self-medicating with alcohol and more.
The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the amino acids that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs. You can find them all in my online store.
If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program (if you have low GABA symptoms). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.
If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. This is also a paid online/virtual program with an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.
Have you experienced any adverse symptoms when exposed to environmental toxins? And has this made your oxalate issues worse or affected your fat digestion?
Have you used taurine with success? How much helps you?
Have other liver or gallbladder approaches also helped?
If you have questions please share them here too.
Read all posts in this series:
- Coronavirus and vitamin C for immune support: new pain or more severe pain due to oxalate issues? (part 1)
- Oxalate crystal disease, dietary oxalates and pain: the research & questions (part 2)
- Vitamin C causes oxalate formation resulting in pain, anxiety, and insomnia (when there is a defect in ascorbic acid or oxalate metabolism)? (part 3)
- Willow’s survival story: Easter Lilies cause acute renal failure in cats and Peace Lilies cause oxalate issues (part 4)
- Waking in the night due to environmental toxins: impacts on the liver, gallbladder and fat digestion (making oxalate issues worse) (part 5)
What brand of Taurine or Cal citrate do you recommend? Is it a chewable? Also how do you use bitters
Also, which brands of Tryptophan do you recommend? I’ve had sleep problems for 45 years. I haven’t slept 8 hours straight in 45 years. Any recommendations. I’ve tried lots of things. I keep chewable Gaba on hand. I’m so tired of dead end answers and sleep supplements that don’t work.
Terry
I’m using Solgar taurine (it’s available in South Africa) but there are many good brands in my online supplement store. I like and use use Nutricology Calcium Citrate.
Digestive bitters can be purchased in a tincture and a small amount used on the tongue before a meal. If you purchased The Anxiety Summit 5: Gut-Brain Axis go back and listen to my wonderful interview with Summer Bock – it’s all about bitters
I recommend Lidtke tryptophan (also available in my online store). With sleep issues and anxiety, I always start with addressing low serotonin with tryptophan or 5-HTP and low GABA with GABA. The best way to determine if someone may have low GABA/serotonin is to look at the low GABA/serotonin symptoms, rate them on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being worst, do a trial of the respective amino acid and rate the symptoms again right afterwards (in the next 2 to 30 minutes). Here are the symptoms https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/amino-acids-mood-questionnaire-from-the-antianxiety-food-solution/
If you are new to the amino acids (and other anxiety nutrition solutions like real whole food, quality animal protein, fermented foods, organic produce, health fats, gluten/sugar/caffeine removal, blood sugar control, gut health, pyroluria etc) my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” is a great place to start. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
It’s a comprehensive approach and much of this helps insomnia too – amino acids AND diet. What is your diet like right now – gluten-free, sugar-free, caffeine-free, eating protein at breakfast for blood sugar control, real whole foods, grass-fed red meat, wild fish, fermented foods etc?
My book does have an entire chapter on the amino acids and many folks do really well implementing on their own. My online GABA Quickstart group program is helpful when you have questions and need guidance (and moral support/encouragement). More here about the program and purchase info https://www.anxietynutritioninstitute.com/gabaquickstart/
This is very interesting, thank you!
Nutricoly and allergy research both do ox bile, and Louise G. Has a good one too
Nutricology (dr Nicholas Gonzalez)
Sharon
Thanks – yes Nutricology Ox Bile and Ann Louise Gittleman has nice a lipotropic formula.
I’m in South Africa and have had to do with what I could find here and neither of the above are available
Hi Trudy, I am in a very similar situation, however my oxalate burden is extreme. I have been using taurine regularly and in the past few yrs have increased. I do experience the fat malabsorption and have pancreatic exocrine inssufficency. Been on a LOD for 3 yrs, with oxalates actually going up (OAT) due to this very problem. I also use TUDCA by Olympia Solutions and Lipase called lypazyme by Houston Enzymes and I used a truck-load of other supplements as well that will not fit into this note.
One curious thing that I thought you might find interesting is that I have been on BHRT for a long time due to spontaneous menopause due to illness, but the curious thing is that when I increased my taurine I became progesterone resistance very quickly. I have been on progesterone for about 20 yrs. It was like a brick hit me and when I took the progesterone I really could not sleep, could not even fall asleep, and when I refrained from it, sleep slowly returned. Very weird, as if my GABA pathways had been jammed fulll with taurine and progesterone and they were competing for GABA real estate and while doing so spilled over into the glutamate pathway because they had to go somewhere. I had to up my saunas and I did 2 detox mineral baths/day for about 7 days before returning to feeling more like myself.
Oxalates have destroyed me and have affected every single organ and system in my body, and needless to say, it is a massive healing journey, and I expect it to go on for another 10 yrs at least before I feel like I’m no longer dumping aggressively, I’m 3 yrs in, have some improvements for sure, but a long way to go. Taurine is my swiss army knife. I used to say that about progesterone, but I can no longer say that with conviction. Once I decrease the taurine, which may be in a yr or two before that happens, maybe then I will try to re-introduce progesterone.
Dolores
Thanks for sharing about the taurine impact on progesterone. This is new to me and I plan to do some digging. Did you increase the progesterone to see if that would help?
And yes sadly oxalates do affect all our organs but glad to hear you have some improvements. Wonderful to hear taurine is your swiss army knife. May I ask how much helps?
I do like TUDCA a lot and also the lipase product Lypazyme by Houston Enzymes. I’m curious if you’ve experimented with each of these 3 on their own? And observed a change in stool color and fat absorption with any or all of these 3?
Where can I find 500 mg of taurine? What brand do you take? Thanks
Ann
I am in South Africa and am using Solgar 500mg taurine. If you are in the USA my fullscript online store has a number of 500mg taurine products. Details here on setting up an account https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/amino-acids-pyroluria-supplements/
I’d love to hear if you can relate to any of this and why you’re considering taurine?
I tried Thorne Taurine 500 mg at bedtime three separate occasions and each time I was unable to fall asleep. I felt somewhat speedy. I’ve tried it during the day and I felt like it gave me some anxiety. Per your suggestion, I have been using 1500 mg of Tryptophan and 1500 mg of Double Wood GABA for a couple of months. I think it’s helped, but has not exactly solved my insomnia issue. I will take an additional 500 mg of GABA once or twice a night when I wake up. I wonder if I should try the taurine again now that I am taking GABA? I have thought about taking a 500 mg of Tryptophan when I wake up.
Gary
When someone has sleep issues I always have them start with serotonin and GABA support – and we increase dosing to find optimal amount. Taking tryptophan and GABA in the night often helps too. We may then add melatonin (sublingual for falling asleep or timed-release for waking in the night). Next is to consider high cortisol and addressing this.
Then after this we look further and address SIBO, parasites, gluten, EMFs etc and then more advanced causes like oxalates/liver/fat digestion issues and taurine (or a lipotropic formula). Obviously root causes differ for each person.
I’m in a hurry and will need to write all your ideas out later, but just wanted to share a supplement that rescued me from Hep A many yrs ago. It’s by Vitaminerals Inc and has thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, b12, iodine, choline 1500mg methionine 125mg, betaine, 50mg and inositol 25mg.
I was nearly dead – lost half my hair, crawling/itching skin, could not follow a sentence, vomiting, took forever to be awakened, dark urine, light grey stool, headache, vision, lost 35 lbs in 6 wks…. it was not good and docs wanted to do a biopsy. A concerned friend suggested my mom take me to an old nutritionist who saved my life. She was a contemporary of Weston Price et al. After taking this supplement for 3 days my stool/urine were normal. Progress! Took me 2 yrs to fully recover by following her strict diet of real food and limited fats/starches/no sugar… and nothing at all in a can/package.
Good health needs constant attendance and I’ve been lax, not heeding my nutritionists warning that my liver would never forget :(…. So. I’m eager to try your suggestions here as have had a sense it is my liver/gb that is struggling.
Thank you for sharing all this info – one of your posts on GABA and anxiety/calming helped my son get better sleep… I hope to try a little on my 4yr old grandson and see if it helps his behavior.
Hi Clady, which product contains all of those ingredients?
Vitamin Mineral #22
Clady
Thanks for sharing your wonderful results. That looks like a good combination of lipotropic nutrients (the choline 1500mg methionine 125mg, betaine, 50mg and inositol 25mg) and B vitamins. Do you know if you had been exposed to environmental toxins before your health crisis?
And yes real food and limited starches/no sugar is the way to go. Adding in quality fats is important too.
So pleased to hear one of my posts on GABA and anxiety/calming helped your son get better sleep – how much helped him and which product. Keep us posted on your grandson
I don’t know but about 10% of us respond poorly to hepatitis per the docs. But the first year of my life I lived where that Brokovich movie reported on – the electric company that let chromium 6 get into water supply… the cows wouldn’t drink the water but I had it in my formula. I believe that is why I had hypoglycemia from the beginning.. and anemia.. and no matter what illness went around I was the sickest.
I’ve just got a result of gallbladder sludge which may have caused my sudden chest pain/heart attack symptoms… I’m hoping the taurine will thin that bile quick.
Clady
I am sorry to hear about your exposure as a baby. Do keep us posted on taurine
For an excellent supplement with Choline, Inositol and Methionine try “Liver Spa” by Gematria. The Gematria products are formulated by Todd Ovokaitys, and all of them are remarkable.
The trick is getting past the initial Google search for gematria, which has nothing to do with the supplement company. Try typing in “Gematria Liver Spa” or “Gematria Dr. Todd”.
Best.
Charry
Thanks for sharing this product. It looks like a good combination of lipotropic nutrients. Are you using this one with success?
My 2 cents – I’m not a fan of proprietary formulas where you can’t see how much of each you are getting. And I’d also look for something that doesn’t contain maltodextrin or palm oil.
Thanks Trudy
Very enlightening article and comments.
I am in Ireland and under treatment for “Colitis”?
Seeking a good alternative ND locally but Hard to find one.
I ran some Oats profile via Great Plains and High oxalate levels with Mycotoxins came up.
Also a scan showed enlarged bile duct.
Symtoms are
DIARROHEA
SLEEP ISSUES
BRAIN FOG
HEADACHES AND BONE JOINT PAIN
GUT ISSUES
Do you offer online advice??
Regards
Pat
Pat
I would discuss with the practitioner who ran the OAT and read everything you can about oxalates. The Great Plains Lab has some excellent articles and the FB group Trying Low Oxalates is an excellent resource. Also, search this blog as I have a number of articles with many comments (so read those too).
Regarding sleep issues, in addition to the above I always start with looking into and addressing low GABA and/or low serotonin. This often helps with gut health/diarrhea, headaches and pain too.
The best way to determine if someone may have low GABA/serotonin is to look at the low GABA/serotonin symptoms, rate them on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being worst, do a trial of the respective amino acid and rate the symptoms again right afterwards (in the next 2 to 30 minutes). Here are the symptoms https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/amino-acids-mood-questionnaire-from-the-antianxiety-food-solution/
The amino acids can be taken for a few months but ideally we work on underlying reasons why neurotransmitters are low.
If you are new to the amino acids (and other anxiety nutrition solutions like real whole food, quality animal protein, fermented foods, organic produce, health fats, gluten/sugar/caffeine removal, blood sugar control, gut health, pyroluria etc) my book “The Antianxiety Food Solution” is a great place to start. More here https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/the-antianxiety-food-solution-by-trudy-scott/
It’s a comprehensive approach – amino acids AND diet. What is your diet like right now – gluten-free, sugar-free, caffeine-free, eating protein at breakfast for blood sugar control, real whole foods, grass-fed red meat, wild fish, fermented foods etc?
I do long distance consults but do have a waiting list
HI Trudy
Hope all is well in rainbow country!
Many thanks for your promt and
Comprehensive reply.
Imust confess I am weak when it comes to diets etc.From reading your comments I guess their is no magic bullet.
I would love to work with you if you can fit me in?
Best wishes from Ireland
Regards
Pat
Thanks so much for this great info, Trudy! I have learned a lot from you over the last several years since I first saw one of your talks in some summit or another, I can’t remember which one.
I just attended the Mast Cell summit and realized it answers a lot of questions for me. I have developed really bad reflux over the last few years, I can’t detox at all because I get too sick, I get terrible reactions to tiny amounts of certain supplements – and I just found out I have very high LDL cholesterol. My doc said it was one of the highest she’s seen in 30 years of practice. I have been paleo-keto for a very long time, so I do eat a lot of fat and protein, but I eat very clean, practice intermittent fasting, take lots of HCL and digestive enzymes – and I don’t eat very much at all. So, I think it’s clear that MCAS is factor, and at the very least, terrible fat digestion and metabolism. I know I’ve had terrible metabolism of everything my whole life.
There’s always more to learn, and this is great info. I already started taking 1500 mg taurine a couple of days ago, after reading your article, and I slept better than I have been. I just finished spending $14K on neurofeedback to help me sleep – and it was extremely effective for a while, but my sleep has been going down the tubes recently and it was SO disappointing. This really helps me understand how fat metabolism and liver function is so key to my sleep, and helps me put some pieces together to have more tools to address this overall problem.
I had taken TUDCA before, but my practitioner told me that it was causing too much inflammation for me. I didn’t understand that until the MCAS summit helped me with that info. Now after that summit I’ve added lumbrokinase, and now taurine and a couple of other things. I’m doing a strict anti-inflammatory diet again, and once that’s calmed some things down I’ll try adding TUDCA back in in small doses. I’ll get some bitters right away. I can’t take milk thistle because it makes me too sick.
I’m sure that’s more than you want to know, but that’s just to say: I have been studying and working so hard on this problem for years and spending tons of money on it, and this info is SO helpful!!!! It gives me some new hope, and without hope I couldn’t keep trying.
Ava
I love getting feedback like this so thanks for sharing. Wonderful that you are sleeping better and seeing how fat metabolism and liver function is so key to your sleep – and that this gives your some new hope. Please give us an update again in a few weeks.
It’s interesting that you didn’t tolerate TUDCA but do well on taurine. I’m curious what your reactions were that your practitioner felt it was causing too much inflammation?
In a bid to cut costs (I take a myriad of supplements due to M.E/CFS), I stopped my Melatonin and GABA amongst others. It took me 1 and 1/2 hrs to get to sleep for several nights! I’m awaiting a delivery of the above from the USA (I’m in the UK).
Your blog was incredibly timely as I was getting very frustrated.I ordered Taurine powder and Tyrosine powder.The last 3 nights I’ve been asleep within 15 minutes.Even though I wake up every 3-4 hours still (Usually my bladder!),My sleep has been much deeper and more refreshing.
Ruth
Glad to hear you’ve been asleep within 15 mins and that it’s been deeper. Please clarify if this was due to the taurine and how much you use?
Best is to address why the bladder is causing waking – I have clients with this issue look into dietary oxalates
Does it lowers blood pressure when the blood pressure is already lower?
Dev
Taurine does lower blood pressure so if someone already has low blood pressure it’s best to monitor. We also address why blood pressure is low – adrenal dysfunction is often a factor.
Hi Trudy,
Thank you very much for your reply.
I started taking Taurine last two nights and it made my legs restless. And whole night I didnt get sleep. Is that expected with some people?
Dev
It’s not something I’ve seen but it’s hard to comment with no dosage or product name or health history.
I just tried the taurine for waking up at night around 3 am and being awake for two hours — yes liver time.
It seems to work like a dream. I am less constipated too — probably as a result of improved bile production.
Thanks so much for the tip.
Charry
Good to hear – how much are you using and how often? And have you observed your stool change color from pale to darker?
Thanks so much Trudy. I’ve been on 3 grams of taurine in the morning to increase progesterone. Could it be making me sleepy? At night I find it diuretic and disrupts my sleep. I’m going to experiment having it about 7pm, not too close to bed time and see how I go. This page is a fountain of knowledge. So useful.
Regina
I have not had that feedback but 3g is quite high. Divided doses may help both issues. Keep us posted please
I’ve only recently heard that the sensation of the balls of my feet having been sandpapered might be due to oxalates. My health was destroyed a decade ago by the installation of electricity smart meters in my area. This necessitated, amongst other things, going paleo (AIP with regard to some of the nightshades). The thought of having to introduce even more food restrictions is really daunting for me, especially dropping ground almonds which I now rely upon for making bread and cakes.
I noticed the neuropathy getting worse each year after the smart meters were installed. I’m now desperate for a cure because I fear I will not be able to sleep if it gets any worse.
My theory is that the radiofrequencies from the smart meters causes the gut’s tight junctions to open and whatever foods you are eating a lot of at the time, are likely to be the ones you now have a problem with. I am slowly moving in the direction of reducing oxalates but hesitant to dive in at the deep end in case I am on the wrong track. Also, I suspect that if people reduce their food variety too much, and they have more stress in their life, then the limited variety of foods they are now eating will also end up on their food sensitivities list. For me, that stressor is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) from wireless devices, and it is impossible to avoid EMR from cell phones and their associated towers and wi-fi, etc, etc.
I have been using chanca piedra for a couple of weeks, but not seeing any improvement. I have mail ordered taurine. I tried taurine for some reason 4 years ago and also Tudca and never noticed an improvement.
It is interesting to note the possible link with thyroid problems, which I have. The thyroid regulates body temperature. I notice that the warmer my body, the worse the neuropathy. Even if I am lying in the bath and the neuropathy starts and I stick my feet out of the water so that they are cool, the neuropathy continues because my body is warm.
However, there are times when it seems to me that the presence of magnetic fields is contributing. Immediately I sit on a train, the neuropathy starts. When I go to my optometrist, I am fine in every part of the premises, except when I sit in the waiting area. I need to take EMR measurements in these locations to see if I can figure out what is going on.
One thing that seems to be playing a part is that the neuropathy will often start when I sit down after having been on my feet for an hour or so. Lifting my feet off the floor often helps. It’s like I have ‘restless feet syndrome’; I cannot get my feet comfortable if they are on the floor. This suggests that my body is creating some sort of electrical loop when my feet are on the floor. But maybe spinal problems are contributing. However, I do also get neuropathy after walking for about hour.
Do my experiences resonate with anyone else, particularly the body temperature bit? Why would body temperature affect oxalate issues?
Tanya
I’d suspect oxalates and have found a low oxalate diet (which means no almonds or nut flours/nut butters) and other approaches (like addressing fat digestion, rehydraton, low vitamin B6, calcium, gut health etc) to help so much. Read this blog and get motivated to give it a good go – Low oxalate success stories: resolution of joint/body pain, insomnia, peripheral neuropathy and can walk without a cane https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/low-oxalate-success-stories-resolution-of-joint-body-pain-insomnia-peripheral-neuropathy-and-can-walk-without-a-cane/
With temperature regulation issues I think thyroid issues and low serotonin.
And smart meters were likely a contributing factor since they affect zinc, serotonin/melatonin, calcium, gut health, the thyroid and more. Hopefully you’ve sorted this issue.