That extra blood test my doc ordered at my annual physical changed
things. Her keen intuition led me to happier health. But it also explained so
many things I’d wondered about for years.
Why was I so often and inexplicably tired? Why had my upper arms
had white bumps, that were similar to whiteheads continually throughout my life?
Why couldn’t I use laughing gas in the dentist’s chair without getting totally
loony and paranoid? Why did I love chocolate so very much? Why did my body seem
to need so many nutritional supplements? And why was my son born with learning
disabilities and a plethora of food allergies? What gave him continual ear
infections and eczema? Why was he so delayed learning to walk, talk, and ride a
bike?
My test results for the MTHFR mutations blood test were
homozygous C677TT. Homozygous indicated I received one such gene from my mother
and one from my father. MTHFR mutation means that I have methylation
deficiency. In short, my metabolism wasn’t working correctly and some of the
supplements I took were actually making it worse. My impaired metabolic
functions were stressing my liver. It needed to be detoxed. I had to toss
supplements that contained folate and/or the cyanocobalamin form of B12. In
their place, I was to take L-methylfolate and B12 as methylcobalamin.
I didn’t need a doctor’s prescription or many more doctor visits.
Information on methyl deficiency abounds on the Internet. Google pulls up
answers to any question I had.
I was unprepared for the flood of information. I spent the hours
on the Web to learn all I could. Chances were good, I thought, that my son,
Brian, had the mutation, too. I needed to get him tested.
Once I accommodated my mind and emotions to the news, I sent a
letter to my 4 siblings:
Hi, Everyone,
Yesterday I received a stunningly odd piece of
information that affects all of us. Yes, I know you’re wondering, “ huh?”
A week or so ago at my annual physical, my doc wanted
to add an additional blood test, the results of which she thought could provide
additional information about why my year-long allergy elimination (LDA) program
has been only so-so successful. As a side note, in the past year, I have been
off all sugar (think chocolate candy), gluten, dairy - so you know I’ve been
truly committed to getting rid of these annoying allergies and chemical
sensitivities.
The results of my standard blood test was great
- thanks to those great genes from Mom and Dad. Except for that odd blood
test. Turns out the test was for thrombophilia risk - a genetics test.
My results - I have a genetic mutation called, MTHFR Gene
C677T, as being “TT; homozygous”. Homozygous means that I received the gene
mutation from both Mom and Dad, which means that you have a 75% or higher
chance of having it too. My son, Brian, definitely has the heterozygous
mutation - one gene from me - and perhaps homozygous if his dad, Bob, also gave
him the C677T mutation. If Bob has the A1298C mutation, Brian could have 2
different mutations of MTHFR.
This mutation explains a plethora of things that seem
to run in our family: addictions, serious chocolate cravings, many allergies,
mood swings, gluten intolerance (different from celiac disease),
hypersensitivity, and so much more. Over the years, I’ve been put on Prozac
(and other SSRI’s), depakote, thyroid meds, tryptophan, prayer, meditation, and
a wide variety of natural remedies - none of which offered improvement from
what I think of as general anxiety and hypersensitivity. The mutation
taxes the liver lots so that explains why I love Hot Yoga - the heat coupled
with yoga detoxes the liver, and it explains why years ago we purchased an
infrared sauna that I use as a “pick-me-up” when feeling sluggish. Also why I
crave fresh veggies - again, they help detox the liver. And chocolate somehow
helps with the symptoms of this mutation. The darker the better, as we all
know. The mutation explains how I can have osteopenia although I exercise
avidly 3-4 times weekly, why I’m unable to use laughing gas – nitric oxide at
the dentists, and why my muscles cramp and my joints often ache.
Biochemically, the mutation disrupts the very important
methylation cycle. This affects liver function, the normal production of brain
chemicals such as serotonin, and potentially causes many serious and mild
health conditions. A person who has this mutation must stop taking any vitamin
supplements that contain folic acid and B12 in the form of cyanocobalamine, but
it’s great to take B12 as methylcobalamine.
The good news is that a person can dramatically
improve their health and often eliminate the symptoms by taking specific
vitamin formulations. For the next week or so, my doc has me on an
over-the-counter supplement called “Methyl CpG” plus an Rx called “deplin”
which is L-methylfolate. After one day, I can’t attest to much change, but my
vision has gotten surprisingly clearer. I ordered special daily vitamins to
treat MTHFR from Hardy Nutritionals which I think is in Canada.
This mutation could explain Mom’s fatigue, anemia, and
discomfort (especially if the docs were treating her anemia - which is a
symptom of MTHFR - with the cyano form of B12) and it probably goes a long way
to explaining Dad’s alcoholism as well as that of other family members.
I have immense joy and hope that a protocol similar to mine
could be helpful for Brian and could lessen his learning disabilities and mood
swings. That would be a dream come true. Both he and his Dad will be tested
soon and I’ll keep you up to date on Brian’s experiences as well as mine.
If you are having some of symptoms of this mutation, I
suggest you get a blood test. There’s a list of docs who treat this mutation on
a very informative website, www.MTHFR.net. And if you google MTHFR
C667T, you can learn lots about MTHFR.
I have odd feelings about all this. On the one hand, my
health, energy, brain chemistry puzzle could be solved. Yeah! And I no longer
need to feel guilty about having these odd symptoms and allergies. And it’s
strange to write you a letter with this information. I care about all of you
lots.
I wish you great joy and love,
Lucy
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