Lots to catch up on. Before I left for the mountains to train at elevation I got the results of the parasitology and fecal analysis back. There were some interesting findings that will have to be verified. The foremost being some inflammation in my colon as evidenced by the leukocyctes and mucus in my fecal sample. Will be running tests on my donors sample and I am taking 8 days off from the capsules. If this is what I think it is then it should take that long to clear.
My hookworm population.
Hard to read but mucus, leukocytes and pasty consistency found in fecal sample.
I will submit another fecal sample this Monday for analysis but the most likely culprit is Shigella. It can survive freezing, takes only a small dose to be infective (which might be why it was missed in the screening) and would explain the diarrhea I experienced with the two capsules a day. Now to put this possible finding in context. Here are the results from my serology.
Low RBC and hemoglobin from giving a pint of blood on 8/8/15
The low RBC and Hemoglobin were from a blood donation a week prior. Despite being low in my oxygen carrying capacity here are the runs I did at an elevation of 6,000 ft. to 9,000 ft. over the last four days. These were tough runs and I was feeling really good until I got to 9,000 ft and then I got dizzy.
Hot day.
Elevation got me above 9,000 ft. Got dizzy and did not think taking a hemocrit of 37 above that was a good idea. Too easy to get hurt and help is a long way away.
Confirmation testing is pending but whatever is going on I am feeling great. The recovery from the 16 mile run was phenomenal. I could have run again that night. The next day I did a leisurely 6 mile acclimation hike up to 9,000 ft. The 14 miler on Friday I could feel some inflammation starting in my knees. I am writing this on Sunday and I feel all kinds of different aches and pains (not just in my legs but my neck and forearms) which I have not been feeling the last couple months. The further I get from my last fecal microbial capsule the more I am recognizing my old inflammation. I am ready to start taking my probiotics again. Even if there is supposedly a "bad" bacteria I am having a hard time seeing how it as an all "bad" thing that has to be eradicated. The goal should be trying to coexist and if it is possible to get the good without the bad. Shigella is an organism that you do develop immunity to and would have been part of a true paleo microbiome.
After discussing with Dr. Llamas, the idea is to resume the capsules after sending some more fecal samples to lab, but doing 0.5ml of material every two days. The goal being to get the benefits without any inflammation in the colon. Like all things dose makes the poison. I have noticed a change toward more "normal" feces but with a proportional increase in my generalized inflammation. I do not want hidden inflammation in my colon but to be perfectly honest I would prefer that to what I am feeling today. Of course, this could just be my screwed up immune system and some new problem like ulcerative colitis so I will wait for confirmation testing before speculating further.
I need to do some additional analysis but something interesting is going on with my CD4:CD8 ratio and the population of suppressor cells. That will be another blog post. Now I am off for a 6 mile sea level run which will be a welcome relief from the oxygen starvation I have been feeling the last four days.
Lone Pine Lake.
So my 6 mile recovery run turned into a PR on Mt. Woodson when my running buddy wanted to break in his new trail shoes. Felt really strong and surprised, again, at how well I am recovering.