#142

Thanks. If you ever want to see values in urine, the Doctors data 24 hour amino acid test is a solid choice. Of course elevations can mean either too much or too little in blood but so much easier than blood and does have its own advantages.

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#143

For the uninitiated in this long thread, what degree of correlation exists between serum Taurine levels with that of cellular levels?
Case in point, serum magnesium dont really represent cellular magneium levels even though they are used as surrogate

#144

I haven’t looked for a correlation because you’re right it would be useless- even more so than your great example of cell mag vs blood mag

A good rule of thumb for urinary amino acids for any uninitiated would be if anything is relatively high or relatively low, you want to make sure you know why. If it’s not obvious, it needs looked in to. (And don’t believe the blurbs that come with the results)

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#145

Oh man, I’m sorry to hear that.

Back when I had gastritis really badly, I had a slew of awful symptoms (for example, anytime I would finish eating, my esophagus would break out into uncontrollable clonic spasms for an hour afterwards). I saw two GI specialists and they were totally worthless, they didn’t even mention that they found inflammation on my endoscopy to me, it was an NP that mentioned it to me in a follow up. I remember reading about jackhammer esophagus and even wondered if that was what I was dealing with.

Once you experience a functional disorder, you’re almost guaranteed to realize how incapable much of our medical system is. Obviously there are doctors out there who truly care, many of them truly brilliant, but sadly that’s the exception rather than the rule.

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#146

Yep, tracks with my experience. I developed a case of what I subsequently determined was IBS, in my early 20’s. When the symptoms first hit me back then, I went to one doctor then another, a gastroenterologist. Both were utterly useless, giving nonsensical diagnosis and worse remedies. It was no help. I was shocked. But after more such experiences (f.ex. with ophthalmologists), I reached the conclusion that if I develop some condition, doctors are likely to be of no help at all. I resolved my IBS fully on my own treatment after suffering with it for some ten years (i.e. I likely still have it, but have experienced no symptoms for over 25 years now, it is permanently suppressed).

My conclusion is that doctors are best when you don’t actually need them for a condition - they’re good for tests and prescriptions, but you must educate yourself on your own individual condition and take personal charge. That’s my current position, but subject to change as medicine progresses and docs get better at diagnosis and treatment. Remember, people still went to doctors in medieval times, and had to rely on their knowledge… often it didn’t go well. In another 100-200 years I’m sure people in the future will look at our current medics like we look at the medieval ones. But I’m happy for any progress.

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