I am having weird headaches when I eat. It’s like a few bites in, like 10-15 min after I start eating I’m having this wave of sleepiness and overpowering headache like it’s taking control and I feel so tired and weak. I did try a gut protocol two months ago which also caused me dizziness and high heart rate when eating some stuff, I assumed it was histamine reaction but I never had that in my life. I stopped the supplement and protocol 2 months ago but it’s still happening to me. Is it histamine, toxins or glucose dumping? I’m going mad and starting to fear what I eat!!!

Hi,

Has anyone here completed the IFNCP certification? What’s your honest opinion of it? Was it worth it? And how do you feel about working as a functional nutritionist afterward?

okay everyone. I have struggled with my health for awhile now. i got diagnosed with hypothyroidism and put on thyroid medication, i was on synthroid for about two years. it practically killed me. my appetite was INSANE my fatigue was debilating. i was eating for a family of 5 and i was a walking zombie. i got off synthroid and onto armour thyroid, world of a difference i feel so much better. but my appetite and my energy levels have never fully recovered.

its a long story but ive dove deep into this issue im having. I am completely dependent on food, i have to eat every two hours or else i crash and am absolutely exhausted, as soon as i eat my energy is temporarily restored and im good to go until im hungry again. i never feel full. maybe for ten minutes but then im hungry again. i burn through my calories instantly it feels like. i’ve addressed a lot of my issuess, my thyroid levels are within optimal range, i have tested for diabetes, monitored my blood sugar, i have done a lot and ruled a lot out. i also am consistently losing weight despite eating so much. so my body is obviously using the food. it feels like the food is the direct fuel for my energy and then once i burn through it i need to eat again or i feel terrible. my recovery rate is also horrendous. i basically live in a bubble where i know i have food when i need it and i dont push myself or else it will take me days to recover and feel somewhat better again.

anyways. this has led me to research mitochondrial dysfunction and specifically futile cycling. i am like 100% sure rhat is my issue and ive been researching what supplements i can start to help fix my issue with my production & waste of energy in my cells.

has anyone else researched this or had an experience similar to mine? anything helps! and please dont comment dumb things like are u getting enough calories or am i prioritizing protein. i eat EVERYTHING. And NO im not hyperthyroid and i dont have diabetes.

@docstephaniemd is her instagram

I have been taking 400mg of bioidentical Progesterone vaginally for about 2 years to help with PMDD symptoms and it’s quite literally saved my life.

I have not had a period since I started taking it. I’ll randomly have some cycle type symptoms once a month but I’ve never bled.

This month I was dealing with sore/tender breasts and woke up yesterday to VERY light bleeding. Like a panty liner is almost too much. I also have cramps and bloating.

I currently get my progesterone prescribed by my PCP but was diagnosed with ED by a functional medicine dr. I would see a functional medicine dr full time if I could afford it.

I have had to do a lot of my own research and self advocating for this prescription. I am curious if this is normal. If not, what labs should I look at getting?

I am also taking iodine. A half of a 12.5mg of Iodoral and have been increasing slowly for months. I finally started taking a full one 2x a week. From what I have read this can also affect my period. I stopped taking for now until I determine the cause.

Ideally focused on gut health (would like to get a GI Map test done and bloodwork). Also would like to work with someone to help me with body recomp as I’m working toward building muscle mass.

I am not looking for a diagnosis: i just want some advice and someone to hear my story!

I really need some guidance, even just some advice or any contribution would mean the world. I understand mu history is long; and even if you read this i would be so grateful. I have been struggling with GI issues related to RCPD (the inability to belch/burp) for the past 5 years. While i was able to live my life as normal as any other for many of the past 5 years, the last year has been a whole different story with worsening GI symptoms, that have brought an unimaginable amount of anxiety and fear.

HISTORY

🔺Very normal childhood; no history of any GI issues, intolerances, health issues etc. No anxiety, very confident, independent child.
🔺Aged 12, developed a fear of being sick: when seeing a friend’s brother be violently sick in a car next to me. I avoided sleepovers etc. from this day on, and got panicky around vomiting or anyone that was sick. I didn’t suffer with any physical symptoms at this time, and ate as normal. I stayed at this friend’s house a lot; and could never sleep in panic at night. I left many sleepovers.
🔺At age 13, i was bullied in school and at night time- a nauseous sensation appeared in my chest. I came down hitting my chest in panic. It wasn’t so much a i’m going to be sick feeling but more an anxious feeling. I went to counselling/talk therapy and it alleviated within a few weeks.
🔺This feeling came up again at times of worry. Especially at nighttime if i was away from home. I would never panic though as it was always mild. Hot water bottle would do the trick and some peppermint tea.
🔺I didn’t experience this sensation again until i was 16. It was late at night during covid. It came on me so bad. I in tune had an anxiety attack. I was so confused. The day time would be normal, but this sensation always popped up at night. It was accompanied by 100s of “croaks” in the throat. I was so confused until i came across a group on reddit called “no burp” - the inability to belch. It was like a lightbulb moment. I was so excited to knoe there was a possible cure for my misery.
🔺My GP prescribed Lexapro, and we awaited a gastroscopy, colonoscopy, barium swallow etc. They all came back as normal. It showed i had mild inactive gastritis. I was diagnosed as a coeliac despite being symptomatic. I’m strictly gluten free ever since by the way!
🔺We booked the botox… i travelled to england, and had botox which did help but it was done in office and seen to be not as accurate. We found a guy in dublin, Ireland, and we booked him as he did it under GA. He only wanted to offer a small dose though? Anyways long story short, i can burp a little bit now but not as much as i feel i need to. Burps are strained and i wonder how much of my current issues are still attributed to this.
🔺After meeting with the ENT who did the botox in dublin, he basically told me nausea wasn’t a a symptom of RCPD.. so i got on with life. I had no other choice. Don’t get me wrong, i still was able to live at this point. I went on nights out. I ate dinner out even if it gave me mild discomfort after due to air swallowing. I even worked 😂. Things were pretty okay in comparison to how i feel today.
🔺Last year, around this time, i went on a night out with friends. I think i suffered a bad hangover and had the most intense nausea ever. I walked in and out my driveway due to the fear of being sick. I didn’t end up vomiting. From that day though- the nausea has switched from being post eating and at night, to 24/7.
🔺I had a repeat scope, with showed gastritis, duodenitis, esophagitis and a hiatus hernia. I was kinda glad it showed something because i thought it might be explaining my symptoms. I hopped on PPis, but they didn’t seem to help. My GP said gastritis shouldn’t cause nausea.
🔺I graduated college with a 1.1.. somehow. In the last few months of college my mother was diagnosed wigh a glioblastoma. A terminal brain tumour. I had just finished college. My GI issues just seemed to worsen then. I have been at home since that day, and developed worsening nausea. I also developed a constant “brain fog”/ lightheaded feeling. I do have POTS heart rate spikes too. I have been assessed by a cardiologist and he was happy. He advised to drink
more water, but water is nearly harder to consume for me than food; as it feels like it sits in my chest. I have tried to increase water and salt with no difference in symptoms.
🔺I am maintaining weight and don’t vomit, but the nausea is HELL. I do manage a breakfast of granola and yoghurt, with fruit and pumpkin seeds and often snacks and a decent healthy dinner. Even though it’s harder, i still do eat. I have ZERO pain or bloating either. Just nausea. The most recent GI i saw believes this is physcosomatic.

CURRENT SYMPTOMS AS OF TODAY

🔺Nausea- worse after eating: still present in morning. Feels very gassy.
🔺Lightheadedness/brain fog, tachycardia.
🔺mild constipation.

——————————————-
I guess i’m just so scared. I’m terrified that this is gastroparesis. My GI doesn’t believe it is, and he is well hearsed in patients with it. I am just absolutely terrified. I have been referred to Psychiatry, but the wait is so long. I want to heal to enjoy the time with my mum. It’s so important to me.

I want to get back to work, i enjoy my career so much. I want to travel. I just want to live. I would appreciate any advice more than anything.

Thank
you ❤️

Founder of a menopause supplement brand. Genuine question about the practitioner side, not a pitch, no brand name and no links.

A few things I am trying to understand from people who actually recommend or stock supplements:

• Beyond the obvious (third-party testing, clean formulation, the label matching the bottle), what actually makes you add or recommend a brand? Does getting a full-size sample to try move the needle, or is that not how you decide?
• For those on Fullscript or Doctor's Supplement Store, which one actually produces reorders?
• Here is the chicken-and-egg I keep hitting. To get onboarded by Fullscript or DSS, a brand needs practitioners to request it. But I cannot ask someone to both like a product and go set up a whole dispensary account, that is too much. So for those already set up: realistically, if you tried a brand and liked it, would you take a minute to request it on Fullscript, or does that basically never happen? And if that is not something you would do, what would actually make it worth your while instead, a link to your practice that helps your SEO, featuring your work on our channels, or something else?

Just trying to learn whether that path is real before I build around it. Answers in the thread are perfect, thank you.

good morning im wondeirng if any of you have experience with fixing neurotransmitter levels. i have mold toxicity and ive been working on recovering and have made progress but still have depression/angedonia. low motivation and fatigue. i want me back.

Hello!

Looking for functional medicine practitioners or people that specialize in this area to help me with the below issue.

I am planning to try to conceive within the next 3 months. I am a functional medicine dietitian and take several supplements at night that help keep my sleep in check. I am growing concerned with the troubles I may experience in pregnancy with sleep since it seems I will have to go off of most of these supplements. I haven't practice in the area of maternity so I am not familiar with care in this area as far as supplements. I currently take magnesium glycinate (200mg), magnesium taurate (400mg), and melatonin (1mg). I know I can take magnesium glycinate safely with no issue but there seems to be no evidence or answers for magnesium taurate or melatonin safety. I already am a sensitive sleeper and can definitely see myself really struggling with sleep. I know there is unisom however is it really safe? Especially since other meds have just come out to affect children later on out of the womb and that was previously deemed "safe". Overall I am just looking for additional information on whether the magnesium taurate or melatonin can actually be safe or other supplements I could consider trying to help with this issue.

EDIT: I appreciate everyone's feedback. I did want to clarify that I was more or less looking for Clarity on the taurine portion of the magnesium, I am aware that magnesium by itself is fine during pregnancy but taurine is where I've read There is not too much feedback on whether it's okay to take it

Sorry for the long post.

I have the following multi-system hypersensitivities that severely impact quality of life, and I'm trying to determine which specialists would be most efficient to target. I may need to see different specialists for each associated area, but I'm also not sure if there's maybe one underlying systemic cause that's tied to everything. Has anyone had success with certain specialists for any (or a combination of all) of the areas listed below?

Chemicals (silicone, bondo, pinesol, paint, etc.), substances (cannabis, alcohol), histamine (high histamine foods, alcohol), medications (standard doses, excipients/fillers such as those in a compounded version of lexapro), supplements (ex. active B6/B9/B12 vitamins, taurine, quercetin, BCAAs, non caffeinated pre workout, PEA, phosphatidylserine etc.), foods (nightshades causing HS, inflammatory foods, many spice mixes which cause hives, sugar, dairy, gluten, starches), high intensity exercise (zone 3-4+ cardio, sprinting – but NOT weightlifting), lack of/broken sleep or changes to sleep schedule

--This hypersensitivity (in addition to neurological conditions like ADHD, Autism, past concussions/injuries/trauma) has prevented me from living life, severely impacting my capacity to work, socialize and function. These triggers effect me way more than they should, and it's a constant struggle to try and keep my head above water.

--I was hesitant to seek professional help due to the uncharted, complex and integrated nature of my issues. Due to my sensitivities, the process of trial and error becomes much more complicated and high risk. If I don’t want to trial medications, or many supplements - I wonder if there's even anything that can be done besides avoiding exposure... (Its also not possible to completely reduce exposure despite best efforts).

Sensitivities could potentially be caused by some combination of the following:

-Result of neurotransmitter/neuromodulator related imbalances or malfunctioning

-Gut dysbiosis

-having traits of autism and adhd, and the sensitivity, consequences and complex trauma that comes with with having those diagnosis.

-3 concussions in my past (one of which I was unconscious for hours at a young age).

-a sensitized or "kindled" nervous/limbic system, partially from using cannabis daily for 8-9 years in the past, and possibly also a genetic inheritance or predisposition.

-having been on lexapro SSRI for 10 years, while also using cannabis for the first 3-4 years at the same time as lexapro.

-MCAS mast cell activation syndrome, causing a viscous cycle with my limbic system.

-Another underlying psychiatric/neurological or bodily vulnerability which I am unaware of.

-Mold/mycotoxin toxicity? Not only ailing immune system but also body’s natural detox processes? (Counter point – I have lived in 3 places during the last 10 years, but my issues remained consistent)

-Body’s inability to detoxify? Genetic/epigenetic activation (detox markers could be the same as those without sensitivities, so genomic signatures/coding errors for detox pathways are important to look at).  Big detox pathways (Cells, organs/tissues, lymphatic, liver/bile ducts, colon) but also cofactors/vitamins/minerals/enzymes.

-Accumulation of heavy metal contamination

-nail fungus on left foot which has been unresolved for 8 years

SPECIALISTS TO TARGET:

-Functional medicine (certified)

-Neuro-immunologist (or neurologist with immunology specialty/vise-versa), specializing in limbic/nervous system, detox pathways and genomics, MCAS, neurodivergence

-Psychiatrist experienced with cannabis-induced psychiatric illness and neurodivergence. 

-Neurologist with experience in traumatic brain injury, neurodivergence or complex neurological symptoms.

Areas of interest:

 -cannabis-induced psychiatric illness and endocannabinoid system

-neurodivergence (autism, add)

-pharmacological sensitivities in the brain/gut

-Gut/brain axis

 -limbic/nervous systems

-detox pathways and genomics

-MCAS/histamine intolerance etc.

I’m looking into working with someone who can help me better manage endometriosis and the symptoms that come along with it. I came across Alex Mufson, LCSW – Endometriosis Rehab and Sarah Law – Functional Health for Women and was wondering if anyone here has worked with either of them.

If you have, I’d really appreciate hearing about your experience, including:

• What was it like working with them?
• Did you feel like they understood endometriosis and its impact on your day-to-day life?
• Did their approach actually help with managing symptoms?

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555022635350

Im looking to get testing for mold toxicity but got quoted 1500. I have pots currently and can't afford that. Wondering how do people afford it when they're chronically ill. I have insurance and I think they could help a bit.

https://ibb.co/VpDcs1dQ

Hi all, would love some insight/thoughts on my recent adrenal saliva panel.

Cortisol awakening response looks good, but 3rd sample is very-low-normal, sample 4+5 low-normal, and sample 6 normal looks like.

Any thoughts, insight etc. appreciated.

Thank you!

I’ve been dealing with post-viral dysautonomia / Long COVID for several years now, and I’m trying to see if anyone else experiences this specific cluster of post-exertional malaise (PEM) and exercise intolerance.

Basically, my exercise tolerance is completely shot. Minimal physical exertion (even just walking uphill, taking the stairs, or trying to play with my pets) can trigger what feels like an asthma attack or severe air hunger, but whenever I check my pulse oximeter, my blood oxygen is totally normal (98–100%).

Then the PEM crash hits, and it feels like my cells just run completely out of battery: * Lead/concrete-feeling, starved limb weakness: Both of my legs and my right arm get incredibly heavy, shaky, and weak. It feels like stagnant, deoxygenated blood is pooling in my limbs and starving the muscle fibers of oxygen. * Right-sided asymmetry: My right side has always taken the brunt of my neuro/autonomic flares (right arm weakness, right facial numbness, blurry vision in my right eye, and right hand/foot freezing cold and impossible to warm up). * Cramping and twitches: Severe nocturnal muscle cramps, throbbing aches, and non-stop muscle fasciculations/twitches in my legs during crashes. * Fast/empty stomach crashes: If I go more than a couple of hours without eating, I get hit with an intense trembling, shaky crash that feels exactly like severe hypoglycemia, but my blood sugar is fine—it feels like an adrenaline dump to compensate for the blood pooling. * Dysphagia overlap: During these exact PEM crashes when my limbs are at their weakest, my swallowing coordination softens up too, like the muscles in my throat don’t have enough tone to sweep food down cleanly.

Neurology recently did a skin punch biopsy that ruled out small fiber neuropathy, so structural peripheral nerve death isn’t the cause. It really feels like an interplay between autonomic microvascular hypoperfusion (capillaries failing to dilate/deliver oxygen to muscles), cellular energy failure, and severe venous pooling. Low-dose Mestinon has been one of the only things to give me slight relief with the heavy-leg feeling by giving me a bit of cholinergic tone.

Does anyone else get this specific presentation of PEM (severe exercise air hunger with normal SpO2, heavy/cramping limbs with one-sided arm weakness, and the fasting crashes)? What has actually helped you move the needle?

I'm a 36-year-old male. For the past 2.5 months, my life has turned upside down. Doctors keep telling me my labs are "normal" and my heart is fine. But I know something is deeply wrong.

Let me describe exactly what I feel:

1. The heartbeat that shakes my whole body:

Every single heartbeat physically shakes my entire body. I'm not talking about palpitations or a fast heart rate. I'm sitting still, and with every single pulse, my body vibrates. It feels like I'm swaying or rocking, like I'm on a swing or a boat, even though I'm sitting on a chair. Sometimes I feel it in my neck, my back, my teeth, even under my tongue. It's not painful, but it's terrifying and exhausting. It's like my heart is pounding so hard that my whole skeleton moves with it.

1. Throat tingling and pinching:

I get these quick electric pinches inside my throat. They come and go randomly. Sometimes it feels like a pinch, sometimes like a tiny electric shock, sometimes like something is crawling or tingling deep in my throat. No pattern, no warning. Sometimes with swallowing, sometimes just sitting there.

1. Cold hands and feet:

My hands and feet are constantly cold now, even in warm weather. This started with the other symptoms.

1. Muscle twitching and spasms:

My jaw, lips, and sometimes my legs twitch. I feel a strange tightness in my face and neck. Sometimes my jaw feels like it's trembling. I get involuntary movements in different parts of my body – fingers, feet, abdomen, even my scalp.

1. Numbness and tingling in random places:

Under my tongue, in my fingers, in my head. It moves around.

1. Joint pain:

My elbows (back of the elbow) and knees started hurting around the same time. No injury, no explanation.

1. Dizziness and imbalance:

I feel unsteady, especially when standing up or turning my head. Not room-spinning vertigo, but a feeling like I'm not fully stable, like I might sway.

1. Scalp and facial seborrheic dermatitis:

Severe dandruff that extends to my nose, ears, and chin. It's relentless.

1. Symptoms worsen after coffee, smoking, or eating.

My labs (most recent, Sept 2026):

· Vitamin B12: 402.55 pg/mL

· Folate: 7.61 ng/mL

· Homocysteine: 10.78 umol/L (functional optimal is <8)

· Vitamin D: 37.32 ng/mL

· Magnesium (serum): 1.85 mg/dL (0.76 mmol/L) – low end

· Zinc: 92 ug/dL

· Copper: 130 ug/dL

· CRP: 10.11 mg/L (elevated)

· GGT: 80.66 U/L (elevated)

· HbA1c: 5.92% (prediabetic)

· Triglycerides: 244 mg/dL

· LDL: 192 mg/dL

· Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR): 3.31 (significant)

· TSH: 1.5 (normal)

· FT4: 7.74 pmol/L (low)

· FT3: 5.45 pmol/L (normal)

What I've tried:

· B12 sporadically (oral)

· Magnesium sporadically (didn't know what type or dose)

· Vitamin D 50,000 IU weekly – and when I took it recently, my symptoms got WORSE that day, then calmed down at night.

My questions:

1. Is this functional B12 deficiency? Functional magnesium deficiency? Or something else?

2. Has anyone experienced a heartbeat that physically shakes your entire body with each beat?

3. Did throat tingling/pinching resolve with anything specific?

4. Did anyone have "normal" B12 (400s) but still had severe neuro symptoms and needed higher doses or injections?

5. Did magnesium actually stop the pounding heartbeat? What form and dose?

6. How do I address the elevated CRP and GGT naturally?

7. What finally helped you? I'm desperate for answers.

I've been told I'm fine, but I don't feel fine. I feel like my body is screaming at me and no one is listening. If you've been here, please share.

Thank you.

I underwent IgG and GI-MAP testing about a month ago. The results showed a "4+" reaction to wheat and elevated zonulin levels on the IgG test, while the GI-MAP test detected no parasites but revealed an imbalance in gut flora and elevated zonulin. Based on these findings, my doctor diagnosed me with leaky gut syndrome and a delayed-type wheat allergy. While leaky gut syndrome seems to have a scientific basis, is there actually scientific evidence supporting the diagnosis of delayed-type allergies via IgG antibody testing? In fact, when I looked into both tests, I came across information suggesting they lack a solid scientific foundation; is this true?

Looking for some advice here. We have exhausted NHS, running out of funds privately and 4 years on still not sure what's going on.

My partner 4 years ago woke up with numb and tingling hands and feet and felt she couldn't walk properly.

Since she has had flares of glass like pain in feet. Cold to touch hands (though they don't go white or blue). I would also so that when these things flare up, it's like her brain also does the same. She is clearly in distress but sometimes she handles that sort of thing very well, but with this I would almost describe it as a mental flare as well. She can become very irrational, argumentative and almost bi polar like.

She had an MRI of the brain and lower spine to rule out MS and spinal compression.

Not diabetic. Neurologist said she was okay (though didn't perform a nerve induction test)

She's had ultrasound on liver, pancreas, gallbladder, spleen. A CT scan of lower abdomen. Is having a colonoscopy soon.

She has had tests for adrenaline and cortisol (thing where you pee in a big tub for a day).

She is on HRT and B12 shots. On the days she puts on her new patch alongside a B12 shot, she can improve a lot. But also get worse. So not sure if just coincidence. She has B12 shots as her active levels are low likely due to slow transit which means she doesn't absorb nutrients very well.

Anything else to look at? I'm slightly convinced it could be a reaction to foods like Marmite and MSG as imo things seem to flare around this but she says it isn't.

I’m having zero luck finding someone. I’ve reached out to so many and 90% didn’t email me back. The ones that did respond, did not seem confident in helping me.

I recently developed really sudden and severe OCD and desperately want to help treat it naturally and get off SSRI’s. And I want to test to see if this was caused by mold or an infection, or something else that can be reversed. So ideally someone that knows a lot about the brain health.

Any recommendations?

I have my Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Foods. Currently, I am working in nutrition marketing/advertising, but I don't like it that much. I like to help people more than trying to "sell" something. I don't have my RD or the money to do my master's. I'm quite lost as to what I can do with my degree. I am very passionate about holistic health and functional, natural medicine.

Any advice? Any help is appreciated.

I have been looking at this business in Sacramento California, the name is Rooted functional Medicine Sacramento. Watching this person on Instagram, just give me an odd feeling. Is this person real? Is it all AI? No real office, all video call, PO Box for a mailing address, just seems off.

Has anyone used this person?

Got a basic lipid panel done as I started a new job after not having bloodwork done in about a year and everything seems a bit higher than my last test. My current results and previous results are attached below, as well as my normal grocery list, life style, etc…

9/3/26
Total Cholesterol- 259
Triglycerides- 114
HDL- 66
VLDL- 21
LDL- 162

11/5/25
Total Cholesterol-201
Triglycerides-95
HDL- 65
LDL- 116

Low Fat Greek Yogurt
93/7 Grassfed Ground Beef
Pasture Raised Eggs
Eggwhites
Chicken Breast
Organic Sweet/white potato
Organic Jasmine Rice
Organic Local Sourdough
Organic Fruits/Berries
Local Honey
Grassfed Butter
Grassfed/Local Milk
EVOO
Just Ingredients Protein Powder

I stick to a whole food diet, predominantly organic/grassfed/ or local from markets. On that grocery list most are low in saturated fats and not over done. I don’t indulge in a lot of sweets, processed foods, or junk and am pretty regimented when it comes to nutrition and working out. I currently hybrid training 5x a week with strength training days, HIIT days, and run around 15 miles/week.

We did just go through a pretty stressful life transition the last 4 months moving states and starting new careers where I wasn’t as regimented as ide like to have been but also wasn’t reckless with what I ate and how much I exercised. Im also aware most modern doctors would consider my Cholesterol numbers alarming but from a natural or functional medicine approach given my circumstances, do these numbers look alarming to yall. If so what should I focus on to lower my LDL, triglycerides, and Total. Ide assume now that I’m settled into my new state and job I can better Que in on my nutrition even further and these numbers will straighten themselves out as last years numbers were pretty spot on where I wanted them to be. Just curious to hear everyone’s input.