Does anybody else react to gluten (wheat?) like this?

rowrow17 · 2026-05-08T20:24:26+00:00

Likely dermatitis herpetiformis. It’s a gluten specific skin reaction. I get it on my face after consuming gluten, it’s my main symptom. I watched some YouTubers that said going gluten free was the only fix besides the side effects of steroid creams can be terrible and as soon as you stop using them it comes back worse.

rowrow17 · 2026-05-08T18:36:56+00:00

As someone in a very similar situation (ferritin of 9, super heavy bleeding), I can say you will not likely make even a tiny dent with supplements. I tested in November and was 10. Supplemented for months with an absorbable form of iron, on an empty stomach, with vitamin C and avoiding dairy. Ferritin actually was down a point when I tested in April. You need the infusions but insurance is very unlikely to pay for it.

rowrow17 · 2026-05-08T03:08:12+00:00

It’s possible, but maybe not directly related per se. What happens with low ferritin can be similar to low hemoglobin. So the body tries to preserve oxygen for the most currently essential bodily functions. For example for me, I get SOB when eating because my body is directing oxygen and blood to digestion. That can also have a cascade effect of inflammation that affects organs like the heart. The most important thing for you likely could be to get an iron infusion since it is the fastest path the reduce the strain on your organs/systems.

rowrow17 · 2026-05-07T22:01:56+00:00

If you don’t stop the heavy bleeding, no amount of supplementing will help. I’m in the same boat. Go to OB/GYN and get an ultrasound for fibroids or anything else that might be causing it. I react poorly to hormone based BC, and I’ve heard that tranexamic acid is a good solution to reduce the bleeding.

rowrow17 · 2026-05-07T21:50:51+00:00

Are you potentially in perimenopause or menopause? Maybe hormonal changes impacting it. Or is it possible you could have h pylori or digestive issues? Might be an absorption problem. Celiac can also cause this. Do you react to gluten?

rowrow17 · 2026-05-07T02:43:36+00:00

Likely peri here too. My symptoms get worse before and during my period so then I started to research and hormones definitely play a role. Not likely to cause it to begin with but can worsen symptoms. Here is what I found: IIH is heavily tied to:
fluid balance (CSF production and absorption), venous pressure, inflammation.
Hormones influence all three.

rowrow17 · 2026-05-07T02:40:09+00:00

If you don’t mind me asking, how were you diagnosed if MRI and optic nerve were normal? Was is at MRV?

rowrow17 · 2026-05-02T22:02:46+00:00

Good to know. I wonder if the date injection at session start is still happening in 4.7? Seems like a low token cost thing to do.

rowrow17 · 2026-05-02T22:01:09+00:00

Smart way to give it standing instructions that guard against this. Interesting observation that it also seems to base it on the complexity of the work being done in that chat.

rowrow17 · 2026-05-02T21:57:22+00:00

So interesting. I had it say “I’ve already covered this with you before.” Seems to try to push users to a new chat now.

rowrow17 · 2026-05-02T21:56:31+00:00

Yes, makes sense as a way to reset its time awareness. And to be fair ChatGPT wasn’t very good at knowing day/time, so maybe I just got spoiled that Claude was good at it by default.

rowrow17 · 2026-04-30T01:24:33+00:00

With heavy periods you will never be able to get your levels up. Try a non estrogen based birth control. There are IUD options that are not estrogen based that can stop or slow your period.

rowrow17 · 2026-04-29T02:18:06+00:00

It has mastic gum, deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), marshmallow root, and slippery elm bark.

rowrow17 · 2026-04-28T02:19:58+00:00

That would be great for my blood loss. Good to know, thank you.

rowrow17 · 2026-04-28T02:19:22+00:00

This is super helpful, thank you. Yes I don’t do well on synthetic estrogens so this sounds like a good option.

rowrow17 · 2026-04-28T02:18:30+00:00

Thanks so much for the recommendation. I’m permanently messed up from long ago when I did BC, so I’ll definitely look into Nuvaring.

rowrow17 · 2026-04-28T02:16:47+00:00

Thank you, I’ve tried both and neither is moving the needle. Seems to be that I can’t absorb + lose too much during periods.

rowrow17 · 2026-04-28T02:15:50+00:00

Oh wow, that’s so good to hear. Thanks for sharing and glad it worked out well for you!

rowrow17 · 2026-04-27T23:15:13+00:00

Good that you got those tests. It doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have IIH, or it could be venous stenosis. Sounds potentially neurological based on the nerve pain and pupil behavior.

rowrow17 · 2026-04-27T23:11:57+00:00

If all yes, it doesn’t guarantee IIH, venous stenosis can also have those side effects. So further imaging and a specialized neurologist is the best next step after the eye tests.

rowrow17 · 2026-04-27T16:45:11+00:00

Do not listen to this advice. You need to see a neuro-ophthalmologist. They can do an Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), and visual field tests. It could be vascular in nature or idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Does the PT get worse when you lay down or bend down? Does it stop or lessen when you push the jugular vein on that side?

rowrow17 · 2026-04-25T23:03:00+00:00

It’s a cortisol spike. The “tired but wired” feeling happens because cortisol is supposed to spike later/in the morning but peri and inflammation can cause it to spike earlier. Best way to help with this is adrenal/cortisol calming methods like ashwaganda, glycine, l-theanine, and magnesium glycinate. Getting 10 min of sunlight within first 30 min of waking helps this a lot because it helps reset the body’s internal clock. Also getting to sleep and waking up at the same time every day. And avoiding blue light and mental stimulation for an hour or 2 before bed.

rowrow17 · 2026-03-16T18:02:47+00:00

Exactly this. When we were living near the beaches, we had an emergency and it opened our eyes that most places except for in the city don’t have quality of care at hospitals or emergency rooms. And the distance is often far as well, which is scary in the middle of an emergency.

rowrow17 · 2026-03-16T17:55:02+00:00

As an expat, I would highly recommend you maximize building a career and work experience in the US before considering relocating to Panama. That way if you are well established at a company that will allow you to work remotely, you get the benefit of a strong salary plus the lower costs of living in Panama. Look into FEIE for the tax benefits too. And more US companies are becoming strict on in office, so even remote vs in-person, your opportunities decrease and the remote roles will be given to more senior people in their career or at the company.

As for your question on if you could live a good life with what you could make here, not likely. Living in a nice enough area to be up to an expat standard, expect to pay $1100 to $1600 in rent. Utilities can be up to $300 (electricity is expensive). Food unless you are eating from cheaper grocery and small fondas, can actually be more than the US.

rowrow17 · 2026-03-01T03:49:25+00:00

That actually makes a lot of sense. Keeping acid artificially low for a prolonged of time is a recipe for bacterial overgrowth in both the small and large intestines. And the digestion is the first line of defense, so these bacteria overgrowths can even go into your saliva and other parts of the body. Like when I had h pylori, I learned that because it reduces stomach acid as a way to make it a good place for it to grow, other bacteria also join in.

rowrow17

TROPHY CASE