Need Some Input On Why This Enzyme Is Helping So Much

[shayesmom]

Okay, since going gluten, casein, soy and egg-free, I have felt pretty good. And I have no complaints as to the intricacy of the diet. However, two things have been going on this year that I have not been able to correct. The first is two patches of psoriasis that I haven't been able to rid myself of. The second is that for the first time in years, I actually caught a cold this winter that I have had a hard time getting rid of.

With the psoriasis, I have found some food triggers (like Pepsi...which I gave up) and there is definitely a hormonal component to it as once a month, I get a flare-up. I've played around with multi-vitamins, Vitamin D3 and also Symplex F (which is supposed to help with female hormone issues). It has helped...but hasn't cleared the problem.

With the cold, it just kept coming back and I felt as though there was mucous in my lungs that I just couldn't expel. And after 2 months, it was beginning to lead to a persistent (though infrequent) cough.

In the meantime, my sister who recently gave birth had an attack of bursitis in the knee. Her knee is 3 times the size it's supposed to be and the pain landed her in the emergency room...where after several thousand dollars worth of testing, they could do nothing to help her. She didn't want to take painkillers because she is breastfeeding. And so I suggested an enzyme called Serralone (serratiopeptadase) to help her. Upon reading the label further, I saw that it helps thin mucous so I kept 12 pills for myself. And so we both began our trial on it.

Well....the results have really astounded me. It has done an amazing job at bringing down the inflammation in my sister's knee and has also been amazing as far as a painkiller. She's skipped one dose accidentally and the pain intensifies, so it is actively working....it's not that she's just "getting better". So far she hasn't encountered any issues with breastfeeding or with colic in her 3 month-old. In fact, her dd's dry skin issues have been clearing up in the past week.

In 3 days, it loosened the mucous I had in my right lung and I cleared it all in a 45 minute time span....it was really strange but it felt great afterward. I went through nearly half a box of tissues!

Now, in both my sister and I, there has been HUGE improvements in the psoriasis. We're talking noticable difference with 1 dose (I was taking 2 enzyme caps per day). Now, I am almost out of the enzyme so I stopped taking it for 2 days. And the psoriasis is coming back. And like the symptoms with gluten....it's much more noticable and annoying now that I've had relief for several days. lol! I took one more this morning and it made a difference in the itching within about 30 minutes.

So....my question is, has anyone experienced anything like this? I know that this enzyme "eats" fibrin in the system but I am really shocked at how quickly it worked. And now I am wondering what my long-term implications could be just staying on it to see if it can completely clear the psoriasis. I am not one to take handfuls of supplements, pills or anything of the sort. But this is seriously filling a gap that I hadn't been able to touch with dietary measures. Does anyone have any clue as to why it's working in so many areas at once? And if anyone has working knowledge on enzymes....do you foresee a problem using this as a part of my dietary regimen? Any opinions would be appreciated.

[Rachel--24]

I havent ever taken this enzyme but I'm aware that it can be used to treat hypercoagulation by breaking down fibrin...as you mentioned.

Hypercoagulation can lead to all kinds of health issues since it makes it difficult for the body to assimilate nutrients, fight off infections, remove toxins, etc. Its a condition that is very common in chronic illness...especially when there are hidden chronic ifections or alot of toxins in the body.

The immune system will produce excess fibrin as a way of trying to "fix" things. The fibrin is used to "wall off" certain toxins or pathogens but as the fibrin accumulates the blood doesnt flow as efficiently. Thick blood actually promotes poor health by creating a toxic environment.

By using an enzyme to break down fibrin (taken away from food) it allows the immune system to fight off pathogens that were previously buried by layers of fibrin and it allows the blood to flow more freely.

I dont know if taking the enzyme long term would cause problems...my thoughts are that it wouldnt...but I cant say for sure.

If hypercoagulation is an issue and the enzyme is helping with it....it might be in your best interest to try to find out what is causing your body to overly produce fibrin.

Two major aspects of hypercoagulation are infections and hereditary or genetic abnormalities. Chronic infections such as borreliosis, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, human herpes virus 6 and mycoplasma have all been associated with hypercoagulation. These infections appear to be the driving force behind the greater tendency to form blood clots. Infections may elevate levels of fibrinogen, fibrin, thrombin/antithrombin complexes, fragment 1+2, and Factor II (prothrombin) activity which may decrease capillary blood flow..

Berg states that there are at least three possible causes for this thrombin malfunction:

1.Viruses, bacteria and/or parasites can activate certain antibodies in the immune system, which in this case trigger the continual production of thrombin, generating excessive SFM and fibrin.

2.Predispositional genetic defect in coagulation regulatory proteins (protein C, protein S, Factor VL, prothrombin gene mutation, PAI-1, Lp(a), or elevated homocysteine.

3.Chemical exposure can result in changes that trigger the coagulation process.

The results of this thickened blood are widespread, due to the role blood plays as the major transport of nutrients and oxygen throughout the body:

1.Thicker blood is harder to pump.

2.Muscle, nerve, bone and organs function is impaired because of the inability of sufficient nutrients and oxygen to pass through the capillaries.

3.The fibrin coating the vessel walls, the endothelial cells are no longer able to release heparans, the body's natural blood thinner.

4.Hypercoagulation, by depriving the bowel of blood, may be a major factor in Irritable Bowel Disease.

Viruses and bacteria may be hidden under the fibrin layer coating the vessel walls, essentially hiding them from antibiotic and antiviral treatments.

Some of the symptoms associated with hypercoagulation will surprise few with CFS and/or FM: brainfog, cognitive dysfunction, digestion problems, fatigue, and generalize malaise.

Hypercoagulation is very common in Lyme patients because this is often a hidden infection that can activate the immune system to mass produce fibrin in its attempt to stop the infection.

Either Heparin or certain enzymes are used to treat this condition. Its much more difficult to treat the underlying causes while the blood is hypercoagulated.

[shayesmom]

Yes, I am currently working on trying to figure out why I'd be over-producing fibrin. And I'm very glad that you answered this post because I do believe that I will be finding my answer in your OMG thread...and I've been trying to read 5-10 pages of that post per day. lol! I only started a few days ago and I don't think it would help to just skip to the end. My brain has been on overload since starting that thread! So I've got my work cut out for me.

To be honest, I suspect heavy metal toxicity, though Lyme couldn't be ruled out because I've spent most of my life outdoors....SERIOUSLY OUTDOORS. I've had plenty of insect bites from a very young age, so it's totally possible.

My psoriasis is fairly minor as it's just on the back of my scalp and one knee is affected. So I don't have much to complain about...just a minor annoyance and yet I don't want to let that minor thing turn into something bigger. KWIM?

The doctors around here SUCK. However, I do have a good alternative practioner that is within an hour drive whom I do trust so perhaps I will schedule an appointment to look into the heavy metal issue. I'd also suspect candida....and they all go hand in hand, don't they? I'm also looking at possible parasites as a potential culprit.

Oh boy....I have turned myself into a project now! Kind of a weird thing as up until now, my daughter was the project.

Thanks for your input Rachel. It's greatly appreciated.

[Jestgar]

since it's a proteolytic enzyme it might be something as simple as breaking down the really big proteins that you are eating, thereby (inadvertently) making proteins you're allergic to (even just a little) non-reactive. If both yo and your sister's symptoms are caused by reactions to food, this would explain why it works for you (and why it wouldn't work for everyone).

[Rachel--24]

since it's a proteolytic enzyme it might be something as simple as breaking down the really big proteins that you are eating, thereby (inadvertently) making proteins you're allergic to (even just a little) non-reactive. If both yo and your sister's symptoms are caused by reactions to food, this would explain why it works for you (and why it wouldn't work for everyone).

This is possible if the enzyme is taken with food. In most cases serratiopeptidase is used as an anti-inflammatory and to break down fibrin to increase blood flow.

This super protein digesting enzyme breaks down "non living" matter in the human body, including cysts, arterial plaque, blood clots and scar tissue. It can reduce the levels of dead tissue in the circulatory system, promoting smoother healthier flowing blood. Serratiopeptidase fights fibrin build up in the cardiovascular system, organs and muscle tissue. In addition, histological studies also show it to be a powerful anti-inflammatory. It also is an anti-edemic, preventing swelling and fluid retention.

Any enzyme used to fight fibrin is suppossed to be taken away from food....otherwise it wouldn't be as effective since it would be mostly used up in digesting the meal.

If the enzyme is being taken with food...then yes...it could be reducing allergic reactions caused by undigested food protein.

[Rachel--24]

Yes, I am currently working on trying to figure out why I'd be over-producing fibrin. And I'm very glad that you answered this post because I do believe that I will be finding my answer in your OMG thread...and I've been trying to read 5-10 pages of that post per day. lol! I only started a few days ago and I don't think it would help to just skip to the end. My brain has been on overload since starting that thread! So I've got my work cut out for me.

OMG...you really do have your work cut out for you!!

I have no doubt that you will learn alot in those pages....but seriously...feel free to pop in there with any questions. We dont mind going back over any of the topics previously discussed in that thread.

If you're alot like me (obsessive ) then you will probably want to just read through it. There's a certain amount of silliness in there....we did have a little "party" over there a couple summer's ago.

Definately go to the end and post if you have any questions. Happy reading and I do hope you find some answers in there.

I know that heavy metals do tend to cause skin problems but it could be something else entirely. Its great that you have an alternative practitioner in your area to look into some of the possibilites. Hopefully you can get to the bottom of things.

[shayesmom]

I am not taking the enzyme with food. And what's really weird is that the recommended dosage is 3 capsules spread out during the day. The first 2 days, I only took one capsule per day. And it still made a significant difference. I then moved up to 2 capsules per day but could only maintain that 2 days as I was running out (plus, someone else I knew needed it more...so I gave them 4 of the original 12 caps). Being on 2 per day worked even better, so I am more than curious to see how this goes when my order comes in. I had thought about the possibility it was breaking down food proteins, and this makes sense to an extent. But this enzyme can't possibly stay in the system for a full day at that dose. And I usually take it in the early morning, several hours before eating. However, I do still have my one cup of coffee a day within an hour of taking it. So now I wonder....

The OMG thread has me in a bit of a tail-spin. I know I have a problem with corn to an extent, mostly with whole corn or corn chips. Obviously, corn is in everything! And yet, if I use it in a rotation diet (every 4 days), there are no obvious GI problems or any other "symptoms". I obviously react with Pepsi. But Pepsi is such a junk beverage that I don't know if it's the HFCS, caffeine or any of the other horrible ingredients in it that make me itchy. I quite happily removed it from my diet once I made the connection between drinking it and the itching.

Plus, after reading 20-some odd pages of the OMG thread, I am really wondering about an underlying issue outside of food intolerance. What if some of the food intolerances are just another symptom of something else going on? It seems to me that heavy metals, parasites, leaky gut and candida can cause a cascading effect where foods appear to be the culprit and yet even if you remove the foods...more intolerances would just appear and the cycle would continue without ever really resolving. If the gut is chronically inflamed (and thus not healing), wouldn't it be more likely to have food reactions, even to foods that you aren't necessarily intolerant to? I'm not talking about gluten, casein or soy here. I know those foods can create leaky gut. So I have no interest in reintroducing them ever. But I can't help but wonder how more and more foods become an issue for other people (like potatoes, corn, tomatoes (all the other nightshades), high oxylate foods, lectins, salicylates). OMG! The list is pretty daunting. Is it really the food or can it be something else? 1800 more pages to go!

[Jestgar]

This is possible if the enzyme is taken with food. In most cases serratiopeptidase is used as an anti-inflammatory and to break down fibrin to increase blood flow.

Any enzyme used to fight fibrin is suppossed to be taken away from food....otherwise it wouldn't be as effective since it would be mostly used up in digesting the meal.

If the enzyme is being taken with food...then yes...it could be reducing allergic reactions caused by undigested food protein.

I have some issues with the biology of your quote, but it doesn't really change my statement. If your liver is willing to allow this enzyme into your bloodstream, why would it not digest proteins from a food source?

[Rachel--24]

I have some issues with the biology of your quote, but it doesn't really change my statement. If your liver is willing to allow this enzyme into your bloodstream, why would it not digest proteins from a food source?

I'm not saying that the enzyme cant digest protein from a food source. Of course it can....which is it why its recommended that it be taken away from food. The enzyme immediately goes to work at breaking down these things mentioned in my previous post.

This super protein digesting enzyme breaks down "non living" matter in the human body, including cysts, arterial plaque, blood clots and scar tissue. It can reduce the levels of dead tissue in the circulatory system, promoting smoother healthier flowing blood.

It would not serve the same purpose if taken with food. You would want to take it as far away from food as possible...I think the recommendation is at least 60 minutes from food.

I think if its being taken hours away from food the liklihood that the improvement is due to the enzyme breaking down food protein rather than fibrin is probably slim.

This is just my opinion from reading alot about how enzymes work. I've taken them for the purpose of breaking down fibrin as well as for aiding in digestion. They dont stay in the system for that long. If they are not used up in a certain amount of time they are no longer active.

[Rachel--24]

Plus, after reading 20-some odd pages of the OMG thread, I am really wondering about an underlying issue outside of food intolerance. What if some of the food intolerances are just another symptom of something else going on? It seems to me that heavy metals, parasites, leaky gut and candida can cause a cascading effect where foods appear to be the culprit and yet even if you remove the foods...more intolerances would just appear and the cycle would continue without ever really resolving. If the gut is chronically inflamed (and thus not healing), wouldn't it be more likely to have food reactions, even to foods that you aren't necessarily intolerant to

This is exactly true. All of these underlying issues do create a leaky gut situation and there truelly is a cascading effect which leads to more and more food intolerances as the gut remains inflamed.

The food intolerances would be a symptom that there are underlying issues.

It sounds like you have a really good understanding already. I dont know if we really understood the "whole" picture in the first 20 pages but eventually all of this became very clear. Only 1800 more pages...

[home-based-mom]

Only 1800 more pages...

At 10 pages per day, Vicky will finish reading that puppy in . . . .SIX MONTHS!

I started reading it when I first joined and was fascinated by the contents, but gave up because it was just too much!

[shayesmom]

Well all I can say is that this experience has been very strange indeed. My original reason for taking this enzyme was to help break up mucous. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that it would touch the psoriasis...at least not on that dosage or for that short a period of time. A good friend of mine is on a severely restricted diet, undergoing chelation and taking several supplements and yet it hasn't improved her psoriasis much (but has alleviated the psoriatic arthritis). She's been doing this for 2+ years and being able to watch her progress....I was pretty much assuming that the psoriasis may be a thing that never goes away. Now I am having serious doubts about it.

Rachel, I would like to ask you a question in regards to all the food intolerances (corn, MSG, etc.) that were touched upon in the OMG thread. Where do you stand with all of those today? What foods are you avoiding and has there been any changes as far as more flexibility in your other food intolerances (gluten excluded).

Jestgar, I do think that food proteins may still be an issue. Cross-contamination did cross my mind and at small an exposure, the enzyme may be offsetting the reactions that usually ensue. I won't fully know this until I can experiment a bit more with it.

I can't tell you two how lucky I feel to have both of you responding to this thread. Over the 2+ years I have been coming here, I've benefited greatly from your posts. Most people would run to their doctor with these issues and observations. It has been my experience that I'll get more in-depth answers and information on this site.

Thanks!

[shayesmom]

Yes, I set a goal of finishing it by Christmas!

At 10 pages per day, Vicky will finish reading that puppy in . . . .SIX MONTHS!

I started reading it when I first joined and was fascinated by the contents, but gave up because it was just too much!

[Rachel--24]

Rachel, I would like to ask you a question in regards to all the food intolerances (corn, MSG, etc.) that were touched upon in the OMG thread. Where do you stand with all of those today? What foods are you avoiding and has there been any changes as far as more flexibility in your other food intolerances (gluten excluded).

Unfortunately, there hasnt been any changes as far as what foods I can tolerate.

The only difference is that now I have a much better understanding of what needs to be avoided and why I am reacting to so many foods.

All of the things mentioned in the early pages of that thread are problematic for me. I was focusing more on food chemicals rather than the foods themselves. I had read somewhere that most reactions are from the inability to process these chemicals instead of a reaction to the food. It seemed to ring true for me...especially since all of my allergy and food intolerance testing showed nothing....yet I was reacting to *everything*.

Also, my reactions to the various foods were not always consistent. It seemed like I would reach a threshold and I'd feel very toxic...at that point I'd be extremely sensitive to ALL foods as well as perfumes and other chemicals. Basically I'd start reacting to everything and it would take a week or so to settle down.

Certain foods would push me to the limit more than others. The worst offenders are high phenol foods...salicylates, amines, food colorings, preservatives, additives, etc. I also cannot handle high phenol ingredients in skin products.

Even though this is a huge issue I spent less time on worrying about the foods and more time trying to get to the root cause of it all. I was fine for 31 years with no sign of any intolerance to foods or anything else. Chemicals had never bothered me but quite suddenly I was hit with all of this....and it was after two fillings got drilled out.

I had always suspected mercury as the underlying cause but it took a long time to get with some very knowledgeable Dr.'s and to finally have that confirmed. Although I've been exposed to Lyme it didnt turn out to be a major player in my health issues...but it took several months to determine that. I was never treated aggressively for Lyme. I took some antimicrobial herbs for a short time. The Dr.'s said that the Lyme was just kind of hanging on for the ride while my immune system was knocked down a bit.

Candida is a bigger issue for me and I find that the high phenol foods seem to cause flare-ups...as long as I'm careful not to eat those foods the yeast is somewhat under control.

The phenols set off a cascade that seems to create a very toxic environment in my body....and unfortunately all foods contain phenols (some much higher than others) and my tolerance is very low.

I'd been going through chelation for about 5 months but my Dr.'s have now put this on hold because I'm not letting go of the metals. Very little is coming out. Its been consistent in that the same 9 toxic metals are coming out but in amounts that would indicate that either the metals are not a significant problem...or they are trapped because my detox pathways are not functioning as they should.

It was determined that mercury is the main problem and that my body is not letting go of it....so no more chelation for the time being. I had been told early on that there was the possibility of either a genetic weakness or that the toxic burden from the metals was so great that my detox pathways became impaired. At this time they dont have enough info. about genetics to say for certain that there had to be a genetic weakness from the start.

Its basically the same problems they see with Autism. Fortunately for me the Dr.'s I'm working with are very involved in treating Autism and have quite a bit of knowledge in this area. The majority of the ASD kids are also sensitive to phenols. I looked into the Feingold diet a couple years ago and for the most part I've followed that diet and have done very well on it. The diet focuses on salicylates and artifical food chemicals...in addition I also have to avoid amines and high sulfur containing foods.

All of this points to problems with my sulfation pathway....an important detox pathway that is also found to be impaired in over 90% of cases of autism. I need this pathway to be functioning in order to metabolise these food chemicals as well as to detox the mercury, neurotransmitters, certain hormones, etc.

There are specific enzymes in this pathway which are required for processing phenols and all food chemicals. When the enzymes are inhibited these chemicals cannot be metabolised as efficiently and will build up to toxic levels in the body....causing all kinds of inflammation. It also creates a heavier burden on the pathway and as a result more toxins accumulate.

One of the most damaging effects that mercury has is its ability to inhibit or block any enzyme system in the body. Not everybody will be affected the same but if a person is already susceptible due to genetic weaknesses critical pathways may become blocked....and that appears to be the case with me.

Its a chain of events that can lead to impaired detoxification, chronic infections, leaky gut, autoimmune disease, food intolerance, endocrine disorders, etc.

Even though my situation with the foods and chemical sensitivities is severe....I function very well when I'm not overloading my system. I sometimes feel almost normal, I can think clearly, I have energy, I have very little pain, etc. This can all change very drastically if I'm not careful....so my diet is extremely limited.

I'm very determined to overcome this...I have a huge list of foods that I cant wait to eat again!

My Dr. thinks that its possible I've always had problems with my pathway and that my body was always struggling to process high phenol foods without my being aware of it. I may have been "on the edge" for many years until things just got pushed too far. Salicylates are by far the worst offenders for me and they inhibit the enzymes up to 50% under normal circumstances. I'm assuming that if these enzymes were already deficient I may have just got hit with too many things at once with the mercury exposure being the most damaging to my body.

I also need to be metabolising sulfur in order to detox the mercury and currently I dont seem able to handle sulfur...and this also seems to rise to toxic levels.

So thats where I'm at right now. I'm no better with the foods but all of the puzzle pieces are falling into place. My Dr. says that we will get it all figured out and I believe that we will. There are some "glitches" that we need to identify and once we do that she doesnt feel that correcting the problem will be difficult in my particular case.

I'm not 100% gluten free since Xmas...I've been having some gluten here and there. Some products I do better with than others and my reactions are less severe than what I experience with other foods. I take enzymes to help process the phenols (No-Fenol) as well as enzymes to digest gluten, dairy and other proteins (AFP -Peptizyde)....I'm still eating very little of these foods though.

There are alot of enzymes that I havent tolerated but I do really well with these.

I think that after reading your posts I'll try the Serratiopeptidase for addressing fibrin. One of my Dr.'s put me on an enzyme for this but I didnt notice much of a difference and I stopped taking it. Other enzymes were not an option because I did not test well for them (I always have some form of muscle testing to determine which supplements I can tolerate). I was never tested for Serratiopeptidase and it looks like the brand you take isnt derived from a vegetable source....so I think it might work.

Yes, I set a goal of finishing it by Christmas!

Then my goal is to resolve these food issues before you finish the thread!

[jewi0008]

Maybe you could put up a daily food journal for us. I take digestive enzymes and I know they help, but I'd be curious to see what you eat/others eat, as my problems have not completely gone away.

Unfortunately, there hasnt been any changes as far as what foods I can tolerate.

The only difference is that now I have a much better understanding of what needs to be avoided and why I am reacting to so many foods.

All of the things mentioned in the early pages of that thread are problematic for me. I was focusing more on food chemicals rather than the foods themselves. I had read somewhere that most reactions are from the inability to process these chemicals instead of a reaction to the food. It seemed to ring true for me...especially since all of my allergy and food intolerance testing showed nothing....yet I was reacting to *everything*.

Also, my reactions to the various foods were not always consistent. It seemed like I would reach a threshold and I'd feel very toxic...at that point I'd be extremely sensitive to ALL foods as well as perfumes and other chemicals. Basically I'd start reacting to everything and it would take a week or so to settle down.

Certain foods would push me to the limit more than others. The worst offenders are high phenol foods...salicylates, amines, food colorings, preservatives, additives, etc. I also cannot handle high phenol ingredients in skin products.

Even though this is a huge issue I spent less time on worrying about the foods and more time trying to get to the root cause of it all. I was fine for 31 years with no sign of any intolerance to foods or anything else. Chemicals had never bothered me but quite suddenly I was hit with all of this....and it was after two fillings got drilled out.

I had always suspected mercury as the underlying cause but it took a long time to get with some very knowledgeable Dr.'s and to finally have that confirmed. Although I've been exposed to Lyme it didnt turn out to be a major player in my health issues...but it took several months to determine that. I was never treated aggressively for Lyme. I took some antimicrobial herbs for a short time. The Dr.'s said that the Lyme was just kind of hanging on for the ride while my immune system was knocked down a bit.

Candida is a bigger issue for me and I find that the high phenol foods seem to cause flare-ups...as long as I'm careful not to eat those foods the yeast is somewhat under control.

The phenols set off a cascade that seems to create a very toxic environment in my body....and unfortunately all foods contain phenols (some much higher than others) and my tolerance is very low.

I'd been going through chelation for about 5 months but my Dr.'s have now put this on hold because I'm not letting go of the metals. Very little is coming out. Its been consistent in that the same 9 toxic metals are coming out but in amounts that would indicate that either the metals are not a significant problem...or they are trapped because my detox pathways are not functioning as they should.

It was determined that mercury is the main problem and that my body is not letting go of it....so no more chelation for the time being. I had been told early on that there was the possibility of either a genetic weakness or that the toxic burden from the metals was so great that my detox pathways became impaired. At this time they dont have enough info. about genetics to say for certain that there had to be a genetic weakness from the start.

Its basically the same problems they see with Autism. Fortunately for me the Dr.'s I'm working with are very involved in treating Autism and have quite a bit of knowledge in this area. The majority of the ASD kids are also sensitive to phenols. I looked into the Feingold diet a couple years ago and for the most part I've followed that diet and have done very well on it. The diet focuses on salicylates and artifical food chemicals...in addition I also have to avoid amines and high sulfur containing foods.

All of this points to problems with my sulfation pathway....an important detox pathway that is also found to be impaired in over 90% of cases of autism. I need this pathway to be functioning in order to metabolise these food chemicals as well as to detox the mercury, neurotransmitters, certain hormones, etc.

There are specific enzymes in this pathway which are required for processing phenols and all food chemicals. When the enzymes are inhibited these chemicals cannot be metabolised as efficiently and will build up to toxic levels in the body....causing all kinds of inflammation. It also creates a heavier burden on the pathway and as a result more toxins accumulate.

One of the most damaging effects that mercury has is its ability to inhibit or block any enzyme system in the body. Not everybody will be affected the same but if a person is already susceptible due to genetic weaknesses critical pathways may become blocked....and that appears to be the case with me.

Its a chain of events that can lead to impaired detoxification, chronic infections, leaky gut, autoimmune disease, food intolerance, endocrine disorders, etc.

Even though my situation with the foods and chemical sensitivities is severe....I function very well when I'm not overloading my system. I sometimes feel almost normal, I can think clearly, I have energy, I have very little pain, etc. This can all change very drastically if I'm not careful....so my diet is extremely limited.

I'm very determined to overcome this...I have a huge list of foods that I cant wait to eat again!

My Dr. thinks that its possible I've always had problems with my pathway and that my body was always struggling to process high phenol foods without my being aware of it. I may have been "on the edge" for many years until things just got pushed too far. Salicylates are by far the worst offenders for me and they inhibit the enzymes up to 50% under normal circumstances. I'm assuming that if these enzymes were already deficient I may have just got hit with too many things at once with the mercury exposure being the most damaging to my body.

I also need to be metabolising sulfur in order to detox the mercury and currently I dont seem able to handle sulfur...and this also seems to rise to toxic levels.

So thats where I'm at right now. I'm no better with the foods but all of the puzzle pieces are falling into place. My Dr. says that we will get it all figured out and I believe that we will. There are some "glitches" that we need to identify and once we do that she doesnt feel that correcting the problem will be difficult in my particular case.

I'm not 100% gluten free since Xmas...I've been having some gluten here and there. Some products I do better with than others and my reactions are less severe than what I experience with other foods. I take enzymes to help process the phenols (No-Fenol) as well as enzymes to digest gluten, dairy and other proteins (AFP -Peptizyde)....I'm still eating very little of these foods though.

There are alot of enzymes that I havent tolerated but I do really well with these.

I think that after reading your posts I'll try the Serratiopeptidase for addressing fibrin. One of my Dr.'s put me on an enzyme for this but I didnt notice much of a difference and I stopped taking it. Other enzymes were not an option because I did not test well for them (I always have some form of muscle testing to determine which supplements I can tolerate). I was never tested for Serratiopeptidase and it looks like the brand you take isnt derived from a vegetable source....so I think it might work.

Then my goal is to resolve these food issues before you finish the thread!

[Rachel--24]

Maybe you could put up a daily food journal for us. I take digestive enzymes and I know they help, but I'd be curious to see what you eat/others eat, as my problems have not completely gone away.

Having been through all the elimination diets I can honestly say that there are no "safe" foods for me....I'm just not able to metabolise the phenols in most foods. My Dr. has only one other patient with such a low tolerance for phenols...a little girl.

What I can eat depends on how burdened my system is. If I'm feeling really good I can usually tolerate a few things that I wouldnt be able to tolerate on a bad day. If I'm exposed to perfumes all day this will carry over and have an effect on my tolerance for foods. Likewise, if I eat foods that place a burden on my system...I will become more sensitive to perfumes and environmental toxins.

The only foods that I can eat on a daily basis without worsening my symptoms are organic grass fed beef and organic frozen peas. Thats it. I've been eating those 2 foods for well over a year now.

I do eat a small variety of other foods but its kind of random depending on how I feel...I try to keep symptoms at a minimum so if I start to feel bad I back off and stick to the beef and peas until I feel better. I sometimes eat pears and mangoes, I'll eat some bread now and then (never a good idea), occassionally some ricotta cheese, sometimes a mango sorbet or coconut bliss, tortilla chips, popcorn, Ians chicken nuggets and anything else I find that has a very short list of ingredients...and preferably organic.

With the exception of the chicken nuggets most things I eat have less than 5 ingredients. Everything but the beef and peas will cause me problems so I cant eat large amounts and I cant eat them daily.

I eat very little fruits, veggies, nuts, spices or herbs because they contain the highest amounts of salicylates. My condition always deteriorated very quickly when trying to eat as healthy as possible. Go figure!

Those foods significantly increase my toxicity...so I stick with the foods that dont wreak as much havoc on my body. I never was a huge fan of healthy foods anyways.

I never ate that stuff until I got sick...and then I found out that they made me even sicker!

Right now I'm more focused on fixing the problems that have caused this and I dont worry about various food intolerances. I just accept that this is the way its going to be until things are resolved within my body.

I dont think that my desire to get to the root of the problem would be any less had I only been intolerant to 10 or 20 foods. I would still feel instinctively that something is not quite right.

Earlier this year I was actually eating more freely and without consequence. This lasted about a month. I wouldnt say that I was ever completely symptom free but my tolerance was definately increased....and I was LOVING it!

I believe that I was benefiting from my chelation treatments but then went downhill while having mineral replacement IV's. The chelation was pulling out quite a bit of copper but once I started mineral IV'S I was putting alot back in. If my copper stores are too high it could be inhibiting the function of some critical enzymes. I plan on getting my copper levels tested to see if thats the case.

[Rachel--24]

Vicky...did you order the Serralone online or were you able to purchase it somewhere in your area? I'll probably order it tomorrow but I'm not very patient when it comes to waiting for things to be shipped. I get disappointed everyday when my stuff hasnt shown up yet.

I'd rather drive in traffic for an hour then to have to wait 2 days for something to show up in the mail.

[shayesmom]

Vicky...did you order the Serralone online or were you able to purchase it somewhere in your area? I'll probably order it tomorrow but I'm not very patient when it comes to waiting for things to be shipped. I get disappointed everyday when my stuff hasnt shown up yet.

I'd rather drive in traffic for an hour then to have to wait 2 days for something to show up in the mail.

I ordered the Serralone on-line. It's not available out here, but if you're out West....you may be able to find it locally. Mine is being shipped in from Texas at the moment. I definitely would have driven to get this (if it had been anything under a 3 day drive! ).

I know there are other enzyme mixtures out there that contain serratiopeptadase, but this is the one that was recommended to me a few years ago and I really trust the person who recommended it. It is quite possibly the most potent and purest form as well. When I started researching out health information, I was researching cancer (my Dad's), not Celiac. Eventually, I switched over to researching Celiac and I was amazed at the similarities of what worked...as far as diet/nutrition.

One of the most damaging effects that mercury has is its ability to inhibit or block any enzyme system in the body. Not everybody will be affected the same but if a person is already susceptible due to genetic weaknesses critical pathways may become blocked....and that appears to be the case with me.

Its a chain of events that can lead to impaired detoxification, chronic infections, leaky gut, autoimmune disease, food intolerance, endocrine disorders, etc.

This is what I suspect to be a problem with both my daughter and I. Yes, there is now one case of diagnosed Celiac Disease in the family. But I had my dd tested for heavy metals and she had elevated levels of mercury, tin, antimony, bismuth, aluminum and several others. We tried oral chelation but the DMSA smells like skunk....so you can imagine the difficulty of trying to get a toddler to take it in any medium. I've had to switch to other methods which aren't nearly as effective. However, once I realized the "problem", I refused any further vaccinations, switched out all pots and pans to stainless steel instead of aluminum and am very conscious of other food sources of mercury. And low and behold, things have gotten better by the day for my dd. The further we get from the vaccines, the better the daily living situation is for her. After reading a bit about the Hannah Poling case, I realize that we were probably one step (injury) away from spiraling down into autism. And so I don't regret stepping away from the mandated vaccine schedule as I truly believe that there is an underlying mitochondrial disorder at work. And considering that with my dd, new food allergies appeared with each vaccine....I will not risk her immediate health any further. I've had to fire several pediatricians over this, but ultimately, we are the ones living with the consequences. I will not damage my child any further for the "good of the whole". The "whole" is not incurring the financial and physical burden this all brings.

In the meantime, I spend time researching ways to both prevent and treat the potential health issues that vaccines *prevent*. So far, so good. My dd is one of the healthiest children in her class these days as far as the colds, flus, strep, and other illnesses that are floating around. This doesn't mean she doesn't get sick, just that she seems to have very mild forms of the illnesses going around and is generally over them in 2 days with little fuss. I'm slowly learning my herbals and supplements and also learning how to use food to treat illness. It's is surprising how effective this can be.

I'm sorry to hear that there's no change in the food intolerances and that chelation has had to be put on hold for now. Of course, you and I both know that this is a temporary situation. Often when this kind of thing happens, it's because we're supposed to learn something else before moving forward again.

Out of curiosity.....what is your opinion on the skin creams to help with chelation? And have you ever looked into the detox foot pads to help draw out toxins (not the ones currently being advertised on tv)? Now...I know that the foot pad thing sounds crazy (well...it sounded crazy to me when I first heard of them). However, when my father had cancer we did give them a shot. And it did help with some of the pain he usually experienced with chemotherapy (the pads would turn black at first and in a couple of weeks they would eventually be clean). Now, my father was a very conventional medicine kind of guy. But during his battle with cancer, he ended up on the alternative side of the fence. Too little, too late....but that's a whole other story. In any case, I only ask because you mentioned the variability of daily toxic burden. I don't believe the pads would help with the underlying issues, but I do wonder about the occasional overloads that happen along the way. My father said they specifically helped with the excruciating leg pain he normally had following chemotherapy. When he used the pads, the pain disappeared as did the symptom of "stiff" skin.

[shayesmom]

P.S.

Throughout this post, I forgot to mention one thing about the psoriasis. My psoriasis started appearing about 6 months into the gluten-free diet. I then took out dairy and soy and it began clearing up but never quite went back to normal. At first, I only had a small patch on my knee. In the past 6 months, it appeared on the back of my scalp. This is why I believe that there are underlying issues beyond gluten/food intolerance.

My sister suggested that perhaps the psoriasis was due to something I had added (or substituted) into my diet when going gluten/dairy/soy/egg-free. However, my "gut" feeling on this is that most of the foods I removed contain estrogens (or phytoestrogens). Coupled with the once a month flare-up, it is my belief that hormone issues are involved in this.

[mftnchn]

I'm fascinated by your posts, won't add too much for now except that I am taking an enzyme for the fibrin issue called nattokinase. I take it away from food (as best I remember!), twice a day. I believe it is helping though I haven't had the clear results you have had. I have done Chinese treatment for detox called Gua Sha, and usually turn black and blue from "stagnant" blood just under the skin surface, but after starting nattokinase, that has greatly cleared up much to my surprise.

Sherry

[mftnchn]

BTW, I felt the same way about the OMG thread--too overwhelming to even try! But I was encourage to just pop in and join and I did, and am SO GLAD! I've gotten a lot of help and support there and now I do keep up at least reading the posts but I'd never manage to go back and read the previous posts.

Feel free to just jump in and introduce yourself.

[shayesmom]

I'm fascinated by your posts, won't add too much for now except that I am taking an enzyme for the fibrin issue called nattokinase. I take it away from food (as best I remember!), twice a day. I believe it is helping though I haven't had the clear results you have had. I have done Chinese treatment for detox called Gua Sha, and usually turn black and blue from "stagnant" blood just under the skin surface, but after starting nattokinase, that has greatly cleared up much to my surprise.

Sherry

I know of two people who used nattokinase to help unblock arteries. It worked for them and came highly recommended but I definitely cannot do soy in any kind of quantity.

I've been trying to read more on Celiac and enzyme deficiency and have found a few articles worthy of mention. It is observed that someone who is taking protease enzymes and is gluten-free will see positive results. But if gluten is introduced, the reaction with the protease enzyme is even more pronounced. Open Original Shared Link.

Another article on that site that I found interesting in light of the results I have had with this enzyme:

"Stanford researchers find cause, possible cure for gluten intolerance

Public release date: 26-Sep-2002

STANFORD, Calif. - A team of investigators led by Stanford University researchers have discovered the cause and a potential treatment for celiac sprue, an autoimmune disease that leads to an inability to digest gluten, a major protein in wheat, rye and barley products. The disease is estimated to afflict as many as 1 in 200 Americans. In the Sept. 27 issue of Science, researchers identify a fragment of gluten called gliadin as the celiac culprit. They showed that this fragment is resistant to digestion and is responsible for the intestine-damaging inflammatory response experienced by celiac patients. They also report the use of a dietary enzyme made by a bacterium that can break down the fragment into harmless bits, suggesting future treatment through dietary supplements.

In the laboratory, Shan simulated the digestive process, exposing gliadin to digestive enzymes in test tubes. She identified a protein fragment made up of 33 amino acids that was resistant to further digestion and whose structure was known to be toxic. Most proteins are broken down into small peptides of between two and six amino acids or into single amino acids. She then repeated her study in rats and again in test tubes using tissue taken by biopsy from patients undergoing unrelated medical procedures. "Even with prolonged treatment (exposure to intestinal enzymes), the peptide doesn't lose the ability to induce the inflammatory response," Shan said.

When they looked more closely at the fragment, Shan and her colleagues found that it was made up of even smaller fragments already known to induce human T-cells to attack the intestine. The team in Norway then measured the ability of the gliadin fragment to induce autoimmune activity. "The response by T-cells was about 10 to 20 times higher than the smaller peptides themselves," Shan said.

Because the fragment is rich in the amino acid proline, investigators reasoned that a peptidase (an enzyme that breaks down proteins) with the ability to digest proline-rich chains might be able to break down the gliadin fragment, rendering it harmless to celiac patients. They have now shown that this is the case in test tubes and in rats. Because there are no animal models of celiac disease, testing this approach in humans is a long way off and will require further preclinical work, Khosla said. "We think that this mode of therapy - peptidase supplementation - may offer hope in treating celiac sprue eventually, and we're going to test this hypothesis.

Soooo, this latest experiment on myself is proving more interesting than most. Even if the enzyme could render gluten/gliadin inactive, I still wouldn't eat it! That's just not an acceptable risk in my mind. But if I have an enzyme deficiency and the Serralone is truly helping, I have no problem continuing with it. But I do want to know how this enzyme thing ties in with the bigger picture.

[Rachel--24]

I know of two people who used nattokinase to help unblock arteries. It worked for them and came highly recommended but I definitely cannot do soy in any kind of quantity.

I also cannot handle soy....which is one of the reasons the Dr. had a hard time finding an enzyme that I could tolerate for the fibrin issue. I've heard good things about Natto..but its just not for me. I was taking Carnivora (derived from Venus FlyTrap) but I just didnt notice that it was helping much.

I was impressed with your posts about Serralone and I'm going to give it a try....I havent taken anything for hypercoagulation since last summer. One of my Dr.'s has all of his patients on some type of enzyme to address the fibrin issue....he had told me that its a factor in all chronic disease so he doesnt bother with any testing and just puts every patient on an enzyme to improve circulation.

I know its an issue for me but I havent been putting much focus on it recently....so thanks for bringing it up here.

I've been trying to read more on Celiac and enzyme deficiency and have found a few articles worthy of mention. It is observed that someone who is taking protease enzymes and is gluten-free will see positive results. But if gluten is introduced, the reaction with the protease enzyme is even more pronounced. Open Original Shared Link.

I recently came across this article and found it interesting. They mention Peptizyde in the article....which is the enzyme I'm currently taking. This enzyme was specially formulated for helping with gluten and dairy in autistic children and the results have been amazing. Open Original Shared Link

My Dr. has seen really good results with Peptizyde and it seems to be well tolerated.

Of course this is not recommended for anyone with Celiac Disease but only for those who are gluten intolerant.

Peptizyde contains high amounts of DPPIV....which is necessary for digesting gluten and dairy. Many of the kids have a deficiency of this enzyme and the Peptizyde seems to work quite well. I dont think its a coincidence that the DPPIV enzyme is particularly sensitive to mercury. Its easily inhibited by mercury and other heavy metals.

If I felt at risk for Celiac Disease I dont think I'd be as willing to "go there"....however I am not genetically susceptible and had negative bloodwork and biopsy. I know that there is some thought that all cases of intolerance are early stages of Celiac....however, I've never been convinced of this. I dont think its a possibility to aquire a genetic disease that one is not genetically susceptible to....but this is just my own opinion. I was pretty much at my worst in the first couple years of this illness....so if I didnt have Celiac then...I dont think I'll ever get it. I just dont think I could possibly be any worse off than I was at that time.

I do believe that I currently have alot of enzyme dysfunction and because of that I just dont have the ability to break down the foods I eat. I do fine with Peptizyde but I dont go crazy with gluteny foods anyways. Too many other ingredients to worry about.

It seems that Peptizyde has the opposite effect for those with Celiac Disease...and can actually worsen symptoms. I suppose it could be an indicator for those who seem to get worse that Celiac testing should be pursued.

[shayesmom]

In reference to the enzymes your Dr. told you to take for the fibrin. More times than not, nattokinase is offered. I imagine that the reason for this is availability. With serratiopeptadase, it just hasn't been available in the U.S. market that long. It is used quite commonly in Europe, Asia and Japan. In fact, in Europe, it is often prescribed by doctors as opposed to NSAIDS. Works just as well and relatively no side effects. Psoriasis issues aside, my original plan was to take it for the congestion as well as to stock it for the medicine cabinet as opposed to Tylenol and other anti-inflammatory/painkillers. I've begun a "natural" medicine cabinet at home to start dealing with some of the unexpected acute health issues that arrive. I tend to go for safety and efficacy first and foremost. Heck...I even made my own herbal cough syrup this year and it worked like a charm. And it was easy to do! So now, this is on the *must have* list. lol!

I got my shipment in today and was slightly bummed that I had just eaten a half hour before it arrived. But, I'm on the downside of the monthly flare-up, so overall the timing was decent. I think that I will start taking some pictures of the psoriasis to document my progress.

Rachel, I am glad that this post brought the issue with hypercoagulation forward again for you. And I hope that it helps you the way it has helped my sister and I. I can offer one more piece of anecdotal evidence in regards to the Serralone.

The reason that we had it in the first place was because I ordered it to help treat some side effects of chemotherapy in my father. He had a platelet count that was 2 or 3 x above normal. As I got to reading about platelets, I learned that they were so small that other things in the blood could be counted/confused as platelets. Hmmm...well, chemotherapy kills off a lot of cells so I reasoned that this could account for the elevated platelets. So, we put my father on a dose of 3 capsules per day. He had his blood checked 1 - 2 days into this and his count went back within normal range. His oncologist was a bit surprised (as were we because we were dealing with stage IV cancer and it's not like you get a lot of good news at that point).

Unfortunately, we didn't know the other benefits of this product so we didn't keep him on it for more than a week or so. Looking back, it would have been perfect for so many other problems that arose.

At any rate, I bought that bottle of Serralone back in 2005. So the enzymes that my sister and I took are not a new batch. I didn't see an expiration date, but I question whether or not the supplement is as potent when it's been shelved that long.

I am really looking forward to moving forward with this trial. So when you get yours, share how it works! At this point, I am also wondering if it would work on something like amyloidosis. A friend of the family wants to try it as she has been labelled "terminal", has been given 2-3 months to live by her doctors. They told her to call hospice for further care. I can't blame her for looking for hope. Hopefully, hospice will approve it for her as the Coumadin she takes is making her ill and causing blood vessels in her eyes to burst. Last I heard, the doctors wanted her off, but weren't sure what else she could take, if anything.

[Rachel--24]

Sorry to hear about your friend.

Hopefully the Serralose will be approved and she can try it. I do know that enzymes used to break down fibrin have been useful in fighting cancer. Alot of times tumors are allowed to grow because they are essentially "hidden" beneath layers of fibrin....by uncovering the tumors treatments are more effective and the immune system can also fight what it can "see".

I dont know what her situation is but its certainly worth a try.

Good for you for looking into natural treatments and for taking initiative in looking for answers. Your daughter is lucky to have you looking out for her.

My Dr.'s are all very pleased that I take an active role in researching and bringing various things to their attention. I dont believe I would get very far if not for being proactive. Its not that I dont think my Dr.'s are amazing...because they truelly are...but they have many patients and they cant possibly know my body better than I do. I feel like I have to be involved in order to help them to help me.

I agree that alot of people will just go to the Dr. and wait for it all to be figured out for them....my own experience with that was disatrous and left me severely depressed.

I did try to be proactive early on but the conventional Dr.'s that I was seeing at the time wouldnt hear any of it.

I will definately share my experience with the enzyme. I share everything I've done in the OMG thread but I will also post here regarding the Serralone.

These are some of the enzymes my Dr. uses for hypercoagulation.

•Boluoke- up to 3 daily

•Nattokinase- up to 3 daily

•Lumbrokinase- up to 3 daily

•Rechts Regulat- 1 Tablespoon twice daily

•Wobenzym N- starting at 4 twice daily and increasing

•Vitalzym X- starting at 4 twice daily and increasing

Serratiopeptidase isnt one that we looked into for me and I ended up on the Carnivora. If I end up noticing any significant improvement it might be something that can work for other patients who might not tolerate these other enzymes. I think most of them contain soy.