Hi Quantum/Observer,
Thank you so much for all this information! I saw my doctor today to discuss this for the first time and it was very helpful.
It's also very, very helpful to see that compiled list of remedies folks have had luck with! I'm reading through them now to see which one to try first. I'll most certainly share everything I learn with my various investigations. I'm also probably going to go to the Mayo Clinic to make sure I don't have any underlying condition. I may try Crowdmed from there just to exhaust all of my resources.
That's interesting to hear about the politics and economy of research. This is all relatively new to me so I know next to nothing about, well, everything. Maybe as I learn more, I'll be able to contribute in some meaningful way to the goal of inspiring research. There too, I'll post anything I find out.
You asked how long I've been dealing with POIS. I've had underlying depression/anxiety/brain fog from gluten intolerance since I reached puberty (though I didn't know the cause). Only in 2012 did I really start to investigate why I was having such a hard time. Long story short, I figured out it was gluten (after a ridiculous procession of doctors) around 2016. Over 2016 I figured out just how sensitive I am and am now able to avoid it consistently. When I DO eat gluten, I become suicidal for about three days (extremely depressed, anxious, foggy head, exhausted, irritable), then over the next ~7 days, I slowly regain my equilibrium. I have nightmares about eating gluten.
But even after I stopped eating gluten (I'm on the extremely sensitive end of the gluten intolerance spectrum so I don't eat out ever, and I only eat what I cook), I realized there were inexplicable bouts of symptoms that were somewhat less severe, but very similar and usually only lasting for something like five days. More emphasis was on the physical fatigue in these instances. My normal 2 mile run is nearly impossible on the first day of these sorts of bouts. I only recently realized these instances coincided, in every single case, with having ejaculated. The intensity of my symptoms vary, but I haven't established the deciding factor there. Maybe quantity. At this point I'm celibate and only eat in alone. It's like living in a monastery or temple
. Of course I can't very well control what my body does while I'm unconscious.
At any rate, I've rambled here, but that's sort of my story since you and Observer asked. I'll let you all know (not on this thread since I think it's probably not the right place) if I learn anything new.
Thanks again for the warm welcome.