Would this brain lactate elevation be subjectively felt as a "feverish" feeling or some other kind of cerebral malaise?Elevated lactate either in brain tissue or CSF
When a diabetes med gave me symptoms of lactic acidosis, the headache was unlike anything I'd experienced before. It was a burning pain which really felt like my brain was soaked in acid. I couldn't think coherently during the worst of it. Those symptoms peaked about 12 hours after stopping the med. For days or weeks after (I can't remember that time very well), thinking was very painful. Over a couple months, I slowly recovered from that and was pretty much back to my normal ME-brain.Is it a naïve view to say: if lactate build-up can be such a pain in muscles, imagine what a pain it is in the brain?
It's like a glucose meter for diabetes, but takes a lot more bloodHow does your tester work? Is it a little pin prick? And how is it helping you?
Thank you. And I gather there is nothing that can be taken to neutralise the lactate?It's like a glucose meter for diabetes, but takes a lot more bloodIt's pretty easy, though strips are expensive - about 2 euros each I think.
It has been helpful in confirming that lactate is a problem for me, and doesn't behave like it should, which indicates that I should probably avoid activities or meds which can generate more lactate. And if I suspect a med is causing problems, I can easily test it now. I couldn't do that while I was having my reaction to metformin, and it was unsettling not to know exactly what was happening, or why it was happening.
Lactate levels should peak at 5-10 minutes after exertion with a steady decline after that, but mine stayed high for about an hour, and continued creating extra peaks. Testing has also been helpful in drawing a connection between triggers and certain symptoms.
Bicarbonate IVs are used in hospitals. There's some speculation that drinking bicarbonate can also help, but there's a lack of evidence for that and it doesn't make a lot of sense. I think the main approach is to avoid getting elevated lactate levels in the first place.Thank you. And I gather there is nothing that can be taken to neutralise the lactate?
If I find that drinking a small amount of water containing sodium bicarbonate doesn't make me burp within about 4 or 5 minutes, I assume that I am short of sod bic, so drink more until I am burping within 2 or 3 minutes.Bicarbonate IVs are used in hospitals. There's some speculation that drinking bicarbonate can also help, but there's a lack of evidence for that and it doesn't make a lot of sense. I think the main approach is to avoid getting elevated lactate levels in the first place.
When a diabetes med gave me symptoms of lactic acidosis, the headache was unlike anything I'd experienced before. It was a burning pain which really felt like my brain was soaked in acid. I couldn't think coherently during the worst of it. Those symptoms peaked about 12 hours after stopping the med. For days or weeks after (I can't remember that time very well), thinking was very painful.
It's like a glucose meter for diabetes, but takes a lot more bloodIt's pretty easy, though strips are expensive - about 2 euros each I think.
Basically the same symptoms, but apparently not the genetic cause. So perhaps an acquired form of a mitochondrial disease.I recall you once considered you might have MELAS and I too thought I may have had it.
https://www.lactatelevel.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d27_blood_analyzer.htmlYour lactate meter sound interesting. Do you have a link to it or to something similar to give me an idea of what it's like?
Excess lactate in the blood can get taken up in the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) and accumulate.Some of my symptoms might be attributed to lactate but doesn't your lactate meter measure blood lactate whereas the headache and thinking problems would come from brain lactate?
Is this associated with leaky gut (leaky brain barrier?)?Excess lactate in the blood can get taken up in the CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) and accumulate.
The impression I'm getting from browsing a variety of research into elevated lactate in the CSF is that it's due to a trigger (the disease, an infection) rather than itself being an abnormality. So elevated CSF lactate seems to be an expected consequence of more general lactate issues. But some lactate issues might be the result of failure to clear it out effectively (rather than just producing too much of it), including in the brain.Is this associated with leaky gut (leaky brain barrier?)?