Moments of Remission
There have been a few moments since the onset of this condition where my system markedly improved, in some cases snapping back to a near-normal state. These are documented here in order to provide some clues as to the underlying cause.
September 2011
Returning from Berlin
Returning from a trip to Berlin in September of 2011, after arriving in Boston, I experienced a period of normalcy lasting 3–5 days. I was suddenly able to survive on a few bowls of Chipotle (I was able to eat more broadly in those days), and found myself throwing away chicken breasts because I was over-purchasing for my needs.
I also found myself able to sleep much earlier (partially due to lack of need to force-feed myself, but the jet lag probably helped) and was able to attend yoga every morning. Classes that would have previously destroyed me were suddenly easy to recover from, as they had been before the onset of this condition.
A few days into this, on a work trip, I passed a kidney stone (maybe my first), and got a very bad cold immediately after. I now suspect there was something in the state of my challenged immune system that caused this remission — see Moderna vaccine (2021) for more details.
After the sickness, everything returned to normal, and I was unable to skip chicken meals or attend yoga classes without triggering inflammation/burnout and waking in the night starving.
March 2021
Moderna Vaccine
The change was extremely visceral. I could feel something shift texturally in my stomach — like there was suddenly a floor where before there had just been quicksand. I didn't need anywhere near the same volume of food, and I was bursting with energy. It was enough that realizing what feeling functional actually felt like made me cry.
For 3–4 days I had an experience nearly identical to returning from Berlin: easy sleep, a 30% reduction in required protein (e.g. able to cut an entire meal), and able to exercise much more aggressively with not only no repercussion, but feeling great the entire time. This time I was prepared for it to potentially vanish at some point, and sure enough, when my immune response died down, all of my symptoms returned in full force.
This was the first time I realized my condition might be fundamentally autoimmune in nature.
April 2026
Immune Activation Episode
Another few-day period showed the same pattern as Berlin and the Moderna shot: significantly reduced appetite, better energy, and noticeably fewer symptoms. As with those two episodes, this one coincided with a spike in immune activation, and was followed shortly after by coming down with a stomach infection — consistent with the same underlying pattern of remission tracking a challenged immune system rather than anything I changed deliberately.
Ongoing
L-Glutamine
While not technically a remission, L-Glutamine has a profound positive impact on my digestion and energy levels. I am able to exercise much more aggressively without experiencing any burnout. I also find that I am able to sleep in more varied positions (see Static Sleep Position) without waking.
There are two issues with L-glutamine. First, it results in more effective elimination of uric acid through the urine. The issue is that this can spike acidity and result in more formation of uric acid stones. I am currently experimenting with reintroducing it after my 2024 surgeries and closely monitoring urine pH to make sure it doesn't dramatically increase stone risk.
I appear to have some kind of strong allergy to L-glutamine, causing extreme swelling on my face. This symptom does not lessen over time and I experience it even when microdosing, as I am doing now. Many online forums have users finding success taking approximately 16x the dose I am taking now. When I have tried to ramp this up, I have found the symptoms become unbearable.
I am currently seeking alternatives to L-glutamine that may work on similar pathways but without the allergic reaction. I have tried 3 different sources of L-glutamine, all with the same effect, so sourcing doesn't seem to affect my allergic reaction.