27 years olf suffering help

[getready]

I am 27 years old my name is Rachel and i am suffering with all of the symptoms below.

Every time after i eat i get so much mucus..foamy, white, and its hard as a rock. It blocks me from breathing. I literally feel the phlegm at the back of my throat.it gets stick in my sinuses

It gets worse as my food is digesting.


    * shortness of breath all day long except when lying on my back
    * Chest and abdomen is extremely tight
    * Legs are stiff

    * ice cold hands and feet and i cant move my left foot
    * INvolunantary  muscle movement

    * Seizure type shakes
    * Burning of skin, Hotness in my face and stomach after i have s

    * Feet are numb and tingly
    * extreme abdominal bloating after i eat

[Matthew007]

holy smokes.. i'm sorry Rachel.. :S

There's a couple of things that come to mind.. first off you're either having an allergic reaction to some food (not food intolerance but a total full blown allergy..which is dangerous!).  If you haven't gone to a doctor I would right away.. i'd only eat veggies..turkey..meats..fruits and that's it because something you ate I have a bad hunch you're allergic to.

or the only other thing I can think of is..a candidias infection in the throat...but I don't think that would cause such nurologic problems like you're having..

another idea is to go to an allergist as well and get tested (on your skin)..it's quick.  But no doubt you've got some severe allergic reaction and my guess is with some blood tests they'll find the answer.  But in the meantime I would avoid everything..just eat a very very dull basic safe foods like meats/veggies/fruits and get to a doctor if you can right away :S hang in there!

[Matthew007]

btw if you have another serious attack..i'd think ER room...sometimes people don't get better after one attack until they're put on some form of steroids to get rid of the inflammation (basically the inflammation from the allergy only gets worse over time)

[getready]

Hi Matthew

thank you so much for responding :)

i am eating very dull foods thats funny you said that

also i was thinking it might be candida also.

how do i know if i have candida in my throat and sinuses?
my docotors wont even acknowledge that option for some reason but i have been on so many antiobiottics that i may have candida since the use of antibiotics contributes to it

do you think the inflamamation in my sinuses and my throat are making my chest tight?

[getready]

can the shortness breath be realted to \the bloating in my stomach?

[Matthew007]

Hey Rachel :)

well i'm not a doctor i'm just guessing like you are but with those symptoms those are the two big ones I can think of..

Uuuuuusually with candiasis you have a throat rush..like white opac things in your throat...sometimes dermatitis (red blotches on your skin..) and since you said you've been a lot of antibiotics lately that could be a problem.  What you *could* do..is there are two drugs called nystatin and diflucan.  You could ask your doctor if you can do a trial of nystatin because it's not absorbed by the body really at all...pretty safe drug and that would kill off the yeast but it's not as powerful as diflucan.  Diflucan sadly is absorbed and long term can cause damage to the liver so your doctor will probably frown on that idea but nystatin is cheap and would cause breathing/sinus problems as well *I think*

You can look up candidiasis pictures...(although gross) to see if you have a problem like that..

I still think you've got some serious allergy going on, something simple like nuts.. soy.. even something simple as fruits....something you're missing because those are pretty serious reactions to eating food.  An allergist would ***** your back like 30 times and they can confirm pretty quick if you have a serious allergy...and there are blood tests as well (expensive though :S) and if those are negative..it still doesn't mean you're in the clear.  I did the tests and found i'm allergic to oats (didn't know that) but it wasn't until I went off a few things that I felt semi better.

anyway it happens.. after a big infection or illness sometimes antibiotics screw up our immune systems and your body attacks things that were ok before so ..liiiiitle worried about ya :) like I said I'd hit the ER room if it gets super scary..or at least have someone always with you if you're eating.

*and yes gastritis/reflux can cause shortness of breath *I think anyway* it's basically the inflammation of the stomach and that is also can be caused by a bunch of things but allergy is one of them.  Sometimes steroids are used to reduce the inflammation for people with a serious food allergy

[Matthew007]

also thinking out loud candidiasis infection usually can be biopsied by a upper endoscope.. sometimes confirmed visually..so I think it's worth a shot to do diflucan (the oral not the pill.. it tastes super nasty though..from what i've heard but that is an idea for you..)

but again usually you get a diagnosis but that would explain some of your symptoms like swollen stomach..trouble breathing sinus... ect ect..

[getready]

thanks for the cute compliment..
thanks for all of your advice i really should go to an allergist..i am just so weak right now and suffering.

I just took some candida urine tests through Dr Biamonte's program.
He has been researching candida for 17 years and i hope he can help me.
his site is below please check it out and let me know ur opinion

i emailed him the results i got
waiting to hear back from him the interpretations of my urine tests

[getready]

my
shortness of breath and
bloating after i eat and
allergies to foods i have eaten before all gradually came on and got worse after i got off of amoxocillin and then worse after i took 3 Zpack pills!!!

also i have had serous weight loss despite eating 3 meals a day

can candida cause my  mucus memebranes in my nose to dry out?
also after i eat i always get extra mucus

any ideas what i can eat to gain weight that wont cause mucus since i am getting to think??

[Matthew007]

you are *pretty*thin OKOKOK i'll stop flirting...

doctors usually do not believe in candidias unless there's evidence to support it like.. a overgrowth in your stool...or a biopsy or visual confirmation of it so...fact I asked my doctor what he thought of systemic candidiasis (infection in the bloodstream) and he said "i'm the doctor that doesn't believe in it" so...generally canidiasis is a hard to diagnose condition without some evidence of it.  I know you can go on a sugar free/low carb diet that's what lots of candidiasis people swear by but they say the "die off" of going off sugars is rougher than being sick... plus I did the diet myself and wasn't too impressed...but you can *try it* but yeah you're going to get a little thinner too...


I've heard eggs.. should be mostly safe but you can still be allergic to them..what I do is salads with avecadoes (like an entire avecado..and i'm probably spelling that wrong) chicken or even beef you shouldn't be allergic to..if you have some money you could go to the grocery store and just buy a giant steak or 2..heck buy one for me i'm starving on my diet lol.. but anyway chicken...meats..fish..fruits fruits fruits..strawberries..corn..anything corn like corn chips and salsa should be safe.. but again you could be allergic to anything...so yeah an allergist would be a good idea for you and maybe a trial of nystatin and a diet (not that you need to lose weight in any way of course) but yeah I still think you have a food allergy unless this is a severe ulcer of some kind because that would cause stomach inflammation...and could make you anemic...

did you ever get tested for h. ploryi?  Large amounts of mucus could be the stomach trying to protect itself from an ulcer.. course your stools (not to get gross on you) would be dark...and you'd have some serious nausea 24/7...what do tums do for you?

[getready]

hey Mathew
thanks for writing your thoughts to me you flirt.......LOL

yes my doctors wont even think about candida..they wont even talk about it with me..so frusterating.

anyway. waiting for gi effects test to come in mail which is a stool test to see i guess if i have candida in my gastro system.

i am basically just eating chicken, green beans, broccoli
i am going to try some foods you told me.

i can handle sugar anymore for some reason, maybe because the candida thrives off of it.

I have not been tested for tested for h. ploryi.......would i be nauseous if i had that in my stomach? and would that cause me to be bloated after i ate?

any ideas on how to stop the mucous from constantly forming in my sinuses?
........i know you dont know...just so horrible dealing with it.
The mucus is so hard that it wont even slip down to my throat so i can cough it out.

Do you think the candida/ fungis is in my sinuses...is that possible?

I wish i knew how to unblock my sinuses..i tried all those nose sprays  and they dont work,,they go right past where the hardened mucous is.

I can barely breath its so bad...sorry for complaining

i

[Matthew007]

lol you're welcome, 3 years being sick/nauseated/anxiety causes you to be a total goof with women...even those who are 1500 miles away.

nausea with h.ploryi? ooooh yeah you'd be having some major nausea with h. ploryi plus you'd also have bloating even after eating (although usually eating temp. helps lower nausea levels..) but anyway yeah it would be a good idea to double check and get tested for h.ployri and if you're going to do a needle you might as well do a celiac check as well just to double check.  Some people who are celiac's are so sensitive to gluten that if they use shampoo with gluten or even breath in gluten they get sick... so again food allergies esp. with your other BAD symptoms (that still sounds allergy related)

umm the only risky..idea I can think of is you're having still some allergic reaction and you could use some antihistamine like tylenol allergy or something like that (but of course it's a little risky if you do have an ulcer the last thing you want to do is take tylenol) so if you do it i'd take it with food for sure!  That's one thing you could try.. mints sometimes helps me calm the gut or when I have like hayfever type situation..or halls medicine...try and open the sinus's..

On the candidiasis..yeah the only thing I can suggest is oral nystatin to try.. people on the candidiasis diet sometimes take it at the same time.  Or diflucan, there's' a few youtube videos but there is one of a girl who was suffering from candidiasis and she put up a video journal of her experience with it and she got sick after antibiotics so maybe you could watch that (short blond hair girl..this site doesnt' allow you to post links sadly) but just even googling candidiasis it's totally possible to have it affect your nose.  

Basically candidi...man I can't even spell that.. anyway that condition is usually from a immune deficient system (like HIV and such..) so that's probably why your doctors are discounting you so much..you could try a probiotic like threelac that supposidly is a candida killer..but again candidia...some people swear by it but doctors usually frown on the whole idea.  Without some evidence i'm sort of leaning towards the doctors on this one buuuuuut you still could have it.. esp. in your throat and nose.

it's possible..unlikely you have it but still a trial of nystatin or preferably short term diflucan wouldn't hurt you.  Even trying tylenol allergy just as a trial to see if you can lower the inflammation but be very careful trying that.. you might now be allergic to tylenol as well...


To get a FIRM diagnosis usually they like an endoscope to biopsy or visualize the stomach so they can see what in the world is going on ..is it h. ploryi? candiadisis infection?  Basically doctors like to diagnose before trial and error but I think candidiasis in the endoscope/nasal area is for sure a possibilty and would cause stomach inflammation (especially with a history of antibiotic use)

ok seriously turning off the pc now.. must do something productive.  Cya rachel!  I like the glasses..women don't wear glasses anymore..SHAMEONYOUWOMEN! j/k *i wear glasses to*  Ok laughter is the best medicine so thought i'd throw some comedy in there.. but go listen to some good music or look at some interior design magazines or something *wink* and try and relax, but i think a visit to the gi would be a gooooood idea...*pats rachel on the head* there's an answer to your problems :)  

[getready]

thank you so much for taking the time to write back to me :)
anyway sorry to keep bothering you i know your away from your computer

my celiac panel was negative
i took a motrin and i reacted so badly to it when before i was able to take them which seriously indicates i have a problem in stomach
i am staying away from any tyleenol or motrin

i was told to do a catscan of abdomen and pelvis but that wouldnt show an ulcer in my stomach would it?

also if i start this candida program from dr Biamonte who is a Nutritionist

he wants me to take a supplement that has "gastric mucin" and "ricinoleic acid" and "lauric acid"...in it

If i took this supplement that has those 3 things..do you think it would help me not be so bloated after i ate?

or do you think if i had an ulcer those 3 things would cause me have more discomfort?

debating wether to start taking the mucin supplement.

geese i cant spell either "wether"....lol

[Matthew007]

ahhh..well there's some clues...

well you're welcome Rachel, I have no social life at the moment so I don't mind helping cute girls on the east coast who like interior design and music *although i'm not really super huge into music* but you do wear cute glasses so that's a plus...*blabbering*..want to hear something funny with me? I had my throid checked like back in 2006..for years i've had anxiety, insomnia nausea, and this is coming from a guy who used to teach high school classes and fly airplanes...anyway and so I just got back from the doctor and they have no record of me taking the test in my medical folder soooo...did they ever take the test?  It's like if a tree falls and nobody is around to hear it..did it really fall sort of question (I just thought that was interesting..my doctor said years ago while tryinng to eliminate my problems.. "my thyroid is fine" yet there's no record of a test..lovely..i'm thinking of getting tested, but it annoys me the possibility that he never did test for it and he screwed up..that would be sad/funny if it was my thryoid this whole time...)


ANYWAY so yeah no worries I have tons of nothing to do..I feel at least I can help people avoid spending their savings trying to figure out things because i've researched a billion things it can be...

some people are highly allergic to tyelnol so that's one option, gluten intolerant people have problems with asprin....buuut..h. ploryi or just a simple ulcer could be causing your symptoms.  IT still doesn't explain the stuffy nose seizure numb hands unless you were suffering from some form of vasculitis (google that)  or bad reaction to some drug and you still were recovering..

Ct scans are not used for ruling out ulcers..I don't think you can spot a ulcer unless it was a giant hole in your stomach, the best test for ulcers are..

h.ploryi blood test
h. ploryi breath test
upper gi workup (upper endoscope, upper barium xray..sometimes)

so yeah that ct scan ruled out a ton but not ulcers.

so yeah adding acid to an ulcer would only irritate your problem.. that also might be why you're having such bad bloating.  As you eat something...you might be experiencing some reflux nausea/upper abdominal pain..sometimes felt in the upper back, usually the pain goes down as you eat but after a meal it comes right back...if you use ant-acids it'll bring relief but soon as it wears off it'll come back stronger (the acid) sooooo... usually treatment is a triple antibiotic therapy but you need to be diagnosed first.

So yeah with a negative celiac test you still could be intolerant but in the meantime you could try TUMS, you could avoid all spicey foods acidic foods.. I wouldn't lie down right after you eat or you'll get acid reflux if this is a ulcer..

it *still* could be food allergy.. you have allergies i'm guessing from your cute profile so it's still possible..maybe a food allergy caused an infection?  I dunno.. h.ploryi testing for you is my prescription if I was a cool doctor but i'm not.

:)

[Matthew007]

also not sure if you're lactose intolearnt but ulcers feel better with calcium (that's why tums is made mostly of calcium..) and calcium is good for you anyway so drink some milk.. milkshake.. ice cream.. triple fudge sunday jk that has chocolate don't do that.. pepto bismal...

but you should get tested for h. ployri it's a virus that lives in stomachs and all the tums in the world won't treat it..you need that blood test or if you feel like hanging around a cute doctor while sedated and knocked out you could do an endoscope but that's $$$.

[getready]

oh wow thank for all of the replies..
i am going to read them 3 times cause there is so much great info you gave me

i am sorry to hear that they had  no records of your tests,,,thats awful!!!

i can relate to anxiety...cause if this candida, its making me have anxiety and thats one of the sypmtoms.
its so hard for me to relax cause it feels like my nervous system is shutting down on me..i know that sounds wierd. basicallly what ever is attacking my body which is probable candida is making me very tight and tense in the chest and abdomen
its like i cant relax no matter what its torture.

this is so hard for me cause i was totally having a normal like back in NOv 2008
everthing progresses sonce jan..
.harder to breath, bloating after i eat, weight loss
and i have had so many blood tests but nothing found thats why i am thinking this is candida my mom did some in home urine tests and i emailed the results back to this nutrionsit in ny and he email me and said this
"the first test indicates you do have candida overgrowth"


we should talk at some point
i have shortness of breath but i will do my best
even if its just to say hi

[getready]

i dont flirt more than you....LOL

[getready]

hi mathew, it's Little Rachel again.hope ur having a good evening.:)
how did you you know i liked madonna? did i put that on my page??

was hoping you could read this..sorry to bother you again.

I know this sounds wierd but i am scared to do the ct scan since my stomach might react to the barium sulfate drink  and i am scared of the dye they have put into my veins

The possible side effects of the barium drink are
• bloating
• constipation (severe or continuing)
• cramping (severe)
• nausea or vomiting
• stomach or lower abdominal pain
• tightness in chest or troubled breathing

Now i already am having shortness of breath and bloating and tightness in chest so that is why i am scared to do the cat scan cause of the side effects of the barium drink. I dont want my shortness of breath to be compounded cause of the barium drink.

i just dont want to me in more discomfort from doing this test but i know it should be done...and i would be more willling to do it if i didnt already have shortness of breath.

any thoughts about this??? I know ot sounds weird.

also i am scared of doing the endoscopy cause if they put me out with the anesthesia and i am not breathing right i might have a real problem.

Cause when i fell asleep not breathing right, my body woke itself up in the middle of the night and i couldnt feel my head/ face as if i had not circulation in my face, then i my body started shaking...even my knee caps!!!

again i know this sounds weird but i trust u wont judge me on what i am telling you.

also i know the have to spray the numbing agent on my throat when i wake up i will freak out if i cant feel my throat and i have shortness of breath...i wont be able to deal with being sedated, shortness of breath and a numbe throat but yet i want to do this test..

also i was going to ask you since doctors dont like to talk about candida....but i feel like i have it in my sinuses.....what is a good way to bring it up when i go see an ears nose throat doctor?

I just feel a massive blockage in my sinuses but i dont have an infection cause the mucus is NOT yellow. Its just foamy and clear. and i think that is a sign up fungis growth in the mucus membranes in the sinuses.
I have all day and especically after i eat it gets worse.
but again i am NOT sick with a cold so i dont why my sinuses keep producing this white foamy mucus.    anwyay, i want to ask the ears, nose thorat doctor how he can check for fungis in my nose but if he is like the other doctors he will just put me on an antibiotic and i am not sick and thats what made me have sinus mucus blockage in the first place.

These doctors always want to throw an antibiotic or nose spray at you and kick yout out the door as fast as possible.

so how can i stop the ent doct from doing that and really get him to acknolwedge my mucus problem? any ideas.

sorry to ask you so many questions

[Matthew007]

*sings*

You must be my Lucky Star
'Cause you shine on me wherever you are
I just think of you and I start to glow
And I need your light
And baby you know

Starlight..startbright..

(good song..catchy..old but yeah..)

ANYWAY :) naaah I won't judge you rachel..pft look at me, i'm messed up to the point where I can't even hold a girls hand right now without stressing so..eh no worries :D

MMmmmm well ok as far as priorities go in testing i'd be way more interested in the endoscope than the ct scan.  Ct scan is good to do to rule out things like cancer/kidney stones/major inflammation somewhere in the colon or liver cysts or just hidden things so it's a good idea as far as eliminating things... but your endoscope will get to the bottom of the bloating, reflux..you're having gastritis (stomach inflammation) either caused by a normal ulcer or a h. ployri ulcer (based on the symptoms) or something else.. I won't name all of them because you'll probably start panicking lol but even candidiasis could be a factor.  If they notice any inflammation or redness they usually biopsy it to find out what the offender is.  My hunch is you have h.ploryi...

BUuuuut if you're concerned about having breathing problems, i'd tell the GI specialist up front the concern because that is a big concern especially since you are having a hard time breathing right now..I would be concerned too, and I would tell your GI specialist if they think it's ok to do it.. usually they're in and out real quick and you'll be totally conked out.  

The cheap fast save yourself a little bit of time stress and money would be to go get checked for h.ploryi via blood test  (it's the most common virus that causes ulcers..you might not have a h. ploryi virus ulcer but my bet is you do..) and then you'd go on triple antibiotic therapy which also might nuke your sinus infection (I'm thinking you have a sinus infection..).  If the blood test is negative then i'd push for endoscope..if that's negative then yeah I would do ct scan but I bet you find it on endoscope.

On the ct scan barium, if you do have an ulcer you won't be thrilled and you'll probably get nauseated drinking the barium stuff no doubt esp. with stomach problems.  It's like drinking cool-aid without sugar in it...sometime's it's cherry flavored, or lemon or whatever but they make you drink a good gallon of the stuff and I thought it tasted nasty myself.  It's not thick or anything like that unless you're talking about a barium xray liquid then that's a whole different story, that's like drinking elmers glue and tastes like mintless toothpaste.  Usually the liquid is not absorbed well and lights your whole GI track up on the ct scan and makes it easy to see on the ct scan readout for the radiologist (the ct scan barium).  But I don't think you'll have much problems..it's like drinking flavored water...my only concern would be you spending mass money for no reason or putting yourself through that when you need an endoscope/blood test more than a giant ct scan bill BUUUT i'm not the doctor :)

The needle/contrast is sometimes not fun, you can have a bad reaction to that yes, it burns in your hand or injection point, and lots of patients will feel this *burning* sensation or get hot..usually right after the ct scan (it's super quick) most patients go running to the bathroom almost naked (you're only wearing a hospital gown too bad I'll never get to see that..) because the kidneys filter out the contrast real quick and it fills up the bladder.. i've heard of people peein' their pants (least that's what the nurse said) in the ct scanner because it fills up so quickly...so there is a chance you'll have an allergic reaction to that but I think all it does it give you a burning sensation where they stuck the needle in.  Also it can be uncomfy sitting in a ct scan holding your arm up in the air holding your breath but the whole ct scan deal only takes like 5 min. to do.  It's like a xray..but sometimes noisy.  Contrast that way is usually used to image the veins/kidney's and urinary tract so i'm not sure if that will be helpful to do BUUUUT again it's a way of elimination...but again I think you're suffering from an ulcer and sinus infection of some kind with maybe nasal drip going on.  Still though why you're having neuro problems like dumb feet and seizure like symptoms that i don't know and maybe that's why they want a total ct scan trying to see if there's anything wrong.

So that's my priority list is to get you feeling better asap..still ct scan is not a bad idea but I think blood test/endoscope/ct scan would be the priority.  Annnnd *cringe* going on antibiotics to possibly clear that sinus infection..you still could be right on the candidias...I'd honestly just be yourself and say "you know, I know western doctors think candidiasis is a total loony bin problem but what's your take?  Can this be a candidiasis infection in my throat/nose?"  and they'll probably say "only way to find out is endoscope/biopsie"  and then you'll probably swear off a utah swear word like "dangit! matthew was right shoot gosh dang darn"

ok that was my book of a book of book responses.  After you get healed Rach, you should go on probioitics with all these antibiotics you're looking at going on. :)

**oh and my people did some investigation and found you on a social site so that's how I know a little bit about ya lol sorry.. I was curious sue me that's how I know about madonna and design and all.  Heavy in music she is *yoda voice*

[Matthew007]

*numb feet (not dumb feet sorry ha)...that still worries me that's not normal unless you're having like anemic response and not absorbing nutrients or something.. so little bit concerned about that..

no doubt you're stressing about the ct scan endoscope.. I was I didn't get a wink of sleep the night before my first endoscope but it's not a big deal..I know easier said than done and hopefully you won't have like a panick attack but soon as the needle goes in you feel the room spin and then the next thing you know you're waking up with your parents staring at you.  Fun times.  Again though - blood test.. h.ploryi.. maaaybe test that thyroid too.. but that's a reach but h.ploryi ulcer testing, quick and would explain a lot :)  And yes..antibiotic spray for your poor nose is probably not a bad idea either..

ok off to get my thyroid tested.. :'(

[Matthew007]

and anxiety is a side effect of ulcers (insomnia too..) usually you have IBS issues and dark stools...

my anxiety is yeah..bad..can't sleep wish my solution was that easy... but I think there is an answer and you'll find it very very soon, and then you'll be rockin out at your place to music and dancing and you'll be happy healthy and singing the smurfs song to work...

... another idea is to maybe boil some tea or water and just put your head over the steam and it'll open your nasal/throat passage...like if you get some boiling nice smelling tea and put a towel over your head that might help you breath easier..

[getready]

thank you for responding back to me

whicih site did you find me on?? just curiuos

anyway i am so sorry you have anxiety i can sympathize with you cause what ever i have is making me have it also

i just wisge i could breath better this is awful having shrotness of breath all day and not knowing why

and yes i love dancing and singing

')

[Matthew007]

I found you on a few..pretty shocking that you have a video like that of you online you could go to jail!

(i'm kidding)

no I found you on myspace.  Yes anxiety is a killer.. I was always nervous but ever since I had a UTI infection i've been messed up since.. going to labcorp to check their records, if they have no record of me doing the test I will be...a bit unhappy with my doctor because he told me it was like years ago :P

anyway, no singing or dancing for you until you figure this out :) sorry when is your next appointment or what is your next step?  Ok i'm off.

[getready]

hi how are you?

hope your feeling ok

i am was wondering what it means if i took a urine test and the results said i have a "very high" high amount of free radicals i my urine.

what can i do to eliminate the free radicals in my body?

[Matthew007]

eh i'm hanging in there..waiting for test results, got my thryoid checked on friday (feel yucky..)

ummm have you been drinking or smoking?  I don't know much about free radicals honestly, I think it's the process of chemistry..usually used by homeopath doctors to test but also used to test for toxins/liver disease caused by alchohol liver disease or long term health problems.  Also effects metabolism..but basically it's too many toxins in your body.

Usually abstinance from alchohol will help heal the liver, also eating antioxidant rich foods..for example dark chocolate is a good antioxidant to take.

this was copied from wikipedia:

Free radicals play an important role in a number of biological processes, some of which are necessary for life, such as the intracellular killing of bacteria by neutrophil granulocytes. Free radicals have also been implicated in certain cell signalling processes [5]. This is dubbed redox signaling.

The two most important oxygen-centered free radicals are superoxide and hydroxyl radical. They are derived from molecular oxygen under reducing conditions. However, because of their reactivity, these same free radicals can participate in unwanted side reactions resulting in cell damage. Many forms of cancer are thought to be the result of reactions between free radicals and DNA, resulting in mutations that can adversely affect the cell cycle and potentially lead to malignancy. Some of the symptoms of aging such as atherosclerosis are also attributed to free-radical induced oxidation of many of the chemicals making up the body. In addition free radicals contribute to alcohol-induced liver damage, perhaps more than alcohol itself. Radicals in cigarette smoke have been implicated in inactivation of alpha 1-antitrypsin in the lung. This process promotes the development of emphysema.

Free radicals may also be involved in Parkinson's disease, senile and drug-induced deafness, schizophrenia, and Alzheimer's. The classic free-radical syndrome, the iron-storage disease hemochromatosis, is typically associated with a constellation of free-radical-related symptoms including movement disorder, psychosis, skin pigmentary melanin abnormalities, deafness, arthritis, and diabetes mellitus. The free radical theory of aging proposes that free radicals underlie the aging process itself, whereas the process of mitohormesis suggests that repeated exposure to free radicals may extend life span.

Because free radicals are necessary for life, the body has a number of mechanisms to minimize free radical induced damage and to repair damage which does occur, such as the enzymes superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase. In addition, antioxidants play a key role in these defense mechanisms. These are often the three vitamins, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E and polyphenol antioxidants. Further, there is good evidence bilirubin and uric acid can act as antioxidants to help neutralize certain free radicals. Bilirubin comes from the breakdown of red blood cells' contents, while uric acid is a breakdown product of purines. Too much bilirubin, though, can lead to jaundice, which could eventually damage the central nervous system.while too much uric acid causes gout


so basically you've got toxins in your body and you need more antioxidants and if you're drinking or smoking or taking some drug(s) then you should stop them completely and shore  up on antioxidants.  Even dark dark bitter chocolate has a high load of antioxidants.

That's basically what I got out of it.  A bunch of free radicals indicate long term will cause aging and possibly long term disease.