My Coo Ca Achoo
After me saying there wasn’t that much to report these days other than the really major milestones, what happens yesterday? The somatic symptoms returned out of the blue, flu like complete with watery eyes. I thought they had gone for good but it appears not.
I checked back on the data and the last time I reported somatic symptoms was back on day 55. I’ve had slight symptoms on and off since then but obviously not worth logging. The ones today were definitely worth noting as they were quite severe.
This is not a cold. There is no infection. This is the Autonomic Nervous System doing a deep-tissue recalibration.
The Science of the “Cessation Flu”
What I’m experiencing is a non-linear wave of Post-Acute Withdrawal (PAWS). This isn’t a regression; it’s a sign that the absence of symptoms was not the same as the completion of repair.
Immune Recalibration: The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a primary regulator of the immune system. Without the 35-year THC “muffle,” the inflammatory system is resetting its baseline, often producing transient flu-like sensations.
Limbic Release: The watery eyes are a classic sign of the Limbic System shifting. As the “negativity tugging at the edges” finds a somatic exit, the tear ducts and sinuses often react to the autonomic shift.
Glymphatic Flush: Following the major “Installation Windows” (the Day 98–100 shutdowns), the body is likely clearing the final metabolic debris from the brain’s major structural work.
A Gut Feeling: The Second Brain
I also reported a sudden increase in being “gassy” to the scaffold, half-expecting it to be a coincidence. It turns out, the gut has the second-highest concentration of CB1 receptors in the entire body. For 35 years, I flooded the “Brain in my Gut” (the Enteric Nervous System) with cannabinoids. Now, it’s finally having its turn in the repair queue.
The Enteric Reboot (Days 90–120)
The increased flatulence isn’t a sign that something is broken - it’s a sign that something is building. The mechanism is fascinating:
Receptor Upregulation: The CB1 receptors in the colon are re-sensitizing and learning to signal without THC.
Motility Adjustment: Cannabinoids notoriously slow down digestion. My transit time is now accelerating to a native pace, causing a temporary “traffic jam” of gases.
Microbiome Shift: Bacterial populations are recalibrating their environment now that the daily chemical “weather” has changed.
Enzyme Recalibration: Digestive secretions are finding new baselines, which changes the chemistry of how I process fuel.
Science: Wild and Undignified
It sounds ridiculous to list “gas” as a recovery milestone, but the ECS runs the entire show: Brain, Immune, Gut, and Metabolism. I didn’t just smoke for 35 years; I rewired myself from skull to colon.
The repair is happening in a logical, prioritised sequence:
Priority 1: The Brain (PFC regulation, Filing System, latency drop).
Priority 2: The Immune System (Somatic symptoms, autonomic reset).
Priority 3: The Gut (Motility, microbiome, and enteric signalling).
Recovery is undignified, but the science is undeniable. My body is performing a full-system reboot, on schedule and in order. The map includes everything - even the wind.
The Metabolic Bill: The Cheese Request
To cap off this undignified day of somatic ghosts and enteric “wind,” my brain issued one final, non-negotiable request late in the evening: Cheese. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. Looking at the data, this isn’t just a “craving”; it’s the supply chain in action.
As I move deeper into the Myelination Phase, my brain is effectively sourcing materials to build the “fatty” insulation for my new fibre-optic pathways. Myelin is a lipid-rich sheath, and my system is currently redlining its construction.
When the body is rebuilding its nervous system and recalibrating its gut, it demands high-density fats and minerals.
Science. Undignified. True. I’m glad I mentioned it now.
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