Posted by guttersnipe on April 22, 2004, at 3:38:32
In reply to Anyone give up meds? « rainbowlight, posted by Dr. Bob on March 12, 2004, at 8:15:47
Yes, I went odd the meds a few months ago (prescription meds that is) -- and I am now on a handful of supplements.
A few months ago I titered down from 300 mg Effexor XR/day over the course of between 3 and 4 weeks (the Effexor put me in an almost continual mixed state of being agitated and irritiable and hypomanic, but also being depressed). I quit Buspar/buspirone without tapering off, as I had noticed over the past couple years that it didn't affect me one way or another). Over the course of about a week, I tapered off from 1 mg lorazepam/Ativan twice a day to keeping a few in the medicine cabinet in case I need to maintain composure and a calm demeanor for some work-related reason.
Going off Effexor was awful -- the withdrawal was worse than kicking heroin or nicotine, each of which I quit after being physically and psychologically addicted to it. After what I thought was finished (and maybe the withdrawl effect was finished), I rapic-cycled to high and low extremes for about 2 weeks.
I had been taking a multivitamin, a B complex, and 5-HTP -- whch, even if they helped, didn't resolve the problem -- but then a few weeks or so after my last eposide, I went on lithium orotate and after abut 4 days of using that I have felt more stable than I in years.
The other supplements I take (whch have been okayed by my MD who is also knowledgeable about alternative treatments) are:
* Lithium orotate, 3 or 4 per day
* Cannabis (it's legal here, with a doctor's OK) - maybe once a day, or twice -- first, a hit or two of a nice breezy cerebral and colorful high-potency hybrid of primarily Cannabis sativa-dominant plus a bit of indica (mayne 70/30), then after that kicks in, then I'll be ready for the CBD and other cannabonoids that are more present in cannabis indica than in sativa for the full-body high and the spacing out a bit (maybe a 50/50 mix or a 75-35 indica-sativa hybrid or somewhere in between). Marijuana has, over the years, been very helpful at helping to stablize my moods and lift my spirits when depressed. Excessive use, however, -- i.e., being stoned most of the time -- can get in the way of progressing with dealing with the condition).* multi-mineral
* multi-vitamin
* strong B-complex
* taurine
* 5-htp
* magnesium
* theanine (usualy not available at health food stores -- easily accessible over the internet)These have helped me a lot, but it is hard to say which has helped more. My guess is that the loithium orotate plus the marijuana have the biggest effect. I started the lithium orotate a few weeks before the medical marijuana -- the lithium orotate is definitely helpful, but the marijuana is aso very useful at helping me keep an even keel.
I am curious as to what others have to say about the supplements?
poster:guttersnipe
thread:323524
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20040418/msgs/338683.html