Posted by Amelia_in_StPaul on May 17, 2009, at 19:53:26
In reply to Re: Vitamins critical for schizophrenia, posted by Lao Tzu on May 17, 2009, at 9:32:41
Dear Lao Tzu (love your name), I have read several of your posts, and want to say that I'm really impressed with how focused you are on being well and with how much you have found out about what it takes for you to be well. I have a sister with your condition and she is not half as functioning as you are. Partly, that's because she didn't get the help she needed (and when she tried, she was misdiagnosed and given the wrong meds), so she was in psychosis for a relatively long time before getting stabilized. I hope that in complimenting you, I am not being condescending. It just gives me a lot of hope for my sister that maybe one day she can be as well as you. (She is on meds; they don't eliminate the positive symptoms; she still battles them.) ~Amelia
> Vitamins can have very powerful effects on your mental state. For me, zinc picolinate is a very effective form of zinc, whereas zinc gluconate doesn't work as well for me. I really need the zinc because it does help with my depression. I may have the disorder pyroluria because I seem to do well on zinc picolinate and P5P, which is the activated coenzyme of B6. In addition, I need vitamin E and vitamin C because those two vitamins are recommended for those with schizophrenia. The way I figured this out was to take only a few vitamins at a time and determine whether or not they helped me. You have to try different combinations. Years ago, I was taking a combination of B6, magnesium, zinc, B3, and B12 which helped very much. I had a B12 deficiency for about six months, then it cleared up after that. I eventually realized that I also needed to add vitamins C and E to my regimen, and then later fish oils for omega-3 and borage oil for omega-6 fatty acids. Eventually, I stopped taking magnesium because I felt like I didn't need it. I started taking a large dose of Niacin (B3) at bedtime, which helped my depression the following day, and I've been doing this ever since. I know firsthand how frustrating it is to figure out a vitamin regimen that works just for you. I just kept trying different combinations of vitamins until I found the one that worked the best. This takes a lot of effort and trial-and-error, and because doctors really won't help you with this, unfortunately, it's something you have to play with on your own. One thing I must note is that I'm also taking prescription medications for my worst symptoms. Taking your medication is a very necessary thing to do everyday if you have a severe mental disorder. Adding the vitamins enhances your ability to function more normally when you've stabilized on your medication. I'm a testament to someone who can do rather well if you're doing it right. I'm even thinking of going back to work, which I never would have believed two years ago. From what I've been researching all this time, some people require very specific vitamins to get well. Some people do very well with B12 and folic acid. Others need B6 (P5P) and zinc. Others require calcium, magnesium, vitamin E and vitamin C to name a few. People with depression can also benefit well from fish and borage oils, but you have to be careful with these, and it may take a little time to figure out the proper dosage of these oils for your individual biochemistry. I wouldn't be without fish and borage oils for one day because they have made a big difference in my depression and mood. Be careful not to take too much borage oil. Just the right amount can help your depression. Too much can worsen it. Same thing goes for fish oil. The oils are a little tricky to work with, but if you are patient and give them some time, they will most likely help you. For me, taking individual amino acids don't help me like they do for other people. Taurine may be helpful for some people, but I never did well on that one. In the past, I've had some success with the amino acids Tyrosine and Glycine, but I don't take them now.
poster:Amelia_in_StPaul
thread:894916
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20090410/msgs/896336.html