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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Hombre on May 13, 2011, at 10:38:47
After a bit of an absence, I've decided to reconnect with p-babble and I'm here to stay for now. You are my people, the only people that know what it is like to live with depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue, hopelessness, and the stigma that stains everything you touch because you are not able to be the person you were meant to be because you are ill.
Just ill.
Not bad, not a loser, not lacking in any human quality.
Just ill.
I feel you, and even though I am in remission, I must never forget that this is a lifelong battle, and we must band together to lift ourselves out of the tarpit as best we can, every day a new struggle, yet every day a chance to hope even when broken-hearted and alone.
Please know that I am very focused on but careful experimentation with meds, herbs, vitamins, different forms of exercise/meditation, and psychological strategies.
If you aren't at this point yet, but are curious, please ask lots of questions. I have had the luxury of reading lots and lots of books on topics all related to depression and anxiety disorders.
I have practiced authentic, Chinese martial arts in the form of Tai Chi Chuan (a boxing method based on an understanding of extremes. Bipolar, if you will!) for ten years now. These arts emphasize self-healing, nurturing practices that can really help with chronic, debilitating illnesses like depression.
I have also experimented successfully with Chinese herbs. I will be interning at a traditional clinic soon on a regular basis, and I believe this will really increase my understanding of health and cultivating oneself and one's lifeforce so as to live a long, healthy, enjoyable life.
But I also depend on meds to stay sane, so while I am no longer interested in the intricacies of psychopharmacology, I've done my homework and will offer a viewpoint based on successfully mixing Western medical methods with the complementary methods of Eastern medicine.
I am not an expert, I only share my experiences to give you a frame of reference. I am always open to being called out on my BS like everyone else. I'm human.
I wish you all good health in due time, when you are ready, when you feel like taking a little chance and trying something new. I will be very honest with you, so don't take it personally if it comes out sounding critical. I am rather deficient in emotional intelligence and I want improve that by being a member of this community. I am honored to be here with some of the most brilliant and good-hearted people I've ever met.
God bless you, and don't be too hard on yourself.
Posted by sigismund on May 14, 2011, at 1:56:29
In reply to I am here for you...ask away, or just vent., posted by Hombre on May 13, 2011, at 10:38:47
So, ah, my thing is Valium reduction. I've got some Chinese formulas. They help. Theanine, I have. I need to get niacinamide and magnesium glycinate.
Its not real bad but I don't bounce back quickly. 2 weeks minimum to feel OK on a (tiny) reduction.
I can go back to the people who prescribed my TCM formulas and get them to check me out to see if the formulas need to be changed.
What else?
Posted by Hombre on May 15, 2011, at 0:17:09
In reply to Re: I am here for you...ask away, or just vent., posted by sigismund on May 14, 2011, at 1:56:29
Some ideas in no particular order:
I have yet to try passion flower or valerian root extract powders or tinctures. I would put them in capsules and try at night for sleep.
I might be receiving a sample of some blue lotus extract capsules. Maybe in a week or two. This is supposed to be very relaxing and maybe mildly euphoric. I will report on these if I get them.
I just read something about lotus seeds being an antidepressant. I haven't researched in depth, but there have been studies:
http://www.suntenglobal.com/news/show.php?ID=340&page=1
There are also some formulas indicated for calming the spirit. One is called Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan (heavenly emperor boost the heart). It has schisandra, among other things. Other ones exist for sleep, with herbs that tend to boost Yin, or the calm, relaxed polarity of the bipolar scale.
Albizzia bark and flowers are supposed to be really good for calming and relieving depression, especially the "broken heart" type feeling. The Chinese name makes specific reference to its ability to encourage happiness.
Can you go into detail about what you use Valium for, and what other physical/emotional/mental symptoms you are struggling with?
Posted by sigismund on May 15, 2011, at 1:18:49
In reply to Re: I am here for you...ask away, or just vent., posted by Hombre on May 15, 2011, at 0:17:09
>Can you go into detail about what you use Valium for, and what other physical/emotional/mental symptoms you are struggling with?
When I started or now?
One thing about a drug habit is that it teaches you what in this world is worth being frightened about.
When I started it (a long time ago) I was just generally frightened. No big deal. Just too much trauma. But the drug experience has cured me of worrying about things like that. So I guess the drug cured me. And now I can give it up. With great difficulty.
At this stage it is purely addiction. My expectations are low. Life is very entertaining, the people are lovely, and once is enough.
Posted by sigismund on May 15, 2011, at 1:25:18
In reply to Re: I am here for you...ask away, or just vent. » Hombre, posted by sigismund on May 15, 2011, at 1:18:49
Hang on
>what other physical/emotional/mental symptoms you are struggling with?
Ah well. Umm. When I get over this and when I see what life is like then, I might try TCM to (I don't know) help with my sex life.
What did you say in one of your posts about having benzos in your pocket? 'That's no way to live a life'? You sounded familiar with it.
It's OK, you know. When I don't feel too bad/strange I get on well with people and vice versa, and the ones I don't get on with can take a walk. Life is short, there's not a lot left, and be f*ck*d if I will let myself take this crap any longer.
Oh my goodness. What am I talking about?
Posted by sigismund on May 15, 2011, at 1:32:25
In reply to Re: I am here for you...ask away, or just vent., posted by sigismund on May 15, 2011, at 1:25:18
>be f*ck*d if I will let myself take this crap any longer.
The problem with taking benzos was that it made me think that the only thing I could control was the way I felt (sounds terribly like psych talk).
But if you couldn't take benzos you would have to bloody well do something else.....suffer, walk, complain, plead, fight, pretend.
Posted by Hombre on May 15, 2011, at 2:06:12
In reply to Re: I am here for you...ask away, or just vent., posted by sigismund on May 15, 2011, at 1:32:25
I understand. I asked my doctor for a month supply of lorazepam, just .5mg x 2 a day if needed. This was when I was moving to a new country and wasn't sure if I'd freak out from the stress. I took all the lorazepam, I like it, it's real subtle, and as long as I don't take it regularly it can be a cheap, effective remedy if you are on the verge of losing it.
I am about to order some Pedicularis Densiflora (Indian Warrior) and probably passionflower extract capsules. The Indian Warrior is as a quit smoking aid, and it has muscle-relaxing, pain-relieving qualities. I also want to try smoking Blue Lotus, which is an aphrodisiac and relaxant.
Sex drive is really fundamental in depression and anxiety. I always take a kidney supplementing formula to counter SNRI/AAP side-effects like urinary, sexual, etc. Right now I am taking something called You Gui Wan (Right Kidney Pill) in 6:1 extract powder form. It is quite cheap here, maybe $1 a day. It strengthens your sex hormones and warms your body, also helping with digestion and overall energy. It is widely available in teapills and tablets as well.
There are two main energy systems that need to be online in order to feel calm and energetic.
Digestion is so important because without the nutrients we get from food, we will become weak and uncertain.
Worrying and over-thinking are what hurt digestion, creating a vicious cycle of poor-appetite or eating too much to feel better, and your body doesn't get what it really needs.
The Kidneys are the other system, but they really refer to sex hormones and balancing the glucocorticoid system so you can respond adequately to stress. A lot of the adaptogens helps with this, like rhodiola, eleuthero, ashwagandha, ginseng, astragalus, cordyceps. I recommend taking one or two of these every day.
I'm all about having more and more options. This allows you to create a more personalized regimen.
Posted by Hombre on May 15, 2011, at 2:21:25
In reply to Re: I am here for you...ask away, or just vent., posted by Hombre on May 15, 2011, at 2:06:12
OK...order placed. Will take over a week I estimate, but I will report back with my findings. I will also give some samples to friends. I want to buy wholesale quantities of healing herbs and supplements and sell them locally. If you're in the US, shipping is so cheap for anything :/
I ordered from botalicalspirit.com. I just like the way their website looks. KTBotanicals looks good, but shipping is too much for me.
Posted by sigismund on May 15, 2011, at 12:44:59
In reply to Re: I am here for you...ask away, or just vent., posted by Hombre on May 15, 2011, at 2:21:25
That must be botanicalspirit.
Plants with a purpose.....I like that.
And they've got mulungu.
And kratom.
I might start with mulungu.
I'm not sure about customs.
They are so officious.They know that too.
They don't ship to Australia.
You go straight from Austria to Azerbaijan.
Same with Raingarden or whatever it is, a website dealing with Amazonian plants.
Posted by sigismund on May 15, 2011, at 13:45:47
In reply to Re: I am here for you...ask away, or just vent., posted by sigismund on May 15, 2011, at 12:44:59
KTB includes Australia. I could try them for the less interesting plants and see how that goes.
Here some enterprising government type was planning to make whole new categories of plants illegal, including wattles and leopard trees, so I expect some cretin in customs will be trying to keep our borders safe.
They even sell Assam tea. I haven't seen that for ages.
Posted by Hombre on May 16, 2011, at 22:34:51
In reply to Re: I am here for you...ask away, or just vent., posted by sigismund on May 15, 2011, at 13:45:47
If someone could ship small quantities of (legal in your country) ethnobotanicals from Asia to Australia, would that be something you'd be interested in?
Posted by sigismund on May 16, 2011, at 23:19:07
In reply to Re: I am here for you...ask away, or just vent., posted by Hombre on May 16, 2011, at 22:34:51
Well, yeah, in general, though I do worry a little about customs here.
But they must have a list of things allowed or not.
Then there is quaranteen.
I ordered some kanna from South Africa and to my surprise it was fine, even though the nice company people wondered whether it would be OK. And it arrived in a gladbag. I sort of thought they'd demand everything be in sealed containers, all bright, clean and shiny.
Yeah, but anyway I'd be interested.
Posted by Hombre on May 17, 2011, at 6:55:10
In reply to Re: I am here for you...ask away, or just vent., posted by sigismund on May 16, 2011, at 23:19:07
Or check the laws beforehand, then only ship legal stuff but in plain packaging "health products for personal use" or something benign.
Posted by Hombre on June 2, 2011, at 11:33:40
In reply to Re: I am here for you...ask away, or just vent., posted by Hombre on May 17, 2011, at 6:55:10
Received passionflower 5:1 extract capsules, 500mg, not sure if I feel anything from 2. I did take three once but it was mixed with alcohol and I passed out hard, didn't move all night. I'm not sure I trust this vendor. I ordered Indian Warrior and frankly it was crap. They are accepting a return and will refund plus basic shipping back to them.
Valerian extract from a different source coming next week.
This is the end of the thread.
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