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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dr. Bob on October 6, 2003, at 18:14:34
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ?????, posted by T Ejector on October 6, 2003, at 11:28:44
> I started taking omega-3 a week ago, to begin with i felt a definit sense of calmness but that has turned to a feeling of axiety in my chest (very scary) which seems to tally with some of the other reports. The reason i gave it a try is because i have been suffering from chronic fatigue for the last year and when i read about the possible benefits as in improved immune system i thought why not. I have had numerous tests which all show i am perfectly fit & healthy my question to these results is always the same; why do i feel terrible all of the time. The tests continue, any suggestions?
Posted by tealady on October 6, 2003, at 21:41:53
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ????? « T Ejector, posted by Dr. Bob on October 6, 2003, at 18:14:34
If you felt good at the beginning..why not try fish oil only once week for a while, then increase to twice a week for the next month etc...
In other words drop back to a comfort level.What tests continue?
Jan
Posted by taylor18 on October 7, 2003, at 1:12:56
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ????? « T Ejector, posted by Dr. Bob on October 6, 2003, at 18:14:34
Is it possible that it may be due to the extraneous ingredients in the supplement, e.g., glycerin, gelatin? Try taking in liquid form and see if the side effect subsides.
Posted by T Ejector on October 7, 2003, at 3:21:27
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ?????, posted by taylor18 on October 7, 2003, at 1:12:56
I might as well give you a run down of what i have been suffering from for the past year. Whilst at work i became ill (flu like symptoms) i expected to be well again within a couple of weeks but that wasn't to be. The symptoms came with a ringing in the ears which developed into dizzines which the doctor decided was vertigo.The flu symptoms left me but the dizzines stayed, then a pattern of no flu symptoms for a week or so then flu symptoms for two to three weeks and so on developed. Whatever it is has now developed into constant chronic fatigue, i can hardly do anything physical without becoming totally exhausted. The tests iv had were blood tests which have checked for everything but a virus which is what i think it is (all the blood tests came back neative). I also had my heart checked with an ultra sound machine which revealed i have a very strong and healthy heart which was nice to know. The next tests will be a hydro test and MRI of my ears to see if there is any damage causing the dizzines. I took the omega-3 on the off chance it might in some way help my condition but it just made it ten times worse, i havent taken any today and i seem to be getting back to what is normal for me these days. Since the mid 80s i have suffered on an off from anxiety attacks and have steadily become very sensitive to medication, even St Johns Wort has a negative effect on me. What a mess eh.
Posted by Larry Hoover on October 8, 2003, at 7:11:55
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ????? « T Ejector, posted by Dr. Bob on October 6, 2003, at 18:14:34
> > I started taking omega-3 a week ago, to begin with i felt a definit sense of calmness but that has turned to a feeling of axiety in my chest (very scary) which seems to tally with some of the other reports. The reason i gave it a try is because i have been suffering from chronic fatigue for the last year and when i read about the possible benefits as in improved immune system i thought why not. I have had numerous tests which all show i am perfectly fit & healthy my question to these results is always the same; why do i feel terrible all of the time. The tests continue, any suggestions?
You don't say if you're using fish oil or flax oil. They are not, strictly speaking, interchangeable. They do have distinct effects. I strongly recommend fish oil, 5 grams per day (if tolerated). Also, take GLA supps (gamma-linolenic acid, as found in borage oil, evening primrose, or black currant oil) 1 gram/day.
As a fellow sufferer of chronic fatigue, I can fully empathize with your struggle for a sense of well-being. Tests may never reveal anything, as chronic fatigue is a medical enigma. That said, there are things to do about it. You should consider megavitamin therapy.
There are some key nutrients to consider.
First, the B-vitamins. Many people recognize the onset of chronic fatigue following a viral illness. Whether through direct distortion of your genes (viruses hijack your gene transcription process, and can also damage DNA), or by activation of an autoimmune response, your biochemistry may have been permanently altered. It may need some serious extra help. Many enzymes require B-vitamins to function efficiently, and if they've been affected by the virus (directly or indirectly), they may require serious amounts of vitamins to function efficiently. So, take B-complex two or three times a day.
Minerals. Most likely, you will have developed deficiencies in zinc, selenium, and magnesium directly as a result of chronic fatigue. Zinc at 30-40 mg/day, selenium at 200 mcg/day, and magnesium, at least 300 mg/day.
Antioxidants. Oxidative stress goes hand in hand with chronic fatigue. So, vitamin C (2 grams/day), vitamin E (800-1600 IU/day), alpha lipoic acid (100-300 mg/day).
And there may be a magic bullet to try. On the above nutrient regime, I began to rebound towards functionality. I'm still not well, but I function so much better. This spring, I first tried using NADH (nicotine-adenine dinucleotide, reduced), which is produced by an Austrian company called ENADA. It's marketed by different companies, but it all is produced or licensed from ENADA. I've actually been able to work full-time for periods, on this stuff.
Dosing is a little weird. It seems like you need higher doses initially (acute phase), but later, substantially reduced doses (maintenance phase). I took 10 mg/day for five days, and it felt something like "I'd filled up the empty container inside me". After that, I've been maintaining my functionality on roughly 5 mg/week.
This sounds like a lot of pills, and it is. Personally, I have not received any substantive benefit from medical treatment. I attribute my gradual return to a semblance of normalcy entirely to megavitamin therapy. I'd be happy to go into more detail, if you wish. I encourage questions, and I'll answer any that you may have.
Best,
Lar
Posted by Dr. Bob on October 9, 2003, at 2:11:48
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ????? « T Ejector, posted by Dr. Bob on October 6, 2003, at 18:14:34
Re: Omega 3 side effect ????? » T Ejector
Posted by Kacy on October 7, 2003, at 13:16:38
In reply to http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031004/msgs/265989.html
Are you taking them all at once? If so, take them with meals, three times a day.
You can do the same thing by eating a small serving of salmon three times a week. You want to get the oils, so you'll want to cook it carefully. Often, when I eat out, the salmon is over-cooked and I wonder how much oil I 'm getting. I steam mine in a tightly-closed foil pouch and then soak up all the oils by dredging each forkful in the oil.
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Re: Omega 3 side effect ?????
Posted by T Ejector on October 7, 2003, at 13:43:32
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ????? » T Ejector, posted by Kacy on October 7, 2003, at 13:16:38
I was taking them with meals, next week ill try one per day with my lunch and see what happens. Does anyone know why fish oil could have this effect. It seems ironic but since i stopped taking them (which was only today) i have had more energy than iv had for months!!??
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Re: Omega 3 side effect ????? » Kacy
Posted by BarbaraCat on October 8, 2003, at 0:46:26
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ????? » T Ejector, posted by Kacy on October 7, 2003, at 13:16:38
Sorry, but eating a small amount of salmon three times a week isn't going to provide the therapeutic amount of Omega 3's that will make any difference to depressive and bipolar disorders. The therapeutic doses are from 9-12 grams a day. A small amount of salmon provides 1-2Grams at the most and this only if it's wild rather than farm raised (most supermarket salmon are farm raised containing high amounts of antibiotics but very little Omega-3 oils).
The other factor is the amount of contaminants, i.e., mercury and other toxins that are unfortunately found in fresh fish worldwide. Mercury will cause many of the mood disturbances we're trying to abate - nervous disorders, muscles cramping, mettalic taste in mouth, panic attacks, fatigue, depression. Such a damn trajedy since we'd like to think that fresh fish is the one last decent food.
Fish oil capsules found in far too many brands are not purified of these toxins since it's very expensive to remove contaminants.
Worse yet, they may be rancid. If you get a fishy burp, the oil is rancid and you would do yourself a big favor to toss it. Rancid oils will cause peroxidation and free radical damage, i.e., cell death, just like the deep fat fried cuisine at the El Greaso Cafe - and you KNOW they don't change that oil the way they ought to!
Always take 800mg Vitamin E and 1G Vitamin C with fish oil to prevent any rancidity caused from taking the oil from the fridge to your mouth. It's that fragile. So, if you're getting bad results, look to quality of the fish oil. - Barbara
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Re: Omega 3 side effect ?????
Posted by T Ejector on October 8, 2003, at 3:28:10
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ????? » Kacy, posted by BarbaraCat on October 8, 2003, at 0:46:26
Thank you for that information Barbara I wasn't aware that their was so much to know about fish oil. How can I find out which brand is free of all those nasties you speak of?
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Re: Omega 3 side effect ????? How do you know ????
Posted by ian24 on October 8, 2003, at 22:09:14
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ?????, posted by T Ejector on October 6, 2003, at 11:28:44
You guys attribute affect x to compund z yet you have no way of knowing what causes what!! You have no control, no Blind study yada yadfa. I could say I am bald from benzos or from potato chips or from masturbation and there is no way I can be sure of a causal link without scientific blind studies with large groups
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No one's twisting your arm to take it (nm) » ian24
Posted by BarbaraCat on October 8, 2003, at 23:30:52
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ????? How do you know ????, posted by ian24 on October 8, 2003, at 22:09:14
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Re: Omega 3 side effect ????? » T Ejector
Posted by BarbaraCat on October 8, 2003, at 23:58:42
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ?????, posted by T Ejector on October 8, 2003, at 3:28:10
> Thank you for that information Barbara I wasn't aware that their was so much to know about fish oil. How can I find out which brand is free of all those nasties you speak of?
I've got a post following on this thread that lists recommended brands and some good articles on fish oil and depression/bipolar, etc.
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Fish oil - best brands and articles that may help
Posted by BarbaraCat on October 9, 2003, at 0:06:32
In reply to Re: Omega 3 side effect ?????, posted by T Ejector on October 8, 2003, at 3:28:10
Here's a link for pharmaceutical grade fish oil recommended brands. They don't mention Dr. Barry Sears OmegaRx (the one I take). Hellishly exensive but excellent product. The other one I like is Carlson's 'The Very Best Fish Oil' (gaggy name) but very inexpensive and very high quality. Another one not mentioned is Dr. Stoll's 'The Father of Omega 3's' brand.
http://store.yahoo.com/iherb/dhaepa.html
Here are some articles on Omegas re mood disorders.
http://store.yahoo.com/iherb/depression.html
BTW, www.iherb.com is a great place to shop for your supplement needs. Excellent prices, free shipping over $50, good service. - Barbara
This is the end of the thread.
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