Posted by JLx on November 2, 2003, at 14:37:21
In reply to Re: emergency depression kit » JLx, posted by tealady on October 31, 2003, at 12:29:15
> It was the fact that nothing seemed to be working that worried me, I guess.
Yeah, I know what you mean. That's the worst feeling....as if nothing WILL work since nothing HAS.
> Well I'm taking tyrosine regularly now, and I'm very happy with it and I think I've worked the dosage out correctly.
How much, how long and how did you determine the dose? I am working on that now. I started with 500mg and worked up to 1500mg, but now am wondering if that is too much...or if maybe in time one can/should take less. I've been taking it about a month or maybe 5 weeks, but I've been changing other things as well, so I can't be sure exactly what is doing what...as usual. If I weren't so squirelly in my brain chemistry I would be more systematic about this effort to improve my brain chemistry. <g>
>I'm also on thyroid meds..I actually doubled and then trebled all tyrosine and thyroid meds....still hypo and constipated.
I think my thyroid situation has straightened out since magnesium supplementation, all the others subsequent supplements and also perhaps the tyrosine. I never could talk my doctor into thyroid meds after my tests were "normal", despite my low body temp...which really ticked me off as I thought it had to be a factor in my depression. Now in general, I feel warmer and just better overall. My temp is normal whenever I've taken it.
> I'm still recovering. I tried backing down on the meds and vitC ..tapering off, but I came off too fast and went hypo/constipated/dry skin to stinging stage, aching etc.... So I'm back on about double doses and still about 8g vitc daily and the magn.
> you know my eyebrows are finally growing back, and some other problems are now fixing themselves up for the first time in years. I'm on overhigh doses though, so I doubt I can continue.Isn't it great to see things get better? :) Maybe you will find that you won't need the overhigh doses after a while.
> Yes, see above re chocolate. I was hitting all the high serotonin foods too, nonstop..they helped but not enough. I think I read the trick is hit the serotonin foods and then the glucose/sugars etc. about 20mins later to pass serotonin thru BBB.(only I can't remember where I read that or if it is true, thanks for reminding me).
I reminded myself too. My mood took a dip the last couple of days and yesterday was pretty lousy. Then I got this post in e-mail, read it and thought....hmmm... take your own advice! I ate some potatoes and felt better. I had tried in the morning 250 mg of calcium (something I've been avoding except in very small amounts, so this was a big dose) with about an equal amount of magnesium....and it made me nuts! I was crying and carrying on in an argument with my sister...like I was in the grip of a "brain storm". I crushed up two mg malate tablets in applesauce and felt better shortly therafter and really calmed down throughout the day after eating the potatoes.
I was just reading here: http://www.nutrition4health.org/NOHAnews/NNW01Trypto.html
"What this means is that if we eat a diet that contains relatively large amounts of protein (made up of all of the amino acids) the amount of tryptophan entering the brain will be substantially less than the amount entering the brain while on a low protein diet.
On the other hand, if we eat a high carbohydrate-low protein meal, the amount of tryptophan entering the brain will be significantly increased compared with the normal situation."
Tyrosine raises dopamine which in turn lowers serotonin, right? So, tyrosine coupled with a high protein diet will really lower serotoin. I suspect this is what happened to me. But I didn't consider eating some protein with my starchy food, next time I will. I took some 5-HTP last night before bed along with a tiny bit of melatonin, and slept a bit better than I've been, and also felt better this morning. Though still brooding about my aggravating sister. <g>
> I've just tried to buy tryptophan after matthh had such a good response to it..but it's now banned again in Australia, unless you have docs script...recent crackdown I was told ...not sure when. It's exxy too, I priced it today. Guess I'll have to look for vetinary supplies over here.I never realized how difficult it was to get some of this stuff in other countries that we can buy everywhere.
> Not impressed as I asked if perhaps the noradrenaline would be too high as I was already on tyrosine..he didn't really know what tyrosine was, then considered it didn't have much effect anyway..then told me I'd have to stop taking it..which I won't do. Now he could have given me a script of tyrptophan!!
They are aggravating in their ignorance, aren't they?
> Perhaps l-phenylanine instead of chocolate is the answer, lol. Do you get a down the next day from l-phenylanine?Well, I'm not very good about keeping track of what I take each day, and then correlating it with my state of being, so I really can't say.
> I started on l-lysine yesterday, as I read that this reaction can deplete lysine and potassium..somewhere. .and that lysine affects the collagen..which it sure looked like!
> So I've been hitting that hard, and finally unconstipated, and taking potassium by swallowing lite-salt..I can't find it anywhere else so far.Hmm...have you ever tried juicing? Most fruits and veggies have lots of potassium and with juicing it really adds up.
> Have you (or anyone) ever tried lysine? It's supposed to be good for hair/nails too. I'd like to find out more about it.
> JanI've taken it but I don't remember what for! I have two books on amino acids and tried most of them before.
"Low lysine levels have been found in those with depression, chronic virus, asthma, low thyroid function, kidney disease, & Parkinson's. The exact significance is unclear. Some have improved with lysine usage." http://www.thewayup.com/products/0003.htm
Interesting. Nothing like that on these sites: http://www.findarticles.com/g2603/0005/2603000500/p1/article.jhtml, http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsSupplements/Lysinecs.html
I've noticed that lysine is one of the few amino acids sold in my supermarket...suggesting there's a demand for it among the general populace. I wonder if it's being advised by cardiologists?
An interview with Linus Pauling: http://www.healthtap.net/generic.html?pid=27
"If you are at risk of heart disease, or if there is a history of heart disease in your family, if your father or other members of the family died of a heart attack or stroke or whatever, or if you have a mild heart attack yourself then you had better be taking vitamin C and lysine."
poster:JLx
thread:259730
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20031023/msgs/275814.html