Posted by Lao Tzu on June 3, 2008, at 8:10:30
POSSIBLE alternative treatment for bipolar depression. No guarantees as of yet. Note: That I have been stabilized on meds for about two years, that is, antidepressant, mood stabilizer, and antipsychotic medicine. Medicine is VERY IMPORTANT because it treats your most severe symptoms, especially severe clinical depression and/or psychotic symptoms. Anyhow, this is what I take during the day:
Morning:
Vitamin B1, Vitamin B5, Vitamin C, 1-2 fish oil capsules, Acetyl-l-carnitine (250mg) and N-Acetyl-cysteine (300mg)Afternoon:
500-1000mg of Vitamin CBedtime:
Vitamin B3, Vitamin B6, Vitamin E, and N-acetyl-cysteine (600mg)Note: Avoid all supplements that affect dopamine metabolism. And be careful with fish oils. They are great for mood, but I have noticed that if I take too high a dosage of them, they may be too depressogenic for you and thus, make you feel worse rather than better.
If your doctor is open to alternative treatments in addition to your meds, I would strongly recommend that you discuss this with him because he/she may have comprehensive knowledge to better help you than if you just experimented on your own. Unfortunately, my doctor has no time for natural supplements, so I don't even discuss it with him. It's probably best to find a doctor that does know his medicine as well as his supplements.
I will update my progress on this site as the days, weeks, and months progress. Like I said, there is no guarantee that this regimen will work for me or for you in the long run, and since I've only been doing this for a few weeks, it may be too soon to conclude that it is an effective treatment in addition to your meds. I have read that N-acetyl-cysteine may be very helpful for bipolar disorder, but that it takes a while to see improvement. Don't give up too soon. Take all this information with a grain of salt. I've seen too many websites selling their products that claim their supplement will improve your condition. For one, they don't know you personally. They don't know exactly what is going on in your life. They don't know exactly what symptoms you are having the most trouble with.
I want to also mention that your family doctor may be able to rule out other causes of depression such as hyper- or hyperthyroidism and hypoglycemia. I hope this information is helpful to some of you and I wish you all the best.
poster:Lao Tzu
thread:832654
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20080326/msgs/832654.html