![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
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 LAURA777 on January 31, 2003, at 13:30:55
hi , i have found several threads in here that were very helpful , i have so called abused opioids in the past , only because i actually felt ALIVE , INTERESTED and motivated ... if i could look forward to once a week of using them i would .. at least i would have some hope for that week .. any way , the only drugs i have been prescribed so far are prozac , effexor and wellbutrin .. I'm still BLAH.... do i really have to go thru the almost endless list of meds before they may even consider some for of opiates? i know how i feel and the only time i felt well was when i got percocet from the dentist , or vicodin when i broke my ankle ,, i must tell you that i have this chronic state since i have been 12 yrs ,... i used to wonder why people got so excited about life !!! i also wondered how people held down jobs cooked dinner and spent time with family .. i can't do all these things with out getting tired .. but while on percoset i get energy .. strange huh? i can't clean , do laundry and shop all in one day , i can only pick one or two a day and i don't know if it is because i have to push myself to do these things that zap my energy or i just do not have energy to begin with , and i know that i am not lazy .. i've had blood tests to rule out physical things .. all were clear .. why does depression make you tired???? is it because i push to do things , is it because the boredom and lack of interest ??? why ??? i had an ultram script from the dentist but it was 2 1/2 years old and only 50mgs ,, i have thrown it out long ago so there is no trying that .. what upsets me also is that these drugs that they will try will take weeks to see if they work and i am so tired of feeling this way .. soo sooo tired ... weeks seem like years . sleep is my only escape but this is so sad .. my life is sad :{ ...
i also want to add that i think many alcoholics and addicts are difficient in enorphin and opioid areas of the brain.. and that it is passed down genetically , my family is riddled with depression , alcoholism and bipolor .. does anyone know of a doctor in the pennsylvania area that is open to opiate treatment.. please give me some feedback .. thanks laura
Posted by JohnL on January 31, 2003, at 14:13:14
In reply to opiates and depression please read!!, posted by LAURA777 on January 31, 2003, at 13:30:55
Hi,
In a perfect world you could have a Pdoc that would treat you with whatever med improves your life dramatically.You know, you could actually go right through the yellow pages and call every Pdoc there is to tell them you have a condition that responds excellent to opioid meds and that you would like to be carefully treated and monitored with them. Nine out of ten will give you a no, or some round about thing, or some politically correct answer, or you have to have an appointment first, or whatever. But sooner or later you are going to stumble onto someone that says, "Sure, that sounds interesting, come in and see me".
I've done that in the past and it worked good. I found just the Pdoc I was looking for. But it was a lot of work and a lot of blind phone calls out of the yellow pages.
I have symptoms similar to yours. The combo that works great for me, in terms of motivation, interest, feeling alive, is 20mgProzac plus 300mgAdrafinil plus 5mgZyprexa, as well as the herb Rhodiola Rosea. Prozac alone did nothing for me except make me numb. But for some strange reason it goes really well with the other meds.
Rhodiola Rosea is a fairly unknown herb. It is claimed to be a powerful antidepressant, anti-anxiety, prosexual, and mild stimulant. It is said to be better than St Johnswort, SAMe, Ginseng, or Gingko. Based on my own personal curious trials of this herb, I have to admit that all of the above claims are true with me. Rhodiola helps me in a lot of ways.
Anyway...Rhodiola boosts serotonin function, dopamine function, and...drum roll please...beta endorphines and opioids. Probably not nearly as powerful as a pharmaceutical, but who knows. I can feel it for sure. If interested, be sure to try a brand that has 4% Rosivin extract content. You'll have to mailorder it. Good idea to let your doc know what you are doing, if for no other reason he/she can document your progress.
If you try it and don't like it, then let the fingers do the walking through the yellow pages. :-)
JohnL
> hi , i have found several threads in here that were very helpful , i have so called abused opioids in the past , only because i actually felt ALIVE , INTERESTED and motivated ... if i could look forward to once a week of using them i would .. at least i would have some hope for that week .. any way , the only drugs i have been prescribed so far are prozac , effexor and wellbutrin .. I'm still BLAH.... do i really have to go thru the almost endless list of meds before they may even consider some for of opiates? i know how i feel and the only time i felt well was when i got percocet from the dentist , or vicodin when i broke my ankle ,, i must tell you that i have this chronic state since i have been 12 yrs ,... i used to wonder why people got so excited about life !!! i also wondered how people held down jobs cooked dinner and spent time with family .. i can't do all these things with out getting tired .. but while on percoset i get energy .. strange huh? i can't clean , do laundry and shop all in one day , i can only pick one or two a day and i don't know if it is because i have to push myself to do these things that zap my energy or i just do not have energy to begin with , and i know that i am not lazy .. i've had blood tests to rule out physical things .. all were clear .. why does depression make you tired???? is it because i push to do things , is it because the boredom and lack of interest ??? why ??? i had an ultram script from the dentist but it was 2 1/2 years old and only 50mgs ,, i have thrown it out long ago so there is no trying that .. what upsets me also is that these drugs that they will try will take weeks to see if they work and i am so tired of feeling this way .. soo sooo tired ... weeks seem like years . sleep is my only escape but this is so sad .. my life is sad :{ ...
> i also want to add that i think many alcoholics and addicts are difficient in enorphin and opioid areas of the brain.. and that it is passed down genetically , my family is riddled with depression , alcoholism and bipolor .. does anyone know of a doctor in the pennsylvania area that is open to opiate treatment.. please give me some feedback .. thanks laura
Posted by BrittPark on January 31, 2003, at 14:42:04
In reply to opiates and depression please read!!, posted by LAURA777 on January 31, 2003, at 13:30:55
First, I'm sorry that you're feeling so bad. Second johnL's advice is very sound. I found my psychiatrist by letting my fingers do the walking.
I'm a big proponent of opioids for depression. A lot of people react positively to opioids, and some seem to react positively over long time periods (that is they don't become tolerant). I've been taking vicodin 5s once a day for over a year, and they still help with my anxiety and depression. Now, I'd like to take it in higher doses but I'm more than a little afraid that I'll develop tolerance.
Unfortunately the psychiatric world for the most part has ignored opioids and opiate receptors in the treatment and research of depression. There are a handful of psychiatrists who will use opioids, the two most popular being buprenorphine and tramadol, both of which have some research to back up their efficacy.
As johnL said take the time to find the best psychiatrist for you. I would advise you to not ask prospective psychiatrists about specific medications but ask them if they are open to unconvential pharmacotherapy. Find out if they have the "whatever works" attitude.
You will feel better. It just may take some time.
Be well,
Britt
Posted by wingedcat on February 1, 2003, at 18:21:20
In reply to opiates and depression please read!!, posted by LAURA777 on January 31, 2003, at 13:30:55
I recommended below that you try Deprenyl. Now I think you shouldn't. I don't mean this to be negative or judging or anything... but if you are on Deprenyl and take even a small amount of an opiate, (even Vicodin) you can die. I know from experience it's easy to go back and do things you were addicted to, and I don't want to propose you take something that can react badly with that. Stimulants are the only things that make me feel like you describe you feel on opiates, ALIVE. Every time I have tried opiates I have ended up over the toilet dry-heaving so I'm not tempted to take it while on Deprenyl. We have different chemistries, and that's ok. Perhaps a benzodiazepine would work for you, it's a "downer" like opiates. I hope you find something that will help you out. I'm sorry if this post sounded bad, I totally didn't mean it to be. I hope you find a doctor who will actually listen to you. I think the things we tend to get addicted to reflect the parts of the brain where we need help, like you said, and it can be hard to find a doctor who is sympathetic with that. I've been through so many doctors who just want to yell at me and throw anti-drug pamphlets at me for admitting that amphetamines make me feel good about myself. :(
Posted by LAURA777 on February 1, 2003, at 19:33:39
In reply to Re: opiates and depression please read!! » LAURA777, posted by wingedcat on February 1, 2003, at 18:21:20
hey i would never mix medications without first researching them completely reguardless of what even docs tell me .. the internet is a great source for that , opiates are just a consideration ,, if i can find meds other than opiates i am all for it !!! because opiates have there drawback as well .. i would just love to find something soon , because i am so tired of feeling this greyness .. it is awful.. then to get your hopes up for some med and then it does not work , it is just plain painful ..God bless us all ... thanks for your time and your post was not at all offensive , thanks , laura
Posted by bee happy on February 1, 2003, at 22:42:06
In reply to Re: opiates and depression please read!! » wingedcat, posted by LAURA777 on February 1, 2003, at 19:33:39
Laura, Your story is all to familiar....especially the sleeping to escape the utter grayness of daily life. It's called anhedonia...an inability to experience joy....even in the things that once gave you a real kick.(For me it was knitting and even reading....I couldn't concentrate to read for over two years!!!Hell! You might want to read my post of Jan 27th. After trying a whole list of antidepressants my doctor finally found some research on using Buprenorphine for depression and agreed to try it. I have been on it for 6 months now and it has saved my life. It has just recently been approved for treating opiate addiction and will soon be availble in the U.S. If you have a compassionate family doctor you might ask if he or she would be willing to let you try it for just a few days. You will probably know right away if it works for you. I knew immediately. In those posts from a few days ago there is a message containg the internet address of the research used as the basis for my treatment. Perhaps armed with that information, and alot of patience you will find a doctor willing to help. Don't give up, dear. It's just a matter of time...and yes, the weeks seem like years when you're in pain. My search took two years.My first move was to talk to a psychologist...who sent me to the Psychiatrist...who after consulting with my family doctor agreed there must be something to this. Yes, he monitors me very closely,but the last thing i would do is jeoparize losing the one thing that makes me feel life is worth living by abusing it. I'm sure there must be many many more people like us...we need to speak out, help each other and start some sort of "dread not opiates movement".It's time has come. If i can help...let me know on this board and I'll do what i can. Hang in there. Bee
Posted by LAURA777 on February 2, 2003, at 20:01:41
In reply to Re: opiates and depression please read!!, posted by bee happy on February 1, 2003, at 22:42:06
hi , thanks for the info , it seems that i see that another person on this board started to expierience symptoms at age 12 years , that is when mine started !!! and the older i get the worse it seems to be !!! i do NOT have anxiety, i have NEVER been manic .. just the oppisite .. everything in my life is a push to do .. also i want to add that on the deppression questionaire when they ask " have you lost interest in things that used to be enjoyable ?" i am stuck because nothing is or was , unless you go back before i was 12 years .. grey grey grey it is now . and sleep is my only escape and thank God i do not suffer insomnia !!! just the oppisited i am hypersomnia .. now my question is , 11 years ago i abused heroin .. will they not proscribe me
buprenorphine because of this ??
i have a wonderful therapist and have made great strides in my issues ... shame self esteem and such .. i like who i am today truly .. but i must tell you that it is so hard to function when nothing gives you pleasure , i wonder how people do this life thing .. to me it is sooo boring .. i read books but it looses flavor very quickly .. i hate alcohol because it dulls my thinking and makes me more dull altogether , yuk yuk yuk , when i take any narcotic , i am awake , more clearheaded and i have energy !! interest and motivation .. i hate stimulants too because they make me anxious and more awake with my BOREDOM .. it is just awful ,, here is a list of drugs that i have tried so far and none have worked
zoloft with adavan ( i do not like valum because i just get stupid and sleepy and more flat )
prozac alone 40 mg
prozac with welbutrin
effexor
all these in varying dosages ..
ANHEDONIA is my biggest complaint . i just sit here not wanting to do anything because nothing gives me reward , but yet i do not want to just sit here it is soo maddening i have trouble even deciding what to eat and make for dinner and i have to push to do all tasks , some days i do nothing and sleep but this is sooo miserable .. i have had this for so long i thought everyone was like this until i looked around , people had hobbies , interests .. where the hell were mine ?? this effects my life soooo much , and it effects my kids life too because i do not want to do anything .. and i tell you , will i have to go through the thousands of meds before they even consider treatment with buprenorphine ??? because i have investigate the chemical compositions of these drugs and they do not target the areas of the brain that i need help in .. yes stimulants target dopamine but in the wrong areas and they just make me anxious and more depressed , i have always steered clear of them illeagal ones as well as legal .. for instance in my teen years i tried cocaine and it made me soo sooo depresssed really bad that i never touched it again .. i mean here i was awake from the stimulant properrty of it and feeling as black as black can be .. i also investigated the effects on cocaine on the brain and then opiates and they act on different areas as well as a couple of the same ... i am no pharmocologist but i have been reading tons ..
and what i have read so far on the meds that are available none come near the chemicals that i may need or they are partial .. so my recovery will always be incomplete .. with the adhedonia not being touched ..
I do not want to end up like my mother , she does nothing all day but sleep and watch tv , she takes xanex for anxiety , i do not suffer from anxiety though ... i do NOT have a fear of people either or of places , it just there is no interest ,, How do i describe this , it is just awful , are we so rare that no one has looked into this ????
My husband has a script of vicodin and i ask him for 2 of them .. they are 5/500 ,, he gets mad at me and says i have a problem .. i am no drug addict believe me .. but when one can feel patially normal God if feels good .. the vicodin though is not long acting and fades within hours and i am back where i started .. not to mention what the acetaphetamine is doing to my liver !!!
hey bee , can you please provide me with the links you were speaking of so that i can show them to my primary care doctor ???? i have tried to find them but only found one , that one being the harvard study ... sorry this is so long winded but i have finally found someone who understands .. and would love to talk more with you about it .. do people normally feel up on vicodin or is it just people like us that do ?? is this an indication of what we suffer from ??
i need all the back up that i can possiblly have.. I pray that my primary care doctor will understand . and at least try it for a few days , i do not care if i have to submit to urine test everyday !!! i will . please write back bee .. i thank you soooo much .. laura
> Laura, Your story is all to familiar....especially the sleeping to escape the utter grayness of daily life. It's called anhedonia...an inability to experience joy....even in the things that once gave you a real kick.(For me it was knitting and even reading....I couldn't concentrate to read for over two years!!!Hell! You might want to read my post of Jan 27th. After trying a whole list of antidepressants my doctor finally found some research on using Buprenorphine for depression and agreed to try it. I have been on it for 6 months now and it has saved my life. It has just recently been approved for treating opiate addiction and will soon be availble in the U.S. If you have a compassionate family doctor you might ask if he or she would be willing to let you try it for just a few days. You will probably know right away if it works for you. I knew immediately. In those posts from a few days ago there is a message containg the internet address of the research used as the basis for my treatment. Perhaps armed with that information, and alot of patience you will find a doctor willing to help. Don't give up, dear. It's just a matter of time...and yes, the weeks seem like years when you're in pain. My search took two years.My first move was to talk to a psychologist...who sent me to the Psychiatrist...who after consulting with my family doctor agreed there must be something to this. Yes, he monitors me very closely,but the last thing i would do is jeoparize losing the one thing that makes me feel life is worth living by abusing it. I'm sure there must be many many more people like us...we need to speak out, help each other and start some sort of "dread not opiates movement".It's time has come. If i can help...let me know on this board and I'll do what i can. Hang in there. Bee
Posted by Peter S. on February 3, 2003, at 12:22:06
In reply to Re: opiates and depression please read!!, posted by JohnL on January 31, 2003, at 14:13:14
Hi John,
Can you say a little more about your experience with rhodiola Rosea? What brand do you use? How much per day do you take? Any other effects/side effects? Do you know why this stuff isn't more well-known?
Thanks!
> Hi,
> In a perfect world you could have a Pdoc that would treat you with whatever med improves your life dramatically.
>
> You know, you could actually go right through the yellow pages and call every Pdoc there is to tell them you have a condition that responds excellent to opioid meds and that you would like to be carefully treated and monitored with them. Nine out of ten will give you a no, or some round about thing, or some politically correct answer, or you have to have an appointment first, or whatever. But sooner or later you are going to stumble onto someone that says, "Sure, that sounds interesting, come in and see me".
>
> I've done that in the past and it worked good. I found just the Pdoc I was looking for. But it was a lot of work and a lot of blind phone calls out of the yellow pages.
>
> I have symptoms similar to yours. The combo that works great for me, in terms of motivation, interest, feeling alive, is 20mgProzac plus 300mgAdrafinil plus 5mgZyprexa, as well as the herb Rhodiola Rosea. Prozac alone did nothing for me except make me numb. But for some strange reason it goes really well with the other meds.
>
> Rhodiola Rosea is a fairly unknown herb. It is claimed to be a powerful antidepressant, anti-anxiety, prosexual, and mild stimulant. It is said to be better than St Johnswort, SAMe, Ginseng, or Gingko. Based on my own personal curious trials of this herb, I have to admit that all of the above claims are true with me. Rhodiola helps me in a lot of ways.
>
> Anyway...Rhodiola boosts serotonin function, dopamine function, and...drum roll please...beta endorphines and opioids. Probably not nearly as powerful as a pharmaceutical, but who knows. I can feel it for sure. If interested, be sure to try a brand that has 4% Rosivin extract content. You'll have to mailorder it. Good idea to let your doc know what you are doing, if for no other reason he/she can document your progress.
>
> If you try it and don't like it, then let the fingers do the walking through the yellow pages. :-)
>
> JohnL
>
> > hi , i have found several threads in here that were very helpful , i have so called abused opioids in the past , only because i actually felt ALIVE , INTERESTED and motivated ... if i could look forward to once a week of using them i would .. at least i would have some hope for that week .. any way , the only drugs i have been prescribed so far are prozac , effexor and wellbutrin .. I'm still BLAH.... do i really have to go thru the almost endless list of meds before they may even consider some for of opiates? i know how i feel and the only time i felt well was when i got percocet from the dentist , or vicodin when i broke my ankle ,, i must tell you that i have this chronic state since i have been 12 yrs ,... i used to wonder why people got so excited about life !!! i also wondered how people held down jobs cooked dinner and spent time with family .. i can't do all these things with out getting tired .. but while on percoset i get energy .. strange huh? i can't clean , do laundry and shop all in one day , i can only pick one or two a day and i don't know if it is because i have to push myself to do these things that zap my energy or i just do not have energy to begin with , and i know that i am not lazy .. i've had blood tests to rule out physical things .. all were clear .. why does depression make you tired???? is it because i push to do things , is it because the boredom and lack of interest ??? why ??? i had an ultram script from the dentist but it was 2 1/2 years old and only 50mgs ,, i have thrown it out long ago so there is no trying that .. what upsets me also is that these drugs that they will try will take weeks to see if they work and i am so tired of feeling this way .. soo sooo tired ... weeks seem like years . sleep is my only escape but this is so sad .. my life is sad :{ ...
> > i also want to add that i think many alcoholics and addicts are difficient in enorphin and opioid areas of the brain.. and that it is passed down genetically , my family is riddled with depression , alcoholism and bipolor .. does anyone know of a doctor in the pennsylvania area that is open to opiate treatment.. please give me some feedback .. thanks laura
>
>
Posted by kara lynne on February 3, 2003, at 13:41:45
In reply to Re: opiates and depression please read!! » bee happy, posted by LAURA777 on February 2, 2003, at 20:01:41
Hi Bee,
Sorry to make you repeat, but I can't seem to find the info: could I ask you what dosage you started the Bupe at and where you are now? Thank you for your feedback about bupenorphrine.
Posted by bee happy on February 3, 2003, at 21:41:44
In reply to Bee Happy/ Bupenorphrine, posted by kara lynne on February 3, 2003, at 13:41:45
Hi Kara. No I don 't mind repeating this story. I have always suspected that there must be other people out there with the same "mu" deficiency. And this board has shown me that i am not alone.The reason I come back to the board is to help people like you who might be in the hellish place I was 6 months ago. I started with .3 mgs 3x's daily. And gradually increased to 2 mgs 4x's daily over a 3 month period. I am now leveling off to 2mg 3 x's daily. I read everything I could I find about this drug. Especially the opiate addiction treatment information. Heroine addicts are prescribed anywhere from 4mg to 32 mg.per day. It was sort of a silly matter of pride that I not take any more than the lowest dose a "junkie" would take. But as I said in my last opus....am I just an ex opiate addict on buprenorphine maintainence or a depressive on the only drug that makes me feel life is worth living. The psychologist,psychiatrist, and my family doctor all agree that it is a valid treatment for my depression. In fact the Psychologist is so sure that my problem was chemical and satisfied with the results that she has suspended our sessions unless I feel I need to talk . Again...this does not make me euphoric...it makes me feel the way i percieve other "normal" people feel. Interested in things, Anxious to wake up and get into the new day whatever it will bring. I have a wonderful life. I had a wonderful life before I started taking this drug but it wasn't wonderful to me...I couldn't feel it. I couldn't feel anything! Except horrible guilt for not wanting to get out of bed in the morning.And quilt also for suspecting that I might be a drug addict.I do not worry about that label now. If I am a drug addict then so is the cancer patient or the diabetic....or the thyroid patient..you gt my point. I care enough about others who might be suffering to offer my experience in hopes that it might help. I am soooo grateful to be here to do it. I know it is not for everyone...but for anyone who ever felt more normal than high on opiate pain killers...it might be worth looking into.
Posted by bee happy on February 3, 2003, at 22:45:46
In reply to Re: opiates and depression please read!! » bee happy, posted by LAURA777 on February 2, 2003, at 20:01:41
Laura Look at that Buprenorphine study again. Many of the subjects were self medicating before the study. I did too. Until I was 35 I would take what ever opiate i could get my hands on. And because of the awful guilt i felt, went through a rehab to stop. For the the next 15 years I was just"ok"...not great by any means, but functioning. The grey returned with a vengence about two years ago.I too started 'borrowing' an occasional pain pill from my husband's rotator cuff surgery prescription for Norco.(With the same response as your husband) When my Psychologist told me about the harvard study...she said "Bee, you present too well. Beg. Cry. Ask the Psychiatrist to use you as a guinnea pig!" She was all for trying it and told him so. He was tetchy at first...mostly because of the hell he would have to go through if the government started scrutiniziing his prescription writing. But then he read all the literature about the new program using Buprenorphine for drug dependence, and that it was a shedule III with little potential for abuse due to the agonist/antagonist properties). That was it. I found the pharmacy where it could be compunded to sublingual form and we were off.(My husband is now totally supportive and understands now what I was going through). Perhaps you could try a doctor that specialized in drug dependence..and with the help of your family doc and your Psychologist...get a trial dose. The CDR website is (http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/subutex_suboxone/default.htm).I hope this is some help. I really feel for you. You might even try calling McClean Hospital in Boston where the Harvard study was conducted....and ask for DR.Bodkin. Someone on this board was actually able to speak with him personally when he was desperate to find a doctor will to try this treatment. Let me know how you're doing. If nothing else...it's good to have somone you know understands what you are feeing. Believe me I understand. Bee
Posted by kara lynne on February 4, 2003, at 0:17:43
In reply to Re: Bee Happy/ Bupenorphrine, posted by bee happy on February 3, 2003, at 21:41:44
Bee,
Thank you so much for your honesty and information. I have read some posts from people who developed a tolerance to Buprenorphine; I guess this did not happen in your case (good to know). And it seems that you are on a relatively low dose that keeps working for you. You are so lucky to have found a way out of that hellish place. I may have more questions in the future....
Posted by KarenRB53 on January 21, 2010, at 14:55:19
In reply to Rhodiola Rosea--- JohnL, posted by Peter S. on February 3, 2003, at 12:22:06
> Hi John,
>
> Can you say a little more about your experience with rhodiola Rosea? What brand do you use? How much per day do you take? Any other effects/side effects? Do you know why this stuff isn't more well-known?
>
> Thanks!
>
> > Hi,
> > In a perfect world you could have a Pdoc that would treat you with whatever med improves your life dramatically.
> >
> > You know, you could actually go right through the yellow pages and call every Pdoc there is to tell them you have a condition that responds excellent to opioid meds and that you would like to be carefully treated and monitored with them. Nine out of ten will give you a no, or some round about thing, or some politically correct answer, or you have to have an appointment first, or whatever. But sooner or later you are going to stumble onto someone that says, "Sure, that sounds interesting, come in and see me".
> >
> > I've done that in the past and it worked good. I found just the Pdoc I was looking for. But it was a lot of work and a lot of blind phone calls out of the yellow pages.
> >
> > I have symptoms similar to yours. The combo that works great for me, in terms of motivation, interest, feeling alive, is 20mgProzac plus 300mgAdrafinil plus 5mgZyprexa, as well as the herb Rhodiola Rosea. Prozac alone did nothing for me except make me numb. But for some strange reason it goes really well with the other meds.
> >
> > Rhodiola Rosea is a fairly unknown herb. It is claimed to be a powerful antidepressant, anti-anxiety, prosexual, and mild stimulant. It is said to be better than St Johnswort, SAMe, Ginseng, or Gingko. Based on my own personal curious trials of this herb, I have to admit that all of the above claims are true with me. Rhodiola helps me in a lot of ways.
> >
> > Anyway...Rhodiola boosts serotonin function, dopamine function, and...drum roll please...beta endorphines and opioids. Probably not nearly as powerful as a pharmaceutical, but who knows. I can feel it for sure. If interested, be sure to try a brand that has 4% Rosivin extract content. You'll have to mailorder it. Good idea to let your doc know what you are doing, if for no other reason he/she can document your progress.
> >
> > If you try it and don't like it, then let the fingers do the walking through the yellow pages. :-)
> >
> > JohnL
> >
> > > hi , i have found several threads in here that were very helpful , i have so called abused opioids in the past , only because i actually felt ALIVE , INTERESTED and motivated ... if i could look forward to once a week of using them i would .. at least i would have some hope for that week .. any way , the only drugs i have been prescribed so far are prozac , effexor and wellbutrin .. I'm still BLAH.... do i really have to go thru the almost endless list of meds before they may even consider some for of opiates? i know how i feel and the only time i felt well was when i got percocet from the dentist , or vicodin when i broke my ankle ,, i must tell you that i have this chronic state since i have been 12 yrs ,... i used to wonder why people got so excited about life !!! i also wondered how people held down jobs cooked dinner and spent time with family .. i can't do all these things with out getting tired .. but while on percoset i get energy .. strange huh? i can't clean , do laundry and shop all in one day , i can only pick one or two a day and i don't know if it is because i have to push myself to do these things that zap my energy or i just do not have energy to begin with , and i know that i am not lazy .. i've had blood tests to rule out physical things .. all were clear .. why does depression make you tired???? is it because i push to do things , is it because the boredom and lack of interest ??? why ??? i had an ultram script from the dentist but it was 2 1/2 years old and only 50mgs ,, i have thrown it out long ago so there is no trying that .. what upsets me also is that these drugs that they will try will take weeks to see if they work and i am so tired of feeling this way .. soo sooo tired ... weeks seem like years . sleep is my only escape but this is so sad .. my life is sad :{ ...
> > > i also want to add that i think many alcoholics and addicts are difficient in enorphin and opioid areas of the brain.. and that it is passed down genetically , my family is riddled with depression , alcoholism and bipolor .. does anyone know of a doctor in the pennsylvania area that is open to opiate treatment.. please give me some feedback .. thanks laura
> >
> >
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>Hi JohnL: Don't know if you're still on the board or not but thought I'd try. Are you still using the Rhodiola Rosea? I'm presently on Celexa and while it does help the depression, I have absolutely no motivation. I'm filled with a kind of nothingness. So I was wondering about adding either the Rhodiola or Adrafinil? Any suggestions appreciated.
Karen
Posted by Dr. Bob on February 7, 2010, at 23:28:47
In reply to Re: Rhodiola Rosea--- JohnL » Peter S., posted by KarenRB53 on January 21, 2010, at 14:55:19
> Are you still using the Rhodiola Rosea? I'm presently on Celexa and while it does help the depression, I have absolutely no motivation. I'm filled with a kind of nothingness.
Sorry to interrupt, but I'd like to redirect this thread to Psycho-Babble Alternative. Here's a link:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20091202/msgs/936332.html
That'll be considered a new thread, so if you'd like to be notified by email of follow-ups to it, you'll need to request that there. Thanks,
Bob
This is the end of the thread.
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