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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mogger on September 22, 2008, at 1:38:18
Hello all,
just wondering if anyone knew anything about curcumin (heard it is a great AD) and whether it would be ok to add to my meds?! If it is ok, what dose is appropriate? Many thanks,
mogger90mg of buspar,
45mg of remeron,
200mg of zoloft,
300mg of lamictal,
5mg of zyprexa,
4mg of terazosin,
18grams of inositol.I know it is a lot but all the meds each help in ways!
Posted by yxibow on September 22, 2008, at 3:06:40
In reply to curcumin safe on top of my meds?!, posted by mogger on September 22, 2008, at 1:38:18
> Hello all,
> just wondering if anyone knew anything about curcumin (heard it is a great AD) and whether it would be ok to add to my meds?! If it is ok, what dose is appropriate? Many thanks,
> mogger
>
> 90mg of buspar,
> 45mg of remeron,
> 200mg of zoloft,
> 300mg of lamictal,
> 5mg of zyprexa,
> 4mg of terazosin,
> 18grams of inositol.
>
> I know it is a lot but all the meds each help in ways!Turmeric? I don't know if it is terribly dangerous and yes it has been primarily tested as an anti-inflammatory and a few other things -- the LD50 hasn't been established but is pretty high.
But I would think a dose change in the Lamictal might be a better choice, I don't know -- it has been shown to be a good antidepressant for some.
You are on a fairly high range of serotonergic agents already.
But if you want to take it, I would tell your doctor I suppose, but I don't think it would hurt.
-- Jay
Posted by bleauberry on September 22, 2008, at 16:45:26
In reply to curcumin safe on top of my meds?!, posted by mogger on September 22, 2008, at 1:38:18
You are in uncharted waters with your cocktail, with or without tumeric, so who knows. I can't say with any accuracy, but I doubt tumeric has the potency to make much difference against a background of those heavy hitter meds. As with anything, start low, go slow, feel it out. It is after all a spice and some cultures use a lot of it.
Too bad we couldn't go back in time and try just tumeric with no meds.
How much water do you drink in a day? What do you take for antioxidants? Anti-toxins? Anti-inflammatories? Pro-liver? Pro-brain? Veggies and fruits? What was your freeT3 reading? Are there silver fillings in your teeth? What is the lead and mercury level in your urine? What is it after a dose of DMSA? Do you have antibodies for thyroid, strepp, lyme, gluten, others? I mean, when someone is on that many meds and still not well, you gotta stop and ask, what the heck is really wrong here?
Posted by mogger on September 22, 2008, at 16:55:12
In reply to Re: curcumin safe on top of my meds?!, posted by bleauberry on September 22, 2008, at 16:45:26
I am in very chartered waters thank you and what is wrong here is that I have a wicked family history of both ocd and clinical depression. Every one of my meds help me tremendously. I am motivated to find the perfect combination of meds and supplements so i am asking for positive not negative discussion.
Posted by yxibow on September 22, 2008, at 19:56:42
In reply to Re: curcumin safe on top of my meds?!, posted by mogger on September 22, 2008, at 16:55:12
> I am in very chartered waters thank you and what is wrong here is that I have a wicked family history of both ocd and clinical depression. Every one of my meds help me tremendously. I am motivated to find the perfect combination of meds and supplements so i am asking for positive not negative discussion.
Biochemical disorders usually run in a streak in a family because they are genetically linked, and a nature of just having a slightly different way of your brain expressing itself, shall we say.
But the theory of neuroplasticity also shows that the brain can heal itself unlike what we have previously known and there are always chances that areas may remap.
Yes, I got the brunt of things because mental illness streaks run on my mother's side of the family, and who knows how far back because if someone was a bit "off" in previous centuries they would have been disregarded in various ways.
If you have found that your medication has helped you tremendously in your struggle against a strong OCD, then so much the better. But it is also, simplify, simplify too -- always taking the minimum effective dose (MED) of every compound because the side effects go up as doses go up.As for dietary supplements and holistic theories -- well, they're unknown and unregulated in the US and haven't gone through double blind studies, but one is welcome to believe in them, I'm not negating that either.
I take l-tryptophan or 5htp or sometimes both, in relatively safe amounts because I have a massive sleep disorder on top of this. People with depression often do. Whether any of the two are actually effective, who knows. I dabbled in magnesium a little bit -- actually some calcium supplements have magnesium in them too anyhow.
Too much magnesium, especially certain forms, can lead to diarrhea -- in fact before colonoscopies it is recommended to take magnesium citrate bottles to mm... empty out things.
So its up to you, but I would read up a bit on whatever you are going to augment -- and there are books that don't just promote one side of the argument, because often I've noticed that things seem to be often one-sided because of course there are people who just want to sell supplements.
As for turmeric, again I've said in moderation, I doubt it will hurt, will it help --- can't really say. It makes an excellent food dye, I'm not trying to be flippant.
-- best wishes
Jay
Posted by bleauberry on September 22, 2008, at 20:46:24
In reply to Re: curcumin safe on top of my meds?!, posted by mogger on September 22, 2008, at 16:55:12
> I am in very chartered waters thank you and what is wrong here is that I have a wicked family history of both ocd and clinical depression. Every one of my meds help me tremendously. I am motivated to find the perfect combination of meds and supplements so i am asking for positive not negative discussion.
Hey, we are all in uncharted waters. All of psychiatry actually. Including me. My family history is like yours too. So I apologize if my post came across wrong. Words, phrases, they sometimes give the wrong message when you can't see the person speaking them and their facial expressions and tone of voice. I absolutely meant nothing negative and apologize for seeming that way. Bad choice of words on my part.
Everything I said was actually meant to be positive. When our genetics are already weak, like with you or me, we need to give our bodies a much stronger foundation than the normal person would need to think about. Medication is only a portion of the strategy. If we eat the same way as everyone else, take the same basic labs as everyone else, and the other stuff I mentioned, we are in effect strengthening our enemy.
Again, sorry.
I tried tumeric for a few days. I swear it did feel serotonergic to me. Kind of like weak 5htp. I don't think it would be unsafe. Low and slow is a good rule of thumb with the unknown. I doubt there is a doctor in the country who could tell us if tumeric is safe with your meds or not.
Posted by mogger on September 22, 2008, at 22:05:19
In reply to Re: curcumin safe on top of my meds?! » mogger, posted by bleauberry on September 22, 2008, at 20:46:24
Thanks for all the points! I appreciate it. Thanks for clearing it up bleauberry, I think I am too sensitive! Maybe I should try and find a medication for that! :)
Posted by linkadge on September 23, 2008, at 20:42:50
In reply to Re: curcumin safe on top of my meds?!, posted by mogger on September 22, 2008, at 22:05:19
Turmeric has antidepressant potential. In mice studies it is more potent than fluoxetine.
Turmeric is an MAOI and I got serotonin syndrome when combining it with citalopram. I would be very cautious when adding it to sertraline. Know the symptoms of serotonin syndrome.
Linakdge
Posted by mogger on September 23, 2008, at 22:09:34
In reply to Re: No, posted by linkadge on September 23, 2008, at 20:42:50
Well noted Linkadge thank you, I think I might hold off on that. I going to take a vitamin d3 supplement (1200 i.u.) as a friend told me it was beneficial for depression but have also heard that by taking it you increase serotonin? Might the addition of vitamin d3 also could cause serotonin syndrome? thanks,
mogger
Posted by desolationrower on September 24, 2008, at 12:26:28
In reply to thanks linkadge, one question, posted by mogger on September 23, 2008, at 22:09:34
The D3 is safe to take.
-D/R
Posted by linkadge on September 24, 2008, at 16:28:24
In reply to thanks linkadge, one question, posted by mogger on September 23, 2008, at 22:09:34
I think there is less of a possability of d3 causing serotonin syndrome. It does have some effect on serotonin synthesis. Who knows.
I have had some mild serotonin syndrome like effects when adding higher dose b6 to SSRI treatment. You never know.
I'd just know the symptoms.
Linkadge
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