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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by zonked on July 8, 2011, at 14:26:18
I am still fighting the urge to use caffeine for fatigue and attention span. Am hesitant to add another drug to the mix, we'll see how I am doing with this by my next doctor's appointment later this month. I hope bleauberry sees this. =) It would have to be Nardil-compatible and hopefully not too pricey, and no more anxiogenic or crash prone than caffeine. I also have ADD, if these side effects don't lessen in enough time I may ask for a small dose of a stimulant next visit. Or maybe if I'm permitted to switch the Klonopin to Xanax XR, that might help as I never found Xanax as tiring. Overall, still doing VERY well on Nardil--friends and family (who I now feel like spending time with) have noticed a tremendous difference.
Posted by bleauberry on July 8, 2011, at 19:20:42
In reply to OTC/supplement replacements 4 caffeine?, posted by zonked on July 8, 2011, at 14:26:18
Wow, I don't know, the fatigue is a tough one. From what I've heard from almost everyone who has recovered from diseases where psychiatric symptoms were present, fatigue was the last thing to clear up.
I personally have not found anything useful to me except ritalin or vicadin. I hardly ever use either except in emergencies. An expert on herbal medicine, Stephen Buhner, recommends tincture form of Siberian Ginseng (Elethero). When I take it I get irritable no matter what dose. DLPA or tyrosine were a bit helpful for the brain fog and fatigue, but I they just didn't agree with me. It's not that things couldn't help me, because some did, but it's just that most gave me other problems I couldn't deal with. I think mood and everything else can improve a lot before they catch up.
Yohimbe bark works real good. But it's a dangerous one to handle. It's like turning the norepinephrine system into super overdrive. A tiny chunk off a tablet feels plenty powerful to me. I haven't taken it in years, but I remember how potent that plant was for fatigue and brain fog. It carries the risk of high blood pressure, over stimulation, and paranoia if a dose is too much.
Ritalin for sure does the job for me...energy, endurance, clear headed. But geez the comedown is just aweful. I always have it nearby but take it only maybe once a month or two.
With anything I can think of though, what I don't know is how they would mix with nardil. That's a big question mark. Maybe ok, maybe not. Don't know. No matter what you might try, I think it would make sense to go ultra conservative at the start just to be on the safe side.
Posted by bleauberry on July 8, 2011, at 19:30:59
In reply to OTC/supplement replacements 4 caffeine?, posted by zonked on July 8, 2011, at 14:26:18
Forgot to mention two things.
Caffeine. I've heard that in the pill form it feels different than drinking coffee. Maybe worth exploring. But really, if someone finds coffee to be helpful, and they are doing really well other than that, then I would tend to think stick with the coffee. Think about it, it is just an herbal tea type drink. The herb is the coffee plant. Arabica. That's a lot better than adding another drug I think. But that's just me.
Cordyceps. This one actually has a lot of research behind it for fatigue and brain fog. It is one of a handful of herbs used by Dr Zhang, a lyme specialist. He uses it specifically for fatigue. I've been taking low doses for a couple weeks now and I'm surprised I'm handling it well. I haven't been on it long enough or taken a high enough dose to get any kick out of it, but it does seem to give me a sense of endurance. Even though it is on one hand stimulating, it is also on the other hand calming. it has a long history as one of the top herbs in China, helps the body deal with stresses of all kinds (modulates adrenal/thyroid for example), protects against disease, and helps to restore vibrancy following an extended illness. My gut feeling is this one would be fine with nardil, cautiously for sure, and might be worth exploring.
Posted by desolationrower on July 8, 2011, at 22:45:49
In reply to OTC/supplement replacements 4 caffeine?, posted by zonked on July 8, 2011, at 14:26:18
> I am still fighting the urge to use caffeine for fatigue and attention span. Am hesitant to add another drug to the mix, we'll see how I am doing with this by my next doctor's appointment later this month. I hope bleauberry sees this. =) It would have to be Nardil-compatible and hopefully not too pricey, and no more anxiogenic or crash prone than caffeine. I also have ADD, if these side effects don't lessen in enough time I may ask for a small dose of a stimulant next visit. Or maybe if I'm permitted to switch the Klonopin to Xanax XR, that might help as I never found Xanax as tiring. Overall, still doing VERY well on Nardil--friends and family (who I now feel like spending time with) have noticed a tremendous difference.
I don't really understand why one would want to replace caffeine?
-d/r
Posted by zonked on July 9, 2011, at 8:42:08
In reply to Re: OTC/supplement replacements 4 caffeine?, posted by desolationrower on July 8, 2011, at 22:45:49
The crash is nasty, and feels like the depression returning even though I know it's the caffeine. Nothing takes it away except waking up the next morning. I am hoping that, like jedi, the Nardil nap urge goes away with time.
Posted by desolationrower on July 15, 2011, at 20:31:47
In reply to Re: OTC/supplement replacements 4 caffeine? » desolationrower, posted by zonked on July 9, 2011, at 8:42:08
You mean from coffee? I think it is more slowly absorbed from tea, maybe that would improve it a bit. or having a small dose in the afternoon/evening to slow down the crash until you're ready to sleep?
-d/r
Posted by mtdewcmu on July 16, 2011, at 11:56:41
In reply to Re: OTC/supplement replacements 4 caffeine? » desolationrower, posted by zonked on July 9, 2011, at 8:42:08
There is a supplement called 1,3-DMAA that's dirt cheap on the web. Literally like $0.05 a dose if you buy a gram in bulk. I got some to see if it would augment Dexedrine, but I found that it's better just to ration out the Dex and make sure I get better sleep. Some people like the stuff, though.
This is the end of the thread.
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