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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 26. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Hello321 on March 23, 2016, at 17:51:19
Ive read about this cheek swab test that helps to figure out which psychiatric meds are more suitable for you. And I'm pretty sure I've seen some talk about this test on psychobabble in the past. But has anyone one here had this cheek swab test done and benefitted from it by finding a better treatment because of it?
Posted by J Kelly on March 24, 2016, at 14:14:33
In reply to Cytochrome P450 Test... Anyone benefit?, posted by Hello321 on March 23, 2016, at 17:51:19
> Ive read about this cheek swab test that helps to figure out which psychiatric meds are more suitable for you. And I'm pretty sure I've seen some talk about this test on psychobabble in the past. But has anyone one here had this cheek swab test done and benefitted from it by finding a better treatment because of it?
Hi there :)
I'd sure like to know more about this. Wouldn't that be awesome to take a cheek swab and know what A/D will be effective?!
Btw I've been wondering how you are doing on the keto diet. Any improvement in energy/cognition/mood?
Jade
Posted by ClearSkies on March 24, 2016, at 18:51:26
In reply to Cytochrome P450 Test... Anyone benefit?, posted by Hello321 on March 23, 2016, at 17:51:19
> Ive read about this cheek swab test that helps to figure out which psychiatric meds are more suitable for you. And I'm pretty sure I've seen some talk about this test on psychobabble in the past. But has anyone one here had this cheek swab test done and benefitted from it by finding a better treatment because of it?
I have been swabbed but don't yet know the results. A friend of mine had it done and it indicated a med change was necessary. She is just starting on her new med.
I'm excited but wary. What if it recommends something that has pooped out on me.?? Yes, I specialise in catastrophic thinking.
Posted by Hello321 on March 25, 2016, at 8:46:29
In reply to Re: Cytochrome P450 Test... Anyone benefit? » Hello321, posted by J Kelly on March 24, 2016, at 14:14:33
>
> Btw I've been wondering how you are doing on the keto diet. Any improvement in energy/cognition/mood?
>
> Jade
>Howdy, well I've still not had any noticeable benefit from this diet. Really all I've gotten from it so far is some constipation. BUT I'm not sure I'm actually getting into ketosis. I've been eating quite a lot of fat from different sources, trying to make them mostly healthy fats. And my Ketostix show I've consistently profuced a large amount of ketones
lately. But if I understand correctly, ketones are meant to only spike during the beginning of a keto diet, until the body realizes it is low on glucose for energy, and starts using ketones. I think the problem is too much protein. So in a few days I'm going to try a few days where I eat about 90% fat, with just small amounts of protein and carbs, instead of moderate protein, and see how that goes. I think this is how the diet is done when it is used for epilepsy.
Posted by Lamdage22 on March 25, 2016, at 8:47:17
In reply to Re: Cytochrome P450 Test... Anyone benefit? » Hello321, posted by ClearSkies on March 24, 2016, at 18:51:26
Cant you just adjust the dosage of the med if you find that your plasma level is low???
I dont know if this cyp450 test is of much use.
Posted by J Kelly on March 25, 2016, at 12:07:48
In reply to Re: Cytochrome P450 Test... Anyone benefit?, posted by Hello321 on March 25, 2016, at 8:46:29
> >
> > Btw I've been wondering how you are doing on the keto diet. Any improvement in energy/cognition/mood?
> >
> > Jade
> >
>
> Howdy, well I've still not had any noticeable benefit from this diet. Really all I've gotten from it so far is some constipation. BUT I'm not sure I'm actually getting into ketosis. I've been eating quite a lot of fat from different sources, trying to make them mostly healthy fats. And my Ketostix show I've consistently profuced a large amount of ketones lately.I'm just remembering the sticks turning purple/red and I knew I was in ketosis. I think you are not meant to stay in ketosis as it can cause damage of some kind. Its been a while.
> But if I understand correctly, ketones are meant to only spike during the beginning of a keto diet, until the body realizes it is low on glucose for energy, and starts using ketones. I think the problem is too much protein. So in a few days I'm going to try a few days where I eat about 90% fat, with just small amounts of protein and carbs, instead of moderate protein, and see how that goes. I think this is how the diet is done when it is used for epilepsy.Good to know. How is your energy level on it? How long on it now?
Jade
Posted by Hello321 on March 25, 2016, at 12:39:52
In reply to Re: Cytochrome P450 Test... Anyone benefit?, posted by Lamdage22 on March 25, 2016, at 8:47:17
> Cant you just adjust the dosage of the med if you find that your plasma level is low???
>
> I dont know if this cyp450 test is of much use.This has been my thinking. But I wanted to see if there might be more to it. If it has actually had much benefit in treatment resistant cases.
My current pdoc suggested this test some months ago, and I said I wasn't sure it would be of much use since I've tried so many meds. And he basically agreed. Currently the only treatment that's really been any use has been Adderall. Though it seems to only energize/motivate me in a very minor, but noticeable way.
Posted by Hello321 on March 25, 2016, at 13:13:08
In reply to Re: Cytochrome P450 Test... Anyone benefit? » Hello321, posted by J Kelly on March 25, 2016, at 12:07:48
>
> I'm just remembering the sticks turning purple/red and I knew I was in ketosis.I thought this at first, but I think that's not actually the case. When the ketostix are dark, it does mean your body is producing a good amount of ketones from the increased fat in your diet. But you're peeing them out, instead of the body using them for energy. It's said to be more sure you're actually in ketosis, a glucose meter, like what diabetics use to test blood sugar, is helpful. Use it to make sure your blood sugar stays low enough to stay out of glucose burning mode.
I think you are not meant to stay in ketosis as it can cause damage of some kind. Its been a while.
>I've read this, too. I don't understand the mechanism too well, but I think diabetics are most at risk for this damage. I'm gonna see how this diet affects me, see if it benefits me in any way, and go from there. It's been almost 4 weeks now of eating high fat, moderate protein and trying to restrict carbs as much as I can. But like i said, not so sure I've been in ketosis, tho. I've watched many videos that people have done on their experience with the keto diet. They say you can *feel* it. Not sure how it's supposed to feel, but I know I haven't really felt anything noticeable. And as I said, I do believe your urine ketone level isn't supposed to stay consistently high once your body starts using them for energy/is in ketosis. That it should go down to a moderate level.
But yah, so far no noticeable benefit.
Posted by J Kelly on March 25, 2016, at 14:56:21
In reply to Re: Cytochrome P450 Test... Anyone benefit? » J Kelly, posted by Hello321 on March 25, 2016, at 13:13:08
It's been almost 4 weeks now of eating high fat, moderate protein and trying to restrict carbs as much as I can. But like i said, not so sure I've been in ketosis, tho. I've watched many videos that people have done on their experience with the keto diet. They say you can *feel* it.
>
> But yah, so far no noticeable benefit.Like I said its been a while, and I haven't done any recent research. What I remember though is that at some point you cross over and have tons of energy and lose weight. I know the weight loss isn't of interest to you. I think you said your goal is to stick it out for 8 weeks. I couldn't manage that. I'll be really curious to see how you feel in 4 more weeks.
Please post your experience!
Jade
Posted by Hello321 on March 25, 2016, at 19:18:16
In reply to Re: Cytochrome P450 Test... Anyone benefit? » Hello321, posted by J Kelly on March 25, 2016, at 14:56:21
I think you said your goal is to stick it out for 8 weeks. I couldn't manage that. I'll be really curious to see how you feel in 4 more weeks.
>
> Please post your experience!
>
> Jade
>
>I might write quite a bit at sometimes, but I can't help myself from going into alll the details sometimes. Lol
It has been tough having to say to so many foods I normally eat. But I've just tried getting creative with the things I can eat. I told you a few of the things I eat to help satisfy my cravings for sugarry foods. But now I'm trying to get myself in the mindset of removing much of the protein I've been eating. If I'm not in ketosis, the amount of protein I've been eating is probably the reason why. And when I do make around 90% of my calories come from fat, I'll likely do that for less than a week. I think that's how the keto diet is done when it's used as a last resort to treat epilepsy. And I said in a post a few weeks ago that it can take weeks after starting a keto diet for your body/brain to get in ketosis. But I believe I was wrong. Our bodies actually go into a mild form of ketosis during the night when we sleep, after just a few hours. And if the diet's done right, one should go into full blown ketosis after a few days. But being in ketosis is different from being "keto addapted", where your body begins to prefer fat/ketones for energy. And when switching back to a regular diet, you'll have withdrawals from your body craving more ketones. Just like your body craves glucose early in a keto diet. Keto adaptation is what can take time.
Anyway..... I will likely be eating 90% fat for some days here soon and see how it affects me. This kind of dieting is tough, but i just imagine what I might just gain if this diet helped me out. If I get anything good from this diet, I'll be letting everyone know :)
Posted by Hello321 on March 25, 2016, at 19:24:34
In reply to Re: Cytochrome P450 Test... Anyone benefit?, posted by Hello321 on March 25, 2016, at 19:18:16
Here's the cover of a book I've reading through lately.
http://dramyneuzil.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/51lPZw1WaOL.jpg
Its basically about grains being no good for our brain. Like they were never really meant to be consumed by humans. And how cutting out grains, including whole grains, can thoroughly benefit ones mental health.
Posted by Lamdage22 on March 27, 2016, at 9:21:51
In reply to Grain Brain, posted by Hello321 on March 25, 2016, at 19:24:34
sounds like a conspiracy
Posted by Hello321 on March 27, 2016, at 10:47:17
In reply to Re: Grain Brain, posted by Lamdage22 on March 27, 2016, at 9:21:51
> sounds like a conspiracy
Or humans just found something they liked and kept eating it. But the consipracy idea... That's kinda what I was thinking. With how the government's food pyramid would show you we should be a eating mostly grains. This makes things a bit suspicious. I was unsure about grains being so bad at first, but the more I read, the more I'm buying it. There are far healthier foods that give us the nutrition of any grain, minus any drawbacks, like the spike in blood sugar even whole grains cause compared to vegetables and even fruits.
Posted by Hugh on March 29, 2016, at 11:01:41
In reply to Grain Brain, posted by Hello321 on March 25, 2016, at 19:24:34
I have a friend who has never been officially diagnosed, but he considers himself hypomanic. A year and a half ago he started a ketogenic diet, and he says that since then he has felt much more stable and focused. Since he started his diet, I've found it much easier to carry on lengthy conversations with him. Before, his attention would fade in and out. Also, he says that for years he thrashed around in bed all night, and the sheets would be strewn all over the place by morning. Since he began his ketogenic diet, he now wakes up neatly tucked in. The book he recommends is Keto Clarity by Jimmy Moore.
Also, check out this post about how diet can affect bipolar disorder:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20131226/msgs/1063179.html
Posted by Hello321 on March 29, 2016, at 16:59:45
In reply to Re: Grain Brain, posted by Hugh on March 29, 2016, at 11:01:41
Wow. Thanks for letting me know about your friends experience. I'd love to experience a benefit on the same level as his.
Posted by J Kelly on March 30, 2016, at 10:43:54
In reply to Grain Brain, posted by Hello321 on March 25, 2016, at 19:24:34
> Here's the cover of a book I've reading through lately.
>
> http://dramyneuzil.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/51lPZw1WaOL.jpg
>
> Its basically about grains being no good for our brain. Like they were never really meant to be consumed by humans. And how cutting out grains, including whole grains, can thoroughly benefit ones mental health.You are essentially eliminating grains by doing the keto diet, right? So keep us posted, I'm really curious to see how you are 2 or 3 months in.
Good luck!
Jade
Posted by linkadge on March 30, 2016, at 17:47:22
In reply to Re: Grain Brain » Hello321, posted by J Kelly on March 30, 2016, at 10:43:54
I do better on a higher fat lower carb diet.
I try to get the fat from fish, nuts, omega-3 eggs and olive oil.
Linkadge
Posted by Hello321 on March 30, 2016, at 19:36:40
In reply to Re: Grain Brain, posted by linkadge on March 30, 2016, at 17:47:22
> I do better on a higher fat lower carb diet.
>
> I try to get the fat from fish, nuts, omega-3 eggs and olive oil.
>
> Linkadge
Interesting. You might do benefit from adding Virgin Coconut Oil to your diet.nl it is a form of fat that's readily available for the brain to use for energy.Here's a study you might be interested in. It's kinda long, so you might just want to skim through it and then read the "results" section.
Posted by Hello321 on April 1, 2016, at 20:48:30
In reply to Re: Grain Brain, posted by Hello321 on March 30, 2016, at 19:36:40
My stomach has been getting more and more tore up as time has gone by. I'm about positive it's this high fat keto diet. I figured eating a very different diet from what I've always eaten would a bit of a shock to my system. And I figured any discomfort would lessen. But it seems to be getting worse. Constipation, nausea AND diarrhea. Lol I get all 3. Some days I'm constipated, other days I'm the opposite. The past few days I've given in and added some high carb foods, and feel a bit of relief after eating them. I've read about some others experiencing effects like this from the keto diet. They say it's temporary. But I think I'm gonna take a break and try eating some foods to get my gut back in good health. Kefir, yogurt, fermented foods, etc... Ive already been prone to stomach issues ever since taking high dose cyproheptadine a few years ago.
Posted by SLS on April 2, 2016, at 8:16:50
In reply to Re: Grain Brain, posted by linkadge on March 30, 2016, at 17:47:22
> I try to get the fat from fish, nuts, omega-3 eggs and olive oil.
That's perfect!
Those are exactly the foods that I would eat if I had the motivation and energy to prepare them. Quick and easy foods are usually carbohydrates. I recently began eating salads. Maybe I can make one change at a time.
It's another Catch-22 of the many that occur with depression. The worse you feel, the less likely you are to eat for wellness. The less you eat for wellness, the worse you feel.
- Scott
Posted by J Kelly on April 2, 2016, at 8:35:54
In reply to Have to stop Keto, posted by Hello321 on April 1, 2016, at 20:48:30
Hey there,
Sorry you had to d/c your experiment. Hope you and your gut are feeling better soon :)
Jade
Posted by Hello321 on April 2, 2016, at 16:55:59
In reply to Re: Grain Brain » linkadge, posted by SLS on April 2, 2016, at 8:16:50
>
> It's another Catch-22 of the many that occur with depression. The worse you feel, the less likely you are to eat for wellness. The less you eat for wellness, the worse you feel.
>
>Most of my diet consisted of things like donuts, cereal, and cookie dough a few months ago. I was eating like this even as I'd talk to a pharmacist on occasion about how I should be changing my diet to maybe get to feeling better. He said stop milk. Stop bread. Stop high sugar foods and start adding in the good stuff like what linkadge is eating. I wanted to take his advice right then, but it seemed to be too much to change my eating habits much. And when I finally decided "I'm going to do this", oh it was difficult. But as the days went by, it really did get easier to say " no" to certain foods I would normally eat all the time. Unhealthy foods can be an addiction. Sweets can stimulate our neurotransmitters in ways that can make us feel good in the short term. But like hard drugs, this way of eating shouldn't be a way of life. I'm sure for most, changing their eating habits is easier than when someone tries ending an addiction to something like cocaine.
I hope you can get to feeling well, though.
Posted by Hello321 on April 2, 2016, at 17:26:34
In reply to Re: Have to stop Keto » Hello321, posted by J Kelly on April 2, 2016, at 8:35:54
> Hey there,
>
> Sorry you had to d/c your experiment. Hope you and your gut are feeling better soon :)
>
> Jade
>
>I hope to try it again if I get to where I feel like my stomach is up to the task. I really want to make sure i experience "ketosis" and see if there might be any benefits. There's some thought that certain brain functions can become "desensitized" to running on a diet that feeds it glucose. And that switching to ketones could light up these areas of the brain again. This idea motivates me.
Posted by J Kelly on April 3, 2016, at 10:33:20
In reply to Re: Have to stop Keto » J Kelly, posted by Hello321 on April 2, 2016, at 17:26:34
>
> I hope to try it again if I get to where I feel like my stomach is up to the task. I really want to make sure i experience "ketosis" and see if there might be any benefits. There's some thought that certain brain functions can become "desensitized" to running on a diet that feeds it glucose. And that switching to ketones could light up these areas of the brain again. This idea motivates me.
>I'm sorry, you've probably posted this, but how long were you on the keto diet? Did you notice any positive change? Any negative side effects?
Posted by Hello321 on April 3, 2016, at 17:09:35
In reply to Re: Have to stop Keto » Hello321, posted by J Kelly on April 3, 2016, at 10:33:20
> >
>
> I'm sorry, you've probably posted this, but how long were you on the keto diet? Did you notice any positive change? Any negative side effects?
>
>
>
>I ate high fat, moderate protein, and low carb for about a month. Like I said though, I'm not sure I actually went into ketosis. And I think I might have needed to cut down on my protein a bit more. I didn't really notice any benefits. No withdrawal from glucose symptoms that I've read about, anything really.
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