Me, myself and getting sober

[DizzyBee]

Me, myself and getting sober

Hi Space

I believe there are some people who believe that you are talking BS but then again, I, like you, will also gladly like to punch them in the face.

With my recent experience with pills (and no, I'm not here to nag you) I do believe wholeheartedly that people who have some types of depression do have a chicken and egg thing like you say. I could never stay sober before and now, with my depression sorted, I believe I can. So, here is to discovering new ground.

If just as many people die from alcoholism as diabetes why is it advised to get counselling for the former and medication for the latter?

Sorry, I havent read back that far on this thread, how open is your doc to trying out something new?

Your medicine inquisitive pal.

DB
:l

[AL Fiend]

Me, myself and getting sober

Amino Acid Supplements?

Books by Daniel Amen, Kenneth Blum and Eric Braverman (amoung others) all talk about how depression, ADD, anxiety, and addiction are very possibly the result of brain neurotranmitter imbalances, especially dopamine and serotonin.

Also, some studies I've read on line said that there are patients/subjects that get the same or better results from amino acid supplements than from prescirbed meds like SSRIs and without the side effects.

It seems like most of us have one or more of these coexisiting brain disorders. (And of course, self-medicating with alcohol makes it worse.) Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with supplementing with amino acids to help rebalance the brain.

If the root of the problem(s) is an inherent deficiency or imbalance in brain chemicals, maybe baclofen and amino acid therapy would be synergistic.

Just thinking out loud and would appreciate any feedback.

[DizzyBee]

Me, myself and getting sober

This book is a fantastic source of information:

The Mood Cure: Take Charge of Your Emotions in 24 Hours Using Food and Supplements: Amazon.co.uk: Julia Ross: Books

I can't say that it really worked for me as such but I know from reading the case studies that it did work for thousands of others. And if I learnt anything here and from endless hours reading up on anti depressants on askapatient.com is that no two people are the same.

I would say that if you are lucky enough to find your cure in this book it would be over the counter, simple, and with much fewer side effects than any of the other scarier meds out there. :l

[spacebebe01]

Me, myself and getting sober

Right first off, I thought you were going to bed Ms Dizzy... go on up those stairs and get to bed you naughty girl.

Hi AL , one of the problems with the nutrition and amino acid, suppliment, herb route is that I already take meds and a lot of these protocols seem to be as an alternative to meds, I am not saying that they wouldnt work they may well do work but I cannot just come off meds to try it, and there are problems with taking some suppliments with meds I think inclusding certain aminos and I know some herbs and stuff. I am going to try and see a doctor this week about the citalopram which I think is giving me definate problems, so my plan for the next week is to phone and phone back the psychiatrist secretary and tell hell once again that this isnt working and needs sorting. I have taken it before and had the same problems with it and had been wondering with the shaking of an afternoon if it was because of it leaving my system causing the problems, which is why last time I ended up on such a high dose, but now I have looked more into it and it seems it has a half life of around 36 hours so 6 hours after taking it I shouldnt be getting these symptoms. So first things first, I will try and see what I can do about that this week, I said this last week somewhere I think, and keep on reading round. Another of my worries is the effect baclofen may be having on my depression, I need to find more out about this as well.

xxx

[spacebebe01]

Me, myself and getting sober

I also need to say on the nutritional note that although my eating is not good and could be way better that the majority of food I cook (which I have to cook for my sons) is fresh meat or fish and veg, I do this mostly out of habit, its the way my mum cooked and I just followed on. So my diet is probably a lot better than a lot of people who rely on quick proseced food, I have also got this wierd phobia that someone has done something nasty to food so that rules out my buying ready made food. I like tamper proof food wrapped as nature intended, a potatoe in its skin, the same with all veg and a piece of meat that has come of an animal not out of some bizaar mincing mixing machine where god knows what has happened to it. I have always been quite paraniod about this, to the extent that a ward sister in a hospital once threatened that I couldnt go home until I ate but they kept on bringing me sausages and pies and stuff that I physically could not eat. In the end she would only let be be sighned out when I got my mum to bring me something to eat in.

[DizzyBee]

Me, myself and getting sober

Am I allowed to be up yet?

I feel the same way you do. I think amino acids work for some, and by the way L-Glut is one so in a way, one of them is working for you already.

The book is really good as it also focuses on what food to eat, what kinds of depressions you get, etc. So even if you are not going 'all the way' you may discover one more amino that like the L-Glut will enhance your life.

It has a long section in there about nutritional rehab - how to eat and what suppliments to take when we stop drinking. It wasn't my magic bullet but I definitely recommend it.

I also like your approach to eating. The book focuses a lot on how eating too much carbs, sugar and processed food is messing with our brain chemistry. She believes that sugar is really bad for any addict and meat is good.

Here is an interesting questionaire:
Julia Ross' THE MOOD CURE

And depending on the answer you are then recommended to take an amino. You could probably add it to your existing meds BUT only if you think it is something you would consider. 5HTP completely 'cured' my one friend, GABA (the powder) helps the other sleep like a baby, but both these didn't really work for me. We're all a bit like smarties I suppose, different.

Anyway, let me go shower and get some work done.:l

[spacebebe01]

Me, myself and getting sober

Good morning Dizzy, I will have a look at that

[spacebebe01]

Me, myself and getting sober

Thanks for the thoughts AL, I am interested in the amino acid ideas, as I have mentioned I already take ssri so I do need to be carefore and cant take things like 5htp, ltrypophan and other stuff.. I have already been taking l glut tho and had success with that for alcohol thoughts and it makes compleat sense that as this stuff does go into the brain it can help the way I feel.

I know there is an amino complex you can buy, do you know anything about that, in fact do you take amino's yourself, or is it better to try them one by one therefor seeing what is working and what isnt. What do you think?

I appreciate any thoughts on this.

xx

[AL Fiend]

Me, myself and getting sober

Yeah, Space, you are absolutely right about not taking certain amino acids if on prescription meds, especially SSRIs. I currently do not take AAs since I take BAC and did not want to confuse the issue, (plus the prescritpion med caveat) but I am trying to think ahead for when I am ready to titrate down/off BAC someday. That's why I was wondering about others' experiences.

Yes there are amino complexes available and that is confusing since AAs are usually suppose to be taken at least an hour apart from each other so they don't cancel each other out. Also, they compete for uptake into the brain. So how can you take them at the same time???

Dizzy, thanks for the Mood Cure reference. I will check it out, and the questionaire as well.

[spacebebe01]

Me, myself and getting sober

I was wondering that AL whe I saw the complexes, the only one I take is L glut and I read to take it on an empty stomach because of that. I will give it a miss. How are you doing on the bac, is it working for you?

[AL Fiend]

Me, myself and getting sober

Yes, Space. The Bac seems to be working better at the higher doses. I am currently at 360 and have been for just about a week. Just in the last week, I have started to feel good in my own skin while AF. Less obsessed by the stuff. But not necessarily indifferent. But it does seem like something is happening.

[spacebebe01]

Me, myself and getting sober

Glad to hear that AL, Im not sure why but Im also not obsessed by alcohol anymore.
Im not AF, I have had some lager of an evening, but this is the weidest thing, I have never, ever been able to do this before, last night I poured a drink and had some then just left it, I kind of felt a bit sick with it and was tierd so I made my hot milk and went to bed. I am using my own thread here to talk because I dont really fall into any other med threads with my meds being as they are. Since I got this new med of the psychiatrist I am sure it is stopping my desire and ability to drink. I am hesitant to say this on here because it is a med that I dont think anyone should just prescribe themselves, maybe its the mix of the meds I am taking that is doing it, I also take citalopram and baclofen at 50mg. I went to see my gp doc this morning and he has prescribed me gabapentin, I didnt tell him I had already used it before and stopped because I though it may have caused breathing problems so I am now starting to try it again. Last time I took it it really helped with my mood, I even found myself washing dishes and hoovering, things just get weirder and weirder The dose he has given me is a fair bit higher than what I was taking before so I will just see how it goes. I am pleased that now I have my docs approved and a legitimate script for it.

My mum is having her biopsy today and I am going to collect her from the hospital in a bit, I am worried sick about her right now. Please sent good thoughts to her. I do believe in the power of positive vibes and I know other peeps on here do as well. xxx and also to my uncle who was told yesterday that his cancer has spread to his spine and liver and there is nothing that can now be done, just pain relief, it must be so horrible for him. Today I am going to get my mum so this is her day, tomorrow I will visit my uncle.

:l

[spacebebe01]

Me, myself and getting sober

"The history of the drug goes back 50 years. It was originally designed for epilepsy before becoming licensed to treat spasticity, but researchers are now interested in using it to ease alcoholic craving."

I wish I knew how to do that quote thing but anyway I copied and pasted the above from another thread.
Im not at all a scientifically minded person in that I can read the medical stuff and understand it, I cant at all, my eyes just glaze over and I skip it. But I am wondering about the fact that if baclofen was originally designed to treat epilepsy and so was topamax and also gabapentin which I take and I know others on here also take and find useful that there must be some connection, I dont mean that the drugs are similar I mean that they maybe affect the same area in the brain. It may well be that this has been discussed already, if anyone does understand this and could explain it in laymans terms it would be interesting for me anyway.

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Me, myself and getting sober

spacebebe01;1307229 wrote: I had to stop reading tho because I couldnt stand to see me, straring right in the face.
First of all, you were very, very sick when you got here. Second, you were and are a lovely person. And finally, Space, you have changed dramatically since then.
Perhaps it would help if you think of it as though you had the flu (for many, many years) and now you don't.

spacebebe01;1307229 wrote: ...I have been told by family, doctors,aa, anyone who could get it in really that all I needed to do was sort my drink problem and things would get better, ... except this is the first time I have tried doing it without being AF, (if someone says that maybe its the lager doing it I will want to punch them in the face) I am optimistic that this time I wont end up on vodka again because of that. so maybe that is my safety net to get this sorted, although how I propose to do that I dont know, in fact this time I dont even know where to start looking. I could say I have given up on ever getting help of doctors, although I cant give up with them, one of them may someday be able to help me.
:H Perhaps everyone else is wrong, Space, and YOU are right. Imagine that?! All this time...and you have found some answers that have been more productive and positive than you have ever found before... We could all use a little help from doctors, but they don't know everything! (or even that much, maybe, when it comes to us...)

spacebebe01;1307229 wrote: ... then I thought just let it happen and the depression will pass but it hasnt, so after weeks of messing around with the doctors I increased one of my meds on Friday night, I should have done this weeks ago but my gp messed up and I still havent got the script sorted, there is no point in my seeing the psychiatrist until I have given this a go because she will just tell me to do that. All day yesterday I was in a state of anxiety, I was shaking most of the day, I know this is probably die to the med, I took the increased dose again last night and today back to normal, depressed, flat, invasive thoughts.

...I know the answer must be there somewhere. I will keep looking.

hmmmm. Isn't it okay to say no to your doc? If it makes you feel awful, you shouldn't have to take it. (says the woman who took an awful lot of baclofen even though it made her feel awful!!! But you get my point, right? Some meds just make things worse without any promise of good results at the end...)

You may have already found the answers, Space. You may just need to give it a bit of time. But if not, I know you will find the answers!


spacebebe01;1308223 wrote:
Im not AF, I have had some lager of an evening, but this is the weidest thing, I have never, ever been able to do this before, last night I poured a drink and had some then just left it, I kind of felt a bit sick with it and was tierd so I made my hot milk and went to bed.

That's SO great! Congratulations!

spacebebe01;1308223 wrote:
I am using my own thread here to talk because I dont really fall into any other med threads with my meds being as they are. Since I got this new med of the psychiatrist I am sure it is stopping my desire and ability to drink.
:l

Before I say this I do not want anyone jumping to the conclusion that I have an agenda. So this is for you, Space, not all the drama-mamas...

Why would you conclude that it is the new med keeping you from drinking? Why not look at the med that we know helps to alleviate the urge to drink, and with a little effort will help keep you from drinking too much? The one that takes some time to work, and must be taken consistently in order to work effectively?

I mean those questions literally. Did something change when you started the new med? Do you think it's the combination?

Also, somewhere along in here you said something about depression vs. anxiety. I did not know I had anxiety until it was gone...I knew that I had underlying depression sometimes...Maybe they are very, very similar.

Did you know that exercising is as (or more) effective than antidepressants? Usually when I read stuff like that I can dismiss it as bull shit, but I think this one might be spot on. It's hard to do when you're depressed, which is ridiculously ironic, since it may make us un-depressed in a record amount of time. (every time I write something like that I kick myself because I haven't been exercising for a while now. And you know what? I have had more bad days in the last two weeks than I have had in the last year. seriously.)

spacebebe01;1308820 wrote: "The history of the drug goes back 50 years. It was originally designed for epilepsy before becoming licensed to treat spasticity, but researchers are now interested in using it to ease alcoholic craving."

... But I am wondering about the fact that if baclofen was originally designed to treat epilepsy and so was topamax and also gabapentin which I take and I know others on here also take and find useful that there must be some connection, I dont mean that the drugs are similar I mean that they maybe affect the same area in the brain.

I haven't looked into the connection at all, and I agree it is really, really interesting. I wonder what that's about...
Something new to ponder! (as if there was any lack of things when it comes to this disease and these medications!!!)

Love your updates, and you, Space. :l

[Ne/Neva Eva]

Me, myself and getting sober

And by the way, I've edited that post at least three times, Space. So if you've read it, and we're cross posting, I'm sorry! :H