Re: What to do about depression, ANdy

[Guest guest]

Andy

What about thyroid hormone? Doesn't bringing T3 levels up to optimal

(whatever that is) help to alleviate depression? And wouldn't an

increased level of circulating T3 mean a lower need for cortisol?

I have read posts from people who quote you as saying that the free T3

and free T4 should be at the top end (1/4 or 1/3??) of the normal

range but I haven't found a post from you about it.

Thanks

J

>

> There are several kinds of depression, and also anxiety and fear and

apprehension which

> often come along with them.

>

> The only one size fits all remedy is omega 3 oils. Good for all of

it, takes several weeks to

> help.

>

> Anxiety, fear, apprehension = low GABA problems.

>

> Obsessive, compulsive, thinking about bad things, can't let things

go, dream of being run

> over on the freeway and things like that, think of hurting yourself,

lots of psychic distress

> and suffering = low serotonin problems.

>

> Hopeless helpless crying depression = problems in the limbic system.

>

> No motivation, no energy, don't enjoy anything, sit around like a

bump on a log,

> unaroused, unaware, but mood OK (you don't feel DEPRESSED, you just

don't feel much at

> all) = low histamine depression.

>

> Poor mood, attention deficit, emotionally flat, not much drive or

focus = catecholamine

> depression.

>

> If you have GABA and serotonin problems you have adrenal problems

causing both of

> them. In this case you START with adrenal support, like adrenal

cortex extract, licorice,

> etc. Often DHEA, 7 keto DHEA and pregnenolone may help - these

should NEVER EVER

> EVER EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES be used in children or

adolescents. Sometimes

> hydrocortisone itself may be needed, this must be used with care and

sensibly. THEN

> when that is working worry about the rest.

>

> Magnesium and taurine often help with spacey almost disoriented

anxiety and distress.

> These usually go along with a high heart rate and not sweating much.

Take them several

> times a day for best effect, magnesium in forms OTHER than oxide or

carbonate or

> hydroxide, if you use too much it is laxative. Most people tolerate

somewhere between

> 100-200 mg per serving of magnesium. 500-1000 mg of Taurine at a

time is about right.

>

> Serotoninergic depression = use Inositol, 1-3 tsp a day as needed.

If that isn't enough,

> add tryptophan or 5 HTP. If that still doesn't do it, consider

asking doctor for an SSRI if

> you are not chemically sensitive. If you are chemically sensitive

or if you can't take

> codeine you are very unlikely to be able to tolerate SSRI's. In

this case add adrenal support

> whether or not you think you need it.

>

> For GABA problems, try GABA (duh - it doesn't work for everyone

though and has to be

> taken several times a day), theanine, eating protein at every meal,

adrenal support and if

> that isn't enough ask your doctor about anxiolytics. If the doc is

reasonable they'll offer

> you BuSpar and a valium like drug (a benzodiazepine) for a month or

two until the BuSpar

> starts working. BuSpar does not always work, you have to see if it

is good for you or not.

> Ativan and Xanax seem to be fairly well tolerated. If you need

round the clock coverage

> then Klonopin is a good choice - also this is good if you have MS or

mood instability.

> Some over the counter anxiolytics are Kava Kava and chamomile. Do

note that all

> anxiolytics are also sedatives.

>

> For limbic problems make sure you have enough thyroid and sex

hormones, try B-12 and

> folic acid in large amounts ONLY if you are not prone to agitation,

the nutritional

> supplement forskolin 10-30 mg 1-3 times a day, maybe try

dl-phenylalanine 500 mg 3-4

> times a day (if you have a lot of pain or malaise this is good),

l-tyrosine 1-3 grams, or the

> prescription drug selegiline 5-10 mg a day. All the stimulant

medications work excellently

> for this but mostly it is not lawful to prescribe them for this purpose.

>

> If you have low histamine depression, IF YOU ARE NOT ALLERGIC AND

HAVE NO

> INFLAMMATORY PROBLEM, try l-histidine 1-3 grams a day. If you are

allergic this will

> make your allergies dramatically worse and you must NOT do it. In

that case, take a lot of

> nonsedating antihistamines and other allergy medications, for

example Allegra

> (fexofenadine) and Singulair or Accolate and Nasalchrom as this may

let your body tolerate

> more histamine. AVOID all medications that have antihistaminic side

effects and all

> antihistamines that get into the brain (which is all the over the

counter ones).

>

> For catecholamine depression try l-tyrosine 500-3000 mg a day, and

forskolin 10-30 mg

> 1-3 times a day.

>

> If you have a lot of fear or apprehension sometimes beta blockers or

the alpha agonists

> clonidine or guanfacine will releive that. These also lower blood

pressure. If your blood

> pressure is already low you have adrenal problems and need to take

more adrenal support

> before considering these.

>

> If your mood is bouncing all over the place, you may have mood

instability and need

> something for mood stabilization. Most doctors do not know that a

lot of these

> medications work well at lower than normal doses but with much less

side effects - the

> first thing to do if you may need them and aren't in such bad shape

you need a lot right

> away to keep yourself out of trouble is to try 1/4 or 1/2 of the

usual amount and see how

> you do. Most of the choices are Rx, GABA being the most notable OTC

choice. GABA has

> to be taken several times a day. the Atkins diet also helps with this.

>

> If your mood is bouncing and the period is days or longer, it can be

you are reacting to

> dietary issues you haven't figured out yet, or you are chemically

sensitive. In these cases

> all of the above won't help much until you avoid the offending foods

or chemicals, then

> you may not need much help.

>

> As a rule, if you really hate the mood stabilizers and don't want to

take them because of

> how " flat " they make you feel, you truly do need them and it is

crucial to take them.

>

> If you find yourself changing your program around a lot because of

what is happening to

> you and are never sure what is going on, try adrenal support,

anxiolytics, identifying food

> and chemical sensitivities, and if those don't resolve it, then try

mood stabilizers.

>

> Most MD doctors just hand out SSRI's for everyone no matter what

kind of depression they

> have. This is not useful. FInd one who will at least try some

different stuff. If one or two

> SSRI's didn't work, don't bother trying any more. Try different

kinds of agents. If the

> doctor doesn't want to do that, go find a real doctor instead.

>

> Andy

>