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Probiotics and gut health


Altostrata

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Has anyone heard of or used a product called RESTORE?  My acupuncturist has mentioned it to me and I was curious about it.  It is supposed to help with gut health and leaky gut.

 

I am not promoting the product but I thought it sounded interesting.  I won't add anything till I am off my last medication. 

 

http://blog.restore4life.com/questions-answers-about-health/

9/2013-4/2014:  After moms death, was prescribed a series of meds for short periods of time that didn't work. Zoloft, Lexapro,  Nortriptyline, Liquid Prozac, Cymbalta. 

1/2014-9/2014. Clonzapam: Given Lamictal, stopped Clonzapam at .125mgs  

1/2015-4 2017 Remeron: 41.25 -0.025mgs

7/2015-11/2018 Lamictal: 200mgs-0.05 mgs Had paradoxical reaction to Lamictal wd, broke my heart to take a benzo but wasn't sleeping. 

3/28/2019 -2/5/ 2021  Clonazapam: 0.625mgs-.00115 Med Free 

July 27th, 2022**Severe Setback due to surgery/ anesthesia. 

9/7/22-10/4/22 Trazadone 50-100mgs for sleep, 10/13/22-11/13/22 Trazadone 1 mg to stabilize

10/4/22-11/20/22 Remeron 7.5mgs (for sleep doesn't work) 11/20/22 7.3 - 12/31/22 6.3 

2023: 1/18/23 6.1 - 6/6/23 3.6  6/16 3.4  6/28 3.0 7/12 2.7  7/28 2.5 8/11 2.2 8/23 2.0  9/5 1.8  9/16 1.6  9/30 1.4  10/13 1.2  10/26 1.0  11/9 0.8  11/22 0.6  12/6 0.4  12/23 0.2.

2024 1/4/24  Remeron/Mirtazapine free 

Additional Support:  Armour Thyroid 75mgs, Magnesium Glycinate 300-500mgs,  L-theanine 

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  • 1 month later...

Hello,

 

I just did a search and I know there is a lengthy discussion somewhere here about probiotics during tapering but I can't seem to find it.  Can anyone direct me to it?  I have terrible GI problems, and unless I fix my gut, I am not going to be able to successfully taper much more.  I took 1/2 t. of homemade sauerkraut juice 2 nights ago, didn't sleep, and had gut pain and diarrhea all day the next day.

 

I know this is a tricky issue and individual for everyone but maybe if I see one particular strain or brand of probiotic enough, I will have the courage to try it.  I have dairy and mold allergies, so yogurt is out for me.  I knew the sauerkraut juice was "iffy".

 

Thanks for any help.

 

Grace
 

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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I just had a dietician do an interesting test with me...It was a urine test that measured microbial organic acids.  I wasn't too surprised by the results but I am over-whelmed at the supplements I would need to take to fix any of them. (She understands why I can't)  Given my severe GI illness, and ridiculously short list of foods I eat, and history, I was not at all surprised to see that the fungal and bacterial markers in my gut were sky high.  I NEED to improve my gut health so bad.  I have read (and contributed to) this whole thread.  Not very many people write about pro-biotics DURING tapering.  A week ago I got the flu and in an attempt to get through it w/ no prescriptions, I irrigated with tea tree oil (which I have done in the past) gargled with oregano oil (also done in the past ) and knowing that oregano oil interacts w/ a lot of drugs, I started gargling w/ hydrogren peroxide.  (wicked sore throat)  Well, I went into extreme w/d after just two days of this...perhaps 6 drops in all of tea tree oil, 4 or so drops of oregano oil , and 4 capfuls of hydrogen peroxide over 2 days.  I didn't sleep a wink; was literally up for 48 hours!  I stopped using all the listed things and I slept and was back to my usual tapering misery, along with the flu.  Now I hear, though it's not like I haven't known, that my dysbiosis in my gut is so bad that nothing is likely to get better unless I improve it.  I am terrified of all supplements.  I was a CRAZY PERSON by day two of using the above things.  I hadn't take any pain reducers for the fever or headache, just the listed oils/peroxide.  My dietician is recommending I start extremely slowly with the newest thing, I think, on the pro-biotic scene, "dirt-based" or "earth-based" pro-biotics.  She said start w/ a few grains if need be.  I am terrified.  My B12 level is non-existent (I knew that) as is my Vitamin C and Vitamin D.  I have known all these things but have stayed away from them (and don't get them from foods for specific reasons), in my continued resolve to reduce my drug load.   Can I ever be successful tapering if I don't work on rebalancing my very sick gut?  How do I manage to taper or even hold when the foods/supplements I desperately need make me unhinged so quickly?  Does anyone use pro-biotics successfully during tapering????

 

Thank you to the person who directed me here.  I couldn't find this thread a week ago though I signed up to follow it.  I am wondering if email notifications of followed threads are still occuring?

 

Grace

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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I want to add my probiotics story to this thread in case it's useful to someone.  This might appear as TMI to anyone who hasn't experienced these problems! I had bad constipation for as long as I can remember, like before age 6. I eventually had a doc who listened when I was around 20. It was getting worse, some days I'd be so plugged up that I couldn't eat. Conventional stuff like water, exercise, fibre had no effect. She got me on PEG everyday with occasional laxatives which got me going a few times a week, but it was not ideal.  A few years later I experimented with probiotics, started low and gradually increased them. I managed to stop the PEG/laxatives and was eventually going to the bathroom like everyone else. Huge relief. I tried a bunch of probiotics, the three that have worked for me over the years are: Active Balance, Renew Life, and Garden of Life. There are a lot of useless ones out there, so read around before wasting money.  I need to take 2-4 high potency ones a day, so it's pricey, but probiotics are the only natural health product I've taken that I'm sure are not a placebo for me, and I don't tolerate sauerkraut. If I stop taking these, then after a few weeks the same problems start to return. DIFFERENT THINGS WORK FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE THOUGH. 

 

I'm now playing around with diet to see if that could improve my energy. Unfortunately there's no quality research in that area, just many random theories so it's a long road of trial and error. 

 

That was embarrassing to write about online, but maybe someone will find it helpful someday!

 

Marmot

2004: Clonazepam and Celexa. 2005 - 2006: Effexor, then increased to high dose, then switched to Valproate and Seroquel. 2007: Wellbutrin + Strattera + Celexa. 2007 - 2008: Wellbutrin + Adderall + Paxil. 2008 - 2012: Wellbutrin + occasional SSRIs when I had worsened "depression", which happened around 4 times, usually after CT of WB. 2012 - 2014: WB + Sertraline, then WB + Pristiq (awful W/D) then WB + rTMS, then ketamine. 2014 - 2016: Wellbutrin 200 mg + Abilify 4 mg + Adderall 20-40 mg + Cipralex 20 mg. Oct 2016: "Tapered" Cipralex, felt outrageously anxious, irritable. Dec 2016: "Tapered" Adderall, then felt depressed, hopeless, fatigued.  Feb 6 2017: reinstated 20 mg Adderall. Mar 2017: switched to Vyvanse, upped to 30 mg. May - Aug 2017: "Tapered" Vyvanse + Abilify to zero. Oct 25, 2017: Wellbutrin from 200 to 100 mg. Sep 10, 2018:  Wellbutrin from 90 to 60 mg. Oct 29, 2018: WB from 60 to 50 mg. Dec 19, 2018: WB from 50 to 45 mg. Apr 15, 2019: WB 41 mg. May 14, 2019: WB 37 mg. Jun 8, 2019: WB 33 mg. Jul 22: WB 30 mg, then down by around 10% per month. Aug 2020: 0

 

Working hard to take my life back. Anything I say here is as a friend or peer supporter; it is not medical advice.

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Marmot,

 

Thanks for writing this.  My question is, have you ever had the feeling that the probiotics were messing with your ability to taper?  I have taken small doses that seem to intensify w/d symptoms almost immediately.

 

Do you rotate the probiotics you use or do you use one for a while and then switch to another.  BTW, constipation and bloating are my two biggest problems.  I have had several tests showing a  lot of bad bacteria/fungus in my gut.

 

Thanks for sharing...not TMI for this desperate reader!

Grace

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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2 hours ago, savinggrace said:

My question is, have you ever had the feeling that the probiotics were messing with your ability to taper?  I have taken small doses that seem to intensify w/d symptoms almost immediately

 

Hey Grace,

 

Sorry you're going through all of that. I read your other post too, the thing is, I never tried to find out whether stopping the probiotics would change my tapering process. I don't even rotate them. The only side effect that I can really attribute to the probiotics are vivid dreams if I take extra ones right before bed. Not distressing dreams, but it indicates that they are influencing my mind somehow. Again no idea if they help or harm my mood. 

 

Most of this gut stuff has not been properly tested, so I'm just going on the idea of "listen to my body" and "don't trust people who are trying to sell me things". I tried some gut supplements and found they had zero effect on me, so I tossed them. We're all different, and there's no scientific evidence anyway, so all I can do is share my story. 

 

I did get a couple of books, out of hope and despair for something which might help with fatigue and concentration, but I'm looking at it as a free-for-all. I'm trying GAPS on and off these months to see if it helps, because some people swear by it, but I have no reason to believe anything in Dr. Campbell Mcbride's book. I see her explanations as wildly unfounded, so I skipped right to the recipes section. Two food related things which could be helping my mood right now are, staying away from sugar and processed foods, but I'm not even certain about that yet. 

 

I really hope that no one found this offensive :unsure: it's just my current personal view on the gut stuff!

2004: Clonazepam and Celexa. 2005 - 2006: Effexor, then increased to high dose, then switched to Valproate and Seroquel. 2007: Wellbutrin + Strattera + Celexa. 2007 - 2008: Wellbutrin + Adderall + Paxil. 2008 - 2012: Wellbutrin + occasional SSRIs when I had worsened "depression", which happened around 4 times, usually after CT of WB. 2012 - 2014: WB + Sertraline, then WB + Pristiq (awful W/D) then WB + rTMS, then ketamine. 2014 - 2016: Wellbutrin 200 mg + Abilify 4 mg + Adderall 20-40 mg + Cipralex 20 mg. Oct 2016: "Tapered" Cipralex, felt outrageously anxious, irritable. Dec 2016: "Tapered" Adderall, then felt depressed, hopeless, fatigued.  Feb 6 2017: reinstated 20 mg Adderall. Mar 2017: switched to Vyvanse, upped to 30 mg. May - Aug 2017: "Tapered" Vyvanse + Abilify to zero. Oct 25, 2017: Wellbutrin from 200 to 100 mg. Sep 10, 2018:  Wellbutrin from 90 to 60 mg. Oct 29, 2018: WB from 60 to 50 mg. Dec 19, 2018: WB from 50 to 45 mg. Apr 15, 2019: WB 41 mg. May 14, 2019: WB 37 mg. Jun 8, 2019: WB 33 mg. Jul 22: WB 30 mg, then down by around 10% per month. Aug 2020: 0

 

Working hard to take my life back. Anything I say here is as a friend or peer supporter; it is not medical advice.

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No offense taken at all Marmot.  In fact, I quite agree with you.  I can research 24/hours/day and find "opinions" and conclusions all over the place that conflict with each other.  For the most part, I try to listen to my body and draw my own conclusions.  Boy, do I wish I had never stopped taking pro-biotics, Vitamin D, magnesium and fish oil.  Had I not stopped they would have been a regular part of my body's detoxing/withdrawal now, but I did stop, years ago, and now I can't add any of them in w/o getting severely increased w/d symptoms almost immediately.

 

One clarification, if I may....are you taking the above 3 probiotics concurrently (a different brand per day or all 3 brands in rotation) I am beginning to wonder if combining different probiotics would be a better approach for me as I have no idea which bacteria I need and they are all different.  I have consulted 2 so-called "experts", one a dietician, and the other a functional medicine doctor, and one of them gave me one choice and the other one gave me one I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole after reading about it.  BTW, the GAPS diet landed me in the emergency room on day 4.  I didn't know about histamine intolerance then, but had I knows, I would have avoided an ER visit feeling like I was having a heart attack.  After all the expensive tests were run, and there we no findings, I asked the doctor if this new diet could have caused it.  What a joke!  Even my GI doesn't know what the GAPS diet is.  I stopped the diet, and I was better.  (it also could have been "die-off" but sometimes I wonder if "die-off" is real as well; maybe it's just a term that means something is making you very sick)  VSL probiotics (a tine portion of a capsule) gave me the same heart symptoms, but as soon as I connected the dots and stopped the VSL (I think I took 2 tiny doses) the symptoms were gone.

 

I am on my own here.  It is a full time job and I feel awful.  If only I could get these drugs out of me faster, but I know where that would land me...in the hospital...being pumped full of more drugs.  And so I suffer with no end in sight.

 

Thanks for reading my stuff and trying to help.

 

Grace

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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13 hours ago, savinggrace said:

No offense taken at all Marmot.  In fact, I quite agree with you.  I can research 24/hours/day and find "opinions" and conclusions all over the place that conflict with each other.  For the most part, I try to listen to my body and draw my own conclusions.  Boy, do I wish I had never stopped taking pro-biotics, Vitamin D, magnesium and fish oil.  Had I not stopped they would have been a regular part of my body's detoxing/withdrawal now, but I did stop, years ago, and now I can't add any of them in w/o getting severely increased w/d symptoms almost immediately.

 

One clarification, if I may....are you taking the above 3 probiotics concurrently (a different brand per day or all 3 brands in rotation) I am beginning to wonder if combining different probiotics would be a better approach for me as I have no idea which bacteria I need and they are all different.  I have consulted 2 so-called "experts", one a dietician, and the other a functional medicine doctor, and one of them gave me one choice and the other one gave me one I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole after reading about it.  BTW, the GAPS diet landed me in the emergency room on day 4.  I didn't know about histamine intolerance then, but had I knows, I would have avoided an ER visit feeling like I was having a heart attack.  After all the expensive tests were run, and there we no findings, I asked the doctor if this new diet could have caused it.  What a joke!  Even my GI doesn't know what the GAPS diet is.  I stopped the diet, and I was better.  (it also could have been "die-off" but sometimes I wonder if "die-off" is real as well; maybe it's just a term that means something is making you very sick)  VSL probiotics (a tine portion of a capsule) gave me the same heart symptoms, but as soon as I connected the dots and stopped the VSL (I think I took 2 tiny doses) the symptoms were gone.

 

I am on my own here.  It is a full time job and I feel awful.  If only I could get these drugs out of me faster, but I know where that would land me...in the hospital...being pumped full of more drugs.  And so I suffer with no end in sight.

 

Thanks for reading my stuff and trying to help.

 

Grace

Hi SG sorry for your troubles ,I suffer with gas a lot and had an attack on a plane yesterday so quite the experience lol,luckily it was a short flight .

I have a question ,when they do these tests do they follow up in a few months with another test after some recommended changes to diet . 

Alcohol free since February 2015 

1MG diazepam

4.5MG PROZAC.

 

 

 

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Are you referring to the heart tests I mentioned above? The No, they suggested a stress test (which meant an overnight stay) and I declined and left. As far as diet goes, I have not found a doctor yet who knows anything about nutrition, but the basics. . My suspicion is that they know so little that they only “go there” when there is a scientific correlation between certain foods and a condition. Talking about leaky gut, histamine intolerance or food allergies is a total waste of time. Even alternative/functional medicine doctors are shockingly ignorant. The cynical side of me thinks it’s easier and faster to pass out pills than work with someone and their diet. Of course, this is reinforced because so many people would rather take a pill than change their diet. Those of us who refuse the meds are labeled non- ompliant or even hypochondriacs!  I am also finding dietitians to be “one trick ponies”. The truth is no one will take the time to work with the sickest among us. 

 

Grace

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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Powerback,  One more answer to your question. I generally don’t need, or want, follow-up tests because my body will let me know really fast what is helping and what doesn’t. I tolerate no supplements right now, and the diet changes are easy enough to assess if they help or hurt. These tests are expensive and generally dietitians and doctors just recommend pills and supplements because I have already eliminated most foods...just to ease the symptoms of a leaky gut.

 

Grace

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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On 06/02/2018 at 4:16 PM, savinggrace said:

One clarification, if I may....are you taking the above 3 probiotics concurrently (a different brand per day or all 3 brands in rotation) I am beginning to wonder if combining different probiotics would be a better approach for me as I have no idea which bacteria I need and they are all different.  I have consulted 2 so-called "experts", one a dietician, and the other a functional medicine doctor, and one of them gave me one choice and the other one gave me one I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole after reading about it.  BTW, the GAPS diet landed me in the emergency room on day 4.  I didn't know about histamine intolerance then, but had I knows, I would have avoided an ER visit feeling like I was having a heart attack.  After all the expensive tests were run, and there we no findings, I asked the doctor if this new diet could have caused it.  What a joke!  Even my GI doesn't know what the GAPS diet is.  I stopped the diet, and I was better.  (it also could have been "die-off" but sometimes I wonder if "die-off" is real as well; maybe it's just a term that means something is making you very sick)  VSL probiotics (a tine portion of a capsule) gave me the same heart symptoms, but as soon as I connected the dots and stopped the VSL (I think I took 2 tiny doses) the symptoms were gone.

 

Hey Grace,

 

To answer your question, I just take one brand now - their primal defense ultra. It might be too much for starters though. Years ago, I started with probiotic soy yogurt containers. 

 

Your histamine experience sounds terrible! I'm glad you were able to figure out what the cause was even though everyone else couldn't. Ya, it seems to be uncharted territory...which might also mean that the diet is nonsense. I had a histamine reaction too from GAPS, but not as intense as yours, so I made some changes and cut out the fermented veggies and it became tolerable. Then I got angry at GAPS because there's no science and it's so restrictive. But then when I stopped GAPS for two weeks, I felt much worse even though I was eating typically healthy foods that I love. So I'm back on GAPS for now, as of two days ago. I accept that it could have been coincidence, but I'm stuck. I decided to just choose a path and try it for awhile without getting too caught up in it. If I ever get a better sense of what's going on between me and food I'll write on the diet thread. 

 

I'm really wishing you the best in your journey Grace and hope that you can figure out a way through this without too much stress. :)

 

Marmot

2004: Clonazepam and Celexa. 2005 - 2006: Effexor, then increased to high dose, then switched to Valproate and Seroquel. 2007: Wellbutrin + Strattera + Celexa. 2007 - 2008: Wellbutrin + Adderall + Paxil. 2008 - 2012: Wellbutrin + occasional SSRIs when I had worsened "depression", which happened around 4 times, usually after CT of WB. 2012 - 2014: WB + Sertraline, then WB + Pristiq (awful W/D) then WB + rTMS, then ketamine. 2014 - 2016: Wellbutrin 200 mg + Abilify 4 mg + Adderall 20-40 mg + Cipralex 20 mg. Oct 2016: "Tapered" Cipralex, felt outrageously anxious, irritable. Dec 2016: "Tapered" Adderall, then felt depressed, hopeless, fatigued.  Feb 6 2017: reinstated 20 mg Adderall. Mar 2017: switched to Vyvanse, upped to 30 mg. May - Aug 2017: "Tapered" Vyvanse + Abilify to zero. Oct 25, 2017: Wellbutrin from 200 to 100 mg. Sep 10, 2018:  Wellbutrin from 90 to 60 mg. Oct 29, 2018: WB from 60 to 50 mg. Dec 19, 2018: WB from 50 to 45 mg. Apr 15, 2019: WB 41 mg. May 14, 2019: WB 37 mg. Jun 8, 2019: WB 33 mg. Jul 22: WB 30 mg, then down by around 10% per month. Aug 2020: 0

 

Working hard to take my life back. Anything I say here is as a friend or peer supporter; it is not medical advice.

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  • 1 month later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

Found this in another topic:

 

On 10/12/2013 at 9:24 AM, GiaK said:

just a note of caution...people with histamine intolerance can have problems tolerating probiotics...and I'm finding there are a lot of us with histamine issues...

 

I haven't been able to find a single strain I tolerate...

 

before I discovered the histamine intolerance I did a lot of probiotics...may have been in part why my withdrawal lasted so long...who knows...but I do think they actually made the histamine issue worse...that said, they did heal my gut in some (at the very least) superficial (but very noticeable) ways...(severe IBS disappeared etc)...so it's hard to know if they helped more or hindered more in the end...

 

I hope to be able to reintroduce them some day...it's clear that they'd be helpful if I could tolerate them...

 

when I had dozens of symptoms it was hard to know what made me worse...and in retrospect I was taking a lot of stuff that was exacerbating the histamine issues...it's taken years to tease all that out

 

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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Interesting, I had some issues tolerating probiotics but wasn't sure that was the culprit. I cut them out anyway.

 

I have yet to try the low-histamine diet, so I might do that before I reintroduce probiotics again. 

Aug-Dec 2015 Prozac 20mg / Dec 2015-Feb 2016 Prozac 15mg / Feb 2016-May2016 Prozac 20mg

May 2016-June 2016 15mg

June 2016-August 2016 10mg

October 2016-January 2017 15mg, alternating agitation/akathisia sets in --> cold turkey

January 2017 Clonazepam .5mg 

February 2017 Clonazepam 1mg (for a week) then .5mg morning and .25mg evening for about a month. Came down to .25mg morning and evening. 

May 1, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .125mg evening. // May 20, 2017 Clonazepam .25mg morning and .0625 evening (.3125 total).

early June .28125 // early mid june .25mg // mid june .21875 // late june .1875 // early july .15625 // early mid july .125 

mid july .09375mg // late july .0625 //early August 2017 down to .03125mg once a day, hopped off in mid August

reinstated at .0625mg late August // Oct 16 - updose to .07mg and switch to oral Rosemont solution

Nov 17 2017 reinstate Prozac .5mg // Nov 21 2017 prozac 1.6mg // Dec 18 2017  3mg prozac / fast taper off the reinstatement -- probably completely off early Oct 2018

June 2019 begin tapering off .07mg Clonazepam, Finish taper December 2019

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  • 6 months later...

Interesting conversation about the histamine intolerance and probiotics.

 

I decided to try probiotics a week ago. I did it 3days in a row, then I had wierd fear and anxiety for no reasons.. so I stopped.

 

I tried it again today and same thing...

Going to stay away from probiotic pills for now.

 

I'll look into this low-histamine diet as well. But I'm causious on try new things at the moment.

 

I am getting a microboiom (poop test) test done. Waiting on results. Curious to what it will say. But I'm going to be cautious on what the nutritionist/Naturopath recommends for it...

 

Regards,

Cloud

2009- Started Lexapro 20mg sophomore year in college----------(I might have gone from 10mg to 20mg sometime in college but cannot remember)

2013- 1st taper 20mg to 10mg in 2weeks----------(Got brian zaps. Dr said to stay on Lex)

2015- 2nd taper 20mg to 15mg to 10mg by 1month on each dose----------(Got chest pains, Dr said to live with chest pains forever or continue Lexapro)

2017/2018- 3rd taper 20mg to 15mg to 10mg by 3months on each dose----------(Thought I had a seizure, GP Drs said it was not one but probably low blood sugar or pressure. Psychiatrist said to stay on 20mg Lexapro "just to be safe" and focus on quitting smoking 1st)

2018- New psychiatrist. 20mg to 15mg (3weeks) to 10mg(2.5weeks) to 7.5mg(2weeks) to 5mg(2weeks) to 2.5mg(weeks).. now at 0mg since July 27th 2018----------(Fast taper due to side effects on full dose or else I would have tapered extremely slower.. starting smoking cigs again to help get through the withdrawals.. now regretting that decision)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Supplements- 

---- Olly Sleep Gummies- 1 gummy nightly (Contains:  Melatonin 3mg, L-Theanine 200mg, Chamomile Extract 17mg, Lemon Balm Extract 16mg, Passionflower 17mg)

---- Veggie MultiVitamin Gummies

---- Omega 3 Fish Oil (Stopped for a bit to see if it was giving me negative effects. Plan to start again slowly).

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I highly recommend the Monash University's FODMAP diet for people suffering from IBS (but note I don't have histamine issues). You can even buy an app to help with food choices. 

 

I also strongly advocate the use of specific strains of probiotics and prebiotics. Like people, each probiotic strain acts very differently to the other e.g. Lactobacillus Rhamnosus LGG is different to Lactobacillus Rhamnosus HN001. Some of the effects of probiotics can be profound - but note, it is not a magic pill. SO it will not cure you of everything. Also I'm four years out, so it's good timing for me to really feel the effects of probiotics without the extreme symptoms of withdrawal drowning them out.

 

So here are some recommendations that are worth researching (note - check the strain to see if suitable e.g. if histamine producing, D- Lactate producing, and definitely check if you've got SIBO)

  • Lactobacillus Plantarum 299v (gets you regular - so probably more IBS-C)
  • Lactobacillus Rhamnosus LGG (good for mood and gut)
  • Lactobacillus Rhamnosus HN001 (calming - also recommend for women concerned about postpartum depression)
  • Mutaflor 
  • Lactobacillus Fermentum ME3 
  • Lactobacillus Reuteri DSM 17938 and ATCC PTA 6475

Lactobacillus Gasseri and Bifidobacterium types are also good.  Some people try soil based organisms, like Prescript Assist but I haven't. The formula has changed so the previous research (and success of it) no longer applies to the new formula. Please also note that probiotic  compete against each other e.g Lactobacillus competes against Bifidobacterium. So use one family at a time and rotate every 1/2 weeks to get variety).

 

Prebiotics are very important. If you have IBS avoid inulin and high fibre though. Check out FODMAP guidance on it. You can try fibre from recommended veggies... like keeping potato skins on. Also look at resistant starches.

 

Eat lots of fermented foods. But sadly sauerkraut / Kombucha are high in fodmaps - if you got IBS and are following the FODMAP diet. Sourdough could be ok. Lactose free yogurts would be very good. If you've got ideas on this please share!

 

In Jan 2011 started Lexapro 10 mg after 10 minutes consultation with doctor telling him I felt anxious in confined spaces and had an anxiety attack on plane and underground. Remained on that dosage until Sept 2014. Tapered following a doctor's schedule on 2.5 mg drops every three weeks. Once stopped I developed severe withdrawals. Three weeks of Prozac beginning of Oct 2014 but had adverse reaction and stopped CT. Protracted withdrawals since. Supp now - magnesium, fish oil, turmeric, vit D, melatonin (but recently it's made me depressed), castus vitex capsule with ginger, Withania, Vit E, zinc, Lutein for PMS.
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Hi, 

 

I am over 9 months off drugs. I am just slowly and slowly getting better. I am even sensitive to omega 3 and magnesium, therefore hesitate to use any supplement. I rather prefer to eat healthy. But approximately a  month earlier I got diarrhea and I used an oral probiotic. The results were perfect for my gut, also I noticed an improvement in DR/DP in those days. Afterwards I decided to use the oral probiotic as a supplement. Within a few days I understood that when I take the probiotic at first it just makes me uneasy and then a little drowsy. Consequently I started to take the probiotic just before bed with my chamomile tea. My rutine for the evening is as follows: a cup of milk at 9 p.m. and a small cup of chamomile tea just before bed, which is generally 12 p.m. When taken with chamomile tea I do not feel any side effect of the probiotic and I can easy fall asleep. Cortisol awakenings are only in waves and premenstrual periods, which happen at 5 or  6 a.m. Other days I generally sleep without interruption and wake up at 7-7,5 a.m.

 

The probiotic I take contains Lactobacillus acidophilus LA-5 and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12. The recommended dose for adults is 1 or 2 capsules. But the recommended dose for ages 4-10 is 1 capsule and I take 1 capsule. This means indeed I take the pediatric dosage. 

 

Overall, the obvious change happened in my gut. I no more get bloating, neither constipation, nor diarrhea. In regard to mental issures, I think I have seen a little improvement in DR/DP, but I do not know it is related with the probiotics, since time goes on and recovery happens on its own. But in the long run, I think it has lots of benefits, so it is wise to take any supplement, which do not activate me. 

 

But here is  my question, should I need to  lower the dose? It is a capsule but it also has liquid forms, I can take it. My problem is terrible morning anxiety. I do not know whether it has any effect in morning anxiety. I did not notice a remarkable difference, because I always have terrible morning anxiety. Ther pattern is typical: I wake up 7-7,5 a.m. in a tolerable  mood generally but between 8 and 9 a.m. horrible anxiety comes and after 10 a.m. DR/DP comes..... Any idea on its possible effect on morning anxiety?

 

Thanks, 

6 months treatment of prozac in 1996 (do not remember any withdrawal symptom)

May 2017- July 2017 Mirtazapine 7,5 mg. Quit cold turkey (as told by the doctor)

May 2017- August 2017 Tianeptine 12,5 mg 3x1. Quit cold turkey because of adverse reactions

October 2017- Suicidal. Had to start Mirtazapine

17 December 2017 LAST DOSE   

 

NO DRUG AFTER 17 DECEMBER 2017.

IN THE 3. YEAR OF WD I WAS THINKING I HAD RECOVERED 75%. BUT IN THE 4. YEAR AFTER A DENTAL IMPLANT SURGERY EVERYHING HAS CHANGED. 

     

BELIEVE OR NOT, I AM EXPERIENCING A SECOND WD, WHICH IS INDUCED BY A SURGERY. DATE OF SURGERY WAS 10 DECEMBER 2021. 

 

                                    

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  • 11 months later...
  • Moderator Emeritus

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • 7 months later...

Hi all -- Is there any point to adding a probiotic if digestion hasn't been affected by withdrawal? I started taking one a few weeks ago but haven't noticed any changes, either positive or negative. Not sure if I should continue. Can probiotics affect your WD symptoms? Thanks so much.

PRN = as needed; WDR = withdrawal reaction; ADR = adverse reaction

2007: Started BC pills  2008: Prozac 0 --> 80 mg  2010: Tapered Prozac 80 --> 0 mg  2015: LSD/shrooms/MDMA once; Xanax 0.25 mg PRN; Prozac 0 --> 40 mg; Lamictal 0 --> 150 mg  2018: Tapered Prozac 40 --> 0 mg (WDR); Klonopin 0.125 mg PRN  2019: DC'd BC pills (WDR); Klonopin 0.125 mg PRN; tapered Lamictal 150 --> 35 mg (WDR); Trileptal 0 --> 4 mg   2020: Jan: one BC pill (ADR + hormonal effects); Apr-Jun: curcumin cream daily + Elidel cream PRN (ADR + hormonal effects); Oct: started melatonin 0.375 mg; Nov: acupuncture treatment (ADR + hormonal effects); Dec: tapered off melatonin 0.375 mg  2021: Jan: benzoyl peroxide cream (ADR); Feb: started probiotic; Mar: tapered off probiotic; May: Trileptal 4 mg --> 0.4 mg (ADR); Nov: Trileptal 0.4 mg --> 0.3 mg  2023: Nov: Prednisone 60 mg

Current medications: Lamictal 35 mg, Trileptal 0.3 mg, Prednisone 60 mg

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Probiotics can affect withdrawal but that doesn’t mean they will. Our gut (intestines; second brain ) are lined w/neurotransmitters. 

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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See Chessie’s link a few posts above. 
 

Grace

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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i make my own ginger tea and mix one tablespoon honey and it is very soothing for stomach and also keep stomach healthy.  Atleast it is working for me during wd. Try it.

2010 citanew 10mg ct after 6 monthes

 

2015 citanew 10mg ct after 5 to 6 monthes

 

April 2020 xanax .25 mg ct after 1 month

 

April 2020 citanew 10mg ct August 2020

 

several wd , insomnia, anxiety, fear, muscle spasm, weakness on left side.

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  • 11 months later...

I can't take Probiotics, it makes my withdrawal much worse. It's sad because probiotics is good for you.

Zoloft, November 2019.  I worked up to 50 mg and stayed there until 1 year later. I tapered for 3 months, which should consider to be cold turkey.
Tapering schedule:
Month 1: 37.5 mg

Month 2: 25 mg

Month 3: 12.5 mg

Month 4(Half the month): 6.75 mg
Month 4(Other half): 0 mg December 9, 2020

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Hello

I have been taking a 20 billion probiotic supplement. I'm bloated and have pain in my stomach because of withdrawal. This takes care of both but it causes severe fatigue and severe migraines which makes me forced to stop it. Suggestions?

Zoloft, November 2019.  I worked up to 50 mg and stayed there until 1 year later. I tapered for 3 months, which should consider to be cold turkey.
Tapering schedule:
Month 1: 37.5 mg

Month 2: 25 mg

Month 3: 12.5 mg

Month 4(Half the month): 6.75 mg
Month 4(Other half): 0 mg December 9, 2020

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  • Moderator Emeritus
7 hours ago, curiousnootropics said:

Hello

I have been taking a 20 billion probiotic supplement. I'm bloated and have pain in my stomach because of withdrawal. This takes care of both but it causes severe fatigue and severe migraines which makes me forced to stop it. Suggestions?

 

Try taking less???  Start low amount and gradually build up.

 

Or not taking it in once go, but perhaps take a smaller amount 2 or 3 times a day.

 

Also consider what other thing/s might be causing the fatigue and migraines.

 

Edited by ChessieCat

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • 2 weeks later...

It is 7 days since I stopped Probiotics but I still have severe side effects from it. I'm in hell. I really wish it is not permanent. Chest pain/burning chest/tight chest, headaches, headaches etc. Is there anyone that knows how long it takes for probiotics to leave the system? I have only bad things to say about this, BE VERY CAREFUL DURING WITHDRAWALS!

Zoloft, November 2019.  I worked up to 50 mg and stayed there until 1 year later. I tapered for 3 months, which should consider to be cold turkey.
Tapering schedule:
Month 1: 37.5 mg

Month 2: 25 mg

Month 3: 12.5 mg

Month 4(Half the month): 6.75 mg
Month 4(Other half): 0 mg December 9, 2020

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  • 1 month later...

Has anyone found any herbs or supplements helpful when experiencing Akathisia?   I'm trying to cope without any more benzos but it seems almost everything I tried just made things worse- california poppy, skull cap, chamomile, sleepy tea, etc.   Had some success with kava kava but it made my face twitch when I took it so that scared me.  I know the correct thing is to take nothing but I'd rather take an herb when I get desperate instead of a benzo.  Curious if anyone had success with any supplements relieving their akathisia?

 

 

2010-2020 Ambien 2.5 0 5 mg occasionally -2 to 4 times a week

March3 2020 Akathisia from taking azithromycin and nausea meds .  Started propanolol 10 -40 mg a day and ambien 10 mg a day

May - August 2020 Akathisia treatments:  Klonopin 0.125 mg -0.25 mg x 6 wks

  mirtazapine 7.5 mg , propranolol 10-20 mg,  lunesta 2-3 mg  Benztropine 0.5 

August 2020.  Started tapering Mirtazapine. February 2022:  Mirt down to 1.42  

March 2022.  Updosed to 1.46 mg.  Allowed compounded bottle of mirtazapine to get too concentrated.  Started having akathisia, shaking , tingling when I switched to new less concentrated bottle.  Went to Dr who told me to updose to 1.7 mg.  Updosed  approx. March 23.  Burning in arms and feet, akathisia 
April 2022. Mirtazapine 1.7 mg, Ambien 2.5 mg.  Occasional Propranolol 10-30 mg,  Rescue dose as needed Klonopin 0.125 mg.    Continued Akathisia 

Supplements:  milk peptides, tart cherry, fish oil. Calcium, magnesium and zinc, 

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This seems interesting -- yet another reason to avoid processed foods, esp. in withdrawal:

https://microbiologycommunity.nature.com/posts/are-processed-foods-unintentionally-engineering-our-microbiomes

1996-2018 - misc. polypharmacy, incl. SSRIs, SNRIs, neuroleptics, lithium, benzos, stimulants, antihistamines, etc. (approx. 30+ drugs)

2012-2018 - 10mg lexapro/escitalopram (20mg?)    Jan. 2018 - 10mg -> 5mg, then from 5mg -> 2.5mg, then 0mg  -->  July 2018 - 0mg

2017(?)-2020 - vyvanse/lisdexamfetamine 60-70mg    2020-2021 - 70mg down to 0mg  -->  July 2021 - 0mg

March-April 2021 - vortioxetine 5-10mg (approx. 7 weeks total; CT)  -->  April 28th, 2021 - 0mg

supplements: magnesium powder (dissolved in water) as needed throughout the day; 1 tsp fish oil w/ morning meal; 2mg melatonin 

August 1, 2022 - 1 mg melatonin

 

Courage is fear that has said its prayers.  - Karle Wilson Baker

love and justice are not two. without inner change, there can be no outer change; without collective change, no change matters.  - Rev. angel Kyodo williams

Holding multiple truths. Knowing that everyone has their own accurate view of the way things are.  - text on homemade banner at Afiya house

 

I am not a medical professional; this is not medical advice. 

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  • 1 month later...
On 10/8/2018 at 10:47 PM, DaisyBell said:

I highly recommend the Monash University's FODMAP diet for people suffering from IBS (but note I don't have histamine issues). You can even buy an app to help with food choices. 

 

I also strongly advocate the use of specific strains of probiotics and prebiotics. Like people, each probiotic strain acts very differently to the other e.g. Lactobacillus Rhamnosus LGG is different to Lactobacillus Rhamnosus HN001. Some of the effects of probiotics can be profound - but note, it is not a magic pill. SO it will not cure you of everything. Also I'm four years out, so it's good timing for me to really feel the effects of probiotics without the extreme symptoms of withdrawal drowning them out.

 

So here are some recommendations that are worth researching (note - check the strain to see if suitable e.g. if histamine producing, D- Lactate producing, and definitely check if you've got SIBO)

  • Lactobacillus Plantarum 299v (gets you regular - so probably more IBS-C)
  • Lactobacillus Rhamnosus LGG (good for mood and gut)
  • Lactobacillus Rhamnosus HN001 (calming - also recommend for women concerned about postpartum depression)
  • Mutaflor 
  • Lactobacillus Fermentum ME3 
  • Lactobacillus Reuteri DSM 17938 and ATCC PTA 6475

Lactobacillus Gasseri and Bifidobacterium types are also good.  Some people try soil based organisms, like Prescript Assist but I haven't. The formula has changed so the previous research (and success of it) no longer applies to the new formula. Please also note that probiotic  compete against each other e.g Lactobacillus competes against Bifidobacterium. So use one family at a time and rotate every 1/2 weeks to get variety).

 

Prebiotics are very important. If you have IBS avoid inulin and high fibre though. Check out FODMAP guidance on it. You can try fibre from recommended veggies... like keeping potato skins on. Also look at resistant starches.

 

Eat lots of fermented foods. But sadly sauerkraut / Kombucha are high in fodmaps - if you got IBS and are following the FODMAP diet. Sourdough could be ok. Lactose free yogurts would be very good. If you've got ideas on this please share!

 

Hello, @DaisyBell have you found a brand that meets the criteria above? 

2002-2021: 19 yrs on/off psychotropics

2/2022: Wellbutrin 150mg, Lexapro 20mg  3/22: Wellbutrin 150mg xl, Lexapro 10mg    4/22: Wellbutrin 150xl, Lexapro 5mg 

4/2022: Lexa 7.5mg total, Wellbutrin 150mg    5/2022: Wellb 112.5mg xl, Lexa 7.5mg (Stopped Clonazepam & Hydroxyzine- didn't take often)

6/2022: Welbutrin 111mg xl, Lexa 6.8mg          8/2022: Wellbutrin 100mg xl, Lexa 6.8mg            10/9/22: Wellbutrin 100 mg IR, Lexa 6.5 mg

11/3/22: Wellbutrin 96 mg IR, Lexa 6.5 mg       11/30/22: Wellbutrin 96 mg IR, Lexa 6 mg

3/15/23: Wellbutrin 96 mg IR, Lexa 6.2 mg???

Other Daily Meds: Singulair 10mg, Zyrtec 10mg, Spiriva Respimat inhaler.  Rarely taking: OTC pain relievers, Diclofenac, Cyclobenzaprine, anti acids

SupplementsFish oil 1300mg, Nigella oil, Mag Glycinate 200mg, Probiotics 30 billion, 1/5 dose prenatals, Melatonin .38mg, (Reishi, Lion's Mane & psilocybin microdosing by cycles)

 

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  • 1 month later...
On 5/23/2022 at 12:17 PM, DazzlingCold said:

Hello, @DaisyBell have you found a brand that meets the criteria above? 

I came here looking for this too. A high quality probiotic that will help with anxiety type issues. 

 

*Currently at 8.2-8.5 mg of my 10mg pill of Paxil (they actually weigh 12.5mg) 

january 2023 I began reducing my med again. I was a 9mg weight for years, I went to 8.9 in January, went to 8.6mg in February, and in March 2023 I went down to 8.5-8.2 mg ( my scale varies, so I stick within that .3 range because of that) 

*No other supplements or vitamins 

*Taper schedule in the pdf 

Blank.pdf

 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-5vShtJtwAOGA30OxIP87steLmMdFzD29F0fzAPD564

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  • Moderator

HOW TO MAKE MILK KEFIR


I thought I’d do a post on making kefir as I’ve some experience with it. For anyone wanting to make their own milk kefir, this is how it’s done. Kefir has around 60 friendly strains of live bacteria, compared to yoghurt which has around 5.

 

**It’s worth noting that if you are extremely sensitive to supplements, or have histamine tolerance problems, DO NOT drink kefir. It’s very high in histamine, like all fermented foods and beverages are.**
 

Things you will need:

 

1. Milk kefir grains - I’m based in the UK and bought mine online from a website called HappyKombucha. If you know somebody that makes it ask them to lend you some of their spare grains.

2. A container to ferment and store the kefir milk in. I used 1 litre mason jars, widely available online.

3. A large glass jug - I use a Pyrex jug

4. A colander to strain the milk - try to get a plastic one as the the whey is acidic and can corrode and leach metal.

5. Wooden spoon

6. Milk of choice - I used organic whole milk when I made it last year. Raw milk is best if you have access to it. I have a dairy farm 15 minutes drive away that I intend to use from next month - I am fortunate in that aspect!

 

Now for how to make it:

 

Instead of me rambling on I’ll post the link to the YouTube video I used. It’s very well explained and is easily understood, even for those of us struggling with brain fog.

 

 

A few points I’d add from my experience making it:

 

1. I always double fermented my kefir. This was to increase its strength as a probiotic.
2. It’s an acquired taste. You’ll probably struggle to drink it on its own unless you’re really strong willed. I used to mix mine with frozen berries/fruit in the blender.

3. It makes a lot of kefir, and you have to keep making it to stop the grains dehydrating and dying. So make sure you can consume it daily or have other people to give it to!

4. Don’t expect it to work miracles overnight! Healing your gut is a long and tedious process with lots of trial and error. 
5. Probably the most important point. When you start drinking it just have 50-100ml a day and see how your body/gut reacts to it. It can take a while for your body to adapt as it contains so many strains of bacteria. Build up over weeks and months until you can drink a glass full each day. Kefir doesn’t agree with everyone, if it makes you feel terrible you don’t have to keep drinking it.

6. If you don’t have the energy to do any of this just buy it from the shop. Make sure you go for a product that contains no added flavourings or ingredients. In the UK I find the brand Biotiful the best. It’s more palatable than the home made stuff as well. I started out on this before making my own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Active Monday-Friday UK time

 

MEDICATION:

1) Sertraline:

50mg - Oct 2020, 100mg - Dec 2020, 50mg - April 2021, 75mg - May 2021, 50mg - Sep 2021; Failed taper attempt (50 -> 49) - Jan 2024; Second attempt to start taper - 17 Feb 2024

Current dose: 48.9mg (Feb 2024)

2) Mirtazapine:

15mg  - Nov 2020

SUPPLEMENTS:

Cod liver oil

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 9/20/2011 at 3:20 AM, Altostrata said:

Gut health seems to be very much involved in mental health, and many people here have reported an improvement in withdrawal symptoms after taking greater care with their diets. One approach is SCD/GAPS/Paleo Diets, which eliminates foods thought to trigger allergic reactions or digestion difficulties and allows beneficial bacteria to repopulate in the gut.

 

These diets also minimize sugar and starch intake, which is thought to cause a great deal of metabolic stress -- in some people, leading to diabetes.

 

I have had some success with taking probiotics. I've gotten a high recommendation for Enzymedica Digest Gold, a vegan probiotic capsule. A probiotic drink called GoodBelly seemed to help (Goodbelly actually contains a lot of sugar because the bacteria it contains need the sugar to keep alive).

 

I drink kefir often and eat yogurt every day, though I have not graduated to making my own. (Maybe some day soon.)

 

My gut is now in better shape since it ever was, even before antidepressants. For many years, I had an IBS-like condition. Eating anything in the garlic or onion family seemed to set it off. I liked Indian food but it often upset my stomach. Now I'm eating it all the time, and I can eat salsa with bits of raw onion in it (before I had to pick them out).

 

So something has gone right with my gut as my autonomic nervous system has recovered.

 

What's been your experience with probiotics?

Old post but here I go, in case someone reads. I’ve had the same experience except I have no problem with starch food at all, at the very opposite, I love it because it stays in my body long and keeps my sugar levels super steady. Any hypoglecimia triggers anxiety. Anyway. Probiotics litterally saved me right now. I had recently started having deep depressive episodes, always coming with a weird sensation in my guts. Took me a while but one day I had a good filling dinner and felt instantly calm?! So I researched and saw again articles about probiotics (had never paid attention to them before as I thought my diet was fine). I bought kefir, kombucha, yoghurt and cheese. I ate that and now I’m fine. It’s likely just a window but still, I was rock bottom depressed like never before (no reason), and these yoghurt brought me back instantly. So yes, probiotics!! 

April 2020: 10mg Escitalopram 

July 2020: fast tapper tried to quit. Failed. 
september 2020: Trintellix 20mg. 
october 2021: fast taper off Trintellix (1 week). Reinstated 10mg in January 2022 for 3 weeks, failed, kindling effect so I quit rapidly, now off meds since then. 
 

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On 7/2/2022 at 7:44 AM, Vonnegutjunky said:

I came here looking for this too. A high quality probiotic that will help with anxiety type issues. 

Guys just eat kefir , yoghurt and drink kombucha. You don’t need supplements. And that way you don’t have to worry about which brand , which store etc. Just so much simpler and good ! And it works so so well 

April 2020: 10mg Escitalopram 

July 2020: fast tapper tried to quit. Failed. 
september 2020: Trintellix 20mg. 
october 2021: fast taper off Trintellix (1 week). Reinstated 10mg in January 2022 for 3 weeks, failed, kindling effect so I quit rapidly, now off meds since then. 
 

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I agree that fermented foods will likely help more than probiotic supplements, but not if a person has histamine intolerance. Even the capsules invoke histamine issues with me. I just had a horrible night because I chose to try eating (fresh; laid yesterday morning) eggs and was  extremely agitated with a racing heart for hours now. Eggs (especially the whites) are very high histamine.  I thought because they were freshly laid and organic I may get away with it. Do not underestimate what high histamine food does to mental health. They wreak havoc. Those without this problem are very lucky. I would live on fermented foods if I could. 
 

Grace

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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The whites of eggs are high histamine. They can be eaten if mixed with the yolk.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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That has not been my experience.  I can get away with a little bit of a whole egg baked into something.

 

Grace

  • amitriptyline from 1980-2002,
  • intermittent  use of benzos over 2 decades prior to 2002
  • 2002-2010 Klonopin 1-2 mg., ambien 10--20, mg, remeron 4 mg. and  trileptal 300 mg
  • 2011 Stopped ambien and crossed over to valium 17.5 mg. (updosing 2.5 mg. to cover ambien C/T )
  • tapered valium w/ long holds to 12.74 mg. from a high of approximately 20-30 mg/day
  • 2015-2023 tapered trileptal to 98 mg.  had to completely stop tapering due to multiple chronic, serious health issues
  • currently 2024 still on 98 mg. trileptal and 4 mg. remeron
  •   Currently on benzo hold as I have to cross-over from brand-name valium to generic diazepam.   The diazepam is way weaker and brought on severe acute w/d
  • Current dose of diazepam is 7.9 and valium is 6.6.  I had to up-dose the total valium/diazepam from 12.74 to 14.5 where I have stayed since June 2023.  I am crossing over to generic at a somewhat tolerable rate of .3mg/month after about 2 months of trial/error w/ updosing.  I am not currently tapering; will continue to cross over. 

 

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It's taken a long time for me to be able to eat egg whites separately.

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.

"It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein

All postings © copyrighted.

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