ryan1982: my journey

[ryan1982]

Hey Alto,

If you were me, would you double up on fish oil or try curcumin for my inflammation as my next move? I’m open to trying either. 

[ryan1982]

Update: I've been feeling really stuffy despite using saline and a Neti pot.  It's made me really dizzy and lethargic.  It's been like this for about 7 weeks with some breaks between.  Also, my anxiety has been kicking up like crazy.

 

Nothing has changed about my meds and the only supplements that I take are a probiotic, a prebiotic and fish oil.  I've taken them all for a number of months.  I've had a bad reaction to fish oil in the past but it seems to be better this time around.  The only thing that I could think about my issue is that one of the supplements are causing issue so I decided to quit them all and then slowly add them back in.  It could be my mind playing tricks on me but now my anxiety is sky high.  

 

Has anyone else had issues stopping any of these meds?  Is is a bad idea for me to stop them all at the same time in order to find the culprit?

[ryan1982]

Also, another consideration is that I may be taking a pretty weak fish oil supplement; there's more EPA than DHA and that's apparently pretty bad for someone with anxiety.  Here's what I'm taking:

https://www.amazon.com/Nature-Made-Pearls-Softgel-Count/dp/B0088BKGUM/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1548341492&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=fish%2Boil%2Bpearls&th=1  

[ryan1982]

I ended up ordering these- I can always return if a mod sees an issue with either one. 

 

Vitamin Bounty - Pro 50 Probiotic - 13 Probiotic Strains, 50 Billion Organisms Per Serving https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01EY4X8WO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_PuNsCb0N0QW08 

 

Nordic Naturals ProOmega-D - Fish Oil, 650 mg EPA, 450 mg DHA, 1000 IU Vitamin D3 Cholecalciferol, Support for Cardiovascular, Neurological, Eye, and Immune Health*, Lemon Flavored, 60 Soft Gels https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DGXFKBJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GvNsCbR263CVQ 

 

[Altostrata]

They look fine, try one at time, see what it does.

[ryan1982]

Thanks, Alto. I really appreciate it. Any concerns on stopping the supplements I’m on and having them cause a wave?  I’ve just had some really tough anxiety this week and that’s the only thing I can attribute it to. 

[Altostrata]

If you have histamine food intolerance, you might have a problem with any probiotic, yogurt, etc.

 

If you get bad reactions from a supplement, reduce it or stop it. We don't see withdrawal except for the psychoactives such as 5-HTP, SAM-e, trytophan, or "nootropics" such as phenibut.

[ryan1982]

Thanks, Alto. I tried the probiotic and it seems to jive with me pretty well. The sinus stuffiness that I’ve been experiencing is nonallergic rhinitis and the Doctor put me on Patanase. I was obviously scared to take it but it has been fine other than the extreme fatigue. I’m switching to just taking it at night because it’s too much during the day. I read through the whole antihistamine thread and I understand the risks. I hope to just use this for a few weeks and then move on. 

 

Im on vacation and plan to try the fish oil when I return. 

 

The one thing that I’ve recently noticed is that I tend to get agitated/anxious at around 5- 7 PM each day. I’m currently taking half my dose (2 MG) at 8 AM and then again at 8 PM. Any thoughts on whether I should move up my dose to 7 AM/7 PM? Or move it back? Can’t quite wrap my brain around what to do. 

 

Thanks so much!

[ryan1982]

Hi there-

I just wanted to check back in regarding moving my dose around. I tend to feel anxious first thing in the morning (likely cortisol) and at the end of the day from around 5- 8 PM. Any thoughts on if I should change when I take my dose? Does  each dose have to be 12 hours apart or do we have flexibility there?

[ryan1982]

@brassmonkey- Hey Brass, sorry to tag you but I've always enjoyed your threads.  Do you have any insight or experience with moving my dose around to an interval that isn't necessarily 12 hours apart? I seem to get withdrawals pretty bad in the AM (probably cortisol though) and from 5- 8 PM ET each day.  I appreciate any insight you can give!

[ChessieCat]

So that the mods can assess your situation, please provide 3 days of daily symptoms notes.  Thank you.

[ryan1982]

Sure thing, Chessie.  Here's a breakdown:

5 AM: Wake up with stomach butterflies

6 AM- 7 AM: Get out of bed, get kids ready for school; feel really congested and dizzy

7 AM- 8 AM: Go to the gym, feel great as the endorphins are pumping

8 AM- 9 AM: Take 2MG of Lexapro and probiotic/prebiotic, eat in car and get to work

9AM- 12 PM: Settle into work, typically still have the congestion; the doctor said I didn't have a histamine intolerance but maybe I do?

12- 12:15 PM: Eat a healthy light lunch

12:15- 5 PM: Feel typically OK but get *way more anxious than usual if I have to present to anyone*

5:00- 8:00 PM: Typically have severe congestion, fatigue and breathlessness when feeding kids and bathing them

8- 9:30 PM: Take my 2 MG of Lexapro at 8 PM, sit with my wife, go to bed

9:30 - 5 AM- Sleep (kind of)

 

I'd do three days but nothing changes...that's pretty much every single day.  A few thoughts/ruminations:

- I get way more nervous than I was a few months back presenting and communicating with people at work

-The congestion.nonallergic rhinitis is killing me.  Causes headaches and dizziness.  I use the Neti Pot and saline spray and I tried the antihistamine spray for 5 days before I got nervous and stopped.  I had to take a hydrocodone last week due to some severe back pain and I'm not sure whether that caused symptoms or if it was the spray.

-I'm really diligent about taking my doses at 8 AM/8 PM each day

-As Alto has said in the past, I have a lot of health issues and sometimes I have to take things to manage pain.  I'm sure that's a contributing factor but I feel unequipped to continue my taper (it's been since last June on 4 MG) until I feel more stable.

-Cortisol spikes suck.

 

I greatly appreciate you reading and for your feedback.  

R

 

 

 

 

[ChessieCat]

I suggest you still do 3 days, because the mods might notice something that you have missed.

[Altostrata]

On 2/3/2019 at 4:25 AM, ryan1982 said:

The one thing that I’ve recently noticed is that I tend to get agitated/anxious at around 5- 7 PM each day.

 

What time of day do you use Patanol?

 

What do you mean by "agitated/anxious"? What does this feel like?

 

Is there anything you do regularly in the late afternoon? How about caffeine intake?

 

20 hours ago, ryan1982 said:

the doctor said I didn't have a histamine intolerance but maybe I do?

 

Very, very few medical doctors in the US know what "histamine intolerance" is. The way to find out if you are reacting to something you're eating is to go on Elimination or exclusion diets for reactions to food (food intolerance) 

 

If you feel better with an exclusion diet, you know something you're eating is the cause. You add foods back one by one until you find the culprit, then you omit it from your diet.

 

If you are feeling nasal congestion and your doctor is a GP, maybe you should see an allergist?

[ryan1982]

Thanks, Alto. Really appreciate your insight as always. 

 

Here are the answers to your questions:

 

- I would take Patanase at 9 PM and did so for about 5 days. It was prescribed by an allergist after I was tested. No allergies but I have nonallergic rhinitis. 

 

-The anxiety is what I would best describe as nervous agitation.  Not panic attack anxiety but breathlessness and very on edge. I get irritated with my kids way quicker than I should. It’s definitely out of character for me. 

 

-No caffeine. I cut out coffee a couple years ago and while I miss it, I just couldn’t handle it. 

 

I’m going to give the Patanase another shot because I think the hydrocodone threw me off. I was fine before I took that. Now I’m in a minor wave with a ton of sinus congestion and pressure. 

 

Thanks for the info on histamines. Much appreciated!

[Altostrata]

Do these symptoms occur before or after you take Patanase?

 

Is the congestion worse after you take Lexapro?

[ryan1982]

That’s what I’m trying to figure out- whether the anxiety is worse after Patanase or not. I’m going to run a test the next couple days and hopefully figure that. 

 

I definitely feel like Lexapro leads to my congestion; I know that’s a common thing. I feel stuff almost constantly. 

[ryan1982]

Yeah, so I tried Patanase last night and unfortunately I had a panic attack today. Pretty low place at the moment. 

[ryan1982]

Hi all- just wanted to provide an update and ask a question.  I clearly stopped taking that Patanase and I'm pretty sure that caused me a wave.

 

One question that I have for any of the mods like @ChessieCat and @Altostrata is around the pills I've been making. They are always cut the same way without variation.  I use branded Lexapro.  They all weigh the exact same.  Here's my question: with pills, perhaps the active ingredients aren't spread equally throughout the pill, hence why I seem to be going up and down so much?  Should that be a concern for me? Would I be better to take the liquid Lexapro (generic since it doesn't come in branded form, apparently) from the pharmacy? 

[Altostrata]

With a very low dose such as 2mg Lexapro, liquid would be easier to measure accurately. Taking part of the dose in liquid and part in tablet form is the smoothest way to switch to liquid.

 

It's possible you're allergic to an ingredient in the tablet, but if you have a food intolerance, that could be causing your congestion. There are very few doctors in the US knowledgeable about food intolerances, you diagnose it yourself with an exclusion diet.

[ryan1982]

You’re very smart, @Altostrata. That makes a lot of sense. 

 

I’d like to try and get back on fish oil before the switch to liquid. Does that sound like the right plan?

 

Also, I’m on Day 4 of a low histamine diet. Still stuffy and inflamed but I imagine it takes a while. 

[Altostrata]

I don't understand the fish oil connection. Did you have a bad reaction to fish oil?

 

Why is taking fish oil a higher priority for you than a switch to liquid?

[ryan1982]

Thanks, Alto.  I was taking some very garbage fish oil apparently and got something that was a bit more potent.  I was planning on trying that as soon as I adjusted to the new probiotic.  However, if you think that switching to liquid should be priority #1, I'm fine there.  I was just thinking that fish oil would help my mental clarity a bit.  

[Altostrata]

You'll have to decide which is your priority. Make one change at a time.

 

I've been taking Trader Joe's or NOW fish oil for years.

[ryan1982]

Thanks, Alto. I started a fish oil supplement today since I figured that may aid me when I switch to liquid and it should be much easier and less time-consuming. I’ll let you know how it all goes. 

 

I got a rhizotomy on my back on Friday and they gave me lots of lidocaine. I’ll wait until that all clears out to proceed with my switch.  

[Carmie]

Hi Ryan, 

 

How are you doing with your fish oil supplement? How is your low histamine diet going?

 

I hope all goes well when you go to liquid. I’m too braindead to go over much of your thread, but if you change to liquid please make sure you do a crossover and don’t just go straight to liquid. This is how it works:

 

3/4 old formula                    1/4 liquid

 

1/2 old formula                     1/2 liquid

 

1/4 old formula.                     3/4 liquid

 

Then all liquid.

 

You do each step for three to seven days. I changed from my tablet to a compounding formula without a crossover and ended up in waves for about three months. I knew nothing about crossovers then. I decided to go back to my original tablet though after Brassmonkey said it’s best to stick with the original tablet as it’s more accurate. Anyway, this time I did a crossover and it went smoothly. I actually did each of the steps above for more than a week. No three months of waves this time. Phew!

 

Take care💚

[ryan1982]

Hey @Carmie!  Thanks for stopping by.  How have you been doing?

 

I've been doing OK.  We get lots and lots of pollen in my area of the world this time of year so I'm sorts of congested.  Feeling a little yucky.  

 

I had a minor back surgery last week and I'm working on recovering from all the lidocaine they gave me.  I really hope that soon I'll be out of this wave.  The fish oil seems to be going fine actually and the low histamine diet is tough but I feel better physically for sure.  I hope to get through some of the leaky gut issues and then work towards getting on liquid Lexapro.  

 

I really, really appreciate the advice as always!  You're a great resource and I wish you nothing but good things.

[Carmie]

Hi Ryan, 

 

Glad you’ve been doing okay, well as okay as one can be when going through withdrawals. I’m pretty sick and stuck in bed today,  but it’s not withdrawals, thanks for asking. I’m in pretty good spirits though, and I’m hoping to do my next taper at the end of the week, all going well.

 

Which antihistamine diet are you on? I’ve read so much about antihistamine diets, and though most of them agree about certain foods being high in histamines, some foods certain people say are high in histamines, but others say are low in histamines. One example is blueberries. I get so confused🤔.

 

I’m sorry you had to have back surgery. The licodane could have certainly ramped up your symptoms, but you will fortunately stabilise again. It’s amazing how we are sensitive to absolutely everything. No matter what has happened in my withdrawal journey, I’ve always eventually stabilised again. 

 

Hope all goes well with fixing your leaky gut, sending hugs🤗

 

 

 

 

[ryan1982]

Thanks, @Carmie. Sorry it’s been a bit since I responded, I’ve been traveling a bit for work. 

 

I’m using the guidelines I found in the Whole 30 diet. It and I haven’t been perfect but I can definitely tell a difference. If I break down and eat something bad/sugary, my body lets me know. If you ever want to try it, it isn’t that tough after about a week.  You just need a little adjustment. 

 

Ive felt a little anxious and floaty since the surgery but I’m sure I’ll level out soon. 

 

I hope all is well down your way, Carmie. You feeling OK?

[Carmie]

Hi Ryan, 

 

I just checked out Whole 30 and it allows blueberries. Yay!😄🎉I loooooove my berry and coconut smoothies. I have no trouble sticking to anything when I put my mind to it. I was on the Autoimmune Protocol for a real long time, it’s stricter than Paleo and I stuck to it one hundred percent.  Now, I’m realising though that a lot of things allowed on AIP are actually high in histamine. I even used to make kombucha. I’ve stopped that now. 

 

I’m glad you’re noticing a difference by eating much healthier. Yes, once you stop eating sugar you actually find anything sugary becomes way too sweet for your taste buds. Sugar is so bad for us, but I’m sure an occasional little bit isn’t too bad. 

 

I’m not too bad today, Thanks for asking. I’m spending most of the day in bed, but I’m in good spirits. I get up every now and again to do a little bit of housework. I’ve got the music cranked up, I’m listening to Belinda Carlisle. Saw her and 1927 in concert on Saturday night. I go to lots of concerts, I love music and it gives me something happy to look forward to when going through withdrawals. The concert before that was Keith Urban, great guitar player! 🎸🎤🎼💃

 

I hope you recover soon from your operation💚

[ryan1982]

Hey everyone,

I'm three weeks post back procedure and I never did end up taking any pain medications.  I definitely had a reaction to the massive amount of lidocaine they used; it's not anxiety day in and day out like it was, but it's definitely still there.

 

I've found that I get nervous stomach and a headache in social situations.  Super weird because this doesn't ever really happen with me.  I'm assuming I'm still in a wave.  I'll just keep consistent and focus on healing.  Won't switch to liquid until I'm good and stable.  

[ChessieCat]

Sounds like you are doing as well as can be expected which is good to hear.

 

The nervous stomach and headache is probably due to your nervous system being put through the wringer so recently.

 

I am not a nervous driver, but I had a near miss with a boy on a scooter who shot out in front of me as the lights changed in my favour on Sunday and my system is on high alert at the moment.  Emotionally I am coping okay, but when traveling to work yesterday morning I was nearly side swiped when changing lanes and I burst into tears, when usually I would just "growl" think wow that was close and weren't you (the other driver) stupid (they were in the wrong).  That afternoon when I got back on the motorway I felt nauseous and realised it was a reaction to what had happened so I did some deep breathing and after about 10 minutes it subsided.

 

I realise that your situation is different from mine, but it's a good example of what happens in our body when stress is added to it from whatever source.

[ryan1982]

Thanks, Chessie. Always nice to hear from you. It’s really strange...I get super lightheaded in social situations outside of work. I’ll just keep on trucking and keep it consistent. I’m sure it will pass although it is a terrible feeling. 

 

Do you find people have more issues in social situations during withdrawals?

[Carmie]

Hi Ryan, 

 

Yes, lots of people end up with social phobia when going through withdrawals, as one’s CNS is ramped up. If you speak to different ones on here you will see how many suffer from this. Someone was even saying that they get stomach pains when they have to go out. 

 

I think that especially when people are in massive waves they can become socially phobic, as everything can be really overwhelming. It depends on people’s personalities too I guess, I’m an extrovert and I don’t have too much problem being around people. I’m really sick though, with a chronic illness, so I can’t always socialise.  My illness also affects my CNS, double whammy!😁 I have to cancel and say no to lots of things, but I still socialise quite a bit. I’m fortunate to have friends that know I have to cancel things at times, and they continue to invite me to other things anyway. 

 

How is your back now three weeks after your surgery?

 

Sending hugs🤗

 

[ryan1982]

Hey all-

I just wanted to provide an update since I'm in an airport with some time to kill.  I was doing great, low anxiety until....I had a lidocaine shot in my back for some issues I've been having.  It immediately made my anxiety skyrocket, something I've experienced in the past.  I hope though that it will not take 7 weeks to resolve itself like it did last time.  It would be amazing if it only took a couple weeks.

 

I'm planning on making the switch to liquid Lexapro, just not ready for that just yet.  I'll get there...

 

Sorry @Carmie- I must have missed your note from a few weeks back.  Hope you're doing well!

[ryan1982]

Hey everyone-

Would love some input. Unfortunately the lidocaine shot from 1.5 weeks ago really messed me up. I had been taking low doses of high quality CBD before this wave but I’m not sure if I should continue. It was a big help and I’m desperate for something that can help my anxiety. I’ve read everything and all the posts about CBD but has anyone that it has worked for in the past have it cause additional issues in a wave? By taking it am I risking further destabilizing myself?

 

Thanks so much!