What helps, what doesn't? Managing supplements, herbs, vitamins, amino acids, etc.

[jon1]

3 hours ago, curiousnootropics said:

Okay. How much did you raise your Vitamin D levels? Did you feel better when the levels got to normal again?

In two months I went from 38nmol to 60nmol. That was at 2 minutes, 3 times a week. It probably would have been a bigger jump if I’d increased the time and frequency.

 

Previously, taking vitamin D in pill form didn’t improve my levels at all.

 

It’s hard to judge if it made me feel better, as this was the time I started my withdrawal process, and the pandemic began. So it’s hard to measure how I would have felt otherwise!

[curiousnootropics]

On 4/26/2022 at 5:44 PM, jon1 said:

In two months I went from 38nmol to 60nmol. That was at 2 minutes, 3 times a week. It probably would have been a bigger jump if I’d increased the time and frequency.

 

Previously, taking vitamin D in pill form didn’t improve my levels at all.

 

It’s hard to judge if it made me feel better, as this was the time I started my withdrawal process, and the pandemic began. So it’s hard to measure how I would have felt otherwise!

Thanks. How are you feeling at the moment?

[jon1]

6 hours ago, curiousnootropics said:

Thanks. How are you feeling at the moment?

 

Hard to tell at the moment. I finally finished my AD’s at the start of the year, and am still dealing with the withdrawals, so it’s honestly hard to know what I’m feeling half the time!

 

Hopefully I’ll be able to give a more helpful answer in a few months.,

[curiousnootropics]

On 5/1/2022 at 5:25 PM, jon1 said:

 

Hard to tell at the moment. I finally finished my AD’s at the start of the year, and am still dealing with the withdrawals, so it’s honestly hard to know what I’m feeling half the time!

 

Hopefully I’ll be able to give a more helpful answer in a few months.,

Okay!

On what part of the body do you shine the lamp on?

[jon1]

1 hour ago, curiousnootropics said:

Okay!

On what part of the body do you shine the lamp on?

Usually my lower back and legs.

[Sofa]

After taking blood work, i seem to be low in B-vitamins. Is it safe to take them? I am supposed to take B12 supplements
 

Will it be too stimulating? My nerve system is pretty wrecked!

[jon1]

2 hours ago, Sofa said:

After taking blood work, i seem to be low in B-vitamins. Is it safe to take them? I am supposed to take B12 supplements
 

Will it be too stimulating? My nerve system is pretty wrecked!

 

B Vitamins can be quite activating for many people, significantly so for those in withdrawal. So be careful.

 

I made a huge mistake and got a vitamin B shot when I was told my levels were low. About 12 hours later I was climbing the walls with severe agitation, which lasted several days. It was horrible. Obviously that was a large dose though.

 

Personally, I've come to the conclusion that blood work results can be quite unhelpful, as it makes us fixate on having the 'right' results (which vary from lab to lab anyway!). We start taking all sorts of supplements that actually make us feel worse.

 

If there is a genuine health concern about blood levels, increasing them in a natural way is best. Through real food, etc.

[curiousnootropics]

4 hours ago, Sofa said:

After taking blood work, i seem to be low in B-vitamins. Is it safe to take them? I am supposed to take B12 supplements
 

Will it be too stimulating? My nerve system is pretty wrecked!

Are you a vegetarian? Otherwise, eating lots of meat, chicken, salmon/mackerel will help you correct it with foods

[Sofa]

1 hour ago, curiousnootropics said:

Are you a vegetarian? Otherwise, eating lots of meat, chicken, salmon/mackerel will help you correct it with foods

I am not a vegitarian actually. I eat fish and meat! 
 

I dont think food is enough, my levels are pretty bad

[Sofa]

3 hours ago, jon1 said:

 

B Vitamins can be quite activating for many people, significantly so for those in withdrawal. So be careful.

 

I made a huge mistake and got a vitamin B shot when I was told my levels were low. About 12 hours later I was climbing the walls with severe agitation, which lasted several days. It was horrible. Obviously that was a large dose though.

 

Personally, I've come to the conclusion that blood work results can be quite unhelpful, as it makes us fixate on having the 'right' results (which vary from lab to lab anyway!). We start taking all sorts of supplements that actually make us feel worse.

 

If there is a genuine health concern about blood levels, increasing them in a natural way is best. Through real food, etc.

I dont think food is enough for me to increase levels. 
 

I have 9 micrograms cyanocobalamin supplemts that i am considering taking at the moment 

[jon1]

1 minute ago, Sofa said:

I dont think food is enough for me to increase levels. 
 

I have 9 micrograms cyanocobalamin supplemts that i am considering taking at the moment 

 

There are a lot of foods that provide all of the Vitamin B12 you need. You'll be able to increase your levels the natural way. Some fishes and Greek Yoghurt are particularly good. Eating food has been the way humans have maintained B levels for thousands of years.

 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-b-foods#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4

 

Another benefit of real food is that you'll get a good intake of the other vitamins too.

[Roserdl]

I would like to mention life extension cytokine suppress.  It helps with brain inflammation.  Green tea extract derivative.  I noticed markedimprovement on clarity and lessened brain burn 

[Kat66]

I’m in the later stages of tapering, at 1.55mg citalopram and experiencing worsening symptoms especially panicky nervousness, agitation, and jitteriness. Should I ditch my supplements do you think? What are others’ thoughts on this? I’m thinking  everything is setting me off.

[jon1]

Just now, Kat66 said:

I’m in the later stages of tapering, at 1.55mg citalopram and experiencing worsening symptoms especially panicky nervousness, agitation, and jitteriness. Should I ditch my supplements do you think? What are others’ thoughts on this? I’m thinking  everything is setting me off.

 

Personally, I don't take any supplements at all anymore.

 

I found they all had adverse effects (or did nothing) in one way or another, with the exception of Vitamin C. Over time I also noticed how the internet is full to the brim of articles (and people) peddling absolute nonsense about taking this, or taking that, to make all your problems go away. At best it's snake oil, at worst it's dangerous.

 

Early on it happened to me. I found Magnesium made me severely, horrendously depressed within a couple of days of taking it. The 'forum experts' on other sites told me I was either taking the wrong type, or that I should add other supplements to 'make the magnesium work'. I took their advice and I got worse and worse and worse. In the end I stopped taking magnesium and within 2 days I was feeling much better.

 

One huge benefit of not taking supplements is knowing that every weird twinge, emotion and side effect is purely down to withdrawal, and not caused by anything else you might be taking.

 

The reality is, the only way to recover from withdrawal is time and patience and looking after yourself. Everything else is a distraction.

[Kat66]

1 hour ago, jon1 said:

 

Personally, I don't take any supplements at all anymore.

 

I found they all had adverse effects (or did nothing) in one way or another, with the exception of Vitamin C. Over time I also noticed how the internet is full to the brim of articles (and people) peddling absolute nonsense about taking this, or taking that, to make all your problems go away. At best it's snake oil, at worst it's dangerous.

 

Early on it happened to me. I found Magnesium made me severely, horrendously depressed within a couple of days of taking it. The 'forum experts' on other sites told me I was either taking the wrong type, or that I should add other supplements to 'make the magnesium work'. I took their advice and I got worse and worse and worse. In the end I stopped taking magnesium and within 2 days I was feeling much better.

 

One huge benefit of not taking supplements is knowing that every weird twinge, emotion and side effect is purely down to withdrawal, and not caused by anything else you might be taking.

 

The reality is, the only way to recover from withdrawal is time and patience and looking after yourself. Everything else is a distraction.

Good enough for me. I’m really starting to think supplements cause more harm than good. Annoying really as I’ve just forked out for some more omega3 capsules. How did vitamin c help you, just out of curiosity?

[jon1]

45 minutes ago, Kat66 said:

Good enough for me. I’m really starting to think supplements cause more harm than good. Annoying really as I’ve just forked out for some more omega3 capsules. How did vitamin c help you, just out of curiosity?

 

I had a clear out of the 'drugs' cupboard the other day, and was a bit shocked how how much crap I'd accumulated (and money wasted)!

 

I don't take vitamin C to help with withdrawal directly. I just figured as my body is being continually assaulted by all sorts of symptoms, like poor sleep and anxiety, it wouldn't hurt to give my immune system a little boost.

[Mezzer]

Hi has anyone had any experience with maca root for libido, energy, and cognitive function? I’ve been taking it for weeks and like it but not sure if it contributes to waves? 
thank you 

[Kaervin]

12 minutes ago, Mezzer said:

Hi has anyone had any experience with maca root for libido, energy, and cognitive function? I’ve been taking it for weeks and like it but not sure if it contributes to waves? 
thank you 

From what I have read, maca root can cause people to feel jittery and can mess with thyroid hormones.

 

During withdrawal you will naturally feel worse some days more than others. So when taking various supplements it is hard to know if we are experience waves on our natural withdrawal course or if the supplements are helping/hurting.

 

Best thing you could do is keep a daily journey of your symptoms alongside what supplements you take and what time you take them. 

[Mezzer]

On 6/27/2022 at 10:15 AM, Kaervin said:

From what I have read, maca root can cause people to feel jittery and can mess with thyroid hormones.

 

During withdrawal you will naturally feel worse some days more than others. So when taking various supplements it is hard to know if we are experience waves on our natural withdrawal course or if the supplements are helping/hurting.

 

Best thing you could do is keep a daily journey of your symptoms alongside what supplements you take and what time you take them. 

Didn’t take any maca today. I decreased my Prozac by 23% two weeks ago from 13 to 10 mgs. I have been taking maca for over a month now and haven’t felt negative from it. I do feel very low and anxious now. It’s heavy. I bumped the Prozac up to 11mgs with the advice from moderators. I’m amazed at how a drop of 3mgs can affect me like this. I’m so discouraged. How do you know if it’s withdrawals or relapse? So tired of these ups and downs 

[Kaervin]

52 minutes ago, Mezzer said:

Didn’t take any maca today. I decreased my Prozac by 23% two weeks ago from 13 to 10 mgs. I have been taking maca for over a month now and haven’t felt negative from it. I do feel very low and anxious now. It’s heavy. I bumped the Prozac up to 11mgs with the advice from moderators. I’m amazed at how a drop of 3mgs can affect me like this. I’m so discouraged. How do you know if it’s withdrawals or relapse? So tired of these ups and downs 

Well if you stay at 11mgs for a couple of weeks and you manage to stabilise and your symptoms that started after your cut subside, then it is obviously withdrawal. A relapse of your diagnosed issues would not self-correct itself in such a short amount of time, relatively speaking.

 

 

[Mezzer]

Hi does anyone know anything about lithium orotate? It appears to be quite effective with depression and other things. Anyone have success during withdrawals? Looking for some help. 

[Erimus]

I found this website which buys vitamins, minerals and supplements, and tests them.

https://labdoor.com

 

I took this exempt from the ‘about’ section on their website:

 

”Labdoor is an independent company that tests supplements. We find out whether products have what they claim and if they have any harmful ingredients or contaminants. Then, we grade and rank those products, write reports, and publish that information for free, so consumers can confidently buy the best supplements for their health.”

 

They cover a lot of the common supplements that people take, including a detailed analysis of the product ranges for fish oils. You can read that here:

 

https://labdoor.com/rankings/fish-oil

 

[Erin9]

Hi - I recently spent only 5 days on mirtazapine (7.5mg) which my doctor then told me to stop because of the side effects (very lethargic, dizzy). However since stopping I've had bad headaches, runny nose, head pressure, and pulsatile tinnitus. I read that mirtazapine has a strong antihistamine effect, and now that I'm off it I feel like I've got flu or a bad cold. I'm considering taking an OTC antihistamine but I'm worried about it because my nerve system is very sensitive (in withdrawal from citalopram so my nerves are wrecked). I also cant take supplements at the moment because they're too activating for me. Is it likely that an antihistamine will cause problems or are they quite a safe bet to take? 

[Dee54dee]

Supplements?

 

So has anyone tried 2 treat the withdrawal symptoms with any natural supplements such as St John's Wort or 5-HTP Gaba or SAM-e? 

 

Edited July 13, 2022 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with existing topic

[chrona]

Gaba and theanine to sleep.  Take a lot.  You feel really weird for a few seconds then conk out. 

[Erimus]

On 7/12/2022 at 1:16 PM, Dee54dee said:

Supplements?

 

So has anyone tried 2 treat the withdrawal symptoms with any natural supplements such as St John's Wort or 5-HTP Gaba or SAM-e? 

 

@Dee54deeSt John’s Wart is not safe to take if you are either taking an SSRI, or are in acute/protracted withdrawal from one. It acts on similar areas so can lead to serotonin syndrome if taken in combination. Any supplements that act on GABA etc or cross the blood-brain barrier I would be very cautious about taking.

[FeralCatman]

I can't really say how much this helps me but it certainly does not seem to hurt me. I grow 3 herbs year round for cooking. It started just because I like the flavor. It is an odd coincidence that it turns out they also have many benefits that can be helpful for people in withdrawal and recovery and the associated gut distress that many people, including myself, seem to end up with. There are also potential neuroprotective / neurohealing properties as well. These herbs are Oregano, Basil, and Rosemary. I add them to each meal. Here are links to the health benefits of each. I seem to tolerate each of these just fine but you may be different so as always we each have to try things out and see what works. I may have SIBO and the fresh oregano is part of a natural solution to the problem and was mentioned to me by my nutritionist as such.

 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-oregano-benefits

 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266370

 

https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-basil

 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/basil

[Ventus]

I have the opposite problem that most of you do I guess.  I just don't notice anything from most supplements to the point where I have tried to mega dose some just to see if they make me feel anything. I have tried so many supplements and herbs and nootropics to help me and have well come up empty. With Magnesium and melatonin being the exceptions for things I can actually feel and help me at normal doses. I am also  debating upping my fish oil from 2 to 4 or 6 per day. But some things I can not tolerate at all are stuff like 5htp, gives me terrible nausea and a kind of blank mindedness . and feverfew which made me feel like I did drop without actually doing one.  I guess I cant tolerate anything that raises or lowers serotonin to a large degree.

[Elaine5]

I over did it with beef gelatin powder for a few days and for two months since I have struggled severely with Akathisia and insomnia. 

[Riccardo]

For me magnesium is helping very much. I noticed that it is helping me to keep my nerves together while tapering. The only period when I felt worse was when I was out of it. As soon as I took it back, I felt better in a couple of days. It is worth mentioning that this formula I take is composed as it follows:

 

Magnesium carbonate MgCO3

Inorganic salt with high quantity of magnesium (24%)

citric acid C6H8O7

 

In theory the magnesium carbonate binds with citric acid, allowing the body to absorb bit much faster and more effectively.

Maybe it wouldn't be the solution for everyone, but to me it's been the key to my recovery, so far.

 

...and of course reducing caffeine to the minimum (if not eliminating at all).

 

[PortugueseSea]

Supplement Management Strategies/Advice

 

I think we speak for a lot of people when, in the jaws of withdrawal/ adverse reaction, we feel very much afraid of taking the wrong step and triggering a setback or, even worse, muddling the waters and potentially derailing our recoveries.

 

There are some basic principles that the moderators have touched upon that should be followed religiously, namely, 1: changing only one thing at once; 2: starting with a fairly low dose; 3: being conservative and starting with those supplements trialed and tested by the community.

 

I would like to ask those who have had plenty of experience with trialing supplements for their input. I feel some elaboration on this topic could really help.

 

How do we trial them among symptoms and tell if we are reacting badly/well? When is the best time to start a supplement? What is the worst time? 

After all, apart from extreme reactions, positive or negative, when we are in very bad shape how are we supposed to tell if something is helping or not?

 

(Sorry if this topic is redundant, I looked around for supplement management and did not find a dedicated thread)

[Altostrata]

Does this topic answer your questions?

[PortugueseSea]

15 hours ago, Altostrata said:

Does this topic answer your questions?

Thanks, it does! Sorry, I need to learn how to navigate the website better. Didn't mean to give you extra work Alto.

 

Thanks for the patience!

[PortugueseSea]

On 3/22/2023 at 11:08 PM, Riccardo said:

In theory the magnesium carbonate binds with citric acid, allowing the body to absorb bit much faster and more effectively.

I take Calm, which works like that, carbonate into citrate, and I feel it has helped me too, I tried changing to glycinate and immediately got a setback or a wave, don't know which yet...

 

[SheIsAstrongOne]

Hi!

I hope I am posting correctly. I landed on this topic and clicked on “reply”. Is that the correct way to post a question under a topic? I know that this site only recommends certain supplements but I am taking several and I wonder if there are specific times of day/ways to take them. Like if with food or a certain time before food or after? Or if I have to space them from my lamotrigine and fluvoxamine.  Anyone have some knowledge? The supplements have recommendations on the bottles but they are vague. 

I take vitamin D3+K2

Magnesium Glycinate,

Mega B

and Omega 3. 
Thanks!

[guile2]

I found organic lavender tea to be relaxing. Try at your own risk though.(I take Antipsychotics not antidepressants). I have no idea how organic lavender tea will effect you.