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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by espeon on November 24, 2004, at 11:07:28
Hi everyone.
I'm new to the site, but I'm very impressed so far.
I have bpII. terrible mood swings, motivation comes and goes in the space of seconds.
I'm on Lamictal and about to add Topomax.
I've tried Fish oil, and it seems to do *something* more than other stuff anyway.
Not sure what 5htp does. Selenium seems to worsen my mood. high doses or even above average doses of b vitamins including folic acid work sometimes but not always.
Does anyone have a similar situation, or have suggestions?
What does yoga do and how does it do it?
Thanks in advance for anything y'all can tell me.
Posted by KaraS on November 24, 2004, at 15:23:54
In reply to Hello, I'm new and want to learn alternative tx, posted by espeon on November 24, 2004, at 11:07:28
> Hi everyone.
>
> I'm new to the site, but I'm very impressed so far.
>
> I have bpII. terrible mood swings, motivation comes and goes in the space of seconds.
>
> I'm on Lamictal and about to add Topomax.
>
> I've tried Fish oil, and it seems to do *something* more than other stuff anyway.
>
> Not sure what 5htp does. Selenium seems to worsen my mood. high doses or even above average doses of b vitamins including folic acid work sometimes but not always.
>
> Does anyone have a similar situation, or have suggestions?
>
> What does yoga do and how does it do it?
>
> Thanks in advance for anything y'all can tell me.
What are you looking for in terms of effect? The only non-drugs that may work for mood stabilization that I can think of are inositol and lithium orotate (as opposed to lithium carbonate from the pharmacy). Others here could probably tell you more about them. I don't think that they are as strong in action as your medications though. Also, it is NOT a good idea to add them to your medications at this point without a doctor's approval.I don't know that yoga would have any inpact on mood stabilization though it is supposed to be good for anxiety and depression. I have a friend who does yoga exercises nearly 2 hours a day every day. He swears by it but he still needs to take medication for depression and anxiety.
Hope this helps.
Kara
Posted by krem on November 24, 2004, at 15:59:30
In reply to Re: Hello, I'm new and want to learn alternative tx » espeon, posted by KaraS on November 24, 2004, at 15:23:54
Kara, thank you for the reply.
I hadn't thought to hard about what I was looking for...
I think I need to feel less fatigued. Fatigue really drives anxiety, which drives depression, *but* I have to be careful because many things just seem to trigger dysphoria by themselves.
A dr. suggested yoga. I'm not sure if that was bc it would have some mood effect or because the non-ashtanga variety is the only excercise he thinks I can do.
The theory is chronic fatigue in addition to bipolarII. Either apparently could have triggered the other.
Posted by KaraS on November 25, 2004, at 1:48:53
In reply to Re: Hello, I'm new Kara, posted by krem on November 24, 2004, at 15:59:30
> Kara, thank you for the reply.
>
> I hadn't thought to hard about what I was looking for...
>
> I think I need to feel less fatigued. Fatigue really drives anxiety, which drives depression, *but* I have to be careful because many things just seem to trigger dysphoria by themselves.
>
> A dr. suggested yoga. I'm not sure if that was bc it would have some mood effect or because the non-ashtanga variety is the only excercise he thinks I can do.
>
> The theory is chronic fatigue in addition to bipolarII. Either apparently could have triggered the other.
Supplements for fatigue... that could mean a book in itself. A few that come to mind are the B vitamins, SAM-e or TMG plus B12, l-tyrosine, l-phenylalanine. If you're taking any medications then obviously you'd need to look into what can or can't take with them. If you have CFS, there are some good books on supplements for it such as those by Dr. Teitlebaum and Dr. Jay Goldstein.
Posted by Poetess on November 25, 2004, at 4:19:09
In reply to Re: Hello, I'm new and want to learn alternative tx » espeon, posted by KaraS on November 24, 2004, at 15:23:54
Hi folks,
I have been practicing yoga for a few years now. It has been extremely helpful for me and others that I know, as well. I was able to stop taking medication with the help of yoga and other alternative treatments.
Yoga slow me down and gives me energy at the same time. It lifts my spirits without that bouncing off the wall feeling. I also have a history of bad back and neck problems and was able to stop seeing a chiropracter because of yoga.
I know that yoga has a lot to do with my healing because I haven't practiced regularly for awhile and I can really feel it - in my spirit as well as my body.
For me, the success of yoga has a lot to do with the way in which it's practiced. Practicing yoga weekly is okay, but really is not enough for me. I also attach spiritual philosophies to it, which I try to live by. I also practice meditation. I do know some people who find yoga helpful who don't have the spiritual link or who don't meditate, but the above is what works best for me.
Everyone that I know that feels success in the recovery process (including myself) who utilizes yoga also does other things (like peer support, homeopathy, meditation, etc)
To me, no one thing is going to help me in life. It needs to be several things.
Kara you're right, best to check to see about possible interactions between meds and supplements. My companion takes 5 HTP and an antidepressant. His psychiatrist knows a lot about complimentary medicine, though. For me, none of the docs I ever saw knew anything about the subject. I found help at natural food markets/ stores. Some stores have computers that list interactions of meds and supplements.
Poetess
> > Hi everyone.
> >
> > I'm new to the site, but I'm very impressed so far.
> >
> > I have bpII. terrible mood swings, motivation comes and goes in the space of seconds.
> >
> > I'm on Lamictal and about to add Topomax.
> >
> > I've tried Fish oil, and it seems to do *something* more than other stuff anyway.
> >
> > Not sure what 5htp does. Selenium seems to worsen my mood. high doses or even above average doses of b vitamins including folic acid work sometimes but not always.
> >
> > Does anyone have a similar situation, or have suggestions?
> >
> > What does yoga do and how does it do it?
> >
> > Thanks in advance for anything y'all can tell me.
>
>
> What are you looking for in terms of effect? The only non-drugs that may work for mood stabilization that I can think of are inositol and lithium orotate (as opposed to lithium carbonate from the pharmacy). Others here could probably tell you more about them. I don't think that they are as strong in action as your medications though. Also, it is NOT a good idea to add them to your medications at this point without a doctor's approval.
>
> I don't know that yoga would have any inpact on mood stabilization though it is supposed to be good for anxiety and depression. I have a friend who does yoga exercises nearly 2 hours a day every day. He swears by it but he still needs to take medication for depression and anxiety.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Kara
>
Posted by krem on November 25, 2004, at 7:45:01
In reply to Re: Hello, I'm new and want to learn alternative t, posted by Poetess on November 25, 2004, at 4:19:09
Thank you both!
I'll ask my doc about those supplements, it always lifts my spirits anyway to know of a few possible new things to try.
Poetess, I will def give yoga a try!! There's a yoga center near me I'll visit this week.
i'll keep you posted.
Krem
Posted by Dr. Bob on December 1, 2004, at 23:38:30
In reply to Re: Hello, I'm new Kara, posted by krem on November 24, 2004, at 15:59:30
> Kara, thank you for the reply.
Please don't post under more than one name at the same time.
If you or others have questions about this or about posting policies in general, please see the FAQ:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#names
Follow-ups regarding these issues should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration.
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by rainy on December 6, 2004, at 15:19:54
In reply to Re: Hello, I'm new Kara Poetess, posted by krem on November 25, 2004, at 7:45:01
Hi. I'm new to this board. BP II and on a slew of meds I want to wean off except for Topamax. I've recently used acupuncture with success for a muscle spasm. The practitionsers claim that it can also be used effectively to ease depression and other "emotional disorders."
They state in the informational leaflet that people with bipolar disorder usually need to continue with western medication. Have any of you had any experience with acupuncture as an adjunct to meds--or instead of them? Have any of you used Chinese herbs?
rainy
Posted by GeishaGirl on December 7, 2004, at 0:12:23
In reply to Re: Hello, I'm new Kara Poetess » krem, posted by rainy on December 6, 2004, at 15:19:54
Hi rainy,
I used to post under the name 'Poetess'. I've changed it to Geisha Girl.
To me, recovery is a personal journey (so much so that I even choose not to use the word 'recovery' - it doesn't define for me my life journey).I know that some people use acupuncture in conjunction with meds and that works for them. I also know people who use acupunture and don't take meds. I have never tried acupuncuture. I use energy healing/ reiki instead. From what I understand, both reiki and acupuncture work in a similar way (they release energy blocks). However, some people respond well to acupuncture and not to reiki and vice versa.
There are so many different things out there to help with healing - I'm still finding and trying more all the time. It seems endless. I like that, though. Here's a great site I found
It's a bit of a pain to navigate, but has a wealth of information. I haven't visited it in awhile. Hope the link works okay.
I no longer take meds. However, I also do many other things besides the energy stuff. For me, it's not just one thing that works to help me out in my journey, it's ten million things (okay, maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration :) In my case, however, I'm not working right now. I have time to do what I need to do to continue healing - even if it at the time takes all day or week. For others, it may be different.
It's been *really difficult* at times for me following this path. The healing treatments have released a lot of emotional stuff - which means that I have to feel it and let it go (yuk). I must need that and want that right now, though. Energy healing seems to work they way you need it to. I made a decision that this is the right path for me, but it's one that is taking me a long time. But, it has lasting benefits for me that I couldn't find elsewhere or in any other way.
I have never taken Chinese herbs. The only reason is because I can't afford them. I understand that they work well. You may want to check on interaction with meds, though.
I hope all goes well for you.
Geisha Girl
> Hi. I'm new to this board. BP II and on a slew of meds I want to wean off except for Topamax. I've recently used acupuncture with success for a muscle spasm. The practitionsers claim that it can also be used effectively to ease depression and other "emotional disorders."
>
> They state in the informational leaflet that people with bipolar disorder usually need to continue with western medication. Have any of you had any experience with acupuncture as an adjunct to meds--or instead of them? Have any of you used Chinese herbs?
> rainy
Posted by rainy on December 7, 2004, at 5:07:22
In reply to Re: Hello, I'm new Kara Poetess, posted by GeishaGirl on December 7, 2004, at 0:12:23
hi GeishaGirl. It seems as if we have a similar apprach to whatever ails us--we are such complicated, whole beings there must be more than one way to heal the hurts and ease the path, if I may mix metaphors a little, so early in the morning.
Your comment about some of the non traditional methods of healing unleashing some of the painful stuff and forcing you to deal with it is interesting. I've felt more depressed after the acupuncture treatments than before, if possible. Susan, pratitioner, warned me that my back or shoulder could get worse as energy was disturbered, and it did temporarily. Skeptic that I am, I didn't really think it would have anything to do with mood so I was taken aback when I plummeted, or plunked. But then, there were a couple of two minute windows yesterday when I remembered, Oh, this is what it's like to feel like a person who's not depressed!Thanks for the link, I'll check it out.
And all good wishes to you on your journey.
rainy
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