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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Meri-Tuuli on June 9, 2006, at 13:44:44
Ginkgo
Rosemary
Siberian Ginseng
Damiana
SchizandraIts all mixed up in this bottle as a tincture. I reckon it'll get rid of any anxiety just because of the alcohol in the tincture!! I didn't get ratios/strengths, I just asked her for the names. We'll see.
Plus I'm taking the rhodiola 100mg before breakfast, which all I can say is wow. There is a definate AD response there. There were some very mild side effects, I think it made me wake more early that I usually do (but that could just be because its so light here now in the early mornings) and I might be getting some headaches, but that could be because I've been wearing sunglasses on top of my head.
We'll see!
Posted by honeybee on June 9, 2006, at 15:54:05
In reply to Here is what the medinical herbalist gave me...., posted by Meri-Tuuli on June 9, 2006, at 13:44:44
M-T,
This looks quite fabulous; the schisandra I really liked as part of an herbal blend a TCM practitioner prescribed to me. And you'll have to let us know how the Damiana treats you, too.
I liked the rhodiola, but I got distracted by it. It definitely provided a boost. You've reminded me that I may need to give it a try again...
By the way, was the herbalist trained in any particular tradition (like TCM)? I'm curious about how they come up with their diagnosis and then prescriptions...
hb
> Ginkgo
> Rosemary
> Siberian Ginseng
> Damiana
> Schizandra
>
> Its all mixed up in this bottle as a tincture. I reckon it'll get rid of any anxiety just because of the alcohol in the tincture!! I didn't get ratios/strengths, I just asked her for the names. We'll see.
>
> Plus I'm taking the rhodiola 100mg before breakfast, which all I can say is wow. There is a definate AD response there. There were some very mild side effects, I think it made me wake more early that I usually do (but that could just be because its so light here now in the early mornings) and I might be getting some headaches, but that could be because I've been wearing sunglasses on top of my head.
>
> We'll see!
>
>
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on June 10, 2006, at 5:20:30
In reply to Re: Here is what the medinical herbalist gave me.... » Meri-Tuuli, posted by honeybee on June 9, 2006, at 15:54:05
Hey there!!
Yes it is quite a blend isn't it? We were going to add SJW, but I tend to get red blotchey rashes in the sunlight anyway, and at the appointment I had a rash on my neck, a sort of 'stress' rash - not permanent, but just there for an hour or two. So we decided against SJW because its summer here and the photosensitivity thing.
As for her training, well she trained with the National instutite of medical herbalists, a four year course. I dunno how they know which herbs etc. I guess a mixture of science/folk medicine and others. But its not one particular school. Who knows.
Anyway, I'm too scared to actually take any but I'm getting used to the idea. I'll hope to take some soon anyway. I'm also taking the rhodiola. I'm so paranoid about drug interactions its unbelievable. But anyway.
As for rhodiola, its really great I'm finding. Its unbelieveable really. I like it alot!! The first 10 days were abit weird, but now there is a definate AD effect. Its really nice is all I can say.
Interestingly, the herbalist was against used standarised extracts - she reckons that then the companies just focus on getting the % right of the active ingredient and the other components go out the window, and that the whole plant should be used.
Anyway, what was rhodiola like for you? What do you mean by distracting??
Kind regards
Meri
Posted by honeybee on June 10, 2006, at 11:01:03
In reply to Re: Here is what the medinical herbalist gave me.. » honeybee, posted by Meri-Tuuli on June 10, 2006, at 5:20:30
Yes, exactly!
For a while, I was going to a teaching acupuncture/TCM clinic, and was given the standardized blends. Then, through a friend of mine getting her L.Ac. at another school, I participated (e.g. was the subject) of a grand rounds focusing on depression. The expert, who's co-authored several books on acupuncture and depression and who led (I think) one of the only studies of acupuncture on depression for Stanford, took me aside afterwards to discuss my treatment. Not only did she say that herbs are imperative. She explained that they need to be tailored to my specific condition (because it's so complicated, apparently--and in a way that I can't understand!). It sounds like, for the best results, everyone's meds/herbals should be tailored to them. If only treatment were more like that!
I'm just like you, by the way, super squeamish about drug interactions and reluctant to take more than a few pills at a time. It's gotten worse in the last year. Before that, I was happy to sign up on the med train left and right. And it's funny how the squeamishness doesn't apply to some classes of drugs--antibiotics, I'm fine with them, my asthma inhaler (a steroid) is just fine. How's that for the irrationality of the human mind?
As for the rhodiola. I really misspoke when I was writing. I mean to say that I was distracted when I was taking it, so I couldn't really suss out what kind of antidepressant response there was, if any. It, combined with the higher amount of SAM-e I was taking at the time, really did seem to energize me, though. Some people have had problems with insomnia, but it wasn't a problem for me. And it seemed to be pro-sexual in a way...
Sadly, I still have to go back on ADs, methinks. My cognition had ground to a halt. I'm a real mess. So I'm going to the pdoc on Tuesday night to discuss options.
But keep us posted on the herbals. You should really just go for it. I know it's scary (I had a panic attack one night taking a new herbal blend; just the thought of introducing the new chemicals, and not understanding their interactions or how they worked sent me over the edge!), but I think for folks like us, it's helpful to remind ourselves that the people we're seeing are *trained professionals* with years and years more experience and education than we have (at least in that field!). Plus, the blend sounds pretty conservative. I bet you'll be fine.
It's tough, though, doing things without getting the guarantee that everything has been tested and that it will all be o-okay. Sadly, it doesn't seem like anything in life can offer that!
hb
Posted by blueberry on June 10, 2006, at 19:35:33
In reply to Here is what the medinical herbalist gave me...., posted by Meri-Tuuli on June 9, 2006, at 13:44:44
You mentioned the first 10 days were kind of weird. I was curious if you could describe that in more detail?
I tried rhodiola for a few days. I got intense jitteriness, almost paranoia, very uncomfortable. It was especially bad right after waking up in the morning. Good morning terror. That was a few weeks after stopping longtime zyprexa, and looking back I think that had a lot to do with it. Now that I'm back on low dose zyprexa, maybe I might give rhodiola another shot. It did seem energizing and seemed to have some immediate antidepressant effect. It was just too overwhelming at the time.
If you could describe those first 10 days I would be interested in that.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on June 12, 2006, at 4:39:32
In reply to Re: Here is what the medinical herbalist gave me.., posted by honeybee on June 10, 2006, at 11:01:03
Hiya honeybee
Thanks for the reply! Its always nice to know there's someone out there that has the same fears etc. I still haven't taken it actually, and I'm not taking the nutritional supplements properly yet either - I'm finding it hard as I don't have a routine so its sort of difficult to remember to take them. Oh well.
Kind regards
Meri
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on June 12, 2006, at 5:19:51
In reply to Re: Here is what the medinical herbalist gave me.... » Meri-Tuuli, posted by blueberry on June 10, 2006, at 19:35:33
hi blueberry,
Well the first 10 days weren't bad or anything, espcially in comparison to say, an SSRI or something like that. I'm not taking anything else with the rhodiola by the way, except vit/min/fish oil supplements.
At times, I was slightly more agitated than usual, but this was really related to my caffine intake at the time - I've had to cut back on caffine. Now I just have a weak instant coffee or plain tea in the morning. I also have a tendancy to get anxious in the evenings, its weird actually, evenings seem to be prime panic times, but luckily I manage to offset that with alcohol, or I will just let it run its course. I think that rhodiola might have increased this ever so slightly. But now, I'm pleased to say, the anxiety has got better - I'm more relaxed definately.
Other than that, there wasn't an AD response until about ten days after - before that I was still clearly depressed. Now I'm alot better I have to say. Yeah, really its been good.
Anyway. I'm really enjoying it actually. I wonder how it works. It might be a COMT inhibitor, which would be really good if it were.
I'm actually only on 100mg, which apparently is on the low end of things - the usual dosage is supposed to be something like 200mg-400mg, but I'm liking it so far, so I don't see the need for any increases just yet. I'm sleep isn't affected by it either.Yeah, its a good herb. Might be overstimulanting for some people through.
Kind regards
Meri
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