@stan: How long have you been using ASH? Here is a thread from a similar experience with sore throat on ASH: http://www.curezone....asp?i=1688998 Ihave no experience with ASH, but I've heard of a similar subjective report from a reishi user (reishi is adaptogenic) on another forum. I don't know if this is part of your body's reaction to such an adaptogen or not. Of course there is no definitive proof that reishi was linked to the abscesses in this man's report. But people experience weird side effects from adaptogenic herbs and mushrooms, including sore throats, rashes, and so on. It could be a simple detox or allergic reaction, but there's no hard science to explain why such reactions occur. http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/8052363
Within a week of starting to take them, I developed a terrible sore throat. I went to the hospital because of it and was diagnosed with strep. They gave me some antibiotics and sent me home. After about a week I was no better, and had to go back to the ER. They spent me to an ear/nose/throat doctor and he told me I was suffering from a peritonsillar abscess (apparently one of the most painful medical afflictions you can endure - lucky me). Again, I was put on heavy antibiotics and heavy pain killers. They also had to drain about 20 CC's of fluid out of the back of my throat.
I was fine for about a month, and I figured it was just bad timing. So, I started taking the extract again. Within a week, I started getting a sore throat, and it began turning into another abscess. Luckily the antibiotics they gave me this time kicked in and kept it from developing into anything worse.
@mangoa. I'm not ruling out placebo, but it seems to be a rather strong placebo I experience with small doses of many substances. It never used to be this way. I was enjoying the ride with this Tazo Calm tea, but when I drank the second cup in three days last night, I woke up today feeling very weird. I can't quite summarize the feeling in words, but I'll do my best. I felt a bit anxious, inhibited, feet were more sensitive, lights, colors and sounds were more intense, I felt nauseous, and I was dreading going into work (I usually enjoy going into work). I'm pretty in tune with my body (too much some times, which causes worry over something minor possibly being something major), and this took me by surprise, since I was expecting to be anxiety-free like the day after the first cup. Instead I had to take some theanine five hours later, and this did the trick like magic, making me feel like myself again. But after five hours or so the effects wore off and the feet sensitivity came back. B vitamins also cause this sensitivity in my feet, though nothing else does. The only thing (besides placebo) I can surmise would be highly sensitive GABA receptors. I went through Xanax withdrawal before. A few years later I took a single, small-dose Xanax and experienced major rebound anxiety a few days after that single use. I tried this again, a year or so later, and mild withdrawal symptoms appeared the following day. These withdrawal symptoms always involved sensitivity in my feet and unexplained anxiety and uneasiness. I will never take Xanax or another benzodiazepine ever again because of it. I should've been calm today following the tea last night, but I experienced the opposite effects. Is it possible that a similar GABAergic substance (or a blend of them, as in this tea), tricked my brain into bringing back symptoms of withdrawal I encountered years earlier? A sort of "cross-withdrawal" perhaps? If it is psycho-somatic then how can I reset my brain into thinking otherwise? It's as if my brain reacts badly to any GABAergic substance now, though theanine (works in a different fashion) is fine to use. For the record, I also drink two beers (never more than that) every night after work, and I have experienced GHB and alcohol withdrawal in the past as well (only GABAergic substances tend to bring out these symptoms, and my brain seems far less tolerant to GABAergic substances in general than it used to be).
@Godof Smallthings: Many good points, just like mangoa. I absolutely agree in regards to cordyceps. The energy is there for you to use it. Some times I was able to channel it into something more meaningful, like artwork. But when I use it simply for work, during downtime I've noticed this constant chattering in my head. It's as if I'm too alert and focused. I've always been highly perceptive of my surroundings, and this has disturbed some people in the past when I can recall information about them after meeting them only once or twice. I also get compliments nearly every day on my memory recall and attentiveness. Some times I'd like to quiet this and numb my mind, so I turn to theanine, and it works really, really well. The second paragraph you wrote really hit me. I find great joy and excitement in planning social engagements and trips with friends, but I dread going to a pre-planned social event for someone else. I feel like I have to be in control of a lot of things. Sleeping too long for me is worse than not sleeping enough. It zaps my motivation and drive. I will try your suggestion for a morning walk as soon as the sunshine returns to the Sunshine State by the end of the week. I agree that there are too many variables in diet, brain chemistry and other factors. I try to keep my diet as varied and routine as possible, eating a plethora of many types of healthy foods on a daily basis. Even if I ate the same things every day, I'm sure each day would be different in the way I feel, so trying to analyze this is mostly time consuming and pointless. I tried meditation a month back from a phone app, and it seemed to help. The problem is motivating myself for such meditation. Is it normal to get anxious and restless at the start of meditating?
Thanks for the input. 
Edited by VerdeGo, 28 April 2015 - 03:52 AM.
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