41 replies to this topic

[Agomelatinehope]

Maybe your net getting enough REM sleep. Try to sleep early and wake up early. 7-8 hours of sleep should be enough, and lower your caffeine intake. In times where your extremely tired take a power nap(15-30 minutes).

I'm not getting enough sleep, but that's something I've been suffering for more than 10 years. I always wake up with a terrible hangover feeling.

About naps, I'm not capable of taking a nap, no matter how hard I try o how tired I am. It may sound strange but that's how it is. My brain can't. I only can sleep a few hours during night.

I've been to a lot of doctors because of the sleep problems but their only solution is benzos or SSRIs. I also tried almost every single pill out there (from antihistamines to melatonin) but to no avail

All my problems started with insomnia but doctors told me that my insomnia/bad sleep quality was a symptom of another illness such as GAD or MDD

Thank you again

[msbost]

Maybe your net getting enough REM sleep. Try to sleep early and wake up early. 7-8 hours of sleep should be enough, and lower your caffeine intake. In times where your extremely tired take a power nap(15-30 minutes).

I'm not getting enough sleep, but that's something I've been suffering for more than 10 years. I always wake up with a terrible hangover feeling.

About naps, I'm not capable of taking a nap, no matter how hard I try o how tired I am. It may sound strange but that's how it is. My brain can't. I only can sleep a few hours during night.

I've been to a lot of doctors because of the sleep problems but their only solution is benzos or SSRIs. I also tried almost every single pill out there (from antihistamines to melatonin) but to no avail

All my problems started with insomnia but doctors told me that my insomnia/bad sleep quality was a symptom of another illness such as GAD or MDD

Thank you again

Lack of sleep can increase depression. You should get into psychotherapy, since pills are not working.
Since anti-depressants are not working on you.. then maybe the people around you are the reason for your depression..
So I suggest you travel for a bit, go somewhere new, visit any place you want.... keep a good attitude, and remember your not the only one with problems, we all have problems but we hide our emotions.
I also suggest you stop drinking alcohol and try to exercise more(2 hours before sleep), so that you will be tired and forced to fall asleep. Try to find natural ways to sleep(no drugs or sleeping pills or even melatonin), maybe you don't feel that your environment is safe, so you can't sleep well.
I also suggest that your try prefrontal tms or tDCS , they seem to decrease the symptoms of major depression disorder.

[Agomelatinehope]

I tried Bupropion for a couple of days and it did worsen my situation (irritability, tremors and insomnia)

Today I'm trying:

Multivitamin + Vitamin D3 + No coffee

[nupi]

Not surprised, Wellbutrin is very NE heavy so while activating, it's also anxiogenic and definitely worsens sleep.

[JBForrester]

I tried Bupropion for a couple of days and it did worsen my situation (irritability, tremors and insomnia)

Today I'm trying:

Multivitamin + Vitamin D3 + No coffee

How many I.U.s are you taking? I previously mentioned that I was taking 10,000 i.u. but mind you, that only lasted for one week before I started feeling a little bit woozy. If you are planning on taking that much, I'd recommend taking 10,000 for 3 or 4 days in a row and then reduce it to no more than 5,000. From what I've read, toxicity doesn't really happen until you've been taking more than 600,000 i.u. for several months, but I think any forms of nausea or dizziness are signs of reaching the upper limit for your body.

[Agomelatinehope]

Hi, well, today's experiment didn't work.

I'm starting to think that ALL of my symptoms may be from Cymbalta Withdrawal even though I did withdraw in what it seemed a safe way:

1September 60->30mg Directly, 1 Prozac pill to minimize possible withdrawal
24 September (Remove 25 microballs)
2 October (Remove 25 microballs+)
10 October (Remove 25 microballs+)
17 October (Remove 25 microballs+)
22 October (Remove 25 microballs+)
29 October (Remove 25 microballs+)
5 November (Remove 25 microballs+)
12 November (Remove 25 microballs+)
19 November (No more microballs, end of withdrawal)

While I was taking Cymbalta I felt OK (not good but overall OK) and these symptoms started at the end of the withdrawal process.

What do you think?

My Dr. says there's no way it can be from Cymbalta Withdrawal but I'm not that sure...

[Thorsten3]

5HTP isn't bad in my experience. It is good for mood, especially if you mix it with a dopaminergic, or something stimulating to offset the fatigue.

It's cheap as shit, and worth a try if you bulk buy supplements, like I do.

I was pleasantly surpised by it. I always knew my brain reacted favourably to serotonergics. It's just that with crappy selective reuptake inhibition, you get intolerable side effects.

5HTP feels like you're on an SSRI, but it is of course, weaker (not overly so, though), and, minus the side effects. Things don't bother me as much. I become far more cheerful and interested in social interaction. Only downsides are fatigue (even apparant in lower dosages) and a slight numbness of emotion (which, if you are highly strung like me, this is a very positive side effect.. SSRIs are just too powerful in this department, though, to the point of completely robbing you of your personality).

I have only taken it at 50mg for a couple of weeks, but so far, no tolerance. It might poop out, it might not (going by anecdotals that I've read). Even if it does, I'll still keep it around for sporadic use.

Sceletium is also a compound worth trying, if you can find a good source. It has an interesting pharmacological profile.

If your mood disorder is severe though, I agree that medication may be the only answer to control symptons.

[Agomelatinehope]

Great news:

My main problems:

Anxiety = 90% resolved
Lack of energy/motivation/sexual desire = 60% resolved
Anhedonia = 75% resolved
Bad quality sleep = 50% resolved
Brain fog = 80% resolved
Early morning awakenings = 0%

I having great success with three suplemments:

Morning:
-Folic Acid (800mcg)
-Sublingual B12 (1000mcg)

Night:
-Valerian Root (1000mg)


I could say it has had a great impact on my life. I'm active again (I can exercise, I can handle social life again, I resumed studying, etc).

My only remaining problem is early awakenings and non feeling well rested but I'm sure I'll find out how to fix it sooner or later

If I wake up feeling like crap, I take my B12 and things seem to get better.

Any suggestion?

Edited by Agomelatinehope, 10 February 2013 - 05:11 PM.

[JBForrester]

This is so good to hear, I'm happy for you! : )

It's amazing what simple necessary vitamins can do to improve one's health. Have you tried the Vitamin D uptake? The only times in my life where I would wake up feeling not rested for months at a time was when I had an undiagnosed thyroid condition (hypothyroidism). But if you don't have any other symptoms of that, I wouldn't think that'd be the case. At the same time, it doesn't hurt to get tested for it, maybe even an entire blood checkup.

[Agomelatinehope]

This is so good to hear, I'm happy for you! : )

It's amazing what simple necessary vitamins can do to improve one's health. Have you tried the Vitamin D uptake? The only times in my life where I would wake up feeling not rested for months at a time was when I had an undiagnosed thyroid condition (hypothyroidism). But if you don't have any other symptoms of that, I wouldn't think that'd be the case. At the same time, it doesn't hurt to get tested for it, maybe even an entire blood checkup.

I had my blood levels checked and I have my thyroids OK but I have Vitamin D deficiency (which could explain the awakenings). I'm getting 30min of solar exposure a day to raise the levels of D3.

[jerichodotm]

This is so good to hear, I'm happy for you! : )

It's amazing what simple necessary vitamins can do to improve one's health. Have you tried the Vitamin D uptake? The only times in my life where I would wake up feeling not rested for months at a time was when I had an undiagnosed thyroid condition (hypothyroidism). But if you don't have any other symptoms of that, I wouldn't think that'd be the case. At the same time, it doesn't hurt to get tested for it, maybe even an entire blood checkup.

I had my blood levels checked and I have my thyroids OK but I have Vitamin D deficiency (which could explain the awakenings). I'm getting 30min of solar exposure a day to raise the levels of D3.

The B12 wasn't placebo and things are still going as good as they were a week ago?

If so, good for you.

[Agomelatinehope]

This is so good to hear, I'm happy for you! : )

It's amazing what simple necessary vitamins can do to improve one's health. Have you tried the Vitamin D uptake? The only times in my life where I would wake up feeling not rested for months at a time was when I had an undiagnosed thyroid condition (hypothyroidism). But if you don't have any other symptoms of that, I wouldn't think that'd be the case. At the same time, it doesn't hurt to get tested for it, maybe even an entire blood checkup.

I had my blood levels checked and I have my thyroids OK but I have Vitamin D deficiency (which could explain the awakenings). I'm getting 30min of solar exposure a day to raise the levels of D3.

The B12 wasn't placebo and things are still going as good as they were a week ago?

If so, good for you.

I'm 100% sure It's not placebo at all since I've been taking this combination with great success for more than a month

I wish I had found this combo before!

My father (who has also struggled with anxiety and depression for years) is better than ever as well with this same combination so it must be some genetic thing about that couple of vitamins.

The only problem that remains is the early awakenings but I'm sure it's Vitamin D related

Every person is different and what works for me may not work for others but I'm very happy with it right now

Edit: I almost forgot, I must say I'm also taking Zinc 15mg every morning.

Edited by Agomelatinehope, 18 February 2013 - 08:28 PM.