4 replies to this topic

[outofservice]

Hey All,

 

I am looking for your advice and any info you feel I should know about this stack.

 

 

I'd like to first tell you a little about myself and why I've decided to go this route.

 

I'm close to 40 and have Bipolar Depression Type II.  I don't get the Mania but I do get the occasional Hypomania (never lasting more than a wk or 2 but when it does I am unpredictable and reckless). On the flip side, I deal with moderate to high Depression often (it went on for years when I was younger).  For LONG periods of time I suffer from brain fog, lethargy, unsocial, a constant state of being tired or feeling weak no matter if I sleep 6hrs or 12, unmotivated, loss of interests, varying degrees of social anxiety (sometimes bad enough I won't leave my place), bad (and what feels like worsening) memory (short and long), concentration and focus.

** I've read the memory, cognition, focus, etc, issues are from long-term Lamotrigine use.  Is this correct?

 

Three yrs ago I finally got the courage to seek professional help.  I was put on Buproprion and all was great, really great, until around the 7th month mark when I crashed super hard.

I was given an assessment and was diagnosed as BPII (why they didn't give me this assessment when I first began is mind-boggling) and then told me that was the wrong type of meds for BPII.  They put me on Lamotrigine ( 150mg 2x Daily (Lamictal)) and all has been well since. My mood and attitude has improved nicely but I still get the lethargy from time to time and still looking for better improvement with brain fog, mental energy, focus, memory and Motivation. ..to feel more social and to feel more comfortable in social settings would be ideal as well.

 

 

The reason for this stack is to improve my overall mental health and specifically address my cognition, focus, memory (short and long), mental energy, etc, etc.

I am currently a full-time student and have a part-time job, I need all I can get.

I want to achieve this in the safest way possible without causing any harm to myself.  I've read horrible things about Serotonin issues from taking the wrong combo's, Do I need to worry about this?

 

** Please keep in mind I'm coming to you because this is not my field.  However, I have researched and read about all of these for the last month or so and picked each according to what they offer and how they work together.

I have read hours and hours of post on this site and hoping to learn more, especially the hows and whys of how things work together.

 

Here is the Stack I have in mind.      

 

      ***Can these be used while taking Lamotrigine (150mg 2x Daily)?   What is the interaction?

 

 - Huperzing A   - 50mcg  2x Daily   (I plan to cycle 3wks on / 1wk off)

 

 - Alpha GPC  -  300mg  2x Daily

 

 - Acetyl-L-Carnitine  -  500mg  2x Daily

 

 - Vinpocetine  - 10mg 2x Daily

 

 - Mucana Pruriens (25% L-Dopa)   -  250mg (1/4 tsp) 1x Daily  with intention to increase to 2x Daily after 2 or 3 wks of use.

 

I've tried to go with lower doses of all while I get used to the stack.     What should I do differently?

 

 

Other Supps I'm on for general overall health...

 

 - Multi-Vits  1x Daily

 

 - Omega-3  -  DHA 500mg / EPA 250mg  -  1x Daily

 

 - 2 TBL Virgin Coconut Oil every morning in shake

 

 - Cat's Claw  -  300mg (150mg 15% inner bark Extract)  1x Daily

 

 - Raw Cacao  -  1oz Daily in morning shake

 

 - L-Glutamine  -  5g Daily in morning shake

 

 - Organic ginger root powder  -  1 tsp with morning shake

 

 - Organic turmeric root powder  -  1 tsp with morning shake

 

 

 

 - Can all these be used together?

 - If I need to discontinue the use of Lamotrigine, what is the correct why to end use?

 - What else should I know/do?

 

All advice and info is appreciated!!

 

Thanks,

Joe

Edited by outofservice, 10 January 2016 - 02:13 AM.

[Doc Psychoillogical]

Looks to be a typical basic and healthy stack, from I've read. Supplementing, Chromium picolinate and Lithium Orotate are effective against Bipolar disorders somewhat.

[Heisok]

Hi Joe,

 

I think that the route you are taking by adding supplements to Lamictal to start at least might be the best.  One should not stop Lamictal without doctor knowledge, even if it is done against their advice once they know. A case in point is that grapefruit is contraindicated for some prescriptions. I think it is related to p450 enzyme effects. A common nutrient which some formulas have, Calcium-d-glucarate, has similar effects. Read all the side effects of any prescription which you take, and compare those to what each nutrient might effect. A lot of work, but  Hypomania can cause a lot of devastation to ones life, and your comment seems to indicate a past experience of this. It might even be more devastating to finances, and family then a complete manic break. In the complete break down, at least you might be hospitalized with or without your consent. With Hypomania, it can be seen as a fun time until the fallout.

 

Some take DL Phenylalanine, but it can cause a cycling from depression to hypomania, so be careful.

Edited by heisoktoday, 10 January 2016 - 07:59 PM.

[outofservice]

Thanks guys,

 

I appreciate the feedback.

 

I've read some "opinions" about mixing Lamictal with what I listed (the brain stack) but I haven't been able to find any medical or University studies.  A post I read, off of a different forum, stated the use of Lamictal, Huperzine A, Vinpocetine and A-GPC could cause Serotonin Syndrome. I haven't found anything legit to back it up.  With taking a fairly high dose of Lamictal (amount based on what I've read) it was definitely a concern.

I have noticed around the 60 min mark after taking the 5 supp's in my brain stack (give or take 15 mins) that I get a slight headache that lasts about 30 mins or so. I don't know if it's an indicator that something is wrong or if it's clearing out the "rust" and rejuvenating/repairing me.

[Heisok]

If I were taking those things and getting headaches, I would drop the Huperzine A, and Mucana Prurians first. See where that goes. As an aside, I would stay away from 5 HTP.  As an aside, once again, be careful of anything that effects the P450 activity, as it could effect Lamictal.