Good experience of Flu over last six months

Well it is six months since I first posted here. I have just finished with six months of treatment with fluoxetine 20mg daily for depression with anxiety. I am back to full fighting strength and no longer suffer from any occurrences of depression or anxiety, and I sleep well most nights (I used to wake up at 4am with panic attacks / anxiety). The first couple of weeks on flu were not very pleasant for me, it worsened my anxiety, worsened my quality of sleep and made me slightly paranoid – although on the up side of things the depression began to slowly lift. All I can say is that the first couple of weeks on flu were like the effects of taking an amphetamine ie more energy, restlessness, overclocked-brain, racing thoughts, poor sleep, heightened central nervous system response to stimuli ie sensitive to sound and light, and heightened emotional response to stimuli (very emotional). After 6 to 8 weeks on flu the depressive and anxiety episodes got fewer and fewer in occurrence. After about four months on flu the depressive and anxiety episodes occurred just one day or so in every month. Six months later I have had no relapse of symptoms – although at certain times of the month I find my limbs twitching a little (a sometime long term but not persistent side-effect of flu).

Fluoxetine is quite often prescribed without a full diagnostic of the underlying root-cause – as was the case with me. I went to my GP, who was very busy and gave me a questionnaire to complete. He asked me to complete it in another room as he was so busy that he needed to see the next patient whilst I was filling out the form! He looked at the form, asked a couple of questions and gave me a prescription of Fluoxetine. There was no real attempt to identify the root-cause, no offer of any tests, etc. He said take this (flu 20mg daily) and come and see me in two weeks. I went to see him two weeks later and he said, that ok here is a six month prescription – see you in six months!

Sometimes it is psychological in cause, other times it is physiological / neurobiological (chemicals in the brain) – sometimes a combination of both. In my case I think it was largely physiological / neurobiological and not psychological, although I believe that persistent stress over the previous 3 month prior to going to the GP tipped me over the edge. Stress releases hormones and chemicals that reduce the abundance of key neurological chemicals in the brain, including serotonin. Low levels of serotonin are linked to depressive disorders, anxiety, compulsive disorders, eating disorders, etc.

After much research and self-funded blood and saliva tests (I guess these tests are just too expensive for the poor old NHS to pay for) I discovered that I was deficient in certain key neuro-chemicals (as indicated by my plasma levels). I was low in serotonin (no surprise there), low in a dopamine pre-cursor as well as several others. Not good. One possible contributory factor was that I had turned vegetarian a year before. It was identified that I was deficient in certain key vitamins and minerals, namely Vitamin D and the Vitamin B Complex. I was also likely deficient, due to my diet, of key quality proteins and as a result low in key amino acids. Many of these key (essential) amino acids cannot be generated by the body alone and need to be sourced from food. Even the non-essential amino acids (ones that can be synthesised by the body) need a proper supply of vitamins and minerals to do the job properly. These amino acids are essential as these are the pre-cursors to the neuro-chemicals that we need to think and behave normally, and have a normal and balanced emotional response to things around us.

Flu would certainly help me, but it was not fixing the root-cause of my physiological / neurobiological problems. It was just allowing my brain to make more efficient use of the chemicals it had available – but it wasn’t helping fix the root-cause of the low levels of neuro-chemicals available in my body. Flu is a (selective) serotonin uptake inhibitor. This class of psychoactive medication just forces the good serotonin chemicals in your brain to hang around a bit longer than normal (reducing re-uptake). In reality Flu seems to do more than just inhibit serotonin re-uptake as some of the therapeutic (and side) effects cannot easily be explained by this activity alone. This includes the “amphetamine” type response that some people report during the first couple of weeks of taking Flu (including me).

However, case-studies have documented that a possible side-effect of inhibiting reuptake in the long term is the slow reduction of serotonin availability in the brain. This is often the reason cited in research papers for why for some people Flu works for a time, then seems to stop working – because the store of serotonin in the body has been completely exhausted, so there is little left to reuptake-inhibit!

So in short here was my strategy:

1.Get tested for plasma neurotransmitter levels (the NHS wouldn’t pay for this in my case as it is not permitted by NICE!) – find out what you are short off. This is key! I had to get mine done via a lab in the US!

2.I also got tested for metal toxicity as this can often contribute to poor neurotransmitter chemical levels. Many heavy metals including mercury – often found in concentration in sea food and fish - are reported to badly interfere with the important chemical processes within the brain – including transulfuration and methylation. I had stopped eating red meat a year earlier and ate fish and seafood many times a week, so I though this test may be useful in my case.

3.I also had my thyroid tested, my blood sugar levels tested and stress hormones measured to test adrenal function.

4.Once the tests came in I worked to re-balance my diet and supplement key vitamin deficiencies (in my case vitamin B complex and vitamin D).

5.I also worked to rebalance my amino acid levels; namely:

a.50mg 5-HTP at night before bed. This is a chemical pre-cursor to serotonin and passes through the blood-brain barrier easily. No known long term side-effects reported. I kept the dosage down to 50mg a day as I was on 20mg Fluoxetine a day and wanted to be careful not to induce serotonin syndrome. Can be occasionally deadly! So take medical advice if you plan to do this. GPs are pretty useless; you need to seek a specialist. These specialists are very hard to find in the UK.

b.500mg DMAE daily first thing in the morning. This reportedly helps the brain with the transulfuration and methylation chemical processes. See below for full list. 500mg is quite a big dosage and many professionals don’t recommend 500mg as a starting dosage. No known long term side-effects reported. I take it for a month, then a month off.

c.Vitamin B Complex with the DMAE. This vitamin is a key component for DMAE to do its job. Vitamin B(3) also seems to regulate the assimilation of DMAE and reduces its non-beneficial stimulatory effects, leaving the good stimulatory effects intact. Vitamin B complex is also used in many other key body and brain chemical processes. It is really really important.

d.Vitamin D. This is a key antioxidant and vitamin. Much research has indicated a link between Vitamin D and ill-health in the upper northern hemisphere. Most of one’s Vitamin D is synthesised just under one’s skin by exposure to sunlight. In the northern hemisphere we have less exposure to sunlight than equatorial regions, hence most of us are Vitamin D deficient – especially in the winter. This has led to the suggested link between higher rates of depression, anxiety, cancer, etc in the northern hemisphere than equatorial regions. A study over 50 years has shown that people and rats live quite a bit longer if supplemented by a daily dose of Vitamin D, and also have lower frequencies of depressive episodes. I take one every day for a month, then a month off.

e.A daily supplement of L-Tyrosine. Tyrosine is converted into dopamine and norepinephrine. Has been shown to be an effective way to increase alertness and focus, along with mood. Tyrosine is sometimes prescribed as an antidepressant as it can have a mood elevating properties. Dopamine is linked to the “pleasure / reward” mechanisms of the brain. I take one dosage every two days for a month. Then a month off.

f.Melatonin supplement. Research on sleep shows that melatonin does play a role in daily sleep/wake cycle, and that supplements, in amounts ranging from 0.1 to 0.5 milligrams, can improve sleep in many cases. I take one pill two hours before bed time IF I have not been sleeping well. I have never woken up felling drowsy or drugged – usually feel very refreshed.

Please note that these are not herbal tea like remedies. They are serious psychoactive chemical modifiers. So always seek good professional advice before starting any supplementation. I have shown what for has worked wonders for me, and everyone is different. I was advised to start on the the “calming” supplements first – namely (a), (c), (d) and (e). Some months later I was then moved onto the “stimulatory” supplements – namely (b) and (e). I took these whilst taking 20mg Fluoxetine daily, but under strict expert medial supervision.

Best of luck, cheers Garch (London)

DMAE benefits:

DMAE alleviates the behavioral problems and hyperactivity associated with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) [DMAE increases Attention Span, decreases Aggression, improves Learning ability and sometimes increases Intelligence in 70% of ADD patients].

DMAE increases attention span [after 6 weeks of DMAE supplementation students were able to concentrate at lectures and on exams better].

DMAE increases Intelligence (especially in children).

DMAE has been shows to reduce and repair sun damaged pigment within the skin

DMAE improves Learning and Memory.

DMAE decreases the accumulation of Lipofuscin within the Brain.

DMAE improves the Interhemispheric flow of Information in the Corpus Callosum of the Brain (thereby improving Creativity and verbal fluency).

DMAE increases Acetylcholine levels within the Brain:

DMAE extends the lifespan of mice by 27-49%.

DMAE facilitates the removal of the waste product Lipofuscin from Neurons.

DMAE inhibits and reverses the Cross-Linking of proteins.

DMAE decreases the incidence and severity of Hangovers in people who consume excessive amounts of Alcohol [after 6 weeks of DMAE use subjects reported freedom from the depression or headaches associated with hangovers].

DMAE increases the body's production of energy and persons using DMAE subjectively report increases in their levels of energy.

DMAE mildly stimulates the Central Nervous System (CNS).

Most people who use DMAE supplements report that after 3-4 weeks of DMAE use, they notice a continual mild stimulation of their CNS without side effects.

DMAE increases alertness.

DMAE alleviates anxiety [subjects administered 1,200 mg of DMAE per day for 5 days exhibited better control of anxious reactivity].

DMAE increases assertiveness [after 6 weeks of DMAE supplementation subjects reported having a more outspoken personality].

DMAE reduces apathy and increases motivation in persons afflicted with Depression.

DMAE improves the behavior and Mental Function of children afflicted with Down’s Syndrome.

DMAE exerts favorable effects on those chronic Dyskinesias (including Tardive Dyskinesia) that occur as a result of long periods of use of Major Tranquilizers.

DMAE elevates Mood [after 6 weeks of DMAE supplementation, subjects reported more affable moods].

DMAE reduces the amount of Sleep required by about 1 hour per night [this effect noted after 6 weeks of DMAE use].

DMAE causes Dreams to become more lucid (vivid).

DMAE users experience a sounder Sleep [after 6 weeks subjects reported waking earlier and having a clearer mind upon waking].

DMAE increases daytime motivation and physical Energy in persons afflicted with Insomnia.

DMAE increases Willpower [after 6 weeks of DMAE use, subjects who previously were unable to stop smoking reported success].

DMAE removes Lipofuscin (age spots) from the skin.

Medical researchers have speculated that the means by which DMAE increases Brain Acetylcholine levels is by inhibiting Choline metabolism in peripheral tissues, thereby allowing free Choline to accumulate and subsequently enter the Brain where it is converted to Acetylcholine.

DMAE increases the content of Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) in the Brain [research - rats].

DMAE increases the concentration of Choline in the bloodstream because it enhances the rate at which free Choline enters the blood from other tissues:

DMAE increases the levels of Choline in the brain due to DMAE’s superior ability to cross the Blood-Brain Barrier.

0 likes, 3 replies