SSRIs and Gupta

[JR]

I'm wondering if others have noticed improvements on SSRI anti-depressants. I originally went on Lexapro about 7 years ago for OCD type thinking. I would get locked into ruminating about something I was worrying about (non symptom related), causing much unhappiness. It helped some with that.

I stayed on it for several years, which "happened" to coincide with a general upswing in my overall health. I eventually weaned myself off and within about 3 months, started having a severe decline in my health. It also coincided with increasing stress in my life (or was it just increased perception of stress, since I wasn't on SSRIs?) I went into a severe crash for months, and then started the Gupta programme, which I believe helped me immensely. I ALSO started back on the Lexapro at the same time. My improvement continued for months.

Eventually, about 3 months ago, I weaned off of the Lexapro again, and, lo and behold, I haven't been doing as well. My energy is lower, I'm a lot more moody, weepy, anxious. It feels to me that the subconscious stuff that is going on, keeping my symptomatology going, is less inhibited when I'm NOT on Lexapro. I've always felt that there was a certain OCD like quality to the focus on and fear of symptoms that Gupta describes. In fact, some of the Gupta Programme, esp. the Soften and Flow, is basically "CBT for OCD 101". Meaning, that as you focus on what's worrying you and just let it be there, it loses its power.

Now, back to the Lexapro. This whole thing kind of bugs me. I don't WANT to "need" SSRIs. I want the Gupta stuff to be enough. I want my quite substantial willpower and determination to be enough. Yet, I'm asking myself...am I shooting myself in the foot by not using an available tool?

Anyway, just some musings. I'm curious to know if others have noticed similar improvements on SSRIs - or sometimes it's easier to see what *isn't* working as well, when you're off of them.

I'm currently experimenting with St. John's Wort (not really effective for me, as yet) and 5 HTP, to see if I might get a similar effect. I'm also addressing low cortisol and low t3, which I know can also contribute to general weepiness and inability to handle stress, not to mention overall exhaustion.

Hope everyone is hanging in there and seeing improvements!

[Gattone]

anyone else has trie d ssri? i was interested in this
did you have side effects jr? like sexaul impotence?

[neil25]

My doctor is prescribing me an ssri soon, he told me it can really help increase energy in chronic fatigue patients. i've tried the gupta programme but don't seem to be getting any further with it, my energy level is kind of static at the moment. I'm be put on a trial basis for ssri to see if it helps. I also want to try adderall but havent asked my doctor yet. I actually tried st john's wort for an month but had a terrible reaction to it, i felt very sucicidal while taking it so had to stop.

[niaholt]

Many CFS sufferers have low Neurotransmitter levels.....we need these levels to be normal as it makes us feel good with mood etc. 70% of the transmitters are made in the gut. Our guts are not working effectively, loaded with toxins due to poor detox mechanisms etc. So when we take a SSRIs I would think we would be elevating our levels of the feel good neurotransmitters., chemically without addressing the real problem...the gut. If we clean up our gut with the "right" probiotics our moods might be better.

[JR]

That's interesting, Nia. Have you experienced that yourself (or have others?) - i.e. mood problems improved when you addressed gut issues? I've had very few noticeable gut problems, but I don't know if there's something going on in there that I'm not aware of.

[niaholt]

My neurotransmitters are very high...no mood problems just an adrenaline junkie. Doc says he does not know why my brain is not fried. I have had no real gut problems however after doing the gut test with Metametrix in the US it has been revealed just what is going on. Ugly critters live in me and to cut a long story short I have a stuffed gut.....getting treatment for it.

The point is you dont think you have a gut problem but most CFS people do. Newcastle University in OZ discovered this back about 13 yrs ago. Your doc cant tell you this...he is not qualified in this area. Never learned about probiotics at Uni. Naturopaths know this stuff and you go to their labs....costs money. My Doc is alternative and has left medicine.

Doc says this stuffed gut is partly responsible for my HIGH neurotransmitters plus not methylating properly. Others have low neurotransmitters in the gut because of bad bacteria I just read recently in a Gut book. And we always thought everything to do with mood came from our brain....our brain is in our gut.!!!!!

I believe when you can get the load off the body, then Gutpa can work more effectively. I really believe CFS is a myraid of components that make us ill, eliminate some of them altogether rather than plugging dykes. I have waited 21 yrs for the cure and now realize it is me who has to find it after doing my own extensive research.

[neil25]

thats great, keep us updated when you feel vast improvements. it would be intresting if you actually found the cure lol or a significant part of the puzzle. Can you tell me what specific test i need to get for my gut and where i can get it done?

[niaholt]

These tests are expensive but in the long run you save as you may be able to get back to work and stop taking a myriad of supplements. Contact the company to find anyone in you area who does the tests. http://www.metametrix.com/content/Home They may be miles from you but be willing to do internet stuff....they only go by test results anyway.

Vitamin Diagnostics http://www.healthremedies.com/labtests.html do tests without Drs orders. However you have ot find someone to interpret them and you need a PHD for that. They do Metametrix also.....must collect tests and send them to various labs. They are in the middle of moving premises and do XMRV also....too soon for that one. My Doc says the Organic analysis test is the key one as it can tell what is happening in the gut. I did gut and Organic acid. So glad I did gut as I doubt the other one would have picked up the salmonella and parasites.

I had a neurotransmitter profile test down from Neuroscience last year and it picked up my brain was nearly fried. They gave me all this stuff to calm it down and it did no good. WHY"? because the root cause was not being treated I am guessing. The toxins in the gut had taken hold and were driving the neurotransmitters to do their thing.

[CS1]

Hi Nia


Ive experimtented with almost everything , to date the only things that have worked are :

1)Gupta
2)Core issues
3)Self development

1)essential oils
2)diet /detox baths /saunas
3)exercise

The key factor for me which Ive discovered is to keep going with gutpa alongside CORE ISSUES ( inner child work ) self development (EFT )!



Regards
CS

[niaholt]

For too many yrs...21 in fact I believed there had to be just one thing like a drug to make us well. Now I have such a different belief system, no longer waiting for the magic bullet. So many of us would try one thing and if it did not work we would move on to the next. Half the time we did not understand the theory behind it so would banish the supplement to the bin. Now I am taking a whole different approach, much like CS.

It took us probably years to get ill, some much more severe than others. As I said before in other posts, some of us may have a more stubborn strain for which we have to try various tools, like detox thru methylation, removing serious bugs from the gut, EFT, talking thru issues, getting out outside if you can and doing Gupta. In some of us our Parasympathetic system just cant come on board to do its job like others can so we have to give it extra help outside Gupta.

Finding a forum to educate ourselves in what is going wrong gives us back power when we have to face the medical profession. So many of us have lost confidence there but if we come armed with knowledge we dont tend to feel like a victim in their hands.....therein lies the danger. Once you think like that you lose out and the Amygdala has a field day. I am no longer intimidated by DRS as I know they are ignorant so dont feel "rejected" by them. When my own Drs who have FM say they are too busy to learn what I know, what hope have we got for the others who may only meet a CFS person once a year.

[CS1]

Nia


I really think from my own experienhce we have to drive down the STRESS /Trauma response before detoxing at all. For me this has meant Gupta /CORE ISSUES and Self development and only now will i attempt to reduce any toxic burden i may have via detox baths /saunas and then via detox diet and some exercise perhaps.



Regards
CS

[niaholt]

I really have the breathing under control...this is a key for me. I do it now for hours without realizing I am doing it and find I am less stressed now. Also I am a lot better at speaking out and saying "No". I think I am enjoying being unpopular....like I feel I have endured so much that I dont need to defend myself or impress anyone, just more comfortable being me. I was pretty good at this before but now more determined....no shoulds anymore.

[neil25]

I do beleive the stress response has to be reduced, however i don't beleive there is a cure as of yet. Many of those who have got better do techniques on a daily basis and live within their limits. If they stopped doing these techniques such as meditation, gupta, diet ect or overdoing it they would just go back to the CFS. For the cure we are many many years behind. Doctors still cant pin point what is going wrong in our body CFS is just too complex which is why a cure has not been found. My one piece of advice which gets me through each day is do activities which make you happy, spending thousands of pounds/dollars on these tests will not get you the cure.

[CS1]

I believe its a long slog - besides sticking to some basics im PACING,increasing visualisation, interests, more meditation more than i was now I seem to have an idea what works for me!


Regards
CS