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Re: Colin's going on holiday » colin wallace

Posted by Ron Hill on July 10, 2002, at 15:13:19

In reply to Re:Ron Hill, posted by colin wallace on July 10, 2002, at 12:14:11

> Hope you're faring well right now.I see you're up to 400mg of Sam-e? Ambitious!I trust you managed to overcome the flash anger issue- if so, do you attribute that to the fishy intervention?

Colin, recall that I had roughly five months of excellent results with 200 mg of SAM-e. Then I began to experience extreme irritability/flash rage problems and I did not know why. As a last dig effort to identify the culprit causing the foul mood, I discontinued all vitamins and supplements (including SAM-e) but continued taking my Lithobid. The irritability continued.

I slowly began to re-add vitamins supplements to my daily intake and when I added 400mg/day of chelated magnesium, the crises state of my irritability subsided. I still have ongoing bouts of irritability (I think all bipolars do) but nothing like what it was without the magnesium.

I then resumed my 200 mg/day SAM-e intake, but it did not provide the same beneficial effect that it had during the first five months of use, so I increased to 400 mg/day. At 400 mg/day, SAM-e currently provides some benefit and I deem it worthwhile, but it has lost a lot of its effectiveness compared to what it once did for me. I do not know whether or not SAM-e was at least partially to blame for the initiation of the extreme irritability, but the current 400 mg/day does not cause irritability.

So in answer to your question, it was not fish oil that solved my extreme irritability problems. The magnesium had already brought that problem under control before I even tried fish oil. Having said that, however, I do think that omega-3 PUFA's help my mood and further reduce my irritability. Time will tell regarding the long term effectiveness.

> 10 gms a day is a lot- you must feel as though you've swallowed a giant squid if you're unfortunate enough to burp.

10g of fish oil contains only 3g of EPA/DHA. A typical recommended dose cited in the literature is about 2g/day of EPA/DHA, but doses as high as 15g/day of EPA/DHA can be used in the treatment of severe neurological disorders. I decided to start at 3g/day. Colin, when you get back from holiday, I want you to read some of the DHA research. (Did you notice my attempt to use the Brit vernacular in the previous sentence?).

I'm thinking that we need to add an omega-3 PUFA product line to our existing SAM-e line. SAM-e sales are down; time to diversify!

> The broken sleep and outlandish dreams proved too much for me though, at a mere 3g daily.

I'm having some trouble getting to sleep since I started the fish oil, but no broken sleep or outlandish dreams. As an aside, I had vivid dreams on Depakote.

> Currently feel like death on toast, so I'm going away for a few weeks.

Have a good time on Holiday (there, I did it again). I am currently doing very well and I hope the same for you in the very near future.

Ron's prescription for Colin:
1. Moodstabilizer
2. SAM-e
3. DHA
4. Small amount of a benzo on an as needed basis

Just my opinion, and I'm NOT a pdoc.

-- Ron


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