Posted by JLx on September 27, 2004, at 13:05:53
In reply to Very IRRITABLE!!! Help!, posted by Bubblehead on September 27, 2004, at 11:11:39
Magnesium.
"Magnesium also helps regulate nerve cell function. Its presence in adequate amounts in the synaptic gap between nerve cells controls the rate of neuron firing. Nerves fire easily when magnesium levels are too low. The effect of this rapid firing is increased sensitivity to stimulation of all kinds. Noise will sound excessively loud, emotional reactions will be exaggerated, and the brain may be too stimulated to sleep. ... A deficiency of magnesium can present common psychiatric symptoms including depression, anxiety, restlessness, and irritability. Depressed patients have been found to have lower levels of magnesium." http://www.drlam.com/A3R_brief_in_doc_format/print/1999-No3-MagnesiumandAging.htm
This really works. When I feel especially irritable I always take magnesium and it always works. The sound sensitivity especially is a real tip off for magnesium deficiency. Make sure you DON'T take magnesium oxide, mg glutamate or mg aspartate as they are not well absorbed and/or contraindicated for psychiatric conditions.
Mg glycinate and mg taurate are especially stress reducing, but mg citrate and mg malate may be easier to find and are good too. You might also try some B6 with it, especially if you're not already taking B vitamins.
Peanuts and cashews are good food sources of magnesium, but you may be depleted from stress and the Effexor, and so need actual supplementation. Mg is also depleted, btw, by diets high in sugar and other refined carbs.
Some people find calcium relaxing, but I'd try the magnesium and B vitamins, especially niacinamide, first. If you are taking calcium supplements or eat a very calcium rich diet and don't also take magnesium supplements or take something useless like magnesium oxide, then you may be experiencing the excitoxic effects of excess calcium. Magnesium will definitely help with that. In my experience, it also counteracts the excitotoxic effects of aspartame.
Taurine or any of the other calming amino acids, such as GABA and glycine may also help, but I'd definitely try the magnesium first.
Welcome to the alt med board! :)
JL
> Hi All. This is the first I have been on the Alt board. I was wondering If anyone know of a natural alternative for combating irritability. I have been Effexor free for a week and 1/2 now and am slowly but gradually coming out of the darkness, but I am very irritable. Now, I'm not real sure if this is from the withdrawl though. I have pretty much had this my whole life (except for when under the Effexor coma). Hearing sounds can even agitate me. It's like I get over-stimulated. I will get to a point where being touched or talked to will mentally put a drain on me. Just the sound of the keys on my keyboard are bugging me at this moment and the other night, I couldn't sleep because my husband's ticking watch in the other room was keeping me up. I'm so embarrased by this but it is completely uncontrolable. I don't like being this way. I have to little ones and coping with thier questions and sound effects is someimtes too much. I will snap loudly back at them to be quite and not ask so much. They don't deserve this. They are good kids and they deserve a normal Mommy who let's them just simply be kids. I want to find something to help me because I love them. I was going for something natural because the anti-depressant problems were enough to scare me away from a lot of meds. I am currently taking 1200mg of Fish oil 3X daily for the depression and a 25mg of Atenolol for ADD. Anyone who has any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
poster:JLx
thread:395733
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20040901/msgs/395793.html