Posted by Hombre on July 15, 2010, at 18:48:32
In reply to Re: Chinese Medicine: Formulas for Energy, posted by Lao Tzu on June 9, 2010, at 9:44:00
I went off the kidney tonic for a few days and noticed some apathy, lower libido, and more difficulty initiating actions. I didn't feel depressed, but my energy was not focused and I just didn't feel as together.
I think these symptoms are part of my overall constitution as well as side effects from the meds, especially libido. It is hard to find information on the energetic effects of psyche meds, but from what I have gathered and have felt personally, the meds affects kidney yin and yang and probably the liver to a certain extent. While the meds get rid of depression (and maybe blunt feelings overall), they also have side effects, namely apathy, lower libido/sexual dysfunction, weight gain, trouble concentrating, insomnia, anxiety.
It is sometimes difficult to be aware of these subtle aspects of one's emotional and mental energy, but they are definitely real.
To recap, I take a general blood/qi tonic that works mainly on the spleen (digestion). The result I get is more physical robustness - I workout and see more gains in terms of muscle. I feel more "solid" both physically and emotionally. I feel like I have a better time "digesting" new information. I don't feel hungry all the time and I don't get weird low blood sugar symptoms or feel like I'm not getting nutrition from my food, even though my diet is sometimes sketchy. The tonic I take is called Shi Quan Da Bu Wan, Ten Tonic Pills. There are many formulas that tonify the spleen and would probably be helpful for low-energy type depression, such as Bu Zhong Yi Qi Wan (this one is very good for energy), Si Jun Zi Wan, Ba Zhen Wan. Some of the more elaborate formulas will have a simpler formula as its base and some herbs added to add more specific effects. This way you can get a formula that fits just right with your current state.
The kidney tonic I take is called Jin Gui Shen Qi Wan/Golden Cabinet Supplement Kidney Pills. It is a variation on Six Flavor Rehmannia/Liu Wei Di Huang Wan, which is a famous tonic for people that tend to burn the candle on both ends and end up burned out, feeling hot, agitated, having trouble sleeping, sweating. It replenishes liver and kidney yin. Added to this formula are cinnamon bark and aconite, which act to warm the kidney yang and thus give more sexual drive and reduce symptoms of coldness, less mojo, and on the more subtle level it reinforces will power. For this reason it is sometimes called Ba Wei Di Huang Wan (Ba = 8) It also gets rid of that lingering feeling of anxiety/fear which can also be caused by the meds and/or the illness.
I have not noted any side effects to date. If you decide to try herbs, take them religiously for at least several days or even weeks to see significant effects. Do not think digitally--think analog, sine waves. You need to gradually induce changes in your system.
Salud,
Hombre
poster:Hombre
thread:948550
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20100703/msgs/954606.html