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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jpa on February 1, 2014, at 9:29:58
The only medication or supplement that works for my type of GAD is phenibute. I've literally tried every other type of medication...nearly 50 different drug trials over the last 20 years. I didn't know what it was for so long because the anxiety is not situational, but rather generalized. It's there all the time. My brain chemistry was altered in a traumatic incident and the change happened within 24 hours. It is very bad and all consuming and very debilitating.
Anyhow, phenibute is like magic when I take it, but I can't take it for more that 3 days straight without tolerance building and it losses its effectiveness. I contacted a family friend who is a university professor in neuro sciences and explained the situation to her. She had never heard of phenibute and neither had her colleagues.
She looked into it and told that downregulation of GABA(b) receptors was the reason for tolerance and provided me with some scientific articles on GABA down regulation. I deduced from the articles that the glutamate system interacts with GABA and that more glutamate resulted in downregulation of GABA(b) receptors. So I theorized that something that lowered glutamate levels, would perhaps prevent GABA receptor downregulation.
I researched and came up with two potential candidates: memantine and lyrica. I had tried lyrica in the past, but found it ineffective. So I had some lyrica which I had not finished lying around and started using it with a low dose of phenibute. I take 1 gram of phenibute before bed and 50mg of lyrica. At lunch I take another 50mg of lyrica and 500mg of picamilon. On this mix I experience near complete remission form my symptoms. I've been on this regimen for two weeks now and the phenibute has not lost its effectiveness.
Finally science is working for me. My doctor is great, but he really works as a consultant. I do the research and come up with potential avenues for treatment and he prescribes if he believes there is a potential for success. He's not up on the latest science or supplements like phenibute and picamilon. Fortunately, I have a good patient doctor relationship with him. I guess if you are trying to get better as a patient and do the research, the good doctors will work with you.
I'll post again in a week to let you know how its going. It's really too early to declare victory on this evil decease.
John
Posted by Twinleaf on February 1, 2014, at 12:36:41
In reply to phenibute augmentation for anxiety, posted by jpa on February 1, 2014, at 9:29:58
That is extremely interesting.
I was wondering whether you have tried psychotherapy. In particular, I was wondering whether the interpersonal-emotional dysregulation type of therapy described by Allan Schore would be helpful in addition to the medications. It might decrease the amount of medication needed.
Posted by phidippus on February 1, 2014, at 18:04:19
In reply to phenibute augmentation for anxiety, posted by jpa on February 1, 2014, at 9:29:58
> The only medication or supplement that works for my type of GAD is phenibute.
You'd probably respond to GHB too. Baclofen might also be useful to you.
Don't any of the GABA A agonists work for you? (Benzodiazapines)
>I've literally tried every other type of medication...
Gabitril? Riluzole? Acamprosate? Keppra? Topamax? Brillentix? Viibryd? Clomipramine?
>the anxiety is not situational, but rather generalized.
You have GAD.
>It is very bad and all consuming and very debilitating.
I feel you. I have OCD so bad it can be all consuming when I'm not treated with an serotogenic agent.
> Anyhow, phenibute is like magic when I take it, but I can't take it for more that 3 days straight without tolerance building and it losses its effectiveness.
That's strange. What is the nature of your injury?
Can you describe your anxiety? What thoughts do you have or is it just a feeling?
>I theorized that something that lowered glutamate levels, would perhaps prevent GABA receptor downregulation.Its a good working theory, but medications are tricky things.
>I take 1 gram of phenibute before bed and 50mg of lyrica.
That's a very small dose of Lyrica.
>On this mix I experience near complete remission form my symptoms.
What are your symptoms, exactly?
>I've been on this regimen for two weeks now and the phenibute has not lost its effectiveness.How do you know its the Phenibute?
>It's really too early to declare victory on this evil decease.
Do you suppplement your supplements with any CBT, DBT or ACT?
Eric
Posted by jpa on February 1, 2014, at 18:48:03
In reply to Re: phenibute augmentation for anxiety » jpa, posted by phidippus on February 1, 2014, at 18:04:19
Hey Eric,
The anxiety is more like a feeling rather than a thought. I see my doc next week and will ask to try memantine in the hope that it may work better than lyrica.
I've tried clomipramine many years ago. It was the first med I tried and it work very well for three years, but than I went off it thinking I was cured. Big mistake. I went back on it but it never worked again. What followed were about 15 years of drug trials until I tried phenibut last year.
Phenibut works, but I can't take it on a daily basis. Taking lyrica at the same time helps sustain the impact of phenibut, but its not perfect. I started to slip a little this afternoon and now I feel the anxiety coming back, but I don't want to take more phenibut because that can only lead to tolerance and addiction.
John
Posted by phidippus on February 2, 2014, at 17:01:17
In reply to Re: phenibute augmentation for anxiety » phidippus, posted by jpa on February 1, 2014, at 18:48:03
What antidepressants have you tried for the anxiety?
Serotogenic drugs provide the best relief from anxiety.
Eric
This is the end of the thread.
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