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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by NewQuestions on March 23, 2009, at 11:05:44
Toward the later half of my 12 years on SSRI's, I felt unbelieveable fatigue, exhaustion, lack of muscle energy and joint pain. Now that I am 4 months off of all antidepressants, I still feel the same way. Any suggestions?
Posted by Phillipa on March 23, 2009, at 12:51:46
In reply to Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy..., posted by NewQuestions on March 23, 2009, at 11:05:44
Oh darn thought you had the answer. So it wasn't the SSRI's. Maybe someone will know hope so Love Phillipa
Posted by desolationrower on March 24, 2009, at 1:23:28
In reply to Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy..., posted by NewQuestions on March 23, 2009, at 11:05:44
wellbutrin? SAMe? Creatine?
-d/r
Posted by Larry Hoover on March 24, 2009, at 4:56:35
In reply to Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy..., posted by NewQuestions on March 23, 2009, at 11:05:44
Here's a good background article on fatigue, mechanisms, and treatments. There's more to some of the things than what they say, but it's a good starting point. Why don't you have a read, and come on back and we can talk some specifics.
http://www.prohealth.com/library/showarticle.cfm?id=4535&t=CFIDS_FM
Lar
Posted by NewQuestions on March 24, 2009, at 8:45:09
In reply to Re: Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy... » NewQuestions, posted by Larry Hoover on March 24, 2009, at 4:56:35
Very interesting article. The problem is I am in SSRI/benzo withdrawal and thus HYPERSENSITIVE to almost all supplements. I can't tolerate small doses of magnesium, inostol, DHEA, choline, most B vitamins. I can tolerate Vitmain E. I am trying a very small dose of fish oil now. If I take a multi-vitamin in the morning, I feel naseous. I have not tried creatine, whey protein. I wonder if there is reason to think I won't be hypersensitive to these supplements...?
Posted by bleauberry on March 24, 2009, at 17:28:38
In reply to Re: Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy... » NewQuestions, posted by Larry Hoover on March 24, 2009, at 4:56:35
Excellent article, Larry.
After hanging out for a couple years at chelation forums where most people have diagnosed elevated levels of mercury and/or lead, mostly mercury from amalgams, I found it interesting that the very supplements most of these patients find critical and helpful are the very same ones mentioned in the article. Such as CoQ10 being a top one, as well as selenium and zinc. Vit C and E are common too, but results and tolerance more inconsistent. Alpha Lipoic Acid, while mentioned in the article as an anti-oxidant, is actually the powerhorse supplement that mobilizes brain mercury (if taken every 3 hours around the clock in respect of its halflife).
And of course a top symptom of everyone, 100%, with some kind of toxicity, is...fatigue.
But, the same goes for Lyme disease. Or even just plain ole garden variety depression. So I think the causes are in the multitudes, but perhaps the final effects at the cellular level are the same.
Anyway, I found it interesting the supplements that showed promise, since I am very familiar with their use in other forums where fatigue is a top symptom.
Posted by bleauberry on March 24, 2009, at 17:38:07
In reply to Re: Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy..., posted by NewQuestions on March 24, 2009, at 8:45:09
I can relate. I too am hypersensitive to many common vitamins and supplements. I'm not sure if E gives me a problem or not; C definitely makes me more fatigued; B vitamins are nasty, causing erratic plunges in mood, and weird things like tight sore calf muscles that is actually quite scary when it happens. B vitamins frighten me.
But I wanted to share with you, I can take selenium and zinc. They feel invisible at reasonable doses. The reason I mention it is because they were in the cocktail in that article that was shown successful. You might try low doses of them if you haven't already, one at a time of course.
As for other supplements, I think we hypersensitive ones have to start with miniscule doses. For example if a common starting dose for someone wanting to take Vit X is 25 units for a week and then up to 100 units after that, well, I think for you and me that means we need to take 5 units for an entire months before going up to maybe 10 units, and in fact we won't even reach everyone else's starting dose of 25 units for probably 3 months, if ever. We need to make biological changes very slowly in tiny steps.
Bottom line, if a supplement feels bad, we probably shouldn't take it. I think our body is trying to tell us something. Or if we take it at all, for whatever obvious health benefits, it probably needs to be in crumbs rather than units.
Anyway, give selenium, zinc, and CoQ10 a look.
> Very interesting article. The problem is I am in SSRI/benzo withdrawal and thus HYPERSENSITIVE to almost all supplements. I can't tolerate small doses of magnesium, inostol, DHEA, choline, most B vitamins. I can tolerate Vitmain E. I am trying a very small dose of fish oil now. If I take a multi-vitamin in the morning, I feel naseous. I have not tried creatine, whey protein. I wonder if there is reason to think I won't be hypersensitive to these supplements...?
Posted by NewQuestions on March 25, 2009, at 13:08:48
In reply to Re: Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy... » NewQuestions, posted by bleauberry on March 24, 2009, at 17:38:07
Have you always been hypersensitive or is it SSRI induced?
Posted by Zana on March 27, 2009, at 14:12:53
In reply to Re: Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy..., posted by NewQuestions on March 25, 2009, at 13:08:48
Really interesting article Larry.
I wonder if you shouldn't see your PCP and get some blood work done. You could be anemic, you could be having thyroid problems- lots of things that could be cured with the right diagnosis.
Zana
Posted by bleauberry on March 27, 2009, at 20:31:20
In reply to Re: Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy..., posted by NewQuestions on March 25, 2009, at 13:08:48
> Have you always been hypersensitive or is it SSRI induced?
I think I've always been a little more sensitive than average, but certainly not hypersensitive.
That is, until after 10 years of SSRIs. I cannot with certainty point the finger at SSRIs though, because the entire time I had unrecognized undiagnosed Lyme. So, which was it? Dunno. I suspect it was Lyme due to the way it causes such widespread multisystemic dysregulation throughout the body's chemistry. But certainly I believe there is enough anecdotal evidence from what we know and of reports here over the years that SSRI are definitely suspect.
Posted by Neal on March 28, 2009, at 1:35:46
In reply to Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy..., posted by NewQuestions on March 23, 2009, at 11:05:44
"I felt unbelieveable fatigue, exhaustion, lack of muscle energy and joint pain"
I assume you've had a doctor check you out? I had those symptoms minus the joint pain and it turned out that I had a repiriatory problem or asthma. Also heart problems come to mind.
Posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on March 28, 2009, at 6:10:31
In reply to Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy..., posted by NewQuestions on March 23, 2009, at 11:05:44
Maybe this is not a good idea, if you are hypersensitive. But have you tried wellbutrin? Maybe 12 years of SSRI's have downregulated your dopamine. Also it would be a good idea to take a real good look at your thyroid and free testosterone. SSRI's I believe can, espcially in men, downregulated dopamine, thyroid and testosterone. And see if you can't find a good CFS specialist, since they are familiar with conditions that do not fall under the normal criteria.
Posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on March 28, 2009, at 6:11:03
In reply to Re: Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy..., posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on March 28, 2009, at 6:10:31
Also check out
Posted by Optimist on April 6, 2009, at 18:16:37
In reply to Re: Cure for fatigue and lack of muscle energy..., posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on March 28, 2009, at 6:11:03
> Also check out
>
> http://www.mens-hormonal-health.com/That's my website. Thanks. :)
The best things I've found for increasing energy and joint pain is a low carb diet, and treating my resistant depression with Wellbutrin plus low dose Abilify.
I have chronic fatigue syndrome and cyclical depression (with atypical/energic symptoms). It's been a long road, but through trial and error I've found that's what works best for me. Your mileage may vary. :)
This is the end of the thread.
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