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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by TriedEveryMedication on August 20, 2022, at 13:13:11
I've had pretty serious GAD for about 4 years since trying to self-treat with psychedelics. I would be woken up by it around 4am and it was just crushing. Lexapro didn't help it, effexor didn't help it - the only thing that did was mirtazapine and I had a bad liver reaction to that.
After reading about the large effect size and high quality studies of "silexan" in psychiatrist Scott Alexander's blog [1], I gave it a try.
The normal dose of 80mg didn't do much, so I tried 160mg. My GAD was gone. It's been about 2 months and it is still working. I take 80mg now at night and I have almost no anxiety. Sometimes a little creeps through but it is manageable.
"silexan" is a particular preparation of lavender oil with a certain ratio of linalool and linalyl acetate and is available in the US in the brand Nature's Way "Calm Aid".
The proposed MOA is inhibition of calcium channels. Anyway, the two side effects I've noticed from it are unpleasant lavender burps and weight gain. I get strong carb cravings from it.
[1] https://astralcodexten.substack.com/p/lavenders-game-silexan-for-anxiety
Posted by Hugh on August 22, 2022, at 23:24:37
In reply to Silexan (lavender oil) has wiped out my GAD, posted by TriedEveryMedication on August 20, 2022, at 13:13:11
I hadn't heard of silexan. I've used lavender oil off and on for years for aromatherapy, and like it. Nice that it can be taken orally now.
Posted by Lamdage22 on August 23, 2022, at 13:18:58
In reply to Silexan (lavender oil) has wiped out my GAD, posted by TriedEveryMedication on August 20, 2022, at 13:13:11
Cool. Do you take other medications? Are any interactions with meds to be expected?
Posted by TriedEveryMedication on August 24, 2022, at 11:28:38
In reply to Re: Silexan (lavender oil) has wiped out my GAD, posted by Lamdage22 on August 23, 2022, at 13:18:58
> Cool. Do you take other medications? Are any interactions with meds to be expected?
100mg of pristiq and 1.25mg of asenapine for sleep
Posted by Lamdage22 on August 24, 2022, at 12:33:34
In reply to Re: Silexan (lavender oil) has wiped out my GAD » Lamdage22, posted by TriedEveryMedication on August 24, 2022, at 11:28:38
I ordered that stuff, thanks for sharing. The Silexan option in my central european country contains aluminium salts though. Thus I ordered Lavandula angustifolia, they call it "true lavender" here. I will share here what becomes of it.
How long did the higher dosage need to kick in?
Posted by PeterMartin on August 26, 2022, at 19:46:20
In reply to Re: Silexan (lavender oil) has wiped out my GAD, posted by Lamdage22 on August 24, 2022, at 12:33:34
So I looked into this and ended up buying some Nature's Way CalmAid off Amazon to give it a try.
It did seem to be very helpful for my post methylphenidate morning dose anxiety (oddly that's the only time of day I occasionally get anxiety from it). HOWEVER, the day after I felt kinda loopy....hypomanic, but racing thoughts about how everything makes sense etc etc.
I didn't link it to the Lavender, and ended up trying it again 2 days ago (this time only 1 pill instead of morning/evening as I did the first time), and I found myself spacey as heck again yesterday....but like teetering on "bad thoughts" (I know everything! There is no world, this is just my dream!).
So today as I'm kinda snapping out of that and back to being myself I queried reddit and found at least one mention of Lavender and mania here:
https://old.reddit.com/r/bipolar/comments/gmvt4q/how_to_induce_mania/fr68tnk/
Guy got downvoted, cause I'm sure it doesn't precipitate mania in MOST people, but I really do think it touches on some receptor that maybe can set me off. 5-HTC1a? I dunno...but yea not going to test it anymore.
I have odd reactions to most supplements, though, so not surprising. Heartburn was the other prob I had (delayed - happened 12-24hrs after seemingly).
Glad it's working for you though, most reviews/anecdotes I read on it are extremely "OMG this really works!", and I did find it killed anxiety....
Posted by Lamdage22 on August 27, 2022, at 12:34:13
In reply to Re: Silexan (lavender oil) has wiped out my GAD, posted by PeterMartin on August 26, 2022, at 19:46:20
How long did it take to kick in? I really need some anxiety relief.
Posted by TriedEveryMedication on August 27, 2022, at 13:02:14
In reply to Re: Silexan (lavender oil) has wiped out my GAD, posted by Lamdage22 on August 24, 2022, at 12:33:34
> I ordered that stuff, thanks for sharing. The Silexan option in my central european country contains aluminium salts though. Thus I ordered Lavandula angustifolia, they call it "true lavender" here. I will share here what becomes of it.
>
> How long did the higher dosage need to kick in?For me, 160mg worked within 30 minutes
Posted by Lamdage22 on August 28, 2022, at 2:49:48
In reply to Re: Silexan (lavender oil) has wiped out my GAD » Lamdage22, posted by TriedEveryMedication on August 27, 2022, at 13:02:14
I had a buzz yesterday from 60mg. I could definitely see how this is calming. But I haven't reached my conclusion yet. I want to see how it works in an anxiety provoking situation.
Posted by Lamdage22 on September 4, 2022, at 11:27:31
In reply to Re: Silexan (lavender oil) has wiped out my GAD, posted by Lamdage22 on August 28, 2022, at 2:49:48
Posted by PeterMartin on September 12, 2022, at 13:14:04
In reply to Do you take 160 lavender at once? (nm), posted by Lamdage22 on September 4, 2022, at 11:27:31
Any updates from people still trying this? I could use the anti-anxiety help, but I'm still not convinced it doesn't make me a bit loopy.
Posted by Lamdage22 on September 20, 2022, at 6:16:45
In reply to Re: Do you take 160 lavender at once?, posted by PeterMartin on September 12, 2022, at 13:14:04
> Any updates from people still trying this? I could use the anti-anxiety help, but I'm still not convinced it doesn't make me a bit loopy.
It may act like female hormones. I am not too thrilled about that. Manboob danger. It makes me loopy, too, but not in an unpleasant way.
Posted by undopaminergic on September 20, 2022, at 12:16:42
In reply to Re: Do you take 160 lavender at once?, posted by Lamdage22 on September 20, 2022, at 6:16:45
> > Any updates from people still trying this? I could use the anti-anxiety help, but I'm still not convinced it doesn't make me a bit loopy.
>
> It may act like female hormones. I am not too thrilled about that. Manboob danger. It makes me loopy, too, but not in an unpleasant way.
>Estrogen receptor ER-alpha agonists can give you real boobs (gynecomastia) that produce milk (especially if you also have high prolactin), as well as a female fat distribution (less fat around the waist, more on the buttocks, etc.). ER-beta receptors have other, often opposite, effects. I think phytoestrogens (plant-derived) are mostly ER-beta agonists.
-undopaminergic
Posted by Lamdage22 on September 21, 2022, at 3:26:04
In reply to Re: Do you take 160 lavender at once?, posted by undopaminergic on September 20, 2022, at 12:16:42
Im not sure they are phytoestrogens. https://www.endocrine.org/news-and-advocacy/news-room/2018/chemicals-in-lavender-and-tea-tree-oil-appear-to-be-hormone-disruptors
Id rather be anxious without boobs than relaxed with boobs.
Posted by undopaminergic on September 21, 2022, at 8:15:31
In reply to Re: Do you take 160 lavender at once?, posted by Lamdage22 on September 21, 2022, at 3:26:04
> Im not sure they are phytoestrogens. https://www.endocrine.org/news-and-advocacy/news-room/2018/chemicals-in-lavender-and-tea-tree-oil-appear-to-be-hormone-disruptors
>
> Id rather be anxious without boobs than relaxed with boobs.I think you'd notice swelling long before there is any permanent breast tissue growth.
-undopaminergic
Posted by Lamdage22 on September 21, 2022, at 14:47:44
In reply to Re: Do you take 160 lavender at once?, posted by undopaminergic on September 21, 2022, at 8:15:31
I do notice fat accumulation. Not good. Wether due to Lavender or not.
Posted by TriedEveryMedication on December 21, 2022, at 15:15:36
In reply to Do you take 160 lavender at once? (nm), posted by Lamdage22 on September 4, 2022, at 11:27:31
yeah, I was taking 2x 80mg in the morning and at night.
taking a break from it since my anxiety has calmed down some
This is the end of the thread.
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