![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by loolot on September 29, 2003, at 21:19:00
My wellbutrin has been pooping out and now I am on cytomel as well, which is helping my energy, and my doc has prescribed adderall. I wondered if there is anything to try as far as supplements to either replace or enhance this stuff. I havent started adderall yet.
I am particularly wondering about yohimbe, tyrine (sp)
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on September 30, 2003, at 7:13:34
In reply to What supp.s can you recommend for more norep/dop , posted by loolot on September 29, 2003, at 21:19:00
DL-Phenylalanine (DLPA) is a wonderful supplement for this. It is very useful for depression and pain especially -- in the body, phenylalanine transforms partly into tyrosine (as well as phenethylamine, the endogenous brain chemical also known as the chocolate amphetamine). Tyrosine hydroxylizes into l-dopa, which becomes dopamine. Dopamine, in turn, becomes norepinephrine. While it may seem tyrosine would be more appropriate, IMHO, phenylalanine is many times more useful. D-phenylalanine actually causes release of endorphins within the brain, binding to opiate receptors. This explains its wonderful painkilling properties (which I personally can attest to). The l-phenylalanine is more of a stimulant it seems. Each isomer is available separately as well, but the DL form is far superior to either taken alone, I think. It should be taken on an empty stomach (500-1,000mg three times a day seems to be pretty common), and ideally should be supplemented with a B-complex vitamin, vitamin C, and vitamin B6. I wouldn't mess with yohimbine considering the detrimental effects it potentially could have.
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on September 30, 2003, at 9:22:41
In reply to Re: What supp.s can you recommend for more norep/dop » loolot, posted by Ame Sans Vie on September 30, 2003, at 7:13:34
D-Phenylalanine doesn't cause release of endorphins, it inhibits the enzyme that causes their degradation (like MAO inhibitors do to serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, etc.). Sorry about that... even though the DLPA is helping with my pain, I'm still in such a fatigued, weakened, painful state that I'm having a bit of trouble thinking.
Posted by DSCH on September 30, 2003, at 10:04:03
In reply to What supp.s can you recommend for more norep/dop , posted by loolot on September 29, 2003, at 21:19:00
Basically, I second what Ame Sans Vie wrote.
I've outlined what has been successful for me in this post...
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20030903/msgs/261032.htmlThanks for pointing me towards mind boosters, Ame Sans Vie. (well I think it was you!) :-)
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on September 30, 2003, at 13:42:13
In reply to Re: What supp.s can you recommend for more norep/dop , posted by DSCH on September 30, 2003, at 10:04:03
> Thanks for pointing me towards mind boosters, Ame Sans Vie. (well I think it was you!) :-)
Yep, 'twas me -- glad you got something out of it, I find it extremely useful. :-)
Posted by McPac on September 30, 2003, at 20:55:46
In reply to Re: Correction ^^^^^ » Ame Sans Vie, posted by Ame Sans Vie on September 30, 2003, at 9:22:41
"I'm still in such a fatigued, weakened, painful state that I'm having a bit of trouble thinking"
>>>>>>>>> Hope you feel better soon Amester! Best wishes to you!
Posted by loolot on September 30, 2003, at 23:57:21
In reply to Re: What supp.s can you recommend for more norep/dop » loolot, posted by Ame Sans Vie on September 30, 2003, at 7:13:34
Thanks so much Ame S V and others!
I hope you feel better, too. Do you have chronic fatigue syndrome?
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on October 1, 2003, at 1:02:01
In reply to Re: What supp.s can you recommend for more norep/d » Ame Sans Vie, posted by loolot on September 30, 2003, at 23:57:21
Thanks a bunch for the well-wishing. :-)
I have fibromyalgia actually, but of course the two often go hand-in-hand... I'm sure CFS isn't too far down the line. <sigh>
Today was so frustrating -- I saw my pain-management specialist for the first time last Monday. His office is in Houston, 80 miles away. I've been in horrible pain, hardly able to move (and I know this isn't normal for any 20 year old)... the doctor wouldn't even give me a small script for codeine. He wrote scripts for some MRIs and lab work, saying that once the results came back negative he'd start me on Duragesic 2.5....... am I crazy, or does that sound a bit drastic to you too? Cripes, whatever happened to good old morphine???. Anyway, the soonest I could schedule the tests is next Tuesday. Well that doesn't work out very well being that my next appointment with the pain doc is the day before. So I call to reschedule and the soonest he can see me is October 20. Three more weeks of this?!! I'm supposed to be moving, but how am I supposed to tackle the packing, the painting, the unpacking, the FURNITURE MOVING... ugh.
Instead of pull a Kurt Cobain right then and there as I *really* wanted to, I decided to try to find a GP who could see me sooner. After calling around for about an hour, I remembered a doctor I saw about two years ago who was very helpful with the fibro pain. And thank god, I have an appointment for tomorrow morning. Hoping for a little Roxicodone or Soma, though truthfully I could care less if she gives me Darvon... I'm desperate -- and yeah, I know it's weaker than aspirin, but I can't take OTC pain meds... better than nothing. :-)
Posted by loolot on October 1, 2003, at 10:48:48
In reply to Re: McPac and loolot » loolot, posted by Ame Sans Vie on October 1, 2003, at 1:02:01
Jeez, what a drag. If you are really on the verge of
a K Cobaine move, then you should get what you need from any source possible, legal or not. It sounds like you are desperate, and we would miss you here!!!
Is fibrom'a/CFS an autoimmune disorder?
I wonder if something like the new drip/injection for crohns, rhuematoid arthritis might help you. I think it may be called remacaid but I might be confusing that with something else.
Have you tried that?
I am so sorry about all of this.
Posted by Ame Sans Vie on October 1, 2003, at 12:45:43
In reply to Re: McPac and loolot » Ame Sans Vie, posted by loolot on October 1, 2003, at 10:48:48
Once again, thanks so much for caring about my well-being. :-) Things are just wonderful now though -- I saw that doctor and she prescribed Duragesic-50!! Jesus, I though I'd get oxycodone at the most, lol. But it's slowly kicking in (takes several hours to begin working, being a patch and all) and my god, what a relief.
As to the nature of fibromyalgia/CFS, no one can say for sure. Some doctors don't even believe they exist. Some theories that have been proposed involve substance P and inability to fall into the deep stages of sleep. The latter hypothesis seems quite likely, as Xyrem works wonderfully for fibromyalgia and it's a drug that greatly enhances the quality of sleep. Unfortunately I can't use it because Medicaid won't cover it for off-label purposes, but as soon as it's approved for fibro (they're about to start clinical trials) I'm surely going on it.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Alternative | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.