tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37087031581434530672024-03-12T20:07:24.498-04:00My Truehope RecoveryThis is my experience with Truehope's Empowerplus micronutrient supplement for mental health. I am diagnosed as Bipolar II, with my predominant problem being depression. With Truehope I expect to live drug-free, and to thrive!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-30954751462022738552012-06-22T10:52:00.000-04:002012-06-22T10:52:01.816-04:00Three Years and Going StrongAn anonymous person left a question on another post today, asking if I've gone back on the drugs. LMAO. No indeed!!!!<br />
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I am over three years on the program now, and feeling better than ever, thank you. Plus, I am completely convinced that <b>nobody</b> should ever be on those drugs, except in a temporary, emergency situation. I don't think mental illness is a problem of the brain at all. The brain is the innocent bystander that is affected by a problem in the body. It is a chemical imbalance<b> of the body</b>, and the problems with neurotransmitters that everyone worries about are side effects. Treating the neurotransmitters without treating the root cause of the problem is just plain dumb.<br />
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I strongly believe that a diagnosis of mental illness should immediately be followed by a battery of blood tests to find the real root of the problem. It's not in your brain!<br />
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But as for me, I am still taking 10 Empowerplus per day, reliably every day. I also take:<br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">3 g of Omega3</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Kelp (iodine), 600-1000 mg as needed for my thyroid</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://www.lef.org/">Life Extension's</a> Arthromax (which is a great product for joint pain)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Life Extension's gamma tocopherol (a more complete vitamin E)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">New Chapter's Holy Basil ( just one in the morning)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Udo's digestive enzymes with large meals</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">A good probiotic</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1000 mg of pure tryptophan (also from Life Extension) to manage the occasional protracted withdrawal symptoms that I still have</span></li>
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And that's all! <a href="http://mytruehoperecovery.blogspot.ca/2012/03/antioxidants-and-autoimmune-disease.html" target="_blank">Since I eliminated all the extra antioxidants</a> I've felt much better. My IBS is long gone. I still have reflux, which I manage with Zantac and Tums, and I take Reactine (Zyrtec in the US) for my allergies.</div>
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<b><i>I don't have any prescription meds at all!</i></b></div>
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Plus, I have good mental habits now. I meditate every day, and I am careful about situations that may destabilize me. I don't listen to depressing music or watch pessimistic movies or tv. I still don't read fiction. <span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;"> I don't have a regular job, I have just been out of the workplace too long (over 10 years) to go back. </span><span style="background-color: white;">I </span><b style="background-color: white;">have</b><span style="background-color: white;"> given full reign to my creative side, and I do some form of creative activity every day, designing and making things. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I sleep regular hours. Every morning I get out of bed looking forward to my day, and almost every night I go to bed satisfied with my accomplishments. Distractions happen, but they don't pull me off track for long.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Life is really good, and I am so glad I took the chance with the Truehope program. Depression and anxiety are just things I never think about any more. You can do it too! If Empowerplus doesn't help you, some other nutritional regimen will. I think copper imbalances are more common than most doctors think, for one thing. But drugs are never the right answer!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-32182276286710764492012-03-18T13:21:00.000-04:002012-03-18T13:21:17.443-04:00Antioxidants and Autoimmune DiseaseAlthough I said last year that I was not going to post here anymore, I recently uncovered another piece of the puzzle that is so important that I need to share it.<br />
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It seems clear now that a significant contributor to my bipolar symptoms has been Hashimoto's Disease, which is an autoimmune disease of the thyroid. In the past year, although my mood has been almost uniformly excellent, my allergies have been getting worse and worse and worse. Last summer I couldn't go outside, because I had developed all kinds of new reactions to various plants that never bothered me before. Recently I began to think that my autoimmune disease and my allergies were all related.<br />
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It seemed like my immune system was working way too hard, and overreacting to the slightest thing. So I went on the internet to see what I could find on the subject. What I found is new research that suggests that free radicals (ROS) can actually reduce the autoimmune response, and that excessive use of antioxidants can overstimulate the immune system. I can't find the exact article I read, but <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1471490609000611">this one</a> is on the same track.<br />
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For over a year now I've been adding the powerful antioxidant supplements resveratrol and green tea extract to my daily routine. I don't always eat the healthiest diet, so it seemed like a good idea. Apparently not! After I read the article about antioxidants online, I discontinued them both. I actually went through withdrawal! But now, I am feeling way better, and best of all, my allergies are greatly reduced (although not completely eliminated).<br />
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For me, the final proof happened a few days ago, when I made myself a berry smoothie for the first time this spring. My recipe is just one cup of frozen mixed berries, half a cup of plain yogurt, a dash of honey and some filtered water, well pureed. Tastes amazing! But the next day I felt completely wrecked, which is a feeling I now recognize as a super slow thyroid. Given that I had made no other changes in the past couple days, I realized that the antioxidants in the smoothie had "juiced up" my immune system, which slowed down my thyroid. Fortunately, it was just temporary! Lesson learned.<br />
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Truehope Support suggests adding a quercetin supplement, another strong antioxidant, to help with your allergies. I now think that if your situation involves an autoimmune response, this is bad advice. The best advice is still to listen to your own body, and find for yourself what feels best to you.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-69800479711146137022011-05-31T20:14:00.000-04:002011-05-31T20:14:23.221-04:00Learning to Sleep NaturallyThis is a topic I've learned a lot about during my recovery. Learning to fall asleep without prescriptions or herbal remedies is one of the best things you can do to help yourself. You can wean yourself off them, and the result will be much better feeling mornings! <br />
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Bipolar specifically is a disorder of speed. I think of it as like a computer that is either going too fast or too slow for it's design. When you can't sleep it's because things are going too fast. So the entire goal is to <em>slow down</em>. My sleep process has 4 steps and takes about an hour:<br />
<ol><li>Make notes</li>
<li>Slow down physically</li>
<li>Slow down mentally</li>
<li>Set intentions for sleep</li>
</ol>But before you even get to the 4 steps, you should start planning for sleep at least an hour before. Turn off the tv and the computer well before bedtime. If you're listening to music choose something relaxing. Make your bed environment as nice as possible. These things seem obvious, but they all help signal yourself that you are serious about sleeping well. Now, here are the details on the steps:<br />
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<strong>1. Make Notes</strong><br />
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So often I used to lie down for sleep, and then find myself thinking about all the things I have to do tomorrow. Now I write them all down before I turn off the light. Keep a notepad by your bed for this purpose. If you think of more things after you lie down, it is best to turn the light back on and write them down right away. Trust me, this will get you to sleep sooner. If you try to "just remember" them, you spend so much effort "remembering" that it delays your sleep. When you write it all down, it helps clear your mind.<br />
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<strong>2. Slow Down Physically</strong><br />
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Get in bed and turn the lights very low. State your intention: "I intend to slow down my body and prepare for sleep." This keeps you focused. Relax. There a lot of different relaxation routines out there. Sex, by the way, is NOT recommended for insomniacs at bedtime, although earlier in the day or evening I think it IS helpful. I have my Level 1 Reiki certification, and I will often do 20 minutes of Reiki on myself at this point. Or, here is a really good relaxation routine I learned from tv many years ago:<br />
<ul><li>Imagine that your left arm is very heavy. Say to yourself 3 times "my left arm is heavy." Feel your arm sinking into the bed.</li>
<li>Imagine that your right arm is very heavy. Say to yourself 3 times "my right arm is heavy." Feel your arm sinking into the bed.</li>
<li>Now apply the same routine to <em>both</em> arms at the same time.</li>
<li>Do both legs.</li>
<li>Arms and legs all together.</li>
<li>Now, imagine that your arms and legs are warm. Say to yourself 3 times "my arms and legs are warm." Feel how warm and heavy they are.</li>
<li>Imagine that your whole torso is warm, repeating the words 3 times.</li>
<li>Feel your heart beating. Say to yourself "my heart is slow," 3 times. Feel your heart slowing down.</li>
<li>Focus on your forehead and feel that it is light and cool. "My forehead is cool," 3 times.</li>
<li>Finally, feel how much more relaxed you are. Say "I am at peace," 3 times.</li>
</ul>Sometimes I skip ahead to Step 4 at this point, I am so ready to sleep. But, I am more likely to stay asleep and sleep better if I can do Step 3.<br />
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<strong>3. Slow Down Mentally</strong><br />
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For me, this is the most important step. If I feel off the next morning, it is usually because I skipped this step. If you have trouble staying asleep, this is the most important step for you too. Basically, it is a form of meditation, where the entire focus is on interrupting the cycle of internal chatter.<br />
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Many people feel they are bad meditators because they cannot stop their thoughts. The benefit of meditation is from the effort, not the result. As long as you keep trying, you are benefiting.<br />
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A meditation timer is a very, very helpful thing. You don't want to be constantly wondering what time it is. I have the Enso meditation timer, which I LOVE. The best thing about it is that it has a choice of chimes, and you can set the volume pretty low, so you are not jolted out of your meditation by a shrill chime. It is a little expensive, though, and most smart phones can download a timer app. A digital kitchen timer or yoga timer will also work. Don't use anything that ticks!<br />
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So, you are already lying relaxed in bed with the lights low. Set your timer. I generally do 20 minutes, but if you are a beginner meditator I would start with 5 or 10 minutes. State your intention: "I intend to slow down my mind and prepare for sleep." <br />
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Choose a point of focus. The most common one is your breath, which is a good one for many people. I often have sinus issues, though, which makes focusing on my breath a little stressful, which is undesireable. So I will focus on the sound of the furnace or fan. Find something neutral and stick with it. I will use the breath for the rest of this discussion, but you use what works best for you.<br />
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Feel your breath going in and out of your nose. Focus on the sensations, cool air in, warm air out. Think only about how the air feels going in and out. As soon as you find yourself thinking about something else, stop, and refocus on your breath. Don't beat yourself up, don't wonder why you started thinking about that, just stop, and refocus. Keep doing that for the entire time. Seems simple, right?<br />
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What this does, is that it breaks the cycle of all your worries and internal chatter that you are carrying from your day. Tell yourself that during the meditation time there is nothing as important to think about as your breath. You have already written down everything you need to do tomorrow, so you don't have to think about that. You are just going to think about your breath. That is the only important thing right now.<br />
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Sometimes I fall asleep before the timer goes off. That's ok. If you are still going when the timer chimes, you will notice that your thoughts are coming much slower now, and any sense of urgency is gone.<br />
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<strong>4. Set Intentions for Sleep</strong><br />
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Turn off any lights, and get into your most comfortable sleep position. If you are really sleepy now, jump ahead to stating your intentions. If you are just feeling mellow, take a minute to appreciate how relaxed you are, and how comfy your bed is. The sheets are nice, the pillow is nice, etc. Keep your attention close, don't go off on a tangent about washing your curtains or organizing your closet. Stay focused.<br />
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State your intentions. I always cover all the bases: "I intend to fall asleep quickly and easily, to sleep deeply and well, to have pleasant dreams, and to awaken refreshed and ready to go!" I am almost always asleep within 5, sometimes 10 minutes of stating my intention to sleep. <br />
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On the rare occasions when I am really wired, I find it is best to get up, turn the light on, and do something constructive. Usually I will plan something, a project or an activity that has lots of steps, and write it all down. If something is bugging me I will try to write down what it is and get to the core of the problem. If I am awake late at night it is usually because I am a little hypomanic, and I know that I need less sleep at those times, so I don't worry about it. <strong>It is very important not to worry</strong>. If you are finding yourself worrying about anything, be clear with yourself that it is not important right now and you can think about it during the day if necessary. Sometimes I repeat the meditation step, or restate my sleep intentions, and then I will sleep.<br />
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The longer you stick with this routine, the easier it gets, and you and your body learn what it takes to fall asleep and sleep well. Don't expect miracles! If you normally fall asleep around 3 am, don't expect to be asleep by 11. Time your routine to end at about 2:45 am, and each night make it earlier by 15-30 minutes, depending on how it goes. You want to build a habit of success. A little bit of variation is natural, depending on your activity during the day. But stick with it, and pay attention to how much better you are feeling in the morning. That is the reinforcement that keeps you motivated. Sweet dreams!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-9340402688352335812011-05-09T23:08:00.000-04:002011-05-09T23:08:36.942-04:00To Your Good HealthIt may not have been clear in a few vague allusions I've made here and there throughout this blog, but I am a firm believer in the Law of Attraction. I believe that what we predominantly think about and talk about becomes our experience. It has become clear that as long as I am writing about my health I am going to have things to write about. And that is not really what I want.<br />
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My two-year anniversary on Empowerplus will be on May 19. At first I was going to set this post to publish then, but I realized I am ready to let it go now. Empowerplus has been a huge success for me. Probably a lifesaver. I will continue to take it as maintenance, but I have to say that the process of recovery is complete. It's time to focus on something other than my health.<br />
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So, I'd like to end with a toast, of pure water if you like, "to your good health, and may the road you are on, take you to where you want to be." Cheers!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-8006268309650074362011-05-05T21:46:00.000-04:002011-05-05T21:49:31.864-04:00Getting Back to NormalToday I am cautiously optimistic. Even though my back was slow to heal, April was a pretty good month. I managed a two day sewing class, I did some major spring cleaning, things are looking good. I am even managing one cup of coffee a day!<br />
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I have had a few days of protracted withdrawal symptoms, with all this physical work, and also still with PMS. My biggest protracted withdrawal symptom has been fatigue, where I have been dragging all day, and sleeping a couple of extra hours at night, with those good old colourful Risperdal dreams. The drug-induced dreams really have an entirely different character than my usual dreams. They are much clearer and really interesting, almost compelling. But I hate sleeping in now, and being groggy in the morning. I also notice that when the drug is active in my bloodstream my decision-making ability goes out the window. People will ask me a simple question and I just dither, which fortunately is NOT the norm for me any more. But you know, it's just a few days a month now.<br />
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I have big plans for May, starting with cooking a family dinner for Mother's Day this weekend. This will be the first time in a very long time that I have made the whole kit and kaboodle entirely by myself! I used to enjoy cooking and entertaining, so this is another milestone in my recovery.<br />
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Plus, I am planning some redecorating this month. I've had new fabric for curtains stored away in the basement for at least 3 years now. This is the month they get done! Check with me in June to see if I managed it! I also want to move around some furniture and rethink some of my storage.<br />
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I want to get the heavy lifting done this month, because I know that once the hot weather sets in I won't have the energy. It will be nice to just sit back and enjoy the fruits of my labour!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-27129572085603022002011-04-01T18:56:00.000-04:002011-04-01T18:56:44.447-04:00Yay, April!Well, I have to say that I am very happy to see April roll around again. Traditionally, April and May are very good months for me. Traditionally, November and March are my bad months. I suppose the best thing would be to just feel good all the time and not rely on seasonal changes. But you know, the seasons change in the outside world, so maybe it doesn't make sense to resist the internal changes.<br />
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My personal story these days is all about releasing resistance. I'm trying to accept and accomodate things more. This is a hard-won place of peace, because I have been sick pretty much continually since the beginning of February, with one thing after another, culminating in a major back injury three weeks ago. A <em>self-inflicted</em> back injury. An injury that resulted from not accepting my body the way it is. So, lesson learned!<br />
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It is interesting that even though my mood didn't suffer this March, I still ended up being sick. Over a year ago already I started to wonder if, with my mental health under control, I would still find some other way to be sick. I know it smacks of a self-fulfilling prophecy, but that has pretty much turned out to be true. I have been sick so long that it is hard to even imagine myself being completely healthy.<br />
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But, I know that's what I have to do. Imagine it, feel it, believe it. It certainly is a relief to know that my mood is stable now, even with an agonizing back injury and loads of painkillers. I can build from there.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-58006090138947682172011-03-31T10:44:00.000-04:002011-03-31T10:52:48.879-04:00Negative ThoughtsMany people have heard philosopher Rene Descartes' famous line, "I think, therefore I am." Experienced meditators know there is more to the story. We <em>are</em>, even when we stop thinking. <em>We</em> are not our thoughts.<br />
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Thoughts are only as important as we allow them to be. We choose which thoughts to make important by our attention to them. Some thoughts feel better than others. If a thought feels bad to you, then it is not your personal truth. Negative thoughts feel bad <em>because</em> they are discordant from your higher truth.<br />
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Cognitive Behavourial Therapy (CBT) is an excellent way to learn to catch negative thoughts that don't serve you, and replace them with better-feeling thoughts. The first (and maybe the biggest) step is to <em>notice</em> your negative thought. When I first read David Burns' book <em>Feeling Good</em>, I had a tendency to fall all the way down to suicidal thoughts before I realized that my thinking was negative and unhelpful. I did that a few times before I started being able to catch the negative spiral as it began. It is all about practice. Practice, practice, practice. <br />
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You are not your thoughts, but your thoughts do affect you and your health. The key is to remember that you are not at the mercy of your thoughts. You can start by not taking them so seriously, and progress to challenging them and then changing them. There is always more than one way to look at something, and usually our negative thoughts are not in fact <em>true</em>.<br />
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For me, I found that a useful attitude towards my negative thoughts was scorn. I was scornful of my negative thoughts, because I knew that they were unhelpful and not really who I am. Nowadays I do not have to be so heavy handed with them, and I generally chuckle when one comes up.<br />
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There are many ways to approach changing your thoughts. David Burns' book <em>Feeling Good</em> is the classic book on CBT, and takes a very rational and formalized approach. A similar but pared down approach is taken by Byron Katie with her process <em>The Work</em>. Abraham-Hicks also offer a variety of ways to change your thoughts that are more based on your feelings. I still think <em>Ask and It Is Given</em> is a good book to start with on their materials.<br />
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You are not at the mercy of your thoughts. You can start to change them right now.<br />
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<u>Related Post:</u><br />
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<a href="http://mytruehoperecovery.blogspot.com/2010/05/cognitive-behavioural-therapy.html">Cognitive Behavioural Therapy</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-13795217468515026152011-02-27T17:20:00.000-05:002011-02-27T17:20:31.155-05:00Before and AfterWell, emotionally I am back on an even keel, even though physically I am still lagging. I have a rotten cold, but my mood is actually pretty good despite it all. Once again, it was cleaning up my diet and increasing my Empowerplus that did the trick. I just have no appetite these days, and it is challenging to remember to take the full dose of Empowerplus one at a time throughout the day.<br />
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But, I <em>can</em> remember. Since my last post I've noticed a few things that are different between now and when I was on meds. Remembering is one thing that is massively improved. I never really lost any memory of the significant things, but I had a heck of a time remembering what I had done that day - what I'd eaten, whether I'd taken my prescriptions, etc. I used to keep notepads to write everything down, and even that was hit and miss, because sometimes I forgot to write it down, or I'd see a big gap and wonder if I'd really missed a dose or just forgotten to record it. But now the notepads are gone, and I easily remember every detail! So that is one huge improvement over meds.<br />
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The second big thing is the expression on my face. On the message boards we've discussed how the meds relax certain muscles in your face, so that you <em>look</em> stoned as well as actually being drugged out of your mind. My driver's licence photo was black and white proof of that - I looked absolutely dreadful. I recently received my renewal in the mail, and it was time for a new photo. I went to get it taken that day. I was a little worried about the new photo while waiting for it to come in the mail, but it was worth the wait. Although these photos are designed to be unflattering, it really looked like a completely different person in the new one! It was like my whole face was lifted, my eyes were open, I looked alive instead of mostly dead. Which let's face it, I pretty much was back then.<br />
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The third thing to change for the better is my handwriting. I had a bit of a tremor when I was on meds, and it was hard to write. Now I enjoy writing and I think my handwriting is quite elegant. A recent Reader's Digest had an article on handwriting analysis, and one of the things they said really struck me. They said that people whose handwriting changes frequently are moody. I remember when I was in college my notes would look completely different from one week to the next. That would have been 15 years before I was diagnosed bipolar, but obviously the signs were there to see! I am relieved now to see that my handwriting has been consistent through the past year, it is like independent proof that I am healed!<br />
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Now, if only my cold would go away I'd be golden!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-20547835816396902912011-02-15T16:30:00.000-05:002011-02-15T16:30:40.655-05:00Feeling RattyCertainly I <em>hoped</em> that it would be all good news from here on in, but for over two weeks now I've been in a funk that I just can't seem to shake. <br />
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What's going on? Well, it started with regular PMS, and somehow things have gotten out of balance. It may be that I haven't been eating properly. It felt like I was fighting a cold at one point too. For a few days my appetite was way down, so I wasn't able to take all my Empowerplus each day.<br />
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Now it seems really hard to get back on track. The biggest issue is my motivation, which seems to have evaporated. The past day or so it's been a little better, but for over a week now all I've been doing is watching tv. Not a good sign. When I do manage to start a little sewing or something, it's not holding my interest. Also not a good sign.<br />
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For a couple of days there I even was having some vague unspecified anxiety, but thankfully that seems to have cleared up now. I did have the feeling that I turned the corner yesterday, but today has not gone as well as I hoped.<br />
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The problem with my low appetite is that if I don't take my Empowerplus with a full meal I get quite nauseous, even after all this time on it. But, fortunately, I have discovered that if I take just one at a time, at one to two hour intervals, I can avoid the nausea even with very little food. So I have been doing that and I think it is helping.<br />
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I also have been experimenting with some higher tyramine foods. You may recall that I started a low tyramine diet <a href="http://mytruehoperecovery.blogspot.com/2010/11/low-tyramine-diet.html">back in the fall</a>. A few weeks ago I was getting really bored with the same food all the time, and I guess I was feeling cocky. I don't know what drives us to always test our limits. The result has been that now I don't know what foods are ok and what foods are bad, because it doesn't seem as clear cut as it did last fall. So that is stressful too, when you are afraid to eat and afraid not to eat.<br />
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The solution will be to pare it right down again. To embrace boring. I'm hoping in a week or so I'll be back to report that things have normalized again. But right now it's pretty annoying.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-10705332457300126272011-01-30T15:45:00.000-05:002011-01-30T15:45:49.829-05:00Life is AwesomeWell, I guess I'm not ready to give up on blogging just yet, lol. Looking over the Truehope message board, it occured to me that people write about their problems, problems, problems, and then they get better and you never hear from them again. I thought it might be helpful to keep track of the successes too. I know sometimes it is irritating to see people doing well when you are feeling poorly, but maybe it will give some readers hope as well. And maybe a realistic idea of what normal looks like.<br />
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I am feeling really good today. Since last spring when I started being more active I have had muscle pain in some body part pretty much every day. It has been irritating me, because it seemed like evidence of what poor condition my body is in. Today, with yet another new sore muscle, I realized that really it is evidence that my body is waking up. This thought feels so much better! Now suddenly I am <em>welcoming</em> each new ache as a new body part comes back online. Excellent!<br />
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I am also feeling good because I really seem to be hitting my stride with productivity in my crafts. At the new year I made a small plan/goal to do hand sewing in the morning, machine sewing in the afternoon, and knitting in the evening. I was finding that if I spend more than an hour or so on the internet, and more than 2 hours watching tv, I feel off when I go to bed. I feel frustrated, like my day was wasted. Most days I feel pretty good if I manage 2 out of the 3, but the past couple of days I have been 3 for 3, and it makes a big difference. I also find that the later in the day that I turn on the computer, the better my day goes, lol.<br />
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Ok, time to switch off, now. Things to do!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-83400358276255062252011-01-05T11:47:00.000-05:002011-01-05T11:54:01.696-05:00RecoveredI was thinking last night that it is time to draw a line in the sand and say that I am pretty much done here. Everything is looking good, and I think it is more accurate to say now that I am recovered, rather than in recovery. Here's a quick rundown of where I stand on the various issues.<br />
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<strong>Mood</strong><br />
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These days I am happy and satisfied for most of the day, every day. My various craft projects give me a great deal of enjoyment, and I will probably be starting a craft-based business down the road. There is definitely a positive feedback loop that goes on with my crafts. If I'm feeling good then I want to make something, and if I make something then I feel good. I definitely remember though, how it was when I was depressed, when <em>nothing</em> gave me any enjoyment. So I am not suggesting that knitting is the ticket to happiness, or anything. But I do think that if you can find something to appreciate, however rare or small, and then keep looking for more, it is the ticket to start spiralling up instead of down.<br />
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<strong>Motivation</strong><br />
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This is probably where I've made the most progress since my one year anniversary post. These days I enjoy being busy and working on various projects throughout the day. Things that used to seem challenging are now easy to take on. It is not the same as the frenetic drive to keep going that I had with hypomania, everything is easy and balanced. Really, the improvement in this category has been massive. But it came late, well after the one year mark.<br />
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<strong>Protracted Withdrawal</strong><br />
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These days, there are only 3 or 4 days a month when protracted withdrawal is at all an issue. I take one 500 mg capsule of tryptophan every morning to start off the day right, and if I am very active I will take 1 or 2 more during the day. This keeps my symptoms at zero, except for the two to three days before my period, which is when I still may get some breakthrough symptoms. The symptoms I get are usually headache or neck and shoulder pain, and sometimes fatigue. Sometimes also I get very hungry, which is a sure sign that the drugs are back in my bloodstream. An extra tryptophan takes care of that.<br />
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<strong>Sleep</strong><br />
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I can say now that my sleep pattern is completely normal. My alarm is set for 8:30 am, and most days I am awake before it, even in the winter. I have a long relaxation/meditation routine in the evening, so I spend 60-90 minutes unwinding and preparing for sleep, but when I decide to go to sleep I am asleep within 5 minutes. I sleep well and I am never tired in the morning.<br />
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<strong>Fitness</strong><br />
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I have not yet started to exercise just for the sake of fitness, but I am gradually being capable of more and more activity during the day. If there is one area with the most room for improvement, this is probably it. But, it doesn't worry me, I am able to do everything I want to do now, and if I want to do more in the future, I'm sure I'll be able to build up to it.<br />
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<strong>Appetite</strong><br />
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Except for a day or two a month when the protracted withdrawal makes me hungry, I would say that my appetite is back to normal as well. I'm not plagued by cravings any more, and I enjoy a pretty balanced and light diet. What I am noticing is that I am not thinking about food all the time, I think I have a much healthier relationship with it. I can eat an apple without wishing I was eating chocolate cake instead. I enjoy my food.<br />
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This fall I promised myself that I would stop weighing myself, so I don't know exactly what I weigh any more. My clothes still fit though, so I don't think there has been much variation. People tell me I look slimmer, but I think what they are really seeing is that I am much happier, so I look better.<br />
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<strong>Empowerplus Dosage</strong><br />
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As I mentioned recently, I am taking 10 capsules a day now. Because the Empowerplus somehow gives me thyroid support as well as mood support, that seems to be the right level for me. It may be that in the spring, which is traditionally a more "up" period for me, I may need less.<br />
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I think I will be taking a break from posting here for a while. If anything really interesting happens I will be back, but for now, I'd much rather be writing about my crafts than my health. I will respond to comments, and I am still on the Truehope message boards most days. I wish everyone the best in their own journeys to recovery and health!<br />
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<strong>Links:</strong><br />
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<a href="http://mytruehoperecovery.blogspot.com/2009/06/no-more-whining.html">Where it all began</a><br />
<a href="http://mytruehoperecovery.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html">One year anniversary</a><br />
<a href="http://www.truehope.com/default.aspx">Truehope's website</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-4855920706534488222010-12-23T13:30:00.000-05:002010-12-23T13:30:54.866-05:00Happy HolidaysHappy holidays to everyone who celebrates a holiday at this time of year! The countdown is on for me. We open our presents on Christmas Eve, tomorrow night, and I have nothing wrapped and work still to do on two gifts. I threw my back out five days ago, which has really made things challenging. It is healing very slowly, probably because I am using it too much. But you know, back injuries are really a catch-22, they need some activity but not too much, it is hard to get the right mix. Last year I wrapped my presents about 3 hours before we opened them, and I think it will be much the same this year.<br />
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I have eliminated the tiredness I mentioned in the last post. In the early fall I cut back to a maintenance dose of 8 Empowerplus capsules per day. Any more was feeling like too much. When I realized in November that my thyroid was probably getting slow, I tried raising my dose to 10. It worked like a charm! I felt good again. Before my period I still had the sluggishness return, and raising my dose to 12 for a few days helped with that. I will stay at 10 to 12 over the winter, it may be that my thyroid or some other system needs more then.<br />
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My activity level is so improved, even compared to last spring, that I have to remind myself to take stock every once in a while. Things like laundry, which used to be an exhausting two day enterprise, are now just background activity while I am busy with something else. Things that used to seem overwhelming I now do without a second thought. When I wrote my <a href="http://mytruehoperecovery.blogspot.com/2010/05/one-year-anniversary.html">one year anniversary post</a>, I wasn't sure if the improvements would continue. They are, and I can't wait to see where I will be in five years! It is a complete change from the slow road to nowhere that I was on with meds.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-62051752440043280682010-11-30T14:16:00.000-05:002011-02-15T16:38:34.605-05:00Routing DepressionReaders of my last post may have noticed a grumpy tone in my writing. I would say that for 2 or 3 days around then I would have qualified as clinically depressed. I kept catching myself in typical depressed thoughts, which I haven't had since my last few days of depression in March. I would give you an example, but fortunately I've forgotton them now! My Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) practice soon fixed that, however. As soon as I became aware of what was going on, I was able to stop it without any real effort at all. That is the great thing about CBT, once you have practiced it and seen how inaccurate those depressed thoughts are, then it is easy to clear them up when they come back.<br />
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Why was I depressed at all? Well, I don't think it is reasonable to expect to never be depressed again. The main thing is to recognize it and turn it around early. Physically, I am still getting protracted withdrawal before and during my period. I think something is going on with the hormones at that time that increases the detox. Plus, I still get a pre-menstrual migraine, which was pretty bad this month. The <a href="http://mytruehoperecovery.blogspot.com/2010/11/low-tyramine-diet.html">low tyramine diet</a> has eliminated all my other migraines, but that one remains. Although I only take Advil for my migraines now, I think even that causes a bit of protracted withdrawal as well. <br />
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The depression is gone, but for several days now I have been dead tired by 5:00 pm. This is reminding me of how I felt before my thyroid was diagnosed, so I am thinking I should get it checked again. <br />
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Also, I have been very busy. I embarked on this homemade Christmas gift foolishness, so that is taking a lot of effort. But you know, I am pulling it off. My family is used to me flaking out of projects, so I am thinking they will be surprised. <br />
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And, I have come up with an idea that I like for my own business. I mentioned <a href="http://mytruehoperecovery.blogspot.com/2010/03/looking-ahead.html">last spring</a> that this is what I wanted to do, and I think I finally have an idea that has legs. I will get more serious about it after the holidays, and I am thinking it will probably be a year before I can launch, but it is great to be planning and working on something again!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-64431043389291428982010-11-21T18:48:00.000-05:002010-11-21T18:48:43.001-05:00It Takes As Long As It TakesI have been reading a lot of frustrated posts on the Truehope message boards lately about how long this process is. Today I am frustrated too. I set myself an ambitious plan to make a few Christmas gifts, and I realized this morning it is just not going to happen. I will probably only get one of the three done. I am still too tired and weak to spend the long hours at the sewing machine that would have been necessary. So, that is disappointing.<br />
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When I started Empowerplus in May 2009 my only real goal was to stop the decline I was in, and to be stable without drugs. That goal has been met. What I didn't expect was the huge physical toll withdrawal would take. It is frustrating to always have to curb my activity because I am still having protracted withdrawal symptoms after all this time.<br />
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But at the same time, I'm aware that I've set the bar a lot higher these days than it used to be. I may not be at the sewing machine, but I am busy with other crafts most of the day. I was sore when I started hand stitching; now I can stitch for hours without pain. I was sore when I started knitting again; ditto. So I guess I know that perseverance will pay off in the long run.<br />
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Even my attention span is improving. The other day I worked all day on the SAME PROJECT. That is really saying something.<br />
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And, let's be clear. My protracted withdrawal symptoms only come after some new type of exertion now. It is only when I raise the bar. Sometimes it feels like I am fighting for every millimetre, but I can't deny the trend is there. Plus, I have planned to make Christmas presents before, and I have <em>never done it</em>. So one is an infinite improvement over none. My old therapist in California used to say, when I felt like was going nowhere fast, that recovery takes as long as it takes, and she was right.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-71740969535381846572010-11-07T12:59:00.000-05:002010-11-07T12:59:25.232-05:00How Did I Get Here?Bipolar is a physical illness. I believe moderate to major depression is too. I do not believe you can cure them just by changing your thoughts any easier than you can cure cancer by changing your thoughts, although you do hear about rare cases where that happens. But that's rare, and usually a physical intervention is needed. For bipolar and depression, I believe the best physical intervention is a micronutrient approach like Empowerplus.<br />
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However, I do believe it was poor thought choices that made me sick in the first place. It would be easy to blame it all on my thyroid, because bipolar is a symptom of Hashimoto's. I probably had my first hypomania when I was 10, that I remember, and my first depression when I was 11. Long before puberty. I don't know if the Hashimoto's would have already been active then. You do read about infants and toddlers with hypothyroidism, so it may be possible.<br />
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I do recall that at an early age, 8 or 9, I became attracted to the idea of being "jaded." I liked that "been there, done that, bored with it all" aura that some people had. It struck me as a way to be interesting, and I wanted to be like that. Gradually I stopped taking pleasure in things.<br />
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A movie score would have a dramatic minor chord there. I really think now that was the beginning of it all. Probably the hallmark of my long adult depression was a complete inability to appreciate anything. I was living in the beautiful San Francisco Bay area, with the sunshine and the sea air and flowers all year long. I knew someone else who had recovered from depression, who told me that he loved just going for walks and seeing all the flowers. I went for walks and looked at the flowers and I felt nothing. I looked at them and knew intellectually that they were beautiful, but they did not make me happy.<br />
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Daily exercise, by the way, in the sunshine and sea air, also did nothing to improve my mood.<br />
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So, I had periodic depressions in high school and university, and very productive periods that made me successful in school and work. The two years leading up to my breakdown at 35 were progressively more and more stressful. I had a fairly heavy travel schedule that kept me physically off balance, and an increasingly more adversarial work environment. Looking back, I see that a lot of that was my own fault. I saw slights where none was intended, and I consistently looked at the negative side of the situation. You may not be able to control the situation, but you can control your reaction to it. I always saw things in the worst possible light.<br />
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When you are feeling bad it is your spirit sending you clues that things are not right. If you ignore the clues they get bigger. It took many years of seeing things in a negative light, and ignoring my feelings and physical symptoms, for things to collapse totally. I do believe that my brain has always worked a little differently, which is why I was hit with bipolar depression instead of heart disease or cancer, but it was my own thoughts that created my physical illness.<br />
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That is why I think Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and meditation are such an important part of recovery. Physical help such as Empowerplus will only get you so far if you have a negative thought pattern, which I believe is the root cause of illness. Learning to feel our feelings, and accept the guidance that they are giving us, is crucial to long term success.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-85131536399933746202010-11-02T16:42:00.000-04:002011-02-15T16:33:13.630-05:00Low Tyramine DietI'm just checking in today to let you know that things have significantly improved since I figured out that the MAOI Parnate was still active in my system. I've gone on a <a href="http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/health/diet/low-tyramine-diet/~default">low tyramine diet</a>. This was quite a change for me, because once I did the research I realized that practically everything I was eating was high in tyramine. So no wonder it was a problem. I've eliminated cheese, cold cuts, aged meats (yes, the good stuff), bananas, soy sauce and chocolate. It was hard for the first few days, but once I saw that a lapse was immediately making me ill, it became easier. And, I keep telling myself that it's not forever.<br />
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Coffee is off the table again too, for now. I'm getting used to drinking chai. It doesn't have the same buzz, but I guess that's the point.<br />
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Anyway, it is quite a relief not to be getting sick all the time with no idea why. It's nice to be able to get out and about again.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-11764986046160231602010-10-14T13:08:00.000-04:002010-11-02T16:44:16.168-04:00Parnate is the ProblemFor about a month now I have been having funky allergic-type reactions to a whole new set of foods that never bothered me before. It has been very frustrating because I never knew what would set it off. Well, I have figured it out! It's the Parnate.<br />
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Parnate is an older type of anti-depressant, an MAOI. I was on a high dose, 60 to 80 mg, for over a year. Parnate has a lot of drug and food interactions. Everything I have been reacting to this past month is on the list of things to avoid with Parnate. Aged meats, bananas, chocolate, soy sauce -- all have given me reactions.<br />
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It is quite a relief to have an explanation for what is happening. And it is good to know that it is not really allergies. So now I have a list of foods and drugs to avoid, and hopefully things will calm down around here.<br />
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I have been on Empowerplus for 17 months, and it is pretty wild to consider that old drugs are STILL releasing in sufficient quantities to be giving me reactions like this. And really, this is a new situation, it seems like the Parnate is just now starting to release. It's kind of strange to have all these time bombs ticking away inside me. But, now that the problem is identified, it will be easy to deal with.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-38724465325035510492010-10-13T18:52:00.000-04:002010-10-13T18:52:09.001-04:00Thyroid UpdateExcellent news at the doctor this morning! My thyroid is running normally without the help of medication of any kind. Back in June I stopped taking my Synthroid all together, and after 5 months my thyroid is doing well, with my TSH at 1.8.<br />
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I have Hashimoto's Disease, an autoimmune disease that attacks your thyroid and makes it irregular but generally very slow. I was on Synthroid for many years, and Cytomel for a while, but I never felt any better. Even before my blood test this month I could tell that my thyroid was doing fine just by the way I feel. The chronic exhaustion is gone.<br />
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Before I started Empowerplus I was taking 0.125 mg of Synthroid daily. When I had the weird allergy attack/thyroid storm in December 2009, after 7 months on Empowerplus, I cut it back to 0.075 mg. In April 2010 my TSH was 1.9. 6 weeks later it seemed like I was still taking too much. I switched to half a pill, 0.0375 mg, and got another blood test. Before I could get those results I had another weird allergy attack/thyroid storm and ended up in the emergency room. There I learned that my latest test result was a TSH of 1.0, a dramatic drop despite reducing my Synthroid dose. That was when I decided to stop the Synthroid completely.<br />
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Now that decision has proven to be correct. Obviously the Empowerplus is supporting my thyroid so much on it's own that extra medication is not necessary. Considering that I feel so much better now than the Synthroid was ever able to achieve, I'm feeling pretty good about that!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-73614961386121435722010-10-02T09:51:00.000-04:002010-10-02T09:51:13.295-04:00MusicA year ago I wrote about my loss of interest in music in a post called <a href="http://mytruehoperecovery.blogspot.com/2009/09/chrysalis.html">Chrysalis</a>. I think this is proving to be an interesting choice of words. If you think of a chrysalis as a time when everything shuts down before the new creature emerges, then I definitely think the first year on Empowerplus was like that. But, if you look at the chrysalis stage as the intermediary between the earth-bound caterpillar and the high flying butterfly, then this is not my experience, because more and more it seems like I am going back to a more youthful state.<br />
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My taste in music is one example of this. For most of my illness I have hardly listened to music at all. It was irritating. But, over the past couple of months I have been rediscovering all my old favourites. I finally got my new stereo set up (it had been in the box for 9 months), and I've been listening to CDs I probably haven't played in 10 years. And I'm enjoying finding a lot of my old vinyl on iTunes. What's really interesting is that I'm feeling the feelings I used to have when I listened to those songs. The chills up my spine and appreciation of raw talent are all back. Also back is my complete intolerance of bad music. It seems my sensitivity has returned.<br />
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I was a reasonably good classical pianist when I was young, but I have only played a handful of times in the past 20 years. We still have the piano, but it has been out of tune so long I am not sure if it can be saved. I am not really inspired to play yet, but who knows where this may lead?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-17576403334357784612010-09-16T12:38:00.000-04:002010-09-16T12:52:52.548-04:00L TryptophanEarlier this summer when Total Amino Solution (TAS) started disagreeing with me <a href="http://mytruehoperecovery.blogspot.com/2010/07/protracted-withdrawal-symptoms-return.html">I wrote about the return of my protracted withdrawal symptoms</a>, and the things that <em>weren't</em> really working for me, but I never came back to say what <em>did</em> work for me. The answer is pure L tryptophan.<br />
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Tryptophan is one of the ingredients in TAS, but on it's own it doesn't bother me the way TAS does. I also find that I need much less tryptophan. One 500 mg capsule of Tryptopure tryptophan (I get mine from Life Extension) is enough to significantly reduce my protracted withdrawal symptoms. It is an amino acid, so I think it does have the same blood cleaning property that TAS or protein powder have. I also notice that if the protracted withdrawal symptoms are lowering my mood, the tryptophan quickly makes me feel better.<br />
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Tryptophan is prescribed as an antidepressant in Europe, and that is how I first used it as well, before I found Empowerplus. I am not sure how well it was working for that purpose, but I was able to replace the Celexa I was taking with tryptophan. I was still taking other meds though, Risperdal and Wellbutrin, and the tryptophan was <em>not</em> enough to get me off those as well. <br />
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If I take tryptophan during the day I am sleepier that night, and still groggy the next morning, but it is worth it to be rid of the protracted withdrawal symptoms. I also find that if I take more than 2 in 48 hours I tend to get a migraine, so I am only using it if really necessary.<br />
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In any case it is <em>much</em> more helpful than the bentonite clay or the charcoal, so that is good to know.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-43996421718664467392010-09-02T11:13:00.000-04:002010-09-02T11:13:42.347-04:00Happy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1Wj8XY5D8ByT6sCuqG0dsE2-Km_RNIBevGE00s3cgrweH8__FVsP7bDsvcuTe2_PDSEBuYvs3n8NU-EhFRBA2H1Cv-prndtcZb_hY-6Cr18gawES5033ZzHr2XcwF7JlRgDb3cgy4hM/s1600/identity+flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1Wj8XY5D8ByT6sCuqG0dsE2-Km_RNIBevGE00s3cgrweH8__FVsP7bDsvcuTe2_PDSEBuYvs3n8NU-EhFRBA2H1Cv-prndtcZb_hY-6Cr18gawES5033ZzHr2XcwF7JlRgDb3cgy4hM/s200/identity+flower.jpg" width="197" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>A problem that I've had ever since my Bipolar II diagnosis is figuring out whether I am hypomanic or just happy. Most of the times (and they were few and far between) that I thought I was happy in retrospect I realized that I was actually hypomanic. I am glad to report that has changed. I have an amazing sense of overall well-being and happiness now that I have not felt for a long, long time.<br />
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I used to think that the most I could hope for was peace. Not too happy, not too sad, just quietly in the middle. I think a lot of bipolar people think that is the ideal frame of mind. I don't think it is. I believe we were born happy, we intended to be happy, and we all can find our way back there.<br />
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The happiness I am feeling now is different than hypomania. My hypomanias had a compulsive nature to them. I would be obsessed with a project and steamroll anything in my way. It was a very "doing" state of mind. My happiness now has more of a "being" quality. I feel good, but I am not compelled to do things, I can relax and enjoy my surroundings and the things I am doing. I have a tremendous sense of connection and well-being. I see things in a positive light and I expect good things. It is awesome.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-14834522402829994382010-08-23T17:43:00.000-04:002010-08-23T17:43:52.702-04:00Significant ImprovementThis is just a short post to let you know that I am doing <em>significantly</em> better. It really seems to me now that the evening primrose oil (EPO) was a big factor in my poorer health last month. It feels like the haze I was in has lifted. Yes, we have had a week of cooler weather also, but it has not been any cooler in the house, so I blame the EPO.<br />
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One interesting change has been in my appetite. While I was feeling sick last month I was eating more, and now that I am feeling better my appetite has dropped away again. It seems counterintuitive, but I guess that given that I am overweight, for me healthy is eating less. It does seem like my metabolism is working better now, and I have a lot more energy. Maybe I was eating because I felt tired. Anyway, it's improvement!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-40369306936515421442010-08-16T19:25:00.000-04:002010-08-16T19:25:14.506-04:00Tweaking the ProgramWell, I've been meaning to update you long before this, but frankly, I haven't been doing that great and I'm not sure why. I can say that while Empowerplus has been great for my mood, it hasn't been a universal fix for all my issues. I suppose that was unrealistic to hope for.<br />
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It's been a tough summer. It's been unrelentingly hot and humid here, and I've been indoors 99% of the time. We did go up north for a few days, where it was cool, and that was great, so it's likely that the heat is a large part of my trouble. Earlier in the summer it did feel like protracted withdrawal, but it doesn't any more. This seems to be a bumper year for hayfever, which has been surprisingly bad, I've had a cold, a weird stomach bug, and I probably have to get my thyroid tested soon, so things are just off.<br />
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I've been doing a trial of Evening Primrose Oil to help with my migraines. It definitely <em>hasn't</em> helped with them, and I'm not sure if it's been making things worse in general. With so much going on though, it's hard to say for certain. I'm giving it up for now, though.<br />
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I'm also down to 9 to 11 Empowerplus capsules per day, from the 15 that I took through the first year. The lower dose just seems to be working better for me now.<br />
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I'm not as bad off as last summer. I've been doing some crafts pretty much every day. My sociability continues to be much improved. My mood is a little flat, it's hard to be positive when you're feeling sick all the time, but I'm far from depressed. I was thinking this morning, I'm 90% of what I want to be, so hopefully that last 10% is just tweaking the program from here.<br />
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I can't wait for fall! 9 months of cool weather!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-70571676190432801092010-07-16T12:52:00.000-04:002010-07-16T12:52:07.606-04:00Protracted Withdrawal Symptoms ReturnAs I mentioned in my last post, I stopped taking the Total Amino Solution (TAS) a few weeks ago due to allergy problems. This week my protracted withdrawal symptoms have returned. Like the first time, it started with a runny nose, and graduated to neck pain, nausea and dizziness. A couple of days ago my musical hallucinations came back temporarily, which is when I realized that things really weren't right. I was exercising, and it's also been hot and humid here, so those are probably factors as well.<br />
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Since I can't take protein powder or TAS, it's been a little difficult to find a way to manage the symptoms. I'm still trying to eat a fair bit of animal protein, which does give me some temporary relief. I've also been using activated charcoal capsules and bentonite clay. The charcoal seemed to help, but I haven't noticed much difference from the clay yet. I think the problem with those is that they don't really get into the bloodstream to clean out the toxins there.<br />
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I've laid off the exercise, and the coffee, and I'm trying to stay cool. It's not as bad as the first time, but I'm not up to the productivity levels I had a few weeks ago. I'm not depressed, but I am grumpy. It's not just that I'm frustrated by being sidelined again, there is definitely a negative cast to my mood.<br />
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I will stick with the remedies I can do and wait it out, I guess. Usually by mid-August the weather turns around here, the days may stay hot but the nights cool off, which is a big relief. I know other long time Empowerplus users still experience protracted withdrawal occasionally, so this is not totally unexpected. Still, it is a pain.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3708703158143453067.post-17488234492692691202010-06-29T19:44:00.000-04:002010-06-29T19:44:03.426-04:00A Bump in the RoadWell, a lot has been going on but it was hard to figure out causes and effects so I've waited until now to post an update. I've been to the doctor twice and the emergency room once, and no one could really figure out what was happening.<br />
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It started with having difficulty swallowing. I thought it was the return of the hyper-allergic state I was in last December, which led me to the emergency room thinking I was having a severe allergic reaction two weeks ago. It wasn't though, and everybody's best guess was that it was probably a combination of my thyroid on overdrive and a bad reaction to the freezing at the dentist.<br />
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As a result I went off all my supplements again as well as my Synthroid. After about 10 days I am now up to full doses again of my supplements, including Empowerplus. I have stopped the Synthroid completely however. I don't think I need it any more, but my doctor and I will monitor my blood levels for a while to see how it shakes out.<br />
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I also have stopped taking Total Amino Solution. That seems to be the main thing that was giving me the allergic-type reaction. I think this is similar to the problems I was having with the protein powder in the late fall. They are similar products, after all.<br />
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What is amazing is that even though I have stopped the Total Amino Solution, I have not had any return of protracted withdrawal symptoms! I think I am well and truly clear of it now, which feels great.<br />
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In any case, things seems to be back to normal. And normal these days is pretty darn good, but I will put that in a separate post.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com