The B12 in a multivitamin is much lower (6 mcg based on the label I have her in front of me --Centrum Ultra Men’s) than the dose in a B12 supplement such as Life Extensions Optimized Folate which has 1000 mcg. The Mayo Clinic website had a very good article on treatment resistant depression which covered B12 and other things you wouldn’t think were related to depression. Good luck!
Diet change is the easiest and simplest thing we can do, no prescription required. I have to say that although the only thing I was ever diagnosed with was myofascial pain syndrome and given the suggestion that anti-depressants might help, or exercise, and that there was no possible connection with my digestion and that was only a side effect.
I skipped the anti-depressants and went on medicating with antacids, which helped a bit. I took the exercise prescription, though. I returned to riding horses - the only routine exercise I find interesting enough to stick with! That definitely helped, but when in New York, I couldn’t do it regularly enough.
It was a posting on this site over six years ago about the possible connection between diet and fibro-myalgia that set me wondering. I had just cured my dog of allergies by removing grains from his diet. Hmmm…
I dumped all grains and processed carbs - this pretty much eliminates all prepared foods and puts you on a fruit, vegetable, nuts and meats diet. Almost instantly, the daily afternoon pain attacks ceased.
There were some side effects - I lost a little weight, the occasional pimples I used to get vanished completely and I had no more afternoon tiredness either. I only wish I had figured this out ten years sooner!
Oats are the one grain that seems to not be a trigger.
I would not say that I am gluten-intolerant (I have never been tested, as that would require eating enough to cause suffering again) – I can mildly indulge for social reasons, like having a piece of birthday cake, or tortilla chips, or a beer, without necessarily causing discomfort - which rules out a true allergy.
I offer this not to suggest that this is for everyone or some kind of miracle cure – I do occasionally still get attacks in spring and fall (possibly triggered by other allergies. hormone-linked as well) but if your immune system has been overloaded by long-term stress (say, moving and starting a business) diet could be one thing that you can change without a lot of fuss.
COTH does not offer medical advice, but diet – well now, that’s something we are used to obsessing about!
I too want to thank you for this thread! My husband is currently struggling with depression, and trying to figure out a game plan for treatment (so far just some therapy sessions fit in around his almost constant travel schedule).
The diet suggestions are really interesting. It has always been clear to me that he suffers from food allergies (finally got him off lactose which helps), but he has not had them diagnosed.
Excited to try these diet changes. It is similar to what we were eating once upon a time (have slipped off the wagon!), and you know, he was feeling better in every way then (has back / nerve issues as well, therapist wondered if the pain is leading to the depression, but I think its the other way around).
Your doc can give you IM B12 shots if need be. I get one monthly. Also ditto on the 50,000 IUs of Vit D but I believe you need a prescription for it.
There is no law that says there is only one contributing factor to any situation. You may have 2 or 3 that are pretty much independent of one another, but create some effects that can seem to be part of another problem.
Apparently B-12 oral absorption is erratic and sometimes is impaired with age or various diseases. Not just for people: my cat Otto has a malabsorption syndrome and had low B-12 levels. Until that normalized with a series of weekly injections, the day after each injection he suddenly became as frisky as a year-old cat.
But the main point of my post has to do with the thyroid panel many have encouraged you to get. When you do, be sure that your MD knows that the normal range reported by LabCorp (last I checked) and presumably some others may be out of date per the 2003 recommendations of the American Academy of Clinical Endocrinology, particularly the upper limit for the TSH assay.
The revised upper TSH limit is ~3. Sometimes the obsolete value, ~5, is still stated.
The target range was changed because there were far too many frank cases of clinical hypothyroidism not being treated under the old range.
My personal experience confirms that 3 is pretty much the right cutoff. The other panel data is important, too, but I find that if my TSH stays around 1.5 everything is fine. When it drifts up to three or above and I need to increase my doage of thyroxin, I can predict it before the lab results come back because I become sluggish and lethargic due to skewed metabolism. (Sadly taking too much thyroxine will not make you peppier or make you lose weight, but only leads to different bad problems.:lol:)
While diet may be a contributing factor, I would caution anyone who is currently medicated from stopping meds (a problem I know a lot of folks with Bipolar have) to try fussing with diet, vitamins, etc.
And, on a picky note, it’s not that i AM bipolar it’s that i HAVE bipolar.
[QUOTE=halfhalt896;5086668]
While diet may be a contributing factor, I would caution anyone who is currently medicated from stopping meds (a problem I know a lot of folks with Bipolar have) to try fussing with diet, vitamins, etc.
And, on a picky note, it’s not that i AM bipolar it’s that i HAVE bipolar.[/QUOTE]
I have bipolar, and add too. A very common comorbitity. Stopping some meds can be catastrophic. Stopping abruptly, rather than tapering down preferably with a doctor’s help, can lead to serious consequences including seizures. Some of the meds used for bipolar are also used to control seizures.
[QUOTE=walktrot;5089658]
I have bipolar, and add too. A very common comorbitity. Stopping some meds can be catastrophic. Stopping abruptly, rather than tapering down preferably with a doctor’s help, can lead to serious consequences including seizures. Some of the meds used for bipolar are also used to control seizures.[/QUOTE]
New to this forum, but have to say this goes for some very common anti-depressants as well. I went “cold turkey” off my AD and found myself bound for the ER within 48 hours. :eek:
This is a great support group for anyone dealing with bipolar or depression. There are locations throughout the country. They also have a wealth of information on their website:
Also go to the NARSAD website - http://www.narsad.org/. National Alliance on Research Against Schizophrenia and Depression.
Okay quick update if anyone cares…new doctor (I’m in a really rural health care system where holding out for one doc means a 2+ month wait) thinks it is much more physical than mental. She’s pretty damn sure it is fibromyalgia…has started me on 25 mg amitryptalin (sp?) to help me sleep more deeply (I have good sleep habits but seem to stay in a very light sleep regardless) and to help with the joint and muscle pain I have. She says it is a low dose but I am very small and she thinks we caught it early so that’s good. I have the option to increase the dose after couple of weeks.
So, here we go again. 
I would strongly encourage you, in addition to following your Dr’s advice, to make the dietetic changes. Eliminate gluten, refined sugar, dairy and caffiene (even yeast). That pretty much limits you to fruit, veggies and meat/fish. Be very strict and educate yourself online about how to avoid gluten.
I’m sensitive to nuts too so have to limit those. After a month you could try adding back in dairy or gluten and see if they make you not feel well. Food issues can really screw with your head in a serious way if you have sensitivities.
Dr’s can screw with you head too by their general ignorance on the subject of food sensitivities. You may not have one available in your area but try and find an environmental Dr. The good thing is that you do not need a Dr to figure out if part or all of your issue stems from food intolerance.
One of my many problems for decades of being undiagnosed was myofascial pain, my muscles were also in a constant state of tightness to the point where I wouldn’t even hazard a guess as to ho much I spent on massage therapy. I had Dr’s determined to diagnose me with fibromyalgia based on the muscle and joint pain, depression, exercise and heat intolerance etc but I did not have the tell tale pressure points and refused to accept it. 99% of these symptoms are gone as long as I watch what I eat very carefully.
I also have a sister who is psychiatrically disabled. She used to be “normal”. I believe her psychiatric issues may be due to food but she has no interest or motivation in finding out.
I’m actually working on my diet, too. It was pretty healthy but I ate a lot of bread and noodles. Not too much refined sugar, thankfully. I’m working on getting back to more of a whole food diet like I was raised on. Rather than quit cold turkey (which I find usually fails for this sort of thing for me) I’m gradually reducing my grain and processed food intake. I’m shooting for reducing it by 1/4 of my original consumption every two weeks, which should have me on the diet I want in about 6 more weeks.
I was reactive on all the points which is why my doctor is pretty sure it is fibromyalgia. This is quite a revelation for me as I still thought fibromyalgia was either the product of mental illness or the invention of malingerers (I really mean no offense to people with fibro by that, I’m learning that my information was way out of date and ignorant and that it is a real thing). I’m actually having trouble wrapping my head around the diagnosis and am hoping that the other tests bring up something more defined and easily treatable.
The experience has made me wonder how much depression is rooted in physical causes other than wonky brain chemicals (or rather, wonky brain chemicals due to other physical issues), if that makes sense. I mean, I’ve been going to doctors for depression since I was in my teens, always with physical symptoms as well as mental, and no one ever even suggested it could be physical until I went in and demanded they look at it (and I think got an especially understanding doctor…I liked her, especially because she told me to already set up my followup appointment in three months so I could be sure to get her again). Kind of makes you think about how little we know about ourselves.
The hardest thing, though, is giving up an ice cold soda or lemonade after an especially long hot day in the saddle. :lol: I just crave sugar then like nothing else, and sweet fruit or berries just doesn’t seem to satisfy my sweet tooth like it usually does. Any advice for that one?
Diet Sunkist. 
As a rule I hate diet sodas but this one is great! It really hits that craving for something acid and something sweet when you’re really thirsty. For me it’s as good as a regular Coke.
Gluten intolerance can mask it’s-self in many ways.
I know what you mean about a sugar cola. I had to stop entirely in drinking sugar sodas. Iced tea is my best friend. I use Splenda or Truvia now for sweeteners.
It is hard to stay on diet though. All the forbidden foods are so good. Like a hamburger and fries.
Try the diet without wheat based foods and see if you feel better.
It is hard to do as there are sugar and wheat in so many of the pre-made foods. You have to read the labels so carefully.
The food coloring and preservatives can cause issues also.
It is best to use natural fresh foods.
Just try it and see if it makes any differences.
Wish you the best.
JMHO
sadlmakr
[QUOTE=sadlmakr;5107610]
Gluten intolerance can mask it’s-self in many ways.
I know what you mean about a sugar cola. I had to stop entirely in drinking sugar sodas. Iced tea is my best friend. I use Splenda or Truvia now for sweeteners.
It is hard to stay on diet though. All the forbidden foods are so good. Like a hamburger and fries.
Try the diet without wheat based foods and see if you feel better.
It is hard to do as there are sugar and wheat in so many of the pre-made foods. You have to read the labels so carefully.
The food coloring and preservatives can cause issues also.
It is best to use natural fresh foods.
Just try it and see if it makes any differences.
Wish you the best.
JMHO
sadlmakr[/QUOTE]
I have always been too sensitive to artificial sweeteners, get serious stomach cramps a little after eating anything with it by mistake.
No Aspartame, Splenda or any of those for me.
Watch those, if you are sensitive to them, read labels, they are hidden in much today.
I even got some in a yogurth once, badly cramping after eating it and then reading the label, there it was, hiding on the corner of the label.:eek:
.
Oh brother. I figured someone would come on here screaming “no!” if I posted about something with aspartame in it.
[QUOTE=grayarabpony;5107805]
Oh brother. I figured someone would come on here screaming “no!” if I posted about something with aspartame in it.[/QUOTE]
I know. My brother-in-law is convinced aspartame caused all of his health problems. Not the fact that he’s at least 100 lbs overweight and his picture is in the dictionary next to “sedentary”. It’s the aspartame. :rolleyes:
In his case I’ve often wondered why he bothers with diet soda, given that the rest of his diet is nothing but carbs and fried stuff.
[QUOTE=grayarabpony;5107805]
Oh brother. I figured someone would come on here screaming “no!” if I posted about something with aspartame in it.[/QUOTE]
Well, I do get bad cramps if I ever get any of that in something I ate or drank, can’t help it.
I have learned to look for it, but rarely, something sneaks by and I pay for it.
