used2b2depressed Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Hello, So, I'm new and I found this site while doing some more research on Mucuna Pruriens. I recommend the supplement to whomever listens, but, someone recently told me that their doctor said not to take it because it is not FDA approved. Originally, my doctors' nurse said this as well. However, I don't always listen, and for good reason. I was 19 and in my first psychiatric hospitalization. I was manic and in psychosis and my doctor prescribed Haldol and Mellaril, a terrible combination, even with Haldol alone I have bad reactions. I had convulsions for two days. Yet, these drugs are FDA approved. I am now 41, and last year I was in my therapists office when she said she thought I didn't need therapy any longer. WoW!?! I still see my psychiatrist for two medications, Prozac and Lamictal. And, it was about a year and a half ago when the nurse told me not to take Mucuna Pruriens and I didn't listen. I know that this isn't coincidental. I was able to stop seeing my therapist with the help of this supplement. I had only been seeing that therapist for a few months, and I was telling her what I had told every therapist and psychiatrist I had ever had over the past 20 years. I always felt stupid. My memory was horrible. I had a hard time following conversations. I wanted to do things, but didn't have the motivation to do anything, but sleep. I couldn't remember how well I knew people and found it very disturbing when they knew a lot about me from previous conversations that we had had that I had forgotten. I told her at different times I remember different things, and that I thought it had a lot to do with mood swings, yet, even mood stabilizers and anti-depressants hadn't helped with this feeling. I had been on so many. When I told her all of this, she said that it was "state dependent learning". I Googled it as soon as I got home. It turns out that they have known about Mucuna Pruriens benefits for people with Bi-Polar disorder since the 70's. Check out this article, the first page is amazing! http://niu.edu/user/tj0dgw1/classes/411/Weingartner1977.pdf Within 3 days I was feeling a bit better, and now, over a year later, I'm feeling amazing!! Here is an article that explains how it feels when either dopamine or serotonin are low. http://www.drwardbond.com/dr-bs-blog/depression-low-dopamine-not-low-serotonin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WinterRosie Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 Hi used2b2depressed I want you to know something: we're a pro-med board here (I'm curious about the fact that it sent you here when you were looking for more information about your magic herbs). Haldol doesn't mess around, but since this happened around 20 years ago, there weren't quite the plethora of options for calming people down in a hurry that there are now. Although Haldol is still used for that purpose. If I went to the hospital tomorrow extremely agitated there's a chance that I'd still get Haldol, although potentially in a lower-dose than they were using back then. It's pretty useful, and it's super-shitty that you had an extreme reaction to it. Also, I want you to know that I read the article you posted. Firstly, it's from 1977. If your best source is nearly 40 years old then I wonder about any scientific advancement in the intervening generation. Secondly, this is a study of eight patients. That's not a very large sample size. In fact, when it comes to studying drugs, that's the equivalent of saying "my toddler likes artichokes" and then extrapolating that to saying that all toddlers will eat artichokes (most won't). Finally, the article that you linked to doesn't mention your magic herbs at all. So I wonder what the purpose of linking to a 39 year old study is? Anyway. I went looking for more information about your magic herbs. They're not anti-depressants. I wonder if they work for you because it's really just the nature of your bipolar. The best article that I could find talks about them as an aphrodisiac as well as for skin diseases. As well as how it's often touted for diabetes and Parkinsons'. Nothing in there about bipolar nor depression, though. I hope that I don't break your placebo effect! Anyway, if you want to talk about your Lamictal, your Prozac, or your experience being bipolar (including how the health care system sucks - we have a whole board called exactly that) then you're more than welcome to do so. I hope that helps to clarify what Crazyboards is for and what we're about. Looking forward to seeing your posts around! Rosie (admin) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
koa Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 The idea that depression may be related to dopamine instead of/in addition to serotonin has merits... in fact that is the science behind how the pharmaceutical drug buproprion/wellbutrin works! Perhaps if you're interested in something that targets dopamine you might ask your pdoc about buproprion... a benefit would be that the doses can be regulated and measured. I don't know how it would work with your bipolar/psychosis symptoms... again it is a discussion to have with your doctor. Being that this is your first and only post it is difficult to tell whether or not this is some kind of spam designed to sell the herb you are mentioning... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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