[JORED]

Hoping to get some input about using alternative medicine, especially Chinese Herbal Medicine to control bi-polar disorder. Please share your experience. I'm tired of taking meds. New to this wonderful world (1 1/2 years since my "crack-up") and taking the meds seems to take all creativity away, let alone causes changes in my personality. I'm afraid of going off meds without some sort of back-up plan

[darkeyes]

Herbals will not work as a "real" med, it may even complicate things. You probably need for the prescribing pdoc to go over different optional meds as your mood stabilizer, and dosages. To stop meds too increase or activate your creativity, is risky, even foolish when you weigh it creativity vs episodes and even worse.
I understand, really I do, how frustrating it is, but the right med or combo is key, after a few my pdoc hit on one that has been fine with me, hasn't effected anything in my life in a negative manner.
Don't give up yet, communicate with your doc and consider options.
I wish you luck with this,
DE

[ster]

for something like this you may have to get to a herbologist chinese dr to find this out. Before you do check the credentals of the person a great deal

[cherybery]

The only herbal med I have used is Valarian and Chamomoille for sleep but when taking certain "head meds" you need to be careful of the mixture with herbals. I think some of it too depends on the severity of the MI. Guess a good starting point may be with your doc. But I know the frustration with Rx's. And the cost is outrageous.
Cher

[Daonnachd]

I would reify what darkeyes said, from talking with your doc, to weighing the pros and cons of your current meds in relation to creativity. I suffered for a year and a half, or more, of the drug changes and awful side effects. Now I'm looking into cutting edge neuro-bio-chemistry (I'm not really sure) with a new doc. It's called methylation, and deals with the cells' ability to get rid of toxins. When too many toxins build up, part of the cell gets degraded, impeding the production of dopamine and other chemicals that run through the synapses between neurons. So, some may call it alternative medicine, but it's based on a study which will be published in the next couple of months in a major medical journal. Here is a summary of the paper my doc heard presented, and the basis of the article that will be published.

http://www.stillpointhealth.com/Methyl-B12.html

In short, the supplementation of B-12 injections helps rebuild and stabilise the SAMe site on the cell so that it can communicate with others better. This helps us feel better. PM me if you have any questions.

[razeljenny]

There is a book to investigate herbal healing called PERSCRIPTION FOR HERBAL HEALING by Balch, cnc. I was allowed to start a herbal program and don't need to take many perscriptions. Warning: It is dangeroous to do this alone. Also there are side effects from herbs as well. After I discovered that omega 3 and 6 oils are helpful for making sympton of Bi-polor eventually lesson as well as hearnig of less voices in Schfrenia after a long peroid of time intensively taking large amounts of these oils. It was experimented and can be googled for reading. Care in decisions about your self and family needs to mean more to you than your own quick better way to treat the mental illness. Please use caution before doing anything.

[Rhapsody]

I have tried them all and I have to say that they do not usually work in and of themselves.... but if they can work well with your medicine(s), they are usually good for the little extra support.... I take a few PRN, in between my regular doses, and only after I got my doctors approval.


LoVe,
Rhapsody -