[still_crazy]

i go to a clinic. the shrinks come and go. it is what it is. this one...he's tapering the trileptal, ramped up the lamictal, and no more gabapentin. that means--gasp--I'll soon only be on -2- psych drugs (my other drug is Abilify).

I'm...wondering what gives. I mean, I'm happy...fewer drugs, I actually feel better w/ the reduced trileptal (slow taper), etc., but...I do wonder what makes shrinks decide who only needs 1 or 2 drugs and who gets a cocktail.

I think perhaps I'm maturing a good bit, at long last. I don't have major anger or anything, so maybe that's why he's cool with dropping the trileptal?

-sigh- many moons ago, my diagnosis was a -severe- personality disorder. i also had a much lower IQ estimate than I have now (just try to suspend your disbelief, I guess...weird stuff can happen in psychiatry).

oh, and the vitamin thing...Orthomolecular...seems to be going nicely. No TD, no akathisia, low moods are far less severe, etc. The old school Orthomolecular doctors focused on B3 (niacin, niacinamide) as the anti-crazy vitamin, but....while I still take tons of B3 (6 grams!), I've found that ramping up the vitamin C all the way to 20 grams has helped tremendously, too.

[Tucson]

I find IQ tests only describe part of what we call intelligence. Also, as you have pointed out, IQ can change over time. I think MI is one thing that can make this possible. I have noticed this myself over my life. At one time, I am eloquent with a very good vocabulary, I notice interrelationships more quickly, my short term memory improves along with my memory of the far past, and I am no longer as confused for I can think much more clearly. Other periods of my life I have problems with something as simple as coming up with the right simple five letter words to communicate with another person.

20g of Vitamin C? Is this wise? For that matter, most it probably will be peed back out anyways. So it is an expensive way to handle your vitamin supplements with zero additional benefits. But heck, if you are feeling that it is working for you, then that may be all that actually matters. Here is my take on this. From what I remember about this well into the past, there are many scientific reports on how ingesting the daily minimum requirements is all that is necessary. There are studies that show there will be no benefit to take more. Personally I do not believe this, as I am sure you do not either. Still, 20gs? How many tablets a day is this? Just for your vitamin c? Then there is all that B3 you are taking. There are other supplements that you probably take. Then there is your medication. Sounds expensive and time consuming to me.

Update:

Here is a Mayo Clinic article on the side effects of overdosing on B3.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-...e/faq-20058075

FWIW Just because you see someone doing this to themselves is normally not a good reason to do this for yourself. IMHO I also really really doubt the reason they lived to their 90s is due to their megadosing. There are a great many factors involved besides genetics itself. Some longer lived elderly swear by drinking a glass of wine everyday. I like this one better. Anyways, if I remember correctly, vitamin c overdosing to live longer has been disproven quite a long time ago. But who knows for sure? The scientifically backed FDA thinks the use of hormones and other additives with cattle and chickens is harmless. I do not believe this one either.

[still_crazy]

hi. thanks for your post. Linus Pauling maxed out at 18 grams per day, and he lived to be 94 or something like that (he didn't start vitamin c "mega-dosing" until his 50s or 60s, btw). So, I took his dose and added 2, mostly because I order my (time release) tablets online, and they come in bottles of 300. makes it easier to figure out how much I need when stocking up.

the "alternative health" people who are all about vitamin C usually recommend using the powder (its cheap, too) dissolved in liquid, dosing up 4-6 times per day. I'm lazy, so I go for time release. Seems to help.