[still_crazy]

for a number of reasons, i am forever trying to minimize my psych drug intake. i decided to add fish oil to my ongoing Orthomolecular (high dose antioxidant and b vitamin) protocol. thing is...

when I actually took the time to read the more serious articles about fish oil for psych issues, it turns out one needs -high doses-. not a big deal, i'm big on high doses of supplements, anyway, but...

it does explain why my past half hearted attempts failed, miserably.

to get 3 grams combined dha and epa, i take 10 capsules of my fish oil (good price, OK quality...neither high nor low potency...). 5 am, 5 pm...with food, both times. and now...

i feel better already. i think part of it is pushing -against- the depression. that alone helps, to a point. i also wonder if being on ongoing Orthomolecular for so long helps, too.

anyway...thought id share. i dont like depression. i also dont like antidepressants. hence...fish oil. :-)

[MickeyCheeky]

I don't know about fish oil, but I think you should talk with your Pdoc before making any decisions about your meds.

[CrT0811]

I’m a firm believer in supplements. I even use a supplement for my hypothyroid and get better results than any HPOT med I’ve tried. Most of what I take them for is physical but it’s all connected, isn’t it. I do agree with letting your doc know...but many times they say they aren’t convinced they work. They aren’t me. I do keep a journal and make notes as to what I add or stop taking and write down anything I notice regarding better or worse or...just different or odd. As long as I make sure nothing classes with my script I do take...high BP med, neurontin and flexerel...I’m fine. I take a liquid lithium in veggie caps unless I’m traveling then I switch to lithium ornate. I refuse to take the script carbonate version. I’m old and I do what i want.

[piano97]

i'm a huge advocate for fish oil/omega/high quality fats.

I made huge changes with that early this year and think it definitely helped me. Am on less medication because of it. Dunno exactly how it works but flooding the brain with good fats is neuro-protective, and probably encourages regeneration as well. pretty sure that meds do the exact opposite if taken long term.

[piano97]

I didn't read your full post, sorry. I would bail on the supplements and go for the real deal. Sardines, salmon, mackerel, oysters. Walnuts too. Eat some of those things daily. Sardines are best, might sound gross but try a few types. No mercury concern with them (vs. tuna/salmon, yes).

[Sunflower123]

My pdoc has me on high quality fish oils and I think they do help with depression. He also has me on NAC (which also helps) and magnesium threonate for anxiety.

[Amedley71]

Originally Posted by piano97

I didn't read your full post, sorry. I would bail on the supplements and go for the real deal. Sardines, salmon, mackerel, oysters. Walnuts too. Eat some of those things daily. Sardines are best, might sound gross but try a few types. No mercury concern with them (vs. tuna/salmon, yes).

Like the canned ones?

[clydeblack]

Does anyone also take liquid fish oil? I prefer that over capsules.

[jaysmotogp]

I tried fish oil once too. But it was the regular (if there is one) dose so I didn't get anything out of it.
Thanks for posting, maybe i'll revisit that with a higher dose adjustment

[Blueberrybook]

I noticed the benefits of fish oil too when I tapered off meds prior to trying to conceive. I started taking fish oil because the PCP advised H to (for his triglyceride levels), and I'd heard it was good for you, so why not?, and it actually did help some with my mood. Not nearly to the extent the meds helped, but it was noticeable. Unfortunately, it didn't help with the insomnia (would have been awesome if it did), which has dogged me my whole life. But now the psych meds definitely knock me right out unless I'm getting manicky.

Sometimes, supplements do help a lot with issues. For example, I have restless leg syndrome (RLS). They have all sorts of medication for it, but it didn't help me when I tried it. At the time, we were better off financially, I started seeing an acupuncturist for anxiety and the RLS, and she asked if I regularly took calcium and magnesium (separate supplements) before bed. I didn't (took calcium but not magnesium), and when I tried it, the RLS was completely gone. I actually totally forgot I had RLS until I was hospitalized in Feb. for the ulcer stuff. I didn't have the calcium & magnesium then and I didn't have it the first week back at home (not easy to fill the pill containers, and I was on extra meds then, like 3 antibiotics, more stomach stuff than just Protonix, painkillers, it was insane). The RLS came right back. Re-started the calcium and magnesium, and it went away very quickly.

[Wander]

Thanks for the post. I tried 10 x 1000mg capsuals of fish oil a day and didn't notice anything but that was some time ago and I had bad PTSD. Now I have been put onto Medium Chain Tryglyserides (fats) and am finding them helpful. Maybe I will bump up my fish oil intake too. I had been thinking about it already so thanks for the reminder.

[still_crazy]

i should add that im not adjusting my psych drugs on my own. my psych decided NO to antidepressants, which is more or less OK with me, because I don't care for most of them, anyway...

but it does mean that a) ive got to do something and b) im even more cynical about psych treatment (LOL). :-) oh, and...because the psychs at the clinic come and go so much, this one is going, so now im dealing with my counselor dropping heavy hints about the joys of "appropriately treating depression," etc. etc. blah.

surprisingly, a -lot- of supplements can help mood, some of which I already take. I thought B3 was the "psych supplement," but even something as simple as a high(ish) dose of vitamin C seems to lift some peoples' spirits.

i take a high potency b-complex, but i think antioxidants are vital for me, personally. i dont pretend to have the expertise to understand the underlying mechanisms, but...high dose antioxidants seem to tame my agitation and curb the worst of the crazy (for lack of a better word...), when combined with psych drug(s).

[clydeblack]

Originally Posted by still_crazy

i should add that im not adjusting my psych drugs on my own. my psych decided NO to antidepressants, which is more or less OK with me, because I don't care for most of them, anyway...

but it does mean that a) ive got to do something and b) im even more cynical about psych treatment (LOL). :-) oh, and...because the psychs at the clinic come and go so much, this one is going, so now im dealing with my counselor dropping heavy hints about the joys of "appropriately treating depression," etc. etc. blah.

surprisingly, a -lot- of supplements can help mood, some of which I already take. I thought B3 was the "psych supplement," but even something as simple as a high(ish) dose of vitamin C seems to lift some peoples' spirits.

i take a high potency b-complex, but i think antioxidants are vital for me, personally. i dont pretend to have the expertise to understand the underlying mechanisms, but...high dose antioxidants seem to tame my agitation and curb the worst of the crazy (for lack of a better word...), when combined with psych drug(s).

Do you have a vitamin D deficiency? Sometimes vitamin D supplements can help.

[Moose72]

I take flaxseed oil and vit. D. Im allergic to seafood.