[night owl]

Hi!

I suffer of major depression and have been on conventional medication since 1997. I'd like to try Traditional Chinese Medicine but the problem is that I can't afford the good and professional Chinese doctors.

I live in Finland and the common healthcare system here is almost free of charge so I'm stuck with that. My doctor who handles my medication is really good and said last time I am "sane enough" to let try other kind of treatments (diet, homeopathy etc.). I am so sceptical that even though I want try different things I will not be all in to anything, I don't believe anything without trying (do not try to deceive me with placebos....!). For some reason my body (1st reason seems to be function of my liver) is such that I always need the highest allowed (often even more) dose of any medication. And most "real" meds don't work at all. Belive me, I've tried tens of different brands!!!

I am familiar with many medical plants and products, so I can buy them and I have a good recipes how to use them. I only want know do they help? Which is best? Etc.


As I also am sptudying at uni East-Asian Studies (majoring in China) I have studied TCM, but I don't know anyone who has tried it for major depression. If anyone has any experience I would really like to hear!

[eskielover]

I had the opposite problem of you.....I had horrible side effects to every med out there. Every time my pdoc wanted to try a different med, I ended up in the hospital due to the side effects.......so had to deal with my major depression without any meds.

Tried accupuncture for the migraines I ended up with after all the meds they tried me on seemed to migraines as a side effect also. Nothing got rid of the migraines either.....that's a whole other story.

My pdoc specialized in clinical trials & in that, alternative treatments. One suggestion that worked for me.....I could really feel the difference was the very high dose of the EPA Omega 3 (not the DHA). EPA doseage for my small body had to be a minimum of 1800mgs/day (about 2 tablespoons of the fish oil I am now taking). Of course, every Omega 3 has both the EPA & the DHA in it along with the others. I found that it was not only good for my depression, but for my blood pressure that goes sky high with my anxiety goes up & also for the anxiety & it helps my memory.....with my anxiety, my mind shuts off & I forget where I put things.....with the Omega 3's, it helps my mind focus better & remember better when I'm reading....just all over help for my body along with the depression.

It's not TCM.....but it works for me & many others who have tried it accorting to my pdoc's trials.

[Perna]

I think your own body will have to try whatever to see what works for you; other people's experiences might not be similar to yours? I would get some Jia Wei Xiao Yao Wan and see if it works for you?

Or, I would join a group http://www.finnacu.fi/ and see if you could get a student rate or more information from being part of that group?