Jump to content

Supplements That Work


Recommended Posts

Anyone had any luck with anything?  I take a B complex every day and it seems to help with brain fog and give me more energy. I also take Vitamin D year round except for summer and the odd multivitamin and fish oil tablet.  I've also tried L-Theanine and it helps deepen sleep (also good for the caffeine jitters).  Pretty expensive though. 

 

I'm thinking of trying NAC?  Mainly just looking for some help in the cognitive department, although this constant "glitchy" stuff is unnerving and can go away any time it wants :(

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone had any luck with anything?  I take a B complex every day and it seems to help with brain fog and give me more energy. I also take Vitamin D year round except for summer and the odd multivitamin and fish oil tablet.  I've also tried L-Theanine and it helps deepen sleep (also good for the caffeine jitters).  Pretty expensive though. 

 

I'm thinking of trying NAC?  Mainly just looking for some help in the cognitive department, although this constant "glitchy" stuff is unnerving and can go away any time it wants :(

NAC works for me, definite improvement in concentration, less lethargy and head pressure etc.

Magnesium is also very good, I take fish oil too for omega 3. L-theanine and L-tyrosine both have positive reports. Valerian root can help with anxiety if that's a problem for you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

So I think the NAC is a no-go for me. 

 

I eased my way into it... but in the end I felt kind of baked out and silly on it.  I was more relaxed (almost like the tail end of an MJ high) and I noticed my visuals improved a bit, but cognitively I was worse.  Instead of getting used to it over time it seems like the effects were compounded the more days in a row I took it.  So it goes...

 

Next on trial is the magnesium.  I don't foresee any issues with that.  :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I think the NAC is a no-go for me. 

 

I eased my way into it... but in the end I felt kind of baked out and silly on it.  I was more relaxed (almost like the tail end of an MJ high) and I noticed my visuals improved a bit, but cognitively I was worse.  Instead of getting used to it over time it seems like the effects were compounded the more days in a row I took it.  So it goes...

 

Next on trial is the magnesium.  I don't foresee any issues with that.  :)

The magnesium should help a lot, it makes me feel calm (not sedated, there's a difference) yet more energised for conversation and concentration etc. it is also great for sleep and has reduced my visual snow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Figured this might be appropriate here:

I just ordered a bunch of different goodies so I guess I'll post what I experience here.
I received my first order yesterday though. Passiflora/Passion Flower was a good experience, and I didn't expect this.
However, any subsequent tea I brewed did not exert equal effect, and the first tea had the best effect. Tried some today again, and just made me tired.
Thinking of making an extract. Other than that I got some sublingual B12. Definitely gave me acute stimulation, and I actually cooked a meal (something I rarely do nowadays) which went pretty fluently. Tried a Ginseng extract today, after which I became restless.. I'll have to try that again another day. Also started yesterday with Lion's Mane 3 grams a day, though I've been doing so many new things that it's hard to say if it has any effect. At least none acutely noticeable or not attributable to something else. It would seem the kind of thing that needs to build up over time. I use it more as a "Well, neuronal growth certainly won't hurt" additive, though it might make it difficult to absolutely differentiate effects of my experiments.

My second order will arrive somewhere next week, which includes Yarrow extract, Damiana extract, a herbal blend extract with Mulungu, NAC caps, ALCAR caps, mixed medicinal mushrooms powder, and one hell of a multi-vitamin like no other you've ever seen. They even threw in free vitamin D. I also ordered some really strong herbal cough lozenge whatchamaycallit from the same brand of my decongestant. Of course it does nothing cognitively, but I find inhaling the strong fresh cooling sensation just makes me feel alive for a short moment again.. i.e. sort of helps when I'm really fogged out.. much better than a cold shower.
Tried finding Brunfelsia Grandiflora but it's one hell of a plant to source if you're not living in the tropical regions. Wish I was back home :(
Also very little literature on the stuff, some of it indicating it might be quite dangerous. Usually I like to keep it on the safe side, but I might try some should I come across it (doubtfully). The 2 reviews I found did sound pretty awesome.

As for stuff that works.. Well I really (!) enjoyed Kava Kava, but alas I can't drink it anymore due to interactions with Keppra. Like I said, Passion Flower unexpectedly lifted my mood considerably, though I have to see what the deal is with it not working consistently. Indeed B vitamins help, as does Magnesium. Melatonin helps when I've got insane insomnia (I just take 1-5 grams, more if I still can't sleep, and it works). One thing that I found that considerably helped is just to never drink coffee.. However now I think of it I might like a cup.. Bad idea; brings me paranoia. In the case that I do make that mistake, I find L-theanine to help with the ill effects of caffeine, and only useful for this specific purpose. I also tried Ashwagandha for a brief period and didn't like it. Made my mood/cognitive swings more erratic, made me more tired, and only intermittent and unreliable relaxation for which I find other supps more effective.Perhaps it should be used more on an as-needed basis. I've tried so many supplements that I can't remember all of them though. From Glutamine to Garum Armoricum to Valerian to Inositol to Phenibut to Picamilon to Noopept to AlphaBrain to Piracetam to Ginkgo.. You name it, I've tried most of 'em. In retrospect, most of the supps I tried were out of sheer despair, and I've wasted a lot of money on stuff that didn't work... Now I'm more focused on what might actually be effective, so I'm uncovering some untried possibilities and making more educated decisions. Especially the latter is important if you don't have a pile of money. One thing I'd like to try would be Aniracetam (to a lesser extent Oxiracetam), but you can't have it all!

The problem with many/most supplements is that you need to take them for a while (several weeks, sometimes up to 3 months!) to notice any benefit. Obviously if you were to be strictly scientific about it (giving every new supp a 3 month test drive.. kind of what doctors and psychiatrists like to do. I've wasted a lot of time waiting for effects to appear [e.g. 6 weeks on Prozac.. such a shame] that never came, which I could've spent trying other substances), if you would adhere to this method you'd probably die before you find something that works for you. What I'm now looking for are supps that may exert acute benefits, without damage or side-effects (like Phenibut, or Alcohol for that matter).

Now that it's on-topic: Well recently there have been people trying new medications (which is awesome, thank you dearly!). But I wonder why I don't read so much of people trying new supplements? Ahh.. Sam you just opened a new topic on that, haha. Perhaps it's my memory taunting me, and there have been a fair amount of people trying various supplements. It could be a misperception (ohh that's not a word apparently).

Lastly.. Out of everything I've tried, my best results were still with tDCS. I'll open a separate topic on that in the near future because I think others might be able to have similar benefits. Now I think of it (and care less and less about giving Keppra a "clean" evaluation), I'd love to do a session again, but I forgot how my homemade device works and I lost the drawings.. There's a device for €200 which I would buy if I didn't need the money for Coluracetam, and it definitely would make it less of a Frankenstein project and more like a cool gadget. You can even use it on-the-go and control it by phone (how awesome is that?).

I feel like I've missed something. Probably. Anyways I'll update here should I find any benefits from my upcoming experiments.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Feeling pretty damn good cognitively today... hopefully it's because of discontinuing the NAC. 

 

Looking forward to baby stepping into some magnesium.  There's a psych facility closeby where I live that is run by scientologists (they're completely against any use of psychoactive pharmaceuticals) that specializes in detox.  They use huge amounts of magnesium and calcium during detox along with sauna therapy.  Might have a little weight to it, crazy culty stuff aside.  It at least reduces the chances of a seizure during detox.  I almost feel like HPPD is like low level seizure activity in the brain, which is why benzos help with the symptoms (aside from the anxiety reduction).  I have no hard data to support this, of course.  Just how it feels to me...

 

I've found the definite keepers for me are a B complex, a good multi like a men's one a day, and vitamin D (I take 1000mg daily throughout the darker months, and 5000mg once a month or so during the summer to regulate mood).  Also green tea (particularly good quality matcha that has a good hit of theanine in it) helps with fatigue and brain fog.

 

Strangely I've found alcohol to help cognitively the day after... especially in larger, binge drinking doses (from a half pint to 3/4 of a pint of good quality, clean vodka).  I think I may be alone on that one here on the forum, but honestly that has the biggest impact on me.  Obviously it's extremely unhealthy and habit forming so I have to regulate it.  Not recommending it... just throwing it out there, as it has been my honest experience.

 

While on the subject I've also found that eating lighter at work in small portions- just enough to ward off hunger- is crucial to my performance mentally at work.  When I overeat I feel foggy and sluggish.  Sleep regulation is also important.  Good quality sleep for 7-8 hours is ideal.  Too much and I feel like I don't really "wake up" mentally until later in the evening.  Too little and I feel a little anxious, and usually take a little klonopin to combat this (like a .25mg dose) which helps but leaves me tired.  A good day is when I don't have to take that dose until I get home from work and then a 3mg melatonin to sleep.

 

Just my observations... YMMV.  Everyone is different and has different factors with their HPPD DP/DR management.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good to hear!
Haha scientologists.. well good luck :) Magnesium and B vitamins are indeed definitely keepers.
Yes HPPD is essentially focal partial seizural activity, though that's a simple description. There is sufficient evidence to support that.
I hope you mean 1000IU and 5000IU instead of milligrams! Anyway I recently looked it up and it appears the cod liver oil I take has relatively little vitamin D, so the free D3 I'm getting soon might prove beneficial (5000 IU). I find black tea more beneficial for brain-fog and general feeling of well-being than green tea, though I do enjoy Matcha as well. I also experience that smaller portions of meals tend to leave less of an "after dinner dip", but I suspect that applies to anyone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks...Yes IU's is what I meant... lol. 

 

As far as the tea thing I like the health benefits and the "buzz" of the matcha more than with black tea, which contains no theanine.  Another good one to try is Puerh tea as far as effect.  It's warming and puts you in a relaxed, drifty state of mind.  Also it lowers cholesterol and emulsifies fats.  Very good for a hangover as well.  It's aged for many years and all of the caffeine degrades over time.  I currently have some from the '70s and '80s I'm saving for the right time.

 

I need to pick up some more theanine... even if used intermittently it's good to have around to ensure a good night's sleep.  It would be interesting to trial it for a couple of weeks and see if there is any benefit dopamine wise.  I'd eat pure gold if it improved my quality of life substantially.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No... theanine is an amino acid produced by the plant.  It produces more when it's shaded, as in the case of some Japanese teas like matcha and gyokuro.  It's pretty much processed out of it when you make black tea or roasted tea.

 

And the gold thing was just a metaphor... as you know.  :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

nac will mobilise many fat-soluble toxins (it makes them water soluble via glutathione conjugation), so the problem you had may have been an effect of this.  Might be worth cutting back the dose so the side effects are tolerable, and they should pass as the toxins are removed. Drink lots of water too.  Direct side effects of oral nac are usually limited to stomach upset.  If you stop nac you will feel better as you will have a lower toxic load and you will not have the effects of toxin mobilisation, but it would be better to suffer the mobilisation effects until you are completely cleared of excess glutathione-conjugable toxins.  I wonder if the increased side effects you got with time were due to your elimination system becoming more effective thus accelerating toxin removal.  Did you get any rashes or spots?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just bought some magnesium 500mg (oxide, malate, glycerophosphate) Easy absorption[w.e that means]. I forcefully split it in half and it seems that the pill is like compressed powder wrapped in paper-like coating. I hope splitting the pill won't have any ill effect to my body? 

 

At least for today i plan to take half now(5pm) and half later at night (11pm)

 

Also bought some B-complex but i wont be taking any for a few days since i want to see if magnesium alone has any effects.

B1 (thiamine mononitrate)

B2 (riboflavin)

Niacinamide

B6 (pyridoxine hydrochlordie)

B12 (cyanocobalamin)

Pantothenic Acid (calcium-d-pantothenate) <-- would this be bad since its calcium and counter-acts magnesium and whatnot?

Biotin

Folate(folic acid)

Choline Bitartrate

Inositol

 

All 100mg except folic acid 1mg. Are these good forms of Vitamin B and magnesium?

 

I Dont really have anxiety except for the 2-3weeks where i had it and it disappeared, so im mainly looking for how this will effect visuals. 

 

new symptoms are mild anemia, sharp 1second pains here and there, slight upset stomach/intestine areas after eating and such.

 

Visuals are continuing to be worsened very slowly. Lights are brighter, ghosting a bit more.

 

I really question if i have lyme but lyme in western canada is like hppd, doctors dont know much and the testing of ELISA first and if positive, then western blot test. This 2 tier method is so stupid since western blot is much more accurate; that should explain the state of lyme diagnosis in canada. Im thinking of going private and paying 700ish $ :\

 

Have you guys done additional check-ups even after you have accepted HPPD? It only took 1 month for my blood test to go from normal to anemia :\ 

 

Will update on the effects of these supplements. 3 month of hppd, various symptoms have came and went by. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just got my new order, among which are:

  • ALCAR (just took one of these..)
  • NAC
  • Yarrow Extract
  • Damiana Extract
  • "Instant Tranquil Ability" with Mulungu, California Poppy et al.
  • MushRex Medicinal Mushroom Complex
  • Vitamin D3 (took one of these today)
  • Nature's Plus Source of Life Gold Multi-Vitamin (which apparently contains lead.. didn't see that when I ordered it -.- took 6 of these anyway)

And some other stuff which is irrelevant. Anyway, figured I'd post this here. I'll keep you guys posted on what happens.

I've been messing around with my current regimen so I'm screwed because I can't really attribute any benefits and what not.. But I'll try to keep it partly scientific.
I've also started tapering down on Levetiracetam.. Took out 250mg of my morning dose and will do that with my night dose next week.
At the moment I'm feeling a bit stimulated, though no to little anxiety.Which is strange. But yeah whatever. Still have a numb and fogged mind, but I'm neither tired nor anxious, despite that I only slept 4 hours (set my alarm so I wouldn't miss the post/mail man again). I don't know what to attribute this to, so I'll leave it for what it is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

nac will mobilise many fat-soluble toxins (it makes them water soluble via glutathione conjugation), so the problem you had may have been an effect of this.  Might be worth cutting back the dose so the side effects are tolerable, and they should pass as the toxins are removed. Drink lots of water too.  Direct side effects of oral nac are usually limited to stomach upset.  If you stop nac you will feel better as you will have a lower toxic load and you will not have the effects of toxin mobilisation, but it would be better to suffer the mobilisation effects until you are completely cleared of excess glutathione-conjugable toxins.  I wonder if the increased side effects you got with time were due to your elimination system becoming more effective thus accelerating toxin removal.  Did you get any rashes or spots?

No no rashes or spots or anything... just felt spaced out more than usual.  I'm trying to work full time at a high stress job and I can't afford to have anything making me worse.  I might give it a go again when I have a stretch of time off and at a lower dose, although I'd have to open up those gelcaps and that shit smells like rotten eggs... lol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well I just took roughly 600mgs of NAC and translated a medical document (as a favor) of 2 pages from Dutch to English in roughly 1 hour. (..edit: deleted haha)
Anyway, can't say the NAC really was accountable for this, considering the confounding variables and lack of reference standard. I do feel it went quicker and I felt stimulated in a way that's perhaps veeeery slightly anxiogenic, though nothing I can't deal with. Perhaps almost motivation, but it didn't feel like motivation (thank you DP). Possibly because it was medical which I find interesting nowadays.
Anyway; no miracles or anything. Nothing I would describe as clarity.. I just felt.. faster, yet equally compromised. Modafinil comes to mind when looking for a comparison, yet that actually also improved my cognition rather than solely speeding it up.
Adverse effects: little to none, slight to mild anxiogenesis (I'm still sort of speedy, almost like low-dose caffeine or L-theanine.. perhaps a better comparison).

Mwheh I'll try this again in higher doses another day; initial experiences are nothing to write home about IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah I didn't feel bad on the NAC... I just noticed I was a little less focused than usual and I felt kind of "baked".  Honestly it reminded me of the state of mind you're in after you come down from smoking a good amount of MJ.  It does also kind of give you a "speedy" effect.  I understand what you mean.

 

You should take the 600mg for a week or so and get a feel for it.  I gave one to my friend who doesn't have any perceptual issues and he really didn't notice it.  Everyone is different.  I'm extremely sensitive to everything now thanks to HPPD.

 

I think when you're doing supplements you should do one at a time so you can differentiate the positive/negative effects and possible side effects of each one before you add them to your daily cocktail.  Not to mention they may interact with each other negatively, so you have to be careful.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

^True.. but I've grown tired giving everything a 1-2 week trial haha! I know it's not exactly aiding any evaluation or anything, but I just want to see if anything helps at all. As for interactions.. Possibly.. Doubt it, though I haven't looked it up that thoroughly. I've been slacking on that of late.
I guess I'm just gonna try to see what now brings acute effect, and then if I think something might be working acutely I'll re-test it on a more 'clean' slate.
Don't really care that much now, I got some awesome stuff on the way haha :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.