What should I do?

[David Baxter PhD]

Re: Offline fer a bit

Just an update. I have started taking some homeopathic stuff, including Melatonin. My sleep problems are GONE..

That's good. Is tryptophan one of the other things, by any chance?

You can also look at changing your diet to include more foods high in onega-3 essential fatty acid (EFA), including fish and whole grains, especially flax seed.

 

[Daniel E.]

More sources for omega 3 include organic free-range eggs as well as:

Foods rich in Omega 3 are "olive oil, avocados, dark green leafy vegetables, salmon, flax seed oil, walnut oil, nuts, ocean fish, ostrich meat, grass fed beef, bison, and venison," says Mercola.
http://www.psychlinks.ca/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=1258

I remember ABC news reporting last year that omega-3s helped in cases where Prozac did not:

At Sheffield University in England, Dr. Malcolm Peet gave omega-3 fatty acids to 70 depressed patients who had not been helped by drugs such as Prozac. After 12 weeks, 69 percent of the patients showed marked improvement compared with 25 percent given placebos.
http://i.abcnews.com/sections/wnt/MedicineCuttingEdge/brain030819_prozac.html

For flax seeds, I just buy bread with flax seeds. I stopped cooking with margarine after doctors on TV started recommending olive oil as a healthy alternative rich in antioxidants. Since I am a vegetarian, I found an alternative to fish oil capsules called Omega3 Zen.

 

[Adui]

RE:Update

Hi again,

I dont know what Tryptopan is, but what I have is called ST Johns Wort, and feverfew. Afreind who has been there gave it to me, and it seems to be helping. Although as expected, not a perfect fix. I am at least in control enough to walk away when I have a bad moment.

Still researching the VA.. Definately got to get to them soon!

Take care

 

[David Baxter PhD]

St. John's Wort is reported to have some mild antidepressant properties but you need to be careful about two things: (1) it is known to increase sensitivity to sunlight; and (2) it can interact with/reduce the effectiveness of several other medications. Are you taking any other medications at all on a regular or semi-regular basis?

 

[Adui]

David,

No I am not on any medications. I didnt know about the sunlight thing, but now I do and will definately be careful!

My Phone is now working agian, so I will be calling my local VA rep either this evening or if they arent in, then tommorow about this.

To be honest till yesterday I was beginning to think I was more or less cured by the good sleep I have been getting. But yesterday proved that theory wrong. No I didnt go off the deep end again, but I felt the strewss building and did have to take a time out a couple times..
Anyhow, thanks again for the thoughts and suggestions and I will be reading and posting twice a week or so..

Take care

 

[Adui]

one question I just thought of,

is there any length of time I should consider stopping taking the melatonin? I know with some things the body can become dependent, and or develope a resistance too, but I dont know if that is one of them.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

No I don't think there are any concerns along those lines that would apply to melatonin. I'll try to do some research into it though and let you know if I find anything worrisome.

 

[sammy]

Hi Adui
I've just read all through this thread...

I do not understand what is happening to me.. I am severely underemployed, working only 2 days a week, and my oldest child is emotionally challenged. Theres a lot of other stressors involved, so I know I am probably suffering a severe case of stress

too much prolonged stress can cause depression, I'm pretty sure...
it can be hard to see a way out...
You said your eldest child is emotionally challenged... I'm not sure what symptoms that he/she has, but that must be difficult.
Also being underemployed... I know when my husband had to accept not working (because of health problems), he went through depression and had to receive anti-depressants.. we have the National Health Service here in England though... it must be so hard for you... as you said you owe because of your child...
I can't begin to imagine having to pay for health treatment...

and you said this...

my early discharge, while Honorable and essentially timed with the force reductions after the Gulf war was related to emotional issues

do you think there are unresolved issues from that time of service still?

Please don't feel it's necessary to answer... it's just some things I noticed and thought that they must have brought a lot of stress upon you, which gets pushed down, but sometimes comes out later in other ways...

 

[jubjub]

About the St. John's Wort.......I want to tell you that I experienced a severe reaction when I took St. John's Wort and a niacin pill at the same time. I believe I darned near killed myself! I have never seen this particular reaction mentioned in any documentation I have read or any programs I have watched on television. I turned bright red all over and felt like my skin was going to peel off and my head was going to blow off and I suffered severe dizziness! I would take it at a time of day when I wasn't taking any other medications, just to be on the safe side.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

That may have been a severe allergic reaction.

This is another potential problem with "herbal remedies" -- they are plants --- and they may be sufficiently similar to things that are allergens for you to cause a significant allergic response.

I have allergies to several pollens and I don't react well to echinacea. Others seem to make me feel ill...

 

[Adui]

Sammy,

I had not even considered the idea of unresolved issues from way back then. Not being in anyway knowlegeable about such things I cant say, but I can say that hardly a day goes by that I dont at least reflect on that decision.. (The one to allow them to get rid of me instead of treating me at the time). And I would be lying if I said I dont feel like I quit, or copped out. My father was a 23 year navy man, my older brother is still in the reserves, while my little brother was medically discharged from the marines for good reason. My reason at the time to allow them to let me go, rather than at least trying to get some treatment out of them for my situation, was that I believed somehow getting out of the navy would magically solve my marrital problems of the time.. I divorced that wife two years later, after two more years of almost daily fighting over stupid stuff. ( She was the best friend I ever had, we just didnt belong together romantically and making that decision ruined our friendship..)

So to make it short, yes I do feel guilty for getting out of the service the way I chose to.