SSRI's (ie some antidepressants like Zoloft) and calcium

"Update (12/08/07): One of our friends, Dr Robert Rowan sent us a recent newsletter (Second Opinion) of a new study that shows SSRIs (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) inhibit the absorption of calcium into your bones. He says: "Researchers found that daily use of SSRIs can cause a 4% reduction in bone mineral density in your hips. The lower spine lost 2.4% of bone density." Additionally, SSRIs can lower your blood pressure which can result in falling; a perfect prescription for broken bones." -International Wellness Directory

If this is true do you think Zoloft could be the reason my nails got weaker, and my teeth are now sensitive to cold? I thought that was a weight loss medication. Anyway. All I have to say is, "If you are on a SSRI look out for your calcium."

Consluting you doctor

"Excellent post! However, I would recommend that before anyone runs out and buys bottles and bottles of vitamins, that s/he consult with a doctor. The reason being, if you are taking more than one medication, some vitamins and minerals can interfere with the absorption of the drugs.

Vitamins/minerals aren't candy and they can affect your system in surprising ways, especially if you are taking 'mega' doses. please be careful and consult a professional if you have any questions!

Overall, vitamins and minerals can be excellent supplements to one's overall diet and exercise program.

Great post, Kelly!" -Mary at RXList

The post she is taking about is here. I know, sadly she was not talking to me. I would have liked to have had an excellent post, but woe is me. Alas, all I post about is cats... not really, but dance dance dance.

Read this if you are taking an Anticonvulsant (ie Lamicatal)

"Folic acid

Several studies have shown that multiple anticonvulsant therapy reduces blood levels of folic acid and dramatically increases homocysteine levels.12, 13, 14 Homocysteine, a potential marker for folic acid deficiency, is a compound used experimentally to induce seizures and is associated with atherosclerosis. Carbamazepine alone has also been shown to reduce blood levels of folic acid.15

One preliminary study showed that pregnant women who use anticonvulsant drugs without folic acid supplementation have an increased risk of having a child with birth defects, such as heart defects, cleft lip and palate, neural tube defects, and skeletal abnormalities. However, supplementation with folic acid greatly reduces the risk.16 Consequently, some healthcare practitioners recommend that women taking multiple anticonvulsant drugs supplement with 5 mg of folic acid daily, for three months prior to conception and during the first trimester, to prevent folic acid deficiency-induced birth defects.17 Other practitioners suggest that 1 mg or less of folic acid each day is sufficient to prevent deficiency during pregnancy.18

One well-controlled study showed that adding folic acid to multiple anticonvulsant therapy resulted in reduced seizure frequency.19 In addition, three infants with seizures who were unresponsive to medication experienced immediate relief following supplementation with the active form of folic acid.20

Despite the apparent beneficial effects, some studies have indicated that as little as 0.8 mg of folic acid taken daily can increase the frequency and/or severity of seizures.21, 22, 23, 24 However, a recent controlled study showed that both healthy and epileptic women taking less than 1 mg of folic acid per day had no increased risk for seizures.25 Until more is known about the risks and benefits of folic acid, individuals taking multiple anticonvulsant drugs should consult with their healthcare practitioner before supplementing with folic acid. In addition, pregnant women or women who might become pregnant while taking anticonvulsant drugs should discuss folic acid supplementation with their practitioner."

-Alternative Medicine

What if this deficiency (in some cases) was the result of only one anticonvulsant, or an interaction with a drug outside of the realm of anticonvulsants? Shouldn't we know this? There is more!


"Vitamin B12

Anemia is an uncommon side effect experienced by people taking anticonvulsant drugs. Though many researches believe that low blood levels of folic acid are involved, the effects might be caused by a vitamin B12 deficiency. Deficiencies of folic acid and vitamin B12 can lead to nerve and mental problems. One study revealed that individuals on long-term anticonvulsant therapy, despite having no laboratory signs of anemia, had dramatically lower levels of vitamin B12 in their cerebrospinal fluid (the fluid that bathes the brain) when compared with people who were not taking seizure medications. Improvement in mental status and nerve function was observed in a majority of symptomatic individuals after taking 30 mcg of vitamin B12 daily for a few days.²⁸ Another study found that long-term anticonvulsant therapy had no effect on blood levels of vitamin B12.²⁹ The results of these two studies indicate that people taking anticonvulsant drugs might experience side effects of vitamin B12 deficiency, and that the deficiency is not easily detected by the usual blood tests. Therefore, individuals taking anticonvulsant drugs for several months or years might prevent nerve and mental problems by supplementing with vitamin B12."


-Alternative Medicine

I don't know if you believe in Alternative Medicine, but we take Fish Oil don't we. If you are on Lamicatal why not try B12 and Folic Acid for a few days and (or a week) see if you feel better.

I'm not going to go into every vitamin in Jones 24c that could be making me feel better, but I think that this is the most extreme. Either way pick up a bottle of 24c berry pomegranate, and write down the vitamins an minerals and try to aim for these (if the bottle works). Slowly (if you keep on checking the labels of things) you will figure out what makes you happy!

Wow!

Today is a day to read. Read a million times and forget about the world. Or would be if at least if I loved what I was reading, but no it is hours of not fun reading. I remember when I spent all Friday reading on the floor or in the chair of my dorm room. You know I have energy today, but my eyes, say no. No you do not. In no way am I manic, but I woke up a few times last night. It wasn’t endless sleep. There I rubbed my eye, my complaining eye.

My head is not tired, but my nose, and eyes are. By noses I mean the area in between my eyes. When I am back to normal sleeping, how will I every convince them that I don’t need more then 8-10 hours of sleep every night?

It is a strange in between I am feeling. As if the part of me I cannot control cannot decide if it wants to be sleepy or rested. Though I am happy. I chug my 24c wondering what in it exactly made things so different, and also wonder if I will make it tomorrow as well. Can 500% vitamin C. 500% B12, 25% Chromium and so forth really. Really? Or is it just a spike in energy? A lift from a strange medicated depression like tiredness to normal? ha ha hah hah

I just looked at the Pepsi bottle. It makes a point to say, “Contains No Juice.” What juice would…oh yeah it is a Wild Cherry Pepsi. I guess it makes sense then, and isn’t really funny. I would have to check a normal bottle to see if it says the same. Mountain Dew (Contains No Juice.) Oh, my. I’m really waking up now.

I don’t know what is in this stuff, but it sure makes me giddy. la la la la

Okay I’m calm, and don’t worry, my thoughts are not racing. With how much calming medication I am on, I better well be calm.

How much Vitamin C is too much? Upper Level 2000 mg. If you are looking into increasing your Vitamin C read this page. The Daily Value (the thing on the labels) is 60 mg. So I’d say it would be hard to overdose, but read the page anyway.

If you are looking into Vitamin B12 read this page.

I say, try them both! How can it hurt?

None of them seem to have a direct impact on sleepiness, but if they impact depression it is the same.

Vitamins

"Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - this vitamin is being preliminarily examined for beneficial effects in manic-depressive patients. Vitamin C helps to clear Vanadium from the body, a trace mineral that is sometimes abnormally high in bipolar patients. The research studies on this topic (see below) also showed that patient symptoms improved with a reduced-Vanadium diet. The Yale-New Haven Health Complementary Medicine website recommends that: "until more is known, people with bipolar illness should avoid supplements containing vanadium and consider supplementing with vitamin C."

Vitamin B Complex - some studies have indicated that deficiencies in Vitamins B1 (thiamin), B2, B6, and B12 can contribute to depression. There has also been preliminary evidence to show that supplements of B-vitamin complexes (in general, these B vitamins are taken together) improves symptoms in depressed subjects."

-Bipolar Focus

Energy - Vitamin Therapy -

It is one of those mornings when for some reason I have the normally longed for word. ENERGY! Something is beginning to tell me that my problem isn’t a sleep disorder, or medication, but a major vitamin disorder. Why? I regained my energy after having a vitamin drink last night, and I don’t think it was the Wendy’s. What vitamin could I be lacking? Something that doesn’t appear on the physical tests because I just had one.

In reality I have no reason why I got a ‘normal’ amount of sleep last night, and still have energy in the morning. I am, however, very relieved. Even if it is just for a while, here I am. La la la la.

What has changed? Between yesterday and today?

Maybe my medication draws out a curtain vitamin from my system, so that I need more of it then the normal person? It isn’t the weight loss medication, except that makes my nails weak.

Luckily this new drink at the Copy Shop (where I used to work) has calcium in it as well. Zones 24c. The Copy Shop switch to it because Coca-Cola bought out Vitamin Water. Coca-Cola is evil. Just thought you would like to know.

If the problem with my system is vitamins or minerals, it is something that can be fixed. Fish oil for my brain, and all that other stuff for my brain as well. No wonder I was chugging down Fruit Juice before I was told I had high blood sugar.

Looking online on the subject at hand I came across an apparently not widespread concept Vitamin Therapy. Am I about to start to dance with vitamins, and such and such. The balance of not too much, but enough to make you feel better.

In my studio, no, by my studio are a number of others and one is filled with pictures of the poverty in Africa. A cheery subject to left ones head and see. I have been thinking about that Free Rice website where ten grains of rice are donated for every vocabulary question that a person gets right. Pouring out my rice to cook I thought, “Ten grains is so little. Just look at it. I could use the time playing that game to really work towards the problem.”

The solution is not to donate rice, but to provide the support needed to allow the farmer to grow more rice. This is not how rice is grown (I think), but giving a loan for a better plow, or giving the goats to provide food.

I remember one time when I was in Mass/Service (Church) and we watched a video on donating to the Rice Bowl, and there was a paper of how much money donated what kind of animal. We were watching the video on a big screen T.V., and I whispered to my sister, “I wonder how many goats that cost.”

I went to a…what is it called again…oh I forget. It was one of those shops where you buy almost directly from artists/craftsmen in the third world. Some shops are more direct then others.

So I went there, and I wanted the gloves and winter hats, because they were awesome, but I am a poor college student so I did not get them. That is about the end of my story. Wonderful wasn’t it?

La la la

I’ve been looking
through my past…
I’ve been looking
for material.
Something
to add a little more
to a detailed picture.

And in the end
all I do
is sleep some more,
or
wish I was
something else
that my brain didn’t
feel this way,
all the time.

Yet it passes,
and moments

what am I thinking
I will never win
this contest
with my sister.

a contest on sleep hygiene.

if only it were well-power,
that if I just forced
myself to get up
everything would be fine.

If only
I just
gave myself
a little more time
to sleep.

If only
I factored in
a few more hours,
two, my sister says
no difference…
still tired.

I would very much like
to throw
in the towel today,
and
sleep,

I tired everyday.
I’ve said this many, many times.

I waited on the last
medication
combination,
hoping
not wanting to give up
now I’ve waited too long.

That’s it!
I’m getting chocolate!