To Defend Ones Honor!

I’m at Biggby Coffee, which recently had to change its name from Beaner’s Coffee, because Beaner is apparently a racist term. I completely blame my old roommate for this. She (being from California) was so excited by the name that she took a picture to send to her friends. I am imagining that picture traveling throughout all of California until it hit someone who would be upset.

Someone whispered into Biggby’s ear and wanting to avoid legal action the company changed its name. The problem is I liked the name Beaner’s much better then Biggby, and why should the racism of California effect was all? Yes, there are a lot of Mexicans in your state, get over it. Oh, and while I’m at it I could say something to Europe, but that doesn’t impact the name of my coffee shop. Europe, so what if your ‘modern’ world is taken over by Islam. Kidding. It’s been your fear for so long, and it hasn’t happened yet.

Will I every really have a relationship? I want to send out the warning to everyone. This guy was flirting with me, because I was doing the lip thing (I rub my upper lip over my nose when my nose is uncomfortable.) So the guy across from me thinks I am flirting with him. (Really I need to stop doing the lip thing.) He starts flirting with me. So after a while I decide to tell (on my computer screen ) that I have Schizoaffective Bipolar disorder, (Why can’t I stop doing the lip thing.) and I am really paranoid and I am taking medication. He says, “Schizoaffective Bipolar is in a different font then the rest. (I always look it up because it is hard to spell.) You are a liar. I wonder what medication they have for that?” He always shows up at the same time on the same day, so I am thinking next week to bring my box of Zyprexa Zydis, and discretely put it by me. Maybe I will bring all my medication and take it early. Because how dare he say I, “I” am lying about my illness. You try to spell Schizoaffective Bipolar.

So I will have to wait a weak, and carry my medication along with me. Then he will see. HA. I will have the last laugh.

I cannot believe I didn’t notice the font thing. I am an artist!

I was so caught up and showing this dude who was clearly flirting with me to make me uncomfortable, come on he just kept on staring right at me and licking his lips. I guess he figured that because I didn’t leave when he winked at me I was fine with him flirting with me. I wasn’t going to leave my comfortable seat! Maybe he was trying to get me to leave.

So it is settled. Next week, I bring all my medications. I line them out and say, “I normally don’t take these until night, but if you want me to I will take them now.” Sting. Or should I be discrete?

Anyway, I set myself up something to look forward to, and with minimal cost to myself. What do I care if some dude thinks I am a liar? All I care about is my honor, which I am getting a chance to prove. I think Zyprexa will do it.

Evolve

I am guessing this is nothing new, but I do not watch T.V.

Every time that I go into the Modern Language Building I am confronted with a Trojan condoms ad. In it are a number of pigs in a bar while there are two human females that are being hit on by pigs, but they are annoyed. At the bar is a couple of a human male and female happy to be together. On the ad it says EVOLVE.

In case you don’t get it is implying that those who use condoms have evolved above those who do not, and that those who do not are pigs.

It makes me think of all those cultures where for reasons, social or religious the use of condoms is frowned upon. Say the Catholic Church where it is believed that sex is a scared act between males and females, and having sex for any reason other then to have children is wrong. I think I remember hearing something about how this is something that raises us up above the level of animals.

Who is Trojan to say that all these cultures (social or religious) are pigs?

For the Evolve website look here
For the video of the ad look here

What a damn jolly good idea.

If what ‘Alternative Medicine,’ says about anticonvulsants (ie Lamicatal) reducing folic acid and vitamin B12 is true (at least in some cases), and folic acid/vitamin B12 are essential fighting depression then Lamicatal could end up being a deadly medication indeed.

That is unless we are talking about First generation anticonvulsants, in which case I think Lamicatal is a new generation, and might not have this problem. It could, however, pop up in curtain individuals. Oh… this is ridiculous. Look at me. I am a cat. I’m not a pDoc, and that is why you should talk to them first.

I am done looking up stuff for the day. I feel like dancing… in the rain, can I have a volunteer? Just keep right on dancing. What a damn jolly good idea. It’s a jollication (had to look up this word) as a matter of fact…guess song.

It’s been in my head for a long time. Ever since I stopped reading for a class, and took a shower so long ago. Something about the water in the shower must have raised it from the subconscious of my mind.

I keep on having to shift around because my back gets sore. I’ll do so horribly at an office job, but I can stay in one place at a table longer then in my lazy boy chair.

Even if I do have more energy, and I wouldn’t have made it this far into the day without my vitamins sleepiness is creeping up behind me. “FIGHT IT. Get out your… lightsavor, which is conveniently hidden in your cell phone. Yes, that thing that pulls up now enter the secret code. Whisper WHISPER whisper. There I think you are ready. Now call the pizza place and order a Mountain Dew. Don’t listen to your doctor about no caffeine after noon, it is not afternoon right now the sun is down. Sure get a pizza to go along with it.”

“No, I am not having caffeine after 12 pm.”

“It is after 12 pm all the time. Do you mean to have caffeine never?”

“I can have it in the morning.”

“But that will be after 12 pm today, and the day before that all the way up to the beginning.”

“Oh I’m not talking to you anymore.”

“You don’t even know who I am. You don’t know the sound of my voice or the sweet softness of my smile. Your glasses are falling down.”

Folic acid and vitamin B12 - not pseudoscience

Here is a abstract from google scholar, just so you know that it isn't just Pseudoscience I'm talking about. But really who in there right mind would ever think that a person on a website surrounded by cat pictures would not know the difference between science and
pseudoscience.

"Journal of Psychopharmacology, Vol. 19, No. 1, 59-65 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/0269881105048899
© 2005 British Association for Psychopharmacology

Treatment of depression: time to consider folic acid and vitamin B12

Alec Coppen

MRC Neuropsychiatric Research Laboratory, Epsom, Surrey, UK, acoppen@globalnet.co.uk

Christina Bolander-Gouaille

Pharmacist, Helsingborg, Sweden

We review the findings in major depression of a low plasma and particularly red cell folate, but also of low vitamin B12 status. Both low folate and low vitamin B12 status have been found in studies of depressive patients, and an association between depression and low levels of the two vitamins is found in studies of the general population. Low plasma or serum folate has also been found in patients with recurrent mood disorders treated by lithium. A link between depression and low folate has similalrly been found in patients with alcoholism. It is interesting to note that Hong Kong and Taiwan populations with traditional Chinese diets (rich in folate), including patients with major depression, have high serum folate concentrations. However, these countries have very low life time rates of major depression. Low folate levels are furthermore linked to a poor response to antidepressants, and treatment with folic acid is shown to improve response to antidepressants. A recent study also suggests that high vitamin B12 status may be associated with better treatment outcome. Folate and vitamin B12 are major determinants of one-carbon metabolism, in which S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is formed. SAM donates methyl groups that are crucial for neurological function. Increased plasma homocysteine is a functional marker of both folate and vitamin B12 deficiency. Increased homocysteine levels are found in depressive patients. In a large population study from Norway increased plasma homocysteine was associated with increased risk of depression but not anxiety. There is now substantial evidence of a common decrease in serum/red blood cell folate, serum vitamin B12 and an increase in plasma homocysteine in depression. Furthermore, the MTHFR C677T polymorphism that impairs the homocysteine metabolism is shown to be overrepresented among depressive patients, which strengthens the association. On the basis of current data, we suggest that oral doses of both folic acid (800 µg daily) and vitamin B12 (1 mg daily) should be tried to improve treatment outcome in depression.

Key Words: cobalamin • depression • diet • folate • folic acid • homocysteine • one carbon-metabolism • S-adenosylmethionine • vitamin B12"

Source at <http://jop.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/19/1/59>

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!