Hi, Fiona, and the rest of you. Fiona, you are so on my mind. And I agree that there is something about the serotonin in mucuna/zandopa that leads me to "feel" better, across the board. That said, I have yet to figure out how to titrate even a very small daily amt of Mucuna powder, as in, 1/4 teaspoon, (mixed with zandopa) for myself CONSISTENTLY, with my Stalevo, without running into dyskinesias galore, or, a jumpy manic-ness I do not like at all.
Even worse, ironically,and paradoxically, is a sort of kick-back effect whereby I actually have felt, since introducing mucuna, more deeply depressed at times, following a slow but significant improvement in mood and a sense of calm well-being --on the heels of the introduction of mucuna into my life back in April. Until recently, Celexa, (10 mg) for the past five years, had fully eliminated the PD-induced depression that had slowly crept into my normally upbeat. "go-getter" psyche, due, I'm certain, to organic changes from PD. Then my neurologist told me this past January that he'd heard compelling enough anecdotal reports and reseach that of all the SSRI's, Celexa is implicated the most in worsening motor symptoms, and strongly suggested I switch to Lexapro, which I did..
Being that major family medical stressors seemed to make me more syptomatic this past winter and spring, I'd been increasing my Celexa to 20 mg., and while I felt less stressed, I had, indeed, been getting worse and worse motor symptoms. So, I switched to Lexapro, (maybe did a little better motorr-wise)and a few months later, added mucuna. This is when I experienced the surprise of a definitely better mood, and somewhat better "on" stretches. But....conversely, when I went "off," the emotional piece was far worse, too!
So what was it? Interesting to hear all of your dimilar stories out there in Neuro-talk-land. Disappointment and let-down after feeling "teased" by genuinely feeling better, or ...is it something about mucuna? An addiction high and low? I wish I knew. Cycling between highs and lows is unfamiliar to me, and never has been part of my experience. I'd heard and seen plenty about it from my private-practice therapy clients, for sure. But my psyche is more familiar with plain old run-of-the-mill depression and anxiety, greatly exacerbated by PD and until lately, relieved by Celexa. Thus, the mucuna-induced jumpiness and depression, alternating with, honestly, the most "normal" and undepressed I'd been in years, took me by surprise, and has been really frustrating! Nowadays, I'm very cautious with mucuna, and am using it as a "rescue" remedy when I'm off.
Like Fiona, the details of the corruption and greed of PD docs who sold out welders for a salary from industry also took a terrible toll on my PD health. Since PD, my old resilience seems to have vanished, and being confronted with malevolence actually shuts down my dopamine. And yet I feel compelled to confront it, and take it on, something I was fed with mother's-milk. Sometimes activism galvanizes me and turns on my dopamine/serotonin or whatever! "feel-good neurotramitter" reserves, but that comes from brainstorming and problem-solving with kindred spirits. But confronted most recently, over past six months, it seems, with mean-spirited, small-minded, close-hearted, door-slamming forces which stand stubbornly and determinedly in my path, I crash. That is not the old me. I hate this new fragility.
I consider myself an idealist, but also a realist, and not an innocent by any means, and yet, and yet... I literally was knocked off my feet by the idea of physicians who dedicated their lives to helping those with PD, being willing to travel for a price to the underbelly of our human vulnerabilities, climbing under the bedsheets with the likes of Bush and his cohorts. It really undid me.
So, folks, those are my thoughts today. In fact, I am getting shut randomly on and off all day long, these days, by no clear forces whatsoever, as of late, without much mucuna at all. Heat, humidity? Maybe. But I am also, surprisingly, not very depressed, either--just frustrated as all hell. My doctor started me on long-acting once-daily Requip this week, to reduce my dystonia and prevent my climbing above daily dose of 350-400 mg of Stalevo. The news today, though, about 8.2 million payout to Mirapex gambler makes me uneasy, as too-much-extreme-sleepiness made me give up agonists long ago, and I hate re-introducing them.
And then there's the appearance on an unexplained "node" found in my stomach during an endoscopy my doctor ordered last week because of stomach discomforts, and "node" is now awaiting biopsy. It could be benign, says my intern. Apparently, however, "node" means lymph node, and that doesn't sound great. But it could explain my recent downturn. Or, maybe Cape Cod 2-week vacation as of Friday will cure me. signing off, and wishing you all well, and thanks for listening....your new buddy, Leonore
__________________
“WHEN I DARE TO BE POWERFUL, TO USE MY STRENGTH IN THE SERVICE OF MY VISION, THEN IT BECOMES LESS AND LESS IMPORTANT WHETHER OR NOT I AM AFRAID.”
Audre Lorde: (1934-1992) African American, lesbian-writer/poet/warrior, who gave us the gift of her courage, before cancer stole her away
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Update on my mom and everything else joellelee2000 The Stumble Inn 14 04-07-2008 09:00 PM
Update GreyHoundLover Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD and CRPS) 3 12-19-2007 08:24 PM
ot update mamafigure Parkinson's Disease 3 09-01-2007 05:55 PM
Update on new SCS junk4myemail Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD and CRPS) 0 08-24-2007 03:18 AM
Hi, Fiona, and the rest of you. Fiona, you are so on my mind. And I agree that there is something about the serotonin in mucuna/zandopa that leads me to "feel" better, across the board. That said, I have yet to figure out how to titrate even a very small daily amt of Mucuna powder, as in, 1/4 teaspoon, (mixed with zandopa) for myself CONSISTENTLY, with my Stalevo, without running into dyskinesias galore, or, a jumpy manic-ness I do not like at all.
Even worse, ironically,and paradoxically, is a sort of kick-back effect whereby I actually have felt, since introducing mucuna, more deeply depressed at times, following a slow but significant improvement in mood and a sense of calm well-being --on the heels of the introduction of mucuna into my life back in April. Until recently, Celexa, (10 mg) for the past five years, had fully eliminated the PD-induced depression that had slowly crept into my normally upbeat. "go-getter" psyche, due, I'm certain, to organic changes from PD. Then my neurologist told me this past January that he'd heard compelling enough anecdotal reports and reseach that of all the SSRI's, Celexa is implicated the most in worsening motor symptoms, and strongly suggested I switch to Lexapro, which I did..
Being that major family medical stressors seemed to make me more syptomatic this past winter and spring, I'd been increasing my Celexa to 20 mg., and while I felt less stressed, I had, indeed, been getting worse and worse motor symptoms. So, I switched to Lexapro, (maybe did a little better motorr-wise)and a few months later, added mucuna. This is when I experienced the surprise of a definitely better mood, and somewhat better "on" stretches. But....conversely, when I went "off," the emotional piece was far worse, too!
So what was it? Interesting to hear all of your dimilar stories out there in Neuro-talk-land. Disappointment and let-down after feeling "teased" by genuinely feeling better, or ...is it something about mucuna? An addiction high and low? I wish I knew. Cycling between highs and lows is unfamiliar to me, and never has been part of my experience. I'd heard and seen plenty about it from my private-practice therapy clients, for sure. But my psyche is more familiar with plain old run-of-the-mill depression and anxiety, greatly exacerbated by PD and until lately, relieved by Celexa. Thus, the mucuna-induced jumpiness and depression, alternating with, honestly, the most "normal" and undepressed I'd been in years, took me by surprise, and has been really frustrating! Nowadays, I'm very cautious with mucuna, and am using it as a "rescue" remedy when I'm off.
Like Fiona, the details of the corruption and greed of PD docs who sold out welders for a salary from industry also took a terrible toll on my PD health. Since PD, my old resilience seems to have vanished, and being confronted with malevolence actually shuts down my dopamine. And yet I feel compelled to confront it, and take it on, something I was fed with mother's-milk. Sometimes activism galvanizes me and turns on my dopamine/serotonin or whatever! "feel-good neurotramitter" reserves, but that comes from brainstorming and problem-solving with kindred spirits. But confronted most recently, over past six months, it seems, with mean-spirited, small-minded, close-hearted, door-slamming forces which stand stubbornly and determinedly in my path, I crash. That is not the old me. I hate this new fragility.
I consider myself an idealist, but also a realist, and not an innocent by any means, and yet, and yet... I literally was knocked off my feet by the idea of physicians who dedicated their lives to helping those with PD, being willing to travel for a price to the underbelly of our human vulnerabilities, climbing under the bedsheets with the likes of Bush and his cohorts. It really undid me.
So, folks, those are my thoughts today. In fact, I am getting shut randomly on and off all day long, these days, by no clear forces whatsoever, as of late, without much mucuna at all. Heat, humidity? Maybe. But I am also, surprisingly, not very depressed, either--just frustrated as all hell. My doctor started me on long-acting once-daily Requip this week, to reduce my dystonia and prevent my climbing above daily dose of 350-400 mg of Stalevo. The news today, though, about 8.2 million payout to Mirapex gambler makes me uneasy, as too-much-extreme-sleepiness made me give up agonists long ago, and I hate re-introducing them.
And then there's the appearance on an unexplained "node" found in my stomach during an endoscopy my doctor ordered last week because of stomach discomforts, and "node" is now awaiting biopsy. It could be benign, says my intern. Apparently, however, "node" means lymph node, and that doesn't sound great. But it could explain my recent downturn. Or, maybe Cape Cod 2-week vacation as of Friday will cure me. signing off, and wishing you all well, and thanks for listening....your new buddy, Leonore
__________________
“WHEN I DARE TO BE POWERFUL, TO USE MY STRENGTH IN THE SERVICE OF MY VISION, THEN IT BECOMES LESS AND LESS IMPORTANT WHETHER OR NOT I AM AFRAID.”
Audre Lorde: (1934-1992) African American, lesbian-writer/poet/warrior, who gave us the gift of her courage, before cancer stole her away
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Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Update on my mom and everything else joellelee2000 The Stumble Inn 14 04-07-2008 09:00 PM
Update GreyHoundLover Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD and CRPS) 3 12-19-2007 08:24 PM
ot update mamafigure Parkinson's Disease 3 09-01-2007 05:55 PM
Update on new SCS junk4myemail Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD and CRPS) 0 08-24-2007 03:18 AM
Update junk4myemail Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD and CRPS) 4 07-20-2007 08:51 PM
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Update junk4myemail Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD and CRPS) 4 07-20-2007 08:51 PM
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:02 PM.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fiona
Hi Bonnie,
you know I also find that the mucuna I've been taking has stopped working for me and that the Sinemet actually is working better than it used to right now....weird. But I've also just had these extreme acupuncture implants, so my chemistry is going through many changes...but I am going to now give the kind of mucuna that Rick and Ibby take a try, along with the ginger and ashwaganda, and see whether that's different or not.
But had a revelation lately that I don't think it's ultimately all about dopamine for us, and the constant emphasis on dopamine is wrong somehow. I think serotonin is much more of the underlying avenue of approach....I am basing this entirely on instinct and revelations through deep meditation about my body, and struggling not to have a nervous breakdown these days. Realizing about all the corruption in our medical world in the last few weeks has taken a big toll on me....I knew, but I didn't know how really bad it was, and I feel devastated. But I digress. Anyway, I think serotonin is somehow the healing elixir, and we skew our chemistry by focusing so much on dopamine, making our bodies very adrenalized...or something like that. This is the opposite of hard science. It's very personal, completely uninformed and subjective science, a bright new field of inquiry for the future!!!
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