Results from my methylation treatment - week by week

[cat65]

I have no concern for taking as much potassium as needed to stop low potassium symptoms, titrating to effect. I tend to decrease it a little each time from where it is past maximum effectiveness and so always am bumping along the low potassium symptoms regularaly. Potassium chloride can form acid if in solid form in contact with the stomach wall and cause tissue damage or death. The time release forms are most dangerous. The gluconate appears safe and comfortable. I take my largest doses with a stomach full of food and no doses larger than 500mg (495mg) with just a glass of water or other liquid, 12+ ounces. 4-6 doses per day seems to work best.




DISCLAIMER

I am a self taught systems analyst and consultant. I am not credentialed, certified or licensed to do anything besides drive a car. I have been disabled by the disease processes being discussed and affecting neurology in a multitude of ways for 10 years and impaired in a variety of ways and levels for 54 years before that. Everything I say is my opinion, synthesis, understanding or otherwise of my own creation except direct attributed quotes. Approximate paraphrases are also my interpretation of what I have read. All of this is at best my data analysis, understanding, synthesis and hypotheses and not to be construed as medical advice. I am not responsible for anything you do with any information provided in any way. Anything you do is your own responsibility and at your own risk. There are no published peer reviewed studies backing up my opinions or statements, except the incidental ones quoted or implicit in my synthesis or understanding, and then only in so far any reading of such papers may confer. Your interpretations, actions and variations of what I say are strictly at your own risk.

The potassium gluconate that I have is 550mg. But on the back of the bottle it says "Potassium (from 550mg Potassium Gluconate) 90mg.
Does this mean its only 90mg of Potassium?
Freddd you have asked me to fill out your questionair but you have not sent it yet. Is it finished?

 

[roxie60]

It's essentially the same old neurotransmitter precursors recipe. In my experience, it doesn't work in the long run. A dopamine/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor such as Wellbutrin XL will probably do the job you require, though.

have you taken daxitrol, is that what you mean by your experience? I do everything I can to stay away from pharma

 

[nanonug]

have you taken daxitrol, is that what you mean by your experience?

Not daxitrol per se but some of amino acids it contains.

 

[redo]

Sherlock. I'm sure it's a issue with the left lung (either neurologically, with problems using the lung muscles, or a more «typical physical» issue), but thank you for your input. Appreciated. The last days it's been somewhat better (but the problem is still there). Hoping it'll continue the right way. I am not on a specific potassium diet now, but I time to time choose more potassium rich foods. I've begun taking a normal multivitamin (low/normal dose) once a day.

 

[Sherlock]

Hi, redo. Glad to hear that it seems to be resolving. As you might have guessed, I was going on the medical principle when DDXing: to always consider any possibility, even if improbable, that would be devastating to miss.

As for more thinking out loud, I offhand don't know of any association of potassium with neoplasms, sarcoidosis, or pneumothorax.

Maybe what you have might turn out to be something relatively benign like intercostal chondritis somehow aggravated by the K. I suppose that might even give referred pain. Good luck.

 

[Sherlock]

I just tried tyrosine and phenylalanine and it really helped with focus. Any way to increase the dopamine. But I have been told that amino acids effects go away quickly. Not sure why we have a tolerance for Amino Acids but not other drugs.

Amino acids likely would be fairly quickly incorporated into tissue as part of normal turnover - in replacing proteins damaged by oxidation or glycation, e.g. Excess amounts of AAs can also be burned as fuel and some can even be converted to glucose if needed.

 

[richvank]

I just tried tyrosine and phenylalanine and it really helped with focus. Any way to increase the dopamine. But I have been told that amino acids effects go away quickly. Not sure why we have a tolerance for Amino Acids but not other drugs.

Hi, Place.

I would just like to note that at the Ottawa conference last September, Dr. Vrchota told me that she had found that it is important to supplement tryptophan and tyrosine together. The reason is that they share the same transporter for reabsorption by the kidneys, so that if you take one without the other one, the other one will become depleted, because it will preferentially be excreted into the urine rather than being reabsorbed.

Best regards,

Rich

 

[maddietod]

Rich, do you know the ratio of tryptophan: tyrosine? I only take tryptophan .

 

[Dreambirdie]

I have been taking only tryptophan for several years, for sleep. I can't tolerate tyrosine at all. It causes *SEVERE* over-stimulation. The last time I took a round of tyrosine--for about 3 weeks back in 2003 (and I was taking tryptophan at the same time), I felt some of the worst hyperactivity/agitation symptoms I've ever had.

So I would not agree with Dr Vrchota's conclusions about this. I think that everyone's biochemistry is unique, and needs to be taken into full account when prescribing anything.

 

[richvank]

I have been taking only tryptophan for several years, for sleep. I can't tolerate tyrosine at all. It causes *SEVERE* over-stimulation. The last time I took a round of tyrosine--for about 3 weeks back in 2003 (and I was taking tryptophan at the same time), I felt some of the worst hyperactivity/agitation symptoms I've ever had.

So I would not agree with Dr Vrchota's conclusions about this. I think that everyone's biochemistry is unique, and needs to be taken into full account when prescribing anything.

Hi, DB.

Fair enough. Just passing on what she told me. I think it is something to keep in mind that one of them can deplete the other. I like to see plasma amino acids test results to know for sure what the levels of these two are.

Best regards,

Rich

 

[place]

The amino's of various kinds work for me well. But then they tend to wear off after a couple weeks. I have been taking tyrosine for 3 days a week. so far so good. I don't tend to have back last on the off days. I have thought of trying the Tryptophan as well just for kicks, I will add that next to see what comes out of it. Nothing like playing chemist! Thanks Rich!

 

[nanonug]

I have thought of trying the Tryptophan as well just for kicks

Given that you are taking an SSRI, one of the kicks might involve serotonin syndrome so be careful!

 

[place]

Yeah.... I don't want that kind of kicks... thanks nano!

 

[Sherlock]

Given that you are taking an SSRI, one of the kicks might involve serotonin syndrome so be careful!

nice catch, nanonug - parallel to MAOIs and tyramine, though I'd expect that you probably can't get in trouble with SSRIs and food sources of tryptophan, as you can with MAOIs and cheese

interestingly, the cough suppressant dextromethorphan is also on the list of possible interactions, having also SSRi effects.

 

[Sherlock]

Sherlock. I'm sure it's a issue with the left lung (either neurologically, with problems using the lung muscles, or a more «typical physical» issue

I'd expect you're thinking of methylation of tumors. Maybe a blood test for LDH?

 

[Sherlock]

Yeah.... I don't want that kind of kicks... thanks nano!

I would think that you could still proceed, provided that you thoroughly acquaint yourself with the possible symptoms, and then use very small doses to start with. Maybe your inner mind recognizes that more serotonin is needed.

I also noted that the oft cited case of death from serotonin syndrome in the 1980s also involved an opioid being given, so that was an extreme situation.

 

[adreno]

I would think that you could still proceed, provided that you thoroughly acquaint yourself with the possible symptoms, and then use very small doses to start with.

If someone decides to experiment with this, be sure to have a 5-HT2A antagonist at hand, such as cyproheptadine.

 

[redo]

Hi, redo. Glad to hear that it seems to be resolving. As you might have guessed, I was going on the medical principle when DDXing: to always consider any possibility, even if improbable, that would be devastating to miss.

As for more thinking out loud, I offhand don't know of any association of potassium with neoplasms, sarcoidosis, or pneumothorax.

Maybe what you have might turn out to be something relatively benign like intercostal chondritis somehow aggravated by the K. I suppose that might even give referred pain. Good luck.

I really think thinking out loud is very useful, and I agree that to keep long shots open are a good way of going about things. Intercostal chondritis sounds very likely as for the lung issue (I had to look that up). Especially since it's been waxing and waning, and I guess pneumathorax is less prone to that.

I'd expect you're thinking of methylation of tumors. Maybe a blood test for LDH?

I really thought either neorological or typical physical such as in pheumathorax. Although I really think the inflammation hypothesis you recently suggested is more likely. That and a drop in dopamine as to explain the all of a sudden brain symptoms.

My health has been really brittle after the failed ARV course. Before that it was stable, and I could experiment with pretty much anything without getting side effects. Now, all it takes is a gentle push to go downhill.

 

[Sherlock]

Especially it's been waxing and waning, and I guess pneumathorax is less prone to that.

AFAIK, it takes days or weeks for the air to be absorbed back into the body.

My health has been really brittle after the failed ARV course. Before that it was stable, and I could experiment with pretty much anything without getting side effects. Now, all it takes is a gentle push to go downhill.

Wow, that is quite a story. If you feel up to it someday, it'd be interesting to hear why you think it turned out that way. A cautionary tale, so to speak. Good luck to you.

 

[redo]

The new symptoms are still waxing and waning, but it seems to be going in the right direction. Neck knots/pain is building up a bit, the new cognitive issues are better than they were some weeks ago, and the lung is somewhat better (but not fine). I think inflammation sounds very likely (like Sherlock pointed out) since it can explain how there are several symptoms which vary and not only one. The new cognitive issues could also be because of inflammation, and a result of it could be dopamine shortage (like others have pointed out, thanks!).

Sherlock. I wrote some about my ARV experiences here http://forums.phoenixrising.me/index.php?threads/my-experience-with-arvs.5998/page-2#post-127704 It really messed things up, and stirred things around. The only positive thing I can think of is that it makes me think that a RNA virus is present in ME, since I find it really hard to explain how those medications, which have been used countless times, gave such symptoms in both myself and Randalbond. I practically never get any side effects, and the effects I got wasn't listed in any rare effects list, like the <1/1000 ones, nor in any list I've seen. And both me and Randalbond got pretty much the same response. I'm thinking we've poked at a virus, and made things worse. If you have any quesions, then you're more than welcome to ask.