Five ways to reduce your ME/CFS "wired but tired" hyperaroused brain state

[overtheedge]

@Hoosierfans

I tried a number of GABA meds a few months back but not for very long as i dont have anxiety and they didn't seem to do anything for my energy levels and I wanted to move on to things that had a chance of improving my overall condition. The GABA meds did make me feel good and relaxed but not strongly though again the testing wasn't very thorough and i didn't use more than one at once, the only thing i have that makes me feel powerfully relaxed is CBD, if you wanted to feel relaxed you might try that though i dont know if it will do much about your neurotransmitters.

CBD makes things feel good for me the way they did back when i only had mild cfs but it also becomes easy to throw away lots of energy, tho, sometimes you just need to feel good and in your case the tradeoff might be an overall beneficial and sustainable one since you got such good symptom relief from being relaxed by other drugs. CBD is somewhat expensive though. if you do decide to go that route tell me because i have a good bit of info on CBD

There was a time when the GABA meds worked strongly for me and i would be so relaxed from them but i didn't test them much then and didnt get anything like that when testing them recently but they were really something so maybe you'll be lucky and be one of the ones who are strongly affected by such herbs

Also, I can tell you what all the GABA herbs did for me when i tested them a few months ago but everyone is different and I didn't use them for long with the exception of theanine

Theanine helps with sleep even when i cant feel its effects strongly so i take it sometimes at awakenings

 

[JoeyJo]

You might also look into high dose inositol (search my posts for info), as this can have a calming effect by raising serotonin.

@Hoosierfans

In many ways Inositol was one of the best supplements I've ever tried. I felt calm yet full of energy, motivation and like my 'normal' self when taking it. My acne-prone skin completely cleared up too and for once in my life it looked good!

However, the severe insomnia that I've had for the past 3 years also started around the same time. I stopped taking it shortly after and whilst the sleep problems have never gone away, they get much, much worse whenever I re-start the Inositol ( which I've been tempted to do a couple of times because the other effects were soooooo good).

It could be a coincidence, but because I wasn't taking anything else at the time, and because my sleep has never been the same since, I felt the need to share this experience. I'd definitely suggest going low and slow with it as they say, especially if you're someone who feels wired already ( as it makes me feel that way which is not a state I'd experienced prior to taking).

 

[Hoosierfans]

@Hoosierfans

In many ways Inositol was one of the best supplements I've ever tried. I felt calm yet full of energy, motivation and like my 'normal' self when taking it. My acne-prone skin completely cleared up too and for once in my life it looked good!

However, the severe insomnia that I've had for the past 3 years also started around the same time. I stopped taking it shortly after and whilst the sleep problems have never gone away, they get much, much worse whenever I re-start the Inositol ( which I've been tempted to do a couple of times because the other effects were soooooo good).

It could be a coincidence, but because I wasn't taking anything else at the time, and because my sleep has never been the same since, I felt the need to share this experience. I'd definitely suggest going low and slow with it as they say, especially if you're someone who feels wired already ( as it makes me feel that way which is not a state I'd experienced prior to taking).

Thank you for that warning about the inositol. I am pretty sure it helps with serotonin...and serotonin in and of itself can be activating. Some people it really helps with anxiety, some it makes folks worse.

It’s on my list of things to try, after I get through the various GABA substances suggested in several threads. On my list (and I will report back):

1. Klonopin ( just trying a small dose every 3 or 4 days to be able to compare with the other agents)

2. Herbal stack of lemon balm, valerian and American skullcap. Ordered tinctures from HerbPharm

3. PharmaGABA (supplement available on Amazon)

4. Liposomal GABA ( supplement available on Amazon)

5. HolisticHeal GABA (Amy Yaskos product)

6. Kava — several strains ordered from Kalm with Kava. This is most intriguing to me as it sensitizes GABA receptors over time.

The other product that folks have had success with in here is straight GABA powder from powder city. Have not ordered that yet as my credit card needs a break from the last 24 hours. 😝

 

[JoeyJo]

2. Herbal stack of lemon balm, valerian and American skullcap. Ordered tinctures from HerbPharm

I'd be interested to hear how you get on with the lemon balm and skullcap as I'm thinking of trying those next for the insomnia.

 

[Hoosierfans]

I'd be interested to hear how you get on with the lemon balm and skullcap as I'm thinking of trying those next for the insomnia.

I will let you know. Giving it a try today. I am mixing a full dropper of Valerian, skullcap, lemon balm and Passion flower. 👍🏻

 

[bertiedog]

I haven't read all the thread but wanted to report that at times in the night I can have severe anxiety usually related to dizziness but what has helped apart from a tiny dose of clonazapan (just 1/4 of a tablet) is 125 mg GABA taken mid evening followed by another 125 mg on going to bed. This has a good relaxing effect taken alongside 25 mg Lyrica so I can get off to sleep and if I do wake up provided I use a guided meditation I can get back for some decent sleep.

Its about 20 years or a bit more that I have had to resort to the tiny dose of clonazapn if my brain refuses to switch off sufficiently for me to sleep or if the anxiety is so extreme but in all that time I have never taken more than the 1/4 of a tablet. My GP prescribes it for me and usually 30 tablets last about 10 months or a bit longer. Its been the difference between me keeping my sanity on a bad night or going completely over the top but I am happy to say this very rarely happens now. Usually it will be the result of a virus or infection or as has just happened as the result of my first 31 injections of Botox for migraine. This caused a massive central nervous system overreaction for 3 nights and days and has resulted in me getting a respiratory infection because of the stress of it all.

I also react well to a mixture of Valarian and Hops as in Vogel's Stress Relief for Daytime Use and if I take about 15 drops of this after lunch I can pretty well guarantee a short nap which leaves me feeling a whole lot better and relaxed.

Pam

 

[woozy]

Idebenone is an analog of coq10, wow i need to try this.

How did you get on Kallogann with the Idebenone? Did it help your balance inyour brain? Blood flow improved maybe? I have ordered a box as want to try it for my woozy brain LOL

 

[MartinK]

The NMDA receptors and GABA receptors on a neuron thus have opposite effects, and are like the two sides of a seesaw: if you push the seesaw down on the NMDA side, you increase neuronal excitation, and if you push the seesaw down on the GABA side, you decrease neuronal excitation and increase neuronal relaxation.

@Hip do you know, if influencing these receptors except "wired" feeling also play a significant role in heat intolerance? I'm trying to figure it out, because now in the summer I'm struggling with extreme heat intolerance and it occurs to me that some connections lead here...
(I dont have heat intolerance from MCAS hypersensitivity)

 

[Hip]

in the summer I'm struggling with extreme heat intolerance and it occurs to me that some connections lead here...

I don't know if there is any connection to heat intolerance.

If you have dysautonomia (POTS, NMH, etc) this can lead to heat intolerance.

 

[Consul]

@Hip do you use any of the things in the first post still, whats your glutamate handling regime?

These things should reduce screen and sound sensitivity right?

I get soo overstimulered in my head when in PEM mode, this has to be the reason. Small excertions somehow trigger neuroinflammation and then the glutamate floodgates open to bring the PEM. Is that a plausible model from your point of view? I would guess thats whats going on.

 

[Hip]

@Hip do you use any of the things in the first post still, whats your glutamate handling regime?

These things should reduce screen and sound sensitivity right?

I get soo overstimulered in my head when in PEM mode, this has to be the reason. Small excertions somehow trigger neuroinflammation and then the glutamate floodgates open to bring the PEM. Is that a plausible model from your point of view? I would guess thats whats going on.

I use the N-acetyl glucosamine (NAG) regularly when anxiety levels increase. I have a whole thread on using NAG to treat anxiety. Sometimes I use around 1 or 2 grams of micronized kava kava powder if I am feeling agitated.

I have not found any of these things helps with sound sensitivity. The only thing which I found helps for that is very-low dose amisulpride, detailed in my thread here. I find my sound sensitivity is dopamine connected.


If you are feeling overstimulated, this can be due to overmethylation, especially if you are taking supplements which boost methylation. An effective treatment for this overmethylation overstimulation is 500 to 1000 mg of niacinamide, a known way to reduce overmethylation.

I get both generalized anxiety disorder sometimes, and overmethylation overstimulation, and it's actually not easy to distinguish the two. But the treatment is different. I find NAG does nothing for my overstimulation; only niacinamide work for that. But NAG works wonders for my anxiety.

 

[Stretched]

Re GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) I’m wondering if others feel these same symptoms which are really distressing: adrenaline in the GI system with stomach churning; severe sleep disturbance due to adrenaline flow, with racing thoughts; emotional state in constant fight or flight status?

 

[Tannukchhina]

@Hoosierfans

In many ways Inositol was one of the best supplements I've ever tried. I felt calm yet full of energy, motivation and like my 'normal' self when taking it. My acne-prone skin completely cleared up too and for once in my life it looked good!

However, the severe insomnia that I've had for the past 3 years also started around the same time. I stopped taking it shortly after and whilst the sleep problems have never gone away, they get much, much worse whenever I re-start the Inositol ( which I've been tempted to do a couple of times because the other effects were soooooo good).

It could be a coincidence, but because I wasn't taking anything else at the time, and because my sleep has never been the same since, I felt the need to share this experience. I'd definitely suggest going low and slow with it as they say, especially if you're someone who feels wired already ( as it makes me feel that way which is not a state I'd experienced prior to taking).

How are you now?