Stimulants: to what extent do you think they help you function?

[adreno]

Jacque,

I would stick to the safer stimulants, like caffeine, ritalin or modafinil, and avoid the amphetamines. There is some concern that amphetamines are neurotoxic in the long term, whereas the others are mostly neuroprotective. Bupropion is also a very safe mild stimulant that you can take daily.

As for treating actual damage to the brain, I would look into nootropics like piracetam, citicoline, ALCAR, DHA and methylcobalamin. Not all damage is treatable though. Axons and dendrites can regrow, but a dead neuron is a dead neuron. Neurogenesis has only been shown in the hippocampus.

 

[Jacque]

wow...what a genius idea from a genius!!! I will do that next week.... Life with this illness is one big ol experiment from hour to hour day to day isn't it? I had to go on Bactrim for this new nasty little Innercysticial? cystitis issue I now have, due to treatment...and spent the whole day on the couch bc I guess it is knocking out the Lyme too.... Today was my Grandsons 1st bday and I didn't see him bc I was too ill... grumble mumble grumble So now I am up at 1 am with intense bladder spasms getting ready to read about my new fun problem...another damn problem I cannot pronounce let alone spell - fun times...

 

[Jacque]

Jacque,

I would stick to the safer stimulants, like caffeine, ritalin or modafinil, and avoid the amphetamines. There is some concern that amphetamines are neurotoxic in the long term, whereas the others are mostly neuroprotective. Bupropion is also a very safe mild stimulant that you can take daily.

As for treating actual damage to the brain, I would look into nootropics like piracetam, citicoline, ALCAR, DHA and methylcobalamin. Not all damage is treatable though. Axons and dendrites can regrow, but a dead neuron is a dead neuron. Neurogenesis has only been shown in the hippocampus.

Yah Heaps has been tellin me about some of those...gonna look into those afffter I spend time reading about this bladder issue... Thanks for info...

 

[heapsreal]

Yah Heaps has been tellin me about some of those...gonna look into those afffter I spend time reading about this bladder issue... Thanks for info...

look into pregnenolone to try in another experiemnt. can help with adrenal fatigue etc.
just need to make a big list of things to try and work your way down the list. keep what works and throw away what doesnt. thasts the scientific way lol.

 

[xchocoholic]

Jacque,

As for treating actual damage to the brain, I would look into nootropics like piracetam, citicoline, ALCAR, DHA and methylcobalamin. Not all damage is treatable though. Axons and dendrites can regrow, but a dead neuron is a dead neuron. Neurogenesis has only been shown in the hippocampus.

HI adreno,

Thanks for the tips on what to try for healing the brain.

I'm too lazy to google the answer to my question so I hoped you'd answer it for me.

The white lesions on my brain and my ataxia disappeared one year post GF diet. That was back in 2006. As I understand this isn't that uncommon but possibly not well documented tho. Dr. Hadjivassilou probably knows this. He discovered gluten ataxia.

So what part or parts of my brain healed ? tx .. X

PS. Pregnenolone can be tested via serum. Mine was at the level of a 70 year old when I was 54. I'm only taking 10 mg daily and it seems to give me a little energy. I feel 69. When I tried taking more it didn't seem to make any difference.

 

[Jacque]

look into pregnenolone to try in another experiemnt. can help with adrenal fatigue etc.
just need to make a big list of things to try and work your way down the list. keep what works and throw away what doesnt. thasts the scientific way lol.

Well then I guess you can say I am a scientist!! It is a never ending lab experiment here... I take Pregnenolone, Dhea, Melatonin daily.

Wow...I have never heard of Gluten causing lesions on the brain...that is just crazy! I do my best to stay gluten free but it just ain't easy.

Well it is 12:30 and I just got out of bed after a full night of bladder HELL... Now I get to spend the day reading and learning about the bladder and I.C. ... I'm feeling really cursed right now.

 

[adreno]

So what part or parts of my brain healed ? tx .. X

The brain is comprised of two basic types of nerve cells. Neurons (grey matter) and glial cells (white matter). Glial cells are helper cells that provide nourishment among other functions. Glial cells also provide the myelin (insulation) that covers the axons. Axons are basically wires or cables, connecting different parts of the brain. Both grey and white matter is distributed across the brain. Here's a picture that shows it:

 

[heapsreal]

The brain is comprised of two basic types of nerve cells. Neurons (grey matter) and glial cells (white matter). Glial cells are helper cells that provide nourishment among other functions. Glial cells also provide the myelin (insulation) that covers the axons. Axons are basically wires or cables, connecting different parts of the brain. Both grey and white matter is distributed across the brain. Here's a picture that shows it:

Mine is alot smaller, lol.

 

[heapsreal]

Adreno. Do u know much about modafinil being neuroprotective? I have read this but not how it occurs.

 

[adreno]

Adreno. Do u know much about modafinil being neuroprotective? I have read this but not how it occurs.

I haven't looked in to this, but one possible mechanism is that it protects the brain from the deleterious effects of sleep deprivation.

 

[Marco]

I haven't looked in to this, but one possible mechanism is that it protects the brain from the deleterious effects of sleep deprivation.

Heaps/Adreno

This paper might help :

Mechanisms of modafinil: A review of current research

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2654794/

 

[Marco]

It also apparently improves your sense of humour

Although only one study with significant limitations tested the effects of modafinil on humor appreciation (Killgore et al 2006), this topic deserves particular attention, because humor appreciation is a very complex neural task requiring frontal lobe function and integrative information processing between numerous cortical and subcortical brain regions

 

[xchocoholic]

I took provigil a few times about 8 years ago and it sped up my mind and body. The last time I took it, I raced
up I95 at 90 mph weaving in between cars and passing on the right with the radio on full blast. I'm not
certain the police cars that showed were for me but .... I'd already slowed down. It only took me a few minutes to decide I wasn't trained to drive like that.

Sure it was a lot of fun at the time but I decided I wasn't going to be safe on this drug. I wouldn't mind trying
it again tho.

Thanks for the brain pic. Gross.lol. I'm looking for specific info tho so I'll just google it. It's the purkinje cells that Dr H. says
gets damaged by gluten. I just never googled pics of this so I could understand it.

Fwiw, I pushed myself via caffeine (diluted coffee), nicotine (1 - 2 mg still) and 32 oz vitamin water (xxx and revive)
and extra sleep and seizure supplements / klonopin to undo my hyper state as bedtime for about 2 months and survived. yay !

I had pem off and on of course, but most days I managed to function (minimal at times - aka stay awake and not drool) via these. I took power naps once or twice a day. I needed all three but noticed the most energy improvement from vit water.

It's great knowing these can help but I'm relieved to be off these now. The constant physical stress was making
my body feel weak. Tc ... X

 

[Firestormm]

Well it looks like my Nicolites (e-ciggarettes) are to be classed as 'medicines' in order to better regulate them. Made me giggle.

I mean this packet I am look at right now - it is stamped with an 18 years of age warning; and a skull and crossbones for toxicity.

Obviously not enough. They want the adverts of the air. Why children should want to buy these things I don't know - far cheaper to buy the real thing if you ask me. And 'nicer' too

I wonder if I can get them now then on prescription - bloody cheaper that way - I don't pay for prescriptions!!

12 June 2013:

E-cigarettes face new restrictions

 

[xchocoholic]

Jeremy Mean of The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said the government had concluded that e-cigarettes currently on the market do not meet appropriate standards of safety, quality and efficacy.
He said "levels of contamination" had been found in the products and some were poorly manufactured

I've seen this said in other places too.

I've gotten to where I enjoy sitting and having a cig. It's very relaxing.

Do we know why we need stimulants ? ? Is it because our adrenals can't respond without getting shocked ?

I can't figure out how to unbold this ..

 

[Firestormm]

I managed to switch from tobacco to non-tobacco nicotine fairly successfully. I have this tendency to reward myself with a roll-up though when out for a walk

 

[perchance dreamer]

I tried Provigil when it first came out, but I was in the small number of people who get nasal and sinus congestion with it. Anyway, it didn't even make me feel more alert. It made my spaciness worse although maybe that would have improved with time.

 

[beaverfury]

Love coffee, but it makes my stomach burn. I'm not sure how healthy it is for anyone with leaky gut.

http://leakygutresearch.com/leaky-gut-and-coffee/
In this study: The impairment of gastroduodenal mucosal barrier by coffee the authors concluded that “coffee may damage gastroduodenal mucosa in habitual coffee drinkers. In a time period of 48 hours the gastroduodenal mucosa is capable of a significant regeneration.”

I haven't read this study myself. My computer is playing up.

Nicotine gum definitely helps my cognition. Deprenyl is great for my motivation. Citicoline makes me horrendously depressed but seems to clear my body of pain.

Other stuff i use.Stablon is supposed to be neuroprotective. Piracetam makes my mind clearer, ditto for magnesium threonate

I love stimulants! They at least give a physically compromised/disabled person the option of using their mind more productively. The one thing they (may) have left.
But i'm not sure how wise they are for long term me/cfs use.

 

[Firestormm]

You know it was a real surprise to me but one that actually made some sense when - many years ago in the early years of my ME - I discovered alcohol was a stimulant.

Not that I recommend alcohol to anyone especially with this condition - I know some can't tolerate it - but I don't mind saying that when my world was falling apart; I knocked it back quite a bit at key times.

The whole 'numbing of the pain' and a real need to sleep; well let's just say I felt it served a purpose. Also allowed me to think more clearly and for longer - at least that was my impression.

Dangerous substance to play with though and it doesn't really do anything to help in the medium to long term. Sign really of how screwed up I was. Ha! Not saying I'm not screwed now of course!

Live and learn

 

[xxRinxx]

I can't drink any form of caffeine without paying a big price.It makes me dizzy and my heart feel like its going to explode. Dark Chocolate is as 'caffeinated' as I dare go, haha. And small glasses of green tea. Can't try the nicotine trick either because of my heart problems! Ha, so I stay sleepy and have the thought process of some one on tranquilizers.
My doctor put me on Savella, a fibromyalgia drug and it does help some of the more cruddy symptoms of the ME. I /was/ going to be put on Progivil but insurance decided it wasn't going to sign off on that one. Evidently I have one of the insurances that doesn't help ME patients much @~@ Bummer.