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General POIS Discussions / Re: Free Flow Discussion about POIS
« Last post by Hopeoneday on Today at 07:52:24 PM »Happy Christmas to all.
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Recent Posts
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General POIS Discussions / Re: Free Flow Discussion about POIS
« Last post by demografx on Today at 07:13:49 PM »
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POIS Research / Re: POIS NORD RESEARCH STUDY
« Last post by demografx on Today at 07:12:40 PM »
@Demo : do you know if Dr prause or the other Dr. Lorenz, do online consultations? if so how can I contact them ?
I’ll ask.
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POIS Research / Re: doctors who is researching POIS in China
« Last post by sartre02 on Today at 07:05:05 PM »does this doctor do online consultations?
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POIS Research / Re: POIS NORD RESEARCH STUDY
« Last post by sartre02 on Today at 07:03:43 PM »@Demo : do you know if Dr prause or the other Dr. Lorenz, do online consultations? if so how can I contact them ?
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Lifestyle Diary and POIS Summaries / Re: Progecitor's summary
« Last post by Progecitor on Today at 10:05:10 AM »Other new stuff that I had tried during the past year:
Ecdysterone (Rhaponticum carthamoides) [333 mg 35:1 extract per capsule; Rd:1]: Usually I took 1-2 and sometimes 3. This was the first product I had tried and the one that showed the most benefit. It clearly had some anti-depressive effect after around 6 hours that was only temporary though as usual. It also made my eyes clearer and improved my gut problems. It even helped with muscle fatigue, so it is a good all-rounder. I had the best results when I combined it with guggul and taking more than one per day of both. I think this specific product was stronger than the turkesterone that is kind of similar and a little better than L-Dopa as well, though I would need to test them more rigorously to tell for sure. I have already taken the full box (90) of course.
Anise + Activated charcoal [In 1 capsule: 100 mg anise seed, 50 mg activated charcoal, 50 mg cumin, 50 mg coriander, 25 mg lemon verbena, 25 mg fennel; Rd: 3]: I took 3 caps in a day. It certainly induced a lot of flatulence, but otherwise I couldn’t see a significant improvement. Actually in the afternoon I developed a moderate chest inflammation, but I am not sure if it was due to the supplement or something that I ate. Actually I wanted to take more caps, but this made me reconsider. At least I did not get any headache as it happened with anise tea formerly. On some other days I took it with no issues, however I take a lot of other supplements and I am afraid that charcoal could inactivate them, so I use it rarely.
Diosmin and hesperedin complex [Composition of one of them: 450 mg diosmin, 50 mg hesperidin, 100 mg horse-chestnut extract, 80 mg vitamin; of the other: 450 mg diosmin, 50 mg hesperidin, 50 mg, 50 mg Red grape leaf extract, 10 mg zinc citrate; Rd: 2 for each]: I took two different products with similar content. I took two of each in a day. Unfortunately I couldn’t see a clear benefit. It was a little beneficial for gut issues, but I couldn’t note an improvement in the eyes. The other product I took earlier had a higher dose, so maybe I need to take a higher dose at once to have some noticeable benefit. My friend claimed that this helped with her varicose veins on her legs at least temporarily.
Marjoram tea (Origanum majorana): I made a hot tea by putting 1 tablespoon of dried marjoram in 1.2 liter of hot water. The eyes remained relatively alright throughout the day, but I think it was mostly a lingering effect of tulsi. I actually felt a possible slight anti-depression at its peak though. This may be due to its rosmarinic acid content. Gut issues weren’t much better as the burning pain was at least moderate, which was probably due to POIS. I did not experience a particular lightening of muscle pain, though as I remember oregano tea also did not do so. Since then I have used it as a regular spice, though without seeing a significant benefit.
Balsamic vinegar [Rd: max 2 tablespoon]: I took with 3 teaspoons in a day. It did not really improve bloodshot eyes or only minimally, but at least in the morning I was not very photophobic. During the day I couldn’t see much of a difference from baseline, but the morning felt slightly better than usual. When I woke up early morning I felt a little more relaxed than usual. When getting up in the morning I still had muscle pain, but somehow I felt like I could move around a little easier. I don’t think it improved rhinitis. Gut issues were about moderately better. It may deserve a moderate-good rating, though once again it may have had a positive interaction with the other supplements I took. Actually before going to bed I also took the apple cider vinegar caps as well. As the taste of balsamic vinegar is very close to that of apple cider vinegar, I guess they may be used as substitutes. I think its effect should be similar to a combination of niacin and flavonoids.
Turmeric extract (Curcuma longa) [450 mg turmeric extract per capsule with 47.5 mg curcumin; Rd:1]: On the first day I took 3 caps, but I could see the benefit after the first one, later I took 1 or 2 a day. This was the fourth turmeric product I tried and actually the first to have an evident benefit. It helped with bloodshot eyes, however not so much with photophobia or depression. Joint and muscle pain were also mostly as usual. It had about a moderate anti-inflammatory effect at least in the first few days afterwards which it wasn’t noticeably useful. I guess it deserves a moderate score.
Pygeum (Pygeum africanum) [400 mg bark extract per capsule with 25% phytosterols (26 mg); Rd:2]: I took 3 caps in a day and had an O. It certainly helped with the eye problem, as even after O the eyes did not became particularly worse. It does not seem to have an anti-depressive effect though. I can’t say that sexual function appeared particularly good, but at least I could last for a relatively good time, so it may improve endurance if nothing else. As a possible side effect it caused some vague cramping pain at the crotch. Later I used it rather regularly, but mostly 1 per day. I think it helped a little in the beginning, but the benefit got less noticeable later. At this dose I also could not experience any side-effects at least. I think it has a similar protective effect as I3C, though the latter is evidently stronger.
Calcium D-Glucarate [250 mg per capsule with 30 mg of calcium]: The former product was gifted away, but the new I bought had a bit increased dose. I took daily 1 and sometimes 2, but unfortunately it did not prove to be particularly good even though I have a slightly elevated estrogen level. It is supposed to help with osteoarthritis, but initially I think I heard more crackling, though later this wasn’t an issue, so I am not sure. I think I will try this again with a higher dose later.
Iberogast [tincture, extracts of peppermint, angelica, caraway, milk thistle, lemon balm, greater celandine, licorice, bitter candytuft, chamomile; Rd: 3x20 drops]: I took 3x20 drops in a day. I think it has a little positive effect on the eyes, though not very significant. In the evening and morning I noticed a definite reduction in the burning pain of the urine and it was easier to take a leak while standing. The rhinitis was similarly reduced, though only to a lesser degree. Gut issues were about moderately better. I think I can give this a moderate rating, but certainly shows some benefit. It has a nice ingredient list, though it may harm the liver with a higher dose. Later I tried to take it regularly, but then I developed some rather unusual and painful mouth inflammation after a few days in and I was suspecting Iberogast as a possible cause, so for the time being I suspended its usage.
Carnosic acid [7.5 mg carnosic acid + 10 mg polyphenols; Rd:1]: Mostly one, but sometimes two caps. I have been taking this alongside numerous supplements on a daily basis. I couldn’t specifically associate any benefit to it, but it is clearly not harmful either. The dose may be low at least when I consider other carnosic acid products. Next time I will aim for a higher dose product.
Pine bark extract (Pinus pinaster) [100 mg per capsule of which 95 mg is proanthocyanidins; Rd: 1]: This was another pine bark product. I took 1 or 2 daily. Unfortunately I could not really notice any particular benefit that I could assign to it. It also did not seem to have any side effects, so it is probably a little beneficial at least.
Passion flower extract (Passiflora incarnata) [350 mg 1:15 extract with 17.5 mg flavonoids per capsule; Rd: 1]: I took daily 1 before bed. I can’t say it was terribly useful, but it had some benefit on gut issues at least.
(Plain) Propolis caps: [165 mg per capsule containing 12.5 mg flavonoids; Rd: 2]: I think it had a little benefit on rhinitis, but otherwise it was not particularly useful.
Propolis tincture: I think it was even less useful than the propolis caps, though it is hard to tell as most of the time I drank it with mixed herbal teas, that already contain a lot of stuff.
L-theanine [100 mg per capsule; Rd: 1]: I regularly took 1 capsule before going to bed, but it was less useful than the other product. The other product contained 250 mg per capsule, which could be one of the reasons. Myricetin was more useful for sleeping as a comparison.
Pterostilbene 2 (trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxystilbene) [50 mg per capsule; Rd: 1]: This was less useful than the other product despite the similar content. It is also possible that only drug-resistance made it so. Nevertheless I took the whole box (180) by taking daily one in the afternoon. I am rather sure that it has at least some anti-inflammatory effect on the urinary track, though in itself it is clearly not enough.
Green cardamom caps (Elettaria cardamomum) [225 mg per capsule; Rd:1-2]: I took mostly one in the mornings and rarely two. I think it can help with the eyes a little, when taken alongside other stuff. It also have some benefit on gut issues. Its benefit is about the same as pomegranate, eucommia or Rhodiola. I will probably buy it as a spice in the future and will continue taking it as cardamom also has a really nice taste.
Immune support complex [1 capsule contains 10:1 extracts of the followings: 50 mg amla, 50 mg guduchi, 40 mg tribulus, 40 mg tulsi, 40 mg neem, 40 mg ginger, 40 mg noni, 40 mg andrographis, 40 mg licorice, 40 mg nut grass, 40 mg baheda, 40 mg garlic; Rd:2]: I took 3 caps on the test day and sometimes one on other days. I clearly felt a little anti-depressive effect at the peak of its effect and generally felt a little better every time I took it. The ingredient list is rather nice as practically all of these have shown some benefit in the past. Conversely this also means that such a combination could be useful to fortify the immune system. Interestingly its composition is also a bit similar to chyawanprash.
Probiotic complex [inulin, contains 10 strains: Bifidobacterium animalis lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium breve, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus brevis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Rd: 2]: Most of the time I took 1 or 2 daily. Unfortunately it did not prove to be very effective, possibly a little in the beginning, but with continued usage it wasn’t so useful as I had hoped even after about two boxes. Later I figured that it may actually make me feel worse in the mornings, if I took it before bedtime, but I still need to confirm this. At least it was claimed that B. infantis might be somewhat useful for CFS though.
Rhodiola rosea root [400 mg per capsule; Rd: 1]: I took 3 caps in a day. I think this product was a little better than the one I tried before. It could clearly help with the eye issues, though only weak-moderately. I did not experience an anti-depressive effect though. Afterwards I used it as a regular morning supplement to help the eyes along with other supplements. It probably has a diminishing effect just like the other stuff I took it along with, but still a little useful nonetheless. Its effectiveness was similar to eucommia or pomegranate extract.
Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) [10:1 extract with 500 mg per capsule; Rd: 1]: On the first day I took 3 caps then I usually took 1 per day. It clearly improved the eyes and it also had a little anti-depressive effect at its peak. I think it was a little more useful than Rhodiola. Nevertheless when taking elderberry in a daily manner its benefit was diminished just like with everything else. I still consider this one of the better things at least. I couldn’t experience any side-effects either.
PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) [500 mg per capsule; Rd: 1]: I took 2 caps in a day. It is hard to say, but I think it was actually a little beneficial. Eye and gut issues were a little better than usual, but this may have been a persisting effect of the Centrum pills as well from the day before. At least I could not experience any harm from it.
LIV.52 [1 pill contains: 65 mg Capparis spinosa, 65 mg Cichorium intybus, 33 mg ferric oxide, 32 mg Solanum nigrum, 32 mg Terminalia arjuna, 16 mg Cassia occidentalis, 16 mg Achillea millefolium, 16 mg Tamarix gallica; Rd: 1-2x2]: I took 3 in a day and had an O. I could not see any major benefit, but at least POIS onset was below average. I took it occasionally later, but some slight bladder pain often (not always) coincided with its usage, which made me a bit cautious about using it. Later I took daily 1 pill regularly, which did not result in any negative effects, though I also could not see positive ones either. I bought the double strength version, which may help figuring out later if it is actually useful. I also can’t see the rational in the inclusion of black nightshade, which is actually considered rather toxic. Actually my blood test was rather alright while taking it, even my Gilbert’s disease disappeared, though it is hard to say why exactly as I take a myriad of supplements every day.
Boswellia paste [10 ml contains: 25 mg Boswellia extract, 300 mg vitamin C, 25 mg cinnamon extract (1:12), 25 mg beta glucan, 1.4 mg zinc gluconate, guar gum and preservatives: sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate; Rd: 1 coffeespoon]: I thought it was a good buy, but this one also induces bloodshot eyes. Evidently it must be at least partly due to sodium benzoate. One rather surprising fact that I accidentally came over is that cinnamaldehyde is metabolized into sodium benzoate in the liver and thus cinnamon acts as a slow-release form of sodium benzoate, which makes me wonder about the actual health benefits of cinnamon and could possibly explain why I often develop bloodshot eyes after consuming cinnamon. Nevertheless this product is clearly something that I should avoid.
Beetroot powder: I still could not figure out whether beetroot is useful or not. Eating the root itself cooked or fried does not induce bloodshot eyes, however I could almost always notice an increase in the burning pain of the gut, which is not supposed to be good. I could also notice its aphrodisiac effect as on some morning I woke up with an erection when I ate it the day before. Consuming the powder once again seemed to increase the burning pain, however on a test day I took with 3 teaspoon and this problem wasn’t particularly bad, which makes me rather unsure about it. As a side-effect it can irritate the throat when drunk in a concentrated way.
Spinach powder [Rd: 3 tsp]: I took a whole bag (100g) by taking daily 1 teaspoon in the morning smoothie. Unfortunately I couldn’t notice a significant reaction from it. Fortunately I couldn’t see any adverse reactions either. It is possibly a little useful.
Kale powder [Rd: 2 tsp]: I took most of a bag (100g) by taking daily 1 tsp in the morning smoothie. I think it had a little benefit on gut issues, but I can’t say it was particularly effective.
Spirulina powder [Rd: 9 g (3 teaspoon)]: I took 1 teaspoon daily with the morning smoothie. I could not experience anything spectacular, but I think it helps with gut issues at least a little. I have already taken most of the bag (250g).
(West Indian) lemon grass powder: I haven’t tested this much, but contrary to my earlier experience with its tea, it did not induce any adverse effects such as bloodshot eyes. This also means that my negative experience with its tea might have been due to some contamination and not due to lemongrass itself. So far it actually appears a little beneficial, even on the eyes, but I will have to consume it more regularly to say more.
Valeriana (Valeriana officinalis L.) [100 mg per pill; Rd: 1-2x3]: I was taking mostly 1 before sleeping and took the whole box (60 pills). I don’t think it had much of an effect on sleep or otherwise. It maybe that the dose was too low, but regardless myricetin is much better for sleeping and otherwise as well. I tried a higher dose (500 mg) valeriana before with some use, but that was gifted away. I guess it doesn’t worth to buy products with such pathetic dosages even if taken for a long time.
Valeriana/lemon balm/magnesium [100 mg valeriana extract (0.4 mg valeric acid), 100 mg lemon balm extract (5 mg rosmarinic acid), 100 mg magnesium (citrate/oxide); Rd:1]: I took daily one before sleeping for two weeks. Unfortunately I couldn’t note any significant benefit, though it probably has a little one at least.
Wood betony tea (Stachys officinalis): I tried it a few times and had some positive experience with it. I can’t say it was very effective, but it showed a certain benefit. The eyes seemed to improve at the peak benefit and it had an anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues. I also felt slightly better cognitively, though it was not a marked effect. Similarly the muscle pain also seemed reduced, but not significantly. I guess it deserves a moderate-good benefit as a first time experience. As a possible side effect at the first time I developed some epigastrial pain though this did not occur on the second day, so this may have been only a coincidental happening. Later I put it in the mixed herbal teas quite often and I think it provided some additional benefit, but not so much as in the beginning.
By the way wood betony is also recommended in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Ground-ivy tea (Glechoma hederacea): Although I haven’t tested it much, this one also had some benefit, though it is probably less powerful than wood betony.
Guaiacwood tea (Guaiacum officinale) [wood]: It certainly had some anti-inflammatory effect, though it wasn’t very significant. I will need to test this more in the future. Guaiacwood is also considered as an aphrodisiac, thus it should improve sexual health. It is also a component of the traditional sarsaparilla medicine that was used in the treatment of syphilis. Additionally guaiacol is chemically related to guaifenesin, that some CFS patients found to be useful.
Damiana leaf tea (Turnera diffusa): It certainly had some anti-depressive effect a few hours after drinking it. Unfortunately on the test day I also ate something bad, so I can’t say much more. However damiana is certainly a prospective treatment. I have been using damiana capsules for some time now and they appear to be more reliable than maca capsules at least.
Siberian ginseng root tea (Eleutherococcus senticosus): It had quite a strong carminative effect, which indicates an anti-inflammatory effect, however it did not make me feel that much better. Still I think it may be a good addition in a mixed tea. If I likened maca to damiana, then siberian ginseng is more like fenugreek.
Southernwood, lad's love, or southern wormwood tea (Artemisia abrotanum): On the first test day I could not see much of an initial reaction, however in the morning I was feeling quite noticeably better, thus it may need more time (about 12 hours) to work. Similarly to greater burdock root tea this one also has a green colour. It is supposed to be an aphrodisiac and an immunstimulant. Some of its constituents are: abrotin, adenine, adenosine, alkaloids, tannins, guanine, essential oil, bitter substance, caffeic acid, choline, rutin, tannins, tannic acid, thujone, umbelliferone.
Hazel leaves tea (Corylus): It may have helped with rhinitis and I think it had a little anti-inflammatory effect. It is nothing special, but it may be a good addition to a herbal blend.
Linden bark tea (Tilia cordata) [2 teasp. to 1.2 l water]: Based on one occasion I think it is slightly useful, but not particularly so. The flower and leaves tea is probably better. I could not see any side-effects.
Galangal root tea (Alpinia galanga) [2 teasp. to 1.2 liter of water]: I can’t say it was particularly effective, but the rhinitis and the burning pain of the urine were possibly reduced by it, if it wasn’t something else I took. Its taste also reminds me of a popular chewing gum from my childhood, which is peculiar. The other galangal spice powder I had often used before did not taste so good, so it is probably of lesser quality.
Nutmeg flower tea (Myristica fragrans) [4-5 husks to 1.2 liter of water]: Well, it had a pleasant taste, but aside from that I don’t think it was any particularly more useful than nutmeg itself. It may have a little benefit, but nothing considerable.
Mullein flower tea (Verbascum) [1 tablespoon to 1.5 liter of water]: I think it showed some benefit, but it is hard to say for now. It possibly had some anti-depressive effect and some benefit on the eyes. Maybe similar to chrysanthemum?
Common heather tea (Calluna vulgaris) [1 tablespoon to 1.5 liter of water]: It was possibly a little useful, but it did not have a significant benefit.
Tafedim tea (Euphorbia hirta L. herba) [Rd: 2-3 x 1 teabag]: Now this turned out something crazy. It is supposed to help with gut issues, however it did the exact opposite of that in my case. I used it on two days, but I only used 1 teabag on each and added about a liter of water, so I used it in a diluted form below daily recommendation. On the first day I had some gut pain, but I was not really caring about it and it mostly passed by the next day. On the second day came the avalanche. In the afternoon the gut pain occurred again and I was stupid enough to drink another cup of it. This was a major fault. By evening the epigastrial pain grew very strong and cramping pain was shooting after every few seconds. This lasted throughout the night and I felt like I am going to die. I also could not sleep a second due to the crazy stabbing pain every few seconds. The pain lasted throughout the next day, though at least by evening it got better. After this it took a few days for the pain to completely disappear. What is strange though that POIS actually felt better, however I could not really appreciate that, while I felt like dying. This could have been the result of that I hardly dared to eat anything, which may have caused a fasting benefit. I think the tea itself caused some epigastrial injury as I also had some recurrent hiccups, that also occurred when 2 decades ago I had a blocked hernia. The quality of pain and its resolution was very similar to the chest inflammation that I often get from acute POIS and once from wasp sting. I am rather sure that this should imply local tissue injury and in case of the gut issues it must have blocked passage that resulted in the cramps and hiccups. By the way in case of chest inflammations I also noticed that I would have shallow rapid breaths when the pain was strong. While it did not make my POIS worse this side-effect was so terrible, that I am never going to try this tea again.
D-ribose [850 mg per capsule; Rd: 5]: On the first day I certainly saw some anti-inflammatory effect after just taking one, however in the following days I took more and yet I could not see it making a significant difference. Afterwards I took daily 1-3 alongside the other stuff, however it just doesn’t have an impact. I think it has a moderate and diminishing effect. And yet a few times it seemed to give me just a little bit of extra energy that I needed, so it could be at least a bit useful nonetheless.
Methylene blue [1% methylene blue, 2 drops = 1 mg medical grade antiseptic]: 5-10 drops (2.5-5 mg) per day. I haven’t yet tested it extensively. With 5 drops I could not see any significant change, however with 10 drops I saw some benefits. On a day when I had quite a lot of work by the time I went home the muscle pain wasn’t as bad as I would have expected. As for side-effects, I could experience the blue urine about two times. It occurred when I was working more and I could not go to the loo. When going home and taking a leak it was evidently bluish. I find that it can irritate the throat when it is concentrated. Also when I drank it very fast I experienced blood vessel spasms a few minutes later. I also had a diarrhea a few times and the urge came while working, so it was rather inconvenient, thus I will not take it again in the morning even if it may help with exercise intolerance. As I remember other CFS members also noted that it has just too many side-effects.
Dandelion root (Taraxacum Sp.) [515 mg per capsule; Rd: 2]: On the first day it had a really nice effect on gut issues, but afterwards it had a diminishing effect. I suppose it has a good benefit, but retrospectively it belongs in the best category. Actually I started to use it regularly later and with the other stuff I take I could achieve a fairly consistent and great benefit at least in the chronic phase of POIS. The burning quality of the stool almost disappeared for a month, while on it, which is quite extraordinary. Unfortunately other symptoms like depression and muscle pain persisted, but I still felt a little better generally nonetheless. I am not yet sure what are the other important contributors, but possibly sarsaparilla, Q10, ginger and some of the other stuff I take alongside. I think this product specifically provides more benefit than inulin or the bavarian bitter herbs supplement that also contains dandelion.
Lorazepam (Loranxil) [1 mg per pill 1.5-4 mg]: Finally I had managed to get a prescription for it. Unfortunately it did not prove as useful as I had hoped, but at least it did not cause any of the POIS mimetic effects, that clonazepam did. I took 1 mg before sleep for two weeks. I certainly slept more deeply than usual, so it must be an effect related to the benzodiazepine receptors. The only withdrawal symptom I had was a weak headache on the first morning when I did not take it in the evening. It may have some benefit, but I don’t see the point of forcing it, so I stopped taking it. Someone on the prostatitis site mentioned that he experienced a greatly increased libido on the 4-5th day of withdrawal. Actually I was also feeling relatively well on the 5th day, but I was trying something new as well, so I am not sure if such a reaction is true, but this could be interesting to look out for if anyone takes lorazepam. I also felt really well for a few weeks after stopping clonazepam, but I took that for years.
Bile production stimulating complex (Raphanus sativus L. radix) [3 mg black radish concentrate, also some fennel oil; Rd: 3]: When taking daily 3 pills, it really did feel to help with gut issues. I would say it has at least a moderate benefit. I took the pills (30) then I began to use a powder form. I think it also helps somewhat, but it can also cause a lot of flatulence and I may not actually feel myself that much better, so I only use it sparingly. Of course I also eat a lot of black radishes during winter, which also helped a little in the past. Recently I have also begun to use cumin as a regular spice, besides putting black cumin in the morning smoothie for quite a while now.
Bupropion (Elontril) [modified release, 150 mg per pill; Rd: 1]: I take one per day in the mornings as recommended. At this time I emptied almost three boxes (30 pill/per box), but I still can’t see it making any significant difference, which is kind of a let down. It may be possible that it improved gut problems in a smooth way as I had less problems lately, but I also take quite a lot of other stuff so it is hard to tell if bupropion is involved. I am going to continue and increase the dose to 300 mg as the psychiatrist recommended. So far I could not see any side-effects at least, but it also lacks an anti-depressive effect. In this regard L-Dopa was certainly more useful. At least I did the Yohimbine test while on it and both may increase norepinephrine, which in my case is clearly useful as it was for some other POISers. When I increased the dose it caused a dull heartache on two days a few hours after the second pill. This is probably a bad sign. I also did not feel particularly better unfortunately, so I returned to taking one per day.
Yohimbe retest [about 10 mg yohimbine per capsule]: For a long time I have skipped on this as I was distrustful about it. The product had just expired recently and I thought to try it a last time before throwing it out. To my astonishment when I began to use this again it made me feel really well. I took it 4 hours before an O event and that time my symptoms actually improved rather than get worse. Later they got a little worse, however in the morning I felt rather alright. Then I took yohimbe again and my usual 50+ stuff as well and in the evening I felt really well. My eyes got clearer and I also felt quite relaxed and aware, thus it reduced depression. It also improved libido as I had some spontaneous erections, though not as hard as with asafoetida. In the following days I took 2 per day, but it got less effective, though it still made a difference. As for side-effects on the first day I felt some chest pain, but I was preoccupied and did not make much note of it as something similar happened the last time I tried this. Later though it did not happen again. On the second day I also got quite a diarrhea, but it was more like a stimulus as its quality was rather good. On the following days this side-effect occurred rather consistently, however its benefit was somewhat reduced, just like it always does as drug resistance develops. Actually it is less of a diarrhea, but rather an urgency of defecation as the stool is mostly of normal consistency. This side effect happens most of the time, but rather inconsistently as sometimes the urgency comes as soon as 2 hours later at other times only 4 or 6 hours later and rarely not at all. I also took yohimbine with SAM-e and niacin and that way it seemed to work better, however on one occasion I wanted to sleep a little before an all night work, but I was restless and had a high pulse, so I could not in the end. I got a bit worried about this and since then I have only taken one capsule daily at most. Nevertheless I think my earlier judgment was false and it certainly goes in the best category.
Rutin 2 [50 mg rutin + 100 mg vitamin C per pill; Rd: 1]: I took one or two pills and sometimes even three, but it did not work any better unfortunately. I had a really nice experience with the other product that has way less amount of rutin. However it lost its efficacy over time and I began to take this other product right after finishing the other one, so drug resistance have probably developed by that time.
Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) [250 mg per capsule; Rd: 2]: I mostly took 1 capsule before going to bed. I think it was a little beneficial, but not as much as R-lipoic acid.
Nasal drops 1 [ingredients: rapeseed sterols, sunflower seed oil, apricot kernel oil PEG-6 esters, silver fir needle oil, tea tree leaf oil, manuka branch/leaf oil, rosemary leaf extract, tocopherol, linalool, limonene]: I have never used such a product before, but this one was quite nice. My nose tends to be dry and a little bit inflamed, which can also inhibit the breathing making it shallow and a bit forced. That is why I wash it with warm water on a daily basis. However when the nostril is inflamed and painful, this does not necessarily help. At such an occasion I began to apply this drops and the inflammation really went down by next day and the nose felt more relaxed and smooth. Thus it is clearly effective on rhinitis if nothing else. Later I used it more frequently and while it clearly helps with rhinitis, when POIS is bad the nasal irritation is so bad, that this can only ameliorate the problem, but it can’t overcome the painful itching.
Eye drops for allergy 1 [0.15% sodium hyaluronate and 2% ectoine]: I have already used eye drops in the past, but this time I wasn’t so critical about it. Thus I can say that this one has some benefit, though at acute POIS it can’t prevent the emergence of bloodshot eyes. It can temporarily help with eye dryness, which used at a critical time may ameliorate deterioration. Dry eyes are mostly a night problem for me and treating it at times makes sleeping easier, especially if I need to resleep during the night.
Eye drops for eye redness 2 [Composition: marigold extract, chamomile extract, fennel extract and other components]: This one was a little disappointing. It is more liquid than the other one and if I miss the eye I can’t rub it in there as with the previous product. I also could not see a particular improvement in bloodshotness even when I applied it successfully. It is probably a little useful, given the herbs, but it simply can’t handle the power of POIS.
Pomegranate fruit (raw): When eating half the seeds and juice of an apple it has a better effectiveness than the extract caps. It makes my eyes really clear. It also has an anti-depressive effect at the peak of effectiveness. I did not eat it continuously to see if there is a development of resistance. I also ate smaller slices of peel a few times, but I don’t think it was as effective as the inner part. Clearly it goes in the best category.
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea aerial parts) [400 mg per capsule; Rd:1-3]: It seemed to have a noticeable anti-inflammatory effect, which wasn’t too strong, but still apparent. I began to take one in a daily manner, sometimes two, however after several days I noticed that my libido was very low, even when watching porn. I stopped taking it thereafter. I am not perfectly sure if it was due to this, but something similar happened in the past with another Echinacea product. I am rather sure that this could be a good testing choice for those who deal with irresistible sexual urges. The only contradictory fact may be that echinacosides in Cistanche should contribute to its testosterone and DHT boosting effect, though some other compounds may override this benefit.
P-5-P (pyridoxal-5-phosphate) [20 mg coenzymated vitamin B6 per capsule (1176%); Rd:1]: On the first test day I took 2 caps, but later only one. My first experience was positive as it seemed to have about a moderate anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues. Furthermore it did not cause any bloodshot eyes, that I suspect regular vit. B6 does, which is good thing. It wasn’t particularly effective otherwise. Later I took daily 1 capsule, but then I read that it may cause shoulder pain that I have been suffering from for weeks now, so I stopped after half a box for the time being. I was rather sure that the shoulder pain is a side-effect of one of the supplements, but I am taking so many that I can’t stop with all of them and the pain was more like an inconvenience and not serious, though I became unable to do any push-ups due to it.
E-400 (vitamin E) [180.2 mg (400 IU - 721%) as dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate in 1 softgel capsule; Rd:1]: I took two per day. It was pretty clear even on the first day that it is useful. Around the peak hours I felt generally better. The eyes appeared more stable and even gut issues felt improved. I can’t say it had resolved all of my problems, but I felt that I regained the inner warmth that I usually lack in acute POIS. Also in the test days I dreamed quite a lot, which hardly ever happens otherwise, as the inflammation knocks me out. Earlier I was hesitant about vitamin E, as it was found that it can contribute to cancer development. The probable reason is that it protects even cancer cells against the body’s oxidative elimination. I guess in my case the oxidative stress is so rampant, that I should be more worried about that, thus taking a high dose of vitamin E is probably a necessity, though it is still not recommended to go over 1500% of the reference value as other side-effects could also occur. By taking 1 regularly it still feels to help a little, however its efficacy also seems to be lowered.
Chyawanprash 1 (Everest Ayurveda) [Amla, Haritaki, Bibhitaki, Andrographis, Green cardamom, Tribulus, Licorice, Gotu kola, Asparagus, Shatavari, Ashwagandha, common grape vine, sandalwood, white turmeric, nutmeg, cumin, guduchi/giloy, Ceylon cinnamon, clove, tulsi/holy basil, elecampane, kudzu vine, long pepper, camphorwood, lemon grass, valeriana, ghee, honey, palm syrup; Rd: 2-3 teaspoon (5 g/tsp)]: I took with 3 teaspoon (separately) on a day and had an O. This really kept my eyes clearer and I even felt a little better. It shows the most benefit around 6 hours after intake as usual than the benefit slowly dissipates in a few hours. Taking only one teaspoon doesn’t help that much, but on two occasions I took with 2 teaspoons at once before going to sleep. At both times 6 hours later I would wake up and feel really well. Unfortunately this would also prohibit me from sleeping back and then the benefit would decrease in a few hours, but the impact is clear and my general state would be still better than without any treatment. This one clearly goes in the best category even if it doesn’t solve everything. Sometimes I may try consuming 6 teaspoons in a day, as it may give a better result, though I fear continued usage would similarly dwindle efficacy as with everything else. By the way I think it is best consumed by putting it in warm water or mixing into a yogurt. In its natural state it just tastes too concentrated.
Mg-taurate [620 mg per capsule containing 49.67 mg organic magnesium; Rd: 3]: I took 3 in one day and 1 on some others. I think it induces bloodshot eyes to a lower degree. At the same time I could not see any particular benefit, even after sleeping, thus unlike with Mg-citrate.
Chasteberry fruit (Vitex agnus-castus) [400 mg per capsule; Rd: 1-2]: I took two per day. This was really good. I took it for a few days, but then I suspended it as I want to test other things as well. It had a really nice anti-depressive effect that I could experience on several occasions. Other symptoms were also somewhat better, though I am not sure if it is a good idea to take it long term.
Ecdysterone (Rhaponticum carthamoides) [333 mg 35:1 extract per capsule; Rd:1]: Usually I took 1-2 and sometimes 3. This was the first product I had tried and the one that showed the most benefit. It clearly had some anti-depressive effect after around 6 hours that was only temporary though as usual. It also made my eyes clearer and improved my gut problems. It even helped with muscle fatigue, so it is a good all-rounder. I had the best results when I combined it with guggul and taking more than one per day of both. I think this specific product was stronger than the turkesterone that is kind of similar and a little better than L-Dopa as well, though I would need to test them more rigorously to tell for sure. I have already taken the full box (90) of course.
Anise + Activated charcoal [In 1 capsule: 100 mg anise seed, 50 mg activated charcoal, 50 mg cumin, 50 mg coriander, 25 mg lemon verbena, 25 mg fennel; Rd: 3]: I took 3 caps in a day. It certainly induced a lot of flatulence, but otherwise I couldn’t see a significant improvement. Actually in the afternoon I developed a moderate chest inflammation, but I am not sure if it was due to the supplement or something that I ate. Actually I wanted to take more caps, but this made me reconsider. At least I did not get any headache as it happened with anise tea formerly. On some other days I took it with no issues, however I take a lot of other supplements and I am afraid that charcoal could inactivate them, so I use it rarely.
Diosmin and hesperedin complex [Composition of one of them: 450 mg diosmin, 50 mg hesperidin, 100 mg horse-chestnut extract, 80 mg vitamin; of the other: 450 mg diosmin, 50 mg hesperidin, 50 mg, 50 mg Red grape leaf extract, 10 mg zinc citrate; Rd: 2 for each]: I took two different products with similar content. I took two of each in a day. Unfortunately I couldn’t see a clear benefit. It was a little beneficial for gut issues, but I couldn’t note an improvement in the eyes. The other product I took earlier had a higher dose, so maybe I need to take a higher dose at once to have some noticeable benefit. My friend claimed that this helped with her varicose veins on her legs at least temporarily.
Marjoram tea (Origanum majorana): I made a hot tea by putting 1 tablespoon of dried marjoram in 1.2 liter of hot water. The eyes remained relatively alright throughout the day, but I think it was mostly a lingering effect of tulsi. I actually felt a possible slight anti-depression at its peak though. This may be due to its rosmarinic acid content. Gut issues weren’t much better as the burning pain was at least moderate, which was probably due to POIS. I did not experience a particular lightening of muscle pain, though as I remember oregano tea also did not do so. Since then I have used it as a regular spice, though without seeing a significant benefit.
Balsamic vinegar [Rd: max 2 tablespoon]: I took with 3 teaspoons in a day. It did not really improve bloodshot eyes or only minimally, but at least in the morning I was not very photophobic. During the day I couldn’t see much of a difference from baseline, but the morning felt slightly better than usual. When I woke up early morning I felt a little more relaxed than usual. When getting up in the morning I still had muscle pain, but somehow I felt like I could move around a little easier. I don’t think it improved rhinitis. Gut issues were about moderately better. It may deserve a moderate-good rating, though once again it may have had a positive interaction with the other supplements I took. Actually before going to bed I also took the apple cider vinegar caps as well. As the taste of balsamic vinegar is very close to that of apple cider vinegar, I guess they may be used as substitutes. I think its effect should be similar to a combination of niacin and flavonoids.
Turmeric extract (Curcuma longa) [450 mg turmeric extract per capsule with 47.5 mg curcumin; Rd:1]: On the first day I took 3 caps, but I could see the benefit after the first one, later I took 1 or 2 a day. This was the fourth turmeric product I tried and actually the first to have an evident benefit. It helped with bloodshot eyes, however not so much with photophobia or depression. Joint and muscle pain were also mostly as usual. It had about a moderate anti-inflammatory effect at least in the first few days afterwards which it wasn’t noticeably useful. I guess it deserves a moderate score.
Pygeum (Pygeum africanum) [400 mg bark extract per capsule with 25% phytosterols (26 mg); Rd:2]: I took 3 caps in a day and had an O. It certainly helped with the eye problem, as even after O the eyes did not became particularly worse. It does not seem to have an anti-depressive effect though. I can’t say that sexual function appeared particularly good, but at least I could last for a relatively good time, so it may improve endurance if nothing else. As a possible side effect it caused some vague cramping pain at the crotch. Later I used it rather regularly, but mostly 1 per day. I think it helped a little in the beginning, but the benefit got less noticeable later. At this dose I also could not experience any side-effects at least. I think it has a similar protective effect as I3C, though the latter is evidently stronger.
Calcium D-Glucarate [250 mg per capsule with 30 mg of calcium]: The former product was gifted away, but the new I bought had a bit increased dose. I took daily 1 and sometimes 2, but unfortunately it did not prove to be particularly good even though I have a slightly elevated estrogen level. It is supposed to help with osteoarthritis, but initially I think I heard more crackling, though later this wasn’t an issue, so I am not sure. I think I will try this again with a higher dose later.
Iberogast [tincture, extracts of peppermint, angelica, caraway, milk thistle, lemon balm, greater celandine, licorice, bitter candytuft, chamomile; Rd: 3x20 drops]: I took 3x20 drops in a day. I think it has a little positive effect on the eyes, though not very significant. In the evening and morning I noticed a definite reduction in the burning pain of the urine and it was easier to take a leak while standing. The rhinitis was similarly reduced, though only to a lesser degree. Gut issues were about moderately better. I think I can give this a moderate rating, but certainly shows some benefit. It has a nice ingredient list, though it may harm the liver with a higher dose. Later I tried to take it regularly, but then I developed some rather unusual and painful mouth inflammation after a few days in and I was suspecting Iberogast as a possible cause, so for the time being I suspended its usage.
Carnosic acid [7.5 mg carnosic acid + 10 mg polyphenols; Rd:1]: Mostly one, but sometimes two caps. I have been taking this alongside numerous supplements on a daily basis. I couldn’t specifically associate any benefit to it, but it is clearly not harmful either. The dose may be low at least when I consider other carnosic acid products. Next time I will aim for a higher dose product.
Pine bark extract (Pinus pinaster) [100 mg per capsule of which 95 mg is proanthocyanidins; Rd: 1]: This was another pine bark product. I took 1 or 2 daily. Unfortunately I could not really notice any particular benefit that I could assign to it. It also did not seem to have any side effects, so it is probably a little beneficial at least.
Passion flower extract (Passiflora incarnata) [350 mg 1:15 extract with 17.5 mg flavonoids per capsule; Rd: 1]: I took daily 1 before bed. I can’t say it was terribly useful, but it had some benefit on gut issues at least.
(Plain) Propolis caps: [165 mg per capsule containing 12.5 mg flavonoids; Rd: 2]: I think it had a little benefit on rhinitis, but otherwise it was not particularly useful.
Propolis tincture: I think it was even less useful than the propolis caps, though it is hard to tell as most of the time I drank it with mixed herbal teas, that already contain a lot of stuff.
L-theanine [100 mg per capsule; Rd: 1]: I regularly took 1 capsule before going to bed, but it was less useful than the other product. The other product contained 250 mg per capsule, which could be one of the reasons. Myricetin was more useful for sleeping as a comparison.
Pterostilbene 2 (trans-3,5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxystilbene) [50 mg per capsule; Rd: 1]: This was less useful than the other product despite the similar content. It is also possible that only drug-resistance made it so. Nevertheless I took the whole box (180) by taking daily one in the afternoon. I am rather sure that it has at least some anti-inflammatory effect on the urinary track, though in itself it is clearly not enough.
Green cardamom caps (Elettaria cardamomum) [225 mg per capsule; Rd:1-2]: I took mostly one in the mornings and rarely two. I think it can help with the eyes a little, when taken alongside other stuff. It also have some benefit on gut issues. Its benefit is about the same as pomegranate, eucommia or Rhodiola. I will probably buy it as a spice in the future and will continue taking it as cardamom also has a really nice taste.
Immune support complex [1 capsule contains 10:1 extracts of the followings: 50 mg amla, 50 mg guduchi, 40 mg tribulus, 40 mg tulsi, 40 mg neem, 40 mg ginger, 40 mg noni, 40 mg andrographis, 40 mg licorice, 40 mg nut grass, 40 mg baheda, 40 mg garlic; Rd:2]: I took 3 caps on the test day and sometimes one on other days. I clearly felt a little anti-depressive effect at the peak of its effect and generally felt a little better every time I took it. The ingredient list is rather nice as practically all of these have shown some benefit in the past. Conversely this also means that such a combination could be useful to fortify the immune system. Interestingly its composition is also a bit similar to chyawanprash.
Probiotic complex [inulin, contains 10 strains: Bifidobacterium animalis lactis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium breve, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus brevis, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Rd: 2]: Most of the time I took 1 or 2 daily. Unfortunately it did not prove to be very effective, possibly a little in the beginning, but with continued usage it wasn’t so useful as I had hoped even after about two boxes. Later I figured that it may actually make me feel worse in the mornings, if I took it before bedtime, but I still need to confirm this. At least it was claimed that B. infantis might be somewhat useful for CFS though.
Rhodiola rosea root [400 mg per capsule; Rd: 1]: I took 3 caps in a day. I think this product was a little better than the one I tried before. It could clearly help with the eye issues, though only weak-moderately. I did not experience an anti-depressive effect though. Afterwards I used it as a regular morning supplement to help the eyes along with other supplements. It probably has a diminishing effect just like the other stuff I took it along with, but still a little useful nonetheless. Its effectiveness was similar to eucommia or pomegranate extract.
Elderberry (Sambucus nigra) [10:1 extract with 500 mg per capsule; Rd: 1]: On the first day I took 3 caps then I usually took 1 per day. It clearly improved the eyes and it also had a little anti-depressive effect at its peak. I think it was a little more useful than Rhodiola. Nevertheless when taking elderberry in a daily manner its benefit was diminished just like with everything else. I still consider this one of the better things at least. I couldn’t experience any side-effects either.
PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) [500 mg per capsule; Rd: 1]: I took 2 caps in a day. It is hard to say, but I think it was actually a little beneficial. Eye and gut issues were a little better than usual, but this may have been a persisting effect of the Centrum pills as well from the day before. At least I could not experience any harm from it.
LIV.52 [1 pill contains: 65 mg Capparis spinosa, 65 mg Cichorium intybus, 33 mg ferric oxide, 32 mg Solanum nigrum, 32 mg Terminalia arjuna, 16 mg Cassia occidentalis, 16 mg Achillea millefolium, 16 mg Tamarix gallica; Rd: 1-2x2]: I took 3 in a day and had an O. I could not see any major benefit, but at least POIS onset was below average. I took it occasionally later, but some slight bladder pain often (not always) coincided with its usage, which made me a bit cautious about using it. Later I took daily 1 pill regularly, which did not result in any negative effects, though I also could not see positive ones either. I bought the double strength version, which may help figuring out later if it is actually useful. I also can’t see the rational in the inclusion of black nightshade, which is actually considered rather toxic. Actually my blood test was rather alright while taking it, even my Gilbert’s disease disappeared, though it is hard to say why exactly as I take a myriad of supplements every day.
Boswellia paste [10 ml contains: 25 mg Boswellia extract, 300 mg vitamin C, 25 mg cinnamon extract (1:12), 25 mg beta glucan, 1.4 mg zinc gluconate, guar gum and preservatives: sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate; Rd: 1 coffeespoon]: I thought it was a good buy, but this one also induces bloodshot eyes. Evidently it must be at least partly due to sodium benzoate. One rather surprising fact that I accidentally came over is that cinnamaldehyde is metabolized into sodium benzoate in the liver and thus cinnamon acts as a slow-release form of sodium benzoate, which makes me wonder about the actual health benefits of cinnamon and could possibly explain why I often develop bloodshot eyes after consuming cinnamon. Nevertheless this product is clearly something that I should avoid.
Beetroot powder: I still could not figure out whether beetroot is useful or not. Eating the root itself cooked or fried does not induce bloodshot eyes, however I could almost always notice an increase in the burning pain of the gut, which is not supposed to be good. I could also notice its aphrodisiac effect as on some morning I woke up with an erection when I ate it the day before. Consuming the powder once again seemed to increase the burning pain, however on a test day I took with 3 teaspoon and this problem wasn’t particularly bad, which makes me rather unsure about it. As a side-effect it can irritate the throat when drunk in a concentrated way.
Spinach powder [Rd: 3 tsp]: I took a whole bag (100g) by taking daily 1 teaspoon in the morning smoothie. Unfortunately I couldn’t notice a significant reaction from it. Fortunately I couldn’t see any adverse reactions either. It is possibly a little useful.
Kale powder [Rd: 2 tsp]: I took most of a bag (100g) by taking daily 1 tsp in the morning smoothie. I think it had a little benefit on gut issues, but I can’t say it was particularly effective.
Spirulina powder [Rd: 9 g (3 teaspoon)]: I took 1 teaspoon daily with the morning smoothie. I could not experience anything spectacular, but I think it helps with gut issues at least a little. I have already taken most of the bag (250g).
(West Indian) lemon grass powder: I haven’t tested this much, but contrary to my earlier experience with its tea, it did not induce any adverse effects such as bloodshot eyes. This also means that my negative experience with its tea might have been due to some contamination and not due to lemongrass itself. So far it actually appears a little beneficial, even on the eyes, but I will have to consume it more regularly to say more.
Valeriana (Valeriana officinalis L.) [100 mg per pill; Rd: 1-2x3]: I was taking mostly 1 before sleeping and took the whole box (60 pills). I don’t think it had much of an effect on sleep or otherwise. It maybe that the dose was too low, but regardless myricetin is much better for sleeping and otherwise as well. I tried a higher dose (500 mg) valeriana before with some use, but that was gifted away. I guess it doesn’t worth to buy products with such pathetic dosages even if taken for a long time.
Valeriana/lemon balm/magnesium [100 mg valeriana extract (0.4 mg valeric acid), 100 mg lemon balm extract (5 mg rosmarinic acid), 100 mg magnesium (citrate/oxide); Rd:1]: I took daily one before sleeping for two weeks. Unfortunately I couldn’t note any significant benefit, though it probably has a little one at least.
Wood betony tea (Stachys officinalis): I tried it a few times and had some positive experience with it. I can’t say it was very effective, but it showed a certain benefit. The eyes seemed to improve at the peak benefit and it had an anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues. I also felt slightly better cognitively, though it was not a marked effect. Similarly the muscle pain also seemed reduced, but not significantly. I guess it deserves a moderate-good benefit as a first time experience. As a possible side effect at the first time I developed some epigastrial pain though this did not occur on the second day, so this may have been only a coincidental happening. Later I put it in the mixed herbal teas quite often and I think it provided some additional benefit, but not so much as in the beginning.
By the way wood betony is also recommended in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome.
Ground-ivy tea (Glechoma hederacea): Although I haven’t tested it much, this one also had some benefit, though it is probably less powerful than wood betony.
Guaiacwood tea (Guaiacum officinale) [wood]: It certainly had some anti-inflammatory effect, though it wasn’t very significant. I will need to test this more in the future. Guaiacwood is also considered as an aphrodisiac, thus it should improve sexual health. It is also a component of the traditional sarsaparilla medicine that was used in the treatment of syphilis. Additionally guaiacol is chemically related to guaifenesin, that some CFS patients found to be useful.
Damiana leaf tea (Turnera diffusa): It certainly had some anti-depressive effect a few hours after drinking it. Unfortunately on the test day I also ate something bad, so I can’t say much more. However damiana is certainly a prospective treatment. I have been using damiana capsules for some time now and they appear to be more reliable than maca capsules at least.
Siberian ginseng root tea (Eleutherococcus senticosus): It had quite a strong carminative effect, which indicates an anti-inflammatory effect, however it did not make me feel that much better. Still I think it may be a good addition in a mixed tea. If I likened maca to damiana, then siberian ginseng is more like fenugreek.
Southernwood, lad's love, or southern wormwood tea (Artemisia abrotanum): On the first test day I could not see much of an initial reaction, however in the morning I was feeling quite noticeably better, thus it may need more time (about 12 hours) to work. Similarly to greater burdock root tea this one also has a green colour. It is supposed to be an aphrodisiac and an immunstimulant. Some of its constituents are: abrotin, adenine, adenosine, alkaloids, tannins, guanine, essential oil, bitter substance, caffeic acid, choline, rutin, tannins, tannic acid, thujone, umbelliferone.
Hazel leaves tea (Corylus): It may have helped with rhinitis and I think it had a little anti-inflammatory effect. It is nothing special, but it may be a good addition to a herbal blend.
Linden bark tea (Tilia cordata) [2 teasp. to 1.2 l water]: Based on one occasion I think it is slightly useful, but not particularly so. The flower and leaves tea is probably better. I could not see any side-effects.
Galangal root tea (Alpinia galanga) [2 teasp. to 1.2 liter of water]: I can’t say it was particularly effective, but the rhinitis and the burning pain of the urine were possibly reduced by it, if it wasn’t something else I took. Its taste also reminds me of a popular chewing gum from my childhood, which is peculiar. The other galangal spice powder I had often used before did not taste so good, so it is probably of lesser quality.
Nutmeg flower tea (Myristica fragrans) [4-5 husks to 1.2 liter of water]: Well, it had a pleasant taste, but aside from that I don’t think it was any particularly more useful than nutmeg itself. It may have a little benefit, but nothing considerable.
Mullein flower tea (Verbascum) [1 tablespoon to 1.5 liter of water]: I think it showed some benefit, but it is hard to say for now. It possibly had some anti-depressive effect and some benefit on the eyes. Maybe similar to chrysanthemum?
Common heather tea (Calluna vulgaris) [1 tablespoon to 1.5 liter of water]: It was possibly a little useful, but it did not have a significant benefit.
Tafedim tea (Euphorbia hirta L. herba) [Rd: 2-3 x 1 teabag]: Now this turned out something crazy. It is supposed to help with gut issues, however it did the exact opposite of that in my case. I used it on two days, but I only used 1 teabag on each and added about a liter of water, so I used it in a diluted form below daily recommendation. On the first day I had some gut pain, but I was not really caring about it and it mostly passed by the next day. On the second day came the avalanche. In the afternoon the gut pain occurred again and I was stupid enough to drink another cup of it. This was a major fault. By evening the epigastrial pain grew very strong and cramping pain was shooting after every few seconds. This lasted throughout the night and I felt like I am going to die. I also could not sleep a second due to the crazy stabbing pain every few seconds. The pain lasted throughout the next day, though at least by evening it got better. After this it took a few days for the pain to completely disappear. What is strange though that POIS actually felt better, however I could not really appreciate that, while I felt like dying. This could have been the result of that I hardly dared to eat anything, which may have caused a fasting benefit. I think the tea itself caused some epigastrial injury as I also had some recurrent hiccups, that also occurred when 2 decades ago I had a blocked hernia. The quality of pain and its resolution was very similar to the chest inflammation that I often get from acute POIS and once from wasp sting. I am rather sure that this should imply local tissue injury and in case of the gut issues it must have blocked passage that resulted in the cramps and hiccups. By the way in case of chest inflammations I also noticed that I would have shallow rapid breaths when the pain was strong. While it did not make my POIS worse this side-effect was so terrible, that I am never going to try this tea again.
D-ribose [850 mg per capsule; Rd: 5]: On the first day I certainly saw some anti-inflammatory effect after just taking one, however in the following days I took more and yet I could not see it making a significant difference. Afterwards I took daily 1-3 alongside the other stuff, however it just doesn’t have an impact. I think it has a moderate and diminishing effect. And yet a few times it seemed to give me just a little bit of extra energy that I needed, so it could be at least a bit useful nonetheless.
Methylene blue [1% methylene blue, 2 drops = 1 mg medical grade antiseptic]: 5-10 drops (2.5-5 mg) per day. I haven’t yet tested it extensively. With 5 drops I could not see any significant change, however with 10 drops I saw some benefits. On a day when I had quite a lot of work by the time I went home the muscle pain wasn’t as bad as I would have expected. As for side-effects, I could experience the blue urine about two times. It occurred when I was working more and I could not go to the loo. When going home and taking a leak it was evidently bluish. I find that it can irritate the throat when it is concentrated. Also when I drank it very fast I experienced blood vessel spasms a few minutes later. I also had a diarrhea a few times and the urge came while working, so it was rather inconvenient, thus I will not take it again in the morning even if it may help with exercise intolerance. As I remember other CFS members also noted that it has just too many side-effects.
Dandelion root (Taraxacum Sp.) [515 mg per capsule; Rd: 2]: On the first day it had a really nice effect on gut issues, but afterwards it had a diminishing effect. I suppose it has a good benefit, but retrospectively it belongs in the best category. Actually I started to use it regularly later and with the other stuff I take I could achieve a fairly consistent and great benefit at least in the chronic phase of POIS. The burning quality of the stool almost disappeared for a month, while on it, which is quite extraordinary. Unfortunately other symptoms like depression and muscle pain persisted, but I still felt a little better generally nonetheless. I am not yet sure what are the other important contributors, but possibly sarsaparilla, Q10, ginger and some of the other stuff I take alongside. I think this product specifically provides more benefit than inulin or the bavarian bitter herbs supplement that also contains dandelion.
Lorazepam (Loranxil) [1 mg per pill 1.5-4 mg]: Finally I had managed to get a prescription for it. Unfortunately it did not prove as useful as I had hoped, but at least it did not cause any of the POIS mimetic effects, that clonazepam did. I took 1 mg before sleep for two weeks. I certainly slept more deeply than usual, so it must be an effect related to the benzodiazepine receptors. The only withdrawal symptom I had was a weak headache on the first morning when I did not take it in the evening. It may have some benefit, but I don’t see the point of forcing it, so I stopped taking it. Someone on the prostatitis site mentioned that he experienced a greatly increased libido on the 4-5th day of withdrawal. Actually I was also feeling relatively well on the 5th day, but I was trying something new as well, so I am not sure if such a reaction is true, but this could be interesting to look out for if anyone takes lorazepam. I also felt really well for a few weeks after stopping clonazepam, but I took that for years.
Bile production stimulating complex (Raphanus sativus L. radix) [3 mg black radish concentrate, also some fennel oil; Rd: 3]: When taking daily 3 pills, it really did feel to help with gut issues. I would say it has at least a moderate benefit. I took the pills (30) then I began to use a powder form. I think it also helps somewhat, but it can also cause a lot of flatulence and I may not actually feel myself that much better, so I only use it sparingly. Of course I also eat a lot of black radishes during winter, which also helped a little in the past. Recently I have also begun to use cumin as a regular spice, besides putting black cumin in the morning smoothie for quite a while now.
Bupropion (Elontril) [modified release, 150 mg per pill; Rd: 1]: I take one per day in the mornings as recommended. At this time I emptied almost three boxes (30 pill/per box), but I still can’t see it making any significant difference, which is kind of a let down. It may be possible that it improved gut problems in a smooth way as I had less problems lately, but I also take quite a lot of other stuff so it is hard to tell if bupropion is involved. I am going to continue and increase the dose to 300 mg as the psychiatrist recommended. So far I could not see any side-effects at least, but it also lacks an anti-depressive effect. In this regard L-Dopa was certainly more useful. At least I did the Yohimbine test while on it and both may increase norepinephrine, which in my case is clearly useful as it was for some other POISers. When I increased the dose it caused a dull heartache on two days a few hours after the second pill. This is probably a bad sign. I also did not feel particularly better unfortunately, so I returned to taking one per day.
Yohimbe retest [about 10 mg yohimbine per capsule]: For a long time I have skipped on this as I was distrustful about it. The product had just expired recently and I thought to try it a last time before throwing it out. To my astonishment when I began to use this again it made me feel really well. I took it 4 hours before an O event and that time my symptoms actually improved rather than get worse. Later they got a little worse, however in the morning I felt rather alright. Then I took yohimbe again and my usual 50+ stuff as well and in the evening I felt really well. My eyes got clearer and I also felt quite relaxed and aware, thus it reduced depression. It also improved libido as I had some spontaneous erections, though not as hard as with asafoetida. In the following days I took 2 per day, but it got less effective, though it still made a difference. As for side-effects on the first day I felt some chest pain, but I was preoccupied and did not make much note of it as something similar happened the last time I tried this. Later though it did not happen again. On the second day I also got quite a diarrhea, but it was more like a stimulus as its quality was rather good. On the following days this side-effect occurred rather consistently, however its benefit was somewhat reduced, just like it always does as drug resistance develops. Actually it is less of a diarrhea, but rather an urgency of defecation as the stool is mostly of normal consistency. This side effect happens most of the time, but rather inconsistently as sometimes the urgency comes as soon as 2 hours later at other times only 4 or 6 hours later and rarely not at all. I also took yohimbine with SAM-e and niacin and that way it seemed to work better, however on one occasion I wanted to sleep a little before an all night work, but I was restless and had a high pulse, so I could not in the end. I got a bit worried about this and since then I have only taken one capsule daily at most. Nevertheless I think my earlier judgment was false and it certainly goes in the best category.
Rutin 2 [50 mg rutin + 100 mg vitamin C per pill; Rd: 1]: I took one or two pills and sometimes even three, but it did not work any better unfortunately. I had a really nice experience with the other product that has way less amount of rutin. However it lost its efficacy over time and I began to take this other product right after finishing the other one, so drug resistance have probably developed by that time.
Alpha lipoic acid (ALA) [250 mg per capsule; Rd: 2]: I mostly took 1 capsule before going to bed. I think it was a little beneficial, but not as much as R-lipoic acid.
Nasal drops 1 [ingredients: rapeseed sterols, sunflower seed oil, apricot kernel oil PEG-6 esters, silver fir needle oil, tea tree leaf oil, manuka branch/leaf oil, rosemary leaf extract, tocopherol, linalool, limonene]: I have never used such a product before, but this one was quite nice. My nose tends to be dry and a little bit inflamed, which can also inhibit the breathing making it shallow and a bit forced. That is why I wash it with warm water on a daily basis. However when the nostril is inflamed and painful, this does not necessarily help. At such an occasion I began to apply this drops and the inflammation really went down by next day and the nose felt more relaxed and smooth. Thus it is clearly effective on rhinitis if nothing else. Later I used it more frequently and while it clearly helps with rhinitis, when POIS is bad the nasal irritation is so bad, that this can only ameliorate the problem, but it can’t overcome the painful itching.
Eye drops for allergy 1 [0.15% sodium hyaluronate and 2% ectoine]: I have already used eye drops in the past, but this time I wasn’t so critical about it. Thus I can say that this one has some benefit, though at acute POIS it can’t prevent the emergence of bloodshot eyes. It can temporarily help with eye dryness, which used at a critical time may ameliorate deterioration. Dry eyes are mostly a night problem for me and treating it at times makes sleeping easier, especially if I need to resleep during the night.
Eye drops for eye redness 2 [Composition: marigold extract, chamomile extract, fennel extract and other components]: This one was a little disappointing. It is more liquid than the other one and if I miss the eye I can’t rub it in there as with the previous product. I also could not see a particular improvement in bloodshotness even when I applied it successfully. It is probably a little useful, given the herbs, but it simply can’t handle the power of POIS.
Pomegranate fruit (raw): When eating half the seeds and juice of an apple it has a better effectiveness than the extract caps. It makes my eyes really clear. It also has an anti-depressive effect at the peak of effectiveness. I did not eat it continuously to see if there is a development of resistance. I also ate smaller slices of peel a few times, but I don’t think it was as effective as the inner part. Clearly it goes in the best category.
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea aerial parts) [400 mg per capsule; Rd:1-3]: It seemed to have a noticeable anti-inflammatory effect, which wasn’t too strong, but still apparent. I began to take one in a daily manner, sometimes two, however after several days I noticed that my libido was very low, even when watching porn. I stopped taking it thereafter. I am not perfectly sure if it was due to this, but something similar happened in the past with another Echinacea product. I am rather sure that this could be a good testing choice for those who deal with irresistible sexual urges. The only contradictory fact may be that echinacosides in Cistanche should contribute to its testosterone and DHT boosting effect, though some other compounds may override this benefit.
P-5-P (pyridoxal-5-phosphate) [20 mg coenzymated vitamin B6 per capsule (1176%); Rd:1]: On the first test day I took 2 caps, but later only one. My first experience was positive as it seemed to have about a moderate anti-inflammatory effect on gut issues. Furthermore it did not cause any bloodshot eyes, that I suspect regular vit. B6 does, which is good thing. It wasn’t particularly effective otherwise. Later I took daily 1 capsule, but then I read that it may cause shoulder pain that I have been suffering from for weeks now, so I stopped after half a box for the time being. I was rather sure that the shoulder pain is a side-effect of one of the supplements, but I am taking so many that I can’t stop with all of them and the pain was more like an inconvenience and not serious, though I became unable to do any push-ups due to it.
E-400 (vitamin E) [180.2 mg (400 IU - 721%) as dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate in 1 softgel capsule; Rd:1]: I took two per day. It was pretty clear even on the first day that it is useful. Around the peak hours I felt generally better. The eyes appeared more stable and even gut issues felt improved. I can’t say it had resolved all of my problems, but I felt that I regained the inner warmth that I usually lack in acute POIS. Also in the test days I dreamed quite a lot, which hardly ever happens otherwise, as the inflammation knocks me out. Earlier I was hesitant about vitamin E, as it was found that it can contribute to cancer development. The probable reason is that it protects even cancer cells against the body’s oxidative elimination. I guess in my case the oxidative stress is so rampant, that I should be more worried about that, thus taking a high dose of vitamin E is probably a necessity, though it is still not recommended to go over 1500% of the reference value as other side-effects could also occur. By taking 1 regularly it still feels to help a little, however its efficacy also seems to be lowered.
Chyawanprash 1 (Everest Ayurveda) [Amla, Haritaki, Bibhitaki, Andrographis, Green cardamom, Tribulus, Licorice, Gotu kola, Asparagus, Shatavari, Ashwagandha, common grape vine, sandalwood, white turmeric, nutmeg, cumin, guduchi/giloy, Ceylon cinnamon, clove, tulsi/holy basil, elecampane, kudzu vine, long pepper, camphorwood, lemon grass, valeriana, ghee, honey, palm syrup; Rd: 2-3 teaspoon (5 g/tsp)]: I took with 3 teaspoon (separately) on a day and had an O. This really kept my eyes clearer and I even felt a little better. It shows the most benefit around 6 hours after intake as usual than the benefit slowly dissipates in a few hours. Taking only one teaspoon doesn’t help that much, but on two occasions I took with 2 teaspoons at once before going to sleep. At both times 6 hours later I would wake up and feel really well. Unfortunately this would also prohibit me from sleeping back and then the benefit would decrease in a few hours, but the impact is clear and my general state would be still better than without any treatment. This one clearly goes in the best category even if it doesn’t solve everything. Sometimes I may try consuming 6 teaspoons in a day, as it may give a better result, though I fear continued usage would similarly dwindle efficacy as with everything else. By the way I think it is best consumed by putting it in warm water or mixing into a yogurt. In its natural state it just tastes too concentrated.
Mg-taurate [620 mg per capsule containing 49.67 mg organic magnesium; Rd: 3]: I took 3 in one day and 1 on some others. I think it induces bloodshot eyes to a lower degree. At the same time I could not see any particular benefit, even after sleeping, thus unlike with Mg-citrate.
Chasteberry fruit (Vitex agnus-castus) [400 mg per capsule; Rd: 1-2]: I took two per day. This was really good. I took it for a few days, but then I suspended it as I want to test other things as well. It had a really nice anti-depressive effect that I could experience on several occasions. Other symptoms were also somewhat better, though I am not sure if it is a good idea to take it long term.
7
General Alternative Causes and Treatments of POIS / Re: Milnacipran - completely stopping my brain fog
« Last post by hahahahahevery on Today at 08:52:17 AM »Minalapril is still effective for me. My symptom duration has been reduced from 6 days to 3 days, while bupropion, escitalopram, and vortioxetine do not have such good effectsThe doctor said I have a tendency towards bipolar disorder, so he added sodium valproate to me
8
POIS Research / Large Language Model for POIS
« Last post by homie9 on December 24, 2024, 10:52:25 PM »Has anyone considered training a large language model with the wealth of information from members posting on this forum? If the medical field can't help us, lets figure this out on our own...
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POIS Research / Re: The role of sigma-1 receptor
« Last post by Progecitor on December 24, 2024, 05:21:56 PM »Although not proven, it is thought that DMT is secreted during sleep by the pineal gland to regulate the REM cycles. If this is true then the antioxidant effect of the REM sleep phase could be at least partly due to DMT’s action on the sigma-1 receptors.
Sleep disturbances – This refers to difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or achieving restful sleep. Factors like stress, anxiety, depression, and pain can affect sleep quality. DMT is believed to help maintain healthy sleep cycles linked to dreaming, especially during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. While the DMT produced in the brain may regulate REM sleep, consuming external DMT can disrupt this balance and impact overall sleep quality.
https://www.my5palms.com/addiction-blog/side-effects-of-dmt/
Sleep disturbances – This refers to difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or achieving restful sleep. Factors like stress, anxiety, depression, and pain can affect sleep quality. DMT is believed to help maintain healthy sleep cycles linked to dreaming, especially during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. While the DMT produced in the brain may regulate REM sleep, consuming external DMT can disrupt this balance and impact overall sleep quality.
https://www.my5palms.com/addiction-blog/side-effects-of-dmt/
There is a theory on the antioxidant effects of sleeping that fits my personal experiences really well. As we have an elevated base level of lipid peroxidation we show signs of sleep deprivation even when rested. This is one of the most evident links to ME/CFS and other similar conditions. The constant presence of depression and fatigue is a clear indication of the ongoing oxidative stress. When I am tired previously effective supplements have a way reduced benefit on POIS. In my case conventional sleep deprivation leads to a kind of super POIS state, which is a superposition of the condition and indicates a very robust oxidative stress. I also wake up feeling better when I dreamt, but I hardly ever dream or remember the fact if I did, which indicates a lack of paradoxical sleep, especially in the acute POIS phase.
Current experimental evidence suggests that sleep deprivation promotes oxidative stress. Wakefulness involves high neuronal metabolism to maintain neuronal electrical potentials, which requires a great amount of oxygen, resulting in a significant production of oxidants. Thus, sleep represents a state with an increased antioxidant activity which promotes a brain protection against free radicals via a diminution in oxidant production. The ROS and other oxidative stress markers could be accumulated in the brain tissue during wakefulness, and after reaching out a threshold, they could behave as sleep promoters.
In the present report we addressed evidence that supports the hypothesis that sleep is a dynamic-resting state with antioxidative properties. In order to accomplish the aim of the present paper we also contemplated in our revision evidence that suggests that oxidative stress may be the inductor of sleep and thus confirmed its antioxidant properties.
Paradoxical sleep (PS, also called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep) is associated with high neuronal metabolic activity and loss of muscular tone, whereas slow-wave sleep (SWS) is characterized by low neuronal metabolic activity. The original hypothesis about the antioxidant properties of sleep referred that SWS would accomplishes for the most antioxidative part of sleep. This assumption would be confirmed once SWS is associated with low neuronal metabolic activity and therefore with less oxygen consumption. The experimental data extracted from PSD points out to a different perspective: paradoxical sleep plays a significant role as antioxidative element and whenever prevented, oxidative stress increases.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1155/2015/234952
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POIS Research / Re: The role of sigma-1 receptor
« Last post by Progecitor on December 24, 2024, 11:01:29 AM »The effective mechanism of psilocybin or magic mushroom is clearly the activation of the sigma-1 receptor (S1R). Psilocybin is converted to dimethyltryptamine (DMT), which is the only known endogenous ligand for S1R. Psilocybin’s activity on 5-HT1A may also provide a synergism. Many of those who tried it felt better, though others did not find it useful or claim that it actually made them worse. I don’t really know the answer for the latter, but those who had success with it may want to try other S1R agonists that are possibly safer.
Some racetams may work as allosteric modulators of the sigma-1 recptor. It may be possible that constant overactivation of sigma-1 could lead to receptor downregulation over time, which would result in antagonist-like effects.
I've been microdosing 100mg of dried psilocybin mushrooms and that works great. Any more than that actually causes acne, headaches, inflammation, and insomnia for me.
https://www.reddit.com/r/POIS/comments/173jh9e/strategies_for_coping_with_pois_symptoms/
What cured my slight POIS
Just came across this subforum and thought i throw my experience in. I never had extreme POIS, but when i overdid it (like once a day) i could feel ill, like with a beginning flu and miserable. When i spread it to once every 3-4 days, i was fine. Never had these extreme symptoms some of you describe, though.
Until i started to microdose magic mushrooms (since more then a year now). Since i microdose, im horny as hell and any POIS symptoms are gone, no matter the frequency. Not sure why and how, but shrooms seem to balance brain chemicals, so that may be that.
" The psilocybin dose was moderately high (20 mg/70 kg) in session 1 and was high (30 mg/70 kg) "
A typical microdose is considered between 0.03g and 0.3g according to the reddit community. As everyones different, youd have to find your personal dose. My dose is 0.2g every other day, my wife takes 0.12g every other day. Unfortunately, shrooms are illegal in most countrys but you can easily grow your own with a growbox (google) or try some magic truffles, which seem to be legal in many countrys.
My experience is nothing short but life changing. Whereas before i had to drag myself to work, i suddenly had fun working and it made me realize, that i suffered from derealization without knowing it - because the shrooms stabilize my awareness of the world around me.
How long did it take for microdosing to stop your POIS?
I guess it was quite fast, a week or two at max but probably shorter. I didnt pay too much attention as i didnt expect this.
Thanks. Do you think if you were to stop the microdosing the POIS would return or do you think it would have long lasting effects even after stopping treatment?
Thats an interesting question i cant answer, as i never stopped for longer then a week. Having said that, people report lasting (positive) effects from microdosing.
https://www.reddit.com/r/POIS/comments/ma6k6e/what_cured_my_slight_pois/
LSD and psilocybin proved anti-depressive for some POISers, but of course they are not a recommended treatment.
The preferential serotonin (5-HT) 2A/1A receptor agonist, psilocybin (Psi), reduces the processing of negative stimuli, but whether 5-HT2A/1A receptor stimulation modulates the processing of negative social interactions remains unclear. Psi binds with high affinity to 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A/C, 5-HT6, and 5-HT7 receptors. In humans, Psi is rapidly dephosphorylated to psilocin (4-N,N-dimethyltryptamine), which acts as a partial agonist at 5-HT2A and 5-HT1A receptors. Furthermore, given that 5-HT1A receptor stimulation has been associated with decreased, and 5-HT2A receptor stimulation has been associated with both decreased and increased, neuronal excitation of medial prefrontal neurons at rest. Interestingly, the structurally related psychotropic 5-HT2A/1A agonist lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) increases extracellular medial prefrontal Glu release and prefrontal pyramidal cell activity in rodents.
https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/113/18/5119.full.pdf
Hi everyone,
Let me introduce myself, I'm 21 and I have strong psycho and physical symptoms.
I tried magic mushrooms (psilocyb) 3 times while I was on pois and I experienced something very strange every time. At first I had the effect of the mushrooms but after 3 hours I started to feel very good, my mind was cristal clear, I could speak to anyone and I had real self-confidence. The exact opposit of my pois. Of course the next morning I was on pois again but it was increadible. My friends / girlfriend didn't experienced this second stage at all.
Your can't take magic mushrooms without having pscho effects. I know that it can prevent POIS kicking in.
Magic mushrooms will effect your outlook on life for a very long time. It is simply not a ling term treatment option in my view, although may have some medical research insight.
FB
@FloppyBanana you are probably right you can't have the second effect without having the psycho effect first. This being said, the article mention people free of depression 3 months after the treatment. Therefore I can only suppose that the psycho effect have disapeared a long time ago.
Yeah I tried micro dosing psilocybin this week and it has a good effect switching on my brain the way it should be working - it cures Neuroinflammotory conditions. I haven't tried for POIS yet though.
Had 2 Os yesterday and my symptoms today have been much better than they have been in the last two months.
Heres what I've been taking/doing nicotinamide riboside, matcha tea, nicotinamide extended release, NAC, epsom salt baths, byron white a fng, lymphatic drainage massage from groin lymph nodes (perrin technique), psilocybin micro dose, eating less/smaller meals, drinking alkaline water, epa oil, mediation with grounding pillow and band.
- Psilocybin (I'm not recommending this to anyone, but it does seem quite effective at boosting serotonin, increasing bodily awareness, activating the vagus nerve and releasing trauma and muscular tension)
- 5-HTP (not as effective for me as psilocybin, but I definitely feel an effect at low doses when my mood is low)
My first real mushroom trip happened earlier this year at a music festival. In a period of a few hours, I experienced what seemed equivalent to a few years of psychotherapy. I had the sensation that the weight of the world had lifted off my shoulders. The sense of calm was... almost unbelievable.
Psilocybin really has a knack for shooting you back into your body, and telling you exactly what's wrong in your mind, body and spirit. Even a large microdose (say 0.5g) will have that effect.
With that said, there are legal modalities that can accomplish similar things. They just require more work and/or money. Holotropic breathing is powerful stuff. My first impression of craniosacral therapy is that it could be a good alternative to psychedelic therapy.
Some racetams may work as allosteric modulators of the sigma-1 recptor. It may be possible that constant overactivation of sigma-1 could lead to receptor downregulation over time, which would result in antagonist-like effects.
Non psychoactive tryptamines barely help and they have similar side effects to psychoactive ones. Usually anti epileptic drugs help pois even milder medications like gabapentin, fasoracetam and extreme high dosages of taurine. Anti depressants like duloxetine and other neuroprotective SNRI helped long term with heat intolerance and vasospasms, eyesight and tingly feelings, brainfog, however the insomnia it causes is horrible and it does change your personality when you take it long term. Also withdrawals of duloxetine are the worst of all SNRI/SSRI. Some Heroin addicts say its harder to withdraw from high dosages of duloxetine than heroin.
All other drugs only made pois worse or created a temporary bandaid. I liked citalopram because it helped the most with anxiety and didn't had adverse effect on other drugs neither did it change my personality. Iboprufen, diclofenac (nsaids) , anti histamine all help with itch, inflammation and histamine related effects. Kratom helped with pain. And benzodiazapines helped with spinal nerve pain and reduced motor function in muscles.
Psychedelic mushrooms made pois worse long term. Same for MDMA , 6-apb, cathinones, 2C-X drug classes, phenylphentamines and other synthetic shit. Almost all of these synthetic drugs have extremely potent anti histamine/anti inflammatory effects (similar to 120 mg cetirizin or higher ) but long term i think they probably make pois worse. 4-FMP was also good but it simply **** language up your kidneys with local vasoconstriction.
Most promising is mescaline (especially derived from trichocereus bridgessi) and 5-meo-mipt with the latter being shitty because of side effects ( even for me), but i do have to admit it kinda works. Ketamine and phenidines were the best for neuropathy and overall depression (even used once every 2 weeks) but didn't do much for pois itself. If you have depression of pois do ketamine therapy if its legal in your country.
Tried all syntethic drugs out there..only ones i avoided are obvious ones like meth, heroin , mdpv, pcp etc. I recommend not taking drugs at all, the cost is not worth the risk and there are purity issues. I always had suppliers who provided me pharmceutical quality. What lead me to do it was desperation and exploration because i know how neurobiochemistry works and pois clearly (to me) is related to neurochemistry. I also know about receptor affinity of substances and that kinda stuff. Most of the times i knew what i was doing and sometimes i made mistakes. Drugs target way more receptors than research papers show alot of them alter substance P and many other exotic systems, they all cause nerve growth (not always the right kind, be aware) and almost all target BDNF.
Drugs you absolutely have to stay away from all together is magic mushrooms , MDMA, cathinones (3-mmc, 4-mmc etc cathinones simply too addictive even with one dose). They all make pois worse i even believe they probably could cause pois if you abuse them. I can see people using magic mushrooms when their pois headache is bad, i would defo not take this daily or weekly.
All drugs create a false sense of wellbeing (some are authentic tho) and usually create a bandaid on pois but do zero for the underlaying mechanism of pois. Someone who never had MDMA and try it for the first time think they cured pois but in fact making it worse long term.
Also im really experienced ..i had many bad trips and can brush them off and survive while staying sane. Someone who uses tryptamines and take 1mg too much can easily lose his mind. Its not for the faint hearted or minded, also they can worsen emotions caused by pois like depression, isolation etc. Alot of drugs also boost libido, if you stay celibate for 2 months and use drugs one could be compelled to seek release , this could also be an issue. Drugs change your behaviour short term this is guaranteed, this also relates to self control and discipline..
DMT im not sure about ...sometimes it seems to help pois and other times it makes it worse. Even tho it is natural it doesn't always means its good for you. Cannabis is hit and miss, helps long term with inflammation but is more of a bandaid when it comes to pois. At a certain point cannabis made my chronic fatigue worse and made me emotionally blunt..i tried well over 30 strains inc. Cbd strains vaped, eaten and smoked. CBD is an anti psychotic and lowers % neurotransmitters transmitted, it is marketed as anti depressant but in fact is an depressant like all other anti psychotics. I stopped using it because it made depression worse long term, it sedates you so you think it feels better...again another bandaid.
Smart drugs / nootropics like noopept and racetams all have beneficial effects on bdnf and nerve protection/ growth. Noopept worked wonders for cognitive recovery but can drop blood sugar or deplete acetylcholine. Sublingual fasoracetam worked really well. I 100% recommend people trying these 2 nootropics, they work wonders on pois brainfog, depression and anxiety. Best 2 things i have tried next to mescaline and tryptamines.
I've been microdosing 100mg of dried psilocybin mushrooms and that works great. Any more than that actually causes acne, headaches, inflammation, and insomnia for me.
https://www.reddit.com/r/POIS/comments/173jh9e/strategies_for_coping_with_pois_symptoms/
What cured my slight POIS
Just came across this subforum and thought i throw my experience in. I never had extreme POIS, but when i overdid it (like once a day) i could feel ill, like with a beginning flu and miserable. When i spread it to once every 3-4 days, i was fine. Never had these extreme symptoms some of you describe, though.
Until i started to microdose magic mushrooms (since more then a year now). Since i microdose, im horny as hell and any POIS symptoms are gone, no matter the frequency. Not sure why and how, but shrooms seem to balance brain chemicals, so that may be that.
" The psilocybin dose was moderately high (20 mg/70 kg) in session 1 and was high (30 mg/70 kg) "
A typical microdose is considered between 0.03g and 0.3g according to the reddit community. As everyones different, youd have to find your personal dose. My dose is 0.2g every other day, my wife takes 0.12g every other day. Unfortunately, shrooms are illegal in most countrys but you can easily grow your own with a growbox (google) or try some magic truffles, which seem to be legal in many countrys.
My experience is nothing short but life changing. Whereas before i had to drag myself to work, i suddenly had fun working and it made me realize, that i suffered from derealization without knowing it - because the shrooms stabilize my awareness of the world around me.
How long did it take for microdosing to stop your POIS?
I guess it was quite fast, a week or two at max but probably shorter. I didnt pay too much attention as i didnt expect this.
Thanks. Do you think if you were to stop the microdosing the POIS would return or do you think it would have long lasting effects even after stopping treatment?
Thats an interesting question i cant answer, as i never stopped for longer then a week. Having said that, people report lasting (positive) effects from microdosing.
https://www.reddit.com/r/POIS/comments/ma6k6e/what_cured_my_slight_pois/