Recent Posts

1

General Alternative Causes and Treatments of POIS / Re: Thiamine Megadoses (Vitamin B1) and Thiamine Analogs

« Last post by Warrior on Today at 05:57:35 PM »

I used to take a 150 B Forte Complex almost daily, sometimes twice daily (https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/124176/nature-s-own-ultra-b-150-forte-60-tablets). This contains 150mg of thiamine nitrate per pill. This supplement was so transformative for my POIS, I took it for years. I could never find another B complex that made me feel so damn good. I could never really figure out what within it was so responsible for the medicinal benefits.

I always put it's medicinal effects down to replenishing methyl donors, but now I'm not convinced thats the whole picture.

I had to stop the B complex recently because it began giving me side-effects. Just making me more apathetic/anhedonic than usual. I took this as too many methyl donors and probably running out of certain nutrients that are methyl buffers. I also got lots of bloodwork done recently, and it all showed adequate B6, high B12 and folate. So I knew my methyl donors were adequately replenished. I eat and eggs and meat very frequently as well. So I stopped taking it and felt fine for a while, until recently began noticing my mood has been really off. Taking electrolytes seemed to exascterbate the problem as well, as I had just recently switched to keto which has been a gamechanger for my libido and energy. Every time I took potassium and magnesium, my mood would become more apathetic and less motivated.

I've always seemed to have electrolyte issues even on AB, and now that I was reacting to electrolytes after 4-5 weeks of no issues, I decided to research and came across thiamine as an important nutrient for regulating electrolytes.

3 days ago I finally decided to take TTFD 100mg and am already experiencing a significant improvement in mood and energy. I don't know for sure, but I'm more bullish than ever that thiamine is really important for our condition. Not to mention all the interesting thiamine megadosing info for complex chronic diseases i.e., POTS, long-covid, etc.

I seem to also be tolerating my electrolytes better as well, but this whole thing will probably be a work in progress for a while too. In hindsight though, I think I was actually megadosing B1 (150-300mg per day) through my B complex unknowingly. That was probably providing a lot of medicinal benefit that I over attributed to methyl donors.

Basic plan at this point is to take a moderately dosed B complex vitamin maybe 1-3x per week, but thiamine daily for a while. Eventually maybe switch thiamine to every 2nd day or so. Will come to understand it all better with time.

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General POIS Discussions / Re: Covid 19 Long Haulers

« Last post by Progecitor on Today at 03:27:35 PM »

Earlier this year (February) I had a covid infection once again. It wasn’t anything bad, as it felt like a regular illness. I had a sore throat for about a week, but it wasn’t strong. Around the third week I had the usual covid eye, which means that one of the eyes was very bloodshot for almost a week and it was not resolving even when taking supplements that usually help at least a little and temporarily. Around this time I also lost the sense of smell as I breathed into a coffee bag and couldn’t feel anything at all, which is also indicative of covid.
Around two months ago (October) I caught covid once again. This time the sore throat was even less of a problem, however my voice was very thin for about a week. Some of my relatives and acquaintances also had very thin voices for days. The enlarged lymph nodes on my neck got even bigger in the beginning. The infection lasted for almost a month and my colleagues also complained about their condition to be not resolving. They also complained about joint pain and at least one colleague about the loss of smell. Around the third week I got the covid eye again. The left eye was really bloodshot even though the right eye was fairly alright. Depression also felt worse in conjunction. Even though I had been taking a lot of supplements that were usually useful for bloodshot eyes, only a marginal improvement was seen. Once again this lasted for almost a week, when the usual supplements became noticeably more effective and the recovery was rather rapid afterwards.
While I catch the covid infection rather frequently, I could not note any permanent deterioration at least apart from the first infection.

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POIS Research / Re: New POIS Survey from University of Chicago - Please fill it out!

« Last post by demografx on Today at 01:44:21 PM »

…This [The University of Chicago] survey does not add anything to literature. I do not see the point of this one…

I couldn’t disagree more.

I am very happy to get the desperately-needed attention for POIS from 2 major universities recently:

• The University of Chicago The University of Chicago is consistently ranked highly by various organizations, including:
US News Best Colleges: Ranked #11 out of 436 National Universities for 2025

and

• UMass (University of Massachusetts).

This major-league publicity can only further our cause for the good.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

In addition, we’re now embarking on our first major in-depth medical study of POIS sufferers - -  “in the laboratory” - - conducted by seasoned sexual-science researchers at:

• University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• University of California Los Angeles

Since being here from the 2007 beginnings of this forum - - and as a lifetime (now a senior-citizen) sufferer of POIS - - this is an exhilarating time!

Best to all,
Demo

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I think it's brilliant that The University of Chicago are doing this and will look forward to reading the results…

Thank you, Sisyphus!

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Lifestyle Diary and POIS Summaries / Re: Reflections: What I have learned and what I'm yet to fully comprehend.

« Last post by quiteQuiet on Today at 11:52:23 AM »

It still looks like an episode lasts 2 to 3 days. Hard to say on which day I am fully cured. After 2 days my sense of humor returns, I am also able to get in some exercise with some breaks in between sets.
After 3-4 days I notice my eyes look shinier. It?s like my eyes went from 240p to 4K.

Berries are very good. Curcuma tea for the skin. Creatine and ginseng for preserving muscle mass.
Also after eating meat like chicken I notice an improvement. Also some piece of dark chocolate is good. Bananas are also good.

One of the worst things is drinking coffee, especially more than 1 cup a day. Leads more often than not to more stress and less good sleep. I started drinking coffee again and unfortunately it?s better to be avoided.

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Lifestyle Diary and POIS Summaries / Is modafinil safe to take daily?

« Last post by allencooper on Today at 01:03:40 AM »

Modafinil can be safe for daily use when prescribed and monitored by a healthcare provider, but it depends on individual health conditions, medical history, and adherence to professional guidance. When taken as directed, Modafinil is generally well-tolerated, but there are important factors to consider.
Long-term daily use may lead to tolerance, requiring higher doses to maintain effectiveness, and some users might develop dependence or experience withdrawal symptoms. Common side effects include headaches, nausea, anxiety, insomnia, and elevated heart rate, which could worsen with consistent daily use.
People with cardiovascular issues, high blood pressure, or psychological conditions may require additional monitoring when using Modafinil regularly. It may also reduce the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives or cause interactions, making medical advice crucial.
For safe daily use, it?s essential to consult a healthcare provider to evaluate risks and benefits, ensure proper dosing, and address any side effects promptly. For more detailed information on Modafinil, visit Health Matter.

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General Alternative Causes and Treatments of POIS / Re: Posted on NSF Today - Interesting ?

« Last post by duke0knight@gmail.com on November 25, 2024, 06:10:04 PM »

I vote for the latter

Definitely the latter! It's the last couple of his paragraphs that reveal his true motives. Spammers will intermix sensible information with their ploys to make them seem more legitimate.

Using hair analysis to determine the body's nutritional status does not work. Period. Anybody telling you different is either a complete fraud, a complete idiot, or in all likelihood, BOTH!

So why do these spammers keep insisting people do this? Well, they want your money! That's why. They charge hundreds of dollars (and more) for their supplements and ineffective hair tests they offer. The good news is that the clinics who offer to do this type of hair testing are illegal. They're still in business for now, but likely won't be for very long. I already did my part in writing a few complaints about them. Hopefully, they'll be shut down in the near future.

My advice: stick with science and save your money! Avoid hair testing and these creeps at all costs.

I'm not a spammer. I listed a few companies that I used but how would I benefit from all of them? I am a real POIS sufferer. Just want to help others and read if anyone else has any better ideas.
Below is my updated treatment that works for me.

DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT A DOCTOR, JUST A LONG-TIME SUFFERER.

I still feel POIS symptoms but they are very minor: slight irritation, sweating, sugar cravings... I think I have cured POIS 99%.

The reason I am almost fully functional with POIS is because:

1. SLEEP: I try to fall asleep before 10pm. I thought this could not be done but you can do it if you start waking up at 6am or 7am a few days in a row and you will hopefully start getting tired around 9pm.

2. WATER: Sip a lot of water throughout day and night if needed.

3. NO EXERCISE: Almost no exercise at all. Walking, stretching, minor household work (taking out trash, washing dishes, vacuuming, etc.) that's it.

4. FOOD: I eat two meals per day on average. Each meal contains: a) protein: organic meat, fish or eggs, b) fiber: vegetables/salad and c) carbs: gluten-free bread, white rice, yams, or potatoes. My first meal is 2-3 hours after I wake up and my last meal at least 1-2 hours before sleep. I also eat a light snack or sweets right before bed to get my blood sugar up and enable me to sleep well. I eat 3-4 sweets during the day. I know, everyone says, stay away from sugar, but my body loves simple sugar and works incredibly well on it (cane sugar, coconut sugar and maple syrup are the easiest for me to digest and help me digest food unlike fructose [fruit, honey] and lactose [milk and cheese]). I eat mostly milk chocolate and cornflakes or Swedish candy right after my meals and between my meals to help me digest foods and keep my blood sugar up throughout the day. I also have 2-4 coffees/cokes per day after or with meals, not on an empty stomach (caffeine helps me a lot). I have lost weight by eating as much sugar and caffeine as I want per day. I know it's crazy but it works for me. I don't overdo it, I eat only as much as it feels good to me (about 2-4 chocolates per day). I only eat fruit right before breakfast because it tends to ferment in me if I eat it after meals. I stay away from nuts, gluten, large amounts of milk, cheese and ice-cream, peanut butter and other nut butters. The only oils I use are: duck fat, pork fat, ghee, coconut oil, olive oil, sesame oil. I think we need to concentrate on healing our liver and adrenals.

We may have fatty liver or some kind of virus attacking us right after a stressful experience such as (orgasm, exercise, massage, stressful conversation, stressful event, etc.) when our defenses/immunity is down.

Does anyone else have POIS symptoms after a stressful experience such as: exercise, massage, stressful event, etc.? Did anyone else start noticing POIS symptoms after gaining weight?

It could be that we need to drop our weight down significantly to get rid of the fat in our liver and then our liver will start working well again.

I hope this helps.
Please email me at duke0knight@gmail.com .

7

Lifestyle Diary and POIS Summaries / Re: Warrior's Journal (My POIS Protocol)

« Last post by Warrior on November 25, 2024, 06:03:30 AM »

Question for Claude AI: which B vitamin, when megadosed, would likely offer medicinal effects for complex chronic disease?

B1 (thiamine) at high doses, particularly in its fat-soluble forms (TTFD/benfotiamine), stands out for complex chronic conditions. It's foundational for mitochondrial function, glucose metabolism, and autonomic nervous system regulation. Some functional practitioners have reported success using high-dose thiamine protocols for conditions like POTS, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and long COVID.
The rationale relates to thiamine's critical role in:

Energy metabolism via the Krebs cycle
Reducing lactate buildup
Supporting proper autonomic nervous system function
Glucose utilization
Neurotransmitter synthesis

Some practitioners report that patients may require doses far above RDA (sometimes 100mg to several hundred mg daily) to see therapeutic effects in complex conditions, particularly when there's dysautonomia or energy metabolism issues involved.

I could never really figure out why I felt so good from my old B complex despite seemingly having adequate B12, folate, B6 (main methyl donors), but eventually it began giving me side-effects. Took thiamine today and definitely felt like it has had a positive effect on my mood. My protocol moving forward will probably entail dosing B complex once per week or so as needed, but taking thiamine in moderate amounts daily.

It's also interesting how most of the B vitamins have medicinal effects at high dosages.

I also distinctively remember niacin offering huge energetic benefits. My feet would become super warm. That may also be beneficial to take in moderate amounts daily.

I think trying to keep folate, B12, and B6 in "normal" levels is probably wise. I think too many methyl donors is not going to be good long-term.

8

Lifestyle Diary and POIS Summaries / Re: Warrior's Journal (My POIS Protocol)

« Last post by Warrior on November 24, 2024, 08:18:32 PM »

Experimenting with thiamine (TTFD)

- May be useful for POIS & chronic disease in general
- "Functional deficiencies" can cause a lot of issues
- Thiamine helps regulate electrolytes - a thiamine deficiency could explain why after many weeks of feeling good/normal on keto w/ electrolytes I began running into problems. I also no longer take my B complex that frequently.
- I have electrolyte issues even on animal-based. Read that thiamine may be able to help me with electrolytes.
- I also think my overall POIS and general wellbeing have gotten worst since stopping my vitamin B complex. Yet my bloods for B12, folate, and B6 were all adequate. Maybe the highish dose of thiamine may be responsible for giving me benefits I didn't realise, beyond methylation

Edit:
- Definitely feeling better after taking thiamine (TTFD)
- Probably the one B vitamin in complex that does best in higher dosages for POIS. Best might be taking B complex once per week, thiamine every 2nd day or so.
- Many of the B vitamins when megadosed offer therapeutic effects. I dont think its wise to megadose thiamine long-term daily as it will likely lead to imbalances at some point, but emphasising it amongst a B complex intake I think is definitely beneficial

9

POIS Research / Re: POIS NORD RESEARCH STUDY

« Last post by demografx on November 24, 2024, 07:57:14 PM »

Dr. Nicole Prause, co-investigator of our upcoming
POIS Research Study got a chance to talk a little POIS in this podcast!
https://youtu.be/ImsB_q-5IIM?feature=shared&t=2100


Please watch the above video to get a better idea of what’s coming soon with our upcoming
POIS Research Study!

Demo

10

POIS Research / Re: POIS NORD RESEARCH STUDY

« Last post by demografx on November 24, 2024, 06:12:24 PM »

I think that we even now have evidence that pois is an immune driven condition…

October 25, 2024



From: Dr. Tierney K. Lorenz
Principal Investigator
NORD: POIS Research Study
https://poiscenter.com/forums/index.php?topic=3006.0

”It depends on what we mean by "an immune driven condition." If Hopeoneday means there is sufficient evidence that the immune system is dysfunctional in POIS, I think that's certainly true - it would be hard to produce the symptoms of POIS without some involvement from the immune system. But the specifics are more murky - we don't really know if POIS is an autoimmune condition like IBS or MS, or closer to an allergic condition (like asthma), - - or something else entirely - -
That's a big goal of the research right now!

TKL”

[Above emphasis mine.
Demo]