One takeaway from the doc yesterday was to up my intake of vitamin D to combat the fatigue. I've done a bit of digging on this and sure enough, there are a lot of links on PTSD and depression and Vitamin D. The doc was saying that most people are deficient in it and given that PTSD makes you stay in and not exercise or see daylight, it would follow that it could be of benefit. I've been taking multivitamins but the dosage is not that high, the dosage suggested to me was 800 - 1000 units (20 - 25 mg). So, in the interests of the OOTS science unit, I am going to guinea pig myself and run a trial starting today. Self vivisection if you will. Anyone else interested to see if they get similar results?
This is so weird. Just today I decided to buy myself a bottle of Vitamin D capsules. I've always been low in Vitamin D, have been since I was very young. But for some reason only recently am I actually going to do something about it. lol I guess I forgot about it.
I also got Vitamin B Complex (B1, B2, B3, B5. B6, B12) capsules, which I'm hoping will help with my low energy.
So I suppose I'll help take part in this little trial if you don't mind. Haha, see what stuff happens, how I feel in the next week or so. I've been managing a mood diary for a few months now, so I'll use that to kind of observe any changes that might stand out. Here's hoping they'll make a noticeable difference.
ok, that's a good control, I'll avoid the B vits other than my usual multi vits. My amount is 1000 units, 25 ug (that whacky greek symbol for the u!)
Yes I take vitamin d, the other one is magnesium, symptoms of lack of it can be shaking uncontrollably which I was doing a lot but this does seem to have improved.
Oh man! This is great :)
Good luck everyone! I think it was JamesG that I mentioned I was on everything I could find (Zn, Fe, fish oil, VitD & C & multivit for everything else. Probiotic), whatever was immunity supportive. Still feeling physically good.
Good stuff Contessa, I was thinking about what you'd said when I was at the doc's so thanks for that.
Let's see
Oh and I looked on my paperwork... PTSD. He wrote it down, bless him. That blew a few gaslights out there and then.
I take vitamin D every other day (I started out on a daily dose).
My miracle worker is melatonin. I take 2mg most nights. Without it, I can sleep for days, and never feel rested (I suspect failure to enter REM). DW also takes it, too. She has lots of trouble falling asleep and waking up often throughout the night. She had to start on 0.5mg and work her way up to 2mg, or it gave her headaches in the morning.
Magnesium deficiency can cause anxiety. None of us need extra anxiety.
so far... well I got work done, then nose dived at 6.30. Still, my mood is better.
day 2.. ok, but patches where I have to crash. Am going for power naps. I had too much wine last night.. DOH!
ok, some more updates... I would say there IS a pick up, even that fast. But it's a mixed picture because my mood is all over the place, and I'm still on the juice, not heavy, least not for a brit. Too early to see if it's definite but I'd say it's encouraging so far.
well I would say the energy is there now, tho my head is still like a wiped hard drive. Definitely more positive too. So far, I'm a believer.
Nice JamesG!
Keep it up!
I just spent the entire evening recording music, quite like my old self... something is happening... as usual tho there are mixed signals in me and outside. Dunno. So far, like I say, I'm convinced.
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00048670802345516
Small sustained steps JamesG :)
right now I'd be 80% certain it's an uplift down to Vitamin D
Thanks, James!
having said that, a crash this afternoon. I suspect it was because I pounced on the energy and overdid it tho. Lesson learned. Thinking of it as an enforced power nap. Let's see if it returns to form tomorrow. I'm up against the weekend, whch I hate, so we will see.
another 2 hour crash this afternoon. annoying but probably my own fault. I pounded on my energy this morning and over mined it, that following three pints of lager at the queen's arms last night. DOH! back up now tho and trying to have my second morning of the day minus the mistakes of morning 1. I'd like to say you live and learn, but I clearly don't. Vitamin D definitly helps, but the issue is still there, it's all about pacing. Tea, tea will make it better, where's my tea?
Small steps. It's a learning curve, no mistakes are being made :)
It will take time for your body to rebuild its strength.
My advice (you're free to disagree of course): do things as normal, like you're not on supplements
Relax and listen to your body. Slowly increase its challenges when it is telling you it is able. And it is :)
v good advice Contessa. The period leading me here was manic, I just didn't stop so of course, that's my go-to way of zipping about. Trying to do things at half speed and not sweat some things being left undone. Mostly that's ok but I still find myself walking like an olympian and trying to plan far too ambitiously. The alcohol is a challenge tho. I don't drink to forget, and rarely get drunk, but it is habitual. I know that it is mangled up in my physiology but come 6 pm, it's calling me like a klaxon to take the edge off.
I don't mind going slow on the housework, not going out or taking longer to do work that I resent, it's my writing and the promotion of my novels that is driving me banjo. The books are passive income, if they sell, I make cash without actually working, but they need me to get my head around a few bits and bobs of software and some marketing and yet my head is porridge. But it is what it is.
well saturday didn't bounce back... zero alcohol tonight but boy, I could be barely bothered to open this window and type. I wish I understood this a bit better, why now? It is probably the alcohol on top of the meds, probably, but then this thing is always so bloody vague. I'd research it, but I can't be bothered. hehe.
Did some random research just because I wasn't sure how long I'd need to wait before making any accurate judgements yet.
http://www.nutritionsheila.com/nutrition-applied-blog/how-long-does-it-take-supplements-to-work
Supposedly it takes 2-4 weeks on average for the vitamins and stuff to start actually taking effect.
It's been 5 days and I haven't seen much positive change in my mood/energy levels yet, so still waiting...
that's interesting, because something boosted me really well, possibly a placebo possibly changes in my psychology since recent counselling. As ever, C-PTSD is like hunting for a lost ring in a dirty canal.
well it's a pretty vague picture today. Picking up tonight but up and down. I dunno. Alcohol is virtually non existant so that's not so much of a factor. But being bothered to do anything is a challenge. Not quite the cure all I'd hoped it would be at the start, but then it's too early for that anyway given what was posted above. as usual, C-PTSD never gives you an easy answer to anything. I'll keep on tho, that;s what you do.
Yes don't give up JamesG! This is progress even if you think it isn't.
Vit D is one thing of many remember :) Small steps, gradual changes. Perhaps too many things are changing all at once, and it's a shock to the body.
Maybe stick to one or two adjustments per week, no more, for the body to adjust. You've done a week of the D, perhaps slowly reduce the alcohol intake per week rather than go cold turkey.
Now you mention it I do remember (before my vitamin cocktail) those short bursts of energy on occasions and getting excited. But we have been through a lot, we need to be gentle with ourselves until that strength builds up again. Then we'll conquer the world!!! Haha
yes, let's take over! An army of evil villains who are actually too nice if anything! Slow steady recovery is definitely the order of the day. Gonna be a very lazy winter! Not pushing is the key, and not letting others push either. Decisions about how we live have to be just that, ours, and made about what enables us to feel unpressured.
I'm the same, is it the cptsd or vitamins I don't know, go from high manic episodes to down to the floor depression then ok somewhere in between, just feel confused and don't know where I really am....
let's keep this up guys, seeing this as objectively as possible we might be able to mutually support each other. I'm certainly bouncing around like a pinball but given the non-bouncy pinballness of the period that led me here, I'm happy to see that as a sign of recovery. I said to someone today that my lows are making me high, I guess what I mean is that the more I feel the pain as the dissociation goes, the more I know I'm on the up. Counter-intuitive but I think it fits.
Hey I think the same way :)
The last few lows I've had, i've taken them as a sign of recovery. Not in a deluded sense of course, but as a sign of increased mental and physical strength to deal with issues I didn't have the strength to deal with before. The lows last a lot shorter too.
for me it feels like I'm reconciling the fact that it will never make any real sense and, more importantly, it doesn't need to. I've wasted enough life on it already and there is so much I want to do that it's the future that counts. My brother, my mother, my ex, my business partner.... it doesn't matter really. They have to deal with themselves and whether that ends well or not is not my concern. Armed with what I know now, I'm starting to shape my life very differently. Financially I have some challenges, but I am pretty certain I can bridge this period with some help and some care and reach my potential again. Big changes.