003 Current Supplements List

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October 23, 2009
003

Some have asked what supplements I need to take for the adrenal problems and Klonopin withdrawl. Ready for a long list? Okay, here's what I mailed to my doctor last month. He agreed I should be on all of them except maybe the fiber (which I've deleted from the list) and the Beta 1,3D Glucan (for immune system) which I did cut out of the regimen. There are a couple notes I've made about which supplements I no longer take all the time such as the protein powder, but the rest of the list is what I take daily.

We did add the Licorice Root Powder four days ago which I put at the bottom of this list. I hope this helps someone out there who is looking for resources about where to purchase good supplements. Our cost to keep me "going" is a lot more than I'd like it to be, but there are no other options. My body is a wreck from this disease and from the withdrawals so here goes (I provided the link to where I purchase my supplements; just click on the name of the product):

• Klonopin. At 0.75mg a day now; have been tapering for a year and a half now. I am able to taper 6% each month without going through seizures and such. It will take many months to get off at this rate unless I can support my adrenals more – that may help me get off it at 12% - 16%. I have no doctor to refill prescription so that I may continue withdrawing safely; I’m hoping I’ll get help with the adrenals and thyroid so I can taper faster and get done with this.


• Isocort. 2 pellets 3 times daily spread out throughout the day evenly. (Bezwecken)


• Vitamin C. Every 3 hours (TRB product: “Nature’s C”) NOTE: In October, I changed to a Vitamin C that is less expensive for me. It's probably not as good, but it's what we have to go with right now. I get a Vegetarian Vitamin C from our local health food store and take 500mg every 3 hours.


• Vitamin E. 800 IU daily. (Product: “Unique E”). This bottle lasts a few months.


• Pantothenic Acid. 500mg 3 times daily.


• Calcium / Magnesium / Vitamin D3. (TRB product: “CalsiumD”). My lab results from February, 2009 showed low Vitamin D3 and another lab result prior to this date showed low Magnesium.


• Omega 3. 4 daily. Per softgel: Omega 3 Fatty Acids 630mg, EPA 400mg, DHA 200mg


• Beta-1, 3D Glucan. 2 daily for helping immune system. (TRB product: same name). Per my doctor's advide, I am no longer taking this. It's a great product though. Here's some information about how it helps with the immune system and helps with anxiety.


• Organic Passionflower Powder. 200mg every 4 hours or as necessary for nervousness and insomnia. (Mountain Rose Herbs). I purchased an 8 oz. package and it will will last many months. I use vegetarian capsules I purchase at my local health food store for this bulk herb.


• Tart Cherry Concentrate. 1 tsp. every 4 hours or as needed for anxiety / withdrawals. At bed and at 4:30am, I take almost 1 oz. (Pure Planet product). I purchase this for $6.00 less at my local health food store.


• Trace Minerals Drops. 20 drops daily. Equals ¼ C Sea Water, sodium removed. (Liquimins ConcenTrace Ionic product)


• Protein. 1 tsp. every 3 hours or as needed for hypoglycemia (TRB product: “Essential Protein Formula”) NOTE: Now taking this only when my blood sugar has dropped too low, not every 3 hours.


• Sea Salt. ¾ to 1 tsp. daily. Helps heart palps (Product: REAL Salt)


• Progesterone. 10-15mg daily 10 days prior to menstruation. (Women’s Therapeutic Institute: Progestelle)


• Licorice Root Powder. 1/4 C in the morning (Clymer Healing Research Center)

My other blogs can be found HERE and HERE. The original post for this daily diary began HERE.

Coram Deo,

Tamara Slack

002 Began Licorice Root Powder

October 19, 2009
002

I finished my ASI Test as of late last night and began drinking my Licorice Root Powder which I got from the Clymer Healing Center. When checking out the insert that came with the Licorice Root Powder, I read this:

People with adrenal insufficiency generally do not retain enough sodium and have
an excess of potassium. The licorice extract inhibits 11 beta hydroxysterioud
dehydrogenase (11-BHOD) in the kidneys. 11-BHOD is the enzyme that inactivates
cortisol and allows cortisol access to the mineralcorticoid receptors triggering
and increased retention of sodium and a lowering of potassium. This action
brings a person with adrenal insufficiencey into sodium/potassium balance.
Therefore, a potassium supplement is not needed or recommened. The increased
sodium causes the body to conserve water, which quickly increases our overall
blood volume. Increased blood volume indirectly increases blood pressure by
increasing the efficiency of the heart.

Now that is interesting! I'm sure if you are reading this and do not have CFS, you are thinking, "yeah, sure Tamara, real interesting!" Oh, it is, believe me. I've had low blood pressure all my life. I've even passed out from it when I was younger. Upon standing, I've been lightheaded all my life (no jokes about my head now!).

And salt. Oh salt! I can't get enough salt. Dr. Neville told me to continue salting everything I eat along with drinking 1/4 tsp. of salt twice daily. Yuck, right? No, when someone craves a nutrient, there's a reason and I crave salt because I lose so much of it from the aldosterone problems.

I don't use regular white table salt which is just sodium chloride stripped of its natural trace minerals and a bunch of iodine added to it. I have been using sea salt for about two years now which has 50+ trace minerals which are all natural and benefit every human needs. One of the best books I could ever recommend reading (and I read a lot of books!) is Salt: Your Way to Health by David Brownstein, M.D. Once I understood what this Dr. Brownstein is trying to get across to the average person like me and his medical friends about why the body needs salt (and not the sodium chloride on our dinner tables!) and using it, I started getting a little more energy and less heart palpitations. I asked my doctor if the reason for less heart palpitations is due to the sea salt helping my thyroid. He said it is not that, but because I'm constantly fighting dehydration due to the low aldosterone which is common in CFS patients no matter how much water I drink daily. I drink a lot of water and yet I'm thirsty throughout the day anyhow. I don't drink coffee or soda or any other thing that would cause me to lose water. Since I've been using so much sea salt, I don't get lightheaded anymore and I'm starting to become hydrated.

I found a couple links about Licorice Root other than the one I noted above. One is from The National Cancer Institute about Prostate Cancer in which the article mentions that Licorice Root may slow the growth of tumor cells.

Another interesting find is that a study published in the March/April 2008 issue of General Dentistry found that Licorice Root can help with canker sores which is something I suffered with most of my childhood through teen years so badly, I could hardly eat or drink anything because my mouth was full of them. I haven't had one in years though.

My other blogs can be found HERE and HERE.

The original post for this daily diary began HERE.

Coram Deo,
Tamara Slack