# Could be goodbye - found my solution



## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

*Rhodiola Rosea*

I don't quite know how to start this post, which will probably be one of my last here on SAS. This place has been an important part of my life for the past couple of years, since my burn-out and resulting major depression. I hate to leave it behind, but the times where I spend a large part of my daily time looking for answers, solutions and recognition are probably coming to an end. I want to thank the countless smart people here, doing what I've done; trying their best to find a good long-term solution that leads to improved quality of life. Most of these guys are on the right track to find something that suits them (and others), although it will probably stay rough around the edges for some time.

The reason I'm posting this now: I've finally found my "cure".

I'll give you guys some background information, so you can figure out whether what gave me back my life will also be of help to you.I've had anxiety since early childhood. Early occurances of 'brainfog' and lack of focus and concentration. During puberty this constant anxiety (especially around people) evolved into OCD-like character traits, and an avoidant personality. Depressive symptoms starting to come into my life at regular intervals, and I had trouble with excessive fatigue, and oversleeping.

When I finally went to college (after sitting at home for a year, doing nothing - due to anxiety), things started to get progressively worse.

I was too anxious to actually go to class, and as a result my studies didn't work out so well. Depressive symptoms occured very regularly, and it's save to say I've been suffering from dysthymia since that time. My social anxiety was exceptionally strong around women, and interaction frequently caused panic attacks.

About two years ago I started taking medication for my problems. I started with Citalopram, and went up to 60mg. Only slightly helped both my depression and social anxiety. I augmented it with the famous sugar pill (forget what it's called). Didn't help. Started augmenting with Dexedrine. This was somewhat better but some side-effects made me stop them. I went off of Citalopram a few months later and started Sertraline. Could only tolerate a small dose. Augmented it with Bupropion XL after a while. This made me too jittery and increased some aspects of my (social) anxiety, while lessening others. Not a good combination, so I stopped the Bupropion after a few months. I also started experimenting with loads of supplements.

After coming off of Sertraline, I had a little bit of success with St. Johns Wort, before getting Fluoxetine prescribed. Fluoxetine made me very paranoid the first few weeks but worked "ok" after. Of course, as with all the SSRI's, my anhedonia got worse, and apathy arrived after a month. I have been taking (and having some decent results) Omega-3 DHA for the last couple of months, and I noticed some improvement in all my symptoms. My main focus was on improving dopamine function since SSRI's regularly failed to treat me.

When I wanted to get off Fluoxetine, I thought about giving Rhodiola Rosea another try. I had tried it before for a few days in the past, and it gave me somewhat more energy, while not making me too jittery (like Bupropion did). I had learned since then that Rhodiola Rosea is actually a MAO-inhibitor, and that it might start being very helpful after a good few weeks in.​And well, it did. It's awesome. Amazing. Life-changing. I have never before felt so good in my life. Not once. Anxiety, depression, OCD traits, it's all nearly gone. Anhedonia is gone, I get excited about regular stuff now, which is quite the opposite of how I've always been.

Music now has amazing stimulating qualities, coffee is an incredible mood-lift. I have more energy than I could ever need. I feel confident, focused, motivated, and content. And this is after 3 weeks. Things will most likely improve even more. Supplements I used regularly before are now way more potent, especially Magnesium (really good for focus now - amazing).

I take 500 mg/ day in the morning, its the Jarrow Formulas brand. The only side-effect I have is increased wakefulness (not fullblown insomnia, but sometimes getting a bit close).

Well that's it; not what I imagined would fix my problems, but it did, and in an incredible way. Now if you guys will excuse me, I finally have a life to live. 

P.S: Good luck to everyone.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Interesting, great to hear you have found something that works!


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## Ehsan (Mar 21, 2009)

happy to hear about your success.
unfortunately i can't afford it here just like many other meds that work for SAD.:mum:mum
i'm currently very interested in herbal meds.
cannabidiol is also very promising i think.


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## mark555666 (May 1, 2008)

So your regimen consists of Magnesium, Omega 3 and Rhodiola Rosea. You completely stopped with Prozac? Nice, maybe I need to try another brand of Rhodiola.

Congrats for beating SA 

Euphoria summarized the benefits of Rhodiola Rosea nicely in this thread.


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## howardfan (Feb 6, 2010)

i tried GNC brand Rhodiola Rosea for around 2 years with little success. i tried to only take it 3days/week or else i built up a tolerance too quickly. It did help a little with my SA but still had a few panic attacks while on it and under heavy stress situations it didn't seem to help at all. it also made me hyper and i already have HBP so that wasn't good. i think it also made me gain some lbs but not sure since my diet was crap anyway. when i saw my new doc for the 1st time i gave him a wiki printout of the drug specs and he told me to stop taking it since it wasn't right for me.


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## sarafinanickelbocker (May 16, 2010)

That's uplifting. Glad you're doing well. Best wishes.


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## Violets (Jul 24, 2010)

Wow! Your post is really encouraging to me. I just recently decided to face my SA head on and since my prescription plan is not great, I've been focusing on supplements and herbal remedies. I was having issues with fatigue as well as other symptoms that all seem to be related to hormones. After doing some research, I realized that Rhodiola Rosea may get to the source of my problem. I've been taking it for four days and have noticed a definite change in my energy level. The first time I took it though, I think it may have been too late in the day because I had nightmares and a racing heartbeat. Of course this worried me, but the next day I made sure to take it earlier. Since then, my sleep has been close to normal. I started with quite a low dose of 120 mg (based on what I've read). Today, I took the recommended dose of 240mg (I'm using Gaia brand), taking one when I woke up and one after lunch. I'm really curious to see how this will effect me in the long run. I'm really glad you've had so much success with it!

My boyfriend is about to start taking Lexapro again after going off it with the hope that he had overcome his anxiety. We both noticed a big change in him when he stopped and he is not happy that he will probably always have to take medication. I have suggested he try the Rhodiola, but since Lexapro worked well for him (besides some side effects) he is reluctant. If I continue to have good results, I will try to convince him.

Best of luck! I hope things continue to go well for you. Thanks for sharing your experience. :clap


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## LostPancake (Apr 8, 2009)

I've been reluctant to try any kind of dopaminergic supplements or drugs because I'm afraid my brain would eventually just adjust to the new levels and I'd be back where I started, except I'd have to go through withdrawals to get off of them. I actually bought a bottle of tyrosine, but then had second thoughts, and never took any of them for that reason. I could be wrong though. 

If something like this worked for years that would be great, but I'm pessimistic. Otherwise people would be coming on here saying they cured their social anxiety for good by boosting dopamine levels. 

I think therapy of some sort is necessary to rewire all these negative thoughts that contribute to social anxiety. But I don't know, I could be wrong. 

I hope it continues to work for you though - if it does, please let us know!


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

The first few 2 weeks weren't all that great, somewhat more energy yes, but no real improvement in anxiety. Depression wasn't gone either and I was dealing with a bit of Prozac withdrawal.

Slowly but surely though, days kept getting better, and I noticed my anxiety levels began to drop. I doubt I've seen the real benefit until after 2 months.

Also note that brands and dosage could be important factors, as well as your genetic profile. The root of my problem could actually be an over-abundance of MAO, and a MAOI would than surely be of great benefit. The 500mg seems to be quite a lot, and I've heard some reports that it gets more sedating (better for anxiety) the higher you go. 500 mg actually seems to be the upper limit in clinical trials.

Other benefits I experienced is increased tolerability for exercise: less muscle-fatigue, no more pain (probably increased opioid activity), and it's now way more rewarding.

I've had a few days in my life where intense stimulation seemed to severely improve my social anxiety. This was often short-lived, but did point in the direction for dopamine dysfunction being the major culprit. I've also experienced situations, for instance when flirting with a girl, where my anxiety would be low, only to get mentally fatigued after just a few minutes, and not being able to recover. This would always lead to high anxiety. Seems to point in the direction of rapid depletion of mono-amines, and another piece of indirect evidence for over-abundance of MAO. The reason I'm telling you this is that I think only a subset of people here will find good improvement on Rhodiolo Rosea, and I don't want to get everyone's hope up (too much).


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

LostPancake said:


> I've been reluctant to try any kind of dopaminergic supplements or drugs because I'm afraid my brain would eventually just adjust to the new levels and I'd be back where I started, except I'd have to go through withdrawals to get off of them. I actually bought a bottle of tyrosine, but then had second thoughts, and never took any of them for that reason. I could be wrong though.
> 
> If something like this worked for years that would be great, but I'm pessimistic. Otherwise people would be coming on here saying they cured their social anxiety for good by boosting dopamine levels.
> 
> ...


I'm pretty sure the improvement in dopamine function is not subject to tolerance, as I've never heard reports of people getting tolerant to MAO-inhibitors. Agonists yes, but this works differently. Also, Rhodiola will increase levels of all NTs so that balance is kept and your brain can sort things out. I'm sure it's a very good base to add therapy, other supplements and some medications to.

The Omega-3 DHA supplement I take is also for improving dopamine function, and its done that steadily for a few months now. I actually felt euphoria the first few times. Of course, that's not something you should expect long-term, but there are other benefits - mainly lowered anxiety - that don't go away.


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## robotaffliction (Jul 24, 2009)

how long since discontinuing fluoxetine? it takes up to 6 weeks for the effects of fluoxetine to wear off, due to its long half-life and its induction of changes in enzyme function which further increase its half-life with multiple dosing... not to be discouraging, but it is important to consider if this fluoxetine is still essentially in your system


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

I started it pretty soon after stopping Fluoxetine. I'll post a follow-up after a few months to let you know if it's still working as good as it is.


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## User5 (Jun 22, 2010)

Its too bad your leaving the forum. I wouldn't mind an update now and then on how the herb is working. This sounds too good to be true for some of that are using strong psychoactives. What is the cost for a herb? Do you know of any brands that we should steer away from? I don't blame you if you want to leave this place. Its good to start a fresh chapter on your life.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

I'm quote skeptical its MAOI action is behind your succes with the herb tough, it does alot more then that and its MAOI action is also weak.


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

I know its MAOI effect is weaker than Nardil/Parnata, but it's still pretty decent.

Unfortunately it seems there was still some Prozac in my system, which played a role in the great result I got. After 4 weeks my depression was getting pretty strong again, although bearably so. Rhodiola is amazing for my generalized anxiety (virtually gone), my social anxiety is definitely lessened, my lack of motivation/ anhedonia fixed - although depression worsens the latter two. Trying a combo of Rhodiola and 10mg generic Fluoxetine for now.

Does anyone know how I can get my hands on D-Cycloserine in the Netherlands? Been wanting to have this stuff for half a year now.


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## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

Be careful combining it with Prozac, it's possible rhodiola has actions on serotonin and there may be an interaction.


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

I expect it to have interactions, that's why I keep the dose low.


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## Arisa1536 (Dec 8, 2009)

Wow its good to hear of someone who is finding that medication is working for them.
Despite the "medical professionals" opinions of "drugs being BAD" and making things "worse" where i disagree....
So good on you and well done :clap
Before medication i could barely talk, i have my problems but i would never go off the antidepressant medication as it also changed my life


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Ive read that rhodiola should be cycled for a week every 3 weeks, maybe you have just gotten tolerant to the effects?


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Edwin said:


> I know its MAOI effect is weaker than Nardil/Parnata, but it's still pretty decent.
> 
> Unfortunately it seems there was still some Prozac in my system, which played a role in the great result I got. After 4 weeks my depression was getting pretty strong again, although bearably so. Rhodiola is amazing for my generalized anxiety (virtually gone), my social anxiety is definitely lessened, my lack of motivation/ anhedonia fixed - although depression worsens the latter two. Trying a combo of Rhodiola and 10mg generic Fluoxetine for now.
> 
> *Does anyone know how I can get my hands on D-Cycloserine in the Netherlands? Been wanting to have this stuff for half a year now.*


If i remember correctly you said your family has social anxiety too and that in your case its probably caused by your genetics, if something is neurologically wrong i doubt that cycloserine can be of help.

It however has tremendous potential in individuals that have more of a psychological cause of social anxiety. You suggested that overactive MAO system is a big problem in your anxiety then something that potentiates therapy wouldnt be able to do much about it.


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## iuseings (Nov 11, 2009)

How much do you pay for Rhodiola? I've read up on the herb and it sounds like a very promising remedy for stress/anxiety (even clinical reviews seem to conclude so). I looked for it at my local pharmacy and it costs $20 for a weeks supply. CrazY expensive!


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

iuseings said:


> How much do you pay for Rhodiola? I've read up on the herb and it sounds like a very promising remedy for stress/anxiety (even clinical reviews seem to conclude so). I looked for it at my local pharmacy and it costs $20 for a weeks supply. CrazY expensive!


I paid about 70 USD for half a year's supply.


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

crayzyMed said:


> If i remember correctly you said your family has social anxiety too and that in your case its probably caused by your genetics, if something is neurologically wrong i doubt that cycloserine can be of help.
> 
> It however has tremendous potential in individuals that have more of a psychological cause of social anxiety. You suggested that overactive MAO system is a big problem in your anxiety then something that potentiates therapy wouldnt be able to do much about it.


I think you're wrong here. I wasn't born with social anxiety, I was born with some neurotransmitter/neurological abnormalities that rapidly caused social anxiety to develop in childhood. Once these abnormalities are under control (and I think Rhodiola can do this, although it doesn't alleviate my depression), social anxiety still has to be unlearned - which is a long long road, and D-Cycloserine will definitely help.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

I think that D cycloserine would only be of great benefit in those that have a "learned" social anxiety disorder.
In those where SA is caused by a neurological imbalances (like you and me), once that is fixed i found it rather easy to build up a confidence, learn social skills etc. Once you find social interaction rewarding, you automatically make friends, learn social skills, it happends all naturally, atleast that was my own experience.


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

crayzyMed said:


> I think that D cycloserine would only be of great benefit in those that have a "learned" social anxiety disorder.
> In those where SA is caused by a neurological imbalances (like you and me), once that is fixed i found it rather easy to build up a confidence, learn social skills etc. Once you find social interaction rewarding, you automatically make friends, learn social skills, it happends all naturally, atleast that was my own experience.


Yes, well, you're right about that.


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## User5 (Jun 22, 2010)

Hi Edwin, Hows the flux/Rosea combo working these days? Are you sticking to 10mg? Has the Rosea lost any effect? Its too bad that Rosea wasn't the god-sent that you had initially thought. It seems that treating mental conditions like SA and depression is such a fluid process with no simple answers. I still search for one though.


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## Positive (Jun 29, 2009)

could u describe ur situation in terms of what ur social anxiety deals with?


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## robotaffliction (Jul 24, 2009)

Edwin said:


> I know its MAOI effect is weaker than Nardil/Parnata, but it's still pretty decent.
> 
> Unfortunately it seems there was still some Prozac in my system, which played a role in the great result I got. After 4 weeks my depression was getting pretty strong again, although bearably so. Rhodiola is amazing for my generalized anxiety (virtually gone), my social anxiety is definitely lessened, my lack of motivation/ anhedonia fixed - although depression worsens the latter two. Trying a combo of Rhodiola and 10mg generic Fluoxetine for now.
> 
> Does anyone know how I can get my hands on D-Cycloserine in the Netherlands? Been wanting to have this stuff for half a year now.


couldn't u take the rhodiola with the prozac? you probably should get medical advice on this one, but i really don't think rhodiola is much of an MAOI. if it was that potent, i think everyone would be taking it over other fairly weak things like SAM-e, st. johns wort, 5htp, etc..


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## Ehsan (Mar 21, 2009)

i'm trying harmala seeds which contains two MAOIs(harmaline and harmine)
harmaline is a potent inhibitor of MAO-A and is more potent than moclobemide and nardil however unfortunately it's reversible, selective for MAO-A and has a short half -life(1 hour).
also i don't know it's bioavalibility.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

I dont think that prozac leaving he's system is the cause of him relapsing, rhodiola should be cycled or it causes a tolerance, usually ppl cycle is 3 weeks on and 1 week off (on the imminst forum there's more info about that).


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## apartment7 (Aug 25, 2007)

Some very encouraging stuff on the thread. 

I'm currently taking Omega 3 and magnesium (by eating lots of bananas), combined with moderate exercise, about half an hour a day or so and also trying to ensure I get at least 7-8 hours of sleep anight if I can. That's all really helping to sharpen my mind and lift my mood.

I know very little about Rhodiola rosea so may look into that if I get very low again in the future.

Hope the OP comes back from time to time to let us know how he's getting on.


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

User5 said:


> Hi Edwin, Hows the flux/Rosea combo working these days? Are you sticking to 10mg? Has the Rosea lost any effect? Its too bad that Rosea wasn't the god-sent that you had initially thought. It seems that treating mental conditions like SA and depression is such a fluid process with no simple answers. I still search for one though.


I need to give the Fluoxetine a few weeks to start working. I don't think the Rosea has lost its effect, but it isn't as awesome as it was. Still, anxiety-wise, probably the best supplement I've ever taken.

The awesome week I had could have been SSRI-induced dopamine rebound, I always get that when quitting an SSRI.


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

apartment7 said:


> Some very encouraging stuff on the thread.
> 
> I'm currently taking Omega 3 and magnesium (by eating lots of bananas), combined with moderate exercise, about half an hour a day or so and also trying to ensure I get at least 7-8 hours of sleep anight if I can. That's all really helping to sharpen my mind and lift my mood.
> 
> ...


I stopped taking magnesium (probably permanently), since I got something resembling a magnesium overdose from just a few grams over a few days while on Rhodiola. It made me feel very awful, and it lasted for 2-3 days. Never had this before.


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

robotaffliction said:


> couldn't u take the rhodiola with the prozac? you probably should get medical advice on this one, but i really don't think rhodiola is much of an MAOI. if it was that potent, i think everyone would be taking it over other fairly weak things like SAM-e, st. johns wort, 5htp, etc..


It could be dose-dependent, and people don't usually take high doses of this stuff.


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## meyaj (Sep 5, 2009)

I'm a strong believer that almost everybody can benefit from magnesium and omega-3's, the other important supplement being vitamin D.

Magnesium is absolutely fantastic. I wouldn't stop taking it for that reason... a few grams over a matter of days is kind of silly (and implies your dosing was rather inconsistent). Why don't you just lower the dosage? I have taken 400mg of magnesium via the highly bioavailable magnesium glycinate (and 200mg via the rather useless magnesium oxide, from my multivitamin) every day for the last year, and although I'd consider that a VERY high dose, I've had no issue.

If you overdose on a supplement, it just means you took too much. The logical thing to do would be to take less, not stop it completely.


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

Just a quick update. I was doing pretty well again, but had the feeling the increased anxiety from Prozac might not make it an ideal augmentation. So I stopped that, and am gonna try 1g/day of Rhodiola Rosea for now. I'm still very very positive about its effects.


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## User5 (Jun 22, 2010)

Edwin said:


> Just a quick update. I was doing pretty well again, but had the feeling the increased anxiety from Prozac might not make it an ideal augmentation. So I stopped that, and am gonna try 1g/day of Rhodiola Rosea for now. I'm still very very positive about its effects.


You should feel great to be off meds. There are no man made pharmaceuticals in your body! thats awesome.


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## Canadian4Life (Sep 27, 2010)

Edwin said:


> I don't quite know how to start this post, which will probably be one of my last here on SAS. This place has been an important part of my life for the past couple of years, since my burn-out and resulting major depression. I hate to leave it behind, but the times where I spend a large part of my daily time looking for answers, solutions and recognition are probably coming to an end. I want to thank the countless smart people here, doing what I've done; trying their best to find a good long-term solution that leads to improved quality of life. Most of these guys are on the right track to find something that suits them (and others), although it will probably stay rough around the edges for some time.
> 
> The reason I'm posting this now: I've finally found my "cure".
> 
> ...


Feel the SAME way about the rhodiola rosea. It is a POTENT antidepressant and helps with my anxiety. I have taken up to 2000mg a day with bad results and now I take 500mg a day too and this is seriously some potent stuff! Instant mood lift and kills stress. I smile alot more since starting this stuff. Herbs doing this... who wouldve known !


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## wjc75225 (Jul 24, 2010)

Edwin said:


> Just a quick update. I was doing pretty well again, but had the feeling the increased anxiety from Prozac might not make it an ideal augmentation. So I stopped that, and am gonna try 1g/day of Rhodiola Rosea for now. I'm still very very positive about its effects.


Awesome! Good luck with that! It's always good to hear about a fellow SAS member who finds something positive for their SA . I hope it keeps working for you. I know you said you may leave SAS, but maybe you can update us soon!


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

We'll I'm still here because the Rhodiola only solved part of the puzzle. I still regard it as one of the essentials for my treatment however, and I still take 1gram a day. Unfortunately I have pretty severe ADD, which also causes my anhedonia and inability to be properly social. I still need a stimulant med to treat this. The MAO-inhibition from Rhodiola is pretty awesome though, and I don't think I'll ever stop taking it. It by itself made my generalized anxiety disorder disappear. I do still take 20mg of Prozac (the highest dose I could tolerate) to get rid of some vigilance I have when dealing with people and to make sure major depression stays away.

For the future, my ideal treatment looks like this:

- Rhodiola Rosea (1 gram)
- Methylphenidate (long-acting)
- Prozac 20 mg (to be stopped after several years)
- Omega-3 DHA fatty acids, daily dosage of around 140 - 280mg
- Maybe some nicotine patches

If the results are less than perfect, I might add some Nemantine. I'll be sticking around for a little while longer either way.


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## wjc75225 (Jul 24, 2010)

Edwin said:


> We'll I'm still here because the Rhodiola only solved part of the puzzle. I still regard it as one of the essentials for my treatment however, and I still take 1gram a day. Unfortunately I have pretty severe ADD, which also causes my anhedonia and inability to be properly social. I still need a stimulant med to treat this. The MAO-inhibition from Rhodiola is pretty awesome though, and I don't think I'll ever stop taking it. It by itself made my generalized anxiety disorder disappear. I do still take 20mg of Prozac (the highest dose I could tolerate) to get rid of some vigilance I have when dealing with people and to make sure major depression stays away.
> 
> For the future, my ideal treatment looks like this:
> 
> ...


Sorry, I had to Google anhedonia lol. Is that synonymous to apathy? I've never tried Rhodiola Rosea, but I'm on Nardil (60mg), which seems to be working as far as SA goes. It's not perfect, which I didn't expect it to be, but I have become more talkative and have less fear than I used to around people. I'm meeting with my pdoc in a month, and I'll see if my dosage needs to be raised at all, but from my understanding, 60mg is a pretty typical dose. Caffeine is the only "stimulant" I use. I've never tried to ask for a prescription stimulant because I'm pretty sure the answer would be no. I have noticed that coffee does make me more talkative, too, without the jittery feeling that a lot of people get from it.
And, I know what you mean by "part of the puzzle". I wish the brain weren't so dang complex! I guess if it weren't, we'd all react similarly to the same medicines and all know what worked for us.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Edwin said:


> We'll I'm still here because the Rhodiola only solved part of the puzzle. I still regard it as one of the essentials for my treatment however, and I still take 1gram a day. Unfortunately I have pretty severe ADD, which also causes my anhedonia and inability to be properly social. I still need a stimulant med to treat this. The MAO-inhibition from Rhodiola is pretty awesome though, and I don't think I'll ever stop taking it. It by itself made my generalized anxiety disorder disappear. I do still take 20mg of Prozac (the highest dose I could tolerate) to get rid of some vigilance I have when dealing with people and to make sure major depression stays away.
> 
> For the future, my ideal treatment looks like this:
> 
> ...


Dexedrine mate, methylphenidate sucks for social anxiety.


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

I already tried dexedrine once, want to know for sure.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Edwin said:


> I already tried dexedrine once, want to know for sure.


What did you think of it??


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## Iwillovercomeanxiety1 (Aug 23, 2010)

Edwin said:


> I don't quite know how to start this post, which will probably be one of my last here on SAS. This place has been an important part of my life for the past couple of years, since my burn-out and resulting major depression. I hate to leave it behind, but the times where I spend a large part of my daily time looking for answers, solutions and recognition are probably coming to an end. I want to thank the countless smart people here, doing what I've done; trying their best to find a good long-term solution that leads to improved quality of life. Most of these guys are on the right track to find something that suits them (and others), although it will probably stay rough around the edges for some time.
> 
> The reason I'm posting this now: I've finally found my "cure".
> 
> ...


So um you have to take rhodiola for a few weeks before it really starts having a powerful effect? And it has to be a higher dosage of at least 500mg? I have the Solara brand and it works ok for energy, but that's all I notice. I haven't taken it consistently for a few weeks though like you said you did on a higher dosage. Do you need to take vacations from it, Will everyone build a tolerance to it


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## BearFan (Mar 22, 2008)

weird I didn't think some unknown herb could do anything. I want to know what 'Medline' has to think about this


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

Iwillovercomeanxiety1 said:


> So um you have to take rhodiola for a few weeks before it really starts having a powerful effect? And it has to be a higher dosage of at least 500mg? I have the Solara brand and it works ok for energy, but that's all I notice. I haven't taken it consistently for a few weeks though like you said you did on a higher dosage. Do you need to take vacations from it, Will everyone build a tolerance to it


It will take a few weeks before it stabilizes. I do recommend a high dose, but it depends on the brand. It will probably not work for major depression, nor ADHD. So if you suffer from either, you need to take something else to get the benefits. "Energy" (meaning higher levels of DA/NE) is actually the key towards solving many problems, but it takes weeks and good sleep before you notice the results.


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## aric (Aug 6, 2010)

Hmm.. If I ever decide to get off the Citalopram I may take Rhodiola Rosea. How long did it take to work for you?

Best of luck to you and your endeavors.


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## User5 (Jun 22, 2010)

Do you still feel as optimistic with Rosea as you did at the start of this threat? I remember that you were taking an SSRI with it. (i think) I wonder if Rosea can be stacked with an SNRI?

infectedcalf.blogspot.com (my blog)


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

I do still feel optimistic about it, but I have come to consider that my ADD is the real problem, and Rhodiola only slightly helps. I do notice it significantly improves any stimulant medication, including low-dose Prozac, which I still take (just lowered again to 10mg). I find Prozac to be more stimulating (long-term) on a lower dose. Makes sense, because increased serotonin activity after weeks overtakes the stimulant properties.

It should be safe to stack it with an SNRI, but I must admit that on my current dose, my nicotine patch, 20mg Fluoxetine and regular caffeine-intake, I began showing signs of Serotonin Syndrome. I didn't notice anything before the nicotine-patch however, and I used higher doses of Rhodiola once. Just work your way up slowly.


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## User5 (Jun 22, 2010)

What does s. syndrome feel like? 

Good call on the SSRI's eventually losing its stimulating effects after awhile. On Paxil I eventually became a scatter brained mess. My brain wouldn't shut up and I felt too chilled out/sleepy.

The SNRI Effexor has been quite stimulating for me but the feeling was much more natural than an ADD medication. Serotonin reduces my anxiety while the norephinephrine keeps my attention on track. Effexor is a strong *** drug tho. Terrible withdraw.


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## Edwin (Jun 19, 2008)

If you want to know more about SS, read up on it on Wikipedia. Thanks for sharing the result of Effexor, now I'm actually kinda interested in it. That's a first.


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## Chuwey (Dec 9, 2011)

I thought the below link was a good review of studies published by 2011 (chopping out many studies that didn't meet quality standards). The take-away was that Rhodiola has some solid studies showing increased physical and mental performance as well as maybe benefits in mental-health conditions.

There was one qualifying study that looked at work-related fatigue and stress and Rhodiola showed a significant improvement over placebo.

Another study focused on mild to moderate depression (I know, bummer, only one study met review criteria, and none on extreme depression) but anyhow: overall depression, insomnia, and emotional instability significantly improved over the placebo group. Unfortunately, self-esteem did not. I'm not sure that last finding bothers me so much--self-esteem improvements are measured by a questionnaire, and certainly for me I recall having to "grow into" and experience the benefits of my SSRI for a while before my perception of myself went up. If overall depression and emotional stability significantly improved (and it did), I think self-esteem will follow as they realize they are more capable and comfortable than they were.

The study is here: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0944711310002680. Two notes: First, don't pay for the full pdf study (the link is looking to sell it), instead get yourself of local-library card and you'll find you can often log in to your library website and download many publications for free. That's how I got the full version on this one. Second, this study has been cited 46 times in other studies according to Google Scholar--I haven't checked out any of those to see if there's more relevant tests out there.


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