Need Help, Anxiety and CJD

[Jabuger]

Hi there, this is my first post on the forum. I have been following this community for about 4 years since I was about 16 (I’m 20 now) but have put it aside for some years now and tried to get on with my life however my health has took a drastic turn.

Here is some background info (you can if you want skip all of this and go to the last paragraph but I felt as though everything is relevant) :

I live the typical lifestyle of a 20 year old living on the UK which isn’t a particularly healthy one, I had been doing martial arts (no sparring) and just eating the standard diet that pretty much everyone eats plus excessive drinking probably 3-4 times a week. Until now, I have stopped drinking.

Since around mid August of this year I have been getting panic attacks that last extensive periods and extreme health anxiety (hypochondria) which causes a whole array of physical symptoms, initially these included dry mouth, shaking, extreme dissociation, pounding heart, tight muscles, sweating, general feeling of impending doom, extreme hyperventilation and hypoxia leading to tension in head and feeling like I’m about to pass out. These are all pretty common feelings as I have researched.

I had developed twitching on my nose and eye which then spread all over my body about 2 months after my panic attacks started. Then a week or two after my twitching I went on a night out and got black out drunk spewing everywhere when I got home. The next Day (October 21st) I noticed my hands felt numb and I put it down to poor circulation and the panic attack I ultimately had that day due to the drinking. However this feeling in my hands didn’t go away, it felt like I couldn’t move them properly, like my muscles weren’t responding. And subsequently I felt in my legs when I was walking, they felt like jelly, particularly walking down the stairs they would almost buckle.
At first I thought I was developing ALS due to the:
- excessive twitching,
- feeling of neurological decline
- feeling out of breath all the time
- feeling like passing out

I somewhat got over this but the feelings still remained. I noticed wasting and a feeling of tightness in my hand muscles and my legs were still tired and not functioning.

At this point I had started looking back into Peat, eating carrot salad, eating some liver, taking Niacinamide, riboflavin, vitamin K2 and shilajit. Since last Sunday (November 11th) I have been feeling extremely unwell which I will explain here and what I think it could be. It’s also worth mentioning I have been back living with my mother since the 11th and I’m a full time university student who’s also in a band which is somewhat stressful.

On November 11th I went home and felt bad derealisation and anxiety, later on I noticed my head was burning and it wasn’t getting any better. That night I got very limited sleep and the next day I felt totally horrible, feeling of EXTREME derealisation and dissociation with a super intense burning feeling in my head like it was on fire , I was sweating and felt like I had an extreme temperature which I didn’t have, I was shaking and couldn’t relax and that night I got 0 (literally nothing) sleep because every time I tried to relax my brain would burn so intensely, my body temperature rise and I would hyperventilate so heavily plus I couldn’t stop twitching the whole day and night. Then next day I felt even worse as though I was losing my mind with every symptom I felt before except worse.

What I think I have/what I’m afraid I’ve got is CJD the human form of mad cow disease/Prion disease in humans. I am of course hopeful that I have this forum and the information at hand but there isn’t much information even on here about CJD. I have been having extreme psychological problems, depression, anxiety, derealisation and neurological issues which include excessive twitching, unsteady on feet, perceived wasting of thernar and abductor Pollicis muscles on hand. I should also mention that I feel constantly tired like 24/7 upon waking and have massive purple bags under my eyes and have noticed dents in my head recently.
I have for most of my life been the voice of reason but feel as though my brain is wasting away and I am losing all sense of self.
I am at this moment taking about 1.5 grams of Aspirin a day, 100ug of K2 and some valerian root which gives me some energy and warms me up making me feel better than I did at the start of the week but ultimately the feeling remains.

I have mostly cut out Niacinamide as it made me feel cold. I was taking riboflavin but stopped with the Niacinamide once the aspirin came (I may start both back tomorrow). I have been struggling to eat and my diet is quite starch heavy living in the UK, I don’t eat liver, I eat eggs. I eat as much as I can. I don’t get much Glycine in but may start putting some powdered in my tea.

This may all just be anxiety but it feels deeply neurological. Even if it is anxiety, I SHOULD’NT BE FEELING THIS WAY AT 20 YEARS OLD. I have been to the doctors and waiting on blood results but they are fairly confident it’s anxiety. Can someone on this form please take me seriously and give me some advice on how I might tackle my issues. I hope to God it’s not CJD but how would I tackle it if it is?

I should also mention (warning) I have noticed discolouration on my genitals and the skin is tight (I’m not sexually active). I’m getting that checked by a doctor tomorrow hopefully.

I appreciate what everyone does on here :)

Help please what should I do?

 

[Razvan]

High dose cyproheptadine (8-20mg)+ beta blocker (propanolol, bisoprolol) at first to erase the circulating serotonin and adrenaline which thats why you probably felt this mostly from the alcohol and the junk diet, when you calm down with these two start eating more (more carb)and use a lot of salt on food. When you feel better at that point start introducing a good b complex+ high dose thiamine 2g (just for a week maximum the thiamine)then keep on going with the b complex and just add some niacinamide + aspirin for free fatty acid control here and there as you can support it. If you seem to get better add a glandural thyroid of bovine form in a low dose at first and keep increasing after some weeks if you hit a wall. If you assimilate the thyroid good should be helpfull to add magnesium to it since good thyroid function should make magnesium enter the cells and calm the nervous system finally.

Take care!

 

[Razvan]

Most of your symptoms are from the alcohol. I had something similar. It made your nervous system extremely damaged, electrolytes imbalances, poor glucose oxidation, sluggish liver and b1 deficiency for sure.
Gaba is impaired aswell, you just cant relax.
Research on high dose b1 (thiamine) since its the master of the nervous system.
@mostlylurking has a lot of great posts on that.
The worst symptoms from the alcohol damage is when you stop it from your typical drinking routine. At first seems like the body is doing better by stopping the alcohol but then the whole systems gets in the opposite direction and you start to develop all kinds of symptoms. Time also heals, but taking the right approach will speed up the process.

 

[Peatress]

This sounds like beri beri – please mention that to the doctor. It’s important the thiamine deficiency is corrected as soon as possible.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Deficiency - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf

 

[Peater]

What I think I have/what I’m afraid I’ve got is CJD the human form of mad cow disease/Prion disease in humans. I am of course hopeful that I have this forum and the information at hand but there isn’t much information even on here about CJD.

You don't. :)

BSE - mad cow - scrapie, etc.: Stimulated amyloid degeneration and the toxic fats

BSE mad cow, scrapie, etc.: Stimulated amyloid degeneration and the toxic fats

raypeat.com

 

[mostlylurking]

This may all just be anxiety but it feels deeply neurological. Even if it is anxiety, I SHOULD’NT BE FEELING THIS WAY AT 20 YEARS OLD. I have been to the doctors and waiting on blood results but they are fairly confident it’s anxiety. Can someone on this form please take me seriously and give me some advice on how I might tackle my issues. I hope to God it’s not CJD but how would I tackle it if it is?

From your story about drinking several times a week and getting blinding drunk I suspect you have a thiamine deficiency/beriberi and possibly Wernicke's encephalopathy.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a neurological disorder caused by the lack of thiamine (vitamin B1). The disorder includes Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff amnesic syndrome which are different stages of the same disease (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome).

www.ninds.nih.gov

-paste-

What is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome?​

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a neurological disorder caused by the lack of thiamine (vitamin B1). The disorder includes Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff amnesic syndrome which are not different conditions but different stages of the same disease (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome). Wernicke's encephalopathy represents the "acute" phase of the disorder and Korsakoff's amnesic syndrome represents the disorder progressing to a "chronic" or long-lasting stage. The disorder's main features are problems in acquiring new information or establishing new memories, and in retrieving previous memories.

Wernicke's encephalopathy is a degenerative brain disorder caused by the lack of vitamin B1. It may result from:

• Alcohol abuse
• Dietary deficiencies
• Prolonged vomiting
• Eating disorders
• Effects of chemotherapy

B1 deficiency causes damage to the brain's thalamus and hypothalamus. Symptoms include:

• Mental confusion
• Vision problems
• Coma
• Hypothermia
• Low blood pressure
• Lack of muscle coordination (ataxia)

Korsakoff syndrome (also known as Korsakoff's amnesic syndrome) is a memory disorder that results from vitamin B1 deficiency and is associated with alcoholism. Korsakoff's syndrome damages nerve cells and supporting cells in the brain and spinal cord, as well as the part of the brain involved with memory. Symptoms include:

• Amnesia
• Tremor
• Coma
• Disorientation
• Vision problems

Treatment involves replacement of thiamine and providing proper nutrition and hydration. In individuals with Wernicke's encephalopathy, it is very important to start thiamine replacement before beginning nutritional replenishment. In some cases, drug therapy is also recommended. Stopping alcohol use may prevent further nerve and brain damage.

Most symptoms of Wernicke's encephalopathy can be reversed if detected and treated promptly and completely. However, improvement in memory function is slow and, usually, incomplete. Without treatment, these disorders can be disabling and life-threatening.
-end paste-

You should go to the nearest emergency care clinic or to your doctor and ask for help before you get sicker.

 

[Jabuger]

From your story about drinking several times a week and getting blinding drunk I suspect you have a thiamine deficiency/beriberi and possibly Wernicke's encephalopathy.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a neurological disorder caused by the lack of thiamine (vitamin B1). The disorder includes Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff amnesic syndrome which are different stages of the same disease (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome).

www.ninds.nih.gov

-paste-

I am unsure if it is because of the drinking as I cut down extremely after October 21st and have had little to no alcohol since then. The night I went out before these symptoms started had been the first time in a while that I had gotten that drunk so are you sure that this could cause such a sever deficiency in one night? And yes I am going to go to the doctor in the morning to get myself really checked out and push really hard to get some kind of help.

As of today I started taking thiamine and actually felt ok for the first half of my day despite not sleeping at all last night, but now I am restless, heart beating and anxiety is mounting. My head feels tingly and I have noticed indentations and crevices in my head that were definitely not there before and if they were they were no where near as pronounced. Just taken some more thiamin and Aspirin so hopefully I get an ok sleep. I am thinking of incorporating copper somehow, would liver be my best option?

 

[Peater]

If you're taking high dose thiamine you need to get sufficient potassium and magnesium too. Yes to the liver. The B vits in liver will help 'round out' the thiamine too.

 

[mostlylurking]

I am unsure if it is because of the drinking as I cut down extremely after October 21st and have had little to no alcohol since then. The night I went out before these symptoms started had been the first time in a while that I had gotten that drunk so are you sure that this could cause such a sever deficiency in one night?

When and how do you think that you replenished your thiamine to counteract all the drinking before Oct 21? You are probably dealing with a long time border thiamine deficiency and the drunken spree used up what little was left so now you're in trouble.

And yes I am going to go to the doctor in the morning to get myself really checked out and push really hard to get some kind of help.

Read up about Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome before you go and specifically ask for help with your probable thiamine deficiency. The last thing doctors seem to think of is possible thiamine deficiency. Here's some light reading:

Thiamine Saves — Mercury Free Kids

#ThiamineSaves

www.mercuryfreekids.org

As of today I started taking thiamine and actually felt ok for the first half of my day despite not sleeping at all last night, but now I am restless, heart beating and anxiety is mounting.

Which thiamine are you taking and how much? Dr. Costantini advised to divide the dose and take half around 1hr or so before lunch and the other half before 3:00pm.

I am thinking of incorporating copper somehow, would liver be my best option?

Liver is a very good idea. It is very nutritious. Shellfish (crab, oysters) are also good sources for copper.

 

[Jabuger]

Which thiamine are you taking and how much? Dr. Costantini advised to divide the dose and take half around 1hr or so before lunch and the other half before 3:00pm.

I am taking about 600mg of a Holland and Barrett brand (100 mg pills) which I spread to 3 doses of 200mg during the day with each meal and a B-complex which I take twice a day as well as about 1g of aspirin, 25mg of valerian root extract. I am eating mostly fruit during the day sometimes eggs and I still eat starch and beans with not much protein so far. I saw someone else say to take 2 grams of thiamine, would this be a more desirable dose for me considering my symptoms? if so I'm gonna need some stronger thiamine pills. Thanks

 

[mostlylurking]

I am taking about 600mg of a Holland and Barrett brand (100 mg pills) which I spread to 3 doses of 200mg during the day with each meal and a B-complex which I take twice a day as well as about 1g of aspirin, 25mg of valerian root extract. I am eating mostly fruit during the day sometimes eggs and I still eat starch and beans with not much protein so far. I saw someone else say to take 2 grams of thiamine, would this be a more desirable dose for me considering my symptoms? if so I'm gonna need some stronger thiamine pills. Thanks

I need the type of thiamine; whether it is thiamine hcl, or allithiamine, or thiamine mononitrate, or another (there are several more). It should show on the package somewhere. The brand itself doesn't tell me what I'm trying to learn.

I'm most familiar with thiamine hcl because that is what I take. I take 1 gram, 2Xday. It is a high dose because it does not get through the intestinal wall efficiently. Dr. Costantini explains the amount of oral thiamine hcl needed to equal one 100mg injection of thiamine hcl here. Basically, one 100mg injection of thiamine hcl per week equals to 2 grams of oral thiamine hcl taken for 7 days (per week) (14 grams of oral per week vs 100mg by injection, 1 per week). If you are in real trouble, getting an injection or three may be the wise way to start.

Another way to go is taking TTFD thiamine instead of the thiamine hcl; smaller doses are needed because it gets into the system much more efficiently. Here's an article about the different types of thiamine:

Navigating Thiamine Supplements- Hormones Matter

Understanding the different forms of vitamin B1.

www.hormonesmatter.com

Always take the thiamine at least 30 minutes away from eating and always take it with water, never with juice.

 

[Jabuger]

I need the type of thiamine; whether it is thiamine hcl, or allithiamine, or thiamine mononitrate, or another (there are several more). It should show on the package somewhere. The brand itself doesn't tell me what I'm trying to learn.

Apologies, it is Thiamine mononitrate. I am curious, the article talks about thiamine being present in garlic and I had a very garlic heavy diet before and after my neurological symptoms started. Is there simply not enough Thiamine in the garlic to treat the symptoms? Keep in mind I had been having anxiety attacks and physical anxiety symptoms before the neurological ones.

And as of now I am severely restless and get no sleep plus headaches, a burning sensation in the head/tingling/tension headaches at my forehead, sweating and feeling like I have a temperature when I don't (only when trying to sleep), tight muscles in hands and the nerves feel numb/tingly (not like pins and needles which is what people keep thinking), tingly feeling up and down legs similar to hands, feeling dizzy and dissociative feelings.

I will try mega-dosing the thiamine tomorrow and see how it effects me. I will also get in contact with the doctor but in your opinion does this sound like thiamine deficiency still?

 

[macheddy]

Be cool man. Ive had all these symptoms. Brought on by emotional stress, physical overexertion and possiblx mold exposure. Keep eating well and get mild exercise. Some t3 and magnesium seemed to help the most with lmts of digestible and tasty food.

 

[mostlylurking]

Apologies, it is Thiamine mononitrate. I am curious, the article talks about thiamine being present in garlic and I had a very garlic heavy diet before and after my neurological symptoms started. Is there simply not enough Thiamine in the garlic to treat the symptoms? Keep in mind I had been having anxiety attacks and physical anxiety symptoms before the neurological ones.

As I understand, thiamine mononitrate can cause kidney damage at higher doses. There is a sublingual thiamine mononitrate, 100mgs, that Dr. Lonsdale considers safe because the dose is low and it gets in the blood stream very well. If you can get hold of some of it, it might work for you. It's said to work as well as the injected thiamine hcl, but I don't know for sure about that. A link to the product is at the link above.

You can't get enough thiamine from your diet if you have a thiamine deficiency. You need a lot more, at least for a while. Some people need more thiamine than others which would make them more susceptible to getting in trouble by drinking alcohol. I personally need more because I have heavy metal toxicity (mercury). I lived for many years with multiple symptoms including high anxiety. I'm good now.

And as of now I am severely restless and get no sleep plus headaches, a burning sensation in the head/tingling/tension headaches at my forehead, sweating and feeling like I have a temperature when I don't (only when trying to sleep), tight muscles in hands and the nerves feel numb/tingly (not like pins and needles which is what people keep thinking), tingly feeling up and down legs similar to hands, feeling dizzy and dissociative feelings.

It's possible that you are also having a problem with magnesium deficiency. You need magnesium for thiamine function too; supplementing thiamine can increase your need for magnesium. If you have a bathtub, you could put 1 cup of Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate) in a warm tub of water and soak in it for 30-45 minutes and see if that relieves some symptoms. If it does, then you may need to get some magnesium to supplement with. I use magnesium glycinate.

I will try mega-dosing the thiamine tomorrow and see how it effects me. I will also get in contact with the doctor but in your opinion does this sound like thiamine deficiency still?

Because of your alcohol habit, I'd say yes it's a good bet that that's the problem. Testing for thiamine deficiency isn't very accurate; I'm in the U.S. and my doctor could not find a lab here that does the accurate test. Info on testing is here.

If you can get some thiamine hcl (it's commonly available), you could simply try it; it's considered a safe supplement. I started with around 300-350 mgs of thiamine hcl, taken with water, 2Xday and got really good relief from symptoms within 45 minutes of my first dose. I worked up to my 2 grams/day dose over a period of 4 months. I use the bulk powder type.

 

[Jabuger]

Took me a while to find a reliable Thiamine HCL brand that was at least 500mg per capsule but I noticed an Immediate difference mentally I must say. I was taking roughly 200mg Thiamine mononitrate and it made me feel a bit weird and I put that down to the supplement having a lot of added ingredients and the fact it was a nitrate salt potentially increasing nitric oxide. This is my second day taking the HCL 500mg brand and I feel better but still have some symptoms so if I could as a few more questions...

Always take the thiamine at least 30 minutes away from eating and always take it with water, never with juice.

- I have been taking my dose about 30mins after my meal, would before be better on an empty stomach and what is the reasoning for without juice?
- I am at 500mg a day currently, should I up my dose at any point
- also I am supplementing 500mg Niacinamide a day divided up into roughly 6 smaller doses as I don't react well to big doses of it.
- Is there anything else I could be doing for example taking magnesium and if so how much?
- I was initially taking a B complex but felt as though it gave me slightly adverse reactions however my only worry is that I am depleting other vitamins like certain B-vitamins. Is this a worry?

Sorry a lot of questions

 

[mostlylurking]

Took me a while to find a reliable Thiamine HCL brand that was at least 500mg per capsule but I noticed an Immediate difference mentally I must say. I was taking roughly 200mg Thiamine mononitrate and it made me feel a bit weird and I put that down to the supplement having a lot of added ingredients and the fact it was a nitrate salt potentially increasing nitric oxide. This is my second day taking the HCL 500mg brand and I feel better but still have some symptoms so if I could as a few more questions...

I like to take the bulk powder thiamine hcl because I can have more options with the amount I want to take when measuring out the powder. I get mine from either bulksupplements.com or purebulk.com. When I started taking the powder thiamine hcl, I started with 300mg. But after a couple of weeks, I felt the need to increase the dose so I went up to around 500mg. Then I increased it again, and yet again. After 4 months, I was taking 750mg, 2Xday = 1500mg/day. It was around that time that I found Dr. Costantini's website and learned that according to his protocol my ideal dose should be 1 gram, 2Xday. So I increased my dose to that. Within 2 days on that dose I experienced major improvements in my digestive system and realized that Dr. Costantini was correct.

I've read that thiamine mononitrate in higher doses (greater than 100mg) can cause kidney damage. Thiamine hcl has been around for a long time and is considered a "safe supplement".

- I have been taking my dose about 30mins after my meal, would before be better on an empty stomach and what is the reasoning for without juice?

The point is to separate taking the thiamine away from consuming sugar (sweet things) because the sugar will cancel out the thiamine if in your stomach at the same time. Sugar gets absorbed into the blood stream pretty fast so I think spacing the thiamine from eating by 30 minutes, either before or after, would work fine. I usually take mine before eating, then wait at least 30 minutes, but that is what is convenient for me.

You may find Dr. Costantini's FAQs helpful.

- I am at 500mg a day currently, should I up my dose at any point

Thiamine hcl requires higher doses than say allithiamine (TTFD thiamine) because the hcl type does not get absorbed very well through the intestine wall. I found Dr. Costantini's protocol very helpful (explained above).

- also I am supplementing 500mg Niacinamide a day divided up into roughly 6 smaller doses as I don't react well to big doses of it.

Ray Peat always recommended taking niacinamide in smaller doses of around 90mgs several times a day. I manage to take it 4Xday myself (=400mg/day).

- Is there anything else I could be doing for example taking magnesium and if so how much?

I found that for me taking magnesium was extremely helpful. After fiddling around with it for a while, I settled on taking 3/8 teaspoon of magnesium glycinate 2Xday; this equals to 1.5 grams, 2Xday (3 grams/day), which equals to about 200mg magnesium 2Xday (=400mg/day). Please note that taking high dose thiamine massively improves the ability to tolerate magnesium.

Here's some info about magnesium:

Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited

Magnesium deficiency and stress are both common conditions among the general population, which, over time, can increase the risk of health consequences. Numerous studies, both in pre-clinical and clinical settings, have investigated the interaction of ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I also supplement with B2, around 100mg, 2Xday. B2=riboflavin. Elliot Overton has pointed out that taking high dose thiamine can deplete riboflavin. I also take a little b6 (less than 50mg) and some biotin (less than 50 mg) and 10,000iu of D3 daily, and some pregnenolone and some progesterone and 200mcg of selenium daily. I tried taking a b-complex, but my b12 got so high on my blood tests that I stopped taking it. You might not need all this stuff, but I've found it helpful for me. I'm female, almost 74.

- I was initially taking a B complex but felt as though it gave me slightly adverse reactions however my only worry is that I am depleting other vitamins like certain B-vitamins. Is this a worry?

See above. I chose to supplement with various b vitamins separately. I use the bulk powders.

Sorry a lot of questions

No problem. I hope you find this helpful.

 

[Jabuger]

I like to take the bulk powder thiamine hcl because I can have more options with the amount I want to take when measuring out the powder. I get mine from either bulksupplements.com or purebulk.com. When I started taking the powder thiamine hcl, I started with 300mg. But after a couple of weeks, I felt the need to increase the dose so I went up to around 500mg. Then I increased it again, and yet again. After 4 months, I was taking 750mg, 2Xday = 1500mg/day. It was around that time that I found Dr. Costantini's website and learned that according to his protocol my ideal dose should be 1 gram, 2Xday. So I increased my dose to that. Within 2 days on that dose I experienced major improvements in my digestive system and realized that Dr. Costantini was correct.

I've read that thiamine mononitrate in higher doses (greater than 100mg) can cause kidney damage. Thiamine hcl has been around for a long time and is considered a "safe supplement".


The point is to separate taking the thiamine away from consuming sugar (sweet things) because the sugar will cancel out the thiamine if in your stomach at the same time. Sugar gets absorbed into the blood stream pretty fast so I think spacing the thiamine from eating by 30 minutes, either before or after, would work fine. I usually take mine before eating, then wait at least 30 minutes, but that is what is convenient for me.

You may find Dr. Costantini's FAQs helpful.

Thiamine hcl requires higher doses than say allithiamine (TTFD thiamine) because the hcl type does not get absorbed very well through the intestine wall. I found Dr. Costantini's protocol very helpful (explained above).

Ray Peat always recommended taking niacinamide in smaller doses of around 90mgs several times a day. I manage to take it 4Xday myself (=400mg/day).

I found that for me taking magnesium was extremely helpful. After fiddling around with it for a while, I settled on taking 3/8 teaspoon of magnesium glycinate 2Xday; this equals to 1.5 grams, 2Xday (3 grams/day), which equals to about 200mg magnesium 2Xday (=400mg/day). Please note that taking high dose thiamine massively improves the ability to tolerate magnesium.

Here's some info about magnesium:

Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited

Magnesium deficiency and stress are both common conditions among the general population, which, over time, can increase the risk of health consequences. Numerous studies, both in pre-clinical and clinical settings, have investigated the interaction of ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I also supplement with B2, around 100mg, 2Xday. B2=riboflavin. Elliot Overton has pointed out that taking high dose thiamine can deplete riboflavin. I also take a little b6 (less than 50mg) and some biotin (less than 50 mg) and 10,000iu of D3 daily, and some pregnenolone and some progesterone and 200mcg of selenium daily. I tried taking a b-complex, but my b12 got so high on my blood tests that I stopped taking it. You might not need all this stuff, but I've found it helpful for me. I'm female, almost 74.

Thanks for all the help so far I have come a long way mentally since I first posted this.

My anxiety and dissociation is disappearing and my neurological symptoms are declining for the most part. My neurological symptoms have not fully cleared up however, I have been getting kind of stiff joints and muscles recently kind of all over my body but I feel it mostly in my hands, knees and shoulders. It might also be worth noting that for some reason even with little stimulation I have been putting on muscle on my legs (thighs and quads) and shoulders and maybe even my back. The muscles have been sore recently from doing benign things and are now beginning to gain mass, honestly this could just be in my head that they are growing but it looks and feels like it. Is there a possible explanation for this? Here is what my routine has looked like these past few days

- a lot of fruit in the morning with yoghurt and honey, I tend to vary the fruit each day for example today I had mangos and decided to have some fried bananas in coconut oil and honey. I also have a cup of tea with collagen peptides 10:00
- Thiamine 500mg roughly 45 mins after so say 11:00
- Lunch usually varies, try and get some protein maybe an omelette with bacon etc. 1:00
- Carrot salad after lunch with coconut oil, salt and vinegar 1:30
- Thiamine 500mg 2-3
- snack maybe in between
- dinner usually involves starch foods like rice and some protein or potatoes or pasta, for example today I had rice and prawns with spring onions etc etc.
- Snack before bed

I also take roughly 100mg of niacinamide with each meal and or snack that adds to 500mg a day. I have riboflavin that I could supplement I know you mentioned that but it has a lot of additives like silicon dioxide and other possible irritants. Still waiting on the magnesium to come and have ordered more thiamine HCL from pure bulk supplements I believe. I actually have some of IdeaLabs magnoil but it's at another location and I've always had good results from that. I am going to implement D3 as of tomorrow as well. Just got Idea labs energy today and took a dose, gave me a boost of energy but also significantly lowered blood sugar as I had an anergy crash after about 30 minutes after it.

I'd also like to say that my gut issues have also been dying down and I can now tolerate actually eating stuff meaning I can get more calories in throughout the day. I am also not totally out of breath all the time and chronically fatigued to the point where I can't do anything and having to lie down feeling my slow and heavy heart beat. I have been able to focus on my University work throughout the day even though I may get distracted it is not because I am 'zoning out' but simply because I get distracted or my mind wanders (this is good because instead I would stop my studying because of an overwhelming anxiety). I have also getting sleep recently. And my headaches are much more infrequent, today I haven't even had one.

I still experience twitching and strange kind of stiff sensations in my hands and legs. I get what feels like stiff fingers. These are however the only symptoms I have had today apart from maybe a slight out of breath feeling earlier on. I can say that this is a massive improvement for me psychologically and physically and I feel much better. I have been trying to lower serotonin by tackling my gut issues which seems to be working, also I've been wearing a hat as it's winter and I saw some clips of ray talking about how it could have a anti-seretonergic effect. The hat definitely has been helping significantly which is interesting, I've even been wearing it to bed and noticing better sleep.

Thanks for all the help I have been trying to do the research and read up on this stuff. I noticed some people saying that HCL doesn't cross the blood brain barrier including Georgi but considering the work of Dr. Constantini it must have an effect on those kind of neurological disorders? What is the explanation for this?

Cheers

 

[mostlylurking]

Still waiting on the magnesium to come and have ordered more thiamine HCL from pure bulk supplements I believe.

Good deal! I'm so glad to learn that you are seeing improvements!!

I still experience twitching and strange kind of stiff sensations in my hands and legs. I get what feels like stiff fingers.

I suspect that these symptoms are caused by a magnesium deficiency which would get worse from supplementing thiamine. They will probably resolve when you start supplementing magnesium. If you have a bathtub, you could try soaking in a warm tub of water (at least 30 minutes, longer is better) with about a cup of epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) added to it. Epsom salts is very easy to find at a pharmacy or grocery store.

about magnesium:

Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited

Magnesium deficiency and stress are both common conditions among the general population, which, over time, can increase the risk of health consequences. Numerous studies, both in pre-clinical and clinical settings, have investigated the interaction of ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

I can say that this is a massive improvement for me psychologically and physically and I feel much better. I have been trying to lower serotonin by tackling my gut issues which seems to be working, also I've been wearing a hat as it's winter and I saw some clips of ray talking about how it could have a anti-seretonergic effect. The hat definitely has been helping significantly which is interesting, I've even been wearing it to bed and noticing better sleep.

This is great news!

I suspect that your gut issues will improve from taking high dose thiamine hcl + magensium glycinate. Thiamine is needed to lower serotonin in the brain. The hat is a very good idea!

about thiamine and the gut:

Quick Thoughts: Bacterial Thiamine Synthesis, Dysmotility, and Dysbiosis - Hormones Matter

Persistent dysbiosis and dysmotility might simply represent a lack of bacterially synthesized thiamine.

www.hormonesmatter.com

SIBO, IBS, and Constipation: Unrecognized Thiamine Deficiency? - Hormones Matter

Is it possible that small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is simply a symptom of an underlying vitamin B1 or thiamine deficiency?

www.hormonesmatter.com

Thanks for all the help I have been trying to do the research and read up on this stuff. I noticed some people saying that HCL doesn't cross the blood brain barrier including Georgi but considering the work of Dr. Constantini it must have an effect on those kind of neurological disorders? What is the explanation for this?

Dr. Costantini said that thiamine hcl crosses the blood brain barrier just fine so long as the body is flooded with it (i.e. high dose). I believe him. You can see the massive improvements in his patients via their videos.

I'm so glad to get this positive report from you!

 

[martybyrde]

Hey, I experienced identical symptoms that came on about a year ago. Came suddenly and also got the same twitching you are describing. First few months it was difficult to leave the house. Over the summer it improved a bit (but not the twitching) and I was able to go out again and stuff. This winter it came back but not as extreme.

I have spent most of this year trying to figure it out. I hope I inflicted this on myself through anxiety and not some sort of terrible degenerative disease. Some days I feel OK, some days I feel like an Alzheimer’s patient with extreme anxiety.

Feels surreal having someone describe the exact situation I am in. I tried thiamine and I really don’t think it’s the right move for me.. although years ago I got great benefits from it. It doesn’t really do anything now even at gram doses.

 

[mostlylurking]

Hey, I experienced identical symptoms that came on about a year ago. Came suddenly and also got the same twitching you are describing. First few months it was difficult to leave the house. Over the summer it improved a bit (but not the twitching) and I was able to go out again and stuff. This winter it came back but not as extreme.

I have spent most of this year trying to figure it out. I hope I inflicted this on myself through anxiety and not some sort of terrible degenerative disease. Some days I feel OK, some days I feel like an Alzheimer’s patient with extreme anxiety.

Feels surreal having someone describe the exact situation I am in. I tried thiamine and I really don’t think it’s the right move for me.. although years ago I got great benefits from it. It doesn’t really do anything now even at gram doses.

Dr. Costantini's website has a lot of excellent information about thiamine hcl, including the recommended dosage. Thiamine hcl does not get through the intestinal wall very well so much higher doses are needed. TTFD thiamine and sublingual thiamine mononitrate are effective at much lower doses.

links for your consideration:
The Effects of Thiamine Tetrahydrofurfuryl Disulfide on Physiological Adaption and Exercise Performance Improvement about TTFD thiamine
How to take sublingual B1: As many of you... - Cure Parkinson's about sublingual thiamine
HDT Therapy This is where the needed dosage for thiamine hcl is explained.
About Dr. C & HDT an overview about Dr. Costantini
Videos Parkinson's Patients before and after treatment - Ultima Edizione.Eu Before and after videos of Dr. Costantini's patients