If SSRI's Are Bad Then What Is The Alternative?

[Serious Black]

My therapist thinks that taking medication will really help me as I am agoraphobic. Well I don't like labels but you get the picture.

What alternative can you suggest me? I asked about Tianeptine as I found some good research on it. But it is not available in Canada and I am not comfortable with ordering white powder online and taking it

Was wondering your thoughts

 

[Constatine]

I have ordered the white powder online and it worked well. Though I can understand why you would be hesitant about it. As strange as it sounds high doses of aspirin has been the most effective thing for agoraphobia. Around 1 - 2 g a day. There is some good research to back this up as well (such as aspirin stimulating brain mitochondria in depressive models). Anything that reduces serotonin or aids the gut will help with any of the phobias.

 

[encerent]

Try Metergoline, cyproheptadine, lisuride, lithium

 

[Sucrates]

Theanine, glycine, and low dose tetracyclines might be useful.

 

[Regina]

I love all these suggestions from Constatine, encerent and Sucrates.
(I might throw diamant in there too, but they are covering powerful essentials that you could try one by one)

Keep us posted on the forum. I bet you can fix this. I love what Peat said (inspired by Colin Wilson):
".. the excitedly expectant state of consciousness of a child on Christmas morning is a model of the way the mind should function throughout life. He believes that true perception sees a world full of potential and beauty, and that it is the "practical" everyday consciousness which is deluded...."

 

[Queequeg]

You are probably not going to like this answer but I think you should look at a behavioral modification route. The key to curing all phobias is to slowly and by choice experience the activity that is causing the distress until you build back your confidence. You have probably been spending a lot of time isolated from others and agoraphobia is a common result. I am sure with a little googling you can get a nice step by step plan to get rid of this phobia. SSRIs from what I understand are not very healthy for you and I wouldn't take them unless I had no other choice.

 

[DaveFoster]

Keeping intestinal inflammation as low as possible while supporting the thyroid is key.

 

[pimpnamedraypeat]

Do you have friends, family, or a supportive social circle.

Not everything can been cured chemically.

 

[Stevie]

I started back on ssri's (paroxetine) as my agoraphobia came back. My level of fearfulness and nervousness was just to high. It seems unless I drastically reduce my stress no amount of healthy foods or supplements are going to help me. And yes, taking ssri's scares the crap out of me. Nobody seems to know how they work, whether they raise or lower serotonin, whether serotonin has any role at all in their effectiveness.
I have a phobia of fog, and there is no controlled gentle exposure to this fear, once I'm stuck in it there is no escape. I've had this phobia since I was 9 years old, 38 years ago.
For the time being I'm going to have to take paroxetine as it's the only thing that works. If anybody could suggest anything I could do to perhaps counterbalance the negative effects of taking ssri's I would be very grateful.

 

[Sucrates]

I started back on ssri's (paroxetine) as my agoraphobia came back. My level of fearfulness and nervousness was just to high. It seems unless I drastically reduce my stress no amount of healthy foods or supplements are going to help me. And yes, taking ssri's scares the crap out of me. Nobody seems to know how they work, whether they raise or lower serotonin, whether serotonin has any role at all in their effectiveness.
I have a phobia of fog, and there is no controlled gentle exposure to this fear, once I'm stuck in it there is no escape. I've had this phobia since I was 9 years old, 38 years ago.
For the time being I'm going to have to take paroxetine as it's the only thing that works. If anybody could suggest anything I could do to perhaps counterbalance the negative effects of taking ssri's I would be very grateful.

You should take a read of this paper and some of the references. Seems fluoxetine at least works (when it works) by lowering serotonin and perhaps increasing allopregnanolone. Pregnenolone increases allopregnanolone, serum pregnenolone sulphate is low in people with "generalized social phobia", etc. So, probably something to lower serotonin and/or increase allopregnanolone/pregnenolone and GABA.
http://www.sciencedirect.com.sci-hub.cc/science/article/pii/S0149763415000287

 

[Stevie]

Thank you Sucrates. I've read that article, I believe you posted it on another thread once. If fluoxetine does lower serotonin, how is it different from tianeptine?
Once the paroxetine has kicked in and I've calmed down I may switch to fluoxetine. I also take pregnanolone, niacinamide and cascara. Thanks again.

 

[Serious Black]

You are probably not going to like this answer but I think you should look at a behavioral modification route. The key to curing all phobias is to slowly and by choice experience the activity that is causing the distress until you build back your confidence. You have probably been spending a lot of time isolated from others and agoraphobia is a common result. I am sure with a little googling you can get a nice step by step plan to get rid of this phobia. SSRIs from what I understand are not very healthy for you and I wouldn't take them unless I had no other choice.

I am working with my therapist now to make a plan. I will have to find a way to expose myself to panic

Do you have friends, family, or a supportive social circle.

Not everything can been cured chemically.

I agree, someday I get real discouraged and look for a easy answer. Family is good, I got a good friend. Miss the big social circle though

 

[Serious Black]

You should take a read of this paper and some of the references. Seems fluoxetine at least works (when it works) by lowering serotonin and perhaps increasing allopregnanolone. Pregnenolone increases allopregnanolone, serum pregnenolone sulphate is low in people with "generalized social phobia", etc. So, probably something to lower serotonin and/or increase allopregnanolone/pregnenolone and GABA.
http://www.sciencedirect.com.sci-hub.cc/science/article/pii/S0149763415000287

Isnt Fluoxetine Prozac? I thought that was an SSRI?

 

[pimpnamedraypeat]

Progest-e and gummy bears work for me

 

[mujuro]

Surely persistent inhibition of SERT will rapidly decrease functional 5HT activity through downregulations and the like. All of the symptoms I'm now experiencing during escitalopram withdrawal are classic high serotonin, low neurosteroid symptoms, NOT symptoms you would expect of low serotonin. Timidness, social awkwardness, learned helplessness (oh my GOD is it bad), social anxiety, self-loathing, awful headaches, nasal congestion. It was like a light switch. Six months ago nothing could shake me. Now I feel like a little b****.

 

[Stevie]

@Serious Black exposing yourself to the panic is the only answer, though you need the confidence to do it.
A member on here suggested this to me and I'm currently looking into it, could be promising.

'Tom Vizinni's Essential Skills 3D mind process.'

Fluoxetine is an ssri, and it seems the least worst according to that particular article. I have Tianeptine but I'm too scared to try it. I've had paroxetine before and I know it works, how, I don't know, it just allows me to confront my fears, somewhat.

 

[mujuro]

I also forgot to mention that since stopping escitalopram, my sweating is out of control. I have sweat dripping from the tip of my nose after my first warmup set. Typically this is associated with SSRIs themselves. Yet another confusing symptom.

 

[Serious Black]

@Serious Black exposing yourself to the panic is the only answer, though you need the confidence to do it.
A member on here suggested this to me and I'm currently looking into it, could be promising.

'Tom Vizinni's Essential Skills 3D mind process.'

Fluoxetine is an ssri, and it seems the least worst according to that particular article. I have Tianeptine but I'm too scared to try it. I've had paroxetine before and I know it works, how, I don't know, it just allows me to confront my fears, somewhat.

What is this 3D process? The website looks like a scam

 

[Stevie]

Yes I know what you mean. I've only looked at the website and some YouTube videos but it seems similar to some CBT therapy I've had in the past. (Though I didn't have to part with any money)
There is also a fairly new therapy for panic disorder called CART (capnometer assisted respiration therapy). It's not available in the uk on the NHS but I've found a private clinic, though I'd have to travel a long way :-/
And for less money I could buy my own capnometer and do it myself

 

[Such_Saturation]

I am not comfortable with ordering white powder online and taking it

Take what he prescribes you