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What to do after cessation of 7 years' worth of regular ephedrine use?
Good day:
Throughout my twenties I used ephedrine for bodybuilding and occasionally as a "perk" or to get myself focused. I eventually worked up to ingesting something beyond the safe dosage on a regular or semi-regular basis, depending on how I built up my tolerance to it. Some months I'd use hardly any of the stuff. Other months I'd take a little bit every day. I am 32 years old now and I feel alright for the most part. My physicals come back perfect. They always have, actually.
Thankfully, I think I avoided the major long-term side effects, both physical and psychological. Perhaps I never took enough of the stuff to do any permanent damage, or I just lucked out. From what I recall, though, I did take an inordinate amount of the stuff and on a regular basis. Put simply: I followed my own label, not the one on the container.
I am concerned about depression, however. I'm not prone to it, and when I do feel "moody" it's more of a general brooding at which time my creative energies tend to become more expressive. I'm somewhat manic (I think), but not in any debilitating way, though I have never been diagnosed as such. Think of a poet or artist-type personality.
In any case, I do feel tired now and then, and sometimes overly-anxious. Again, this is not on a regular basis.
My questions:
1) How can I restore adrenal balance?
2) How can I ensure that my body/brain is producing sufficient norepinephrine and/or associated neural stimulants on its own? (I assume we're talking possibly phenylalanine or L-Tyrosine supplementation here. Correct?)
3) What can I do in general in terms of diet and lifestyle to ensure that if there were any negative effects that I might not feel right now, they would be mitigated?
My work is more or less stress-free, in that I love what I do. I'm training to be a scholar, doing a Master's and hopefully a PhD in the area of Holocaust and Genocide Studies (in other words, History.) Making ends met financially is a source of stress, sometimes more than I'd like, but I tend to come out alright each time. It certainly isn't debilitating.
I practice Kundalini Yoga (with a focus on Deep Meditiation.)
I take a multivitamin, including Phosphatidylserine (PS) at prescribed dosages, and I drink 3-4 cups of high quality green tea every day. On days I'm not really able to do so I take green tea capsules in moderate amounts (I actually take a bit less than what is recommended, due to concerns about liver stress.)
My diet consists of fish, shellfish, tofu, vegetables, sushi, chicken, rice, fruit, yogurt, beans, a moderate amount of grains, and little to no alcohol. I very rarely (if at all) eat red meat, pork, beef, etc. I have done my best to cut those out of my diet, including fried foods as well as soft drinks. I drink only water, tea, and natural juices on occasion. I prefer a Japanese style-diet if I can manage it, though the ingredients are not always readily available. Once or twice a week I take a good protein supplement in powder form. A holdover from my iron-pumping days. ;)
I otherwise have no medical conditions, am not taking any medication, and besides being a bit too fixated on my work now and then as well as being a bit brooding and eccentric, I'm healthy and confident.
Any recommendations? I know I sound just fine but I'm still concerned about any possible (though insidious) damage that might have occurred from 7-8 years of regular ephedrine (ECA stack) use - not so much in terms of my cardiovascular health, but more in terms of my adrenal functioning and neurological health, etc.
Best regards and thanks for your time,
Christian.
Throughout my twenties I used ephedrine for bodybuilding and occasionally as a "perk" or to get myself focused. I eventually worked up to ingesting something beyond the safe dosage on a regular or semi-regular basis, depending on how I built up my tolerance to it. Some months I'd use hardly any of the stuff. Other months I'd take a little bit every day. I am 32 years old now and I feel alright for the most part. My physicals come back perfect. They always have, actually.
Thankfully, I think I avoided the major long-term side effects, both physical and psychological. Perhaps I never took enough of the stuff to do any permanent damage, or I just lucked out. From what I recall, though, I did take an inordinate amount of the stuff and on a regular basis. Put simply: I followed my own label, not the one on the container.
I am concerned about depression, however. I'm not prone to it, and when I do feel "moody" it's more of a general brooding at which time my creative energies tend to become more expressive. I'm somewhat manic (I think), but not in any debilitating way, though I have never been diagnosed as such. Think of a poet or artist-type personality.
In any case, I do feel tired now and then, and sometimes overly-anxious. Again, this is not on a regular basis.
My questions:
1) How can I restore adrenal balance?
2) How can I ensure that my body/brain is producing sufficient norepinephrine and/or associated neural stimulants on its own? (I assume we're talking possibly phenylalanine or L-Tyrosine supplementation here. Correct?)
3) What can I do in general in terms of diet and lifestyle to ensure that if there were any negative effects that I might not feel right now, they would be mitigated?
My work is more or less stress-free, in that I love what I do. I'm training to be a scholar, doing a Master's and hopefully a PhD in the area of Holocaust and Genocide Studies (in other words, History.) Making ends met financially is a source of stress, sometimes more than I'd like, but I tend to come out alright each time. It certainly isn't debilitating.
I practice Kundalini Yoga (with a focus on Deep Meditiation.)
I take a multivitamin, including Phosphatidylserine (PS) at prescribed dosages, and I drink 3-4 cups of high quality green tea every day. On days I'm not really able to do so I take green tea capsules in moderate amounts (I actually take a bit less than what is recommended, due to concerns about liver stress.)
My diet consists of fish, shellfish, tofu, vegetables, sushi, chicken, rice, fruit, yogurt, beans, a moderate amount of grains, and little to no alcohol. I very rarely (if at all) eat red meat, pork, beef, etc. I have done my best to cut those out of my diet, including fried foods as well as soft drinks. I drink only water, tea, and natural juices on occasion. I prefer a Japanese style-diet if I can manage it, though the ingredients are not always readily available. Once or twice a week I take a good protein supplement in powder form. A holdover from my iron-pumping days. ;)
I otherwise have no medical conditions, am not taking any medication, and besides being a bit too fixated on my work now and then as well as being a bit brooding and eccentric, I'm healthy and confident.
Any recommendations? I know I sound just fine but I'm still concerned about any possible (though insidious) damage that might have occurred from 7-8 years of regular ephedrine (ECA stack) use - not so much in terms of my cardiovascular health, but more in terms of my adrenal functioning and neurological health, etc.
Best regards and thanks for your time,
Christian.
I certainly hope I lucked out. It seems so for the time being. The general anxiety I feel now and then I'm attributing to, very simply, getting older and the usual pressures that everyone experiences with increased responsibility. Of course, it doesn't help that at the moment my income-earning power is next to nothing, but I imagine a lot of people find it a challenge to always be upbeat when they're just getting by. The good thing is that I've chosen my path and I'm at peace with it and hopeful about the future. I suppose that's part of what's keeping me grounded.
I already take a Genestra brand "Orti-B" vitamin B supplement, but it contains mostly B6 and B12, and only 125mg of Pantothenic Acid (B5.) So maybe I should take a separate B5 supp to round out the complex, or even focus a little more on the B5?
Thank you for the reply!
I already take a Genestra brand "Orti-B" vitamin B supplement, but it contains mostly B6 and B12, and only 125mg of Pantothenic Acid (B5.) So maybe I should take a separate B5 supp to round out the complex, or even focus a little more on the B5?
Thank you for the reply!
I think you lucked out. And as for the ups and downs of life that you experience, that is natural, and if you had no mood swings you would be a zombie. If the adrenal problem you are talking about is insufficiency, or adrenal fatigue, try taking 500 mg. of vitamin B5 daily. This is what I have did when a side effect of a medication affected my adrenals. Actually I took 1000 gm., but you may not need that much (assuming you actually have an adrenal problem). In an;y case, there are no side effects.
Thank you for the kind advice!
I've already scheduled an appointment with my doc. :)
I've already scheduled an appointment with my doc. :)
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They are very very unpredictable. Since you basically abused yours for 8 years, you can be sure that they are not happy.
There are urine tests to check for norepinephrine. You would ask for Catecholamine testing which is normally used for an adrenal tumor, but for you can be used to check for normal function.
I know there are some diet things for cortisol, but I know nothing for norepinephrine.