Chemical reasons 4 depression

[merryBe]

this was interesting

"chronic inflammation and immune system overactivation appear to play critical roles in obesity.Inflammatory cytokines like interfeon-gamma are made and released in body fat. An enzyme called indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase is activated by interferon-gamma, which then degrades tryptophan in the body. Tryptophan is needed to produce serotonin in the brain."
(I guess a glass of milk or turkey at bedtime might be wisdom)
(and this is why so many patients get depressed?? How come nobody explained this to us? Especially since anti-depressants are themselves hard on the liver, wouldn't it make sense to inform patients that some dietary changes might help them to not need AS MUCH of damaging drugs to deal with the side effects?) hmm

part of the equation

also

cholesterol in the brain protects serotonin as well, and later stage liver disease can lower cholesterol which may then interfere with serotonin's uptake. low brain serotonin is linked to increased impulsive
violence, including homicide, arson, and suicide ergo liver patients should make sure their cholesterol is not getting too low. (maybe a couple of eggs might not be so bad after all?)
Cholesterol not only protects the brain but allows you to blink your eyes and countless other things so essential to health that if you do not eat enough of it your liver will try to conjugate and make it's own from other substances in the body, as a liver becomes impaired it's ability to do this and compensate for dietary deficiency is hampered and severe depression can ensue, couple this with treatment and it's no surprise that HCV takes a huge mental toll.

and on it goes.

reducing inflammation evidently has been shown to be the most effective way of reducing ALT/AST and seems to play a greater role in elevated enzymes than viral load. ergo, since there are no current drugs available (except one blood pressure medicine that a doc in new castle england has been experimenting with) it makes sense to explore which natural options might reduce inflammation.

I'm wondering who has gone on these that KNOWS which ones work best based on their labs.
A lot of substances are being touted as solutions but it's hard to know which ones really do the trick without doing any harm.
Often patients start taking a phlethora of substances which makes it harder to evaluate which ones are really helping.
HAs anyone tried just one and seen marked lab improvements?

Also, some folks I understand have discontinued the oils such as lipolic and PPC....I'm wondering if you could share why. Did your labs not reflect improvement or were you concerned with rancidity/freshness, or what were your issues?

mb

mb

[merryBe]

correction, alts have gone to double digit, single, don't I wish.
high 90's for the moment

still from 250 to 90 is nothing to sneeze at.

mb

[merryBe]

update: experiment continues, in an attempt to get off all the Rx's I was placed on during chemo my stagegy was 6 pronged.

Goal: to lower liver enzmes which shot up to 250 during relaspe.

1. wean slowly since some drugs were as addictive as heroin (ativan/oxy)
2. detox the liver
3. replace the drugs with natural non-toxic alternatives
4. increase cholesterol to protect the brain.
5. monitor sugars for Insulin resistance and remove Byetta if possible
6. Monitor HGH closely so as not to aggravate IR.

Method.

1. slow withdrawal 1/4 reductions at a time each month (half dose landed me inER so go skow here. added physical therapy to mitigate pain.
2. added silymarin (milk thistle) to scrub liver and blood of these drug toxins and otheres
3. added melatonin to replace the Ambien, stepped up that dosage as I lowered the mabien dosage
4. raised my HDL considerably, to head off issues with remeron withdrawal which also was lowered in 1.4 dose increments. Overall cholesterol now 150, not 110 s before.
This increase has resulted in good cholesterol has mitigated the usual rebound depression seen in most patients coming off antidepressants.
5. Absent Interferon my IR has recended and BS is again controlled by diet alone making Byetta unnessary for the time being.
6. By settling for the lower end of normal (a 1/8 reduction in dose) has also helped return my BSugars to normal

Summary: Now on $2000.00 less drugs each month

Alt ast have gone from 250's to single digit....

must be doing something right.

The only draw back has been something neurological going on, not sure of the source yet, have 4 working theories and will run them by neurologist this week.

mb