Re: My Story and journey...- Dr Lam

I began Dr Lams nuitritional coaching programme in March 2012 with Dorine. At this point I was suffering severe physical anxiety in my shoulders, and had to take a month off work. Sleep was still non existant. As I am in the UK, the cost of the supplements if astronomical with the import duties, vat and everything else the goverment adds on when they come into the country!

At first, it was the usual vitamin Lipo C and Lip Glutithione, Pandrenal (panethine), Patothemic Acid (B5)formula and building up a tolerance to the Vitamin C. I was also taking a course of sertraline, which later changed to Mirtazapine (Remeron) to try and help with sleep.The Anti-depressants helped witht the physical anxeity but at first, and I feel was down to the supplements, I was going manic at night time. Couldnt sit still, was jittery and always needing the move about. So tired, and so locked in an inability to relax, still waking up with raceing thoughts, or having it before I went to bed. The mental chatter was one of the hardest things to deal with.

Progress was slow, but as I expected, I had given up on the idea of an overnight cure months ago. I had to admit defeat on the excercise front and didnt do anything for over three months (while painfully watching my weight sore through the lack of excercise and all the fats I was asked to take on)Work was still difficult, I was extremely depressed, living in a dream world like the walking dead. I would go into work, not talk to anyone all day, suffer the energy lulls and the 'hitting the wall' feeling every couple of hours, then go home. Eat food but still remain hungry, and try to pass the time comfortably before going to bed. As you all know, its a living hell, but in a way I felt like I needed to do this to calm down. Avoid all stressors (even talking to people was a stressor). Dorine suggested using melatonin to sleep which I was and still do, its a 5mg time release. Im not really sure it does anything, but still, it cant hurt.

So time passed, trying to stick to the diet plan as much as possible (low carbs, high protein, no sugar, no caffiene) and the dosages were increased and along came Dermagen, Ribogy, Qauntamax, Milk Thistle and eventually I worked up to

1/4 Ribogy
1 Quantamax
1/2 Dermagen
2 x Lipo C
1 x Lipo Glutithione

2 x Pandrenal
2 x B5
2 x Milk Thistle (or Liver Clear)
2 x C Support

Twice a day.

So I kept going, but realised I needed to earn extra money to pay for all these supplements and telephone appointments. I took on some big jobs (im an event production manager) one being the Diamond Jubilee and this was tough and probably set me back months. Sixteen hour days, no real food, living on coffee and Sugar and using zoplicone (ambien) to sleep every night, as I HAD to sleep, I couldnt chance being awake all night. Physical anixety went through the roof, but I had no choice, I needed the cash for te health care(and to be honest it was an amazing thing to have on my CV). Shortly after I crashed majorly and it took me around a month to get back up to my previous (crappy anyway) state. The ambien needed nearly a two week detox, waking up every 45-60 minutes in cold sweats, it was pretty rough.

Moving forward, I began using a product called Relax All (and cutting Dr Lams formula down to once a day because it seemed I would feel worse after taking each amount) It was amazing, my mind was clearer, I was not sleeping better, but my sleep pattern had changed, I would wake up at around 1am- 2am, take another one, and then go back to sleep till 7am. I felt somewhat refreshed and happy. I took this for two weeks while I was working another freelance job, and its the best Ive felt in years. I think combined with the fact this job was on a beach in Cornwall, was sunny, quiet, peaceful, it all really helped. I would go to bed with the mental chatter and slept through for seven hours, I thought I was cured or on the way to recovery. I continued this for three weeks (although the packet does say only take for five days, with a three day break - but that was a standard 4 tablet dose, I only took 2 or 3 a night).

A week after I returned, I began tapering the dose down,and I had now been moved to Rachel, Dorines assistant. I was told to add DHEA every other day and this sent me through the roof and I immediately crashed. It gave me a sense of anphetamine induced euphoria, no energy but the ability to run a marathon, chronic bowel pain through the night and I immediately crashed. The sleep problems came right back, I crashed, blood Sugar would not stabalise and its taken me almost three weeks to get mysef back together. My doctor has now given me Trazadone to sleep, which again has changed sleep patterns. I wake up at 4am now, but again have mental chatter that means I cant go back to sleep. Its wierd, its like the trazadone leaves me in a ncely sedated coat of cotton wall, but in the centre of my minds eye I still have this 'wired on' thing.

Im back on to my usual dosage on Dorines formula. I have mixed feelings about it at the moment, but ive come this far, and i have stabalised a fair bit, so they must be doing something right. Im sick and tired of being told to take melatonin though, it seems she never really listens (I have been taking melatonin for six months and I tell her this everytime she tells me to take melatoning!). She has never told me why she suggested DHEA when my DHEA/Cortsol ratio was already HIGH from my ASI test.

Currently I know my cortisol is now elevated in the evening, and I hope that this is part of Dorines programme to reshuffle everything.

The trazadone is helping, but as with any anti-depressant, they generally stop working soonish as it dosent combat adrenal fatigue as such but its helping me stay positive for the next few months.

Looking in to the effectiveness of Relax All ( iactually feel completely normal, healed, bright, relaxed and full of energy the day after taking it), which contains Phenibut, and taking Taurine also slows the mental chatter down, im really starting to look into neurostransmitter deffiency or damage. As anyone looked into this at all?

So thats my story in a (large) nutshell. Im 31 now, male, this all started when I was 27 and got worse at 29. I live in London, UK, where health practioners who specialise in this area are non existant. Ive lost four years of my life, but hey ho, just got to keep going with it all.

My next appointment with Dorine/Rachel is tonight, im going to discuss neurotransmitter issues, why Relax All works, and what the hell happened with the DHEA!

I hope this can be of help to anyone, im happy to answer any questions about my treatment programme, or if anyone has help advice to offer, I would love to hear it!

Stay strong everyone.. Tweet