New psych appointment went well
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| Sat, 06-24-2006 - 12:38am |
Mike really worked hard to hold it together. I like this new lady. I wrote her a little letter explaining how anxious Mike can get and that I would appreciate if we could go easy on him and she was AWESOME. She offered for me to call anytime with questions or concerns we couldn't discuss today. I maybe will on Monday.
She is also my kind of gal. She pushed NO meds. She told me about some supplements she wanted to try with Mike to address the same types of issues that meds would and why some of the meds didn't work for him. She gave me some research to do too and we go back in 3 weeks.
Basically we start him on 5HTP and GABA, add back in the digestive enzymes and acidopholus (I was going back to baseline). Then I am to research amino acid therapy.
Amino acids I guess affect the seratonin levels and help boost them. This is what many of your meds like luvox do. Luvox worked for Mike for a while then stopped, then backfired. I had heard so often that this happens sometimes. She was able to tell me that (I may be a bit confused here but this was my understanding) that eventually either the brain becomes adjusted and teh med doesn't affect the seratonin anymore or it goes to the other extreme and too much seratonin and somehow surpresses the dopamine or the dopamine is already surpressed. Plus he needs an increase in the GABA in the brain (another neurotransmitter). The amino acid therapy she is recomending would require urinalysis, etc. And they adjust the acids so that you get the right balance of seratonin, dopamine and GABA (I think, have more research to do).
She also recomended neurofeedback in the future after we do the other stuff and possibly even flirted with the idea of cheleation. Don't know if I am ready to go there yet. I did buy the 5HTP, the GABA and started that again. I may see in the future if she will take Cait and Dave too and regulate what they need.
It is so nice to have an idea and a plan and not do this on my own research. A psychiatrist that understands medicine AND natural alternatives.
BTW, she said she started to get interested in natural alternatives because of kids like Mike that just did not respond to meds or when meds backfired.
Renee


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Renee, Wow! She sounds super! Just what Mike needs. I have heard a little about GABA and 5HTP. Let us know how it goes. I am happy for you both and that she seems so in sync with both you and Mike.
Wish I could find a more natural,homeopathic-oriented pediatrician or psychologist here. I think you have a great find.
Katherine
Renee, I'm so jealous! Seriously, she sounds wonderful. Can you tell me a little more about the 5-HTP Gaba combo? As you know Hannah is taking 5-HTP. She now just taking 33mg in the am. When I was giving her a higher dose she started getting nightmares. Look out for that as a side effect. Ok, got a little side tracked, the combo...I thought 5-HTP and Gaba were kind of antagonistic. 5-HTP works on seratonin and Gaba works on the other one, can't think of it right now. Do you know anything about that. I'd have to look it up again. Anyway I thought you should take on or the other but not both. Did I get that wrong?
I wanted to do the nuerotransmitter testing with dd too. I'm hoping this new DAN she sees on wed. can help us with this stuff.
Ok, really didn't have time to write this post the way I wanted. Got to run. Talk to you more later.
Samantha
Well, my undertanding from what I have read is that that both seratonin and GABA (the actual neurotransmitter that GABA affects) can be depleted in kids with neurological differences. giving GABA is kind of like giving melatonin in that you are trying to help replace what isn't there or used affectively but should be there naturally. That is my understanding anyway.
5HTP and other amino acids help promote the brain in building it's own neurotransmitters. I may have this completely wrong. But 5HTP works on the seratonin.
Mike did well on Luvox (an SSRI) for a while, then it stopped working, then it had an opposite affect and made him worse. I guess this can happen and isn't uncommon with some kids. The psychiatrist was telling me and I read in some of the stuff she gave me that perscription meds affect how the seratonin and neurotransmitter that are already there get redirected in the brain. But it doesn't rebuild them. So if a person is really depleted or depleted in another area of neurotransmitters they get further depleted with perscription meds as they move them around and then the person can get worse as the neurotranmitters continue to get more depleted. This makes sense with what happened with Mike.
Like I said though, I have done little research in the area of amino acids and neuro transmitters. I am only going off what one psychiatrist said and the information she gave me. It makes sense but as you know, sometimes anyone can make anything sounds like it makes sense.
I will say I do think I am seeing a difference with the 5HTP and GABA so far. I am not sure as it could be just wishful seeing. It is always hard to tell but he seems more flexible and willing to try new things, at least a little.
The website for the info she gave me was www.neuroassist.com
Renee
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