I share this in hopes that it helps others; and if anyone has suggestions for me based on my story, feedback is certainly welcome!
Quick Summary of my Story:
Excessive Tiredness / Brainfog <First Symptoms and lasted a long time before other symptoms developed (Approx Age 21)
Tinnitus, Weak Cough & Frequent Nose Bleeds (Nose Bleeds seemed to stop after taking Iron) (Approx Age 23)
then BOOM; Anxiety-Racing Thoughts-(Social Anxiety) (started 1 day, and has lasted sense) (Approx Age 24)
Thoughts only got more intrusive, and seem to try to find thoughts that I am vulnerable to...
Like the T-Rex in Jurassic Park, that tests the fence, that how my thoughts were/are.
They would race to different things, until one resonated with me, and made me fearful sometime would happen or I would do something embarrassing.
With this extreme anxiety, I would also develop deep Beau''s lines in fingernails
This lead me to Dr. (About a month after anxiety kicked in... Still Age 24)
Got Escitalopram
Symptoms dropped as I increased dosage, from 10mg to 20mg to 30mg
Still would be tired a lot, get home from work and crash.
But Anxiety would be approx 90 percent reduced, and brain fog vastly improved if not eliminated.
I was on this for 2+ years, then learned more about l-tryptophan and diet.
I always noticed that when I ate, I often felt worse... If I fasted for a while, that is when I normally felt the best.
I went to a endo, and they said I was fine; Did diabetes type tests, came back fine.
After being on Escitalopram for 2+ years, I dropped off fast (probably too fast), and implemented diet changes. (Approx Age 27)
I was taking large doses of Tryptophan (up to 8g a day), and was taking DLPA and occasional L-Tyrosine.
I was doing this in conjunction with a keto diet. No, to very low carbs.
Doing this I was able to stay off escitalopram, and I felt good.
I tried to go off escitalopram in the past, but couldn't; Now, with these changes, I could.
After about 3 months off, I started noticing the feeling of anxiety slowly come back.. but very slowly.
After about 6 months, I started getting more anxious again. It might of me getting lazy on taking these supplements, or me
occasionally go off my keto diet.
Now, after a year, I feel like I need to go back on escitalopram. If I go off keto, my anxiety get super worse. (Age 28)
If I stop l-tryptophan, i feel the anxiety slowly heighten.
Right now (year off ssri), Anxiety(a fixation on embarrassing outcomes), weak cough, & sensitivity to loud noises the symptoms I have right now.
Not excessively tired, and brainfog is still not really a issue...
Might go back on ssri and see how long it takes to build up my serotonin levels again; to relieve the symptoms that are returning.
Anyone have thoughts? Anyone have any idea on why a low carb diet would help?