12 replies to this topic

[seti]

Firstly, it seems like many of you on this board are so smart that you do not need any nootropics, or you all are smart because of the nootropics. I bet maybe it is both. :-)
I am done rambling. Anyhow, I currently take the antidepressants cymbalta(60mg) and wellbutrin(300mg xl). Would there be a problem (interaction) with adding bacopa and alpha gpc to help my pathetic memory? Any info or ideas would be appreciated. I am going to ask my doctor when I see him, but any speculations or guesses would be interesting. Thanks for any help ^^.


seti

[LifeMirage]

Firstly, it seems like many of you on this board are so smart that you do not need any nootropics, or you all are smart because of the nootropics. I bet maybe it is both. :-)
I am done rambling. Anyhow, I currently take the antidepressants cymbalta(60mg) and wellbutrin(300mg xl). Would there be a problem (interaction) with adding bacopa and alpha gpc to help my pathetic memory? Any info or ideas would be appreciated. I am going to ask my doctor when I see him, but any speculations or guesses would be interesting. Thanks for any help ^^.

Depression & Antidepressants can be a factor in impaired memory. While bacopa can be helpful alpha-gpc or cdp-choline would be a better choice. You won't have any serious side effects, but at the worse a little nausea which will not lasts very long.

How old are you? Give me an example of your memory problems.

[seti]

Depression & Antidepressants can be a factor in impaired memory. While bacopa can be helpful alpha-gpc or cdp-choline would be a better choice. You won't have any serious side effects, but at the worse a little nausea which will not lasts very long.

How old are you? Give me an example of your memory problems.

Thanks for your response LifeMirage. I am a 35 year old female with a history of depression. I seem to have short term memory problems, but what do I know. Example being that I will grab a soda and place it down. I will go a do some laundry, and by the time I am done have forgotten the original soda and get a new one. Where are my keys anyway hehe. In addition my word retrieval and fluency use to be so much better, as it was probably one of my strongest intellectual abilities. I have always been unorganized and scatter-brained, but it is much worse now that I am older. I am not sure if I am not paying attention enough, or if there is a problem with my memory. I have never been the sharpest tool in the tool shed, but I would like to keep what I have lol. I have also always have had a problem with orientation. I assume this is spatial memory? I wonder if this is just a "female" issue lol. My husband is much better with navigation. I have tried the alpha gpc for about a week and find it to help a bit, and to give me either more energy or more motivation. I am not sure which of the two. I have also tried phosphatidylserine for a few days and find that it makes me a bit sleepy. Is this normal? What is your opinion on phosphatidylserine in general. Any info is appreciated and thanks. Any futher suggestions on nootropics or supplements that may be helpful would also be cool.



seti [lol]

[LifeMirage]

Thanks for your response LifeMirage. I am a 35 year old female with a history of depression. I seem to have short term memory problems, but what do I know. Example being that I will grab a soda and place it down. I will go a do some laundry, and by the time I am done have forgotten the original soda and get a new one. Where are my keys anyway hehe. In addition my word retrieval and fluency use to be so much better, as it was probably one of my strongest intellectual abilities. I have always been unorganized and scatter-brained, but it is much worse now that I am older. I am not sure if I am not paying attention enough, or if there is a problem with my memory. I have never been the sharpest tool in the tool shed, but I would like to keep what I have lol. I have also always have had a problem with orientation. I assume this is spatial memory? I wonder if this is just a "female" issue lol. My husband is much better with navigation. I have tried the alpha gpc for about a week and find it to help a bit, and to give me either more energy or more motivation. I am not sure which of the two. I have also tried phosphatidylserine for a few days and find that it makes me a bit sleepy. Is this normal? What is your opinion on phosphatidylserine in general. Any info is appreciated and thanks. Any futher suggestions on nootropics or supplements that may be helpful would also be cool.

1. PhosphatidylSerine while may be a helpful brain nutrient really won't help you too much and can make some sleepy via its lower effects on cortisol, so drop it.
2. Memory decline can be caused by a drop in estrogen levels, but I think your depression may be a bigger factor at this time.
3. Huperzine A is a faster acting and generally more potent memory enhancer if you feel the GPC is not effective enough. I would recommend 6 50 mcg caps for 1-2 days then drop down to 4 caps for 2 weeks then maintain it with 2 caps.
4. As far as your word retrieval & fluency Piracetam can be quite effective. Start with 1,600 mg taken every hour for 6-8 hours for the first 2 days you should see some effect by then. Afterwards 1,600 mg taken 3 times a day.
5. I also would recommend taken 2 Grams of EPA a day.

[chelovd]

Pardon me for impetuously inserting a comment here after reading your point no. 4, LifeMirage. I've always correlated a natural and easy retrieval and fluency of words while taking Piracetam. I even finished a six-month course in a foreign language (actually English is not my first language either) maintaining basic conversations. I highly recommend Piracetam for this purpose. I know there are many smart people who cannot easily convey their thoughts into words, this might help.

[ejdavis1]

You are taking a full adult dose of two fairly stimulating substances, both of which can interact unfavorably with some supplements.

Wellbutrin in particular takes a long time to get out of your system with all of its active byproducts, so reactions with extended release wellbutrin might be particularly unpleasant or serious.

Rather than injecting my own experience and opinion I feel more comfortable in suggesting you check with your doctor before mixing any supplements with your prescription drugs.

Edited by ejdavis1, 09 April 2005 - 08:13 PM.

[seti]

I appreciate all the information :-) I always talk to my pd doc before I add or subtract anything concerning what I take. On that note, is Piracetam a drug that is available in the U.S., and for what is it used normally? I see a lot of pd docs hand out scripts for mind numbing and addictive benzos, "dumb drugs" such as the antidepressant imimpramine etc... but I never hear much about possible mood lifting and memory boosting substances. I guess it is all in the hands of the FDA.


Seti ^^

[vortexentity]

If the goal of your health professional in the administration of this course of cymbalta and wellbutrin is to effect a change in your mood elevating neuro-transmitters you might be better off looking to somone that is not simply pushing scripts to people without really caring for the long term well being of the individual.

No one would prescribe these for long term unless they simply do not care about your long term health. No one is depressed because their body needs cymbalta or wellbutrin.

Your body is in need of some balance and this is caused by some factor that is causing the imbalance. To treat your symptoms without finding this cause will give you short term relief but will not make you whole, balanced or well. It only treats the symptoms.

Find a holistic Dr that will treat you as a person not as a patient they can make a buck off of for an office visit and just dole out a script to give you temporary relief.

I would refer you to http://www.antipsychiatry.org/

and also important to read is http://home.doramail...tlouie/sea.html
for starters

[seti]

Thanks! The more interesting articles to read the better :-)

[ozone]

Firstly, it seems like many of you on this board are so smart that you do not need any nootropics, or you all are smart because of the nootropics.  I bet maybe it is both.  :-)
I am done rambling.  Anyhow, I currently take the antidepressants cymbalta(60mg) and wellbutrin(300mg xl).  Would there be a problem (interaction) with adding bacopa and alpha gpc to help my pathetic memory?  Any info or ideas would be appreciated.  I am going to ask my doctor when I see him, but any speculations or guesses would be interesting.  Thanks for any help ^^.


seti 

You probably already know this, but the key to memory is (1) eating right, and (2) exercising. If your memory still stucks after that then you are either dumb, or need nootropics. [lol]

Hehe, just kidding on the dumb part. But seriously, eating the right foods and getting enough exercise is vital to not only brain functioning, but overall body functioning. Try it before you try drugs. And here is what I eat for breakfast. Try it and you'll be amazed at how clear you can think for about 4hrs from it.

6 scrambled egg whites + 2 egg yolks (omega-3 enhanced vegitarian fed hens b/c hens that eat their poop probably aren't good for your brain)
4 baby carrots
2 celery stalks
3 strawberries
1 handful of raw spinach
1 small amount of broccli
1 small amount of colliflower
1 wheat natural bagel
1 glass of skim milk

Some other misc stuff. If you decide to get some omega-3 caps (which is the SAFEST thing since it's just a fat and won't hurt you and is proven to increase your brain functioning) snag a bottle of THESE. Lifemirage recommended only EPA, and I believe he did that based on a info on AOR's (a reputable drug supplier's) website. But I disagree that EPA alone is needed; in my opinion, a proper ratio of both EPA and DHA are necessary. Lifemirage, the study that AOR has on the website only reviews the effects of taking either EPA or DHA, and compares the result. They failed to show a study reviewing the combination of the two which is required before saying DHA is "bad." I mentioned this to AORSupport but he never replied back. So Lifemirage, if you personally have any info regarding your thoughts on this I'd appreciate it. But anyway, if I'm right about the combo of EPA+DHA, then you can't go wrong with that link I provided.

@Lifemirage
You mentioned that PS can lower cortisol. I was reading that CDP-Choline converts in the brain to PS (or is somehow related to PS). Does it too have this effect?

Edited by ozone, 10 April 2005 - 10:28 PM.

[seti]

I exercise (aerobics classes and jogging) and my diet is okay, although I am not obsessive about it like some people. What you said about being dumb, which I probably am, brings up a good point. What exactly would be the problem with drugs being designed for the average of intellingence or the learning disabled people in our society. It seems logical that one would seek help for an issue where there is a defecit, as apposed to improving an already outstanding characteristic, unless there is some sort of ego boost needed. Just kidding!

Edited by seti, 11 April 2005 - 05:28 AM.

[jegrx]

I was just put on wellbutrin, as well.

Are there any specific nootropics/supps to steer clear of while taking this? I'm already taking a basic nootropic regimin.

[th3hegem0n]

Thus are the disadvantages of a mind in disorder.

What are the advantages?