Severe Anxiety

Hi there,

I have been suffering from pfs for nearly 3 years now. My T levels are 380 ng/dl and my tsh is 3.2.

I have already taken one year in 2015 to try and recover, as I cannot cope with any stress out , and am taking another year out now, unfortunately I have wasted three months: I tried to follow the protocol of herbs and diet for three months, but have ended up crashing with extreme anxiety. It seems anxiety is my biggest problem, and is the limiting factor for anything working. These three months have gone to waste essentially.

I am considering now going on an anti-anxiety drug, so I can make some progress. My anxiety is pretty severe that exercise, sleep and diet free from visible outside stress does not work; eating healthily does not have much of an effect because the anxiety just swamps all. I have just researched benzos, as somebody mentioned they are GABA agonists but I am a bit scared. I have also ruled out SSRI's as they seem to negatively impact pfs sufferers further.

Is there any drug that would be ok for a few months, perhaps one that might help with the GABA/allopregnanolone problems, so I can actually reap some benefits from the other stuff.

Thanks

Quote:

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Originally Posted by biowarrior

Hi there,

I have been suffering from pfs for nearly 3 years now. My T levels are 380 ng/dl and my tsh is 3.2.

I have already taken one year in 2015 to try and recover, as I cannot cope with any stress out , and am taking another year out now, unfortunately I have wasted three months: I tried to follow the protocol of herbs and diet for three months, but have ended up crashing with extreme anxiety. It seems anxiety is my biggest problem, and is the limiting factor for anything working. These three months have gone to waste essentially.

I am considering now going on an anti-anxiety drug, so I can make some progress. My anxiety is pretty severe that exercise, sleep and diet free from visible outside stress does not work; eating healthily does not have much of an effect because the anxiety just swamps all. I have just researched benzos, as somebody mentioned they are GABA agonists but I am a bit scared. I have also ruled out SSRI's as they seem to negatively impact pfs sufferers further.

Is there any drug that would be ok for a few months, perhaps one that might help with the GABA/allopregnanolone problems, so I can actually reap some benefits from the other stuff.

Thanks

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Short answer. No.

You have only followed the protocol 3 months. That is hardly enough time.

What herbs have you been taking?

The anxiety has been persistent for the 3 years, and I feel is causing me to have other mental problems and I fear doing serious long term damage. I thought the same about no drugs, 3 months ago, but now I am not so sure. After today's research I think I will not go for benzos, as they are too risky. I've seen people advocate it for pfs because of the gaba agonism, I may look into getting xanax reserved for acute cases.

I am taking Maca, Tribulus, Tongkat ali.

I also take Creatine, Ashwagandha, caffeine/theanine and a pre-made stack which mostly contains bacopa, vitamin D.

I eat sorghum grain and drink pomegranate juice

I am doing hill sprints and a home work out every other day, and going for a run as needed to try and abate the anxiety. I am having cold showers, and during the summer even sunned my testicles. Weirdly my skin is way more sensitive to sunlight now.

I know that exercise-sleep-diet alone cannot make me recover as I did that in my first year out for about 5 months to not much avail. I was healthier after about 2 months, and then plateaued. My eye problems, which are directly related to propecia, was at its most manageable, but as soon as i incurred real-life stress I was set right back in all departments. I had a very stressful year after that, hence this year out.


I am not sure of my plan now as I find researching new supplements a bit debilitating, as there are infinite supps and for every one people say the opposite —I am maybe thinking of doing a weeks research now, perhaps including thyroid/pregenelone/progesterone/5a dhp as my TSH has been above 3 ever since propecia. My T and Estrogen are very low—I am thinking maybe because I am anxious/stressed 24/7. After this week's research I think I will try and forget about it for 2 months. Any ideas would be welcome as I feel completely helpless and my parents do not acknowledge I have a condition.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by biowarrior

The anxiety has been persistent for the 3 years, and I feel is causing me to have other mental problems and I fear doing serious long term damage. I thought the same about no drugs, 3 months ago, but now I am not so sure. After today's research I think I will not go for benzos, as they are too risky. I've seen people advocate it for pfs because of the gaba agonism, I may look into getting xanax reserved for acute cases.

I am taking Maca, Tribulus, Tongkat ali.

I also take Creatine, Ashwagandha, caffeine/theanine and a pre-made stack which mostly contains bacopa, vitamin D.

I eat sorghum grain and drink pomegranate juice

I am doing hill sprints and a home work out every other day, and going for a run as needed to try and abate the anxiety. I am having cold showers, and during the summer even sunned my testicles. Weirdly my skin is way more sensitive to sunlight now.

I know that exercise-sleep-diet alone cannot make me recover as I did that in my first year out for about 5 months to not much avail. I was healthier after about 2 months, and then plateaued. My eye problems, which are directly related to propecia, was at its most manageable, but as soon as i incurred real-life stress I was set right back in all departments. I had a very stressful year after that, hence this year out.


I am not sure of my plan now as I find researching new supplements a bit debilitating, as there are infinite supps and for every one people say the opposite —I am maybe thinking of doing a weeks research now, perhaps including thyroid/pregenelone/progesterone/5a dhp as my TSH has been above 3 ever since propecia. My T and Estrogen are very low—I am thinking maybe because I am anxious/stressed 24/7. After this week's research I think I will try and forget about it for 2 months. Any ideas would be welcome as I feel completely helpless and my parents do not acknowledge I have a condition.

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So, to be fair, you weren't actually on the protocol for three months. The protocol is more than three or four herbs, and it also includes an extended fast at the beginning. Were you meditating, doing breathwork, and taking cold showers?

It takes about six months to really put you in a solid, consistently better place, and that means six months of actually doing the whole protocol. I've yet to see someone on here actually do the whole thing for six months and not make huge strides.

If you have to make drastic changes to your life to avoid stressors and stay dedicated to the regimen, do it.

Well I feel I was doing a lot of the protocol and that should count for something, I am taking cold showers; admittedly, I only managed a 3-day water fast (I do intend to do a 7-day fast later on, when I am more stable, I think I am too fragile with my anxiety now. I haven't managed breath-work or meditating. I will try and add some more herbs when I have time to research them, I saw Iodine on the TMO page, and am thinking of incorporating that for my low thyroid production. Maybe in conjunction with selenium before looking into total Thyroid supplementation.

Currently I am spending a week carrying out research, then I will commit again 6 weeks; meanwhile, taking my mind off my condition—I have some tests booked in, so I will be able to see if there is improvement to the T and TSH levels. I really don't want to go down the pharmaceutical route, Propecia is the only drug I've ever taken. I just feel it might allow me to execute the protocol, without anxiety worsening my mental symptoms, and causing more long-term damage. I am considering Tianeptine and buspirone short term which do not seem as invasive. I am eating so well, but the change of diet is swamped by the anxiety, and maybe I am over-exercising to try and function.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by biowarrior

Well I feel I was doing a lot of the protocol and that should count for something, I am taking cold showers; admittedly, I only managed a 3-day water fast (I do intend to do a 7-day fast later on, when I am more stable, I think I am too fragile with my anxiety now. I haven't managed breath-work or meditating. I will try and add some more herbs when I have time to research them, I saw Iodine on the TMO page, and am thinking of incorporating that for my low thyroid production. Maybe in conjunction with selenium before looking into total Thyroid supplementation.

Currently I am spending a week carrying out research, then I will commit again 6 weeks; meanwhile, taking my mind off my condition—I have some tests booked in, so I will be able to see if there is improvement to the T and TSH levels. I really don't want to go down the pharmaceutical route, Propecia is the only drug I've ever taken. I just feel it might allow me to execute the protocol, without anxiety worsening my mental symptoms, and causing more long-term damage. I am considering Tianeptine and buspirone short term which do not seem as invasive. I am eating so well, but the change of diet is swamped by the anxiety, and maybe I am over-exercising to try and function.

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Give the breathing exercises a go. They can be very helpful. One or two daily walks outside in nature is also an important part of my personal protocol. I think they really help with anxiety.

No one on here will recommend meds, and for good reason, but it's ultimately your choice.

Just take it slow man. You'll be fine.

Cheers for the support Durantia! It means a lot. I do try and take walks, and they do help a bit—although I probably should take more. As I don't really have any responsibilities, this year, just stressing about health, I am flexible. The breathing exercises I do find difficult as they kind of have the opposite reaction to me: make me more self-aware.

You are most probably right, and have convinced me to try and hold out for another week or so without meds. I think if I start seeing improvements in thyroid and T levels my anxiety would start to subside and meds do add another complication. I think I will try Aniracetam for anti-anxiety, as it might provide a nice filip (I did want to foray into mild nootropics if I managed to recover, but not before as, again, they will complicate everything). I may try and get a script for xanax just as insurance for the acute case to prevent the crashes, as they are just setting me back. Hopefully, xanax will never be used but can act as a mental safety to know I cannot spiral down indefinitely.


I am now going to research the other herbs, for the next 4 days, and health supplements to complement thyroid. I am also interested in experimenting with the prohormones down the road, as you and others seem to suggest they expedite the process. But I am thinking of waiting until December, to make that decision— If I really haven't made progress by February I think I may consider something more major like proper PCT to try and boost T, and as a last resort TRT.

Check out lavender oil capsules. I have taken benzos for years and honestly find lavender oil capsules to be just as, if not more effective. At the very least it would probably be a good tool to help with meditation.

Check out the science on it, A multi-center, double-blind, randomised study of the Lavender oil preparation Silexan in comparison to Lorazepam for generalized anxiety disorder. - PubMed - NCBI

Before you start taking hormones have you checked your potassium levels on a hair test and Magnesium RBC?

I had crippling anxiety as well.. Things like Vitamin D seemed to be driving these minerals lower and making my anxiety even worse. Maca was also horrible for me.

Most of my issues were solved from mineral balancing with help from Gbolduev over the years. The rest I'm trying to solve with this protocol.

Aside from making sure you follow the outlined protocol, you're leaving out the one thing that will directly quell your anxiety, which is the meditation and breathing exercises.

I can assure you that if you're doing everything that is recommended, which you weren't, the results speak for themselves. One of my biggest pet peeves in regards to the healing regimen is when people say that they were doing the protocol for "x" amount of time and it didn't work. 99.99% of the time they WEREN'T doing the protocol. It drives me nuts.

High dose Gotu Kola will squash your anxiety big time, as well as bacopa. You should also try this Albizia Powder (100 grams) - Lost Empire Herbs

And don't "try" to go for walks. Go for walks. Don't "try" anything on this regimen. You have to DO the regimen.

The program works only if you work it. Bottom line.

when I first crashed I used phosphatidylserine... thinking of getting another bottle, what u guys think? I know it lower cortisol quite well and I had sky high cortisol first month of crashing

https://nootriment.com/phosphatidylserine-cortisol/

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Originally Posted by jacknap

when I first crashed I used phosphatidylserine... thinking of getting another bottle, what u guys think? I know it lower cortisol quite well and I had sky high cortisol first month of crashing

https://nootriment.com/phosphatidylserine-cortisol/

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Did you ever try the phosphatidylserine? If so, how did it work?

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Originally Posted by Jado

Did you ever try the phosphatidylserine? If so, how did it work?

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I barely noticed a difference with it. L-theanine and ashwagandha heped (ashwa cycled though. I'm starting to think that PFS is essentially adrenal fatigue crash so basically anything to get your body in parasympathetic state will help.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jacknap

I barely noticed a difference with it. L-theanine and ashwagandha heped (ashwa cycled though. I'm starting to think that PFS is essentially adrenal fatigue crash so basically anything to get your body in parasympathetic state will help.

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Right on, thanks for the reply. I've been cycling ashwagandha and love it. Adrenal fatigue definitely makes a ton of sense, and I tend to agree with you on that. I'll look into L-theanine. Whatever it takes to push passed this.. So ready to be passed this nonsense. Thanks again, man.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jado

Right on, thanks for the reply. I've been cycling ashwagandha and love it. Adrenal fatigue definitely makes a ton of sense, and I tend to agree with you on that. I'll look into L-theanine. Whatever it takes to push passed this.. So ready to be passed this nonsense. Thanks again, man.

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Adrenal fatigue is just a symptom of PFS. A horrible one at that. That being said, there could be much, much worse persistent sides.