Lion's Mane mushrooms/fungi.

[Gandalf2]

After some research I decided to take the plunge and give these mushroom capsules a try. So far it's my first week and after taking one 300mg capsule on three consecutive days; my wife and I noticed an improvement in memory and general mental wellbeing. Less anxiety, more competent decision making and better mood generally.

I then stopped taking them to see if there was any change back to my previous state. So far I'm still improved after a week with no capsules.

I'm 75, in my fifth year of recovery and take the usual anti-seizure, immune suppressants and antidepressants. Plus morphine and paracetamol for pain relief due to several fractured vertebrae.

In future I may just take one a week as necessary and maybe none at all if the improvements seem long-term.

They come in capsule form and also contain ginseng and vitamin D and B12.

Generally considered harmless but may interact with your meds. Worth a try.

Best Wishes, G2

[Wygella]

I’ve heard about these. Plus B12 and vitamin D are crucial as we age (I’m 74). Let me know how you get on with one a week please. Thanks.

[Gandalf2 in reply to Wygella]

Hi Wygella, thank you for your reply. It's nice to hear from you. I should have pointed out that I started on the Lion's Mane at the end of a course of antibiotics and my improved mood etc. may be down to that course being a success. As it is I'm still doing OK on one capsule every couple of days. Mood changes and mental ability are very subjective and I'm no neurologist or psychologist. So effects are hard to evaluate.

As may be typical of any Enc. sufferer, I am willing to give anything a try but the Lion's Mane may be helping and they are supposed to work on brain issues. I wonder how they react with my other meds - immune suppressants, anti-seizure tablets and steroids; plus my pain relief, thyroid medication, anti-depressants and PTSD anxiety medications. It's a long list and there may be many possibilites.

I'm 75 now so don't know when things may grind to a halt. It's funny going around graveyards and seeing plots of people much younger than me. Perhaps Enc. is the secret to immortality!

I have 160 capsules to go and even if they just work as a placebo it will be worth a try. I still exercise physically and mentally, have a good diet and plenty of rest and sleep. We played patience last night and I was getting slightly confused between colours and numbers, plus the rankings. But I was tired.

This afternoon I slept for nearly two hours and my wife kindly made me some tea and biscuits. She and the ambulance service and the hospitals have kept me alive. So I'm very lucky to have made it this far. I'm in a sailing club and have a small dinghy, which I hope to get on the water, after about a seven year absence. I wonder how much I will remember .....

My energy levels are a bit unpredicatable, but they are greatly improved from six years ago when I could barely walk to the end of the road. We recently went for a walk on Ilkley Moor, at the quieter part. (It's called Nab End). I ran out of steam after a while and had to lie down on the grass. Quiet windy and a bit exposed, the others returned after an hour and I was glad to get moving. I should have picked a more sheltered spot and carried a bivi bag.

All's well that ends well and we were soon in the car, getting warm and then home to tea and biscuits. Hurray for the Great Outdoors!

Best Wishes G2

[Wygella in reply to Gandalf2]

I honestly think you do so well to keep walking and active like you do. I reckon sailing will be memory muscle so it would be good to find out. I know I’m very very lucky to still be here. Having an A & E less than 10 mins away made the difference! So yes I do have a grumble at times and I’ve been through a hard 18 months looking after my much older sister till she passed away Christmas Eve and I’m struggling with the stress after that but I try and appreciate the outdoors, especially with the lovely spring flowers and the long daffodil runs we have here. I need to get my fitness up after not doing much positive activity over this past 18 months. Oh and I still try and twist the biscuit barrel lid the wrong way. I forgot how to write a cheque this morning. My husband had to tell me. But like you I know how far I’ve come but still willing to try something different for brain and energy. Thanks. I’ll let you know how I get on. Take care

[Gandalf2 in reply to Wygella]

I can walk around the local area as it's quiet and safe. The Dales are not far away but can be busy. We can map read, so are able to plan our own routes and stay away from the named ones. If the house building plans go through we may have seen the last of the countryside. The new houses look awful, like a child's drawing and very small with no gardens.

I believe there is no death and we all move into the spirit world. Which part of the spirit world depends on how we lived our lives. Flowers are from there. I lived in a haunted house once and that could get very scary. Was visited by a brooding evil whirlwind one evening. It went away after a few hours.

Lion's Mane - so far seems to work on one a day.

We were driving back from Filey at the weekend and had two near misses with oncoming speeding cars. I felt a bit restored to my old self today, less anxious. Perhaps it was the near misses on the road. I wonder if they reverse my anxiety and PTSD, or was it the mushrooms? We'll see.