Does anyone else feel like they're in fig... - Cure Parkinson's

Cure Parkinson's

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Does anyone else feel like they're in fight or flight mode all the time ?

bassofspades profile image
69 Replies

Wondering if this is pd related or am I just nuts!

Aaaaand is there a remedy that doesn't have side effects?

Thanks my good friends!

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bassofspades
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69 Replies
jimcaster profile image
jimcaster

Oddly enough, I think PD has reduced my fight or flight response. Maybe it helps me understand that everything which used to set me off just wasn't that big of a deal.

As for a remedy, I recommend a pint or two of your favorite lager. 😊

ParlePark profile image
ParlePark in reply to jimcaster

I’m with ya Jim.

LAJ12345 profile image
LAJ12345

I think that is the definition of PD actually!

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to LAJ12345

Thanks just making sure

rescuema profile image
rescuema

I would look into adaptogens such as tulsi tea, rhodiola, astragalus, ashwagandha, etc. to calm sympathetic nervous system.

rebtar profile image
rebtar

Deep slow breathing. Put your hand on your abdomen and make sure you're breathing into your belly, not your chest. Make the exhale slightly longer than the inhale. At onje point I found a little machine called "Resperate" very useful, it teaches you to slow your breathing.

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to rebtar

I do the breathing when i go to sleep at night , i always fall asleep

Manajanabo2001 profile image
Manajanabo2001

That also happens to me, I imagine the central nervous system is damaged

aspergerian13 profile image
aspergerian13

My life is lived in fight or flight mode. My peripheral norepinephrine is very elevated. Dysautonomia has many aspects. I manifest many.

bookish profile image
bookish

I use magnesium, deep breathing, EFT/tapping and vagus nerve exercises. Try some loud singing !

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to bookish

Eft tapping seems like a big placebo to me. Do you really have good results from it? I need more education on the subject

bookish profile image
bookish in reply to bassofspades

Hi. It is hard to say for definite, because I have changed so many things, so this is only very subjective, but yes is the simple answer. I've only used Jessica and Nick Ortner so no knowledge of anyone else. I use the tapping points whilst listening to music that kind of fits and that I love or have good associations with. Stranglers Golden Brown is my regular choice because I love the time signature, have always loved the track, have no bad associations with it (it pre-dates my ex-husband (!) - I actually associate it with a happy earlier relationship) and it always makes me smile. So now whenever I hear it, I tap, and it gives me a lift and a calmness and centres me again in some way. Sometimes I hum it to myself, sometimes play it when I need to calm down - but it always works. Pavlovian maybe....but I've always liked Pavlov's Dog!! There are other tracks that work for me too. When I'm standing in my mask in Asda getting stressed, I just do the tapping (even just the karate point) and it seems to help, makes me think about my breathing, remember that this is just a temporary stress/anxiety/terror and the whole feeling goes down a notch. I have done some of the tap along statement stuff online and it can be surprisingly powerful - sometimes bawl my eyes out - but it feels as if things shift a little and you take a different perspective. I probably sound like a crank and have explained that really badly, but although I'm sure it doesn't work for everyone and maybe it isn't the right time now but might suit you later, I wouldn't dismiss it completely. Best wishes

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to bookish

I have trouble rhythmically tapping due to the pd itself!

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to bookish

But i have indeed tried it , just wish i had more control of my hands

bookish profile image
bookish in reply to bassofspades

I see your point. There is no need to use music, I just find it a handy calmer. You can tap just a few times or 100 on each point, don't need to use all the points and can use either side of the body. Maybe just start off using the collar bone or under arm, or wherever is most do-able for you, and see how it goes. Nothing to stop you emailing the Ortners to see if they have any suggestions thetappingsolution.com/blog/. Good luck.

ElliotGreen profile image
ElliotGreen

I would personally think two or three things could possibly be happening here.

1) According to the framework and understanding of Dr. Janice Walton-Hadlock, Parkinson's disease develops when people get stuck in a special near-death mode of the autonomic nervous system which is different from the familiar parasympathetic (calm) or sympathetic (fight/flight) modes. The Chinese called this mode "Clinging to life". This emergency trauma response is less of a fight/flight activation, and more of a "freeze" response. It could be called Shutdown, or Janice Walton-Hadlock calls it Pause.

Normally, Pause is a temporary mode, and involves a freezing rigidity in some muscles. The body curls into fetal position.

However, there is an adrenaline override. (If you can imagine that you have been injured, and are in a protective "freeze" mode, but there is an urgent situation, such as your children being threatened, you can override the freeze-response with adrenaline.)

According to Janice Walton-Hadlock, people with Parkinson's disease are stuck in some form of Pause for years, but they override it with adrenaline. Everything they do in their life, every action they take, is with adrenaline. They use a sense of urgency to brush their teeth. Eventually, the adrenaline response lessens, and the stereotypical Parkinson's disease symptoms emerge.

2) An alternative, more prosaic possibility is the side effect of medications. Agitation is a known side effect of levodopa for some people. I certainly know that when I have taken levodopa, it has made me feel agitated.

3) There may be a simpler relationship between Parkinson's disease and anxiety. "Up to 40% of patients with Parkinson's disease experience clinically significant anxiety." It can be related to the disease itself (perhaps neurologically) , to medications being taken (as #2 above), or due to the stresses coming from the illness. Or it could be a combination. See the below links and do a web search.

pmj.bmj.com/content/77/904/...

parkinsons.org.uk/informati...

As for effective remedies, there are many. I would suggest meditation, qigong, cognitive behavioral therapy, dance therapy, getting out into nature, connecting with people, and engaging in spiritual practices that suit you.

in reply to ElliotGreen

I'm surprised you would consider JWH, and I mean that as a compliment. Her website is full of claims that most if not all PWP would consider extraordinary. What I copy below isn't even the wildest stuff on there.

I would be VERY interested to hear from even a single individual that has "recovered" to the point of appearing "perfectly healthy" after being dx with PD based on the modern criteria (i.e including a datscan).

"Parkinson’s disease is currently defined as incurable. Anyone who recovers from Parkinson’s is considered by the medical establishment to have been misdiagnosed.

Ignoring this issue, our best evidence is that we have worked with Parkinson’s patients whose symptoms are now completely, lastingly gone.

More importantly, patients who we have never met have recovered from Parkinson’s by using the material provided on this website. They have contacted us via email to let us know that they have recovered from Parkinson’s.

Although many people, understandably, wish to meet with patients who have recovered in order to get “proof,” we do not give out names of patients. Besides, there is nothing remarkable to see in a person who recovers from Parkinson’s disease. A recovered Parkinson’s patient appears perfectly healthy, as if he never had Parkinson’s disease."

ElliotGreen profile image
ElliotGreen in reply to

There are some of us to take her work rather seriously. Other people on this site dismiss her work out of hand. Others still get discouraged when they learn that JWH strongly recommends against following her Parkinson's recovery protocol if you have been on levodopa therapy (or, I think, dopamine agonist therapy?) for more than three weeks.

I personally believe she is on to something. Her detailed knowledge of Parkinson's disease is persuasive. I'll send you a link to someone else who's been through similar thinking process.

There's been a number of reports in various locations about people who have recovered from Parkinson's disease. There is Bianca Mollé. There's an academic article about possible PD remission based on meditation. There are others.

In terms of people who purport to have recovered following JWH's method, there is Emmy at gezond-met-parkinson.nl. The website is in Dutch, but Google can translate it. She said her neurologist agreed that she is symptom-free now. They were going to do scans this spring, but Covid got in the way.

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to ElliotGreen

Elliot my good friend, i am very familiar with stuck on pause, the theory is very logical, however I was unable to unstick myself after much, much effort.

Hi Bass,

I’m taking high dose vitamin C (5g to 6g daily).

“The researchers believe that vitamin C should be considered an essential part of stress management.

Earlier studies showed that vitamin C abolished secretion of cortisol in animals that had been subjected to repeated stress. Cortisol is a hormone released by the adrenal glands in response to stress. Once it gets into the bloodstream, it is responsible for relaying the news of stress to all parts of the body and mind.”

google.com/amp/s/www.psycho...

ElliotGreen profile image
ElliotGreen in reply to

Thanks, great article. I'm curious about your decisions regarding dosage. How did you come to choose 5000+ milligrams a day as compared to say 1000 milligrams?

I'm not being judgmental, I'm just curious. I currently take 1000 mg.

in reply to ElliotGreen

Hi Elliot, Great question. I read somewhere if you want to go high dose then take as much as you can until you have watery stools for detox purposes. I didn't want to go to that upper limit so I stopped short of that at 5g or 6g Vitamin C. If people are suffering from constipation this is an incredible collateral benefit of Vitamin C in higher doses. Anyway, sorry for the gross detail as why I selected this dose. As an aside, I also take zinc along with Vitamin C. I read two case studies of patients (both alcoholics) being admitted to hospital with tremors. They were given zinc and Vitamin C via IV and within 24 hours the tremors completely resolved. I am hoping that oral dosing will eventually lead to some decline of elimination of my tremors.

rescuema profile image
rescuema in reply to

Caution is warranted with long-tern high dose vitamin C, which will deplete copper needed to activate B vitamins, may increase risk of cataracts, oxalate/kidney issues, etc.

in reply to rescuema

Thank you Rescuema. Should I take a break every few weeks? Maybe two weeks on, then a week off?

rescuema profile image
rescuema in reply to

Yes definitely take breaks with any supplement, especially when taking higher amounts than normally recommended. You don't want to be dealing with iron overload either that could occur with high vitamin C, which could eventually affect CNS. I endeavor to find moderation in everything, and try to attain nutrients through natural foods as much as possible.

bookish profile image
bookish in reply to

As rescuema says, be aware of your copper. Copper deficiency can cause neurological symptoms that can be confused with B12D (you can have both of course), and zinc can push copper down too, so best make sure that isn't too high for too long. Cheers

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to bookish

Thanks,i will look into this !

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to

Thanks Shaken, my dear friend , around the time i first started showing symptoms, i was routinely taken 20,000 mg vitamin c per day in divided doses, for back pain as advised by doctoryourself.com dr Andrew Saul. This was based on research by Nobel prize winner Linus Pauling. Long story short , it didn't work for the pain or anxiety, for me .

beehive23 profile image
beehive23

absolutely ....getting stuck in the fight or flight loop from trauma or ptsd not only has been shown to possibly cause pd and definately makes it worse. i have major ptsd and great difficulty pulling out of it as i lived in an extremely high stress situation for several years........there is some data thsatt these thoughts/feelings get stuck in a "striatal loop", replaying over and over.........it is a loop in the sympathetic nervous system which breaks down/malfunctions over time with pd. . (use google machine).

Frontostriatal circuits are neural pathways that connect frontal lobe regions with the basal ganglia ( striatum) that mediate motor, cognitive, and behavioural functions within the brain. They receive inputs from dopaminergic, serotonergic, noradrenergic, and cholinergic cell groups that modulate information processing.

Seo, Moonsang; Lee, Eunjeong; Averbeck, Bruno B. (7 June 2012). "Action Selection and Action Value in Frontal-Striatal Circuits". Neuron. 74 (5): 947–960. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2012.03.037. PMC 3372873. PMID 22681697.

Schonberg, T.; Daw, N. D.; Joel, D.; O'Doherty, J. P. (21 November 2007). "Reinforcement Learning Signals in the Human Striatum Distinguish Learners from Nonlearners during Reward-Based Decision Making". Journal of Neuroscience. 27 (47): 12860–12867. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.2496-07.2007. PMID 18032658.

Guimarães, Henrique Cerqueira; Levy, Richard; Teixeira, Antônio Lúcio; Beato, Rogério Gomes; Caramelli, Paulo (June 2008). "Neurobiology of apathy in Alzheimer's disease". Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria. 66 (2b): 436–443. doi:10.1590/S0004-282X2008000300035.

outthinkingparkinsons.com/a...

May 08, 2017 · In this sequel, I show that there is also a direct correspondence between the severities of fight-flight-freeze stress response and PD symptom progression, by comparing how the body behaves in short term acutely applied, but increasingly heightened, stressful situations to the onset and subsequent evolution of the symptoms of PD over time.

The ANS includes the sympathetic autonomic nervous system (SANS) and the parasympathetic autonomic nervous system (PANS). Most organs have nerves from both the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

The SANS usually stimulates organs. For example, it increases heart rate and blood pressure when necessary. The PANS usually slows down bodily processes. For example, it reduces heart rate and blood pressure. However, the PANS stimulates digestion and the urinary system, and the SANS slows them down.

The main responsibility of the SANS is to trigger emergency responses when necessary. These fight-or-flight responses get you ready to respond to stressful situations. The PANS conserves your energy and restores tissues for ordinary functions.

What is autonomic dysfunction?

Autonomic dysfunction develops when the nerves of the ANS are damaged. This condition is called autonomic neuropathy or dysautonomia. Autonomic dysfunction can range from mild to life-threatening. It can affect part of the ANS or the entire ANS. Sometimes the conditions that cause problems are temporary and reversible. Others are chronic, or long term, and may continue to worsen over time.

Diabetes and Parkinson’s disease are two examples of chronic conditions that can lead to autonomic dysfunction.

healthline.com/health/auton...

Hang Tough

Cheers!

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to beehive23

I wonder if electro shock therapy would snap us out of it ??

beehive23 profile image
beehive23 in reply to bassofspades

tried it................

rescuema profile image
rescuema in reply to beehive23

wow, what prompted you?

beehive23 profile image
beehive23 in reply to rescuema

i needed to forget......5 near death episodes within 1 year. im still doing it.

beehive23 profile image
beehive23 in reply to bassofspades

neuroplasticity seems promising.....use google machine....cheers

MarionP profile image
MarionP

Are you on any medication?

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to MarionP

Yes. Trihexyphenedil helps a little. I only take 2mg a day.

I feel like my neurologist is either incompetent or just doesn't care to look into alternatives for me. I pretty much do my own management of the disease and he just prescribes whatever I ask for . He thinks every case of pd is the same and meds are the same for everyone, just different doses.

I experiment extensively with supplements and alternative medicine . Recently I made some changes that have helped a bit, stopping b12 and adding mag and d3 once a week and b complex 4 times a week. Also stopped taking NAC and doubled my lithium orotate to 10mg per day .

MarionP profile image
MarionP in reply to bassofspades

Ok, Looking at the molecule, it has a substituted-amphetamine-like structure and three rings, suggesting (to me) it is like one of those tricyclic antidepressants that have some stimulant-type properties as well as being anticholinergic. I looked up its use and it is sometimes used to help with psychotic (i.e., deep depression) depressions and extrapyramidal side effects from anti-psychotics, many of which are dopamine related such as when dopamine is suppressed, similar to treating tardive dyskinesias...which is something that comes with PD, PD being so intimately involved with dopamine of course...so it could be a side effect of the medication which you need for other reasons so you still need that med...the medication alone could be possibly associated with, or even causing if you are still at a modest level of PD, some of that "fight-flight" "unable to rest"agitation feeling, especially if you are a sensitive individual to some chemicals.

For that I would suggest (again, this is just me, not your specialist doctor) a really rather benign anti-anxiety med to counter it, clonazepam, low dose such as 0.5 mg up to 3 per day...nice because it could help relax those muscles and somewhat stimulation that messes with your arousal states...and you can just as easily break or cut the tablet in half so as to not make you drowsy or sleepy. Suitable for episodic use, or long term, or even chronic, balancing out of the effects of such constitutional stimulation. If not enough for the muscle "feely" agitation, might substitute very low doses of xanax. I would discuss with your neurologist, or a psychiatrist because psychiatrists tend to be much more comfortable in addressing meds that cross over into the world of mental health and have "a foot in each garden," so to speak, he/she is the one with the prescription authority, training and experience to guide, even if as you say he might be a little bored or oriented to giving you a more conjoint role with him.

Now if the word "substituted amphetamine" bothers you, don't be bothered with that connotation, the fact is that the base substance from which dopamine is produced in your body also produces epinephrine and nor-epinephrine in your brain, which are both naturally occurring forms of amphetamines. Yes, amphetamines your brain produces as near cousins to dopamine...and exactly the substances that cause your fight-flight effects. Together, dopamine, epinephrine and nor-epinephrine comprise the three "catacholamines" produced for your brain from the base substance phenylananine, an amino acid, which is converted into L-Dopa in your brain and body, as well as epinephrine (used to be called adrenalin) and nor-epinephrine (used to be called nor-adrenaline) all three from the same base stock. See, some of these meds are similar to or mimic substances that are already made by your own body.

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to MarionP

Thank you for sharing your impressive knowledge! The trihexypenidyl has actually improved the fight or flight feeling somewhat but im afraid to increase the dose because i need to be razor sharp at my job, which is assisting physicians with image guided procedures. The hardest things about my job are , first of all, everything is urgent and I feel rushed all the time because there's so much to do and never enough time and people to do it, and second, the manual dexterity required is pretty much the equivalent of threading needles in the dark as fast as humanly possible . Just perfect for a pwp! Shite! I wish I had a better option as far as making a living goes.

I have discussed the options of introducing an antidepressant with my neurologist but like I said, im hesitant to try anything that would make me even the slightest bit foggy. I used to have a real bad problem with brain fog , but i have really come a long way with low dose Lithium orotate and disciplined intermittent fasting .

I'm now hearing about how the gut flora have a lot to do with neurotransmitter balance. Too much dopamine production in the gut may be a factor. I don't eat much starchy food so maybe that makes my gut serotonin low? I'm still in the learning process here, so not sure .

Again thank you for sharing your super brain!

MarionP profile image
MarionP in reply to bassofspades

For your work then you can't have an anxiolytic in you unless it will clear your system before you report for work. While that can be done, that will need work with a physician/psychiatrist plus testing times away from work, i.e. your weekends off etc.

So you are better off thinking your fight/flight reaction is a BENEFIT rather than a problem; don't drink or eat things that are stimulating and develop some relaxation HABITS, ROUTINE BEHAVIORS (as opposed to chemistry), routine exercise, and rituals for relaxing.

But turning instead to what is a vast collection of amateur chemistry and wives tales and mechanisms you can never be sure of or that might upset other balances, in the absence of verified SCIENCE, would be unwise in your situation, since you can't really afford to be your own undisciplined experiment using things the contents of which you can neither control nor be sure of nor know exactly how they could affect your individual chemical/genetic mix. Give up the temptation to go with psuedoscience and blarney unsystematically mixed in with good experience and information. You can do fine behaviorally.

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to MarionP

It would be a benefit if it didn't make tremors worse.

And i agree that it is unwise to experiment with pseudoscience but i have difficulty finding a caring and helpful physician to guide me through this. Mostly im on my own.

As far as behavior goes, i try but im at the mercy of my own biochemistry sometimes.

MarionP profile image
MarionP in reply to bassofspades

Then go back to thinking about judicious use of clonazepam. Using it after work, it should clear within 12 hours. Anti-Anxiety/tension effects clear at 8 hours, any somnambulance effects fully done at about 12 hours. People often use it as a sleep aid and at these low doses, I'd start with each by cutting a pill in half and seeing how that 0.25 mg does during an experimental weekend, early. It's an extremely low dose, so low that if you think anything happens it may well be a placebo effect, it's that low. Try it on your weekends off and experiment around with it, that 0.5 mg dose and you can always halve it, the tabs are soft and break in two quite easily. Will not interact with your current med regime unless there is something you haven't told us.

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to MarionP

Marion my good friend, I appreciate that advice. My symptoms are worst from about 7 am to late morning-early afternoon. Seriously, by the time Im off duty Im at my lowest symptomatically. If I were to take it, it would be first t hing in the morning, which is when I take all of my stuff. Just for reference, heres my stack:

6AM:

1 sinemet 25/100

1 sinemet ER 25/100

1 trihexyphenidyl 2mg (4 days a week when I work)

1000 mg C with bioflavanoids

1000 mg fish oil

10 mg Lithium (Orotate)

2000 mg Thiamine HCL

1 tablet DOPIFY (by Vitamonk) 4 days a week when I work

1 Super B complex 4 days a week when I work

1 Biokult Mind (with PXN-21) usually taken after dinner

1 centrum silver multivitamin every saturday since Im not fasting, I can take with food.

1 3000mg D3 per week sunday night

1 250mg Mag Oxide per week sunday night

Before I was on all this stuff I was much worse, brain fog, nervous and shaking uncontrollably with tremors. Each thing was added one by one and has made an improvement. Anything I have tried that either did nothing after a month to two years (NAC, Resveratrol, NAD+, life extension Dopamind, Ginseng, st johns wort, Isradipine, Lugols iodine solution, Co Q 10, Mannitol) or made me less sharp (propanolol, gabapentin, CBD oil) or made me get a horrible headache and depression (MAO-B Inhibitor Selegiline) I have eliminated.

MarionP profile image
MarionP in reply to bassofspades

Well you would take it to suit. Takes effect in about 45 minutes, peak plasma is some minutes later, perhaps 90 minutes. If you see no effect in an hour, then the first time wait to see if you feel anything after 2 hours. If not, then at the next "clean" dose opportunity (8 hours since last dose) either up your dose or add some at 45 minutes. Again, it is a low dose in the first place, so early in your weekend off is plenty of time to play around with some of that. None of those things that you are presently taking should present an issue, as far as I can tell (free advice being potentially worth what you pay for it of course, sometimes a special bargain being worth even less...couple who I would believe are at doctorate or professional level ... meaning they are critical thinkers, know their limits, try to not exceed them those limits, know to try to remove themselves as sources of error, don't put their own needs before others (include any personal need to be "right," except to be accurate and factual) and separate their own from someone else's, know the difference between what you think and what you know, and don't exceed their limits in what they say, and qualify their remarks when appropriate... includes rescuema and that parkbear up north seems really very experienced and thorough).

rescuema profile image
rescuema in reply to bassofspades

"im at the mercy of my own biochemistry sometimes"

as we're all...

As MarionP points out, it may be worth re-assessing the impact of Trihexyphenedil.

The possible side effects definitely include nervousness, restlessness and paranoia. It may be worth trying tapering down the dosage a bit (with a pill cutter), especially while the drug is anticholinergic and may increase the risk for dementia.

healthline.com/health/trihe...

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to rescuema

Trihexy has actually improved the fight or flight feeling! Not 100% but definitely noticeably.

rescuema profile image
rescuema in reply to bassofspades

So the question is if the dosage is just right or just under, or past the balance? I'd try 3/4 pill for a while and see if that makes it worse or better myself.

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to rescuema

2 pills would probably be better, I tried it a couple of times, but I am trying to be careful about side effects. I keep a trihex pill in my locker at work in case I get stressed out and anxious as a rescue dose. used it once with good result and once with no result. I also d ontn want to build a tolerance so when I need it, i t will work

rescuema profile image
rescuema in reply to bassofspades

I think you might possibly be an overmethylator/overmethylated, and as such may experience different side effects than others. May be a good idea to try halting most of your supplements for a bit and see if that makes a difference. Check this out.

jillcarnahan.com/2018/06/25...

TheGimba profile image
TheGimba in reply to bassofspades

Trihexy put my mother in law in a delusional state. She was seeing people and spiders crawling all over the walls, oddly, she was in a good mood. Not great for the elderly apparently. Took her off and delusions went away. She was in her late 70's.

Kia17 profile image
Kia17

Avoiding acidic food including SODA , practicing slow belly breathing at least 15 minutes a day. Avoiding alcohol. Walking at least 40 minutes a day in the morning. Eating more leafy greens and no or less animal protein. Stretching exercises during the day would help activate parasympathetic nervous system and balance fight or flight response.

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to Kia17

Thanks my very good friend! I do all that stuff , i can't imagine what it would be like if I didn't!

Kia17 profile image
Kia17 in reply to bassofspades

Your job as far as you said in a Cath lab is the culprit. During the day your body produces lots of Adrenaline and when you are at home you still have those Adrenaline in your system . Even worse if you have a slow COMT snp which makes it more difficult for Adrenaline to convert to Noradrenalin and excretes from your body.

I take Folinic Acid 800 mcg lozenges with 12 mg B6 and 1000 mg Glycine to facilitate methylation and get ride of adrenaline while I don’t need it during night and it works amazingly.Plus body will not create unnecessary dopamine quinone which many believe is the culprit for the PD.

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to Kia17

Dr Kia! You are so knowledgeable! And you are right, the cath lab raises my adrenaline to very uncomfortable levels. But it seems to not be as bad in any of my co-workers. And when I leave work, as long as I am not on call, i always feel a great deal better! Not perfect but way better.

Kia17 profile image
Kia17 in reply to bassofspades

I know nothing Bass, but thank you.

Southernladyla profile image
Southernladyla

Sounds like anxiety!

rescuema profile image
rescuema in reply to Southernladyla

Yes, and possibly running low on serotonin.

healthunlocked.com/parkinso...

Usufruct profile image
Usufruct

Trans Vagal nerve stimulation with a TENS unit and Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) habe both helped me get out of the sympathetic (fight or flight) state and into the calming parasympathetic state. Cold showers along with breath work also seems to help. I no longer use the machines as I’ve found no need as of late. Intense weight training with little rest between sets(15 seconds) and long bike rides (up to 18 miles now) seem to help a lot along with a few pints at night

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to Usufruct

I have an EMS machine which can be used as a TENS! Where do you place the pads? Is the result eventually permanent?

Parkie- profile image
Parkie- in reply to Usufruct

Hello Usufruct

Can I ask you where you got your Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) treatment? And what benefits did you get?

Many thanks

Usufruct profile image
Usufruct

Bass you want to use a Tens unit because both the anode and cathode should be attached with clips on the LEFT ear only. The tens unit allows control of frequency, intensity and band width. Here’s an psychologytoday.com/us/blog...

TheGimba profile image
TheGimba

Wow...lots of great advice here. My husband had a lot of anxiety in the beginning stages of Parkinson's...totally out of character for him. Took Ativan to calm him down, but this just put him to sleep. He has sleep apnea so this all got pretty complicated. He went off drug. Generally the fewer drugs he is on the better. Episodes eventually stopped...no idea why. I put it down to disease process.

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades

Copying and pasting from a related post of mine...

Following up . I think I have found a very safe and very effective solution for the malignant anxiety problem I have been suffering from for about 8years!

First I tried Kia's suggestion of dropping my daily scoop of coconut oil. Not much better . Then I increased my lithium orotate by 5mg per day. A little better but still symptomatic enough to have much room for improvement. Then I came across this...

L-Theanine

L-theanine is a plant derived amino acid , found in tea leaves. It promotes relaxation by inhibiting glutamate receptors. Glutamate is a highly exitatory neurotransmitter. I-theanine reduces sympathetic nervous system activation and the stress response, increases GABA, dopamine and serotonin. I have been taking 200mg L-theanine with a cup of coffee twice per day since Sunday and I have noticed, and people close to me have noticed, THE HUGEST RELIEF IN ALL SYMPTOMS BOTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL IN MY 8 YEARS SINCE DIAGNOSIS! Generally regarded as safe, the recommended dose is 200mg 2 to 3 times a day not to exceed 1200mg a day.

One more related anecdote. Wednesday, I was scheduled to work with the most demanding perfectionist surgeon who usually ramps up my anxiety and tremors to the highest level . 10 minutes before the case i asked him what special supplies to have on hand. So he starts rattling off a huge list of catheters, wires,angioplasty balloons, stents, and more, all with specific sizes and idiosyncrasies. After about the 25th thing he says aren't you going to write this down? And for some reason I felt no need to , everything was crystal clear. He says, oh are you one of those people with the photographic memories? I said well not usually but I feel like I'm in the zone today! Well the case went really well, i had everything he asked for and everyone in the OR was commenting on how CHILL I am! Such a change from being a brain foggy anxious shaky mess!

😎

CaseyInsights profile image
CaseyInsights

This may be just the next thing for you my friend - NuCalm: nucalm.com

Within moments of application, you will begin to feel relief from the ‘fight-or-flight’ sympathetic nervous system response and your stress hormone (cortisol) levels will begin to decline as the HPA axis is inhibited🌺

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to CaseyInsights

You actually tried this?

CaseyInsights profile image
CaseyInsights in reply to bassofspades

No. Just stumbled on it: NuCalm. And I readily saw the link to L-Theanine: the GABA chill.

Just thought it might be something you may want to look at if the L-Theanine effect starts to wear off ✨🏋🏽‍♀️✨

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to CaseyInsights

I don't understand how the discs work unless they are placebo.

It figures that L-theanine effects wear off, you're blocking a receptor, new receptors grow

CaseyInsights profile image
CaseyInsights in reply to bassofspades

The info is all there🕴

Just chill (one L-Theanine capsule ) and take a read under the menu section ‘How It Works’😅

(1)The Bio-signal Processing Disc (on the Pericardium 6 acupressure point 🥺) sends signals to activate your brain’s natural relaxation system by interrupting your adrenaline response.

(2) Neuroacoustic software delivers specific frequencies (via disc) to slow brain wave function to levels required for optimal relaxation and recovery.

(3) Connect your headphones or earbuds. Start your NuCalm session in the NuCalm app.

You are in a much better position than I am in terms of how this all works: it’s electronics my man and for amped musicians this is every day life.

Do keep an eye on this type of technology. My take is that bio-feedback devices are going to play an increasing role in our lives.🌺

bassofspades profile image
bassofspades in reply to CaseyInsights

Ok! I see exactly how it works . The acupressure point stimulates the placebo effect while the neuroacoustic software delivers the placebo frequencies and the high price ensures you will convince yourself that it's a working! Sweet!

CaseyInsights profile image
CaseyInsights in reply to bassofspades

‘...the placebo frequencies and the high price ensures you will convince yourself that it's a working! Sweet!’ 😅😱😅

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