Sunday, January 23, 2011

Chapter 36: Blood Type & Diet, Healing Depression Symptoms

Have you heard about the diets based on your blood type?  I decided to find out more about them. I have made many diet changes to help heal the depression symptoms and I want to consider making more changes based on my blood type.  Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo has written a book called 4 Blood Types, 4 Diets, Eat Right For (4) Your Type, The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weight.  Dr. D'Adamo gives an overview of the 4 blood types and the 4 diets in the video below.

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Karl Landsteiner, a medical doctor born in Vienna, Austria in 1868, discovered that people had different blood types in 1901.  He made numerous contributions in pathological anatomy, histology and immunology, but his name will be honored for his discovery and outstanding work on the blood groups.  He was given the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1930.  Here is more information about his work taken from Karl Landsteiner - Biography.

In 1875 it was reported that, when man is given transfusions of the blood of other animals, these foreign blood corpuscles are clumped and broken up in the blood vessels of man with the liberation of haemoglobin. In 1901-1903 Landsteiner pointed out that a similar reaction may occur when the blood of one human individual is transfused, not with the blood of another animal, but with that of another human being, and that this might be the cause of shock, jaundice, and haemoglobinuria that had followed some earlier attempts at blood transfusions.

His suggestions, however, received little attention until, in 1909, he classified the bloods of human beings into the now well-known A, B, AB, and O groups and showed that transfusions between individuals of groups A or B do not result in the destruction of new blood cells and that this catastrophe occurs only when a person is transfused with the blood of a person belonging to a different group. Earlier, in 1901-1903, Landsteiner had suggested that, because the characteristics which determine the blood groups are inherited, the blood groups may be used to decide instances of doubtful paternity.

Much of the subsequent work that Landsteiner and his pupils did on blood groups and the immunological uses they made of them was done, not in Vienna, but in New York. For in 1919 conditions in Vienna were such that laboratory work was very difficult and, seeing no future for Austria, Landsteiner obtained the appointment of Prosector to a small Roman Catholic Hospital at The Hague. Here he published, from 1919-1922, twelve papers on new haptens that he had discovered, on conjugates with proteins which were capable of inducing anaphylaxis and on related problems, and also on the serological specificity of the haemoglobins of different species of animals.

His work in Holland came to an end when he was offered a post in the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research in New York and he moved there together with his family. It was here that he did, in collaboration with Levine and Wiener, the further work on the blood groups which greatly extended the number of these groups, and here in collaboration with Wiener studied bleeding in the new-born, leading to the discovery of the Rh-factor in blood, which relates the human blood to the blood of the rhesus monkey.

I have Blood Type O+.  The + means I have the Rh-factor in my blood.  A person's Rh type is usually significant only with respect to pregnancies.  An Rh-positive child born to an Rh-negative woman runs the risk of developing Rh disease.  More than 85% of people have the antigen, Rhesus factor, in their blood.  People that do not have the antigen in their blood are Rh-negative. You can find out more about the Rh-factor below and at Rhesus Factor (Rh-Factor). 

The Rhesus factor, also known as the Rh factor, gets its name from experiments conducted in 1937 by scientists Karl Landsteiner and Alexander S. Weiner. These revolutionary case studies involved rabbits which, when injected with the Rhesus monkey's red blood cells, produced an antigen present in the red blood cells of many humans. The Rhesus factor is an antigen, or more specifically a protein, that exists on the surface of red blood cells. 

Originally, Karl Landsteiner listed the blood groups as A, B, and 0 (zero).  (Type AB was found later.)  He called it zero because this blood type did not have the A antigen or the B antigen on the surface of red blood cells.  People assumed this blood type was the letter O because the other types were a letter.  People in the United States have continued to call this blood type O instead of 0.  People in other countries and languages call it zero, or null.


Dr. D'Adamo talks about the diets he recommends for the different blood types.

Blood Type O



Blood Type A



Blood Types B & AB



Dr. D'Adamo talks about each blood type in more detail on his website.  He writes about lifestyle, wellness, stress, exercise, and personality of individuals with each blood type.  If you are interested, go to Eat Right For Your Blood Type, The Official Website of Dr. Peter D'Adamo &The Blood Type DietSee if you agree with the characteristics he attributes to your blood type.

These are characteristics Dr. D'Adamo states to describe people with my blood Type O.  They describe me well.

1.  People with Type O blood are vulnerable to inflammation and depression.  

2.  People with Type O blood digest animal protein well because of more stomach acid and an    enzyme in the intestinal tract.  I feel better if I eat protein in every meal.  The only way for my body to get amino acids is from protein. 

3.  Eggs are a poor source of protein for Type O's.  The Elisa food sensitivity test rated my sensitivity to eggs at +4.  That is the highest number on the sensitivity scale.  After eliminating eggs from my diet for 3-4 months my cholesterol count came down from 213 to 163.

4.  People with Type O blood can not digest dairy products and grains efficiently.  I have a +1 sensitivity to casein in dairy products and a +1 for wheat.  My digestive tract has appreciated my eliminating these foods from my diet and I lost 10-12 pounds without trying.

5. The system of a Type O does well with intense aerobic exercise.  Exercise will help eliminate stress.  I feel aerobic exercise is as important to my depression treatment as my antidepressant medications.

6.  Type O's respond well to oils, especially olive and flaxseed, for nutrition and an aid in elimination.  I have been taking 6,000 mg of fish oil since March of 2010.  It is part of my depression treatment.  My fingernails grow faster and are stronger, the acne on my face has improved, and my hair looks healthier.  I hope my arteries and heart are seeing improvements too. =)

I have talked about other diet changes I have made to help heal my depression symptoms in Chapter 7: Keys to UltraWellness, Food Sensitivity and Chapter 32: 6,000mg Of Fish Oil A Day. 

I am feeling pretty stable on 150 mg of Effexor XR.  I don't feel great, but I am doing better!



Saturday, January 15, 2011

Chapter 35: FEELING SOME RELIEF! Antidepressant Medications

It has been 9 months since I went to the Amen Clinic in Newport Beach, California.  It has taken this long to make all of the medication changes recommended by my doctor at the clinic.  I am starting to feel better, FEELING SOME RELIEF!  I have an atypical depression that needed to be treated in layers.  The anxiety symptoms needed to be treated first, and I talk more about this in Chapter 9 of my blog.  There is a detailed treatment plan from the Amen Clinic in Chapter 10.

I am now taking 150 mg of Effexor XR in the morning with breakfast.  I have come down from 300 mg because I was not feeling any improvement of depression symptoms, and side effects were not going away.  The higher dose was causing insomnia and anxiety, flushing several times a day, and constipation.  These are the only side effects I have experienced with Effexor XR, and they are just about gone on 150 mg.



 




 


I am also taking generic Luvox, fluvoxamine.  I take 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg in the afternoon.  I was already on this drug when I went to the Amen Clinic and my brain scans showed it was helping to quiet the activity in the deep limbic system; but it was not completely effective.  Depression symptoms originate in the deep limbic system.  I am using fluvoxamine for depression, and I do not have any side effects strong enough to notice.  I have been on fluvoxamine for over a year, and a pharmacist told me the brand Luvox is no longer made. The extended-release capsule is a new medication.

Information on generic Luvox, fluvoxamine from:  PubMed Health - Fluvoxamine

 

Why is this medication prescribed?

Fluvoxamine is used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (bothersome thoughts that won't go away and the need to perform certain actions over and over) and social anxiety disorder (extreme fear of interacting with others or performing in front of others that interferes with normal life). Fluvoxamine is in a class of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

 

How should this medicine be used?

Fluvoxamine comes as a tablet and an extended-release capsule to take by mouth. The tablet is usually taken either once daily at bedtime or twice daily, once in the morning and once at bedtime. The extended-release capsule is usually taken, with or without food , once daily at bedtime. Swallow the extended-release capsules whole; do not crush or chew them.

Your doctor may start you on a low dose of fluvoxamine and gradually increase your dose, not more often than once every week, depending on how well the medication works for you and the side effects you experience.  It may take several weeks or longer for you to feel the full benefit of fluvoxamine. Continue to take fluvoxamine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking fluvoxamine without talking to your doctor.

If you suddenly stop taking fluvoxamine, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as irritability; agitation; dizziness; extreme worry; uneasiness; confusion; headache; tiredness; mood changes; difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep; or pain, burning, numbness, tingling or 'electric shock' sensations in the hands or feet. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually.

 

Other uses for this medicine

*Fluvoxamine is also sometimes used to treat depression. Talk with your doctor about the possible risks of using this medication for your condition.  This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

 

What side effects can this medication cause?

Fluvoxamine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:  drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, dry mouth, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, constipation, indigestion, gas, change in taste, decreased appetite, weight loss, nervousness, weakness, unsteadiness, and changes in sex drive or ability.


I am taking generic Neurontin, gabapentin, to help calm the activity in the basal ganglia where anxiety begins.  I take a 300 mg capsule four times a day,1,200 mg total.  Neurontin is an anticonvulsant medication the Amen Clinic has found to be effective for anxiety.  I started on this drug as soon as I got home from the clinic to help me get off the drug clonazepam.  I have written quite a bit about clonazepam in Chapter 12 - I Hate Clonazepam and Chapter 15 - Clonazepam The Beast.  (I have been off The Beast for 7 months! =)  My doctor at the clinic chose gabapentin for me because of its low side effect profile, but you will see there are many side effects listed for this drug in the following article.  I did not experience any of these side effects.

Information on generic Neurontin, gabapentin from: PubMed Health - Gabapentin

 

Why is this medication prescribed?

Gabapentin is used to help control certain types of seizures in patients who have epilepsy. Gabapentin is also used to relieve the pain of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN; the burning, stabbing pain or aches that may last for months or years after an attack of shingles). Gabapentin is in a class of medications called anticonvulsants. Gabapentin treats seizures by decreasing abnormal excitement in the brain. Gabapentin relieves the pain of PHN by changing the way the body senses pain.

 

How should this medicine be used?

Gabapentin comes as a capsule, a tablet, and an oral solution (liquid) to take by mouth. It is usually taken with a full glass of water (8 ounces [240 milliliters]) three times a day. Gabapentin may be taken with or without food. Take this medication at evenly spaced times throughout the day and night; do not let more than 12 hours pass between doses.

If your doctor tells you to take one-half of a tablet as part of your dose, carefully split the tablet along the score mark. Use the other half-tablet as part of your next dose. Properly throw away any half-tablets that you have not used within several days of breaking them.

Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of gabapentin and gradually increase your dose as needed to treat your condition. If you are taking gabapentin to treat PHN, tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve during your treatment.

 

Other uses for this medicine

Gabapentin is also sometimes used to relieve the pain of diabetic neuropathy (numbness or tingling due to nerve damage in people who have diabetes), and to treat and prevent hot flashes (sudden strong feelings of heat and sweating) in women who are being treated for breast cancer or who have experienced menopause (''change of life'', the end of monthly menstrual periods). Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication for your condition.  This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
   

What side effects can this medication cause?

Gabapentin may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:  drowsiness, tiredness or weakness, dizziness, headache, shaking of a part of your body you cannot control, double or blurred vision, unsteadiness, anxiety, memory problems, strange or unusual thoughts, unwanted eye movements, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, diarrhea, dry mouth, constipation, weight gain, swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs, back or joint pain, fever, runny nose, sneezing, cough, sore throat, or flu-like symptoms, ear pain, and red, itchy eyes.

My favorite website to learn about medications is Crazy Meds! The Good, The Bad, and The Funny.  It will tell you about uses, pros and cons, effects, side effects, and stuff your doctor usually won't tell you.  "Crazy Meds Suck Donkey Dong"  If that quote is offensive to you, you may not like this site.

I hope you are FEELING SOME RELIEF from your antidepressant medication, or will be soon!!