Inositol for Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, and GAD?

No one here can give you better advice than you've already had from your doctor.

A lot of what we experience as psychological issues can be simply diet related. It requires a change in paradigm, as culturally, one is surrounded by those who were taught and raised in a way that is antithetical to what is required for healthful living. And beyond changing the mind (the paradigm), one has to change deeply ingrained habits. This makes something that is simple, not so easy.

Please see the following two YouTube channels:
John Rose, Robert Morse ND.

Candid wrote:No one here can give you better advice than you've already had from your doctor.

I realize that a doctor's opinion is the adequate advice I should be listening to. And I am. Should things get really bad and I feel I cannot take it anymore, I will definitely try the medication. However, medication does not solve the cause, only masks it in the short term. I really have been reading a lot about supplements such as L-Theanine, 5-HTP, and Inositol and they seem to be as effective as certain medications, without the adverse side effects (or with lesser intense side effects).

I believe the purpose of this forum is to share experiences and this is what I'm trying to do. It is also helpful to hear about people's experiences.

There's a Quiet Voice on the forum who's well worth listening to. Our cultural paradigm, well-defended by the pharmaceutical industry, is that there should be and is a medicinal way of fixing the many unpleasant effects of self-defeating life choices.

The first five words of your OP -- "I have been diagnosed with" -- show your great faith in doctors. Or do they? Very often we self-diagnose, then visit the doctor for confirmation so no one can disagree with us. "My doctor says..." is an argument-stopper. Truth is, busy doctors don't have time to figure these things out. Selectively presented with a bunch of symptoms, they reach for their prescription pads.

All synthetic medicines have undesirable side-effects, varying in nuisance value from patient to patient, but present nonetheless.

It can be an interesting journey to take responsibility for our own health. If this thread runs to 100 replies of advice, comments and lived experience, you will take in what fits your beliefs about yourself and your illness and filter out everything else.

I don't believe people suffer anxiety, depression and panic for no reason. It's much more likely either that your experiences have made you sad and fearful, or that your brain is suffering the effects of poor diet. Very often both causes are present and intertwined.

Ultimately only you can figure out what's going on, and the best way to 'fix' it.

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There's also something called the "Wim Hof Method" that has helped so many people who take the method seriously. Make a search for it.

Magnesium (malate),zinc (picolonate)and daily cardio helped me no end. Never tried inositol though. Cutting out stimulants helps many as it raises adrenaline. Checking for allergies etc can also help e.g gluten or dairy as they can lead to inflammation and cortisol rises which come with anxiety.

Candid wrote:There's a Quiet Voice on the forum who's well worth listening to. Our cultural paradigm, well-defended by the pharmaceutical industry, is that there should be and is a medicinal way of fixing the many unpleasant effects of self-defeating life choices.

The first five words of your OP -- "I have been diagnosed with" -- show your great faith in doctors. Or do they? Very often we self-diagnose, then visit the doctor for confirmation so no one can disagree with us. "My doctor says..." is an argument-stopper. Truth is, busy doctors don't have time to figure these things out. Selectively presented with a bunch of symptoms, they reach for their prescription pads.

All synthetic medicines have undesirable side-effects, varying in nuisance value from patient to patient, but present nonetheless.

It can be an interesting journey to take responsibility for our own health. If this thread runs to 100 replies of advice, comments and lived experience, you will take in what fits your beliefs about yourself and your illness and filter out everything else.

I don't believe people suffer anxiety, depression and panic for no reason. It's much more likely either that your experiences have made you sad and fearful, or that your brain is suffering the effects of poor diet. Very often both causes are present and intertwined.

Ultimately only you can figure out what's going on, and the best way to 'fix' it.

Yes, that could be truth. But also, panic attacks runs in my family. There is also a genetic disposition, and things could affect me more than "normal" people. So, panic attacks are easier triggered in me, than people with no history of anxiety disorders in their family.

I tried inositol but I guess I didnt give it enough time. I didnt feel anything...

I have decided to take the medication. I tried 6 months without it but I don't feel I can function normally. Perhaps the medication is the "crutch" that will help me normalize and stabilize myself (mood, energy, etc). I know a pill is no magic cure and it's not a happy pill. Even my psychiatrist told me it's not a magic pill and that I still need to make lifestyle changes and face the fear head on. So, the medication is just a temporary thing. While the effects kick in, Im doing meditation, yoga, swimming, trying to eat as healthy as possible, trying to have good sleep, reading, and trying to stay positive. At least Im not homebound and I try to go out and do things. I feel terrified but every time it feels less and less scary.

So far, it's been 2 weeks since I started Paxil. First week 5mg, second week 10mg and I have an appointment with my Dr this week to discuss this and have therapy. So far, I have had no side effects and don't feel any different (either positive or negative). I hear it can take up to 6-8 weeks to feel the benefits of the medication. We'll see...

I did investigate all possibilities before I took the medication (blood tests, electrocardiogram, Holter, electroencephalogram), but all my results are normal. My mineral levels are fine. The only thing that I have deficiency of is proteins and I'm a bit underweight (lost some weight due to anxiety). But well, it could also be what you mention about a combination of a bad experience (a bit trauma like), poor diet and excess excercise. All this combined had a toll in my body. But as I mentioned, panic attacks run in my family, so I also had to take this into consieration.

quietvoice wrote:*
There's also something called the "Wim Hof Method" that has helped so many people who take the method seriously. Make a search for it.

I looked it up. It looks like at the beginning this method can actually trigger the fight of flight response! Not sure I have the courage to try this yet, but perhaps a bit later when I feel more stable... Thanks for sharing this tip though!

cb122 wrote:Magnesium (malate),zinc (picolonate)and daily cardio helped me no end. Never tried inositol though. Cutting out stimulants helps many as it raises adrenaline. Checking for allergies etc can also help e.g gluten or dairy as they can lead to inflammation and cortisol rises which come with anxiety.

I tried the magnesium for 2 weeks I think but I felt nothing. Inositol did nothing for me either (but didnt try it long enough I guess).
Im doing cardio (swimming), and other excercise like yoga and meditation. It seems to be helping. I have no allergies but Im trying to eat as healthy as possible. But I decided to try the medication. This is my second week on Paxil and I feel nothing yet (no side effects, but no positive effects either). Apparently it can take up to 6-8 weeks for the medication to kick in.
At least I haven't felt the need to take the benzos. I do have them, but I'll try not to use them...