INTRO Mostly lurking but thought I'd introduce myself

[Bunnyfoofoo]

Hey everyone,

I'm a 53-year-old woman.

HW: 228

SW: 222

CW: 207

GW: 135

I've been using Reta (along with a variety of other peppers) for 2.5 months.

I began with a low, gradual approach:

1mg/week for 4 weeks

2mg/week for 4 weeks

2mg twice weekly over the last 2 weeks

I'm really enjoying how I feel and can't wait to hit my target of optimal healthy body fat (aiming for 20%, up from 50% at the start)—not merely accepting "not obese" but still overweight.

I'm sure I'll make it there with a consistent loss of 2+ pounds per week.

After reading posts from other 50+ women, I felt inspired to join, so here I am!

My first Reta came from a wellness practitioner (outrageously overpriced at 4mg for $250), but now my adult son has researched thoroughly, and we're enjoying going grey and experimenting with all the good stuff like MotsC, KPV, NAD, SS31, 5amino, etc.

All 3 of us in the family are now on Reta and seeing wonderful results!

Thanks for reading!

 

[birdwhacker]

Welcome, mom!

 

[Dimples85]

Reta has really turned things around for me! (41F)

Lately I've been looking into mots-c & ss31, mostly because of the tiredness I've been dealing with, but I figured I'd give it another couple of months before choosing whether to include them.

 

[birdwhacker]

Dimples85 said:

Reta has really turned things around for me! (41F)

Lately I've been looking into mots-c & ss31, mostly because of the tiredness I've been dealing with, but I figured I'd give it another couple of months before choosing whether to include them.

Are you getting in enough electrolytes and iron? And enough food? In the beginning I wasn't eating enough and dealt with feeling wiped out, then it came back later and I figured out my iron intake was too low. After I took a few capsules, the following day I felt a lot better.

 

[bitterinsides]

Bunnyfoofoo said:

Hey everyone,

I'm a 53-year-old woman.

HW: 228

SW: 222

CW: 207

GW: 135

I've been using Reta (along with a variety of other peppers) for 2.5 months.

I began with a low, gradual approach:

1mg/week for 4 weeks

2mg/week for 4 weeks

2mg twice weekly over the last 2 weeks

I'm really enjoying how I feel and can't wait to hit my target of optimal healthy body fat (aiming for 20%, up from 50% at the start)—not merely accepting "not obese" but still overweight.

I'm sure I'll make it there with a consistent loss of 2+ pounds per week.

After reading posts from other 50+ women, I felt inspired to join, so here I am!

My first Reta came from a wellness practitioner (outrageously overpriced at 4mg for $250), but now my adult son has researched thoroughly, and we're enjoying going grey and experimenting with all the good stuff like MotsC, KPV, NAD, SS31, 5amino, etc.

All 3 of us in the family are now on Reta and seeing wonderful results!

Thanks for reading!

That's really great! It's so nice that your son pitched in on the research. A support system truly changes things. I'm eager to begin Reta.

 

[Dimples85]

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

Reta has really turned things around for me! (41F)

Lately I've been looking into mots-c & ss31, mostly because of the tiredness I've been dealing with, but I figured I'd give it another couple of months before choosing whether to include them.

Are you getting in enough electrolytes and iron? And enough food? In the beginning I wasn't eating enough and dealt with feeling wiped out, then it came back later and I figured out my iron intake was too low. After I took a few capsules, the following day I felt a lot better.

I'd say my intake is sufficient, and appetite suppression hasn't hit me very hard — honestly, at times I question whether I'm reaching for snacks more than I should That said, I can't deny the food noise has quieted down, I'm no longer eating just because I'm bored, and fullness arrives sooner.

As for iron, that's a daily thing for me, and I pair it with vitamin c. Bloodwork is scheduled for this week, so I'm eager to see what the numbers show!

My tiredness probably stems from several things at once, so pinning it entirely on the reta isn't something I can do. That's part of why I'd rather hold off before adding mots & ss31 into the mix, despite all the positive feedback I've come across about both.

Thanks for responding and for the guidance

 

[birdwhacker]

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

Reta has really turned things around for me! (41F)

Lately I've been looking into mots-c & ss31, mostly because of the tiredness I've been dealing with, but I figured I'd give it another couple of months before choosing whether to include them.

Are you getting in enough electrolytes and iron? And enough food? In the beginning I wasn't eating enough and dealt with feeling wiped out, then it came back later and I figured out my iron intake was too low. After I took a few capsules, the following day I felt a lot better.

I'd say my intake is sufficient, and appetite suppression hasn't hit me very hard — honestly, at times I question whether I'm reaching for snacks more than I should That said, I can't deny the food noise has quieted down, I'm no longer eating just because I'm bored, and fullness arrives sooner.

As for iron, that's a daily thing for me, and I pair it with vitamin c. Bloodwork is scheduled for this week, so I'm eager to see what the numbers show!

My tiredness probably stems from several things at once, so pinning it entirely on the reta isn't something I can do. That's part of why I'd rather hold off before adding mots & ss31 into the mix, despite all the positive feedback I've come across about both.

Thanks for responding and for the guidance

Happy to help! From what you've described, you're already ahead of plenty of folks. Do you hit a minimum of 1 gram of potassium each day?

Labs are useful mainly for catching big, obvious imbalances. Personally, I'm not someone who leans heavily on blood work. And of course, my body and routines differ from yours. Since I began reta, I've dropped caffeine and nicotine, and I run daily.

That said, I've had huge success regulating my energy by working on the methylation cycle. Methylated B, methyl folate, along with P5P and R5P (no other b vitamins are needed for synergy), generous daily TMG, and taurine + glycine in the evening have pushed my energy well above my usual baseline. I also introduced pregnenolone for hormonal support, which mellowed me out somewhat.

Genetic testing isn't available to me, but I suspect I have slow COMT, among other methylation-related quirks. You can roughly probe your cycle using flush niacin or NAD, since both consume methyl groups and boost NAD. If a few days of niacin leaves you feeling great, you likely had excess methylation and should bring in a methyl sink such as glycine. If NAD or niacin wipe you out, you're probably short on methylation support.

SS31 is on the way for us too, and hopefully 1 or 2 months of it will benefit you as well!

 

[Dimples85]

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

Reta has really turned things around for me! (41F)

Lately I've been looking into mots-c & ss31, mostly because of the tiredness I've been dealing with, but I figured I'd give it another couple of months before choosing whether to include them.

Are you getting in enough electrolytes and iron? And enough food? In the beginning I wasn't eating enough and dealt with feeling wiped out, then it came back later and I figured out my iron intake was too low. After I took a few capsules, the following day I felt a lot better.

I'd say my intake is sufficient, and appetite suppression hasn't hit me very hard — honestly, at times I question whether I'm reaching for snacks more than I should That said, I can't deny the food noise has quieted down, I'm no longer eating just because I'm bored, and fullness arrives sooner.

As for iron, that's a daily thing for me, and I pair it with vitamin c. Bloodwork is scheduled for this week, so I'm eager to see what the numbers show!

My tiredness probably stems from several things at once, so pinning it entirely on the reta isn't something I can do. That's part of why I'd rather hold off before adding mots & ss31 into the mix, despite all the positive feedback I've come across about both.

Thanks for responding and for the guidance

Happy to help! From what you've described, you're already ahead of plenty of folks. Do you hit a minimum of 1 gram of potassium each day?

Labs are useful mainly for catching big, obvious imbalances. Personally, I'm not someone who leans heavily on blood work. And of course, my body and routines differ from yours. Since I began reta, I've dropped caffeine and nicotine, and I run daily.

That said, I've had huge success regulating my energy by working on the methylation cycle. Methylated B, methyl folate, along with P5P and R5P (no other b vitamins are needed for synergy), generous daily TMG, and taurine + glycine in the evening have pushed my energy well above my usual baseline. I also introduced pregnenolone for hormonal support, which mellowed me out somewhat.

Genetic testing isn't available to me, but I suspect I have slow COMT, among other methylation-related quirks. You can roughly probe your cycle using flush niacin or NAD, since both consume methyl groups and boost NAD. If a few days of niacin leaves you feeling great, you likely had excess methylation and should bring in a methyl sink such as glycine. If NAD or niacin wipe you out, you're probably short on methylation support.

SS31 is on the way for us too, and hopefully 1 or 2 months of it will benefit you as well!

I have to say, your level of knowledge really impresses me.

A bit more background on me: for 22 years I've been taking Lexapro (an ssri) along with Adderall XR. I'm fairly certain I came across something saying NAD shouldn't be combined with an SSRI, and that's the reason I haven't brought it up as something I could try. On top of that, 5 days before I began reta, I received the depo-provera "birth control shot" — never again, given the awful side effects it's caused me. My system is completely overloaded at the moment, and the slower digestion is messing with the extended release adderall too. Working out hasn't really been possible for me, though my plan was to begin low impact cardio after hitting my goal weight and switching to maintenance dosing. That's the situation I'm in right now.. This week I've got my physical with blood work, plus a psychiatrist appointment where I'll let her know I'm on Tirz 2.5mg/weekly so she can decide whether my medications and/or dosages need adjusting.

 

[birdwhacker]

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

Reta has really turned things around for me! (41F)

Lately I've been looking into mots-c & ss31, mostly because of the tiredness I've been dealing with, but I figured I'd give it another couple of months before choosing whether to include them.

Are you getting in enough electrolytes and iron? And enough food? In the beginning I wasn't eating enough and dealt with feeling wiped out, then it came back later and I figured out my iron intake was too low. After I took a few capsules, the following day I felt a lot better.

I'd say my intake is sufficient, and appetite suppression hasn't hit me very hard — honestly, at times I question whether I'm reaching for snacks more than I should That said, I can't deny the food noise has quieted down, I'm no longer eating just because I'm bored, and fullness arrives sooner.

As for iron, that's a daily thing for me, and I pair it with vitamin c. Bloodwork is scheduled for this week, so I'm eager to see what the numbers show!

My tiredness probably stems from several things at once, so pinning it entirely on the reta isn't something I can do. That's part of why I'd rather hold off before adding mots & ss31 into the mix, despite all the positive feedback I've come across about both.

Thanks for responding and for the guidance

Happy to help! From what you've described, you're already ahead of plenty of folks. Do you hit a minimum of 1 gram of potassium each day?

Labs are useful mainly for catching big, obvious imbalances. Personally, I'm not someone who leans heavily on blood work. And of course, my body and routines differ from yours. Since I began reta, I've dropped caffeine and nicotine, and I run daily.

That said, I've had huge success regulating my energy by working on the methylation cycle. Methylated B, methyl folate, along with P5P and R5P (no other b vitamins are needed for synergy), generous daily TMG, and taurine + glycine in the evening have pushed my energy well above my usual baseline. I also introduced pregnenolone for hormonal support, which mellowed me out somewhat.

Genetic testing isn't available to me, but I suspect I have slow COMT, among other methylation-related quirks. You can roughly probe your cycle using flush niacin or NAD, since both consume methyl groups and boost NAD. If a few days of niacin leaves you feeling great, you likely had excess methylation and should bring in a methyl sink such as glycine. If NAD or niacin wipe you out, you're probably short on methylation support.

SS31 is on the way for us too, and hopefully 1 or 2 months of it will benefit you as well!

I have to say, your level of knowledge really impresses me.

A bit more background on me: for 22 years I've been taking Lexapro (an ssri) along with Adderall XR. I'm fairly certain I came across something saying NAD shouldn't be combined with an SSRI, and that's the reason I haven't brought it up as something I could try. On top of that, 5 days before I began reta, I received the depo-provera "birth control shot" — never again, given the awful side effects it's caused me. My system is completely overloaded at the moment, and the slower digestion is messing with the extended release adderall too. Working out hasn't really been possible for me, though my plan was to begin low impact cardio after hitting my goal weight and switching to maintenance dosing. That's the situation I'm in right now.. This week I've got my physical with blood work, plus a psychiatrist appointment where I'll let her know I'm on Tirz 2.5mg/weekly so she can decide whether my medications and/or dosages need adjusting.

I wouldn't want it any other way!

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

Reta has really turned things around for me! (41F)

Lately I've been looking into mots-c & ss31, mostly because of the tiredness I've been dealing with, but I figured I'd give it another couple of months before choosing whether to include them.

Are you getting in enough electrolytes and iron? And enough food? In the beginning I wasn't eating enough and dealt with feeling wiped out, then it came back later and I figured out my iron intake was too low. After I took a few capsules, the following day I felt a lot better.

I'd say my intake is sufficient, and appetite suppression hasn't hit me very hard — honestly, at times I question whether I'm reaching for snacks more than I should That said, I can't deny the food noise has quieted down, I'm no longer eating just because I'm bored, and fullness arrives sooner.

As for iron, that's a daily thing for me, and I pair it with vitamin c. Bloodwork is scheduled for this week, so I'm eager to see what the numbers show!

My tiredness probably stems from several things at once, so pinning it entirely on the reta isn't something I can do. That's part of why I'd rather hold off before adding mots & ss31 into the mix, despite all the positive feedback I've come across about both.

Thanks for responding and for the guidance

Happy to help! From what you've described, you're already ahead of plenty of folks. Do you hit a minimum of 1 gram of potassium each day?

Labs are useful mainly for catching big, obvious imbalances. Personally, I'm not someone who leans heavily on blood work. And of course, my body and routines differ from yours. Since I began reta, I've dropped caffeine and nicotine, and I run daily.

That said, I've had huge success regulating my energy by working on the methylation cycle. Methylated B, methyl folate, along with P5P and R5P (no other b vitamins are needed for synergy), generous daily TMG, and taurine + glycine in the evening have pushed my energy well above my usual baseline. I also introduced pregnenolone for hormonal support, which mellowed me out somewhat.

Genetic testing isn't available to me, but I suspect I have slow COMT, among other methylation-related quirks. You can roughly probe your cycle using flush niacin or NAD, since both consume methyl groups and boost NAD. If a few days of niacin leaves you feeling great, you likely had excess methylation and should bring in a methyl sink such as glycine. If NAD or niacin wipe you out, you're probably short on methylation support.

SS31 is on the way for us too, and hopefully 1 or 2 months of it will benefit you as well!

I have to say, your level of knowledge really impresses me.

A bit more background on me: for 22 years I've been taking Lexapro (an ssri) along with Adderall XR. I'm fairly certain I came across something saying NAD shouldn't be combined with an SSRI, and that's the reason I haven't brought it up as something I could try. On top of that, 5 days before I began reta, I received the depo-provera "birth control shot" — never again, given the awful side effects it's caused me. My system is completely overloaded at the moment, and the slower digestion is messing with the extended release adderall too. Working out hasn't really been possible for me, though my plan was to begin low impact cardio after hitting my goal weight and switching to maintenance dosing. That's the situation I'm in right now.. This week I've got my physical with blood work, plus a psychiatrist appointment where I'll let her know I'm on Tirz 2.5mg/weekly so she can decide whether my medications and/or dosages need adjusting.

So, as is the case with most peptide-related things, this is almost certainly just some nonsense that someone made up. I wouldn't give it much weight. Not at all.

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

Reta has really turned things around for me! (41F)

Lately I've been looking into mots-c & ss31, mostly because of the tiredness I've been dealing with, but I figured I'd give it another couple of months before choosing whether to include them.

Are you getting in enough electrolytes and iron? And enough food? In the beginning I wasn't eating enough and dealt with feeling wiped out, then it came back later and I figured out my iron intake was too low. After I took a few capsules, the following day I felt a lot better.

I'd say my intake is sufficient, and appetite suppression hasn't hit me very hard — honestly, at times I question whether I'm reaching for snacks more than I should That said, I can't deny the food noise has quieted down, I'm no longer eating just because I'm bored, and fullness arrives sooner.

As for iron, that's a daily thing for me, and I pair it with vitamin c. Bloodwork is scheduled for this week, so I'm eager to see what the numbers show!

My tiredness probably stems from several things at once, so pinning it entirely on the reta isn't something I can do. That's part of why I'd rather hold off before adding mots & ss31 into the mix, despite all the positive feedback I've come across about both.

Thanks for responding and for the guidance

Happy to help! From what you've described, you're already ahead of plenty of folks. Do you hit a minimum of 1 gram of potassium each day?

Labs are useful mainly for catching big, obvious imbalances. Personally, I'm not someone who leans heavily on blood work. And of course, my body and routines differ from yours. Since I began reta, I've dropped caffeine and nicotine, and I run daily.

That said, I've had huge success regulating my energy by working on the methylation cycle. Methylated B, methyl folate, along with P5P and R5P (no other b vitamins are needed for synergy), generous daily TMG, and taurine + glycine in the evening have pushed my energy well above my usual baseline. I also introduced pregnenolone for hormonal support, which mellowed me out somewhat.

Genetic testing isn't available to me, but I suspect I have slow COMT, among other methylation-related quirks. You can roughly probe your cycle using flush niacin or NAD, since both consume methyl groups and boost NAD. If a few days of niacin leaves you feeling great, you likely had excess methylation and should bring in a methyl sink such as glycine. If NAD or niacin wipe you out, you're probably short on methylation support.

SS31 is on the way for us too, and hopefully 1 or 2 months of it will benefit you as well!

I have to say, your level of knowledge really impresses me.

A bit more background on me: for 22 years I've been taking Lexapro (an ssri) along with Adderall XR. I'm fairly certain I came across something saying NAD shouldn't be combined with an SSRI, and that's the reason I haven't brought it up as something I could try. On top of that, 5 days before I began reta, I received the depo-provera "birth control shot" — never again, given the awful side effects it's caused me. My system is completely overloaded at the moment, and the slower digestion is messing with the extended release adderall too. Working out hasn't really been possible for me, though my plan was to begin low impact cardio after hitting my goal weight and switching to maintenance dosing. That's the situation I'm in right now.. This week I've got my physical with blood work, plus a psychiatrist appointment where I'll let her know I'm on Tirz 2.5mg/weekly so she can decide whether my medications and/or dosages need adjusting.

I don't envy that at all. Every day I thank God that I ended up with the easy hormones. Honestly, nothing about being a woman sounds appealing to me, and I mean that with the deepest empathy.

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

Reta has really turned things around for me! (41F)

Lately I've been looking into mots-c & ss31, mostly because of the tiredness I've been dealing with, but I figured I'd give it another couple of months before choosing whether to include them.

Are you getting in enough electrolytes and iron? And enough food? In the beginning I wasn't eating enough and dealt with feeling wiped out, then it came back later and I figured out my iron intake was too low. After I took a few capsules, the following day I felt a lot better.

I'd say my intake is sufficient, and appetite suppression hasn't hit me very hard — honestly, at times I question whether I'm reaching for snacks more than I should That said, I can't deny the food noise has quieted down, I'm no longer eating just because I'm bored, and fullness arrives sooner.

As for iron, that's a daily thing for me, and I pair it with vitamin c. Bloodwork is scheduled for this week, so I'm eager to see what the numbers show!

My tiredness probably stems from several things at once, so pinning it entirely on the reta isn't something I can do. That's part of why I'd rather hold off before adding mots & ss31 into the mix, despite all the positive feedback I've come across about both.

Thanks for responding and for the guidance

Happy to help! From what you've described, you're already ahead of plenty of folks. Do you hit a minimum of 1 gram of potassium each day?

Labs are useful mainly for catching big, obvious imbalances. Personally, I'm not someone who leans heavily on blood work. And of course, my body and routines differ from yours. Since I began reta, I've dropped caffeine and nicotine, and I run daily.

That said, I've had huge success regulating my energy by working on the methylation cycle. Methylated B, methyl folate, along with P5P and R5P (no other b vitamins are needed for synergy), generous daily TMG, and taurine + glycine in the evening have pushed my energy well above my usual baseline. I also introduced pregnenolone for hormonal support, which mellowed me out somewhat.

Genetic testing isn't available to me, but I suspect I have slow COMT, among other methylation-related quirks. You can roughly probe your cycle using flush niacin or NAD, since both consume methyl groups and boost NAD. If a few days of niacin leaves you feeling great, you likely had excess methylation and should bring in a methyl sink such as glycine. If NAD or niacin wipe you out, you're probably short on methylation support.

SS31 is on the way for us too, and hopefully 1 or 2 months of it will benefit you as well!

I have to say, your level of knowledge really impresses me.

A bit more background on me: for 22 years I've been taking Lexapro (an ssri) along with Adderall XR. I'm fairly certain I came across something saying NAD shouldn't be combined with an SSRI, and that's the reason I haven't brought it up as something I could try. On top of that, 5 days before I began reta, I received the depo-provera "birth control shot" — never again, given the awful side effects it's caused me. My system is completely overloaded at the moment, and the slower digestion is messing with the extended release adderall too. Working out hasn't really been possible for me, though my plan was to begin low impact cardio after hitting my goal weight and switching to maintenance dosing. That's the situation I'm in right now.. This week I've got my physical with blood work, plus a psychiatrist appointment where I'll let her know I'm on Tirz 2.5mg/weekly so she can decide whether my medications and/or dosages need adjusting.

So extended release adderall is made up of two payloads: the beads with one coating break down fairly fast, then, I believe 2 or 4 hours later, the second batch of beads break down and release the other half of the dose.

Amphetamine gets excreted in urine, and how much is flushed out depends on the ph of the stomach. A stomach that's more basic, say if you take a bunch of tums alongside your dose, makes the amphetamine stick around longer. That's why people take tums to potentiate Adderall. Flip side of that: a stomach that's more acidic makes the amphetamine leave the blood faster.

A stomach that's more acidic ought to help digestion too. Back when I was younger I used to take a supplement called HCL with pepsin, and it sorted out my indigestion at the time. I haven't given it a try with reta, but I had a hunch it could be helpful for speeding up digestion. I really can't stand eating at 5pm and then going to bed with a full stomach!

This should also help you clear your adderall faster. Anything containing citric acid, OJ for instance, can help as well, maybe apple cider vinegar if that's your thing. If you need it cleared faster I'd take the med on an empty stomach together with something acidic.

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

Reta has really turned things around for me! (41F)

Lately I've been looking into mots-c & ss31, mostly because of the tiredness I've been dealing with, but I figured I'd give it another couple of months before choosing whether to include them.

Are you getting in enough electrolytes and iron? And enough food? In the beginning I wasn't eating enough and dealt with feeling wiped out, then it came back later and I figured out my iron intake was too low. After I took a few capsules, the following day I felt a lot better.

I'd say my intake is sufficient, and appetite suppression hasn't hit me very hard — honestly, at times I question whether I'm reaching for snacks more than I should That said, I can't deny the food noise has quieted down, I'm no longer eating just because I'm bored, and fullness arrives sooner.

As for iron, that's a daily thing for me, and I pair it with vitamin c. Bloodwork is scheduled for this week, so I'm eager to see what the numbers show!

My tiredness probably stems from several things at once, so pinning it entirely on the reta isn't something I can do. That's part of why I'd rather hold off before adding mots & ss31 into the mix, despite all the positive feedback I've come across about both.

Thanks for responding and for the guidance

Happy to help! From what you've described, you're already ahead of plenty of folks. Do you hit a minimum of 1 gram of potassium each day?

Labs are useful mainly for catching big, obvious imbalances. Personally, I'm not someone who leans heavily on blood work. And of course, my body and routines differ from yours. Since I began reta, I've dropped caffeine and nicotine, and I run daily.

That said, I've had huge success regulating my energy by working on the methylation cycle. Methylated B, methyl folate, along with P5P and R5P (no other b vitamins are needed for synergy), generous daily TMG, and taurine + glycine in the evening have pushed my energy well above my usual baseline. I also introduced pregnenolone for hormonal support, which mellowed me out somewhat.

Genetic testing isn't available to me, but I suspect I have slow COMT, among other methylation-related quirks. You can roughly probe your cycle using flush niacin or NAD, since both consume methyl groups and boost NAD. If a few days of niacin leaves you feeling great, you likely had excess methylation and should bring in a methyl sink such as glycine. If NAD or niacin wipe you out, you're probably short on methylation support.

SS31 is on the way for us too, and hopefully 1 or 2 months of it will benefit you as well!

I have to say, your level of knowledge really impresses me.

A bit more background on me: for 22 years I've been taking Lexapro (an ssri) along with Adderall XR. I'm fairly certain I came across something saying NAD shouldn't be combined with an SSRI, and that's the reason I haven't brought it up as something I could try. On top of that, 5 days before I began reta, I received the depo-provera "birth control shot" — never again, given the awful side effects it's caused me. My system is completely overloaded at the moment, and the slower digestion is messing with the extended release adderall too. Working out hasn't really been possible for me, though my plan was to begin low impact cardio after hitting my goal weight and switching to maintenance dosing. That's the situation I'm in right now.. This week I've got my physical with blood work, plus a psychiatrist appointment where I'll let her know I'm on Tirz 2.5mg/weekly so she can decide whether my medications and/or dosages need adjusting.

So I went back and forth on how to approach this and figured I'd just be honest, and obviously everything below is only my opinion:

This is the reason you're tired. Being on psych meds like that for 22 years, and taking them until you die? That's incredibly extreme. I don't say that to take a shot at you, more at the system that allows it to happen, and I say this as someone who has been prescribed prozac, buspar, adderall, vyvanse, venlafaxine, hydroxyzine, etc.

Obviously, quitting isn't on the table. I don't know how to deal with the long term sides of Lexapro, that one frightens me a great deal, but I do know how to deal with the Adderall issue.

Simply put: You need to be taking at least $40-60 worth of additional supplements per month. The initial investment will be the hardest part since you need to buy these things in bulk (and in order of importance) to make daily dosing economical. I can gladly keep typing until the cows come home, but I don't know how invested you are in this or whether you can afford to take what you see as a chance on this.

At the very least you need to be taking a lot of Omega 3 (Now foods liquid is economical), a lot of magnesium supported with d3k2 5000iu daily, zinc daily supported with copper, and likely a handful of amino acids like tyrosine and possibly tryptophan, though I'd need to do more research for your use case.

And this makes the stuff I mentioned above even more of an imperative. Adderall makes everything in your body run faster and drains nutrients and minerals over time.

 

[birdwhacker]

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

Reta has really turned things around for me! (41F)

Lately I've been looking into mots-c & ss31, mostly because of the tiredness I've been dealing with, but I figured I'd give it another couple of months before choosing whether to include them.

Are you getting in enough electrolytes and iron? And enough food? In the beginning I wasn't eating enough and dealt with feeling wiped out, then it came back later and I figured out my iron intake was too low. After I took a few capsules, the following day I felt a lot better.

I'd say my intake is sufficient, and appetite suppression hasn't hit me very hard — honestly, at times I question whether I'm reaching for snacks more than I should That said, I can't deny the food noise has quieted down, I'm no longer eating just because I'm bored, and fullness arrives sooner.

As for iron, that's a daily thing for me, and I pair it with vitamin c. Bloodwork is scheduled for this week, so I'm eager to see what the numbers show!

My tiredness probably stems from several things at once, so pinning it entirely on the reta isn't something I can do. That's part of why I'd rather hold off before adding mots & ss31 into the mix, despite all the positive feedback I've come across about both.

Thanks for responding and for the guidance

Happy to help! From what you've described, you're already ahead of plenty of folks. Do you hit a minimum of 1 gram of potassium each day?

Labs are useful mainly for catching big, obvious imbalances. Personally, I'm not someone who leans heavily on blood work. And of course, my body and routines differ from yours. Since I began reta, I've dropped caffeine and nicotine, and I run daily.

That said, I've had huge success regulating my energy by working on the methylation cycle. Methylated B, methyl folate, along with P5P and R5P (no other b vitamins are needed for synergy), generous daily TMG, and taurine + glycine in the evening have pushed my energy well above my usual baseline. I also introduced pregnenolone for hormonal support, which mellowed me out somewhat.

Genetic testing isn't available to me, but I suspect I have slow COMT, among other methylation-related quirks. You can roughly probe your cycle using flush niacin or NAD, since both consume methyl groups and boost NAD. If a few days of niacin leaves you feeling great, you likely had excess methylation and should bring in a methyl sink such as glycine. If NAD or niacin wipe you out, you're probably short on methylation support.

SS31 is on the way for us too, and hopefully 1 or 2 months of it will benefit you as well!

I have to say, your level of knowledge really impresses me.

A bit more background on me: for 22 years I've been taking Lexapro (an ssri) along with Adderall XR. I'm fairly certain I came across something saying NAD shouldn't be combined with an SSRI, and that's the reason I haven't brought it up as something I could try. On top of that, 5 days before I began reta, I received the depo-provera "birth control shot" — never again, given the awful side effects it's caused me. My system is completely overloaded at the moment, and the slower digestion is messing with the extended release adderall too. Working out hasn't really been possible for me, though my plan was to begin low impact cardio after hitting my goal weight and switching to maintenance dosing. That's the situation I'm in right now.. This week I've got my physical with blood work, plus a psychiatrist appointment where I'll let her know I'm on Tirz 2.5mg/weekly so she can decide whether my medications and/or dosages need adjusting.

What about asking to move from extended release Adderall over to the instant release version?

Because of how XR Adderall is put together, there's nothing stopping you. One 20mg XR is equivalent to taking 10mg instant release followed by another 10mg instant release 4 hours afterward.

That's not the case with things like Vyvanse or Concerta, where the release mechanisms are more involved.

You'd end up with far greater say over both the amount of medication you receive and its timing. With a 20mg dose, you could even request 4x5mg instant release, which might come in handy and let you set some aside for tough days or "needy" relatives

 

[Dimples85]

birdwhacker said:


I wouldn't have it any other way!

So, like most stuff with peptides, this is very likely just some bullshit that somebody said. I wouldn't put much stock in that. At all.

I don't envy that. I thank God every day that I got the easy hormones. There is no part of being a woman that sounds appealing to be, honestly, I mean that with the most empathy.

So extended release adderall consists of two payloads, the beads with one coating dissolve pretty quickly, then, I think 2 or 4 hours later, the second set of beads dissolve and release the second half of the dose.

Amphetamine is excreted in urine, and more of it is flushed depending on the ph of the stomach. A more basic stomach, if you take a bunch of tums with your dose, causes the amphetamine to hang around longer. People take tums to potentiate Adderall. On the other side of the coin, a more acidic stomach causes the amphetamine to clear the blood more quickly.

A more acidic stomach should also aid digestion. I used to take a supplement called HCL with pepsin when I was younger, cleared up my indigestion at the time. I haven't tried it with reta, but I suspected it might be useful for quickening digestion. I really hate eating at 5pm and going to bed with a full stomach!

This should also help you clear your adderall faster. Anything with citric acid like OJ can help too, possibly apple cider vinegar if you're into that. If you need it to clear faster I would take the med on an empty stomach with something acidic.

So I tossed around how to come at this and decided to just be honest, obviously what follows is just my opinion:

This is why you're tired. Being on psych meds like that for 22 years, and take them until you die? That's super extreme. I don't mean that as a dig against you, moreso at the system that lets it happen, and I say this as somebody who has been prescribed prozac, buspar, adderall, vyvanse, venlafaxine, hydroxyzine, etc.

Obviously, quitting isn't an option. I don't know how to tackle the long term sides of Lexapro, that one scares me a great deal, but I do know how to tackle the Adderall issue.

Put simply: You need to be taking at least $40-60 worth of additional supplements per month. The initial investment will be the hardest part because you need to buy these things in bulk (and in order of importance) in order to make daily dosing economical. I can happily keep typing until the cows come home, but I don't know how you're invested in this or if you can afford to take what you perceive as a chance on this.

At the very least you need to be taking a lot of Omega 3 (Now foods liquid is economical), lot of magnesium supported with d3k2 5000iu daily, zinc daily supported with copper, and likely a handful of amino acids like tyrosine and possibly tryptophan, though I'd need to do more research for your use case.

And this makes the stuff I mentioned above even more of an imperative. Adderall makes everything in your body runs faster and drains nutrients and minerals over time.

Click to expand...

Thanks so much for sharing all of this! Since I figure my women's multi-vitamin probably isn't covering everything, I plan to check out those supplements you brought up.

 

[birdwhacker]

Dimples85 said:


I really appreciate all this advice! I'm going to look into the supplements you mentioned because I doubt I'm getting enough with my women's multi-vitamin

Click to expand...

No problem at all!

And true — a solid multivitamin will still cost you more for ingredients that are far cheaper when purchased separately.

For me, TMG along with the methyl b items have made the biggest difference to my energy. Best of luck!

 

[Bollerhead]

Dimples85 said:

birdwhacker said:

Dimples85 said:

Reta has really turned things around for me! (41F)

Lately I've been looking into mots-c & ss31, mostly because of the tiredness I've been dealing with, but I figured I'd give it another couple of months before choosing whether to include them.

Are you getting in enough electrolytes and iron? And enough food? In the beginning I wasn't eating enough and dealt with feeling wiped out, then it came back later and I figured out my iron intake was too low. After I took a few capsules, the following day I felt a lot better.

I'd say my intake is sufficient, and appetite suppression hasn't hit me very hard — honestly, at times I question whether I'm reaching for snacks more than I should That said, I can't deny the food noise has quieted down, I'm no longer eating just because I'm bored, and fullness arrives sooner.

As for iron, that's a daily thing for me, and I pair it with vitamin c. Bloodwork is scheduled for this week, so I'm eager to see what the numbers show!

My tiredness probably stems from several things at once, so pinning it entirely on the reta isn't something I can do. That's part of why I'd rather hold off before adding mots & ss31 into the mix, despite all the positive feedback I've come across about both.

Thanks for responding and for the guidance

Glad to have you here. Reta's been giving me the same feeling, and I'm now thinking about stacking Ss31 alongside Mots C. If you go ahead with it, tell me how it goes. I'd like to hear a firsthand account, even though I realize spotting results probably won't be easy.