Since things are being discussed which have the ability to alter, in some cases significantly alter, energy levels I think it's best to remind anyone affected that one's own doctor or NP or whoever's in charge needs to be consulted, or at least notified, before implementing any changes, even simple ones. It's also always a good idea to tell the most responsible family member around about what one is doing, even if it's as simple as adding vitamins. Depressed people who suddenly find themselves with physical energy are at a multiple level of risk for injuring themselves in a variety of ways... ranging from suicide to running up the credit card balances. So, moving on, choline and lecithin are precursors of acetlycholine, a neurotransmitter involved with several processes but simply put, an excitatory transmitter or one that stimulates and increases energy levels. Various studies have shown significant changes in human and animal behavior reflecting increased calm. Few things, IMHO, seem as paradoxical as the world of neurotransmitters. First we learn that acetylcholine is a (naturally present) stimulant and then we learn that increasing its availability promotes a calm and centered affect. I mention that only to emphasize, again, the need to keep your prescribing physician informed of any changes. It's a very complex subject riddled with anomalies and potential pitfalls. I'm going to mention one more thing concerning half-lives of various antidepressants. It's an important thing to ask your physician what the half-life of your particular medication is. Some, example Paxil, have a half-life measured in hours. Others, such as Prozac, have a half-life measured in weeks. For some people, many people, missing one dose of Paxil will make itself known almost immediately. Conversely, a person who's been on Prozac could stop taking it for weeks and believe they'd been "cured" without realizing it's still circulating and working six weeks after they took the last dose. Adding to the confusion, it could even be possible that the hypothetical person taking Prozac actually is "cured" (and I use the word very loosely) BUT upon finally beginning to experience the bizarre set of withdrawal symptoms--which can be very similar to depression itself--mood swings, irritability--weeks later mistakenly thinks they need to get back on it. This is not an area where anyone wants to find themselves alone; it's every bit as dangerous as being broken down in a bad neighborhood alone at three a.m. without a cell phone. Don't put yourself in that situation. Plan ahead. Be willing to experiment, conditionally, but make sure a professional is monitoring, or at least aware of, any changes. Sorry for being so long-winded. MichaelAT

Earthclinic.com is a great site. That's where I get the info. to treat my own eczema when doctor's prescribed medications failed. Here's some excerpts on treating one's hypothyroid: http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/hypothyroidism.html Posted by Mari (California) on 04/23/2014 "I've had an goiter for several years, but lab tests were always within normal. The right side of my thyroid is definitely larger than the left. Finally, one doctor did an antibody test and determined I have a diagnoses of Thyroiditis. I was always able to manage without meds, but a few months ago I started having trouble breathing at night and a couple of times had laryngospasms that were pretty frightening. I was pretty desperate to find something that would help with my symptoms and read quite a bit about Lugol's solution. I sent away for a bottle and began adding 1-2 drops to water once a day. I have been taking it for several weeks now and have noticed my goiter is shrinking and getting softer. I also have no more trouble breathing at night or laryngospasms. Lately, I've increased to 3 drops/day without difficulty. I've also noticed my skin problems have cleared up and I attribute that to the Lugol's too." Mari (California) From StrawChicago: Doctors often resort to surgical removal of thyroid, without consideration for long-term effects. After my niece got 1/2 of her thyroid removed, she became severely depressed and has to be on medications for the rest of her life. Here's more excerpts from earthclinic.com: Posted by Harley_girl_1000 (Mt. Dora, Fl) on 09/19/2010 [NAY] 10 years ago I developed goiter on both sides of the thyroid. Each side was as large as a golf ball and multi-nodular. The doctors said that my thyroid blood work was normal. One side spontaneously shrunk and the other continued to grow. I opted for surgical removal of the larger side and kept half of the thyroid. Although I am on natural dessicated thyroid, my life has never been the same. The day after surgery I felt strangely different. A month later I was impotent. My energy levels have never been what they were. It has affected my whole life and I've had to give up many dreams. Despite a careful diet and exercise, nothing was as good as my old thyroid. Not one of 4 endocrinologists mentioned iodine to me. Now I take several drops of Lugol's a week. I have heard that painting the goiter with iodine can help. China is injecting young brides with iodine to prevent cretinism. I know it is possible to shrink a goiter since the half that I kept was at one time larger than the half that was removed. This post is to emphasize NAY to surgical removal of the goiter." http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/goiter.html Replied by Lisa Rabat, Morocco 02/06/2012 Are you also taking Vitamin C, magnesium, selenium and unrefined sea salt? These are recommended to take with iodine. I also was diagnosed with a goiter (by ultrasound) and after being on iodine for several months I no longer have one. You need very large doses of iodine if you have breast cancer, somewhere in the range of 50-300 mg/day. In any case, DON'T let them remove your thyroid. You will be on meds for life." Tchamers (North Carolina) on 10/22/2013 [YEA] I had hypothyroid issues and started eating 3 Brazil nuts a day that have high selenium in them and my thyroid is normal. Selenium regulates the endocrine system. Replied by Mama To Many Tennessee, Usa 12/02/2013 Glad to hear that the ACV (apple cider vinegar) and coconut oil are helping. I find them helpful, too. Regarding kelp versus potassium iodide....well, I have tried both in my family. The thing is that if you are truly deficient in iodine, which so many of us are, you would need a lot of kelp to get the amount needed. I don't personally notice much difference when I take kelp. But some do. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few years ago. I took a very small dose of levothyroxine and it made me feel much worse. Well, I ended up going off the medication and trying natural stuff. It took some time but I did find things that helped me. ACV and coconut oil being some of them. But potassium iodide made the biggest difference for me. I take Iodoral (the pill form of Lugol's.) I take 1 12.5 mg tablet a day (12.5 iodine/potassium iodide.) Iodine supplements should be taken with Selenium and B-complex. Some also include vitamin C. You may find that you need less of your thyroid medicine if you supplement with iodine. It might be helpful to try Lugol's iodine (the liquid form) as it is easier to take less and build up to more.) Replied by Bill San Fernando, Philippines 12/03/2013 Hi Dee...If you have a hypothyroid condition, then this is a condition that occurs when you have low iodine levels in the body and perhaps a lack of certain critical minerals in your body as well. Most people are low thyroid these days but if you lack certain mineral anti-oxidants in your body -- like magnesium, zinc or glutathione peroxidase -- this can even cause or aggravate hypothyroid and thyroiditis problems. The protocol that you should be using is the full Lugol's Iodine Protocol with Companion Nutrients. Never take Lugol's Iodine just on it's own for reasons that are all explained here in this link. http://www.earthclinic.com/cures/hypothyroidism.html

Hi joan, Poor you! I can SO relate with your situation. I'm sure you've probably checked your neck for pinched nerves, right? How about your vitamins? Have you read up on which ones, when deficient, might cause your symptoms? I honestly believe that some of us cannot physically handle menopause very well, because so many of our systems have become so dependent on our hormones. I'm thinking FSH has some funky effects on some of us. I even wonder if we have some ovarian-type cells in areas we shouldn't have, and they react to increasing FSH levels too, when they shouldn't. I just wish more research was done on this, but because it just affects aging women, I don't think they're interested. :( To be honest with you, I've been afraid to use acupuncture for my various problems. I went through about 5 years during perimenopause of having horrendous headaches. In retrospect, I am very suspect of the PPI I was on, since now when I try to use them, I get a bad headache. I have a friend who is on MAO inhibitors for her migraines, and she tried acupuncture, and it worked for awhile, but then she had the worst headache of her life. So I'm afraid to have that rebound problem with acupuncture. My whole body would go crazy with hormone fluctuations. One day I had an estrogen level drawn and it was something like 45. A few days later it was 440!! So I'm not sure testing those levels is helpful. Plus......some of us are fine with certain levels and some of us go crazy with them. I'm sorry if I'm rambling. I have major thinking problems too! When I was going through perimenopause, I had a hypertensive crisis type thing. My heart rate was about 110 at resting, and my BP went through the roof. I was eventually put on Toprol, a beta blocker, and everything calmed down. Last December I decided to come off the Toprol after being on it for 5 years, and my BP has been pretty good, but the rest of my body started going crazy. I started having lots of pains, GI problems, and now the dizziness and nausea. It makes me wonder if I need to go back on the Toprol......even though its not really meant for those symptoms. (unfortunately, the Toprol has its own set of side-effects that I hate). But.....my point is, perhaps there is a drug whose off-label use could help you? I would do this: 1. figure out what vitamins you're low on make sure you don't have neck nerve problems 3. Go on a test dose of an H2 blocker or PPI. 4. Keep a really good food diary, in case your having food intolerance problems 5. Maybe consider a beta blocker for migraine variants. When I was on Toprol, it was like a miracle, the way it took care of my headaches. Are you finding you have other symptoms anywhere in your body? your bowels? your nervous system? I'm really pursuing my GI tract as possibly causing these problems for me. Do you have any stomach problems? Our vagus nerve is very close to our esophagus and when irritated can cause some funky problems. I have fibromyalgia, and was just reading that nausea and dizziness is common. Is it possible you have fibro too? Again, please forgive me for rambling. I have ADD/fibro and am in menopause, so its sort of good that I can even talk at all! lol!

To repeat some of what I've said earlier in multiple posts, I've taken a multi-faceted approach: sunlight therapy light for 30 minutes each morning during the shorter winter months making sure to eat healthily, esp. lots of legumes exercise (which for me also includes social partner dancing...not only provides exercise but physical interaction and music!) bamboo sheets have greatly helped with night sweats. I sleep much better. join a menopause support group or else start your own such Meetup group (I did, in NYC!) I take Rainbow Light Menopause One make it a point to be social....to get out of the house and be around other people. Go for walks...be around nature. If you are a night owl (like me), try your best to change your schedule little by little. Waking up earlier and going to bed earlier means you will have more waking hours in the natural light, and fewer waking hours in the dark, which in turn helps with serotonin levels and mood. Talk to a shrink if you are depressed and/or try to engage in cognitive therapy on your own. Be aware of how you are able to somewhat impact your own mood. For e.g., I noticed a pattern, whereby I was constantly assessing my mood multiple times per day. 'Am I feeling depressed right now?....Yup, I am. I am indeed feeling down...just like I was earlier today...just like I was yesterday. Ugh.' I realized that in doing that, I was then creating a sub-conscious 'reality' for myself, that if I am feeling down today, and I felt 'down' yesterday, and the day before that, that it stands to reason that tomorrow, and the next day, will also be the same. And how on earth can I expect to be in a good mood, if I believe this to be my reality, for the foreseeable future? Talk about creating a sense of doom for oneself. ;-) So.... I realized that this thought pattern I was exhibiting was not serving me one iota. Of course, we all know the expression of 'living in the moment'. I decided to purposefully try this at every moment of every day. 'Oh, doesn't this cup of coffee taste so good?.... this is so great that I just finished this work spreadsheet on my computer...I can now cross this off my to-do list.... this is great... Oh, this is a great song I'm listening to ...this salad I'm eating tastes so fresh!.... don't my two cats look so cute sleeping together..." And so on. By doing this, at the end of each day I found that I was able to look back and think 'you know...today wasn't that bad actually...'. And if I practiced living in the moment the next day as well, I could say 'this is great...today was pretty good...yesterday was pretty good...'. So that in turn helped to create my own new reality, which then helped me believe that the days ahead would also be pretty good! ;-) (If I assumed the days ahead would not be so good, they usually were not so good. But if I took on a more positive outlook, that my days ahead would be good, or 'pretty good', indeed, they usually were. While we can't control our emotions or mood entirely, much of it IS about perspective, and recognizing the ways we self-sabotage. And on that note....do not believe for one minute that 'older women are regarded with little worth' (as someone else here said). I am so utterly tired of women (and most often, it's American women) making this complaint. If you believe it, so it will be. No one wants to be around an older woman who is down in the dumps about her age. You could take two older women who look the exact same age more or less, and who have a similar appearance. One woman is confident, takes pride in her appearance, dresses attractively, does not feel her age is in and of itself a detriment; she is engaging, curious, outgoing. The other woman goes around believing that now that she's X-years of age, she's washed-up, and that society and men will 'ignore her'. She doesn't bother trying to dress nice, because she figures 'why bother'. Which woman do you think society is going to respond to more favorably. Which woman will more men find attractive? ;-)