I’m pretty sure that TD was around in schizophrenia before the meds were available but that since the meds are available, it is more prevalent in schizophrenia.
I would hate to get TD because it would mean my treatment team would want to change my meds, and my meds are working well as they are, thank you very much.
About twenty years ago I displayed involuntary tongue and lip movements that I presumed were the beginings of TD. Also, at the time, I was friendly with a psych nurse who looked at them and said she believed they were TD. Therefore, I made a phone call to my nutritionist. Over the phone, he advised I get some Phosphatidyl Choline Complex and take 4 X 1200 mg capsules a day with food. My symptoms went right away.
I continue to take Phosphatidyl Choline Complex in the same amount. I understand that it is more or less a “brain food”. Now in addition, I take 1 X 100 mg of Phosphatidylserine to help even more with potential TD.
The company I buy from is Swanson in North Dakota. I can recommend them. Their phone number would be 1 (800) 437-4148.
I’m taking Pregnenolone since 3 weeks, but on and off. It does WONDERS. I haven’t felt this healthy since like ever. I feel like the time when I was 4 yo. I suppose it takes about 4 days for the anti-psychotic effect to kick in. I take 100mg/day
It makes me a bit hyper, but I’m very coherent and goal oriented. Today I even thought of going back to work, what was out of question for me for a long time.
The other thing that totally punched me in the face is that reality looks REAL again. I had bad derealization because of my schizophrenia (or whatever) but that’s completely gone! my focus is also much better. I can actually listen to people.
The other thing is that I can turn off my mind on it. Like not thinking AT ALL (nill, zero,nada!) for 20 seconds in a row.
I’m generally 100x smarter and more wakeful.
Also read this: Pregnenolone sulfate enhances neurogenesis and PSA-NCAM in young and aged hippocampus.
This stuff cause regrow of completely new neurons! not dandrits, BUT ACTUAL NEW NEURONS!!!
The only problem is that I have too much energy but that is actually no problem because now I can do stuff with my energy. Maybe it has nothing to do with Preg. and I’m just energetic by nature though.
The other thing is that Pregnenolone is a “negative allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptors.” It makes them underactive. GABA agonists are Benzos (volume, xanax) and such so Pregnenolone, which does the opposite. would make you theoretically restless. But there is a good side to it. A VERY good side. Deactivating (of sorts) of GABA-A receptors by Pregnenolone increases Neurogenesis (birth of new neurons) in hippocampus. Link to study. Schizophrenics has been found to have small hippocampuses. Theoretically your Hippocampus should grow.
Pregnenolone also does the opposite of THC (Marihuana) it is a cannabiloid type-1 (CB1) receptor ANTAgoinist, while THC is a CB1 AGOnist. If MJ is bad for Schizophrenia I suppose it’s opposite could be good for it! (wild speculation) Pregnenolone can protect the brain from cannabis intoxication.
It sounds all very good to me. But I don’t care about the theory that much. It’s just totally helping me. A very interesting “side effect” is that I now understand what Eckhard Tolle was talking about all the time…
I stopped my chinese herb medicine to try pregnanolone. it definitely does something. don’t worry so much when I take it.dont know whether 50mg is a bit much for me.only took one 25mg today and am ok.but yeah thumbs up from me.
I tried pregnenolone a few months ago at 50mg in the morning. Didn’t notice much of an effect maybe a bit more ‘wired’ because of the GABA antagonism. I was already taking sarcosine at the time maybe that’s why there wasn’t much of an additive effect.
It was much harder to fall asleep after taking it even though I took it in the morning so I stopped taking it.
Tried this supplement for a few days. Felt good at first but I think it’s gaba antagonism interacted with my high dose gabapentin I am on. Right now I feel very anxious and exposed. Will withdraw it from my regular meds for now (well at least until the seasons holidays are done - don’t want instability when there are so many friends and family around).
Update - halved the dose and take once in the morning. Was a bit disorientated for the first couple of days. But feeling the benefit of it now. Tackles the negative symptoms. Have noticed by body clock is a bit different but I don’t really keep to a routine anyway.
So just to reiterate: went from 50mg twice daily to 50mg each morning. That seems to be the sweet spot for me.
Good news, I have taken pregnenolone for 2 months now. I get better everyday it seems. Specifically, I am a lot more able to keep a train of thought going despite a few interruptions, like side thoughts and questions. My memory is amazing, a lot of improvement. I had an increase in my mid potentcy antipsychotic perphenazine two or three weeks before this experiment. But I think the perphenazine is responsible for most of the improvements, since when I do not take it for a day or two, my thought process degrades and I get this slowed, groggy, foggy, confused feeling with my mind. I wrote an amazing piece of science fiction. This is exceptional for me, since I usually can not keep my mind on a single thing for more than 10 minutes. I have all sorts of evidences, notes, and computer activity reports to show my improvement. Words are more within my reach, where as before it took a while to find words. So that means all my negatives symptoms have improved substantially. I read that there are some side effects with doses higher than 10 mg, so I halved it from the 50 mg capsule and I still am much improved, I pour out half the powder. The 50 mg might not be necessary. Are there any thoughts from anyone about the dosage? Is anyone else experiencing this kind of improvement?
Hi Jimbob here. This is my new account. Used to be morkboy_wonder but for some reason I couldn’t access diagnosed threads with that account.
Anyway I have been taking pregnenolone for 3 weeks now. Have felt a benefit but am having a problem. My head seems to rock from side to side against my will. I haven’t noticed it myself but my mum and dad have. It is pretty much continuous. My concern is this may be tardive dyskinesia.
I am on both a typical and a atypical ap. I have been stable on these for about 3 years with no recent change in dosage. Also on an ssri, procyclidine and gabapentin.
The fact that I am on a typical ap leads me to believe TD may be a possibility. Thing is this head movement began after taking pregnenolone for a few weeks. Not sure if I believe in coincidence.
Another thought I have had is that maybe the gaba antagonism of pregnenolone is interfering with my gabapentin. Could this head move my be a result of gabapentin withdrawal.
Anyway just thought I would let you guys no on this thread. Have discontinued the pregnenolone as of this morning just to see if the head movement disappears.
Will do. Spoke to my cpn today - he is going to liaise with my doctor. Could be a few days since it is the holiday season but don’t think it is an emergency.
Well came of pregnenolone and it made no difference to my head movements. So I have resumed the pregnenolone with good effects after a few days I felt really well.
To be honest I think the head movements are a nervous tic rather than TD. They are not there all the time. And if I concentrate I can stop them. Will speak to the doctor anyway.
Well the head shakes have settled down. Think it was more of a neurotic manifestation rather than TD. This hormone made me a little fuzzy headed for a week or so. But I think that was possibly due to an interaction with gabapentin. Not sure if it has made me put on weight (don’t have scales).
Think it is too early to say if it has been beneficial. Will give it an 8 week trial.