throw another bear in the canoe

It would be.

However, if it isn't, I HIGHLY recommend acupuncture for anxiety. It is like magic, and it has no side effects. Side affects? GODDAMNIT WHY CAN'T I LEARN THE DIFFERENCE

(That was not a bipolar joke; I am very upset about my refusal to learn the difference.)

Effects. Affect is display of emotional state; many schizophrenics are notable for their lack of affect.

It's the reverse for the verbs: If something affects you badly, then you do not like its effects.

This makes sense when you think that 'effect' as a verb means 'cause to take place.' As in, we will effect some changes on this front.

(And we haven't even gotten into '[pl. noun] effects: personal belongings,' or '[v] affect: to pretend to or assume the manner of.' Basically, those two words are working triple-time, and not getting adequately compensated for their work.)

I'm sorry this is an issue, but I love you for the non-Alanis kind of ironic phrase.

I'm actually hoping the empiricism proves it to be true, because then I can switch to a different brand of vitamins, and maybe the freaking anxiety will GO AWAY.

Oh, that would suck rocks.

In theory, B5 (Pantothenic Acid) is supposed to be "relaxing." I've only got the label on a bottle of much-too-expensive iced tea to prove it, though.

Are there specific B vitamins that help with the bipolar? I'm all curious, now.

Anyhow, I hope *something* becomes obvious and is easily remediable. Anxiety is the pits.

Allegedly, and by my experience, B-complex (so called stress vitamins) help level mood. However, I ran out of my usual ones a while back, and bought some fancy expensive ones at the health food store.

And I'm wondering if that and my burgeoning anxiety levels over winter are linked.

I tried melatonin to help with insomnia at one point and found that while it helped me sleep, I had such intense, vivid dreams while on it that I often woke up in a state of emotional distress. I went back to the insomnia.

So the B vitamins keep you more balanced but they're putting the balance point in the wrong location?

Normally, they just help me keep a level keel. I think this brand may have some kind of Shit In Them.

It's good that you are aware enough of yourself and your body to realize there is a problem and that might be it. I have found that if I take B-vitamins I have a tendence to get very grouchy and intolerant (I believe a common word for it is female dog-like). My solution was to start taking the B vitamins at night before I go to sleep, so the main time period it affects me that way is when I'm unconscious.

Of course, I also forget to take it alot. :)

I hope you figure it out. Maybe you could get tested somehow to see if you are actually low on the B vitamins or not? Not telling what to do, just letting you know what I did a while back when I discovered my problem. It was found I wasn't deficient in B-vitamin.

I was told by my doc not to take them at night because they'd keep me awake.

I hope you don't mind my butting in here. I AM bi-polar, and my therapist is retiring. I'm trying to find a different way, other than being medicated, to deal.

Tell me, Bear, what brand were you taking that didn't have Shit in Them?

B12 might be able to cause anxiety, what with its pep-making properties. Folic acid relaxes me. And I can't take B6 because it exacerbates a pre-existing neurological thingy. Just to say that it is indeed possible that the Bs could be giving you trouble...

I was taking some for awhile that had some Herbs in them that were, I later found out, specifically not supposed to be taken with antidepressants. St. Johns Wort was one (synergistic effects). So yeah, going back to plain old Bs might be a worthy experiment.

I'm coming to HATE meds.

I'd been on suppressive thyroid therapy for around 15 years, didn't pay any attention to it, just considered it part of the background.

In recent years my anxiety level was getting higher and higher and higher.... became critical, went on a benzodiazepine and five days in was the worst emotional wreck I've ever been. Something the doc had said when we first met led me to think... Hmm... is the thyroid med making me hyperthyroid?

Went off it; more relaxed than I've been in years.

Well, maybe instead of looking at it as ironic, you could look at it this way: at least the baseless anxiety is more consistent...? XP

Actually, I'm not sure what, exactly, in that song is supposed to be ironic, so just feel free to ignore my gibberish...

If you're looking for a different form of B-vitamins: have you ever tried emergen-C? It's vitaminized koolaid, with the official selling point being loads of vitamin C, but I take it for the B-vitamins, and it does more for my fatigue than the B complex pills did. You can get a free sample from their website (www.emergenc.com).

It would, but I doubt it... I am not a doctor, but when I got my baseless anxiety a few months back, they seemed to think lack of B vitamins were a possible cause.

Magnesium is very good for anxiety or if you have trouble sleeping. I've also found that it takes care of RLS (restless leg syndrome).

Powder and liquid forms of Magnesium are the best and easier absorbed by the body. I buy Ionic Magnesium Powder. It tastes great in cold water. The brand I buy comes in a yummy lemon-rasberry flavor. =)

Not exactly the same, but I know someone who started taking 5-HTP 200mg/day for depression and started having panic attacks. I still recommend the stuff, but you can overdose...

THat sucks. I hope you get it sorted out.