I suck at blogging. I wish I was way more consistent. I think about it a lot, so I do blog a lot…just in my head. A lot of things happen in there that {thankfully} never make their way out. Anyway. I am asked pretty often about how we have chosen to treat Tristan and Toby in there more specific medical needs. So I’m going to break down the things we love the most, when and why we use them. Maybe I’ll make it a blog series…maybe.
When I was 9 weeks pregnant with Tristan I went in for an ultrasound Dr. Carter said that the baby was the most active baby she has ever seen at that gestation, now 11 years later, I am not surprised. Tristan is also a very sensitive soul. At a young age when we would watch movies and the music would get intense he would shrink back into the couch or put a blanket on his head. He is very in tune with his body and his surroundings. When he was 5 he experienced betrayal and trauma in a way that still 6 years later is very much with him. About 3 months after the trauma his Kindergarten teacher said she thought he should be evaluated for ADHD as he exhibited classic ADHD symptoms. We had him evaluated and left the clinic with Ritalin and Prozac. Those two drugs did their jobs and they did them well. However Tristan experienced a side effect known as emotional flattening. He was calm and focused but he had no emotions. He would stiffen up when you hugged him and laugh when people got hurt. We knew it was time for a change. We began researching how oils could help, we eased him off of the Ritalin and prozac and it was NOT pretty, the oils helped but in the in-between time while we were easing off the drugs and trying to figure out the right combo of oils, it was ugly. Super ugly. 6 weeks after he was fully weaned from the drugs and fully on the oils, we saw a difference and we relied solely on these for nearly 2 years. I want to note that due to the trauma Tristan experienced he was also in counseling weekly for years. By the time we made it through all of our specialists Tristan has a diagnosis of ADHD, PTSD, MDD and Anxiety disorders. While he has a propensity to be wild, I fully believe all of these things stem from the trauma he experienced when he was 5. In November of 2014 Tristan ruptured his spleen riding his bike. This trauma caused his sensitive little brain to revert back to the original trauma. He started not sleeping through the night, refusing to shower without supervision, crying all of the time, hiding under his bed and for a short stretch of time he told us he didn’t want to live anymore. Friends, that was the worst. I have never felt more helpless. We were ready to scrap all holistic treatments and go back to the dr., I fully believe that allopathic medicine has a place in life and we were there. We made one last ditch effort and met Dr. Julie Glass through some internet research and she spent 2 hours with us at our first meeting and asked us to try a whole new regimen and we agreed. We would give it 3 weeks and if things got worse in that time we were going to fill our prescription for prozac. My brave Tristan begged us not to put him back on those medicines, he didn’t want them. We explained our plan and 3 weeks later he was much better. Still suffering night terrors and extreme bouts of what I can only explain as guilt, but he was better. We are 16 months post his splenic tear he is a new kid. He goes to bed on his own, he has learned to deal with issues as they pop up and best of all he is HAPPY. Wild and impulsive but he is so happy and I will take it. Don’t get me wrong, some days I consider strapping his to his bed but when I think back to a year ago of 6 years ago I am reminded of how far he as come and how insanely brave he is. So so brave. About a month in to our time with Dr. Glass we decided to switch to Dr. Sydmarie Boyle at Calcagno Pediatrics. She is a wonderful pediatric naturopath who built off of what Dr. Glass had begun. If you’d stuck with me this long, let me tell you about what Tristan takes {Please note that this is not a suggestion for what other kids should take, you should talk to your dr or mine, Dr. Sydmarie Boyle at Calcagno Pediatrics, 503-491-0714}.
Every morning he takes:
L-Theanine {by Pure Encapsulations} : An amino acid that is a building building block for proteins. It is used to treat anxiety. (Tristan takes 200mg/ day in the morning)
ADR Formula {by Pure Encapsulations}: ADR is a combination of pantothenic acid, Asian ginseng, eleuthero, licorice root, whole adrenal and adrenal cortex. This is an adaptogenic herb combination that supports a healthy adrenal system as well as maintain a healthy immune system (Tristan takes 1 of these pills in the morning)
Cortisol Manager {by Integrative Therapeutics}: Contains ashwagandha root and leaf extract, L-theanine, magnolia bark extract, and phosphatidylserine. This one is a big deal for us, if he misses a couple of doses of this it is a game changer. I am never without at least 2 back up bottles. This helps to promote relaxation, alleviate fatigue and support and balance cortisol levels (Tristan takes 1 of these pills in the morning)
Active B Complex {Integrative therapeutics}: This contains Thaimin, riboflavin, niacin, B6, L-methyltetrahydrofolate, vitamin B12, biotin, pantothenic acid, choline bitartrate and inositol. It uses the active forms of vitamins B2, B6, and B12. It also contains Quatrefolic, the stabilized glucosamine salt of (6S)-5-methyltetrahydrofolate, a reduced and active form of folic acid. 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) is directly usable by the human body as a methyl donor and as such, supports healthy homocysteine blood levels (Tristan takes 2 of these in the morning).
Bacopa Extract {by Planetary Herbals}: contains calcium and bacopa aerial parts. Bacopa supports clear thinking and reduces the effects of stress on the brain. For Tristan this is a critical herb for calming his brain when it is racing. (Tristan takes 225mg in the morning)
5-HTP {by Pure Encapsulations}: 5 HTP increases serotonin levels in the brain and is primarily used to treat depression. (Tristan takes 100mg of this per day in the morning.)
P5P 50 {By Pure Encapsulations}: It is easily absorbed through the body and is the active metabolite of pyridoxine and is the predominant form of plasma B6. P5P is required for proper absorption of B12 and magnesium, and for the production of gastric HCl. It is an important coenzyme in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and the elongation of essential fatty acids. It is required for the production of antibodies and red blood cells. P5P facilitates the release of glycogen (used in energy production) from the liver and muscles. In addition, P5P helps maintain the balance of sodium and potassium, which regulates body fluids and promotes the healthy functioning of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems (Tristan takes 50mg, 1pill in the morning).
In the evening:
Tristan takes the following
ADR Formula {by Pure Encapsulations}: Tristan takes 1 capsule at bed time.
Cortisol Manager {by Integrative Therapeutics}: Tristan takes 2 capsules at bed time.
Bacopa Extract {by Planetary Herbals}: Tristan takes 2 capsules at bed time.
Melatonin {By Stress-Relax}: Tristan takes 6 mg 15 minutes prior to bedtime.
*As a side note for Tristan, melatonin made him exhausted but he couldn’t shut his busy brain down. The Bacopa crosses the blood brain barrier and calms his racing brain. They complement each other very well.
In addition to all of these things Tristan can take Pharmagabas.
Pharmagaba {By Design by health}: is naturally occurring amino acid in our brain. It is one of the major inhibitory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system and has been found in several peripheral tissues. Amino acid neurotransmitters are critical for the function of the central nervous system (CNS); they have fast actions, producing responses within few milliseconds playing an important role in brain functions and neurological diseases.
GABA levels can drop when a person is subjected to stressful conditions. Therefore, supplementation with a safe, clinically proven form of GABA, such as PharmaGABA, may be beneficial in reestablishing ideal GABA levels. We actually call these natural Xanax. Tristan usually uses them at night when he is really having a hard time going to bed.
When the night time trauma creeps back in Tristan practices yoga, prays and focuses his mind on scripture that is important to him.
When the night time trauma creeps back in Tristan practices yoga, prays and focuses his mind on scripture that is important to him.
It may look like a lot and it is, but Tristan takes it like a champ and it in my opinion has literally saved his life and our sanity. It took some time to find the right combo of things and his Naturopath was instrumental in that. As of now we are exactly 2 years without any pharmaceutical drugs to treat ADHD, PTSD, MDD & Anxiety. I'm pretty proud of that. Hear me clearly, I'm not judging anyone for using prescribed meds, different strokes for different folks. Love your kids, follow your heart and seek wise counsel...it's all good.
