There is a thing called the MTHFR gene that Reed 31 might come and talk about - a genetic disorder that causes malabsorbption of one of the vitamin b group.

She has to take a certain version of this particular vitamin in order to function. Hopefully she will come along and fill you in shortly? Certainly if it has been inherited and doesnt' contain the terror, then sounds like this could be you?


:)

Heredity markers such as listed by Bridgie are often found when someone is searching for help as you are.

Best wishes finding what works for you!

I'm here! And predictably, will talk about the gene mutation!

If you have a strong heredity factor with anxiety and if certain other issues run in your family - depression, heart disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, irritable bowel, migraines and/or high homocysteine levels - you may have this very common gene mutation.

Over the past dozen or so years a lot of research has been done on this. There is some controversy, but the Mayo Clinic is even starting to get on board with it's importance.

It's a simple test that can be done at 23andme ($99 saliva test) or you can get a blood test which should run no more than $100 to process.

If you get the blood test, I suggest having them check for the MTHFR gene mutation and where the mutation is (C677T and /or A1298) as it will impact different systems. Also ask for them to check your folate levels and homocysteine levels.

Folate is SO critical to neurological health that folic acid is put in everything "enriched and fortified" like flour, cereal, bread, pasta, etc. If women don't get enough folate in early pregnancy it leads to miscarriage and very devastating birth defects. So, they put it in common foods.

Here's the problem. If you have the gene mutation, like 30 - 40% of people - your body can't absorb the folic acid properly so you wind up low on folate and overloaded on this thing your body sees as a toxin. The treatment is to avoid folic acid and then take a special methyl folate supplement that's very cheap.

I started on it - what was it guys? Like 18 months ago or something. I have not had ONE anxiety attack since. Not only that, my migraines are way down and I have hardly had any IBS symptoms. PLUS, my heart attack risk has been cut down significantly because my homocysteine level has come back in line.

Some doctors will say MTHFR has nothing to do with anything, but we're finding it to be critical in a number of arenas. Doctors are trained to use pharameuticals, but personally I'd rather take folate than xanex for anxiety, Prozac for depression, Amitiza for IBS, Zomig for migraines, a statin for cholesterol and try to eat a special diet to prevent heart disease. Especially when these expensive meds treat only the symptoms and cause a slew of side effects when a 25 cent folate supplement treats the cause with no side effects.

Might be worth a test.

Reed31,
Are you a doctor?? I probably would want to check with my psychiatrist to see what if any conflicts might exist with the current medications that I am on (Brintellix and Klonopin), if I started taking this foliate supplement.

I think you can get this. You mean you have the physical effects of anxiety without the mental anxiety? I'd prefer what you have I mainly just get mental anxiety!

The MTHFR gene...that abbreviation sounds like something else! I'm sorry dont mean to disrespect your post but you could say your anxiety is one hell of a MTHFR!!! LOlz...

I have a friend who had little mental anxiety and mostly physical anxiety, she would have all the well known physical effects of an anxiety disorder but her physical anxiety was bad and went into being more about (for her) asthma and eczema. When she is feeling calmer though her asthma and eczema would go away. Is it something like this for you?

No, I do not have any physical issues other than the panic/anxiety attacks themselves. I take Klonopin which calms the brain and prevents the attacks. I've been on Klonopin for 4 weeks now and it seems to be working, have not had any attacks since. I am also taking Brintellix to control the anxiety feelings. Brintellix is relatively new so there is no generic, making it very expensive $89.00 for 30 20mg tablets. I feel that it is slowly getting my anxiety under control. I've been on it for 4 weeks and my doctor says it takes 4-6 weeks to get the full effect of the medication. I was wondering if anyone else out there has had experience with Brintellix??

Sure. My mother has anxiety, so I have anxiety too. The mind just races, for no reason. I'm not on any meds. I've found physical exercise, especially bicycling for long distances, helps. It exhausts me, and also forges an inner strength, centers me.

No worries. I refer to it as the mother f---- gene ALL the time!

I'm not a physician, but I've worked around doctors all my life. I worked in a hospital as a therapist for a number of years and come from a medical family.

A lot of MD's haven't heard of the MTHFR gene and I'm not overly fond of psychiatrists. I know there are some good ones out there but often they don't take time to assess the whole person and seem in a rush to prescribe pills. But perhaps that's just my experience.

PS: Sometimes doctors who don't know much about this will say, "It won't hurt you to take folate. Just find a vitamin with folic acid in it." The problem is, for people with the MTHFR gene is that we can't convert the folic acid into the folate our body needs.

The blood test will tell you what sort of folate you need and how much.

My one experience with a psychiatrist was terribly negative. It was years ago in my 20's when I started to experience some pretty severe feelings of aggression. When my doc sent me to a psych I imagined I was going there to talk things out. He asked me about 5 questions, wrote me a script, slid a little duo-tang workbook on GAD across his desk and said work on that, and that was it.