treating bipolar with fish oil: how much?

[organicmama328]

Hi, I was just recently dx'd with bipolar 2- I am still nursing dd and I do not want to take meds just yet. I am a vegetarian and in the past was opposed to fish oil but at this point I really dont care. I am having trouble figuring out how mush fish oil I need and what is safe with nursing.

I plan on taking:

-multi vitamin
-fish oil
-b complex
-5 htp ( not sure if this is ok with nursing)

Any suggestions on fish oil dosages? Any other supplements you can recommended?

Thanks much

[AnyMama]

My first suggestion is that you avoid the 5-htp for a couple of reasons. 1) you're nursing and 2) it can cause manias. Though bipolar II means you're less likely to have manias, that doesn't mean you couldn't have one if you took the wrong stuff.

Fish oil is a mood stabilizer. The dosage is tricky, so pay attention.

you need 1200 or more mg of one of the Omega 3s in fish oil called EPA. Ignore the amount of fish oil listed on the front. Turn the bottle around to the back where it lists nutritional information. go down the list until you find out how much EPA is in each serving, now figure out how many servings you'll need to get at least 1200 mg.

Then, go up to the top of the nutritional information and find out how many capsules in a serving. Some fish oils are tricky, and they require 2 capsules per serving. I've never found a brand that requires less than 4 capsules a day, most of the time it's 6. Yes, that's 6 fish oil capsules per day. Normally my dh takes 2 capsules 3 times daily.

One more thing, with your B-complex, make it a b-50 complex. Some of the b's are toxic to children at levels just over 100mg, so if you take a B-100 (the more common dosage), you're risking over exposure between what you'd get in the B complex, your food and other supplements.

Good luck. Eat lots of fat!!

[organicmama328]

Originally Posted by AnyMama

My first suggestion is that you avoid the 5-htp for a couple of reasons. 1) you're nursing and 2) it can cause manias. Though bipolar II means you're less likely to have manias, that doesn't mean you couldn't have one if you took the wrong stuff.

Fish oil is a mood stabilizer. The dosage is tricky, so pay attention.

you need 1200 or more mg of one of the Omega 3s in fish oil called EPA. Ignore the amount of fish oil listed on the front. Turn the bottle around to the back where it lists nutritional information. go down the list until you find out how much EPA is in each serving, now figure out how many servings you'll need to get at least 1200 mg.

Then, go up to the top of the nutritional information and find out how many capsules in a serving. Some fish oils are tricky, and they require 2 capsules per serving. I've never found a brand that requires less than 4 capsules a day, most of the time it's 6. Yes, that's 6 fish oil capsules per day. Normally my dh takes 2 capsules 3 times daily.

One more thing, with your B-complex, make it a b-50 complex. Some of the b's are toxic to children at levels just over 100mg, so if you take a B-100 (the more common dosage), you're risking over exposure between what you'd get in the B complex, your food and other supplements.

Good luck. Eat lots of fat!!

wow, that is really helpful, thanks

[perl]

Good info from AnyMama! Also, check out www.psycheducation.org for info on omega 3 supplementation in Bipolar II (as well as tons of other info!) GL!

[organicmama328]

Originally Posted by perl

Good info from AnyMama! Also, check out www.psycheducation.org for info on omega 3 supplementation in Bipolar II (as well as tons of other info!) GL!

thanks

[Autumn Breeze]

crap, I wish I hadn't read that part about 5htp inducing mania.... I could use some mania, but not fullblown mania. ack.

Anyway, I'm quite interested in fish oils for my son (who shows some adhd tendencies, and my dh and I are both BP2, so anything to help right?)

And if it works for him, I plan to talk with my pdoc about me switching over to the supplements instead of the drugs. Only problem I forsee is that the supps aren't covered by my insurance.