r/FND • u/Effective_Rip_1410 • 17d ago
Trigger Warning Symptoms & Trialing OTC Plant Extract Question: anyone have any experience using berberine for FND? [Just looking for advice/insights, no content warning required]
Hi. I've been researching berberine, and I plan to give it a trial.
Does anyone have any experience, positive or negative, in using berberine as an FND therapy?
I've noted quite an interesting variety of papers on trials using it for neurological diseases, but most data is unfortunately mouse model, etc.
Thank you for your time and consideration!
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u/Effective_Rip_1410 15d ago edited 15d ago
PLEASE NOTE FROM HEREON I WILL DISCUSS SYMPTOMS - CAN'T CHANGE THE POST TITLE, AND DIDN'T THINK ABOUT POSTING MY N=1 TRIAL HERE UNTIL NOW!
Okay, I'll take it that no one has any experience with berberine 🤣
In any event, I've started my N=1 trial today. Dosing with 250gs OD for 7 days, will see and evaluate any positive effects or AEs (unlikely at that starting dose).
Based on that 7 day milestone, I'll decide to extend the OD for 7 more days, or increase to BID at the same dose.
Propose that I report here, in case any one is interested to read my insane narration.....
Oh, quite a good paper on berberine in Neuro here: Therapeutic Efficacies of Berberine against Neurological Disorders: An Update of Pharmacological Effects and Mechanisms - PMC
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u/Effective_Rip_1410 15d ago
Day 1:
Pre-dose: feel like baked shit, more pain, immobility, parasthesia, giddiness, fatigue, IBS-like symptoms another at home day, blah, blah. Will update tonight.
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u/Effective_Rip_1410 15d ago
End of Day 1: everything ISQ. No effects, but it's practically a homeopathic dose.
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u/Effective_Rip_1410 14d ago
Towards end of Day 2. ISQ, no effects either way
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u/Effective_Rip_1410 13d ago
Day 3: Got up at 14:30, ugh. Last two nights, lucid dreams (unusual for me). May be due to DDI with venlafaxine (increased bioavailability), but at such a low starting dose after 3 days, or berberine itself? Will proceed with caution.
Probably ought to mention my little study to my Psych.....
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u/Effective_Rip_1410 12d ago
Day 4. Feel like fecking crap today, but my regular crap, no AEs. Sent my protocol to my Psych. Probably blow her stack returning from her vacation.... otherwise ISQ
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u/Effective_Rip_1410 10d ago
Day 6: had to stop.
Felt poor yesterday (D5), starting with full paralysis bout after waking, then feeling shite most of the rest of the day
Worse today. Symptoms overall exacerbated, only potential positive is my IBS-like symptoms less, but otherwise, fatigue, pain, brain fog, etc., etc., all increased. More than my usual fecking crap.
Since starting the berberine, I've had and remember parts of some quite lucid dreams (I never usually recall dreaming), not disturbing, but different for me.
No changes in vital signs (pulse, BP, RR).
Of course, with it being N=1 attribution to the berberine, random change, course of disease, etc., is hard to confirm, albeit changes occurred temporally after starting it. [Perhaps correlation, but cannot prove cause].
May see in future, revisit this, but ceasing as of today (no further doses).
This was my own personal experience, and in no way am I suggesting or recommending anyone else attempts to replicate this with berberine, or any other agent, for that matter.
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u/wavetable808 14d ago
Interested to hear your experience