Even though this thread is basically dead I still want to update everyone here on my LTC progress just in case anyone still checks or any newbies stumble across this thread. I had to remake my account under the original username "justanotherltc", because I lost my credentials. It has been about 8 months now since my little run in with LTC, and I am happy to say I feel about 75% recovered on average. Most of the unbearable symptoms such as severe anxiety, anhedonia, and nerve problems have mostly subsided. I still have bad and good days with my anxiety, but I have learned to manage it.
Some of the things that helped me on the path of recovery were meditation, healthy diet, low intensity exercise, medication, and supplements. I would recommend doing at least 15 minutes of meditation per day using a guided meditation. Also trying a low inflammation diet such as the ketogenic diet, but this can be kind of harsh to start when you are going through this, so I would just start off by cutting out the most processed and inflammatory foods. Basically don't eat anything your grandparents wouldn't have been eating. I would recommend exercise but NOT intense exercise, go for short walks and get out in nature. I can't stress enough that meeting with a psychiatrist and therapist is crucial for getting through this. If you are against SSRI's because you are afraid of crashing, then there are still a lot of other options to consider. Just let your doctor know how you feel and they will work with you. If you have an all around anti-pharma mentality just remember you were willing to put random drugs off the street into your body, so you should keep an open mind when it comes to trying approved medications that have gone through clinical trials. Personally, I took a low dose of Mirtazapine (a non SSRI antidepressant) in the first few months to help with the anxiety and sleep, and it provided me a lot of relief. I was eventually able to ween off of it, and now I am both drug and medication free. There are also as-needed basis medications for anxiety that you can just take on your bad days that don't effect serotonin at all, such as beta blockers like propranolol (blocks adrenaline), and even antihistamines such as Visteril. If you want to go for an SSRI, Paxil seems to have helped the most people in this thread. Sleep is absolutely necessary to recover so if you arent getting good sleep, see a doctor and don't wait.
I would also recommend seeing a physical physician and getting some tests done if you can to rule out anything else. Tests I would recommend looking into are an extensive blood workup with total blood count, liver enzymes, inflammatory markers, vitamins and minerals, hormonal panels, and even heavy metal toxicity panels (hair test is more accurate than a blood test if you can get it). Be honest with your doctor about your LTC and why you want the tests, they aren't the cops or your mom. As for supplements to try, it really depends on your particular type of LTC and what is causing it. If you read my reply to the bozo clown just up above this post, you will see where I provided many possible theories for mechanisms that may cause an LTC. If it is related to lack of serotonin, the amino acid L-tryptophan can help to replenish levels. You can also get this naturally in foods like red meat, milk, and nuts. I do NOT recommend 5-HTP, as metabolism is not rate limited and it can actually produce too much serotonin in your body at once which is dangerous (serotonin syndrome risk). L-tryptophan is rate limited by your liver to only produce exactly what you need. If your LTC is related to the HPA axis, taking oral Pregnenolone may help to stimulate the rebalancing of hormones in the body. If it has to do with immuno-modulation, you may be dealing with autoimmunity, or even a reactivated infectious opportunistic biofilm such as long COVID or candida. Trying something like a corticosteroid (immunosuppressant) has provided some people temporary relief in this thread, which suggests that some people may have autoimmune problems after an LTC. Corticosteroids are typically not good to take long term, so I would recommend changing your diet to lower carb anti-inflammatory diet to reduce inflammation and starve off bacterial overgrowth. NAC is also a good supplement, it is an amino acid that your body metabolizes into glutathione, which is your bodies most powerful natural antioxidant. It is also a potent biofilm breaker and mucosal agent, so this not only helps with inflammation, but also promotes immunity as a mild antibacterial. NAC is even a mild chelator, so if the problem lies with heavy metals, it will help to flush out your system over time. Because of this, if you decide to take it regularly it also has the side effect of depleting your micronutrient stores so just remember to supplement minerals such as magnesium, zinc, and copper alongside the NAC while you are taking it. These minerals can't hurt to take on their own anyways, as most people are somewhat deficient in them. I would recommend starting with a dose of 500mg NAC to see how you feel, then work your way up to a gram if you aren't getting the results you want. If you are trying multiple supplements I would recommend starting with the lowest dose and cycling on and off instead of daily use so you can keep a journal and see how different things are affecting you.
TL;DR
Activities that can help: Meditation, low inflammation diets, low intensity exercise, medication, supplements
Tests to consider: blood count, liver enzymes, inflammatory markers, vitamins and minerals, hormones, heavy metal (hair > blood)
Medications to consider: Paxil (SSRI), Mirtazapine (non-SSRI antidepressant), propranolol (beta blocker), Visteril (antihistamine), low dose of benzodiazapines / Z drugs as a last resort (warning: high dependency potential - ONLY do this short term (2-4 weeks MAX) no matter WHAT unless you want another even worse problem than LTC, I only mention them because they can be a lifesaver in the depths of despair)
Supplements to consider: L-Tryptophan (I recommend this over 5-HTP because its safer), Pregnenolone, NAC, chamomile tea
If anyone has any additional questions for me, I will try and occasionally check this thread. Hang in there, it really does get better for most people. If you need someone to just talk to, feel free to send me a PM or message me on reddit or telegram, my username for both is: cactusaloha.
The most important healer is time. Tick tock!