Prevagen

[quit-once]

I have taken the supplement Prevagen for the last three months, on an almost daily basis.  Thumbs down, so don't waste your money.  It is very expensive - like about two bucks per capsule (extra strength) and you take one per day.  It claims to improve memory.  I might have noticed a slight improvement in my memory when I first started, but not really sure.  It says you have to take it daily for three months to get the full benefit.

I have had moderate depression for the last six weeks or so, and made a lot of mental errors.  In fact, the errors I have made are costing me my self confidence and I am beginning to wonder if I am getting early onset dementia at age 55.  I can't really say for sure if the errors and depression are related to this supplement, but my bouts of depression will usually last only a week or so and come on about 3-4 times per year.  So this stretch of funk has been abnormally long and deep, for me.  I have even tried taking L-Tyrosine each day and that HAS helped.  I just need to remember to take it.  

I got sucked in to the hope that Prevagen would help my mind from their commercials on TV.  It is made from jellyfish.  They claim scientific results from clinical trials.  I haven't taken one for almost a week and I still don't feel that great.  This is probably the worst stretch of depression I have experienced since my Adderall recover period over five years ago.  One of the reasons  I used Adderall was to feel numb , and it was a wonderful antidepressant, until it quit working.  I am glad Adderall quit working for me because there is no reason to ever go back to it.  Fuck Adderall, and fuck Prevagen too.   

[EricP]

Thanks for the tip...

I feel you on the depression and memory problems! 

I know from my research that adderall is neurotoxic and causes havoc on the dopamine system. My first fears there were its relation to a higher risk of Parkinson’s however with the mental side of things still continuing a year after stopping my larger concerns now are the brain as a whole and if the usage could early dementia etc. One of my more consistent symptoms is inability to deal with stress and afternoon brain fade. Mornings I have some depression upon awakening however can snap out of it most days and be pretty good till 1 or so. As the day goes on and stress builds I get more tired and sometimes feel I cannot process another thought...

[hyper_critical]

Sorry to hear you're struggling, Q1. Keep after it. "This too shall pass." 

[quit-once]

So it has been about ten days since going off the prevagen and things are getting back to normal for me.   In fact, the depression began lifting about a week ago.  That shit was crazy- I took it for a better memory and it didn't work for that and it caused a depression.  And it was expensive.   It just confirms (for me) that depression is actually just a chemical imbalance.    I have read some on-line reviews for prevagen and they ranged from very positive to very negative.  Some people did report anxiety as a side affect.  Please don't waste your money on this snake oil.