Dr. Calkins at Defy Medical

[Tommy Wall]

For me if I take more than 25mg I become more jittery and snap a bit faster. It seems like it works differently in different people or?

 

[ratbag]

Yes everyone is different. For me my labs showed my DHEA was at the bottom of range so my MD suggested I supplement it and that's when I noticed another improvement as an anti-anxiety

 

[Dr Justin Saya MD]

Yes everyone is different. For me my labs showed my DHEA was at the bottom of range so my MD suggested I supplement it and that's when I noticed another improvement as an anti-anxiety

Improvement in anxiety is probably the most common symptom improvement for those patients that "feel" something from DHEA.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

He has a very human quality to him and pleasantness rare in the field.

 

[crazyhaha]

I just had my second apt with Dr Calkins today and I am very impressed. My last apointment was one hour long and we covered a great deal. This time, my protocol is more stable but we went through all the labs and he listened very well to my concerns and even returned to some with additional tweaks. He made sure at the end that I didn't have more questions.

I recommend very highly.

And I was worried that Defy was sketchy...they provide better care than any of the 3 urologists and endos that I saw locally.

 

[Dr Justin Saya MD]

I just had my second apt with Dr Calkins today and I am very impressed. My last apointment was one hour long and we covered a great deal. This time, my protocol is more stable but we went through all the labs and he listened very well to my concerns and even returned to some with additional tweaks. He made sure at the end that I didn't have more questions.

I recommend very highly.

And I was worried that Defy was sketchy...they provide better care than any of the 3 urologists and endos that I saw locally.

Very nice and appreciated endorsement.

Out of curiosity, what was it that initially had you "worried that Defy was sketchy"? Was it just a general unfamiliarity with the new and evolving practice of remote/telemedicine?

 

[Supraman]

Very happy to hear Supraman. DHEA can indeed have MANY different effects in the body and I've seen some patients, similar to you with longstanding anxiety or sleep issues, find great success.

Ya Dr. Saya, its still so impressive I can't be thankful enough to you and Dr. Calkins. Its too good to be true for me. Unlike ANY other presciption med I have tried for anxiety or sleep or depression, this continues to work and not lose ANY effectiveness/build tolerance. And whats awesome is I feel the same when I wake up as when I do during the day just like I initially said. Thats a first for me, and I have spent 3 years of my life trying out new drugs for my symptoms prescribed by a psychiatrist. Like seriously I could be one of those people you see on an info-mercial and myself even normally would be like ya ok bs you got that good of results. I am one to say that all the time and I make tons of fun of commercials.

OHHH. Ok so one night in the beginning of starting treatment like the first week, I slept the entire night through without even waking up to go to the bathroom!!!! I am normally a minimum 4 times per night, thats not including waking up to roll over on avg. 3 times per night!!!!!.... So I woke up and was ready to charge the day feeling like a million bucks on 5:30 hours of sleep!!!!!! I even told my family, we were on vacation for a couple days, and they couldnt believe it but were so happy for me. I was so happy for me too. I can't remember if Ive ever slept a night without waking up to go to the bathroom or even waking up period! Im talking not since I even have memory of life. lol!!! Like if this was as good as I am going to feel, I could now actually handle my life from now on. I bet I will feel better as I continue treatment since I have only been on treatment for about 4 full weeks almost.
Again, I would like to stress, Dr. Calkins knows what the heck he is doing! I have literally been told by about 3 psychiatrist and psychologists that I am a very "hard case" to deal with/ help me feel better.
Oh another thing, I have reduced my very high zoloft and risperdal doses IN HALF since starting treatment. I am a fighter and I did this under supervision of my cedar sinai dr who is amazing, and she is impressed too about the dhea. This is the lowest amount of psychiatric drugs I have been on in 7 years. It feels great I feel great.
Sometime I want to make a trip out to Tampa to meet him and thank him and all the defy people for making this happen. Even the telephone people are always responsive and actually care about you and they make you feel it through their genuine caring communication like tone of voice and questions to make sure you are doing well.

Like seriously I could cry. Maybe some of you know what its like to try prescription after prescription, with some working and thinking you've found a cure, only to two weeks later have built a tolerance to the drug and are back at square one, but slowly getting worse with my patients wearing out and symptoms still present. It is an insane rollercoaster of emotions, and now imagine some of those medications/most of them taking two weeks to kick in or even 4 weeks to notice any benefit if you were even going to get any benefit at all!!! I would not wish this upon my enemies. Now imagine 20% of my uncomfortable feelings GONE with NO side effects like drowsiness!!!!!!! I am very excited for my next round of bloodwork and to see where I stand and how I am doing. I feel like it can still get better, but I am still very early in treatment so I am very excited for the future me!!!!

Thanks again Dr. Calkins and Dr. Saya and Defy Medical!!!! You have in no exaggeration, helped me so much so far. I

 

[meanbreen]

Ya Dr. Saya, its still so impressive I can't be thankful enough to you and Dr. Calkins. Its too good to be true for me. Unlike ANY other presciption med I have tried for anxiety or sleep or depression, this continues to work and not lose ANY effectiveness/build tolerance. And whats awesome is I feel the same when I wake up as when I do during the day just like I initially said. Thats a first for me, and I have spent 3 years of my life trying out new drugs for my symptoms prescribed by a psychiatrist. Like seriously I could be one of those people you see on an info-mercial and myself even normally would be like ya ok bs you got that good of results. I am one to say that all the time and I make tons of fun of commercials.

OHHH. Ok so one night in the beginning of starting treatment like the first week, I slept the entire night through without even waking up to go to the bathroom!!!! I am normally a minimum 4 times per night, thats not including waking up to roll over on avg. 3 times per night!!!!!.... So I woke up and was ready to charge the day feeling like a million bucks on 5:30 hours of sleep!!!!!! I even told my family, we were on vacation for a couple days, and they couldnt believe it but were so happy for me. I was so happy for me too. I can't remember if Ive ever slept a night without waking up to go to the bathroom or even waking up period! Im talking not since I even have memory of life. lol!!! Like if this was as good as I am going to feel, I could now actually handle my life from now on. I bet I will feel better as I continue treatment since I have only been on treatment for about 4 full weeks almost.
Again, I would like to stress, Dr. Calkins knows what the heck he is doing! I have literally been told by about 3 psychiatrist and psychologists that I am a very "hard case" to deal with/ help me feel better.
Oh another thing, I have reduced my very high zoloft and risperdal doses IN HALF since starting treatment. I am a fighter and I did this under supervision of my cedar sinai dr who is amazing, and she is impressed too about the dhea. This is the lowest amount of psychiatric drugs I have been on in 7 years. It feels great I feel great.
Sometime I want to make a trip out to Tampa to meet him and thank him and all the defy people for making this happen. Even the telephone people are always responsive and actually care about you and they make you feel it through their genuine caring communication like tone of voice and questions to make sure you are doing well.

Like seriously I could cry. Maybe some of you know what its like to try prescription after prescription, with some working and thinking you've found a cure, only to two weeks later have built a tolerance to the drug and are back at square one, but slowly getting worse with my patients wearing out and symptoms still present. It is an insane rollercoaster of emotions, and now imagine some of those medications/most of them taking two weeks to kick in or even 4 weeks to notice any benefit if you were even going to get any benefit at all!!! I would not wish this upon my enemies. Now imagine 20% of my uncomfortable feelings GONE with NO side effects like drowsiness!!!!!!! I am very excited for my next round of bloodwork and to see where I stand and how I am doing. I feel like it can still get better, but I am still very early in treatment so I am very excited for the future me!!!!

Thanks again Dr. Calkins and Dr. Saya and Defy Medical!!!! You have in no exaggeration, helped me so much so far. I

So DHEA is working that well for you? How old are you and what were your levels at? Thanks!

 

[Supraman]

So DHEA is working that well for you? How old are you and what were your levels at? Thanks!

I am 26 and my dhea was at 319 *ug/dl

 

[meanbreen]

Gotcha. I am actually 26 too. Dr. Calkins suggested it to me as well. Mine was ~190 on my last blood test. I have tried it a couple times at night and got pretty great sleep. I am scared to take it though because most things I read say young guys shouldn't be taking it. What dose do you take and when? Oral capsules?

Dr. Saya, what is your take on young guys taking DHEA?

 

[Supraman]

Gotcha. I am actually 26 too. Dr. Calkins suggested it to me as well. Mine was ~190 on my last blood test. I have tried it a couple times at night and got pretty great sleep. I am scared to take it though because most things I read say young guys shouldn't be taking it. What dose do you take and when? Oral capsules?

Dr. Saya, what is your take on young guys taking DHEA?

I am on 25 mg in the evening once per day orally. I take it around 5-6 pm

 

[meanbreen]

I am on 25 mg in the evening once per day orally. I take it around 5-6 pm

Nice, yeah when I took it a couple times it was also orally, 25mg in the evening. I am really interested in DHEA and wish there was more info available on it. I don't think it is normal for it to be low at such a young age.

 

[Supraman]

Nice, yeah when I took it a couple times it was also orally, 25mg in the evening. I am really interested in DHEA and wish there was more info available on it. I don't think it is normal for it to be low at such a young age.

Ya that was one thing I was impressed with because Dr. Calkins said for my age I was low. Maybe another Dr. would see my levels and go oh you are right around the middle range, you're good. But Dr. Calkins obviously knows his stuff because he knew my levels for my age were not ideal, and look at the benefits I am getting to prove him dead right. For me the improvement in my sleep and therefore energy, and anxiety are too good to be true. No prescription drug can do for me what dhea is doing. I am therefore stoked for the rest of the treatment to unfold and get my hormone levels optimized for me.

 

[meanbreen]

Ya that was one thing I was impressed with because Dr. Calkins said for my age I was low. Maybe another Dr. would see my levels and go oh you are right around the middle range, you're good. But Dr. Calkins obviously knows his stuff because he knew my levels for my age were not ideal, and look at the benefits I am getting to prove him dead right. For me the improvement in my sleep and therefore energy, and anxiety are too good to be true. No prescription drug can do for me what dhea is doing. I am therefore stoked for the rest of the treatment to unfold and get my hormone levels optimized for me.

That's awesome man. Glad you are getting good results from it.

 

[Supraman]

That's awesome man. Glad you are getting good results from it.

Thanks. I certainly am stoked

 

[AntCon]

I am 26 and my dhea was at 319 *ug/dl

Hmm I wonder if that would help me to as my anxiety has been horrible lately ... Its the dhea sulfate test correct? Mine was at 314 on most recent labs