Posted by MarkinBoston on September 21, 2000, at 17:07:36
In reply to Re: Serzone / My experience, posted by Iden on September 12, 2000, at 18:30:38
I just started 50mg bid three days ago. My doc wanted me to take Serzone in the evening and Effexor XR in the AM, for three reasons: Effexor has worked for my major episodes in the past and I would eventually stop taking it due to sweating, inorgasmia, and demotivation, and it was doing nothing for my dysthymic anhedonia. Second, she has not had much success with her patients with Serzone. Lastly, Effexor is a bit speedy for me and Serzone a little sedating. SSRI's don't work for me, and I'd only want to take a safe MAOI like moclobromide, which isn't FDA approved. Welbutrin gives me flu-like symptoms.
I however knew what Effexor was like and never tried Serzone before, so I'm starting up with it and planning to increase the eve. dose, possibly using Effexor or Ritalin/w Serzone in the AM to offset the sominance. While some of my doc's pts. have used Ritalin with Effexor, i'm totally agitated and irritable. I've not tried T3 instead of Ritilin yet.
I don't dream when off meds, and after just the 2nd night on Serzone I had a very pleasant sexual dream. My libido has been nil for quite a while, with the exception of a recent course of testosterone hormone replacement therapy (which did make me feel much better and less depressed). The libido disappeared after I stopped the testosterone, but my blood pressure came down to normal. Withdrawing from testosterone was hell and I have a new appreciation of womens' PMS. I later found that steroid using bodybuilders take Clomid to prevent those crashes - endocrinologists arn't as up on these things as muscleheads apparently. The other reason I stopped was due to my excess fat, extra aromatization of testosterone into estrogen was occuring and making me really moody, depressed, weepy, and generally feeling like a big mess. Muscleheads take Arimidex or Tamoxifen to combat that, but endocrinologists arn't up on that either. Nevertheless, I came out of all of it feeling better so there is some possible carry-over into the positive side effects/feelings I'm getting on Serzone.
One MEDline paper suggests that Serzone resulted in a surge of human Growth Hormone after injestion. That's a good thing. GH supports healthy lean tissue growth/replacement and tends to decrease bodyfat. I think I'm experiencing some of that, though it could be a 4 week ago residual effect from testosterone therapy.
Last night I had another dream, positive, but not sexual. Unfortunately I did wake at 4am.
My appitite is still low, though that and the early wakenings have been symptomatic of my current depressive episode.
So, I'm quite encouraged by the little bit of experience I've had with Serzone so far. I plan to keep up blood work hoping to see my cortisol and estrogen go down and free testosterone go up.
Melancholic depression usually correlates with elevated cortisol levels (day and night) and I'm no longer going to tollerate the long-term consequences of fat gain, immune depression, and low libido. Libido is a prime goal of mine. What better motivation to lose weight?!
poster:MarkinBoston
thread:11625
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000905/msgs/45019.html