Posted by Anna Laura on February 22, 2002, at 22:45:57
In reply to dope-amine dilemma, posted by lula on February 22, 2002, at 14:31:00
> Just recently I have realized there is a good possibility I do not produce enough dopamine. This is after years of knowing that something was not quite right with me biochemically. Factors that influenced this decision:
> 1. I'm a recovering alcoholic/addict (speed)
> 2. Diagnosed with ADD.
> 3. Abuse coffee
> 4. Smoke cigarrettes
> 5. Familiar tremor (also my mom and my 13 year old son)
> 6. Adrenaline-junkie (esp. as kid)
> 7. Use sex as a mood elevator
>
>
> The only "natural" thing that makes me feel normal or good is excessive exercise. However, I cannot run five miles a day. Otherwise, I am sleepy, lethargic, and exist in a mental fog. These traits are exacerbated when I have tried SSRIs (paxil, zoloft, effexor). Serzone obliterated my short-term memory. Not surprisingly, wellbutrin has worked somewhat.
>
> Serotonin doesn't seem to be the problem but I feel strongly that dopamine and possibly norepinephrine are.
>
> I cannot take Ritalin or adderall because they kick in my addiction. I flushed the adderall after beginning to "stray" from the recommended dose.
>
> I thought I had found the answer (on this site) in Parnate. However, I noticed it has properties akin to methamphetamine and I cannot take anything with strong abuse potential. Do Parnate and the other MAOI-B inhibitors have histories of abuse?
>
> What do dopamine deficient alcoholics and addicts take?
>
> Thanks!Hi Lula,
Slightly and moderately low dopamine levels in certain areas of the brain are associated with risk-taking personality, novelty-seeking behaviour, ADD, and drug abuse:http://www.fed.qut.edu.au/addiss/News/News12.htm
Severely low dopamine levels produce the "syndrome" describe by Old School and possibly make people more prone to Parkinson. Anyway, this is still a controversial issue.
I don't know what you should be taking if you're prone to addiction. Atypical antypsichotic such as Amisulpride or Risperdal might do the trick as they seem to raise dopamine levels at low doses. Be careful about that too, as they seem to raise prolactin levels in women which might worsen your depression if you come out to be highly sensitive to this hormone (it's my case, as a matter of fact, i can't take the pill also). You shouldn't take atypical AP if you are prone to tumours and that sort of things: you might wnat to talk about that with your pdoc.
For what dopaminergic drugs and abuse potential are concerned, i can do some more research and find out more info about that.
poster:Anna Laura
thread:95123
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020222/msgs/95170.html