Posted by PM80 on April 8, 2005, at 13:34:44
In reply to Seroquel and seratonin?? I am confused, posted by Spriggy on April 8, 2005, at 13:03:45
I don't know a lot about the chemistry of the brain and pdrugs, maybe someone else can help you there, but I'll share what i do know. Everyone's brain is different. Numerous chemicals in combination are responsible for our moods. "Fixing" one imbalance can illuminate or even cause another. Also, different imbalances can cause seemingly similar symptoms; that is why pdrugs are largely still trial and error.
SSRIs help you share seratonin between cells, kind of like how copper is good at keeping electrons moving from atom to atom - ie it conducts electricity. It is unclear exactly what the mechanism is that makes this happen in our brains when the drug is taken. Seratonin, however, is not the only feel-good drug in our bodies, neither is good-feeling its only effect.
Too much of something like seratonin or dopamine can cause psychosis, racing thoughts, or a number of other typically manic, anxious, or schizo symptoms in a person. It can put someone in an excited state. There are many cases in which ADs don't work on someone, but something like seroquel does, because it fixes a different kind of imbalance even though the syptoms are the same. And it seems to me that whatever ADs you are on are not doing their job because you are still so anxious that you could not possibly feel good - you probably don't even have the time to since you are so consumed with your anxiety. (I think that was a run-on sentence?!?) Some people get anxious because they are depressed, and often SSRIs are good for these people. However, some people get depressed because they are anxious, and from my experience, some of these people may do better on something else. Given that ADs are clearly not doing their job for you, why not try the seroquel? It is just a different solution to the same symptoms, simply discovered 10 years later.
Anyway, I had a thought. First, is the heavy head feeling basically just drowsiness? Perhaps instead of taking a smaller doses throughout the day, maybe you could ask your doc about taking a big dose before bed. If you take, say, 100mg at 9pm, then you you still have approx. 25mg in your system at 9am, but you are far less likely to be drowsy than if you took 25mg right at 9am. This approach has worked out fairly well for me. Also, it takes at least a few weeks for your brain to get used to new drugs.
poster:PM80
thread:481622
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050408/msgs/481638.html