Posted by Racer on September 1, 2008, at 15:53:24
In reply to Re: Questions about Ixel, posted by ricker on August 31, 2008, at 18:14:56
> Here's the thing I don't get, why is the ratio so important? It's a number that can not be proven so other than placebo, it really has no value?
Another point to remember is that most of the ratio information was determined in vitro or in small animal testing. There are numerous examples of treatments which have shown no problems in animals, yet been disastrous for humans.
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> I would bet my life that it has as many con's as it does pro's ...
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> Zoloft and nortriptyline can be dosed to meet one ratio requirement ...
Rick, you make such good points -- not only in this thread, but much of what you've posted on this subject -- and many of them are things I try very hard to keep in mind when considering medications. I'm going to add one more consideration that I think supports your point:Similarity of mechanism does not necessarily correlate to similarity of the subjective experience of treatment. We can use our response patterns to medications to speculate about the biochemical underpinnings of our disorders, but it's still speculation. It's often very helpful speculation, but that still doesn't make it evidence. Knowing the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibition ratio of one medication and expecting that recreating that ratio as closely as possible by combining other medications will produce the same results really is too facile -- all of this is more complex and more subtle than that.
I certainly agree that response patterns can be a very good guide for selecting medications. Response patterns are a great tool -- although I'd like to note that I think it unfortunate that we all seem to know our response patterns, since it indicates a lot of failed med trials. I know from my own history of failed medication trials that I respond better to medications which affect norepineprhine. I don't know that that fact means I am deficient in norepinephrine -- I only know that, on average, I respond better to medications that affect NE than I do to meds which don't.
I'm obviously interested in this subject, or I wouldn't be here. I am just concerned that sometimes speculation leads to unrealistic expectations, which can lead to disappointment.
poster:Racer
thread:849437
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080822/msgs/849765.html