Posted by Larry Hoover on August 19, 2004, at 10:29:43
In reply to Re: immune system/ depression » Larry Hoover, posted by Emme on August 17, 2004, at 16:36:55
> Hi Lar,
>
> Thanks for your response.You're welcome.
> I've long wondered if the interferon, as you said, "primed" my system and it's never been turned off. Would that be considered a form of kindling? No way to prove it of course - just a sneaking suspicion. Anyway, I clearly had the vulnerability plus plenty of external stressors.
That's exactly what I meant, kindling.
> Interestingly, I also had the mother of all anxiety attacks during the treatment - hit me violently one day and I had to be taken to student health center. I physically felt the effects for days. Again, we thought it was stress. I think it was the drug.
If you didn't have a similar anxiety attack after the drug was withdrawn, then I'd agree with you 100%. In the early days of interferon treatment, attitudes were such that adverse effects were ignored or trivialized. Kind of like the early days of Prozac.
> > Interferon treatment induces tryptophan stress, by more than one mechanism. The effect is to create a systemic deficiency in serotonin.
>
> Well, I definitely had a great response to Paxil at that time. (Have become bipolarish since then)Bipolarish? Interesting "outside the DSM" conceptualization, going on here:
http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/02_diagnosis.html> > The obvious intervention would be tryptophan supplementation, but nicotinamide would also be a useful adjunct, as one pathway which contributes to the tryptophan deficit is the enhanced conversion of tryptophan to what eventually becomes NADH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide).
>
> I was underwhelmed by tryptophan, although I might consider another trial at some point. I haven't heard of nicotinamide. I'll read about it a bit.The amide form of vitamin B3. Do not confuse it with niacin (or nicotinic acid).
> > > I know fish oil does this.
> >
> > Yes, it does.
>
> I've got to get disciplined and take it again. sigh.Or eat fish.
> > You might want to consider ginkgo biloba. It downregulates a number of genes which are implicated in inflammatory reactions.
>
> I can try that. Are there any side effects or medication interactions to worry about? Will it make me very smart? :)It will make you smart, like me. No major interactions to worry about, except I think you need to notify the anaesthetist if you're having surgery.
> Thanks,
> Emme
>Welcome,
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:375393
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20040815/msgs/379421.html