Posted by KaraS on March 12, 2005, at 1:32:13
In reply to RE: LYRICA and the USA » KaraS, posted by Elroy on March 11, 2005, at 20:52:48
Hi,
That's a very useful chart. I wonder why Braverman doesn't address norepinephrine in his book. OTOH, he does address GABA and acetylcholine. Usually charts and articles about depression and anxiety tend to address dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin but not GABA or acetylcholine.What has been your problem with SSRIs and SNRIs? I don't remember if you've discussed this earlier, but did the Braverman tests show that you have a serotonin deficiency at all? I ask because the link to the chart you posted shows serotonin deficiency as being involved in all the various types of anxiety problems.
I have been on SSRIs/SNRIs for many years. They helped my anxiety immensely. Lately however, I have been in an extremely anxious depression (couldn't eat or sleep or even sit still - also having panic attacks and becoming agoraphobic). Since I was so anxious and my system so sensitive, I have not been able to tolerate these meds at all recently when I tried to go back on them. The smallest amount of Effexor sent me up the wall. Zoloft wasn't much better. I'm wondering if the same might be true for you - that you might be able to tolerate this class of meds once your anxiety is better under control.
In terms of your question about addressing a possible dopamine problem, you probably have no way of knowing for certain whether you could benefit from selegiline without giving it a full trial (unless maybe QEEG could tell you that).
K
> Hey....
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> Check out the chart at: http://qualitycounts.com/fpdopamine.htm
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> The one titled: "Neurotransmitters in Various Disorders"
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> Notice that dopamine (the key neurotransmitter in the selegiline combo) is indicated as NOT being an involved neurotransmitter (i.e, one that is deficient ) in the various disorders that are related to anxiety? For example, "General Anxiety Disorder", Panic, OCD, and Phobias"... but IS an involved neurotransmitter in depressions, addictions, etc?
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> I wish that the chart would have shown where GABA and Acetylcholine fit into the picture with those disorders.
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> Am starting to think that since my primary problem has always been anxiety and that my two best results to date have been with Xanax and Neurontin - which are both GABA influencing medications - and have problems with seroronin influencing agents (SSRI Lexapro) and combined serotonin and Norepinephrine influencing agents (SSRI and SSNRI Effexor and Cymbalta) that maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree with addressing a possibly non exitant dopamine deficiency peroblem???
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> Hmmm....
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> Starting to think about cutting out the selegilinecombo for several days (two weeks) and staying just with the Neurontin and Xanax and evaluate it. If it erturns to how it was the first couple of days with the neurontin... well, why would it be that I would even need to take the selegiline combo??? I mean, unless I wanted to keep taking the deprenyl by itself at about 2 x 5mg weekly just for longevity /cognitive effects???
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> If I feel that a problem continues with the presence of a depression factor, I can always add the selegiline combo back in, eh? But addressing tactics to combat the primary problems first (high cortisol, severe anxiety, high neuropathy pains) only seems to make sense. If a secondary factor (like depression) still remains present then I can adderess that separately when I get to that fork in the road....
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> > Hi Elroy,
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> > Thanks for the update. If I'm understanding you correctly, you're saying that the CES device was very helpful for depression as well as anxiety at the higher setting. (I'm not sure why you would want to use the lower setting if it only works on anxiety?)
> >
> > I'm glad to hear that you're doing well on selegiline. There have been many posters here who have had fantastic results with it. I wanted to try it myself but my anxiety has been so severe and I've been afraid that would make it worse. I haven't been able to tolerate Neurontin so that's not a solution for me. I am currently taking 25 mg. of doxepin which is helping immensely but I probably shouldn't mix it with selegiline. OTOH, Ktemene, who posts here periodically, uses selegiline + DLPA along with Remeron. If that's safe, then maybe the doxepin would be as well.
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> > I'll be curious to see if you decide to keep the CES machine. I wonder if it would work well enough on its own (for both anxiety and depression) if used regularly over a significant period of time. I have the Braverman book at home now. I've only skimmed it so far. Haven't taken the tests yet.
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> > Good luck tapering off of the Xanax. Please keep up posted.
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> > K
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> > > Kara,
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> > > Had to send the first unit back as it wasn't working in the lower frequency setting. Have had the replacement unit for just a couple days. I note that the higher freq range seems to work fairly effectively for depression... also had (usually) a calming effect. My problem with the lower freq range is that I simply don't actually "feel" the pulses (apparently nerves have become that desensitized at those loer ranges??). So I tend to develop a mentality that it's not doing anything (that lower freq range is for anxiety and insomnia).
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> > > Good news is that I fonally weas able to get started on the Selegiline and DPLA / B6 regimen... and also on neurotin for my neuropathy type pains.
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> > > It has been one day and the difference has been simply amazing. I believe that the Neurontin is also having a tremendously positive effect on my anxiety and that I will probably end up weaning off of the Xanax soon....
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> > > I am now debating whether or not I will keep the CES device or not (I can turn it end up to 30 days with the loss of a 15% re0sticking fee)... But then it supposedly is also very good at balancing one's brain neurotransmitters so I might end up keeping it just for that aspect. Am going to use it for another couple weeks just to see if it seems to be making a difference with my combination of Segeline (etc) and the neurontin.
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> > > I would say that this is definitely a technology where the effects have to "accumulate" over a period of time.
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> > > > Elroy,
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> > > > Sorry to change the subject again but I'm really curious to find out how you've been doing with the CES device. Any luck or is it too early to tell?
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> > > > Kara
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poster:KaraS
thread:452259
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20050225/msgs/469937.html