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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Cruz on September 1, 2001, at 13:30:17
Anybody given it a try? Its supposed to lower cortisol levels. Most of us produce too much cortisol.
I think there is a chance it will help. Closer to my underlying disorder than a nuerotransmitter imbalance.
I don't buy into these nuerotransmitter theories, to many holes. Thats my opinion anyway. Time will prove me right.
Posted by SalArmy4me on September 1, 2001, at 13:37:17
In reply to Going to try Ketoconazole, posted by Cruz on September 1, 2001, at 13:30:17
Is there any evidence to support Ketoconazole's use in any mental illness?
> Anybody given it a try? Its supposed to lower cortisol levels. Most of us produce too much cortisol.
> I think there is a chance it will help. Closer to my underlying disorder than a nuerotransmitter imbalance.
> I don't buy into these nuerotransmitter theories, to many holes. Thats my opinion anyway. Time will prove me right.
Posted by Adam on September 1, 2001, at 14:32:42
In reply to Going to try Ketoconazole, posted by Cruz on September 1, 2001, at 13:30:17
Um, Ketoconazole is a major CYP450 inhibitor and is also fairly hepatotoxic. It's also an anti-androgen. Probably does a bunch of other things, too, that you might not want it to. It has it's uses, but I'm rather happy I don't have to take something like that on a regular basis. There are safer, and I daresay more efficacious, ways to deal with mood disorders.
The "neurotransmitter theory" does have a lot of holes, the biggest being that no one really knows why manipulating the concentration of neurotransmitters in the synapse is helpful. But it's hard to argue with the evidence that futzing with monoamine levels in the CNS can bring about relief from depression. Higher-than-normal cortisol is more effect than cause, I think. It certainly leads to its own set of problems, but if getting rid of it was a cure for all, then we would all be cured by now, because that's pretty easy to do.
> Anybody given it a try? Its supposed to lower cortisol levels. Most of us produce too much cortisol.
> I think there is a chance it will help. Closer to my underlying disorder than a nuerotransmitter imbalance.
> I don't buy into these nuerotransmitter theories, to many holes. Thats my opinion anyway. Time will prove me right.
Posted by Zo on September 1, 2001, at 17:48:55
In reply to Going to try Ketoconazole, posted by Cruz on September 1, 2001, at 13:30:17
I was taking Ketaconazole for a yeast infection, and noticed my mood brightening every afternoon. Mentioned it to my pdoc, who loves these quirky things, and lo and behold, he knew someone at Stanford doing research on its possible use in Bipolar. Because it blocks the release of glutacorticoid (?) -- a stress hormone -- from the adrenals. I forget the tie-in to BP, but yes, I did use it. Gave me a metallic sensation/taste, and after a while, just quit. We were not totally clear on my BP II at the time.
How did you find out about its use as a psych med?
Zo
Posted by Mitch on September 1, 2001, at 19:18:46
In reply to Going to try Ketoconazole, posted by Cruz on September 1, 2001, at 13:30:17
> Anybody given it a try? Its supposed to lower cortisol levels. Most of us produce too much cortisol.
> I think there is a chance it will help. Closer to my underlying disorder than a nuerotransmitter imbalance.
> I don't buy into these nuerotransmitter theories, to many holes. Thats my opinion anyway. Time will prove me right.I have never heard of that one until today. As far as cortisol goes, doesn't DHEA supplements have an anti-cortisol effect without significant side effects?
Posted by Cruz on September 2, 2001, at 15:23:35
In reply to Re: Going to try Ketoconazole, posted by Adam on September 1, 2001, at 14:32:42
>
> The "neurotransmitter theory" does have a lot of holes, the biggest being that no one really knows why manipulating the concentration of neurotransmitters in the synapse is helpful. But it's hard to argue with the evidence that futzing with monoamine levels in the CNS can bring about relief from depression.Not so hard to argue. What about the possibility of futzing monoamine levels is an effect and not a cause. The effects of AD's on nuerosteroids, steroid, and thousands of hormonal protiens has thus far been more or less ignored. These are likely the cause and monoamines are merely an effect. I'm amazed at the acceptance of these horse hockey nuerotransmitter theories, which have been around for 50 years and are no closer to being validated.
Posted by MM on September 5, 2001, at 17:13:10
In reply to Re: Going to try Ketoconazole » Adam, posted by Cruz on September 2, 2001, at 15:23:35
Posted by Elizabeth on September 8, 2001, at 22:27:05
In reply to Going to try Ketoconazole, posted by Cruz on September 1, 2001, at 13:30:17
> Anybody given it a try? Its supposed to lower cortisol levels.
I don't think that's exactly how it works, but it is an antiglucocorticoid. It's pretty effective in people with decreased suppression of cortisol in response to dexamethasone.
-e
This is the end of the thread.
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