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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by blueberry on December 5, 2006, at 5:03:12
I had blood tests done that test for neurotransmitters. I realize it isn't accurate for what's going on in the brain, but it does give an overall picture. The ranges are based on normal healthy people.
Serotonin = Normal range
Dopamine = Normal range
Gaba = Slightly elevated range
Norepinehprine = Normal range
Epinephrine = Off the charts extremely elevatedThe problem is obviously norepinephrine is somehow breaking down into way too much epinephrine. How can I stop that? Would a MAOI prevent that?
I've been diagnosed by two psychiatrists, by myself, and by my mother, as bipolar. The only severe mania was following ECT. Other than that I had the good kind of hypomania when I was younger.
Right now it is bipolar II, mixed state, with fluctuations on a daily and even hourly basis. Primarily fluctuating between deep depression and mild depression, with a backdrop of restlessness, racing mind, and agitation.
Currently only on 1.25mg zyprexa and 450mg st johns wort. Zyprexa has been 10 years and no longer works, makes things worse. SJW is not helping and probably is making things worse.
I'm thinking mood stabilizers...lithium, lithium+depakote...maybe lamictal in there somewhere. In terms of antidepressants, I don't know. Any suggestions welcome.
Back to the original question though, what can I do to normalize the norepinephrine to epinephrine metabolism?
Posted by madeline on December 5, 2006, at 6:31:48
In reply to Norepinephrine Problems....How to Fix?, posted by blueberry on December 5, 2006, at 5:03:12
What is your heart rate and blood pressure?
Posted by linkadge on December 5, 2006, at 9:41:13
In reply to Re: Norepinephrine Problems....How to Fix?, posted by madeline on December 5, 2006, at 6:31:48
An MAOI would probably make that worse.
Do you feel stressed? I'd say the best thing to reduce epiniephrine is time released Vitamin C.
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on December 5, 2006, at 11:52:27
In reply to Re: Norepinephrine Problems....How to Fix?, posted by linkadge on December 5, 2006, at 9:41:13
Link I take time released C how does that help? Show it relax me? Love Phillipa
Posted by linkadge on December 5, 2006, at 14:58:50
In reply to Re: Norepinephrine Problems....How to Fix? » linkadge, posted by Phillipa on December 5, 2006, at 11:52:27
Vitamin C can be a good stress buffer. It lowers cortisol and reduces the activity of stress hormones.
Taking higher doses may or may not interact well with antidepressants.
Linkadge
Posted by Declan on December 5, 2006, at 17:53:10
In reply to Re: Norepinephrine Problems....How to Fix?, posted by linkadge on December 5, 2006, at 14:58:50
Some smart person may have some comment on these.
Blunting by chronic phosphatidylserine administration of the stress-induced activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in healthy men.
The effect of chronic administration of phosphatidylserine derived from brain cortex on the neuroendocrine responses to physical stress has been examined in a placebo-controlled study in nine healthy men. Phosphatidylserine 800 mg/d for 10 days significantly blunted the ACTH and cortisol responses to physical exercise (P = 0.003 and P = 0.03, respectively), without affecting the rise in plasma GH and PRL. Physical exercise significantly increased the plasma lactate concentration both after placebo and phosphatidylserine. The results suggest that chronic oral administration of phosphatidylserine may counteract stress-induced activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in man.
Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1992;42(4):385-8
Effects of phosphatidylserine on the neuroendocrine response to physical stress in humans.
The activity of brain cortex-derived phosphatidylserine (BC-PS) on the neuroendocrine and neurovegetative responses to physical stress was tested in eight healthy men who underwent three experiments with a bicycle ergometer. According to a double-blind design, before starting the exercise, each subject received intravenously, within 10 min, 50 mg or 75 mg of BC-PS or a volume-matched placebo diluted in 100 ml of saline. Blood samples were collected before and after the exercise for plasma epinephrine (E), norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), cortisol, growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL) and glucose determinations. Blood pressure and heart rate were also recorded. Physical stress induced a clear-cut increase in plasma E, NE, ACTH, cortisol, GH and PRL, whereas no significant change was observed in plasma DA and glucose. Pretreatment with both 50 mg and 75 mg BC-PS significantly blunted the ACTH and cortisol responses to physical stress.
Neuroendocrinology 1990 Sep;52(3):243-8
Posted by Phillipa on December 5, 2006, at 19:00:19
In reply to Re: Norepinephrine Problems....How to Fix?, posted by linkadge on December 5, 2006, at 14:58:50
Link I take l000mg in am and the same in the pm. Is this right? Love Phillipa
Posted by Tom Twilight on December 6, 2006, at 13:36:07
In reply to Norepinephrine Problems....How to Fix?, posted by blueberry on December 5, 2006, at 5:03:12
> I had blood tests done that test for neurotransmitters. I realize it isn't accurate for what's going on in the brain, but it does give an overall picture. The ranges are based on normal healthy people.
I'm sorry to drag this thread slightly off topic, but I'm fascinated by the blood tests for Neurotransmitters!
Blueberry who performed these tests?
How did you find out about them?I would babblemail you, but its not switched on.
Regarding Epinephrine
Have you had your Cortisol levels tested Blueberry?Would lowering Cortisol lower Epinephrine?
Just a thought really!
Posted by yxibow on December 8, 2006, at 13:07:42
In reply to Blueberry-Blood Tests-Epinephrine, posted by Tom Twilight on December 6, 2006, at 13:36:07
> > I had blood tests done that test for neurotransmitters. I realize it isn't accurate for what's going on in the brain, but it does give an overall picture. The ranges are based on normal healthy people.
>
> I'm sorry to drag this thread slightly off topic, but I'm fascinated by the blood tests for Neurotransmitters!
>
> Blueberry who performed these tests?
> How did you find out about them?
>
> I would babblemail you, but its not switched on.
>
> Regarding Epinephrine
> Have you had your Cortisol levels tested Blueberry?
>
> Would lowering Cortisol lower Epinephrine?
>
> Just a thought really!
Yes, I'm rather curious, actually skeptical about blood tests of neurotransmitters, since they vary throughout the course of a day, if they can even be measured. Serotonin is found mostly to almost exclusively in the stomach and gastrointestinal regions. The only tests that have been proven even partially that I know of are the AmpliChip.
If we could actually measure an imbalance -- and that is a sliding scale since what are we measuring the imbalance to, its individual, we would have tailored genetic medications now. The best we can do, and these are only scientific small studies, are PET/SPECT scans for research that show activity in a region.-- Jay
This is the end of the thread.
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