Posted by pfinstegg on September 14, 2002, at 22:33:20
In reply to To Pfinstegg, posted by glenn on September 14, 2002, at 9:31:09
Hi.
I sent you an extensive e-mail, but just got a message that it hadn't gotten to you, so I'll post here. Thanks very much for the references! It's hard to think about- cortisol being the "death hormone", but I guess we have both read the same articles. The most common example, which I suppose comes to everyone's mind, is how salmon die after spawning due to sudden, massive increases in cortisol.
I have the same levels of cortisol as you, getting higher rather than lower as the day progresses, the only difference being that I don't suppress with the dexamethasone test.Because I have not had much success with eight years of various SSRIs, Zyprexa or Wellbutrin treatment, my pdoc and endocrinologist thought it might be worthwhile to try to treat the depression by lowering the cortisol(it did take a little push from me also!)
The medications I take are:
tianeptine 12.5 mg. 3x/day
ogen 0.625 mg. 3x/week- a plant-based estrogen
provera 2.5 mg./week- a synthetic progesterone(The worst depression flare-up occurred a month after tapering off these hormones, so the gynecologist and endocrinologist decided this would be good for now. I read a recent post from someone (?pMac) who said that he had finally gotten a remission from a 20-year depression by taking testosterone. He didn't say whether his levels had been low or not, just that it helped a lot.)
synthroid and cytomel- gradually changing amounts, aiming at getting a TSH of under 0.5
Supplements- all supposed to have a modest effect on lowering cortisol- so darn many pills!-
alpha-lipoic acid 150 mg.
Omega 3 fish oils 3 gms
phosphadatylserine 200 mg.
7-keto-hydroepiandrosterone 100 mg.- (a form of DHEA supposed to lower cortisol without having hormonal effects)
SAM-e 400 mg.
green tea- (green tea ice cream is terrific- some Japanese restaurants have it)General vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
I don't want to take anticort just yet, because although it sounds safe, it's not yet approved. The same is true for drugs like apressin and antalarmin, which are still at stage 2, and may have major side effects.Even though ketanozodole and bromocriptine are approved for Cushing's syndrome' they too can have serious side effects. There are at least two anti-CFH drugs in phase 1 or 2; they would certainly get to the heart of the problem, but one has already been discontinued because of liver toxicity. I am really hoping that mefipristone, which really does seem to lower cortisol and reset the axis, is approved for depression soon.
I am taking so many things, who knows what's helping! But I am really starting to feel well after eight years, and I'm so grateful for that.
Thanks so much for your interest and good ideas. I hope some of this is relevant for you.
Pfinstegg
poster:pfinstegg
thread:119829
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020914/msgs/119888.html