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Re: treatment resistant depression -Suggestions?

Posted by btrout on March 23, 2002, at 9:12:24

In reply to Re: treatment resistant depression -Suggestions? » btrout, posted by Ron Hill on March 19, 2002, at 11:55:00

Hi Ron and Everyone,
Thanks for the suggestion, Ron, and the kind words. Actually, I tried SAMe at 1600mg/ day for a month ($$$$!), and I didn't feel anything. Interestingly, I do have somewhat of a response to large doses of folic acid, which is also a part of the methylation process.
I recently tried St. John's Wort, which made me sicker. I think that doing anything to increase serotonin makes my immune system worse. I read that both serotonin and SSRI's raise IL-6. I think my IL-6 is already sky high and any more just kills me.
Right now, I'm giving a trial to the herb feverfew, if you can believe it. It is reported to inhibit the enzyme that causes the release of IL-6 and TNF-alpha. Incidentally, it is also reported to block the 5-HT2a and 5-HT2b receptors. Blocking these receptors prevents serotonin from causing a rise in intracellular calcium. High intracellular calcium leads to high inflammatory cytokine release.
Next week, I am going to try a drug called cycloserine which is a partial agonist at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor. It also inhibits sphingolipid synthesis which in turn inactivates the same enzyme that feverfew inactivates. Cycloserine seems to be neuroprotective and anticonvulsant. It is reported to decrease the T helper cell/ T suppressor cell ratio, which is elevated in depression, and with my insane immune system, I know it is elevated in me. I think this drug could be a very good immune modulator. Exciting.

Take care everyone.

Btrout


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URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020322/msgs/99628.html