Posted by jemma on April 9, 2003, at 13:10:14
In reply to Re: Important questions regarding hippocampal damage.. » Questionmark, posted by Pfinstegg on April 9, 2003, at 8:48:47
I consider this to be absolutely the most critical question to ask regarding our use of meds. Namely, are they neuroprotective or neurodamaging? I took zoloft for nine years. The first year was great, and the second year it continued to have some mood-elevating effect. But then followed seven years of weight gain, increasing memory loss, numbness, apathy and lethargy, and chronic hormonal imbalance that resulted in various health problems. Yet I blame myself - had I read the printed material that comes with the pills, I could have seen for myself that "in animals, chronic use has been shown to result in downloading of catecholamine receptors." So I was suffering, as I'm sure many of us are, from a chronic and ever-worsening shortage of norepinephrine and dopamine.
Finally, my pdoc switched me to catecholamine- enhancing drugs, and after much trial and error, came up with the combination of modafinil and ritalin. I was awake for the first time in a decade! But I became increasingly wary of evidence that ritalin ultimately depletes, and even kills, dopamine cells. MOdafinil worried me less, as it's been shown to be neuroprotective. I know glutamate causes excitotoxicity, but gaba in excess is also toxic. My brain seems to need glutamate to feel awake. Anyway, I substituted selegiline for ritalin, and it worked even better for focus and concentration. And selegiline protects dopamine neurons, instead of killing them.
From now on, I am only interested in meds and supplements that protect my brain and promote its balance. Fortunately, such meds and supplements do exist, and I'm grateful to Larry, Pfinstegg, Scott, and so many others on this board who have helped me to find them.
- jemma
poster:jemma
thread:215282
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030407/msgs/217840.html