Posted by Elroy on May 15, 2005, at 21:33:36
In reply to Re: Urine Test to Measure Neurotransmitter Levels? » Elroy, posted by Larry Hoover on May 9, 2005, at 22:17:56
Yes, indeed, It would be totally remarkable if each turned out to have a distinct but separate cause, wouldn't it? No, there must be a common thread!
Think of that.
On Memorial Day last year I had NONE of those symptoms nor any anxiety. By mid June I had developed severe anxiety and by July 4th had ALL of those various symptoms (peripheral neuropathy type pains that are not - according to a major metro neurologist - peripehral neuropathy, prostatitis type pains that are not prostatitis, constant extremely icy cold feeling to feet, occasional cold feeling to hands, hypogonadism, tinnitus - and a host of more minor symptoms). And the anxiety.
Let's see. CRH levels, I am not sure about. ACTH levels have always been pretty much mid range, occasional upper normal range. My lab's reference range is 5 - 50 and I've run the range from a 16 to a 36. Mostly in the 16-25 range.
Also, your info about samE maybe being too "stimulating" appears to be right on the mark. Am even still trying to take 1/4 tablet of Tyrosine without too much stimulation (especially in the result of having the prostatitis type pain - burning urethra - flare up and the anxiety feelings enhance somewhat). 1/4 tablet is 125 mgs in my case (maybe I need to find 100 mg tablets and cut them down??? or maybe just let go that angle for right now and assume that I've actually got more than sufficient dopamine / adrenaline levels???).
Anyway, I recall some info about licorice. As I recall, there's two types. Actually only one type but processed differently?? One type boosts the adrenal glands and could actually increase production of cortisol while other type is an effective "anti-cortisol" product. Can't remember offhand which is which. Let's see, something like non-deglycyrrhinized licorice and deglycyrrhinized licorice, but can't recall which does which (darn brain fog!).
I found your comment (as follows) very interesting:
QUOTE: Licorice tricks your hypothalamus and pituitary into thinking the adrenals are pumping out excess cortisol, and they shut down their adrenal stimulatory activity. The whole system should go into a temporary rest phase. END QUOTE
Do you have any links to further information on that process?
You see, I have developed the following theory:
1. Long-term stress (1996 - 2002) and mild-to-moderate anxiety (2002 - 2004, clinical to the point of being treated via talk therapy and ambien for sleep but no other meds) resulted in
continual over-secretion of cortisol.2. Somewhere along the way the HPA Axis "broke down" and cortisol production went whacko.
3. While elevated cortisol was initially caused by the ongoing anxiety, now the elevated cortisol is "running the show" and causing the continuation of the anxiety (even making it worse) and most of the other symptoms (for example, high cortisol is a direct a cause of ssecondary hyporgonadism).
I have been so convinced of this that I have spoke very strongly with my endo about looking into an attempt at RU486 therapy to "re-set" the HPA Axis. For further info on that, review these links:
http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/psychotic.asp
http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/psychotic_ru486.asp
http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/p040592.html
http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/2000/november8/ru486-1108.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11593077&dopt=Abstract
http://www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/content/full/61/5/698Anyway, that RU486 protocol seems quite interesting.... but if I can accomplish the same thing with the use of licorice, well, a "trial run" would be worthwhile, eh?
Like I said, any more info on specific protocol recommendations (type, doses, daily amounts, length of time on protocol, etc.). would be appreciated.
Elroy
P.S. Have also been given information that shows that constant elevated cortisol levels can establish an excellent breeding ground for establishment of systemic candida and that it might be what I developed in June of last year that accounted for a lot of these symptoms.... I don't have much info or experience in that area - other than to note that my wife is currently being treated for thrush and also knowing than my mother had a severe "breathing problem" that lasted for years and years which ended up actually being candida and cleared up within a few weeks after being treated as such. She was diagnosed with asthma, cheronic bronchitis, pinched nerve in her back ribs, etc., etc. and it ended up being candida that had spread to her lungs.> > What is difficult for the MDs to fully understand is that these symptoms literally came on that quickly (almost overnight). What each want to do is look at each symptom as existing by itself. So the prostatitis is strictly a urology problem (with the urologist now being completely stumped) and the tinnitus being strictly an ENT problem (with the ENT doc being completely stumped), and the abnormally low testosterone being strictly an endo problem (and the endo doc being completely stumped), and the highly elevated cortisol being strictly an endo problem (and THAT endo doc being completely stumped)!
>
> It would be totally remarkable if each turned out to have a distinct but separate cause, wouldn't it? No, there must be a common thread.
>
> > I wonder if possibly utilization of Tryptophan might be an option to try and raise serotonin levels if that might be a necessary addition? SAMe? Taurine?
>
> Tryptophan or taurine would be absolutely risk free, IMHO. The SAMe might be even more stimulating. It's hard to say.
>
> > I hate to stay on the Xanax XR, but we first tried Ativan and it did nothing for the anxiety after about an hour or so.
> >
> > Personally, I believe that the cortisol is THE key element with what is going on here and am currently starting an aggressive protocol of taking various anti-cortisol supplements (seeing as how my main endo said that since it isn't Cushings that there's not much he can do for it).
> >
> > Elroy
>
> Licorice root will do that.
>
> I asked about your CRH and ACTH hormone levels. Do you have any idea what they scored at?
>
> Licorice tricks your hypothalamus and pituitary into thinking the adrenals are pumping out excess cortisol, and they shut down their adrenal stimulatory activity. The whole system should go into a temporary rest phase.
>
> Now, I don't know if your body will act like that, because it's hard to figure out what's out of whack. Did you have a head CT? Pituitary tumor ruled out?
>
> Lar
poster:Elroy
thread:493827
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050510/msgs/498267.html