Fluvoxamine to increase neuroactive steroids?

Therapeutic Efforts Pharmaceutical
#1

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC161645/

NASs, particularly ALLO and pregnanolone, are reportedly decreased in both the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the plasma of untreated patients with major depressive episode.13,14 Antidepressant treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) fluoxetine and fluvoxamine, also used to treat anxiety disorders, normalized the ALLO and pregnanolone content of the CSF, and there was a correlation between improvements in symptoms and increase in CSF levels of ALLO and pregnanolone.

It seems that those with depleted levels of neuroactive steroids in their plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (which it seems like we all might have, based on the abstracts from the February conference) are treated with one of two different SSRI’s: Fluvoxamine or Fluoxetine (Prozac). There are no reports of Fluvoxamine use on this site, and few of Fluoxetine use. It seems like those who took Fluoxetine at a very low dose reported improvements in mental sides. Is this something we should consider and/or something you have tried and can offer advice?

#2

Very very interesting.

#3

I will maybe try to start at a very low dose (Prozac)

#4

Sonder., I would wait a little longer, they seem to be moving in the neurological area with the findings. You don’t want to mess around with the wrong dosage etc. I would give it a little more time

#5

I tried Prozac. I noted no results

#6

What dose, how long? Under supervision of a doctor?

#7

4 weeks long. I experienced super low libido. I do not recommend.

#8

Yes under supervision of a doctor. I used it for depression.

#9

What dose? The dosage appears to be the key

#10

Agreed. I also agree with the fact that its not a perfect solution by any means but I really think a super low dose (someone reported mental gains at a 2.5mg dose as opposed to the commonly prescribed 20mg dose) could be somewhat beneficial.
Im at a year and a half off and the mental sides are still present, but not as bad as they used to be. so i’m on the fence about experimenting with a low dose as well. i’ll let you know if i decide to.

#11

Honestly, I don’t believe anyone who says the mental and sexual sides are not all connected. When I don’t have brain fog, smell is enhanced, think clearer, I have better sexual function. It has to be all connected. Have your sexual sides correlated even slight improvement with your me two sides?

#12

BTW- there was a point where IHATEPROPECIA did the low dose Prozac treatment…hmmm

#13

You know, all improvements have been so minimal it is hard to say. But yes I think all the side effects are connected, obviously.

#14

I posted about this several months ago. I started taking 2.5 mg of fluoxetine daily (normal dosage is 20 mg). I have to get the lowest dosage pills in 10 mg and quarter them. At this level, it doesn’t affect serotonin so i have noticed any further sexual issues. Also, studies show that prozac acts on allopregnanolone at levels 20-40X less than those required to act on serotonin.

I would say my brain fog has improved somewhat. It’s hard to know if that’s due to time or the prozac, but i feel that such a low dose definitely isn’t hurting.

#15

So if you can, what improvements have you felt? Do you feel like it’s doing anything substantial? Do you feel like you are improving without setbacks?

#16

The main thing I noticed is that after starting the prozac I stopped getting really severe brain fog “attacks” as I would call them. These had been occurring a few times per week, noticeably triggered during periods of high stress or mental strain. These attacks were so bad it would often throw me into a panic.

I still have constant mild brain fog, but it is far less intense and seems to be improving very slowly with time (i am about 8 months off).

Overall it hasn’t been a miracle cure or anything, but i do feel it improved the intensity of the brain fog episodes without causing any additional problems.

#17

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21487652

Guys, I am really gonna try and get ahold of some of this stuff. I was recently researching a psychological disorder I have (entirely separate from finasteride) that I’ve had my entire life. I’ve never been properly diagnosed as the condition is new and isn’t accepted into the DSM yet. But I know 100% for sure that it is real and that I have it. It belongs somewhere on the OCD spectrum (if I were to go into a therapists office and tell them about the symptoms I’ve had as long as I can remember, they would likely diagnose me with OCD).

On the support forums for that condition, people seem to report that fluvoxamine seems to really help. I almost feel for me, personally, that it could potentially kill two birds with one stone.

#18

p.s. does anyone know of a good source for this?

#19

Has anyone experimented with extremely low dose of Prozac (fluoxetine)?

#20

In light of Dr. Irwig’s recent findings, has anyone else experimented with low dose of Prozac?