Does anyone have any information on seratonin production? My neurologist has prescribed Paxil for me but i am not depressed, don't have social anxiety disorder or OCD. I do have a blood disorder, and was having constant headaches, dizziness, sleeplessness, loss of memory and pains. My neurologist says that I am not producing enough seratonin and that Paxil will help. I have been on it now for 4 weeks and the headaches and dizziness are gone, but I am losing a lot of weight and not sleeping at all. Can anyone help me out?

There are nutrients that affect seratonin levels. Do a word search on the internet or ask online nutritionists.

Christine, could you possibly be going through menopause?

edited to add:
p.s. I find it frightening that doctors are prescribing anti-depressants for nearly everything. Makes ya wonder

[This message has been edited by savannah (edited 01-14-2001).]

I just read this post and all i wanted to tell you is that i found this website http://paxil.bizland.com/ you NEED to go there and read up on paxil. I am currently taking this and i asked to be put on it cuz i heard such wonderful things about it for postpartum depression ( mine in the form of anger) and i freaked when i read the mesage boards. Now i am weening myself off. Just please be careful and gett off paxil asap. Just dont STOP altogether. You will experience very bad withdrawl if you dont taper slowly. I was without it for 3 days & i felt like i was nuts. Bad withdrawl.I have only been on it for almost 3 months too. 20 mg. I am down to 10 right now. Feel free to email if ya want- its in my profile http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Paxil has side effects that cause the nerve synapse to fire nuerotransmitters constantly in the brain thus inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin in the brain.
The withdrawl is not fun but it didn't last long for me, I took it for nearly a year and when I came off I had more anxiety than I did before,, more depression too.
What makes your neurologist think your serotonin levels are low? Serotonin can't be measured and if it can you would have to have your head drilled into to know unless you were showing signs of depression.

Maybe you can switch to an antidepressant calleed Ambien. It was prescribed to me to ease the insomnia. I took Paxil for awhile and it wasn't helping at all. I had okay luck with Ambien. Also, my doctor asked me to try taking a dose of Benadryl beofre bed. Hope this helps a little. it's really late and I'm not thinking very clearly now. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Please define blood disorder, do you mean low blood pressure?

Did you have fatigue?

Serotonin, has a lot do with most of our body funtions. From heart beats to blood pressure, energy or fatigue.

Too much serotonin, will cause diziness, fatigue, probably some anxiety, frequent headaches or a feeling of pressure in your brain, short term memory. All these are very related to blood pressure.

What your doc is trying to do is to regulate your serotonin into normal levels, he believes you have too much.

About OCD and social anxiety. Paxil is not prescribed to treat OCD or social anxiety, it was just proved that it is pretty effective when someone is depressed and at the same time has OCD or social anxiety. In that case it seems to help both.

About side effects. Paxil causes sleep disorders, some people feel too much sleepiness, and some the opposite.

Also sexual disorders (this are based on percentage values, not everyone will experience it):

Males tend to have erection and/or ejaculation problems

Females tend to have low sex drive and incapability to orgasm.

Gastric and intestinal problems are also frequent (at least 20% of people on paxil will have it)

Most of side effects (not all), will disapear with time.

Warning: Paroxetine is very addictive. 6 months is alright, more than that is NOT alright.

Hope I've helpful, ask your doctor about dihydergot, it was designed for low blood pressure and it acts on serotonin (plasma levels). Not an anti-depressive, but it takes away all the problems you are having without side effects or addiction.

Mail me or ICQ me if you need more help, I've been there too. My e-mail is on my profile

Side effects table for Paxil (Paroxetine)

---------------------------------------

Treatment-Emergent Adverse Events in Short-Term Flexible Dose
Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trials

Body System Preferred

Term (n=421) (n=421)
Paroxetine Placebo


Body as a Whole Headache 17.6% 17.3%
Asthenia 15.0% 5.9%
Abdominal Pain 3.1% 4.0%
Fever 1.7% 1.7%
Chest Pain 1.4% 2.1%
Trauma 1.4% 0.5%
Back Pain 1.2% 2.4%

Cardiovascular Palpitation 2.9% 1.4%
Vasodilation 2.6% 0.7%
Postural Hypotension 1.2% 0.5%

Dermatological Sweating 11.2% 2.4%
Rash 1.7% 0.7%

Gastrointestinal Nausea 25.7% 9.3%
Dry Mouth 18.1% 12.1%
Constipation 13.8% 8.6%
Diarrhea 11.6% 7.6%
Decreased Appetite 6.4% 1.9%
Flatulence 4.0% 1.7%
Vomiting 2.4% 1.7%
Oropharynx Disorder 2.1% 0.0%
Dyspepsia 1.9% 1.0%
Increased Appetite 1.4% 0.5%

Musculoskeletal Myopathy 2.4% 1.4%
Myalgia 1.7% 0.7%
Myasthenia 1.4% 0.2%

Nervous System Somnolence 23.3% 9.0%
Dizziness 13.3% 5.5%
Insomnia 13.3% 6.2%
Tremor 8.3% 1.9%
Nervousness 5.2% 2.6%
Anxiety 5.0% 2.9%
Paresthesia 3.8% 1.7%
Libido Decreased 3.3% 0.0%
Agitation 2.1% 1.9%
Drugged Feeling 1.7% 0.7%
Myoclonus 1.4% 0.7%
CNS Stimulation 1.2% 3.6%
Confusion 1.2% 0.2%

Respiration
Respiratory Disorder 5.9% 6.4%
Yawn 3.8% 0.0%
Pharyngitis 2.1% 2.9%

Eyes
Blurred Vision 3.6% 1.4%

Taste Perversion 2.4% 0.2%

Urogenital System
*Abnormal Ejaculation+ 12.9% 0.0%
*Male Genital Disorders 8.0% 0.0%
Urinary Frequency 3.1% 0.7%
Urination Impaired 2.9% 0.2%
*Impotence 2.5% 0.5%
*Female Genital Disorders 1.8% 0.0%

-----------------------------------------

Try HTP5 and st johns wort-skullcap. htp5 is supposed to work in a similar way as paxil.
good luck.

Try Nerve Factors or Nerve Factors Plus by Michaels. Sold in Health Food Stores. It is a vegetarian formula. It doesn't contain ground-up bovine ingredients like some health supplements have. With the threat of Mad Cow disease and the recent article--http://www.purefood.org/meat/fivecompanies.cfm http://www.purefood.org/meatlink.html http://www.purefood.org/meat/ocanightmare.cfm

And no, I don't work for that company nor do I work anywhere in the health food industry.