# Serotonin



## BusyBee (Aug 7, 2010)

Hi to you all again.

Been reading up on some posts and also some info on the net about serotonin and the role it plays... gathering that too little can cause depression, sleeplessness, deficits in cognative function, migraines, etc. So i start thinking theres some hope if can take a 5-HT supplement.

I have no idea how or why my serotonin levels dropped, but as my DP came on after a long period of severe stress and also with migraines, i felt there was a link.

Problem: Im taking 1.5mg of pizotifen a day for migraines.. been taking it ever since this all started and that was 8 months ago. After reading up more on the drug, I note that its sometimes refurred to as an 'anti serotonin agent' or that it woprks by 'blocking the 5HT receptors in the brain'..

So is it too much serotonin thats causing the migraines? And clearly my health food munching bean gobbling supplement taking efforts are never going to be rewarded if im taking a med that blocks its effect?

Please any info would be greatly appreciated. My brain cannot cope with this level of contradicting evidence.


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## Tommygunz (Sep 7, 2009)

if you are thinking low serotonin is a factor in your DP/DR, then the last thing you would want is a serotonin antagonist like pizotifen. also taking anything to assist in serotonin level build up would be a waste due to the blocking of the 5ht1, 5ht2a, and 5ht2c receptors. i would also warn you about it's anticholinergic effects. from the year and a half of research i have done on DP/DR i have determined that poor acetylcholine and dopamine levels/activity play a larger role than serotonin. but still, i wouldn't suggest blocking serotonin receptor activity when trying to overcome DP/DR.

curious though, does the medication work well for your migraines? if so, how were you prescribed. did they mention anything like too much serotonin? or did they just say we'll give this a try?

from my experience, if something blocks serotonin and acetylcholine then it would probably be counter productive for DP/DR. then again im not a doctor so don't take any action on my advice without talking to your doctor or pharmacis first.


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## BusyBee (Aug 7, 2010)

Tommygunz said:


> if you are thinking low serotonin is a factor in your DP/DR, then the last thing you would want is a serotonin antagonist like pizotifen. also taking anything to assist in serotonin level build up would be a waste due to the blocking of the 5ht1, 5ht2a, and 5ht2c receptors. i would also warn you about it's anticholinergic effects. from the year and a half of research i have done on DP/DR i have determined that poor acetylcholine and dopamine levels/activity play a larger role than serotonin. but still, i wouldn't suggest blocking serotonin receptor activity when trying to overcome DP/DR.
> 
> curious though, does the medication work well for your migraines? if so, how were you prescribed. did they mention anything like too much serotonin? or did they just say we'll give this a try?
> 
> from my experience, if something blocks serotonin and acetylcholine then it would probably be counter productive for DP/DR. then again im not a doctor so don't take any action on my advice without talking to your doctor or pharmacis first.


Thanks for your reply, i know youve done quite a bit of research on the subject and although I have too, i do not feel that ive gone into it in quite as much detail as yourself so i appreciate the advice!

Of course i would always go to the doctor before taking or stopping any hard hitting meds, however this is not as simple as it seems. My doctor is very good, as so far has always been right (as opposed to alot of doctors i saw during the course of this illness who were completly stumped) but he is not the friendliest of people. Infact he often does this thing where he gets up and actually holds the door open for me while I am trying to ask questions.

My migraines were severe, between every two to three days in frequency so I had to be put onto a blocker or I would have not been able to get out of bed. Forst I was prescribed beta blockers but they gave me hallucinations and numbness in my hands.. so he tried second most popular choice: pizotifen. These (grab wood as i say) work to completly eliminate migraine attacks (havnt had one for months) however, three of my medics belive that the DP is migraine related (this obviously continues).

Because of all these queries, I went to my doctor the other day for a review of the medication. I asked him the exact question that I have asked you. He said, 'To be honest no one really knows a lot about migraine and drugs like this were probably found during trial and error.' He then printed me out another YEARS worth of prescriptions and thrust them at me like a huge full stop. I then had to slink away again tail between legs...

I will continue to keep looking but will definatly take into account what you have said during my search.


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