Posted by bleauberry on December 15, 2007, at 6:01:16
In reply to Re: Sticking It Out Club thread, posted by Phillipa on December 14, 2007, at 20:05:40
> Still on luvox and sticking it out for the long term as it gives me no side effects can up and lower at will and sometimes a larger dose one day and smaller the next makes me feel much better. That's what my pdoc said to do. Phillipa
That is an interesting phenomenon. I have noticed it myself over the years. I feel best starting a drug or a new dose, and again when decreasing the dose, but worse at a steady dose. The timeline to hit the feeling worse part is almost always 3 to 4 days.
I have my own personal theory on what is happening. I believe the feedback mechanisms are messed up. As the dose is increased, the extra serotonin immediately provides benefits. The feedback receptors do not respond right away. But after 3 days, they do finally "get it" and say "hey there is more serotonin here than is supposed to be according to our genetic instructions", and then pretty much tell the receptors to re-regulate themselves so as not to respond to the extra serotonin, and they tell the serotonin manufacturing processes to slow down production.
When decreasing a dose, at about 3 days the feedback mechanism says "hey we have a shortage of serotonin here, so you receptors step up your sensitivity and you manufacturers bring in the overtime crew and get this serotonin pumping". And that feels good. But then after 3 days of that, once again the feedback mechanism reaches a status quo plateau and everything settles back to where genetics wants it to be, which unfortunately is also what is making us feel bad. Genetics always revert back to default, even when they are wrong, and they always find a way to undo whatever a drug is manipulating.
My theory anyway. All I know is, at 3 days I got problems. They do not resolve at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, or 6 months. But if I start moving the dose around and keep the feedback mechanism in confusion so it doesn't have time to find its wrong place, it feels better.
Weird I know. But for me it is as predictable as a clock.
poster:bleauberry
thread:800854
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071213/msgs/800969.html