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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by john berk on December 28, 2005, at 14:28:49
Hi !! i have recently added Dhea with my 20 mgs. of prozac, and after 1 week feel more energy and less depression!! i'm using 50 mgs., would like to go to 100, i haven't had my levels checked, but i was curious if anyone else has used dhea with prozac, or know of any conflicts with the combo!! i am approaching 40, i've read this is a good time to start with Dhea, as levels peak in your 20's!! any feedback would be great...john
Posted by blueberry on December 28, 2005, at 18:04:31
In reply to Dhea with prozac?, posted by john berk on December 28, 2005, at 14:28:49
I don't know much about DHEA except what I've recently read in a book called The Mood Cure and in a short personal trial many years ago. I can share what little I know with you.
The authors of the book, who are treatment specialists and not just theorists, say that stubborn mood problems in their patients are almost always linked to either adrenal glands(DHEA or cortisol or both) or thyroid gland malfunction (even when basic tests look normal), and sometimes sex hormones. So your response to DHEA makes sense, in that maybe your adrenal system is weak or overworked by stress or smoking or age or diet. Other things that can work besides DHEA are pregnenalone or licorice extract supplements.
A possible problem to keep an eye out for though is swinging the pendulum too far in the other direction, causing a new misbalance in a different hormone. You might even try reducing the DHEA as low as you can and still retain the good effects.
I got a real nice response to DHEA many years ago. Don't remember the dose. But after a week it definitely went too far and I got real overhyper and anxious and uncomfortable. It scared me enough that I just stopped it.
My doctor today just ordered a DHEA and cortisol test for me. She says all my symptoms and all my medication responses fit the profile of andrenal problems. It's a saliva test taken 4 times throughout the test day.
Posted by john berk on December 28, 2005, at 19:49:33
In reply to Re: Dhea with prozac?, posted by blueberry on December 28, 2005, at 18:04:31
thanks Blueberry,
i'm glad to hear you had a response, alhough you had to discontinue dhea!! i used to be a long distance runner, i now still run twice a week and lift, that with the combined stress of my depression may have weakened my adrenals!!thanks for your great response, i have to check out the book "mood cure", everyone seems to have read it but i, lol!! take care...john
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 29, 2005, at 5:28:59
In reply to Dhea with prozac?, posted by john berk on December 28, 2005, at 14:28:49
>
> Hi !! i have recently added Dhea with my 20 mgs. of prozac, and after 1 week feel more energy and less depression!! i'm using 50 mgs., would like to go to 100, i haven't had my levels checked, but i was curious if anyone else has used dhea with prozac, or know of any conflicts with the combo!! i am approaching 40, i've read this is a good time to start with Dhea, as levels peak in your 20's!! any feedback would be great...johnI'm really concerned about your dose already. Going to 100 is total overkill.
I was reading about DHEA last year, so I'm going from memory, but the doctors who assessed their patients using DHEA (long-term blood studies over 6 months or a year) found that males did best at 15 mg/day. Women at 4-5 mg/day. Why the capsules commonly available are the dose that they are is anybody's guess. But 1 50 mg capsule every three days seems more reasonable in chronic use.
If you stop to think about it, if you're deficient, you first bring up your blood concentration by taking a higher dose (acute treatment phase). Once it's up, though, it takes a much smaller dose to keep it at that level (maintenance treatment phase).
I suggest you reduce your dose, and here's what I predict you will feel. Your sense of this surging vitality will dampen. But, that's because you're getting used to it. That's a good thing, in the end, if you compare that to developing acute illness because of DHEA overdose.
Best,
Lar
Posted by john berk on December 29, 2005, at 15:02:17
In reply to Re: Dhea with prozac? » john berk, posted by Larry Hoover on December 29, 2005, at 5:28:59
Thanks Larry, i was concerned, my health food supplier today mentioned numbers close to what you stated, one woman who comes in gets good results with 5 mgs. i will definetly finish this week with the dose i am on, then go to a more reasonable maintence dose!!
thanks so much for your input....john
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 29, 2005, at 22:37:14
In reply to Re: Dhea with prozac? » Larry Hoover, posted by john berk on December 29, 2005, at 15:02:17
>
> Thanks Larry, i was concerned, my health food supplier today mentioned numbers close to what you stated, one woman who comes in gets good results with 5 mgs. i will definetly finish this week with the dose i am on, then go to a more reasonable maintence dose!!
> thanks so much for your input....johnYou're welcome. Let us know how it goes?
Lar
Posted by tealady on January 3, 2006, at 3:19:14
In reply to Re: Dhea with prozac? » Larry Hoover, posted by john berk on December 29, 2005, at 15:02:17
Hey John,
It's best to taper off the DHEA.
That means gradually reduce every couple of days for first week to say 2/3dose of what you are on now.. then to 1/3 dose of what you are on by next week.. then 1/4 by next week.. then something like a maintenance dose.
DHEA may suppress your own cortisol/adrenal function I've heard from a doc?? (haven't seen anything on it though),
which is why you may need to taper.. and why what Lar says holds.
If not it certainly affects your hormone balance in other ways.. so its best to change gradually to allow your own body to step up its natural production.I'm not on DHEA at present but I was for a while and a maintence dose for me was 3mg.
5mcg was too high for me.
Guys usually can take a higher dose, but I bet not many would need much above 25mcg a day.I've heard from tests of some DHEA OTC in the US , that it sometimes doesn't have the stated amount of DHEA in it..sometimes very little, so maybe that's why some can take large doses with little effect?
Lar's right about the negative effects of too much DHEA.Also I'm not even certain that taking DHEA raises one's blood levels of DHEAS a lot .. it seems to convert fast to other things instead I suspect.
At least I haven't heard of anyone getting levels of DHEAS up much.. be interested to hear from anyone who did though:-)
Jan
Posted by john berk on January 29, 2006, at 20:50:53
In reply to Re: Dhea with prozac? » john berk, posted by tealady on January 3, 2006, at 3:19:14
Hi Jan, sorry to reply so late, i did as you and Larry suggested, i tapered down now to 25 mgs., by wednesday i hope to go to 15, thank you for your great input...john
Posted by tealady on February 5, 2006, at 1:29:11
In reply to Re: Dhea with prozac? » tealady, posted by john berk on January 29, 2006, at 20:50:53
> Hi Jan, sorry to reply so late, i did as you and Larry suggested, i tapered down now to 25 mgs., by wednesday i hope to go to 15, thank you for your great input...john
Hi John,
Thanks for letting us all know how you are getting on with the DHEA :)
It's great to har back from you.Is it still working for you at this dose?
How's it feel to you compared to the 50mg a day?
Jan
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