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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Very low Serotonin blood work!

B

Built240

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Joined
Jun 24, 2016
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94
Just a brief history I have been on 20 mg Lexapro for around 5 years and the past year I've been on around 60-90mg adderall. Recently I was switched off my adderall and given 50mg vyvanse and 150mg wellbutrin XL. I've been feeling like crap a lot lately and after doing some research I decided to get a blood test done to see where my serotonin levels were. To my surprise I just got my results back and they are only a 5. The range is 21-321. Does this indicate that my Lexapro is clearly no longer working for me at that dose and maybe I should have it increased or go on something else? I have an appointment Wednesday with my doctor.
 
I take my vyvanse at 7am and my lexapro at around 7pm. I got this blood test in the morning and didn't take anything. Part of me thinks perhaps the vyvanse was out of my system therefore causing deleted levels which is why I scored so low. Tomorrow I'm getting another blood test but this time it will be a few hours after vyvanse. I'm curious if anything will change.
 
I'm no pharmacologist, but I would imagine that it's a combined result of lowering your dosage of amphetamine and acclimating to your dosage of lexapro. On top of that, having your system clear of your usual meds probably contributed to the problem (or it could be the sole cause). I suppose it could also be that you simply don't respond to your new meds. Did have anything else checked with your blood work? Let us know how the retest goes tomorrow.
 
Slow_Mobius said:
I'm no pharmacologist, but I would imagine that it's a combined result of lowering your dosage of amphetamine and acclimating to your dosage of lexapro. On top of that, having your system clear of your usual meds probably contributed to the problem (or it could be the sole cause). I suppose it could also be that you simply don't respond to your new meds. Did have anything else checked with your blood work? Let us know how the retest goes tomorrow.
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Yes I always get lots of of blood work and everything else health wise is very good except I have high B12 and B6 levels. Just got test done again 2hrs after my vyvanse. I should have results in 2-4 days and I'll update thread. Thanks.
 
theGirlWithBlueHair said:
How are your folate levels? That is the one that matters.
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I have not gotten them tested but I take 250mg shilajit Fulvic acid complex. It seems like low folate levels are associated with a B 12 deficiency whereas I seem to have the opposite since my B12 and B6 are very high.
 
If it is not methylfolate it is garbage.

No, they can be unrelated. Folate is directly related to your neurotransmitter levels and methylation with SAMe. Read about it online.

It is good your b6 is high, but if you decide to supplement to raise serotonin with SAMe and 5-HTP, getting P-5-P is still recommended.

https://doctordoni.com/2015/03/understanding-the-methylation-cycle-and-its-effect-on-health/


This is how you raise you serotonin levels naturally

With methylfolate, serotonin, methylcobalamin, SAMe, and 5-HTP

I would try this over medications. You could add in n acetyl l tyrosine for dopamine and norepinephrine, plus you could always take antidepressants and stimulants on top of these and other supplements/vitamins.

It's always a good base!

Endogenous blood levels of your b vitamins do not make a difference
 
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theGirlWithBlueHair said:
If it is not methylfolate it is garbage.

No, they can be unrelated. Folate is directly related to your neurotransmitter levels and methylation with SAMe. Read about it online.

It is good your b6 is high, but if you decide to supplement to raise serotonin with SAMe and 5-HTP, getting P-5-P is still recommended.

https://doctordoni.com/2015/03/understanding-the-methylation-cycle-and-its-effect-on-health/


This is how you raise you serotonin levels naturally

With methylfolate, serotonin, methylcobalamin, SAMe, and 5-HTP

I would try this over medications. You could add in n acetyl l tyrosine for dopamine and norepinephrine, plus you could always take antidepressants and stimulants on top of these and other supplements/vitamins.

It's always a good base!

Endogenous blood levels of your b vitamins do not make a difference
Click to expand...

Thanks I will try this. I had a weird reaction once to SamE 400mg. I got really dizzy every time I was laying down and stood up and started spinning and it wouldn't go away until the next day.

I'm going to get my folate levels tested this week. Anything else you can think of that I should get tested which may help with my issue? Thanks
 
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This is because your SAMe was working :) Next time try 200mg and take some l tyrosine or n acetyl tyrosine with it to keep your norepinephrine and epinephrine levels up.

Are you looking for other alternatives besides prescription medicines? Because there are a lot of other - very potent - options that aren't pharmaceutical nonsense (that are very, if not more, effective - and safer) if that is what you are interested in.

I would recommend ditching the SSRIs as they will only decrease your blood levels by activating 5-HT 1A autoreceptors and decreasing synaptic serotonin levels, which means they actually decrease serotonin levels. Do some research on this. It takes many months before any noticeable increase in serotonin even BEGINS to occur as these autoreceptors need to begin to slowly desensitize, destabilize, and desconstruct and demantle. (downregulation)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoreceptor

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downregulation_and_upregulation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-HT1A_receptor
 
theGirlWithBlueHair said:
This is because your SAMe was working :) Next time try 200mg and take some l tyrosine or n acetyl tyrosine with it to keep your norepinephrine and epinephrine levels up.

Are you looking for other alternatives besides prescription medicines? Because there are a lot of other - very potent - options that aren't pharmaceutical nonsense (that are very, if not more, effective - and safer) if that is what you are interested in.

I would recommend ditching the SSRIs as they will only decrease your blood levels by activating 5-HT 1A autoreceptors and decreasing synaptic serotonin levels, which means they actually decrease serotonin levels. Do some research on this. It takes many months before any noticeable increase in serotonin even BEGINS to occur as these autoreceptors need to begin to slowly desensitize, destabilize, and desconstruct and demantle. (downregulation)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autoreceptor

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downregulation_and_upregulation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5-HT1A_receptor
Click to expand...

Thank you I will check it out. Yes my goal is to eventually be off of all amphetamines and lexapro/wellbutrin/abilify.
 
someone else has a thread asking about it...but bromantane, you should look into that. and rhodiola. Aniracetam. Those all raise serotonin.
 
Is there any point in taking all of these natural supplements if you are still on the medications or should you wait until you are off of them?
 
Yes, there is, and no, you should not wait. Make sure to follow the instructions. Take SAMe on an empty stomach and the methylcobalamin has to be sublingual - it does not get absorbed orally - and when you take things sublingually you can not eat or drink for 15min afterwards or absorption will not complete.
 
Since my B12 levels are way higher than normal range maybe the methylcobalamine isn't necessary?

Also I have seen not to combine H-htp with lexapro due to an increase of the serotonin too high which could cause serotonin syndrome but if I'm clearly not producing natural serotonin and my levels are still low on Lexapro wouldn't it benefit if I took it? And wouldn't anything that increases serotonin including like tryptophan,samE,etc...be advised not to take while on lexapro not just 5-htp?
 
SAMe is fine. And 5-HTP is often combined with antidepressants by many people without ill effect, but it has been shown to produce the serotonin behaviour syndrome in rats when administered with serotonergic antidepressants.

Be careful if you choose to do this and research serotonin syndrome so you know what to watch for at least. I myself have never had a problem and I don't think anybody really ever has, to be honest. Doctors recommend the combination all the time. When I've taken SSRIs on two occassions, both by different doctors, they both recommended it to me.

No, still take the methylcobalamin.
 
theGirlWithBlueHair said:
Yes, there is, and no, you should not wait. Make sure to follow the instructions. Take SAMe on an empty stomach and the methylcobalamin has to be sublingual - it does not get absorbed orally - and when you take things sublingually you can not eat or drink for 15min afterwards or absorption will not complete.
Click to expand...

I think I will try Life Extensions 1mg methylcobalamine and start with 200mg SamE. In 2 weeks get serotonin tested and see if it improved and assess from there whether to add more SamE or 5htp. I'm starting to read some conflicting reviews on how blood test for serotonin isn't that accurate yet I hear the same for urine/saliva though.
 
Make sure to get L - 5 methylfolate. SAMe will not work without it. And 5-HTP is a good idea to add in the beginning; it is like adding the gasoline to the car.

I've never even heard of blood tests for serotonin being used for anything, to be honest.
 
theGirlWithBlueHair said:
Make sure to get L - 5 methylfolate. SAMe will not work without it. And 5-HTP is a good idea to add in the beginning; it is like adding the gasoline to the car.

I've never even heard of blood tests for serotonin being used for anything, to be honest.
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http://www.walkinlab.com/catalogsearch/result/?order=relevance&dir=desc&q=Serotonin&btnSearchSubmit=

http://www.dovemed.com/serotonin-blood-test/

https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003562.htm
 
It's amazing how these doctors don't know about this stuff. Today was my appointment and I explained everything to him if I should include supplements to increase serotonin since Lexapro will not work if I don't naturally have serotonin, etc. he didn't understand anything he was looking everything up on the Internet and this guy is supposedly a really high-end psychiatrist in my area. So he increased my vyvanse to 70 mg and gave me 30 mg Adderall Xr as well. He also increased my Wellbutrin from 150 to 300 XL. He said he honestly has no clue if I should add five HTP or SamE for serotonin LOL
 
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