new and cyproheptadine and serotonin

LeeBee

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Hi all, I've been browsing the forum for a few weeks, lots of good info, thanks. I can't find the place called 'ask for help' so am just posting in meet and greet, apologies. I have started experimenting with cyproheptadine. I began with 1/4 tab (4mg tab) at night, made me drowsy but not much else. Then on a quiet weekend I started trying 1/4 tab every three hours, thought it might give a speedier anti-serotonin result. Spent a lot of time on the couch dozing! By the next day i felt quite constipated so didn't continue the trial but that day I spent a lot of time in a really deep uncomfortable non-sleep state. I have had this kind of state before which i now think is a kind of serotonin-induced torpor (based on readings and piecing together info).

Do you think the cypro somehow mobilises serotonin or couldn't eliminate/antagonise it fast enough? I have tried to read about the mechanism of cypro but haven't found anything useful yet. Any insights welcome, thanks.

I am really trying to get serotonin down, I think it is a big part of my health challenges.
 

Greg says

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I also haven't had great results with cypro. Knocks me out for deep sleep but next day is a day of disassociation with no desire to speak. Then after a couple days use it will lead to awful restlessness. I have had better results from Tianeptine.
 

tara

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:welcome LeeBee

Smart to try that experiment on a quiet weekend. :)

If your gut was relying on serotonin to keep it moving, anti-serotonin drugs might interfere with that. Constipation can result in increased endotoxin load, which is a burden on the whole system. People find various things help with that. Regular raw carrot salad can help lower endotoxin. Some people find magnesium, or coffee, or aged cascara sagrada, or a gentle walk, or other things, can help keep things moving.

For people with lowish metabolism who are relying on stress hormones to function, reducing the stress hormones artificially can sometimes leave people short of energy to function. Do you know what your resting temperature and heart rate are like?

Looks like you made a rapid increase in cyproheptadine. You could try playing with the dose and trying a bit less, or you could just flag it, at least for now. When I had larger doses of cyproheptadine (like 1 or 2 tablets/4-8mg in a day), I got a bit zonked out too.

Have you tried any other tactics for reducing serotonin? eg if you are eating a lot of muscle meat, replacing some of it with more collagen?
 

answersfound

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In my experience, cypro is definitely helpful in fixing gut issues, but you will revert back to your previous state if you are not taking steps to increase metabolism, with thyroid, for example. Cypro won't cause constipation unless you take more than 12 mg in one dose. That is huge so I don't think you need to concern yourself with that. Sometimes the intestine swells and Ray has said aspirin and antihistamines are anti inflammatory and can help this.
 

Makrosky

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Greg says said:
post 114516 I also haven't had great results with cypro. Knocks me out for deep sleep but next day is a day of disassociation with no desire to speak. Then after a couple days use it will lead to awful restlessness. I have had better results from Tianeptine.

A strong cup of coffee fixes that to a substantial degree for me.
 
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LeeBee

LeeBee

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thanks very much for all the input.
Does anyone know how long cypro stays in the system?
What its mechanism is for opposing serotonin?
any other suggestions gratefully received.
 

TeslaFan

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thanks very much for all the input.
Does anyone know how long cypro stays in the system?
What its mechanism is for opposing serotonin?
any other suggestions gratefully received.

I think half-life is about 8 hours. I could feel the effects longer than that.
The best way to reduce serotonin is via diet and lifestyle change, as RP often mentions. Less starch, less tryptophan, more b vitamins (like B6) to direct tryptophan away from serotonin, more sunlight, meaningful / joyful activities. It is a common misconception that drugs like cyproheptadine, lisuride, ondansetron, ketanserin, etc, eliminate or reduce serotonin. They don't. These drugs compete at protein sites that serotonin normally activates (a.k.a receptors), thus preventing the effect that such activation by serotonin would cause otherwise, and only for those several hours. Long term use almost always has serious side-effects, including heart damage with several of these drugs (bromocriptine, ondansetron).
Having said that, those drugs can be useful in the short term, and in a specific situation. I use them for learning.
 
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LeeBee

LeeBee

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I think half-life is about 8 hours. I could feel the effects longer than that.
The best way to reduce serotonin is via diet and lifestyle change, as RP often mentions. Less starch, less tryptophan, more b vitamins (like B6) to direct tryptophan away from serotonin, more sunlight, meaningful / joyful activities. It is a common misconception that drugs like cyproheptadine, lisuride, ondansetron, ketanserin, etc, eliminate or reduce serotonin. They don't. These drugs compete at protein sites that serotonin normally activates (a.k.a receptors), thus preventing the effect that such activation by serotonin would cause otherwise, and only for those several hours. Long term use almost always has serious side-effects, including heart damage with several of these drugs (bromocriptine, ondansetron).
Having said that, those drugs can be useful in the short term, and in a specific situation. I use them for learning.
thanks for that very helpful reply
 

tomisonbottom

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I also haven't had great results with cypro. Knocks me out for deep sleep but next day is a day of disassociation with no desire to speak. Then after a couple days use it will lead to awful restlessness. I have had better results from Tianeptine.

How much did you use and for how long?
 

Greg says

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I would start with 2mg then have great sleep for 2-3 nights but be dissociative the next day. Then after 3 days I would get restless leg induced, poor, agitated sleep. I tried this 4 times. Same effect with Benadryl.
 

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