Saturday, April 14, 2012

The Serotonin Elixir

Is this the end of the road for my trial by insomnia??  I am allowing myself to hope.  10 days ago my naturopath started me on serotonogenic dietary supplements, (a test indicated serotonin levels at the lowest 2% of the reference curve!!!) and after a week on 100mg of 5HTP right before bed (along with Magnesium Citrate and a Melatonin supplement with B6) I'm starting to sleep normally again - I think.  Three nights of 7 plus hours does not yet a happy ending make, but I am feeling human again, at least for now.  My life just may begin anew - out of the darkness.

It is very interesting - in 2006, after a failed attempt at CBT for insomnia, I went on 50mg of zoloft.  Zoloft immediately restored my sleep, but its sleep inducing effects waned over the years.  I got off it for good last summer.  Since zoloft is a serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, I wonder if my body decided that since the serotonin that it was producing was not being readily re-absorbed, that it did not need to produce any.  So after ceasing zoloft - whammo - full scale insomnia (though it took a good 4-5 months for it to develop into its most acute form).

What do I care about theories though if I can now return to the land of the living?  Onward.

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