I received my lab results early last week, and was able to order my supplements prior to the Thanksgiving holiday. I started taking them two days before Thanksgiving.
Bottom line is that I have very low Serotonin levels despite taking a prescription Serotonin re-uptake inhibitor. Not a big surprise to me, considering that I have never had a good long term response to any antidepressant. Serotonin is the “master” neurotransmitter that keeps depression, anxiety, obsessive thoughts, carbohydrate cravings, and sleep problems at bay. This means that my body simply produces too little Serotonin, and the antidepressant medication is still not enough to counter my body’s natural lack of it.
My cortisol levels are showing stage 2 adrenal fatigue that is slowly becoming stage 3. This means that the stress of life has finally caught up with my body. My adrenal glands that sit on top of my kidneys just can’t take it anymore. They have decided to go on strike and only make cortisol when they feel like it, not when they are supposed to.
My testosterone production is almost in the negative values, which might surprise some of my family and friends considering how aggressive I’ve been lately (LOL, sorry about that). But, my progesterone levels are surprisingly normal.
However shall I deal with all these body warranty failures, you might ask? I am taking the BH2 multi-vitamin and vitamin D3. I am not stopping my antidepressant, even though it isn’t really working. I need that crutch. However, I am taking neurotransmitter supplements 4 times per day to help re-train my brain and body to produce serotonin and cortisol at the right times. I did have to invest in a pill box to help me know what time of day to take each supplement. Memory issues! And, I will be starting both a testosterone cream and natural thyroid supplement this week. Those should help boost my energy, and hopefully begin to melt this spare tire around my stomach.
So far, I am amazed at how well I have been sleeping. I fall asleep easily, and wake up refreshed. No Ambien necessary. My energy level has been good in the mornings. I haven’t really needed my coffee, and my emotions seem more even. I trained on two new computer systems this week, and did not throw anything at the computer. My children have noticed a difference, but my 8yo still wants to know when I will be skinny again. Oh, the truth that comes out of the mouth of babes.
Next step, I will re-test my neurotransmitters in about 3 months to see how I’m responding to the supplements. Until them, I just have to keep my pill box stocked, and my iPhone alarm set to keep me from forgetting when to take them. Wish my brain luck.
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