I never adjusted to the full dose of neurotransmitters. I felt tired all the time, and who wouldn't on 900 mg of 5 HTP daily?! I looked at the benefits - no more spotting and steady basal temps, and wondered what was causing those changes. Tired all the time and no improvement at all in sleep seems hardly worth it.
Then I started thinking .... when I changed to natural thyroid he put me on a whole grain. That is more than I was getting previously, I believe. Perhaps the improvement in the hormones were more due to thyroid changes than neurotransmitters? Could be.
I stopped taking them yesterday, except for the nighttime dose because I was taking that dosage of 5 HTP previously to help with sleep and it was working as well as these pricey neurotransmitters. I was dizzy and tired all day yesterday. I'm somewhat improved today and have more energy today than I've had in a while.
I also started reading about thyroid and spotting. I found something interesting. Estrogen and thyroid can counteract each other. In estrogen dominance or low progesterone states, it's common to spot several days prior to menstruation. I guess it's more likely that it was the increased thyroid dosage that helped my hormonal problems than that it was the neurotransmitters.
I dug out an old book called "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Premenopause." It said that low progesterone/estrogen dominance can cause insomnia! It also said that it can mimic hypothyroid, that thyroid patients who test borderline (like me) can be helped by using progesterone cream because in reality it's too much estrogen causing the problem rather than too little thyroid. The book says that many of their patients have been able to stop thyroid meds after using the cream for several months.
I ordered some cream to see if it helps. I also started taking DIM for estrogen dominance. I'll keep you posted. But for the record, the neurotransmitters weren't a help for me. Considering my age (almost 47), it makes more sense that it's low progesterone the more I read.
I know it's crazy to be trying things on my own, but at least the things I've tried on my own haven't set me back like these neurotransmitters did, in fact. most of them have helped. I'd rather do the research and go with what I feel works rather than using something that my doctor feels works and makes him lots of money .... it's not like he tested me, he did the same thing I did, went on a hunch .... not that I'm encouraging you to ignore your doctor ..... I'm not, rather I'm encouraging you to research what your doctor recommends.
