Hormones: SSRIs and Suicide

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Connections Between Hormone Dysregulation, Suicide and “Incurable Depression:”

Yesterday spent nine hours with Eldred Taylor, MD [Brd Cert OB-GYN] as he connected and reconnected depression, the inadequacy of treatment with only SSRIs, stress, hormone dysfunction and immune system suppression. He has written a book on this subject available at Amazon, and his presentation, both delivery and content, slammed right out of the park. Several strong traditional OB-GYN colleagues in the room not only stayed for the whole day, but their questions revealed their positive reactions to his new insights built on fundamental science.

With extensive, compelling “traditional” references from basic physiology texts [Clinical Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility – Speroff, et al] and abundant references from traditional journals [JAMA, NEJM, etc.] he repeatedly demonstrated that:

  1. We don't measure hormones effectively and either
  2. Don't treat them sufficiently, or
  3. We overdose our patients on dangerous meds without follow up.

His wife is a psychiatrist, and he clearly grasped the implications for chronic psychological problems seen with patients as seen in my own office:

Chronic medical/hormonal imbalances, like these below, can kill the patient either directly [cancer], or secondarily through hopelessness and suicide:

For those wishing to go further into the saliva vs serum controversy, check out the list of references in this article on testing saliva, and notes from Labrix resources. Reportedly there are >3500 peer reviewed articles on salivary testing for hormone levels as noted in this word doc.

Dysregulations [simplified list] of:

Progesterone
Estrogen
Testosterone
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Thyroid Axis [Thyroid increase or decrease]
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis [Adrenal increase or decrease]

Consider: specific balance of various hormones with specific testing [salivary testing does it more effectively] to assess interventions, no blind long term use of hormones from oral contraceptive agents to Premarin,  bioidentical matching [more medically traditional than Suzanne Somers], and careful titration strategies.

More on this topic in later posts with more reference lists.

2 Comments

  1. Dr Charles Parker says:
    March 4, 2007 at 8:25 PM

    Sailorcurt-
    Great question, big question, one that many ask- just how do psychology and life experience interface with genetics and all the other possible causes of depression? It cuts both ways, not one or the other.

    The answer fills several books…

    Depression is clearly related to conflict, to emotional stress and to traumatic life experience. In any treatment process psychological work, reframing the problem, and looking at options, are all important activities in the recovery process. Take a look at the next post which goes a bit more in that direction regarding men and stress.

    Chemical imbalances can both cause, and become the result of depression. Sorry to say it both ways, but that is the way it is. Many studies show that untreated depression makes the depression worse. Yes, depression can breed depression.

    The main point in these posts is to inform readers that depession [just as many other psychological problems], results from a variety of insults. Yes, oftentimes if we just work with the depression alone, we miss the real target. Sometimes depression is just the tip of the iceberg and the real problem may be occupational burn out. Could be a mother that won’t let you grow up.

    The bottom line: our best option is to look for everything and treat everything. One diagnosis and one treatment does not begin to address the multiple issues. With the great lab studies we have, and applied brain science we can more accurately identify the multiple causes.

    Please do stay with us because this very question is what we talk about almost every post. There are, regrettably no pat answers.

    I do agree that meds are very helpful, and while they may, at times, treat only the symptoms, they can be life saving, and should be on everyone’s intervention strategy list.

    Thanks for your interest and comment-

  2. Sailorcurt says:
    March 4, 2007 at 10:29 AM

    I’m a local blogger and just stumbled across your blog through feedmap.net.

    My wife is bipolar which has prompted me to do some reading about depression and bipolar disorder. One question that has always bugged me but I’ve never seen it adequately answered.

    Is there any evidence that the chemical imbalances present in depressed/bipolar patients are the CAUSE of their symptoms or are, of themselves, symptoms?

    In other words, is the depression a result of the chemical imbalance, or is the chemical imbalance a result of the depression?

    In my limited experience, Bipolar and/or clinically depressed people have emotional issues beyond the depression that could be contributing to or causing the depression. I would think that this would be important. If the chemical imbalances that drugs like effexor and prozac correct are CAUSED by the depression, aren’t we just treating the symptoms? Wouldn’t it be more effective to agressively pursue therapy and/or other treatments to address the emotional issues that are the root of the depression?

    If this is not the case and the chemical imbalances are the CAUSE of the depression, why do we not treat ANY case of depression with corrective medications?

    Just trying to understand a little better.

    Thanks