Oxytocin

[joes]

I have read a number of news articles claiming that Oxytocin could be affective in treating SA.

google:Oxytocin shyness news
genereal info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxytocin

It seems safer than antidepressants and I wondered if it's available yet- therefore worth asking a doctor about. When I described the problem to my doctor he was very unsympathetic and affectively said the therapy I had gone though had worked. Surely I'll be the judge of that! Anyway, If anyone's tried it, would really like to know your thoughts.

[crayzyMed]

Its availeble as a spray but the half life is way too short to be usefull.

[kev]

I don't think they prescribe it for SA, otherwise more people would be taking it. I think they use it to induce labor, but other than that I don't think doctors use it (?)

Therapists used to use MDMA (which increases oxytocin levels) to increase empathy and the effectiveness of therapy. Of course, MDMA was later decided to be too dangerous and was banned.

I don't know if any from of oxytocin is legal right now. Interested to know, but somehow I doubt it.

[crayzyMed]

Yeah, it isnt prescribed and can only be ordered online.

[euphoria]

Originally Posted by joes

It seems safer than antidepressants

Where is the evidence of this? Oxytocin affects more than just the brain, and almost definitely will have side-effects like other drugs. With its difficulty crossing the BBB, oxytocin could have worse peripheral side-effects than a pharmaceutical oxytocin agonist that crosses the BBB, if you have to use a higher dose. GABA doesn't cross the BBB, yet some people take massive doses of GABA... Just get some benzos FFS. Maybe snorting oxytocin gets it past the BBB, but I doubt it, and it still doesn't last long enough to be useful (and I don't see how snorting a substance used to induce labour is safe).

When oxytocin agonists are available that readily cross the BBB, we will be in a position to see what oxytocin does in the brain without such a crude and likely harmful approach. It's still probably gonna have side effects though, as most meds do. For us, the idea of oxytocin agonists should be put on ice until one has gone through the usual trial process and is deemed safe. Don't order some online.

[gillettecavalcad3]

Anything that doesn't pass the BBB would be pretty pointless. After all we 'are' talking about chemical imbalances here.

[joes]

Originally Posted by euphoria

Where is the evidence of this?

I'm not medically trained but I've heard that they can be addictive and make matters worse. The side affects listed included increased anxiety. So I wouldn't want to take the risk.
One article says about oxytocin "What’s more, it is a very safe product that does not have any side effects and is not addictive."
This may be nonsense but I think it's worth investigating.

[irma]

these are side effects listed with the drug.

• Nausea and vomiting
• Spasms of the uterus
• Bleeding
• Abnormal heart beats (arrhythmias)
• Skin rashes
• Fall in blood pressure (causing dizziness, lightheadedness, feeling faint)
• Difficulty in breathing
• Shock (blood pressure too low to maintain blood supply to the tissues)
• High doses may cause very strong contractions of the womb, resulting in tearing of the womb, tissue damage or distress to the baby
• Water intoxication and low levels of sodium in the blood may occur if high doses are used for long periods (symptoms include headache, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy, drowsiness, unconsciousness and seizures)