Discontinuation of antidepressant (specifically duloxetine/Cymbalta) in post-Menopause and symptoms
I don’t believe this has been addressed before - I’m 54 years old female 4 years post-menopause and recently (2 months ago) stopped low dosage (20 mg 3x/week) duloxetine. I’ve had chronic reflux and irritability since stopping. I’m more concerned with the reflux as my novice research indicates a connection between SSRI and gut processing/transmission. I do have a hiatal hernia as well. By stopping the aforementioned drug, is it possible that my body is trying to re-establish serotonin or other hormonal production but also increasing the level of acid in my stomach. OTC meds (prilosec/tums) provide minor temporary relief. I do not want to rely on a PPI medication long-term. I have modified my diet to more gut-friendly, low-acid producing foods, aa well as quantity and timing of consumption (no food after 8 pm). Is it also possible that my body is exhibiting hormonal imbalances from discontinuation, and if so, can the body eventually self-regulate to return to normal hormonal function and processing, if this is, in fact, part of the transition? I think this would be an interesting, and relevant, topic to cover for your audience, as people tend to increase the medications being taken as they age, aa well as the prevalence of increased anxiety/depression in pandemic climate. Thank you Dr. Attia
Muscle strength vs muscle cell size in regard to aging
The revelations about muscle strength vs muscle size in the #179 podcast seems to warrant a relook at the longevity analysis of muscle mass. This appears to be a confounder about the real benefit of high muscle mass. Is it strength or large muscle cells that resist the effects of aging? And in terms of amino acid reallocation from non-feeding periods, does this reallocation affect strength or cell size?