Posted by Ron Hill on November 14, 2007, at 6:33:33
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin?, posted by Fivefires on November 13, 2007, at 17:43:57
5Fires,
> Funny as my gyn said, couple mos back, I needed folic acid and B12 re: last lab tests.
Interesting.
> Anyway, pdoc said this should work better and help my depression. He didn't call it an anti-depressant per se.Are you currently taking an antidepressant? I ask because Deplin is typically used to help the antidepressant medication to work better. However, in your situation (i.e.; low folate) it may help you even without an antidepressant on-board. Have you read the Deplin web site? Here is the link. Click through all the web pages.
Deplin is 100% Metafolin. Metafolin is L-methylfolate, although it is called several different names. The drug company Merck has patents on the production process of L-methylfolate. Here is the link to the Metafolin website:
Click through all the links on the Metafolin page. This is technical information, but worth the read. Just scan the parts you don't understand, if any.
> Any1 feeling the need to warn me of anything in particular would be appreciated,
I find it best to split the dosage; one-half in the morning, and the second half at about 2 pm. When I started out taking the entire daily dosage in the morning, the positive effects of Deplin would wane in the afternoon and evening. I believe this is due to the short half-life of Deplin in blood plasma as illustrated in the dose/response curve at the bottom of the following webpage on the Deplin site:
http://www.deplin.com/HealthcareProfessionals,Deplin
Please notice in the dose/response graph at the bottom of the webpage, that the plasma levels of 6(S) 5-MTHF (another name for L-methylfolate -- i.e.; Deplin) declines. This correlates well with my personal reaction to Deplin.
I take 15 mg/day, 7.5 mg in the morning and 7.5 in the early afternoon. I was looking for a reason why the benefits of Deplin dropped off after about six hours. When I saw the graph, it made sense to me, so I have been spliting my daily dosage ever since.
For me, the positive effects of Deplin kicked-in on the second day, and it continues to provide good results. However, I have only been taking it for 24 days, so time will tell if it continues to work on a long-term basis. In any case, as always, your mileage may vary.
It is ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, ESSENTIAL for all patients taking Deplin to also take B12. For the reason why this is true, see page five of this document on the Metafolin website:
http://www.metafolin.com/pdfs/Scientific_Review_13.12.pdf
Also, buy and use methylcobalamin (methyl-B12), not cyanocobalamin, the cheaper and more common form of B12. The cyanide functional group is not healthy.
Take the methyl-B12 sublingually, hold under tongue until the tablet is fully dissolved and gone. Here is a good methyl-B12 product, and there are others on this site. Search the iherb site for methyl B-12, and the other name for the same thing, methylcobalamin:
http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=129
I also take P-5-P, the coenzymatic form of B-6. This is very good stuff to take, especially when taking Deplin. I take about 50 mg/day. The upper limit of P-5-P is 200 mg/day. Further, I take about 30 or 40 mg/day of zinc. Zinc has antidepressant qualities, but do not take more than 100 mg/day. If the P-5-P or zinc causes some nausea, just eat a little food after taking them.
> I'm soooo NOT thankful it's downright selfish.
Not so. You are depressed, not a selfish person at your core.
I wish you well and I hope Deplin helps you.
-- Ron
dx: Bipolar II, with ultra rapid cycling (15 days for one complete cycle), and mild Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)
600 mg/day Trileptal
200 mg/day Lamictal
875 mg/day Keppra
90 mg/day Nardil
15 mg/day Deplin
poster:Ron Hill
thread:784893
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071104/msgs/795014.html