Posted by McPac on November 4, 2003, at 22:13:48
In reply to Re: Lar, Re: Afraid about tryptophan » McPac, posted by Larry Hoover on November 4, 2003, at 9:29:55
> Lar,
> I took about 1,100 mg's of tryptophan and felt my moods lifted (happier) and also much less physical anxiety (more calm)....after ONE dose I felt a difference.....I then repeated this on 2 other occassions (each time spaced many days apart), again I felt the same way each time.How long did the positive effect last?
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I didn't monitor it too closely time-wise but it seemed to lift my mood for a couple of days...of course, that is while still on the Lexapro (if not on any Lex, who knows what the effect would be, maybe I'd need a larger dose and a more consistent supply to provide the positive effect?....one thing that I certainly noticed was that about a day-and-a-half or 2 days after taking it, I got a fairly bad headache each time (kind of like a withdrawal-type headache)....the 1st night I took it, I got one of those really fast 'twitchy things' in my deltoid (you know how sometimes you get those super-fast, little twitches, often around the side of the eye? Well, I got that exact same kind of super-fast twitch in my deltoid, lasted about a minute or so...it was rather amusing; it felt like no big deal at all but with being on an ssri I'm very cautious of combining the 2.
> I don't believe this was a placebo effect at all but I wonder how trytophan could cause this effect so quickly?
Pure aminos go into the blood quickly. The effect lags just behind the blood concentration.
>>>>>>>>> Lar, but why does it take AD's many WEEKS to affect some people...the drugs go into the blood rather quickly then too, don't they?
> Unfortunately, I'm taking an ssri now (Lexapro, 20 mg's/day) and am therefore VERY hesitant to take the tryptophan regularly at all...bummer. Thanks!
Why hesitate? You pay exquisite attention to how you feel. I pay attention like that, too. It's just how I am.....very sensitive.
>>>>>>>>>> I'm 'afraid' of this serotonin syndrome thingy, lol,.....I was reading recently on the Babble board where "Linkadge" believes he had serotonin syndrome..they admitted him to a psych unit for 2 or 2 1/2 weeks or so after he went to emergency room......I don't want that....yes, my body seems to typically be VERY sensitive to meds (that can be both Good and Bad at times).......Lar, I've really got to tell you something though...you know how I've been going to the Pfeiffer Treatment Center...well, it's been almost 11 months now that I've been following their prescribed treatment plan and taking LOTS of supplements..their plan may have done some good...but I can honestly say that it seems to me that just ONE single supplement, the TRYPTOPHAN, has single-handedly done MORE for uplifting my mood than ALL the others COMBINED! Now, here's my thinking of why Pfeiffer did NOT have me on tryptophan or 5htp...2 possible reasons: 1) they did not want me on an ssri + tryptophan/5htp due to risk of serotonin syndrome OR 2) their main goal was to lower my histamine levels and I'm not sure trypt/5htp fit into that objective....I get little feedback from Pfeiffer, so I'm left to ponder why they didn't try the tryptophan....after not feeling much effect from Pfeiffer's plan, I came across the www.neuroreplete.com site...it sounded pretty good to me so I got hold of a nearby doctor who does follow their protocol...I am supposed to go to him fairly soon....I like the idea of them using precise testing methods to closely align my neurotransmitter levels through urine testing of such levels (as opposed to my willy-nilly methods...I don't want to only feel good for a certain period of time while unknowingly causing certain other NT levels to deplete over time and eventually feeling like crap again.....I guess I would feel more secure with their know-how and help than trying to balance my crazy brain on my own.....but it looks like the neuroreplete folks use 5htp in their products NOT tryptophan...bummer...I don't know if 5htp will have such a fantastic effect..........my body can be so very, very sensitive---I took about 1,000 mg's of tryptophan this morning...once again, my mood has lifted very nicely...but I feel a little TOO-revved up (slightly...just slightly a tad hypo...nothing at all to worry about...just energetic and somewhat revved).......please let me know all of your thoughts on my replies Hoovermeister....particularly re: the serotonin syndrome thing...I would definitely be taking trypt DAILY if not for that and being on an ssri......you rule Lar....glad you stayed!!!!!!!!
poster:McPac
thread:271300
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20031104/msgs/276681.html