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Re: question re mixing l-tryptophan with EMSAM » Tomatheus

Posted by laima on July 28, 2006, at 17:04:35

In reply to Re: question re mixing l-tryptophan with EMSAM » laima, posted by Tomatheus on July 28, 2006, at 13:07:09


Dear Tomatheus,

Thank you for explaining. Yes, the up in EMSAM seems to be working! Very happy about that. Be assured, of course I would discuss any changes in medication/supplements with my doctor before experimenting. MAOIS, I understand, can react with all sorts of substances, so I am being ultra-careful.

My post here is short, not from any lack of interest or appreciation, but because I am quite hot and worn out today. Almost 100 degrees outside today...

Thanks again,

Laima

> Laima,
>
> I too have read that GABA does not cross the blood-brain barrier easily, so I do think that there's probably some truth to what the man at your local health food store told you.
>
> I have taken GABA on occasion, and I've noticed different effects depending on how I was feeling and what meds I was taking. The first time I took it, I was taking Wellbutrin and lithium and still experiencing some residual depression, noticeable cognitive difficulties, and a little bit of anxiety (prior to that, I had been diagnosed with dysthymia and then with bipolar disorder after I experienced some "cycling" between severe depression and mild hypomania while taking Paxil at 60 mg). At that point (when I was on the Wellbutrin-lithium combo), taking one 500mg capsule of GABA (Solgar brand) had such a strong tranquilizing effect that it knocked me out cold.
>
> But after staying on my Wellbutrin-lithium combo for several more months and eventually discontinuing the Wellbutrin (after reaching a point where I could no longer afford it), I slowly but surely developed what I now recognize to be symptoms of panic disorder along with my depressive symptoms after a few months of lithium monotherapy. These anxiety/panic symptoms have since subsided to some extent, but have not completely gone away. Anyway, my point with respect to GABA is that I tried taking the GABA supplement once again to try to control the severe states of panic that I was experiencing then, and it did produce a noticeably calming sensation, but did not knock me out like it did the first time that I tried it. Sometimes I needed to take 1,000 mg (2 capsules) at once to get the calming effect that I needed, but it still didn't make me drowsy in any way (which was a good thing; I'm just trying to show how it affected me differently at different times). The only problem with the GABA was that its effect was relatively short-lived (lasting no longer than 2-3 hours), so I had to keep taking it every few hours to get the effect that I was looking for.
>
> So, based on my experience, I would say that GABA supplements do have an effect, albeit a very short-acting one. And of course, not everybody's experience with GABA is going to be exactly the same as mine. It is certainly possible that GABA supplements may not produce much of an effect in some individuals. And because the production of supplements is not regulated, some brands of GABA may be more effective than others. I've never taken a benzodiazepine, so unfortunately, I can't compare the effects of GABA supplements with those of benzos.
>
> I read on the meds board that you just switched from 6 mg/24 hr of EMSAM to 9 mg/24 hr and have noticed some improvement. I certainly hope that you continue to experience EMSAM's benefits. What you might want to do (as far as weaning off of benzodiazepines is concerned) is wait until you've had a decent therapeutic response from EMSAM for at least a few weeks to see if it might be any easier to wean off of the benzos *with* that therapeutic response. Of course, this is just a suggestion. I am by no means saying that you have to follow it. And of course, I wouldn't advise you to make any changes in your meds without getting your doctor's approval. It's just something to think about.
>
> Thanks for your reply, and I'm sorry for my delay in getting back to you. As always, let me know if you have any questions or need me to clarify anything.
>
> Tomatheus
>
> > Thank you for the suggestion of GABA, Tomatheus.
> >
> > I saw the bottles of it.
> > But the man at the health food store advised me that GABA "doesn't usually cross into the brain and you'll end up with nothing more than expensive urine". Do you suppose that's true? Have you tried it? I do plan to read up on it despite his comment.
> >
> > Thanks again,
> >
> > Laima
> >


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poster:laima thread:670345
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