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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Buckeye Fan on November 30, 2010, at 13:03:34
Anyone have experience or information on 5-HTP?
My wife got some for me at the local Health Food store to help with my mood, anxiety and withdrawl from my Trazadone taper.Thanks in advance
BF
Posted by merpmerp on November 30, 2010, at 13:03:35
In reply to 5-HTP, posted by Buckeye Fan on November 29, 2010, at 17:38:04
Only thing I know about it is don't take it while on anything else that enhances serotonin functioning. I hope it helps you!
Posted by MissThang on November 30, 2010, at 13:03:35
In reply to Re: 5-HTP, posted by merpmerp on November 29, 2010, at 18:00:14
It enhances seratonin. I took some along with a combo supplement called "Mood" along with my old Wellbutrin/Abilfy cocktail and achieved 3 days full remission with it. Unfortunately, the combo of supplements and drugs pooped out after only 3 days, but it did lead me to decide to try Parnate so I could achieve full remission again. I realized the Wellbutrin/Abilify cocktail was numbing me out...I wasn't depressed, but I was anhedonic.
Anyway, the "Mood" supplement helped boost both seratonin and dopamine and the combination helped -- for a while. It was safe to take with my meds, though, because neither wellbutrin or Abilify touches seratonin. If you're on another drug that does, it isn't safe to combine them.
What, if anything, are you currently on?
Posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 30, 2010, at 13:03:35
In reply to 5-HTP, posted by Buckeye Fan on November 29, 2010, at 17:38:04
It made me tired when I took it with prozac. I took L-tyrotophan and I noticed it made me VERY lethargic and not intrested in doing things, just laying around and feeling I had to much serotonin being made, well not serotonin syndrome but it made me very tired.
Posted by Conundrum on November 30, 2010, at 13:03:36
In reply to Re: 5-HTP, posted by rjlockhart04-08 on November 29, 2010, at 22:22:08
> It made me tired when I took it with prozac. I took L-tyrotophan and I noticed it made me VERY lethargic and not intrested in doing things, just laying around and feeling I had to much serotonin being made, well not serotonin syndrome but it made me very tired.
>
>Yeh one of the things L-tryptophan and 5 HTP do is increase the production of melatonin, which will make one tired, also serotonin can make one lethargic. SSRIs however interfere with the metabolism of serotonin so they don't generally enhance the production of melatonin(they make me sleepy somehow), and for some cause insomnia.
Posted by Phillipa on November 30, 2010, at 13:03:36
In reply to Re: 5-HTP, posted by Conundrum on November 29, 2010, at 23:28:51
Funny right now SSRI's seem to do nothing different for me. Phillipa
Posted by Buckeye Fan on November 30, 2010, at 13:03:36
In reply to Re: 5-HTP, posted by MissThang on November 29, 2010, at 18:41:37
I am currently in week 3 of a slow taper of 100mgs of Trazadone. I am down to 75 ms per night
I had hoped the 5-HTP would help with the insominia and depression that I am noticing from the withdrawl of Trazadone.
BF
Posted by Tomatheus on November 30, 2010, at 13:03:37
In reply to 5-HTP, posted by Buckeye Fan on November 29, 2010, at 17:38:04
Buckeye Fan,
When I took 5-HTP, I noticed a calming sensation and a slight antidepressant effect that lasted for a few (2-3) hours after I took each capsule. To get lasting results, I had to keep taking more 5-HTP every few hours, but your response to the supplement may be different.
Tomatheus
Posted by Buckeye Fan on November 30, 2010, at 13:08:26
In reply to Re: 5-HTP, posted by Tomatheus on November 30, 2010, at 13:03:37
Thanks Tomatheus,,,
My instructions are to take the 100mg capsule at bedtime on an empty stomach.I assume you must have taken your dose while awake?
BF
Posted by Buckeye Fan on November 30, 2010, at 13:14:50
In reply to , posted by on December 31, 1969, at 18:00:00
Thanks Tomatheus,,,
My instructions are to take the 100mg capsule at bedtime on an empty stomach.I assume you must have taken your dose while awake?
BF
Posted by Tomatheus on November 30, 2010, at 13:40:42
In reply to Re: 5-HTP, posted by Buckeye Fan on November 30, 2010, at 13:14:50
> Thanks Tomatheus,,,
> My instructions are to take the 100mg capsule at bedtime on an empty stomach.
>
> I assume you must have taken your dose while awake?
>
> BFYes, I took my 5-HTP during the daytime, and even though I felt calmer on the supplement, I wouldn't say that I felt sleepy on it. If my memory serves me correctly, though, I think that the 5-HTP capsules that I took were only 50 mg each. So, maybe 100 mg would have had a different effect on me.
Tomatheus
Posted by jeaner on November 30, 2010, at 14:41:59
In reply to 5-HTP, posted by Buckeye Fan on November 30, 2010, at 13:03:34
5htp helped with my depression for a few weeks then caused stomic problems.Some people can not tolerate it. I was taking 50 mg at night.
Posted by 49er on December 23, 2010, at 5:25:49
In reply to 5-HTP, posted by Buckeye Fan on November 30, 2010, at 13:03:34
> Anyone have experience or information on 5-HTP?
> My wife got some for me at the local Health Food store to help with my mood, anxiety and withdrawl from my Trazadone taper.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> BFHi BF,
Even though Trazadone is a weak inhibitor of Serotonin, there is a still a risk of Serotonin Syndrome.
I found this out when I was taking Doxepin, which also has similar properties. A multivitamin I took that had 30mg of 5-HTP caused extreme shivering which was a definite symptom. Fortunately, nothing else happened and I stopped the multi.
I greatly sympathize with your sleep difficulties in tapering Trazadone. I had horrific insomnia from tapering Remeron and Doxepin, which served as sleep meds for me even though I tapered very slowly.
Personally, I never found a good remedy that worked. Hopefully, your experience will be different.
49er
Posted by Gravedust on December 29, 2010, at 22:49:05
In reply to 5-HTP, posted by Buckeye Fan on November 30, 2010, at 13:03:34
ATM I'm taking 200 milligrams 5-HTP on top of two SSRI's. Worked up to that over a month cautiously.
Not a safe combo at all, but since the combo works while the two SSRI's by themselves are like waving a dead chicken at my depression these days-well, guess what?
If I end up in the hospital getting shot up with Thorazine? well, my own fault, no?Doctor Bob, if you float by and read this, how likely is serotonin poisoning? I'm keeping my eyes peeled, the symptoms printed out. My own docs are county psych docs, and I described their style as "ghetto drive-by psychiatry." I don't feel effectively heard or psychiatrically managed well there-I just get cheap drugs and out the door. Moo. Po'folks get what they can.
So far I experienced grogginess when I went up to 200 milligrams of 5HTP-I mean grogginess the next day, as I take it at nighttime. Since my agitation was in the process of wrecking my marriage, I will take being calm.
I'm calmer than I think I've been since '02. I'm extremely okay with that.
I also take L-theanine 200 milligrams around my spouse, so that I don't get in arguments. It lasts for a few hours only.
This is the end of the thread.
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