Posted by JLx on August 13, 2005, at 23:26:14
In reply to Tryptophan, posted by DonnaM on August 12, 2005, at 22:56:20
> I have a sleep disorder and my sleep specialist is trying me on tryptophan (I am in Canada). I am to start on 1 tablet a day for a week and work up to 5/day. I have been on 1/day for 1 week and I am feeling depressed(not usual for me) and very irritable. I went nuts tonight on my teenage son and pulled over his computer because he called me a name a few times today. I am also on .5 mg clonazepam which I have been on for a couple of months. Last night I felt so depressed before bed that I couldn't move until I dragged myself into bed. I am not sure if it is helping my sleep. Could the depression and irritability be a side effect. The Dr said that I may feel nauseated as a side effect but I don't have that. I will eventually call the doctor but I also wanted opinions from here esp personal experience. Thanks!
I have not had good success with tryptophan and have wondered if it's because when serotonin goes up, dopamine goes down (roughly). Dopamine is sometimes considered the stress/cope neurotransmitter so it would make sense that less might make one irritable. Or it could be something else.
Generally, for me, irritability is relieved by taking more magnesium, and/or less or no calcium.
If you aren't already taking magnesium, I would definitely try it in the form of the calming chelates: magnesium glycinate, magnesium taurate or magnesium malate, citrate or even an Epsom Salt bath. In fact, the latter is a good way to see if magnesium is relaxing to you. It is to many people, but my sister, for one finds Epsom Salt baths stimulating, so you never know.
An interesting magnesium deficiency checklist and page about magnesium: http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/081501.htm
JL
poster:JLx
thread:540921
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20050812/msgs/541379.html