Posted by revaaron on July 2, 2007, at 22:07:38
In reply to Re: 5-htp frustration?, posted by qqqsimmons on July 1, 2007, at 18:40:55
> but also the stuff makes me sleepy. i read that serotonin is a precursor to melatonin and that's why 5-htp and drugs like paxil cause sleepiness...
To me, unless I have a serotonin deficiency, taking some 5-HTP does nothing but make me sleepy, and it feels exactly like when I've taken melatonin and then not gone to bed before it kicked in.
Have you tried taking the 5-HTP at night? I take 5-HTP once or twice a week to deal with what feels like a serotonin depletion depression that dextroamphetamine is causing. Because it makes me quite sleepy (in a way that is more like a geniune need for sleep rather than something more enjoyable/relaxing as with more GABA-type meds) I've been taking it at night.
Is the dose too high? Have you tried taking a lower dose?
I also wonder about L-tryptophan- some people seem to respond to it better and get the same out of it.
Another wacky idea: it may be too much work, but the other possibility is to try making up your own "sustained release" setup- taking fractions of the dose that works for you split up into 2-10 doses through the day, whether capped, broken up tablets, or a powder mixed into a drink.
revaaron
poster:revaaron
thread:766778
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20070601/msgs/767290.html