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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Jen1234 on November 13, 2000, at 18:04:35
I am thinking of taking 5HTP. I suffer from mild depression and would like to know if it really works. Is nausea one of the side effects? What are the side effects?
I would appreciate any info on the subject. Thank you
Posted by doodlemail on November 14, 2000, at 13:35:21
In reply to 5HTP, posted by Jen1234 on November 13, 2000, at 18:04:35
> NAUSEA is supposed to be a side effect. they say to take the enetric coated pills to prevent that.
i bought some, that were not coated. i take them at night right before i go to bed, so i have had no problems.the best thing is that I HAVE THE ABSOLUTE MOST WONDERFUL SLEEP OF MY LIFE when taking them,
i havent taken long enough to know if they really work for the depression.
i have been suffering a hellacious withdrawal from effexor, so i havent been in any kind of frame of mind to know if they are working, cause ive been too sick.another good side effect is supposed to be decreased appetite, but i dont think im taking enough for that.
am thinking of taking 5HTP. I suffer from mild depression and would like to know if it really works. Is nausea one of the side effects? What are the side effects?
> I would appreciate any info on the subject. Thank you
Posted by JohnL on November 15, 2000, at 4:28:30
In reply to 5HTP, posted by Jen1234 on November 13, 2000, at 18:04:35
> I am thinking of taking 5HTP. I suffer from mild depression and would like to know if it really works. Is nausea one of the side effects? What are the side effects?
> I would appreciate any info on the subject. Thank youCan it work? Yes. For everyone? No.
I read somewhere that 5HTP is good for the average depression, but not effective for the subtype of depression characterized by the blahs, or anhedonia (lack of pleasure in normal hobbies and activities). In my experience this is not true. Though it primarily converts to serotonin, it also has some effects on dopamine, norepinephrine, and beta endorphins (feel-good hormones).
Several years ago I tried 5HTP + St Johnswort together. The first two weeks were weird. Sometimes I felt very sedated and tired. Other times I felt very wired and edgy. But no mood effect. But then at the end of two weeks, bam, I all of a sudden felt real good. I was pleased. My dose at the time was 150mg to 200mg 5HTP (worked up to that from a starting dose of 50mg), and 900mg SJW.
But the story did not have a happy ending. I developed a very strange side effect. I experienced a painful urination burning sensation, almost like little pieces of glass were in the urine. Even sex was painful, which made it even weirder, because that meant it was more complicated than just something burning in the urine. Very weird. To this day I still have no idea what that side effect was. It completely went away 3 days after stopping 5HTP, and returned when I re-tried it again. I have never heard of anyone else with such a strange side effect. My doctor and 3 pdocs only shrugged their shoulders. They had no clue either. Other side effects were intestinal gas (I frequently had to excuse myself from the room to pass some rather volumous potent farts), and my sleep was overly dream-filled. There was an early morning hangover very typical of what I experienced with Serzone, Remeron, or Zyprexa. It went away with the first coffee.
I think the moral of the story is that there is no way to predict if it will work or not, and there's no way to predict side effects. You just have to try it and see. As with anything else, starting with low doses and titrating upward slowly is prudent. To avoid a possible side effect of upset stomach, try a 5HTP brand that specifies it is enteric coated. That way it dissolves in the intestines instead of the stomach. If you want to lose weight, then maybe 5HTP that is not enteric coated might be better, since it can cause nausea and/or anorxia if it dissolves in the stomach instead of the intestines.
John
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