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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by clairey on December 1, 2003, at 9:40:48
Has anyone taken tryptophan for anxiety (those horrid thoughts that whizz around your head constantly).
Did it help?
any side effects you noticed and at what dose?
When do you take it at what time?
Does it increase anxiety at the start?Also does niacinamide help with anxiety?
hope someone can help me! im lost and fed up!!
claire xx
Posted by Simian on December 1, 2003, at 13:04:34
In reply to L-tryptophan/ niacinamide for anxiety! help, posted by clairey on December 1, 2003, at 9:40:48
I haven't noticed any decrease in anxiety yet, but I've only been taking trytophan for three nights so far and I read earlier today that it can take about 2-4 weeks to work properly.
The only side effect I've had is "brain zaps" on the first night of taking it.
I take it just before going to sleep.
I have felt a bit more anxious the last few mornings, but that may be from other reasons.
Posted by clairey on December 1, 2003, at 13:35:23
In reply to Re: L-tryptophan/ niacinamide for anxiety! help, posted by Simian on December 1, 2003, at 13:04:34
thanks.
As long as you start low and gradually increase.
do u get it from the web or the doctor?
Posted by JLx on December 1, 2003, at 15:58:28
In reply to L-tryptophan/ niacinamide for anxiety! help, posted by clairey on December 1, 2003, at 9:40:48
> Has anyone taken tryptophan for anxiety (those horrid thoughts that whizz around your head constantly).
> Did it help?
> any side effects you noticed and at what dose?
> When do you take it at what time?
> Does it increase anxiety at the start?
>
> Also does niacinamide help with anxiety?
>
> hope someone can help me! im lost and fed up!!
> claire xxTryptophan increased my anxiety the next day after taking it at night. I only took a small amount, about 2-300 mg. I also felt more out of sorts that day, but this may all be because of imbalance between serotonin/dopamine as I am also taking tyrosine.
Do you already take magnesium? If not, it's good for stress. I recommend magnesium glycinate, taurate or malate.
I've felt niacinamide relieve anxiety, most noticeably when I've woken up in the middle of the night and taken some. (So perhaps it works better on an empty stomach?)
Posted by Simian on December 1, 2003, at 16:42:30
In reply to Re: L-tryptophan/ niacinamide for anxiety! help, posted by clairey on December 1, 2003, at 13:35:23
>do u get it from the web or the doctor?
The web.
You can only get it from a doctor here (UK) if you have already taken antidepressants for two years with poor results.
Posted by clairey on December 2, 2003, at 3:32:01
In reply to Re: L-tryptophan/ niacinamide for anxiety! help » clairey, posted by JLx on December 1, 2003, at 15:58:28
oh really? has it helped your anxiety at all yet then? you dont still get anxious do you?
Suppose starting low and working up slowely will help.
Do you get tired from the tryptophan like in the day, or do you just take it at night?
:)
Posted by clairey on December 2, 2003, at 3:36:16
In reply to Re: L-tryptophan/ niacinamide for anxiety! help » clairey, posted by Simian on December 1, 2003, at 16:42:30
> >do u get it from the web or the doctor?
>
> The web.
> You can only get it from a doctor here (UK) if you have already taken antidepressants for two years with poor results.Really?? what a shame that is as i get my prescription free! damn!!
I know we arent aloud to post web address's on here but is there any way you can direct me to the site you got it? As i want to make sure its safe to take, as if you take it then i will feel at ease.
My email is gilesandclaire@aol.com if you are aloud to email me personally with the address. Im not bothered who gets my email address.
Thanks
Posted by Simian on December 2, 2003, at 5:01:08
In reply to Re: L-tryptophan/ niacinamide for anxiety! help » Simian, posted by clairey on December 2, 2003, at 3:36:16
Posted by clairey on December 2, 2003, at 5:42:47
In reply to You've got mail (nm) » clairey, posted by Simian on December 2, 2003, at 5:01:08
sorry im new to this posting bussiness, just got a message saying ive got mail, where do i read this too?
:)
Posted by Simian on December 2, 2003, at 6:25:36
In reply to Re: You've got mail » Simian, posted by clairey on December 2, 2003, at 5:42:47
Sorry, I mean email.
Posted by clairey on December 2, 2003, at 6:33:24
In reply to Re: You've got mail » clairey, posted by Simian on December 2, 2003, at 6:25:36
> Sorry, I mean email.
Oh right, i havent recieved one. Did you send it to my address?
confused! its the blonde hair!!
Posted by JLx on December 2, 2003, at 9:54:33
In reply to Re: L-tryptophan/ niacinamide for anxiety! help » JLx, posted by clairey on December 2, 2003, at 3:32:01
> oh really? has it helped your anxiety at all yet then? you dont still get anxious do you?
> Suppose starting low and working up slowely will help.
> Do you get tired from the tryptophan like in the day, or do you just take it at night?
> :)I haven't taken it again since it made me so anxious. I was trying it for sleeping better, which I'm no longer having such a hard time with since I've been taking TMG and decreasing the light in my bedroom at night. (Including covering up the LED display on my clock! This has enabled me to sleep through the night without waking whereas before I was waking up 2-3 times every night.)
Anxiety is pretty much secondary to depression for me. And I was always more anxious on SSRIs. What I've concluded about that is that the extra serotonin decreases dopamine and that's what makes me more anxious. I'm taking tyrosine to elevate dopamine; it's apparently a delicate balance. I think I'm getting enough serotonin from my diet or also from the effects of TMG to stay pretty even so I won't take the tryptophan again unless I feel out of whack.
I take niacinimde every day though for general anti-anxiety purposes.
The more I learn and experiment, the more I am convinced that the solution is a wholistic approach...as if our brains and mental/emotional symptoms are the "canary in the mindshaft" for overall body health.
Posted by clairey on December 2, 2003, at 11:13:10
In reply to Re: L-tryptophan/ niacinamide for anxiety! help » clairey, posted by JLx on December 2, 2003, at 9:54:33
> > oh really? has it helped your anxiety at all yet then? you dont still get anxious do you?
> > Suppose starting low and working up slowely will help.
> > Do you get tired from the tryptophan like in the day, or do you just take it at night?
> > :)
>
> I haven't taken it again since it made me so anxious. I was trying it for sleeping better, which I'm no longer having such a hard time with since I've been taking TMG and decreasing the light in my bedroom at night. (Including covering up the LED display on my clock! This has enabled me to sleep through the night without waking whereas before I was waking up 2-3 times every night.)
>
> Anxiety is pretty much secondary to depression for me. And I was always more anxious on SSRIs. What I've concluded about that is that the extra serotonin decreases dopamine and that's what makes me more anxious. I'm taking tyrosine to elevate dopamine; it's apparently a delicate balance. I think I'm getting enough serotonin from my diet or also from the effects of TMG to stay pretty even so I won't take the tryptophan again unless I feel out of whack.
>
> I take niacinimde every day though for general anti-anxiety purposes.
>
> The more I learn and experiment, the more I am convinced that the solution is a wholistic approach...as if our brains and mental/emotional symptoms are the "canary in the mindshaft" for overall body health.
>
>
All this stuff about the brain chemicals confuses the hell out of me to be honest!
So if i try the tryptophan and it makes me more anxious do you think that i shouldnt carry on taking it?
As too much serotnin makes you anxious as well as too little doesnt it??
I took prozac once! only 1 pill (as i decided i couldnt go on these horrid drugs) and it didnt make me more anxious, or is one pill not enough to raise the levels of serotonin to be able to notice?
If it isnt a serotonin problem then im confused at what it could be!
I get anxious on and off, no panics (touch wood).
So if its not the serotonin then what else should i need to fix?? and what can i take to fix it?Sorry for all the questions im just lost here!
I mean is it anxiety that causes the inbalence or the inbalence that causes anxiety?? thats one thing we will never know!
But it is true that when you are anxious alot an inbalence occurs doesnt it????
Posted by JLx on December 2, 2003, at 17:02:35
In reply to Re: L-tryptophan/ niacinamide for anxiety! help » JLx, posted by clairey on December 2, 2003, at 11:13:10
> All this stuff about the brain chemicals confuses the hell out of me to be honest!
It does me too. I've done a lot of reading here and there and mostly it convinces me of how little I know. :)
> So if i try the tryptophan and it makes me more anxious do you think that i shouldnt carry on taking it?
I don't know. Everyone's different.
It's possible that anxiety may be a short term effect. You'll just have to experiment and decide which way to go.
> As too much serotnin makes you anxious as well as too little doesnt it??
Well, that seems to be the way it is for me. You may be different. My understanding is that when serotonin rises, dopamine lowers (in broad, crude terms). So perhaps it isn't the serotonin rising so much as the dopamine lowering.
> I took prozac once! only 1 pill (as i decided i couldnt go on these horrid drugs) and it didnt make me more anxious, or is one pill not enough to raise the levels of serotonin to be able to notice?
I don't know that much about how the drugs work...I only know I hated how I felt on them, if not right away, then several months later.
> If it isnt a serotonin problem then im confused at what it could be!
There are other neurotransmitters as well as other factors that can contribute to mental/emotional symptoms, such as diet. Neurotransmitters come from food. For many years I ate too much sugar, tons of calcium rich foods, plenty of processed foods with who knows what additives in them, and drank colas with aspartame. Now I think, no wonder I was depressed, anxious and couldn't sleep!
From Dr. Priscilla Slagle, http://www.thewayup.com/newsletters/011500.htm
"WHAT DOES NUTRITION HAVE TO DO WITH ANXIETY?
It is known that deficiencies of certain nutrients can cause anxiety, so begin by improving your diet. Those nutrients are: Vitamins B1, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, omega-3-fatty acids, such as fish or flax seed oil, & certain amino acids, such as L-tryptophan, taurine, GABA. Too much calcium can also cause anxiety.
First, clean up your diet. With your diet improvement you may want to add a good multivitamin mineral, an extra B complex, & an omega-3-fatty acid to basically cover most of the above listed nutrients.
You would then only add extra items if all of the above failed to make a difference after 2 weeks. My first choice would be extra magnesium & the next choice would be taurine."
I found this checklist helpful also. (Despite not having had a diagnosis of ADD.) If you take it, when you get to the end, it will tell you probable categories that you fall into and then under "more info" there will be suggestions/discussion of what might help.http://www.brainplace.com/bp/checklist/
> I get anxious on and off, no panics (touch wood).
> So if its not the serotonin then what else should i need to fix?? and what can i take to fix it?It may not be that simple, that you have one symptom due to one condition that you can correct with one "fix".
> Sorry for all the questions im just lost here!
> I mean is it anxiety that causes the inbalence or the inbalence that causes anxiety?? thats one thing we will never know!
> But it is true that when you are anxious alot an inbalence occurs doesnt it????I think it's complicated. I used to have panic attacks when I was younger. After having therapy for a year, I never had another attack. So what got righted biologically and how? I don't know.
Posted by Simian on December 3, 2003, at 2:05:30
In reply to Re: You've got mail » Simian, posted by clairey on December 2, 2003, at 6:33:24
>Oh right, i havent recieved one. Did you send it to my address?
Yes. If it still hasn't arrived I could try sending it again if you want.
This is the end of the thread.
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