Psycho-Babble Alternative Thread 702260

Shown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Tryptophan w/ an SSRI, what is a safe dose????????

Posted by qbsbrown on November 10, 2006, at 10:44:33

I used to take tryptophan, 1500mgs at night for insomnia, and it worked great! Now my doc prescribed me Trazodone for insomnia, and i figure that they are almost the same, in that they both increase serotonin. And of course I'd prefer the more "natural" method.

I just don't wanna mess w/ serotonin syndrome.

And can anyone cite the website to where i can order some Tryptophan for my horse, the one that larry hoover used to post.

Regards,

Brian

 

Re: Tryptophan w/ an SSRI, what is a safe dose????

Posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 10, 2006, at 12:46:26

In reply to Tryptophan w/ an SSRI, what is a safe dose????????, posted by qbsbrown on November 10, 2006, at 10:44:33

well, there probably isn't a safe dose...best to avoid the combo altogether, eh? Too much of a good thing and all that.....

 

Re: Tryptophan w/ an SSRI, what is a safe dose????

Posted by nolvas on November 10, 2006, at 15:27:37

In reply to Re: Tryptophan w/ an SSRI, what is a safe dose????, posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 10, 2006, at 12:46:26

I don't know where you are based, but here's a few sites that supply Tryptophan >

www.qhi.co.uk
www.iherb.com
www.bulknutrition.com

I wouldn't take Tryptophan with an SSRI personally. Just be cautious whatever you decide.

 

I've seen this study posted numerous times/sites

Posted by qbsbrown on November 10, 2006, at 16:42:24

In reply to Re: Tryptophan w/ an SSRI, what is a safe dose????, posted by Meri-Tuuli on November 10, 2006, at 12:46:26

OBJECTIVE: Because the initial phase of treatment of depression with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor is often complicated by a delayed onset of action of the antidepressant or severe insomnia or both, we investigated whether tryptophan, an amino acid with both antidepressant-augmenting and hypnotic effects, would benefit patients with depression at the beginning of treatment with fluoxetine. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. PATIENTS: Thirty individuals with major depressive disorder. INTERVENTIONS: Treatment over 8 weeks with 20 mg of fluoxetine per day and either tryptophan (2 to 4 g per day) or placebo. OUTCOME MEASURES: Mood was assessed using the 29-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-29) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Laboratory sleep studies were done at baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment using standard procedures. RESULTS: During the first week of treatment, there was a significantly greater decrease in HDRS-29 depression scores, and a similar trend in BDI scores, in the tryptophan/fluoxetine group than in the placebo/fluoxetine group. No significant differences were noted at later time points. With respect to sleep measures, there was a significant group-by-time interaction for slow-wave sleep at week 4. Further analysis revealed a significant decrease in slow-wave sleep after 4 weeks of treatment in the placebo/fluoxetine group, but not in the tryptophan/fluoxetine group. No cases of serotonin syndrome occurred, and the combination was well tolerated, although the 4 g per day dosage of tryptophan produced daytime drowsiness.

CONCLUSIONS: Combining 20 mg of fluoxetine with 2 g of tryptophan daily at the outset of treatment for major depressive disorder appears to be a safe protocol that may have both a rapid antidepressant effect and a protective effect on slow-wave sleep. Further large-scale studies are needed to confirm these initial findings.

 

But is Tryptophan much different than Trazodone?NM (nm)

Posted by qbsbrown on November 10, 2006, at 17:33:03

In reply to I've seen this study posted numerous times/sites, posted by qbsbrown on November 10, 2006, at 16:42:24


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Alternative | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.