Returning to forum & 5HTP

[always-ill]

Hi,
I used to be a frequent visitor to NMP but have been away for about 18 months as I had been feeling better, due to taking Citalopram, which although did make me feel better, the side effects where awful, constant brain fog, forgetfulness, feeling out of it all the time not to mention the 2 stone weight gain. :sad: I came off cit 12 months ago and seemed to be doing fine, but feelings of anxiety and depression started creeping back a few months ago and are getting worse by the week, but I really want to avoid more chemical treatments and want to try more natural remedies. I have been trying various vitamins and supplements but not found anything to work well enough, so I have been reading up on 5HTP and read some great reviews on its effect. I have received my order of these today so I will give them ago and update on my progress, just wondered if anyone else has had experience of taking these and if they found them effective.
Thanks.

[xtremx]

Hiya, Good for you wanting to avoid chemical treatments.

I am doing the same but using SJW. But I am also looking it to taking 5-htp 50mg aday to help.

Let me know how you get on with 5-htp

chris

[avasnana]

Hi, I've got both SJW and 5 Htp to try but not sure which to try first, I have suffered with anxiety on and off for years but don't want to take prescription tablets 'cos of all the side effects :-(

Let us no how u find the 5 htp Allways-ill.

Chris - r u going to take both at the same time?

Thanks
Claire

[xtremx]

Hi, I've got both SJW and 5 Htp to try but not sure which to try first, I have suffered with anxiety on and off for years but don't want to take prescription tablets 'cos of all the side effects :-(

Let us no how u find the 5 htp Allways-ill.

Chris - r u going to take both at the same time?

Thanks
Claire

Hiya Claire,

Yes I am going to take both I have just taken my first 5-htp as feeling very low at the moment and having mini panic attacks (strange as seemed to be free from them for a few weeks). But scared of the major ones starting again.

I would suggest you try the SJW first as that seemed to work wonders for me but sometimes needs a little playin around with to find the right level and can take a few days to a few weeks to feel the benefit.

But if you are finding that you need something now as in today I think 5-htp is the way to go, as reading on the net over the last few months alot of people say it works within hours to give you a lift. But start small.

All the best Chris

[empowered]

They are both good - I started 5HTP about 3 months ago (150mg per day) and 2 of SJW each day. Have found that depression symptoms have greatly eased and I feel more in control of the anxiety and mentally use a cricket bat to swot any negative thoughts out of my brain! Having a fairly bad w/end but I am in really bad pain at the mo with lower back which is leaving me crippled.

[always-ill]

Hi,

I looked into both SJW and 5HTP and it seemed from all the reviews that 5HTP had better effects. I ve not taken one yet, tbh, I have a real fear of taking tablets, natural or otherwise as I'm scared I might react badly to them. Ive had a real bad day today too, woke at 1.30 with an awful panic attack and I have just felt really low all day. I was going to take one this morning but it says on the box to take one at night, but now its night, Im worried that if I take one now and react badly to it either it will disturb my sleep or worse, that I wont wake up :scared15: Yes, I know, sounds a bit extreme but I get like this when my anxiety is bad. The ones Ive got are 100mg and are combined with B vits and are coated, I wish I'd got some 50mg ones now so that I could start low, and these are solid tablets covered in like a plastic like film so you cant really split them, (did try but they didnt look right!). I may wait for a day when I dont feel so bad and I can pick up the courage to take one, I am such a sissy! I would still love to hear of others experience with them, I will update once Ive taken the plunge.
Take care.

[xtremx]

Hi always-ill.

No your not a sissy just wise. I have been having a really stressful day today and to a 5-htp and about 45 mins later I had my 1st major panic attack in months (not saying that was anything to do with 5-htp just was something that has brewing up for a while). But now i seem to have comedown from my panic attack nicely (could be the 5-htp)

I had the same concern as you about taking 5-htp (taking at night is to help get a goodnights sleep) but decided to take it during the day at least then I would notice any side-effects and not be asleep.

GoodLuck

[eight days a week]

There's loads on the forum about 5-HTP if you do a search (but carry on this thread here so we can keep up with how you are doing please :))

It's naturally-occurring in certain foods (which is after all where we are meant to naturally get it from!), so if you don't like to take the tablets at first you can always try changing your diet to include more foods with tryptophan (I think wikipedia has a decent list) :)

[xhyperyogix]

You can buy Tryptophan - its the amino acid that gets converted into 5-htp, that then converts into serotonin (happy) and melotonin (sleep)

xx hyper xx

[jogPLC]

I came of Venlafaxine nearly two months ago now due to side effects, switched to Doctor's Best 5HTP (With added Vit B6 & C) 200mg a day, not look back since.

[josiejo]

I tried taking 1 x 50mg 5 htp 3 times. Each time I felt more anxious instead of less so was really disappointed as it has such good reviews. I read some more about it and decided to open up the capsule and take only half in a glass of milk. Makes the milk chalky and disgusting but actually had no bad effects and it did help me relax a little and improved my sleep a little but not fantastic. I have given up taking it for the time being as I didn't think it was making that much difference and I'm impatient but I would advise taking it in small amounts to start with to avoid a bad reaction. Had a terrible reaction to Citalopram that doctors tried me on so maybe I'm just sensitive. Best results I've had for taking anxiety down a level is passion flower, theanine and then valerian to help me sleep. Can be a bit on and off but its the best combo I've tried so far. Working on the dosages to see what works best but had no bad reactions. Look them up on the internet and see if you think they could work for you.