5 HTP and / or St Johns Wort

[karenp]

I bought high strength 5-htp but it made me feel sick and no different after a fortnight at all but maybe will try it again and stick with it as I read it takes time to kick in like proper ad's...or prescription ads. I have been given Citalopram but have such a terrible start up on it I have had the pills three weeks now and just won't take them as I'd end up in the emergency room with panic attacks and get so many other start up effects and it never kicks in with me for about 4 months. Tried Mirtazapine instead and though no side effects as such it just made me more ill. I am normally ok but it's blasted PMT so for about a week I feel super low and just want to cry, try to go out walking which helps and am eating healthily but have been this way ever since I had my son 13 years ago. I got my 5-htp off AMAZON and about 400 people had said brill things about it and very few bad, so I maybe just need to take it properly this time.

[sandie]

Hi Karen - long time no speak ! Please do be very careful; if you are taking prescribed ante-depressants (and your posts suggests you are now taking Mirtazapine ?) you should NOT also take 5HTP because you risk something called seretonin syndrome which can be very serious.

You can take one or the other but not both together.

I am now on a very low dose of Amitryptiline - which has helped regulate my sleep a little more, as well as a beta blocker to lower my blood pressure and help with the panic attacks.

However, once I am off the Amitriptyline I should like to go back to 5HTP; unfortunately I cannot take St JW because it is contra-indicated with a statin which I have to take for a cholesterol problem.

[karenp]

Oh I am off Mirtazapine and daren't take Citalopram as it gives me terrible side effects including panic attacks. My anxiety is ok but my mood is crap to say the least, I never sleep beyond 4am and GP now refuses me any benzo/hypnotic help! I am usually okish by midmorning and great at night time and fall asleep easily as I am so exhausted but it's mornings I dread. I try to go for a walk though and have been staying at my parents so I am not alone. My ex-husband took me to court and I had no solicitor so he won taking William from me. Seeing his empty room makes me panic so I can barely go near my flat and am trying to find somewhere new. But my dad sees me as being unmotivated, just on the computer (despite going for walks) and I can't go out anywhere properly as no money as still off sick. He yells at me all the time as he has never suffered and makes me a whole lot worse but I am trapped!
I was taking 5htp but it hasn't made any real difference and highest dose so now have bought something with lemon plant in it, St Johns Wort etc and have been on it a couple of days so too soon to tell if it helps.
Also sad as been messed about by an American I lived with last year HERE! He does suffer too but his moods are up and down and one day he wants me over with him in the USA and the next is moody as hell and barely gets in touch or he is quite nasty, so my life is just sad and dunno if it is depression or just pure unhappinesss about everything that has happened. Will walk my mum's two yorkies soon and that always helps a bit xxx
Took st Johns wort before and ended up on Citalopram but my old GP used to give me sleeping pilsl lor Lorazepam until I settled.