SAM-e HELP ?!

[VerityMac]

I really want to try SAM-e but I have had so many negative experiences with prescription meds and with natural alternatives. I found a mild improvement in symptoms with SJW but my depression is returning.
SAM-e does seem pretty expensive, I just would like to know more about side effects and interactions with SJW and Rhodiola Rosea, I'm taking both at the moment. What I need is something to improve sleep, lift mood and decrease irritability. I am worried in case SAM-e has similar side effects to SSRI's which I simply cannot tolerate because of the extreme moods and sexual dysfunction they cause. Any experiences of SAM-e would be greatly appreciated ! Thanks ! :smile:

[Islander1]

sam-e is great! worked for me, why don't you try it and report back here after 2 days of trying it. I would recommend naturopathica sam-e mood lift brand.

[Jetskitourguide]

I am only taking 100 mg to 200mg per day.

If I feel any anxiety or insomnia then I am going to stay at 100 mg.

SAMe when it works you feel it right away.

I have not noticed any sexual side effects on SAMe, and I am sick of those side effects since that is what Zoloft (SSRI) Paxil do to me.

I would keep taking Zoloft except it makes me depressed about the sexual side effects.

I think you have to go really slow with SAMe and take it in the morning, early afternoon.

There is a ton of conflicting information on the internet about SAMe which seems to tell people to take way more than they need.

[VerityMac]

Thanks Jetskitourguide and Islander 1. I think I will give it a try. I'll have to shop around though as it is pretty expensive in the UK. I can only get it mail order as it is not available in the shops here yet.

[Justin Perrigo]

Where can I get a good SAM-e product in the UK?

[VerityMac]

Where can I get a good SAM-e product in the UK?

I was about to ask the same question Justin, I'm in the UK too, SAM-e is not that widely available and is quite pricey. I haven't found it in any shops, just online, I do want to try it though !

[Quest]

IF you also suffer from anxiety...please note that Sam e increases norepinephrine also...which equals adrenaline...which equals panic attacks if you take a large dose. In addition Sam e builds up in the system so if you initially take 200mg...by the next week you may only need 100mg.
Many people do well in the end on as little as 25mg. If you notice dizziness, jitters, or a sudden increase in chattering..as in being overly talkative in a hyper manor then you might want to lower your dose or just stop taking it. It was SUPER for me for a week, then as it built up I had horrible terrible symptoms of anxiety and panic. But that isnt everyones case. I reacted that way because I have anxiety AND depression. Just be careful.:smile:

[BelleKelle]

If you scroll back and look at the threads in this area of the forum, you'll find one on sam-e that has a lot of replies. There are a few people who had bad reactions to it (anxiety, etc), and some who had very good reactions to it. It has a lot of good information, so maybe start there.

I tried it for depression this past spring, and I do think it works. It also works quickly.

The doses are high, with the initial goal being to get up to something like 1200 to 1600 mgs per day, and then to start tapering down to a maintenance dose. I have never seen evidence that doses as small as 25 mg do anything, and I do think you have to take more of it than that.

I would have stayed on it, but I started to get bad stomach aches from it. Since that was the last straw for me as far as natural non-rx remedies, I stopped and went to my doctor for a prescription. Had it not been for the stomach aches, I would have stayed on it, because for me, it did work. Although I have had severe problems with anxiety in the past, I experienced none of that during the time I was taking it.

It can be expensive if you are buying it OTC. I ordered mine from iherb and thought that the prices were good. And once someone gets down to a maintenance dose, it's not that expensive.

[DW23]

I was on Prescription meds for 4 years with unbearable side-effects. I take 1,200 mgs of Sam-e a day with no side effects. Sam-e works fast for me, but I have found that quality control is extremely important. Make sure that each Sam-e pill is individually packaged as it degrades when exposed to air. I live in the US and buy my Sam-e from Vitacost under their store brand NSI. I pay $60 USD for a month @ 1,200 mgs a day. Its the best quality I have found at a decent price.

[Silver_wlf]

I found that SAMe worked very well for me and then I went a week without due to being away and running out at the same time. It was like the world closed in. The two weeks following were the worst two weeks of my life.

I went back on and it's been up and down. I did up my dose to 800mg for the two weeks following my episode and then weaned back to 400 then 200. I find that I tolerate anything up to 400mg quite well - but anything over that gives me stomach upset. I was told to buy the NOW brand enteric coated tablets. So that's what I've used.

I'm still taking 200mg a day plus I just started SJW so I'm hoping that helps. My doctor prescribed Efexor and I'm terrified of taking it - so I'm trying SJW instead.

The SAMe works VERY fast. The first time it was within two weeks and I was feeling better. It's really expensive though.

Stef

[DW23]

I found that SAMe worked very well for me and then I went a week without due to being away and running out at the same time.

I went back on and it's been up and down. I did up my dose to 800mg for the two weeks following my episode and then weaned back to 400 then 200. I find that I tolerate anything up to 400mg quite well - but anything over that gives me stomach upset. I was told to buy the NOW brand enteric coated tablets. So that's what I've used.

I'm still taking 200mg a day plus I just started SJW so I'm hoping that helps. My doctor prescribed Efexor and I'm terrified of taking it - so I'm trying SJW instead.

The SAMe works VERY fast. The first time it was within two weeks and I was feeling better. It's really expensive though.

Stef

I added SJW to my mix about two weeks ago and was feeling pretty good so I decided to stop my sam-e. Bit of a mistake on my part. I was as depressed as I had been in years. So I went back on the sam-e. Kind of a rough way to learn these things, but trial and error is the only way we have.

Sam-e works really fast for me so on a normal day I take 400-800 mgs, and a really bad day I take up to 1,200. I get the stomach problems too, but only if I take 1,200 or so for several days in a row. I get a very painful stabbing pain in my stomach, usually when I wake up. Good news is it usually goes away once I get moving. Still its a lot less to deal with than the prescription side-effects.

If you're only taking 200mg a day your sam-e shouldn't be costing you more than $15.00 a month. Never buy it retail, those prices are insane.