Topic Title: Another 5-HTP question/Initial Side Effects
| |  "Another 5-HTP question/Initial Side Effects"
, Tue 22 Jan 11:11
Hello all. I recently switched from taking SJW to 5-HTP. The first couple of days, I felt just fine. I was a little more drowsy and slept allot better. Now, I am feeling a little more anxious (and using 5-HTP to treat Social Anxiety) than usual/normal. I am wondering if anyone has had this type experience when starting on 5-HTP. It might be my stopping with the SJW fairly abruptly is having a negative reaction. But, I would have thought it would have occurred days ago. I stopped SJW and started 5-HTP about 5 days ago. Any knowledge in this area would be greatly appreciated. I intend to press on since this is sort of the type of thing to expect when taking a remedy for anxiety (hurts before it helps type scenario). But, it would be nice to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks.
Posts: 20 | | Registered: Thu 10 Jan 2002 11:38 |
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| | "Re(1):Another 5-HTP question/Initial Side Eff" , Thu 24 Jan 07:52:
Welp, it would seem that this is indeed the good ol' "paradoxical effect". The symptoms are starting to subside a bit. Just one or two REAL bad days. Just thought I would post it here so anyone doing a search on initial side effects would have some info.
Symptoms:
-Shortness of breath (can't take a deep breath)
-Restlessness
-Feeling a little wired but tired at the same time
-Feeling anxious (and even more anxious if you have anxiety)
-Short tempered, moody
These seem to start around the 3-5 day and have continued up to the end of the first week (I am at day 7 now). Have been a little less harsh the last two days. I have also noticed that when I take the first 50mg tablet in the morning, I feel exceptionally good, just a little short of breath, but in a great mood. Then at lunch, I take the second of the three 50mg tablets. This is when I start having the aforementioned symptoms the most. Around 5 when I get home, I take the third and final 50mg tablet of the day. This adds a little to the symptoms mentioned above but not nearly as much as the "nooner" dose. Curious.
Everyone is different of course. Which may result in some variation on the amount of time these things occur as well as their duration. But, this will give you an idea as to what you <might> experience when starting out on 5-HTP (or SJW for that matter). I think it just puts you a little more at ease when someone has described the crazy feelings you might encounter when starting out on these things. Especially when you have anxiety like myself. The last thing you want is to be worse. But, if you know it is going to happen, and that it should be expected, it makes it easier to deal with. Course, you might feel nothing at all. Who knows.
Cheers.
Mike1g
[this message was edited by mike1g on Thu 24 Jan 07:58]
Posts: 25 | | Registered: Thu 10 Jan 2002 11:38 |
| | | "Re(2):Another 5-HTP question/Initial Side Eff" , Tue 5 Feb 10:15
Update on the side effects. After being in the second week of having some very bad anxiety (which I attributed to the 5-HTP), I decided to take some SJW (just one tablet and I felt better). I had stopped SJW and started 5-HTP all at once. About a week after, I started getting the symptoms I mention in the previous post. I had thought it was just adjusting to a new herb/treatment/etc. However, I am thinking that it was stopping the SJW so suddenly, combined with starting the 5-HTP. So, if you are just starting 5-HTP from scratch (not stopping something else to start), chances are you will not have the aforementioned symptoms to the degree I was. However, I would guess that they are the type of symptoms you might see upon stating out if you see any at all.
Posts: 40 | | Registered: Thu 10 Jan 2002 11:38 |
| | |  "Re(2):Another 5-HTP question/Initial Side Eff"
, Thu 24 Jan 13:24
Hi, Mike. Thanks for your list of side effects. I tried 5-HTP in the late summer/fall, and experienced the shortness of breath thing. I ride my bike about 20 miles a day, minimum, and I really had a hard time breathing after starting 5-HTP. I had pneumonia once, and it felt just like that, I wasn't able to get a good breath of air into my lungs. So, I quit 5-HTP, 'cause I was worried about ruining my lungs, or something. Did that symptom subside with you?? I think I used 5-HTP for about two months, and then quit. SJW works good for me, I was trying the 5-HTP because of the light sensitivity thing with SJW. Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Posts: 21 | | Registered: Sat 29 Sep 2001 10:2 |
| | | "Re(3):Another 5-HTP question/Initial Side Eff" , Thu 24 Jan 15:35
Why not try Sam-e? I've been on it for 2 months now and feel very good. No sensitivity to light. I feel quite normal, however, I do not drink alcohol anymore. It's worth giving up the drinks to feel better.
Posts: 53 | | Registered: Sat 13 Oct 2001 9:3 |
| | | "Re(4):Another 5-HTP question/Initial Side Eff" , Sat 26 Jan 16:27
Greetings. How long have you been on SAMe? Does it work just as well as a prescribed anti-depressant like Zoloft. And, does it also treat anxiety? Did you have depression and/or anxiety too, previously? Thanks. Pauline [email protected]
Pauline
Posts: 46 | | Registered: Wednesday 14 Mar 2001 10:59 |
| | | "Re(4):Another 5-HTP question/Initial Side Eff" , Thu 24 Jan 15:51
MMF, I definitely had some shortness of breath when starting out on the SJW but it did in fact go away. Same with the 5-HTP. I workout allot but do not do as much cardio as it sounds like you do. The light sensitivity thing is going to be of big concern to me here in a month or so. This was one reason I switched to 5-HTP. In Texas, we are in the lakes almost all year around.
Boso, Hmmm. I think I tried Sam-e in the past and stopped for some reason. This was long ago before I even knew why I did not feel right (anxiety). What happens if you drink? I can tell you one thing, if you have like 2-3 beers while on 5-HTP, you are pretty loaded. And I can drink allot of beer. So, i try not to drink too much now. Which is definitely a good thing. I used to use alcohol to medicate myself before I knew what was up. If I discotinue with the 5-HTP for some reason, I will give the Sam-e a try. But you know how it is, I am about a week into it. And the bad initial side effects are pretty much gone. So, i hate to waste that week. Thanks for the suggestion.
Posts: 25 | | Registered: Thu 10 Jan 2002 11:38 |
| | |  "Here is a site that has a lot of info:"
, Sat 26 Jan 21:43
This site seems to cover a lot of these areas of SAM-e and 5-HTP:
http://www.depressionremedy.com
Click on the links of 5-htp or SAM-e on the right column.
matt
Posts: 1 | | Registered: Sat 26 Jan 2002 21:29 |
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