Topic Title: 5HTP is great but what about the long term?
| |  "5HTP is great but what about the long term?"
, Tue 27 Aug 10:53
I just recently started taking 50mg of 5-HTP and I can't say enough about it. It has really helped me, far better than those horrible anti-depressants and without any side-effects.
I feel so lucky to have found the natural solution, and could easily see myself taking it for the rest of my life.
However, I've read some bad press about unknown prolonged use, and that concerns me. Of course, the prescribed anti-depressants couldn't be all too healthy for the long term, but the drug manufacturers aren't going to publish that.
Any thoughts about long term usage? And, has anyone had any bad withdrawal side-effects when they stopped the herb?
Thanks!
Posts: 0 | | Registered: Tue 27 Aug 2002 10:45 |
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| | "Re(1):5HTP is great but what about the long t" , Wed 28 Aug 06:15
Hiya,
I guess we are all different but I have been taking 5-HTP for quite some time now 250/300mg and 500mg L-Tyrosine. This combination suits me. When I was put on 30mg Seroxat (Paxil) I took it for 11 months. I had an awful time in many ways whilst taking it, and again an awful time when reducing and finally many months after I had stopped taking it I was still suffering from the state it left me in. I knew I needed something to help me so that is why I went in search of something more natural and I thankfully found 5-HTP. I gathered as much information on the properties, effects (Good and bad) etc of herbal medications and decided to give 5-HTP ago. It has been a life saver for me and if I have to take it forever and a day I would. There are risks with everything but if a GP can put someone on the likes of Seroxat indefinitely then I have no worries about 5-HTP.
I think finding out what dose, when best to take etc. so that it suits you is trial and error. If it doesn't work or causes problems ie tiredness, anxiety etc. then try a different dose, a different time. It is worth it! I initally took it to help me to sleep, so a month or so down the line when I started to feel really good, was an added bonus and a pleasant surprise. I really hadn't expected it to affect me in the good way it has, to the extent it has, as this was my first experience of herbal medication and I guess like many people I thought that it wouldn't be as strong or as effective as the chemical medication that you get on prescription. How uniformed and wrong I have been and I wouldn't swop my 5-HTP :>) xxxx
Cheers
Nicky
Posts: 44 | | Registered: Thu 7 Feb 2002 5:45 |
| | |  "Re(2):5HTP is great but what about the long t"
, Mon 14 Oct 18:21
Hi Nicky, I am on 50ml of Zoloft a day and want to find a natural alternative. Please, what is 5HTP and is it available in Australia? I am looking into Sam-e and SJW but am worried about combining anything with Zoloft. I have a real problem with anxiety and depression and wander if a natural remedy will be strong enough. I am also planning to have a family late next year and want something that will be safe to take during pregnancy. Thank you in advance for any time you can spare me. Best Regards, Tracy
Posts: 2 | | Registered: Mon 14 Oct 2002 16:37 |
| | "Re(1):5HTP is great but what about the long t" , Wed 28 Aug 05:00
I have not seen any long side effects yet. I took 500 mg for 2 years for moderate depression, now I take about 100 mg every other day. (Going on 3 years this september)
MJ DuPont
http://events.diabetes.org/memberpages/peshka
Posts: 382 | | Registered: Wed 20 Jun 2001 6:19 |
| | | "Re(2):5HTP is great but what about the long t" , Fri 30 Aug 01:26
DuPont, that's interesting that you're now taking it 'every other day'. I was wondering if anyone else has experience of not taking 5-htp on a continuous basis, but sporadically, i.e. when you feel the blues coming on, or an increase in anxiety. i took 5-htp also following paxil withdrawal - it worked brilliantly to get me back to sleep again, and DuPont's suggestion to take 300 mg a day for anxiety also worked well (thanks DuPont!!). Since i'm feeling much better now I've skipped some days, but sometimes pop a tablet when I think I need it! Wasn't sure if that's more for a placebo-type effect to pacify myself, and have found it hard to establish if taking it on and off has significant benefit. I know it took a few weeks for the full effect of 5-htp to kick in (for anxiety in my case) and wonder whether, like is the case with the SSRIs, if one has to keep taking this without significant breaks in order to maintain the benefit if the med?
Did you find anything in your research Juju? BTW, I shared your confusion when doing my own on the net!
Matt
Posts: 8 | | Registered: Tue 11 Jun 2002 7:43 |
| | | "Re(3):5HTP is great but what about the long t" , Mon 13 Jan 14:27
Matt,
I am struggling to get off Paxil. After tapering down very slowly over many months (2 mg at a time) I have now gotten past the creepy neurological side effects (dizziness, nauseu, stumbling etc), but I've been hit with nasty insomnia starting two weeks after my last dose of Paxil. I am encouraged to hear you were able to deal with post-paxil insomnia using 5HTP. Could you please tell me what doses of 5 HTP you are taking to do this? Much appreciated.
Alison
Posts: 0 | | Registered: Mon 13 Jan 2003 14:21 |
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