Topic Title: IMPORTANT - 5-HTP Side effects
| |  "IMPORTANT - 5-HTP Side effects"
, Thu 13 Nov 08:32
Hey everyone, I'm new to this forum. I've been browsing a lot the last few weeks, but not posting.
Anyway, I just wanted to post a message about some side effects that I have been experiencing with 5-HTP, and the research that I've found about these things. I started taking SJW and 5-HTP 6 days ago. Kira's SJW and Natrol 5-HTP for those who want to know the brands. Here's what happened to me:
Day 1 - 3x300 mg SJW, 3x50 mg 5-HTP, each 20 min b/f meals
The effect was amazing! Within an hour or two of my first 5-HTP dosage, I immediately felt calmer, relaxed. Best sleep of my life.
Day 2 - 3x300 mg SJW, 3x50 mg 5-HTP
I started feeling anxious, and had a "cloud" over my head that cleared w/i 5-6 hours of each 5-HTP dosage. Couldn't sleep at all.
Day 3 - 3x300 mg SJW, 2x50 mg 5-HTP
Within an hour of taking my first dosage, I felt the following: racing heartbeat, cloudy mind, anxious, jittery, muscles twitching in my temples and legs, and my face was flushed. I decreased my dosage to see if that would help. No sleep that night.
Day 4 - 3x300 mg SJW, 1x50 mg 5-HTP
Same reactions as Day 3, only stronger. I decide to go off the 5-HTP. I feel worlds better now, no side effects.
Anyway, I did some research on my symptoms, and it appears that all of them are cited as symptoms for SEROTONIN SYNDROME, a potentially fatal results of too much serotonin in the blood. Here are the full listing of symptoms, for those who are interested:
"restlessness, confusion, agitation, feeling overheated or excessive sweating, euphoria, racing heartbeat, headache (related to rise in blood pressure), confusion and concentration problems, shakiness, difficulty with reflexes, excessive salivation, rapid contraction and relaxation of the ankle muscle causing abnormal movements of the foot or jaw, clumsiness, feeling intoxicated or dizzy, sweating, muscle twitching, rigidity, loosening of bowels or diarrhea."
Again, for those interested, here are some sources:
http://www.mindbodyconsult.com/protocols/serotonin.html
Here is an example of someone else who developed S.S. with 5-HTP:
http://home.tampabay.rr.com/lymecfs/ss.htm
And here are two places where SJW are 5-HTP are warned as possibly interacting:
http://www.onlinerd.com/SJWdrugs.htm
http://medicinegarden.com/Library/herbsstjohnswort1.html
Anyway, I don't think this would happen with everyone, so I definitely would not say to not try adding the two together. Obviously, the two drugs have worked well in combination for many people on this site. I think that a couple things may have made it so that I was more susceptible to developing Serotonin Syndrome: first, I have never been on any prescribed antidepressants (I've been in denial for quite some time about this), and second, I started at a really high dose from Day 1 (I was in a terrible funk and had to jump-start myself out of it).
Anyway, I just wanted to shed some light on what other people have been mentioning as far as their side effects and what not. Serotonin Syndrome is potentially fatal, and I wouldn't want anyone to keep taking the drugs hoping that the side effects will subside.
Have a great day!
- K
Posts: 0 | | Registered: Thu 13 Nov 2003 8:14 |
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| |  "Re(1):IMPORTANT - 5-HTP Side effects"
, Tue 10 Feb 05:34
thank you or the post. i had similiar side effects and thought it was just me as all the websites seem to say there are no side effects!! i had insomnia and panic attacks, sweating, jittery etc....I have since stopped taking 5htp
Posts: 1 | | Registered: Tue 10 Feb 2004 5:10 |
| | "Re(1):IMPORTANT - 5-HTP Side effects" , Thu 13 Nov 13:18
Thanks for the info, I was thinking about trying the 5HTP, in addition to the SJW I am taking. Now I may think twice before trying it. Has the Kira SJW been helping you, and if so , how long have you been taking it?
Faith
Posts: 5 | | Registered: Tue 11 Nov 2003 11:11 |
| | | "Re(2):IMPORTANT - 5-HTP Side effects" , Thu 13 Nov 14:55
I think the Kira has been helping - I'm only on my 6th day, but I definitely am more cheerful and optimistic than I have been in a long, long time. My chief concern with saying the SJW is helping is that I was taking 5-HTP for the first few days, and now I am not, and I want to give it more time w/o the HTP in my system before I can say for sure. I'll keep you posted :)
Posts: 2 | | Registered: Thu 13 Nov 2003 8:14 |
| | | "Re(3):IMPORTANT - 5-HTP Side effects" , Wed 27 Apr 02:48:
It's a shame it didn't work for you... though You were taking a heck of a high dose!
In most cases I've read that 50-100 mg per day is the starting dose to take, with Ray Sehelian recommending 50 mg per day.
Let me get this straight: You took 3 times 300mg capsules?
That's up to 18 times the standard average dose! Think on that! Did you consider taking 50 to 100 mg per day ?
[this message was edited by specko on Wed 27 Apr 02:51]
Posts: 1 | | Registered: Wed 27 Apr 2005 2:45 |
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