|
Compass
Ancient Light
Registered: 10/17/06
Posts: 1,149
Loc: The Border of Reality
Last seen: 7 years, 3 months
|
Lexapro and 5-HTP
#7511144 - 10/11/07 10:43 PM (16 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
I told my doctor I was feeling depressed because of how I feel physically. Now I didn't want to take any medications, because I wanted to do it on my own.
The doctor prescribed me Lexpro (an SSRI) and also recommended 5-HTP. I'm not going to take the SSRI without careful consideration, but I am going to start with the 5-HTP.
But I know this combination is somewhat dangerous together, so I don't know if I can trust my doctor.
Thoughts?
|
jonathanseagull
Cool!
Registered: 10/28/05
Posts: 993
Last seen: 10 years, 1 month
|
Re: Lexapro and 5-HTP [Re: Compass]
#7511734 - 10/13/07 11:58 AM (16 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
5-HTP and SSRI's do the same thing, they increase the amount of serotonin in the synapses of your brain. 5-HTP is a precursor to serotonin, meaning it turns into serotonin. SSRI's block the re-uptake sites in your brain, so that the serotonin stays in the synapse longer.
I've used 5-HTP, and after building up to three 50 mg pills a day, I felt amazing. Then I weaned off and felt less good, but not as bad as before. I've never used an SSRI.
Both in combination could be dangerous because it could lead to "Serotonin Syndrome" where you have too much. You can look up that syndrome for more information.
--------------------
Loving in truth, and fain in verse my love to show, That the dear She might take some pleasure of my pain: Pleasure might cause her read, reading might make her know, Knowledge might pity win, and pity grace obtain.
|
ImperialCactus
Stranger
Registered: 12/23/05
Posts: 532
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
|
Re: Lexapro and 5-HTP [Re: Compass]
#7513218 - 10/13/07 07:22 PM (16 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
Might be a good idea to just try the 5-HTP until you can talk to your doctor again and ask them about that combination. Or even a different one if they don't seem to know what they're doing... a psychiatrist would probably be best. If that doesn't help then you can always try the Lexapro later.
|
MK Ultra
Stranger
Registered: 09/15/07
Posts: 70
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
|
|
Definitely don't take them together. I took Lexapro for about 1 year and here's what happened:
1st month felt great, how I imagine "normal" people feel. Conversation was easier for me and I felt a general sense of well-being. I found it far more potent than other psychiatric meds I'd taken.
After that 1st month, I felt that familiar zombie feeling that SSRIs and antidepressants in general give me. When I should've felt extreme emotion, good, bad, or neutral, I felt sleepy instead. My appetite was manageable, which was the only good thing about it. My creative spark was gone and I felt not good or bad, just BLAH.
Decided to quit Lexapro and go on Wellbutrin due to fatigue and sexual side effects of Lexapro. Tapered off slowly while beginning Wellbutrin at the suggestion of my doctor. Began feeling depressed, suicidal, and very violent. I slapped and spit on my roommate and tried cutting myself for the first time. When my eyes moved, I heard a "whoosh" in my head. Then I began having an acute episode of what they called "pseudoparkinsonism", which looked like a cross between a seizure, tourette's, and parkinson's disease. Went to the ER and got some Ativan and toughed out the rest of the withdrawals.
I've been free of all psychiatric drugs since December. The last thing I took was Prozac, which was also hell to ween off. Now I've put on about 20 lbs, but feel more like a real human being again.
I think it's wise to do plenty of research before starting something like Lexapro, because it can be hell to get off of when you're ready. Unless you're suicidal, having full-on hallucinations, can't function (hold down a job, make friends, etc.) in every day life, or have a serious condition like OCD that prevents you from experiencing even the slightest happiness, I'd say it's just not worth it. I take 5-HTP now to lose the weight, and it does suppress my appetite. I also feel calmer on the days I do take it (not everyday due to my apprehension of developing EMS). You might also try SAM-e or DHEA. Yoga, sunlight and fresh air, walnuts, cannabis, laughing, and other such things can naturally boost serotonin levels, as well.
Hope you find what you're looking for. Keep doing your research and feel free to IM me with further questions, as this is a subject close to my heart. I took medication of one kind or another for 6 years starting at age 16 and have done research on these drugs, so I speak from both first-hand experience and factual information.
Peace.
|
Fraggin
Multi-Faceted
Registered: 01/05/05
Posts: 8,707
Last seen: 8 years, 1 month
|
Re: Lexapro and 5-HTP [Re: MK Ultra]
#7527176 - 10/17/07 10:38 AM (16 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
MK Ultra said: Definitely don't take them together. I took Lexapro for about 1 year and here's what happened:
1st month felt great, how I imagine "normal" people feel. Conversation was easier for me and I felt a general sense of well-being. I found it far more potent than other psychiatric meds I'd taken.
After that 1st month, I felt that familiar zombie feeling that SSRIs and antidepressants in general give me. When I should've felt extreme emotion, good, bad, or neutral, I felt sleepy instead. My appetite was manageable, which was the only good thing about it. My creative spark was gone and I felt not good or bad, just BLAH.
Decided to quit Lexapro and go on Wellbutrin due to fatigue and sexual side effects of Lexapro. Tapered off slowly while beginning Wellbutrin at the suggestion of my doctor. Began feeling depressed, suicidal, and very violent. I slapped and spit on my roommate and tried cutting myself for the first time. When my eyes moved, I heard a "whoosh" in my head. Then I began having an acute episode of what they called "pseudoparkinsonism", which looked like a cross between a seizure, tourette's, and parkinson's disease. Went to the ER and got some Ativan and toughed out the rest of the withdrawals.
I've been free of all psychiatric drugs since December. The last thing I took was Prozac, which was also hell to ween off. Now I've put on about 20 lbs, but feel more like a real human being again.
I think it's wise to do plenty of research before starting something like Lexapro, because it can be hell to get off of when you're ready. Unless you're suicidal, having full-on hallucinations, can't function (hold down a job, make friends, etc.) in every day life, or have a serious condition like OCD that prevents you from experiencing even the slightest happiness, I'd say it's just not worth it. I take 5-HTP now to lose the weight, and it does suppress my appetite. I also feel calmer on the days I do take it (not everyday due to my apprehension of developing EMS). You might also try SAM-e or DHEA. Yoga, sunlight and fresh air, walnuts, cannabis, laughing, and other such things can naturally boost serotonin levels, as well.
Hope you find what you're looking for. Keep doing your research and feel free to IM me with further questions, as this is a subject close to my heart. I took medication of one kind or another for 6 years starting at age 16 and have done research on these drugs, so I speak from both first-hand experience and factual information.
Peace.
Sounds very similar to my experience with Lexapro..... The doc told me it may take a few weeks to take effect, but I noticed within 3 days, and even had people commenting on how positive and uplifting I was.... Food was fucking fantastic. I never realized the enjoyment of eating could be so strong.... I began to keep my temper under control. Things didnt bother me so much. I had a smooth enough mind to think before I acted and defuse situations in my mind..... The wife loved me on it..... Then, things began to go south after about 6 months. I realized that I didn't care at all about anything and didnt care that I didnt care.... I had a guy run into the back of a new car that I had bought the day before and just shrugged it off and told him it was fine.....(crazy) And this was when I realized that maybe there is a threshold to not letting things bother me. So I considered my options. 1 was to increase the dosage, as I was told I may have to over time. the other option was to quit.... Well, I had already started getting awful side effects like vertigo, the brain zaps and tingles... The worst was that sex wasn't all that enjoyable anymore. There were times where I just gave up on ejaculation and orgasm during sex... So, I decided to taper off... IT took 3 months to taper down to nothing, and several months after that to become normal again... It seemed to help, but the cost at which it did were pretty high.
|
fake estate
didgin it out
Registered: 10/13/07
Posts: 265
Loc: NC
Last seen: 1 month, 5 days
|
Re: Lexapro and 5-HTP [Re: Fraggin]
#7527519 - 10/17/07 12:18 PM (16 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
Ive been taking 5htp and it does help. Ive never been on SSRIs but Im assuming it is a much more subtle effect, healthier too. Since Ive been on it Ive had much more vivid dreams, usually good ones too. Appetite is slightly suppressed and thats help me burn off a couple pounds of fat...
all in all its a great supplement to add to your diet
-------------------- eat more algae.
|
Compass
Ancient Light
Registered: 10/17/06
Posts: 1,149
Loc: The Border of Reality
Last seen: 7 years, 3 months
|
|
Yeah I'm enjoying the 5-htp.
Thanks for all the advice.
|
MK Ultra
Stranger
Registered: 09/15/07
Posts: 70
Last seen: 14 years, 10 months
|
Re: Lexapro and 5-HTP [Re: Compass]
#7529495 - 10/17/07 10:31 PM (16 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
Thanks for sharing your story, Fraggin. It's important to let people know that SSRIs and other psyciatric medications aren't harmless mood boosters like the doctors and drug companies would have us believe.
|
DimensionX
King of Birds
Registered: 09/26/07
Posts: 5,486
Loc: Australia
Last seen: 2 years, 1 month
|
Re: Lexapro and 5-HTP [Re: MK Ultra]
#7530242 - 10/18/07 06:34 AM (16 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
I was on lexapro for awhile, it helped me alot, helped me turn my life around actually. I had a really good doctor though, i also had a psychiatrist, they were really careful with dosage, for example the effects i had were so subtle, i didnt feel any massive un natural mood lift, i just felt my normal level of motivation return. I didnt feel like i was on drugs, i felt normal again. I think this is what it is meant to be like.
|
some1whoisntme
Stranger
Registered: 09/21/05
Posts: 882
Last seen: 9 years, 1 month
|
Re: Lexapro and 5-HTP [Re: Compass]
#7535506 - 10/19/07 01:32 PM (16 years, 5 months ago) |
|
|
I took lexapro for somewhere around 6 months and had a very similar experience to the two already shared in this thread.
The first two days I took it nothing happened that I noticed The third day I felt fantastic like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I could see more clearly. The seventh day I spent laying on the floor, totally blank. This was my first clue this shit was fucking up my brain. After a month or so I was going out with this girl... I never liked her, I was just such a happy, confident, totally sure of everything person that I was bored one night and asked her to a movie, drove her home, made out with her in my car and we were off! It was a while after this that I realized the side effects. I had more sex drive than ever and felt very strongly attracted to people but I couldn't ejaculate at all. I also had times where I just gave up because I just couldn't get there. How FRUSTRATING! A few months later I met a girl I actually really liked and we went out for a while and it was good for a while, but she liked to take her own SSRI medication intermittently which is the WORST idea and made her very difficult to be around because I didn't know who I was going to get at any given time. I decided to quit taking lexapro. I spent a month tapering to 5mg and another month tapering to nothing, using a razor blade to cut my pills into tiny little chunks, taking only one pill a week and STILL got withdrawal effects when I stopped. NOTHING was good, EVERYTHING was terrible, I felt those "electrical wooshes" originating in my brain and moving down my arms every time I moved my eyes and had panic attacks for several months after. I'd say I was about back to where I was before I started taking it about a year later. All in all, taking lexapro was an experience I'm glad I had for the simple fact it taught me a lot about addiction and neurochemistry, but the month or so of extreme pleasantness I experienced was in no way worth the long-lasting neurochemical imbalance caused by its use. I do not reccomend lexapro or any other SSRI unless you do not feel you have the power to keep yourself alive without drugs to provide you a time of clarity and happiness and show you life is worth living, and even then, I'd try a lot of other drugs before resorting to SSRIs. Probability dictates they will work for a small, small portion of depressed people, but there are a lot of other drugs and a lot of other methods of healing a depressed mindstate besides taking drugs.
I'm not sure what 5-htp does to me, though I have taken it on many occasions It seems to have a subtle, ambiguous effect on me... I have some and I'm feeling pretty odd today, maybe I'll pop one for shits and giggles.
-------------------- "Ignore the distortion you're forced to percieve and believe that what supercedes is love, but who agrees?"
|
Pycnogenol
anti-oxidant
Registered: 10/09/07
Posts: 187
Loc: San Lorenzo
|
Re: Lexapro and 5-HTP [Re: Compass]
#7541281 - 10/21/07 12:29 AM (16 years, 4 months ago) |
|
|
5-htp is ok in moderation, but stay far far away from goverment nazi mind control drugs lexapro
|
|