11 replies to this topic

[jillgorges]

Hello, I am about 2 1/2 weeks off of Cymbalta 60mg (cold turkey=hell)...Honestly, I can handle the brain zapps even though they do suck. What I am having a hard time with is the roller coaster of emotions. Anxiety and feeling depressed like my heart hurts or I can't breathe. And the unexpected anger/rage that comes up is seriously hideous. I seriously feel insane! I have been trying to research natural supplements that will help with this stuff. Does anyone have any reviews on either the 5-HTP or SAM-e? 

[fishinghat]

Jill

 

There is a lot of info on those two on this site. You might consider doing a search. Five Notions, who is very familiar with these, will probably chime in later as well.

[fishinghat]

You might check this out on the 5htp....

 

https://www.cymbalta...5htp#entry54278

[fishinghat]

Here is some info on 5HTP you might consider.

 

A special thanks to Lady Nancy for much of this info.

 

5 HTP

 

Warnings on its use.

http://www.ncbi.nlm....les/PMC3415362/

 

Moderate effect of 5HTP on anxiety

http://www.ncbi.nlm..../pubmed/3312397

 

Side Effects

5-HTP is POSSIBLY SAFE when taking by mouth. However, some people who have taken it have come down with eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS), a serious condition involving extreme muscle tenderness (myalgia) and blood abnormalities (eosinophilia). Some people think EMS might be caused by an accidental ingredient (contaminant) in some 5-HTP products. However, there is not enough scientific evidence to know if EMS is caused by 5-HTP, a contaminant, or some other factor. Until more is known, 5-HTP should be used cautiously.

Other potential side effects of 5-HTP include heartburn, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, drowsiness, sexual problems, and muscle problems.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: 5-HTP is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth when pregnant or breast-feeding. Avoid using it.

Down syndrome: There are reports of 5-HTP causing seizures in some people with Down syndrome. In one group studied, 15% of people with Down syndrome receiving long-term 5-HTP treatment experienced seizures.

 

Interactions

Medications for depression (Antidepressant drugs) interacts with 5-HTP

5-HTP increases a brain chemical called serotonin. Some medications for depression also increase serotonin. Taking 5-HTP along with these medications for depression might increase serotonin too much (seratonin syndrome) cause serious side effects including heart problems, shivering, and anxiety. Do not take 5-HTP if you are taking medications for depression.

Some of these medications for depression include fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), amitriptyline (Elavil), clomipramine (Anafranil), imipramine (Tofranil), and others.

In addition, there are many other drug interactions with 5htp.

References

 

5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is a chemical that the body makes from tryptophan (an essential amino acid, which you get from food). After tryptophan is converted into 5-HTP, the chemical is then changed into another chemical called serotonin (a neurotransmitter, which relays signals between brain cells). 5-HTP dietary supplements help raise serotonin levels in the brain. Since serotonin helps regulate mood and behavior, 5-HTP may have a positive effect on sleep, mood, anxiety, appetite, and pain sensation.

5-HTP is not found in the foods we eat, although tryptophan is. Eating foods with tryptophan does not increase 5-HTP levels very much, however. As a supplement, 5-HTP is made from the seeds of an African plant called Griffonia simplicifolia.
Source: http://www.umm.edu/a...m#ixzz2Q0VyOr4w
 

5-hydroxytryptophan has been used in alternative medicine as an aid to relieve the symptoms of anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, insomnia, chronic headaches, premenstrual syndrome, binge-eating related to obesity, attention deficit disorder, and chronic headaches. 5-hydroxytryptophan has also been used in treating certain seizures and symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Source: http://www.drugs.com/

 

"Don’t use 5-HTP until more is known. 5-HTP might be UNSAFE."

Source: http://www.webmd.com/

 

A total of 74 drugs (242 brand and generic names) are known to interact with 5-hydroxytryptophan.

55 major drug interactions

19 moderate drug interactions

For the complete list and to see what the interaction is go to:

http://www.drugs.com...=3&generic_only

 

1. 5-HTP is changed into serotonin

2. Our body uses tryptophan to make 5-HTP

3. Vitamin B6, vitamin C, folic acid and magnesium are necessary for the metabolization of tryptophan. In addition, tyrosine and phenylalanine compete with tryptophan for absorption.

4. Several dietary, lifestyle, and health factors reduce the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin, including cigarette smoking, high sugar intake, alcohol abuse, excessive consumption of protein, hypoglycemia and diabetes.

5. Depression, anxiety, irritability, impatience, impulsiveness, inability to concentrate, weight gain or unexplained weight loss, slow growth in children, overeating and/or carbohydrate cravings, poor dream recall, and insomnia can all be signs that a person may need more tryptophan.

6. The following foods contain tryptophan: red meat, dairy products, nuts, seeds, legumes, soybeans and soy products, tuna, shellfish, and turkey.

 

[fishinghat]

For info on SAM-e you might read...

 

http://www.webmd.com...edientName=SAMe

[maria323]

I heard that Kava helps with anxiety as well. Has anyone had any success with it?

[fishinghat]

Kava can be very dangerous.

 

Kava is UNSAFE when taken by mouth. Don’t use it. Serious illness, including liver damage, has occurred even with short-term use of normal doses. The use of kava for as little as one to three months has resulted in the need for liver transplants, and even death. Early symptoms of liver damage include yellowed eyes and skin (jaundice), fatigue, and dark urine. If you decide to take kava, despite warnings to the contrary, be sure to get frequent liver function tests.  (Drugs.com)

 

There are many research articles that confirm this danger.
 

[jillgorges]

Thanks everyone!!! There is so much info to take in Its overwhelming! Still haven't made any choices on supplements as of now

[thismoment]

Jill

With the supplements you are talking about experimenting with, it would be prudent to talk to pharmacists, read all you can, and keep a journal so you know where you're at when things change.

Here's what I would do at a month off cold turkey-- keep the anxiety down, eat a light healthy balanced diet, get moderate exercise (walk a lot if able), drink no alcohol, take no supplements, drink plenty of water, find distractions that engage me and take my mind off itself, look into Mindfulness for coping with emotional excursions and to reduce that voice inside my head that just keeps saying things.

That's what I would do, but I'm not suggesting you attempt something so radical. Consider some aspects of it though.

[Amysgarden]

I started taking 5-HTP out of sheer desperation to get the rage and suicidal ideation under control when I went cold turkey last August. You really have to read up on the risks and side effects. I don't know how much of my digestive and weight crash issues were Cymbalta withdrawal or the 5-HTP. Now going on 8 months, it's getting better. I still take the 5-HTP, at a very low dosage...50mg. It definitely helped with the extreme crash. I tried quitting it back at the end of December, only to have the depression issues return, so I'm not imagining that it helps me. YMMV.

[katrand65]

I thought I'd chime in on this topic. I have Hashimoto's, am hypothyroid and just started to wean off of cymbalta.  Magnesium Taurate helps many of my friends in my FTPO group with anxiety - it helps calm the mind.  Also, magnesium citrate can help with sleep. 

 

Keep in mind that most magnesium supplements that are found in drug stores, Meijer, or Walmart are primarily magnesium oxide which is very difficult for the body to absorb. Mag taurate and citrate are much more bio-available.  I take 400 mg of mag citrate at night and 625 mg of mag malate in the morning (for energy). 

 

I also add Bragg's apple cider vinegar to my orange juice every morning to aid in absorption of my thyroid meds and supplements.

 

kat

[fishinghat]

I also frequently recommend magnesium. The mag oxide you mentioned is not only hard to absorb but is hard on the stomach. You are right the Mag T and C you mentioned are good options as is amino acid chelated magnesium which is the most bioavailable and it also supplies amino acids for maintaining protein. People suffering from anxiety release more magnesium and calcium than a normal person so supplementation should be considered depending on your dietary intake.

 

A little caution on the vinegar, which has been shown effective, added vinegar ingestion by women has been linked to increases in vaginal infections due to changes in blood and vaginal pH.