5htp and benzos
-
Guest
HollyJ-You know, I am not sure. I know that Wellbutrin is in the same class. Serzone was taken off the market in 1998, but the generic (which I take) is still available. I have taken this med since 1994, and felt so good 2 years ago I stopped. Lots of stress, fell back into the pit of anxiety and depression. I went back on it 10 weeks ago and remember why I was Ok for so long. My doc initially put me on Cymbalta (an SSRI) not wanting to represcribe the old, faithful drug I had been on for so long. Cymbalta was a DISASTER! took 15 weeks off my life, on for 7 weeks, and trying to wean off for 8 weeks. It was horribe. Now I am on the right med. No benzos, just good vitamin routine, exercise, massage, yoga, and the program. I'm good to go. I would love to hear you feel better. I have followed many of your posts. I too am having hormone issues. But I am 49 years old and perimenopausal. That has not helped my condition, only aggrivated it.
-
Guest
Frances, This is what I found that could explain what 5htp is better than i could. 
"5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that is the intermediate step between tryptophan and the important brain chemical serotonin. There is a massive amount of evidence that suggests that low serotonin levels are a common consequence of modern living. The lifestyle and dietary practices of many people living in this stress-filled era results in lowered levels of serotonin within the brain. As a result, many people are overweight, crave sugar and other carbohydrates, experience bouts of depression, get frequent headaches, and have vague muscle aches and pain. All of these maladies are correctable by raising brain serotonin levels. The primary therapeutic applications for 5-HTP are low serotonin states as listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Conditions associated with low serotonin levels helped by 5-HTP
Depression
Obesity
Carbohydrate craving
Bulimia
Insomnia
Narcolepsy
Sleep apnea
Migraine headaches
Tension headaches
Chronic daily headaches
Premenstrual syndrome
Fibromyalgia"
"5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that is the intermediate step between tryptophan and the important brain chemical serotonin. There is a massive amount of evidence that suggests that low serotonin levels are a common consequence of modern living. The lifestyle and dietary practices of many people living in this stress-filled era results in lowered levels of serotonin within the brain. As a result, many people are overweight, crave sugar and other carbohydrates, experience bouts of depression, get frequent headaches, and have vague muscle aches and pain. All of these maladies are correctable by raising brain serotonin levels. The primary therapeutic applications for 5-HTP are low serotonin states as listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Conditions associated with low serotonin levels helped by 5-HTP
Depression
Obesity
Carbohydrate craving
Bulimia
Insomnia
Narcolepsy
Sleep apnea
Migraine headaches
Tension headaches
Chronic daily headaches
Premenstrual syndrome
Fibromyalgia"
-
Guest
Holly, I don't know anything about 5htp, but I do know about Welbutrin. I've been taking bupropion, which is the generic version of wellbutrin, for about 8 years. I am in the process of trying to wean myself from it with the help of this program. I need to change insurance companies, so I'm trying to cut out as many prescriptions as possible before I make the change.
My husband is on medicare, but I won't be eligible for 12 more years. Since he is retired and I don't work, we'll have to buy insurance just for me. I didn't realize how expensive it is going to be. I'm also on hrt (I'm 54), so that's more prescriptions.
I will have to say, though, that bupropion helped me very much with virtually no side effects. I had tried other antidepressants in the past that caused more problems than they helped.
The first week on welbutrin, I barely slept. After that week, my body got used to it and I didn't have that problem. What welbutrin did for me is, it "took the edge off" my extreme bad feelings. I never felt like they weren't there, but I had a calmer feeling and was more able to deal with my problems.
I know we are all different, and what works for some may not work for others. I hope to get off of it because of my insurance, but if I have to stay on it, I will.
Good luck to you.
My husband is on medicare, but I won't be eligible for 12 more years. Since he is retired and I don't work, we'll have to buy insurance just for me. I didn't realize how expensive it is going to be. I'm also on hrt (I'm 54), so that's more prescriptions.
I will have to say, though, that bupropion helped me very much with virtually no side effects. I had tried other antidepressants in the past that caused more problems than they helped.
The first week on welbutrin, I barely slept. After that week, my body got used to it and I didn't have that problem. What welbutrin did for me is, it "took the edge off" my extreme bad feelings. I never felt like they weren't there, but I had a calmer feeling and was more able to deal with my problems.
I know we are all different, and what works for some may not work for others. I hope to get off of it because of my insurance, but if I have to stay on it, I will.
Good luck to you.
Hi Holly J:
I am taking 5-htp. But I haven't been on it long enough to tell what my results are.
But I believe that it helps. So I sent my daughter some of it as she has some depression.
So I've a favor to ask of you.
Would you send me the description about it (in your above message) via e-mail. So that I can forward it to my daughter? I don't know how to get something off here and forward.
My email addy is:
gabby1928@sbcglobal.net
Thank you very much in advance.
Mary Jane
I am taking 5-htp. But I haven't been on it long enough to tell what my results are.
But I believe that it helps. So I sent my daughter some of it as she has some depression.
So I've a favor to ask of you.
Would you send me the description about it (in your above message) via e-mail. So that I can forward it to my daughter? I don't know how to get something off here and forward.
My email addy is:
gabby1928@sbcglobal.net
Thank you very much in advance.
Mary Jane