[barx]

Does anyone get really sleepy/tired for a couple of hours after you take it? I have taken 100 mg in the morning for the last two days and wow... it really makes me tired/very sleepy for a while afterwards. I don't take any prescription medications. I usually only take a multivitamin and then a few other vitamins/minerals like DHEA, Ferritin and Biotin. I've never had an issue with this combination but yesterday, I purchased 5-HTP and NAC as well as Magnesium and took them yesterday and today in the AM and I'm almost in disbelief at how powerful they are.

I purchased 5-HTP, NAC and Magnesium to help with depression/irritability. I've not been diagnosed with depression, however, I'm going through a change in life, combination of biological and circumstantial, that I'm almost certain is the reason I've become very depressed (at least I think I am) over the last four or five months. I wanted to take natural steps to healing before I turn to something more powerful.

Can anyone offer any advice on these supplements?

[ChangingMyMind]

I would suggest talking to a doctor about how you feel. In my opinion it's best to try non med/supplement treatments first. The supplements can sometimes be worse for you than antidepressant meds. They are not FDA mandated like antidepressant meds are.

CBT is psychotherapy that can be very helpful. Other things you can try are meditation, yoga, exercise, changing your diet.

I've tried it all to help my depression and for me the costs of taking any med/supplement is not worth it but if you must take meds then I agree with your approach... supplements first.

5HTP was horrible for me. It made me tired but also made me extremely thirsty and I had weird crazy dreams. You may want to try SAM-e, it's supposed to be more activating. It's the only supplement that worked for my depression without many side effects. Although it does cause anxiety for some people, it did not for me but did energize me a bit. Just be sure you get the blister packs and read up on it first, if course.

[barx]

Thanks for the insight. Now I feel terrible that I've wasted almost two full days due to this supplement. I can't begin to explain how "out of it" it makes me feel.

I will look up SAM-e. I 've never hear of it before, but then again, I've never hear of using 5-HTP until three days ago either.

[ChangingMyMind]

No problem, be careful. There are also herbs you can try as well like St Johns wort, holy basil, ginkgo biloba, saffron... You can find a whole lot of natural options. It doesn't mean you won't have side effects but I think natural is better than pharmaceuticals. Personally I am allergic to the herbs but they may work well for you.

Good luck, I wish you well!

[vans1974]

Originally Posted by barx

Does anyone get really sleepy/tired for a couple of hours after you take it? I have taken 100 mg in the morning for the last two days and wow... it really makes me tired/very sleepy for a while afterwards. I don't take any prescription medications. I usually only take a multivitamin and then a few other vitamins/minerals like DHEA, Ferritin and Biotin. I've never had an issue with this combination but yesterday, I purchased 5-HTP and NAC as well as Magnesium and took them yesterday and today in the AM and I'm almost in disbelief at how powerful they are.

I purchased 5-HTP, NAC and Magnesium to help with depression/irritability. I've not been diagnosed with depression, however, I'm going through a change in life, combination of biological and circumstantial, that I'm almost certain is the reason I've become very depressed (at least I think I am) over the last four or five months. I wanted to take natural steps to healing before I turn to something more powerful.

Can anyone offer any advice on these supplements?

From my experience they'll have minimal effects on depression and irritability. For depression, and I've tried every anti-depressant since zoloft came out, and I think that Fetzima, Nefazodone and Aplenzin are by far the most superior and effective ones! For irritability, Ativan is the best, but actually Nefazodone does help prevent it as well. Aplenzin can actually cause a little irritability, but great for depression and btw all 3 ADs are weight neutral... For almost all, it's a crap shoot, and guessing game, but I'd only take Aplenzin, Nefazodone or an SNRI like Fetzima and I like Ativan or Xanax when I'm pissed!! Good luck!

[kiwi33]

Hi barx

I agree with ChangingMyMind that it is important to talk with your doctor about this.

People who don't have underlying physical heath issues and who eat in a healthy way (minimal processed food, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grain products, oily fish, pulses, white meat, red meat in moderation, etc) are very unlikely to be deficient in vitamins or minerals.

In my opinion, for such people buying OTC alternative/complementary medicine "supplements" is a waste of money.

You could ask your doctor to refer you to a registered dietitian - they are evidence-based health professionals who can offer their clients advice about healthy eating.