posted
Hi everyone, Teenage daughter and I are looking into natural supplement for our depressed brains.
Has anyone been helped by 5htp or sam-e?
I thinked we have toughed it out enough and have been doing a little walking along with cheery chatter and good fresh food and our vitamins.
Obviously we need to take a look at what natural supps for depression have to offer.Thanks,RG
Posts: 140 | From Texas | Registered: May 2006
| IP: Logged |
lymie tony z
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5130
posted
you can try st johns wart....I believe it's called...
Did'nt have luck with sam E for depression myself...
Did'nt have luck with anything "natural" and had tough enough time with psychotropics till I landed on lexapro...
paxil helped too but was afraid to stay on it too long cuz of the withdrawal....
anyway....what are ya gonna do when you swing around to the manic side this disease causes?
That's why ya should get on an ssri..IMHO...zman
-------------------- I am not a doctor...opinions expressed are from personal experiences only and should never be viewed as coming from a healthcare provider. zman Posts: 2527 | From safety harbor florida(origin Cleve., Ohio | Registered: Jan 2004
| IP: Logged |
5dana8
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7935
posted
I have used st. John's wart for sometime. It does work for mild to moderate depression.
It has some contradictios so you will have to ask your LLMD about this herb.
posted
I found high doses of fish oils greatly helped my depression and anxiety - it might be worth a try.
Posts: 263 | From UK | Registered: Mar 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I found 5HTP to help. But, my dr also had me take certain amino acids to help the body support it.
I had a neuro screening done first so they could monitor what I did and did not need.
My friend was taking SAMe but is not sure if it helped because he started taking scripts soon after.
Posts: 240 | From MA | Registered: Nov 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I recently realized that my low mood and poor sleep might be due to clinical depression rather than just the day to day of dealing with this sucky disease.
But I hated the thought of going through the trial and error of finding an antidepressant that worked without unacceptable side effects -- something I spent several years doing in the past only to find St. Johns Wort the most helpful at alleviating my depression with no noticeable side effects.
So I tried it again and after 3 or 4 weeks really noticed a big difference. What surprised me most is how much my sleep has improved. Sleep has been a huge issue for me for years.
I can't say I cleared the SJW with my LLMD before I started -- as I should have -- but she was fine with it when we talked about it at my last appt. The fact that it was already helping me no doubt helped my case.
Everyone's body is so different. I have experienced mania on some SSRI's but never on St. John's Wort. However, I agree that it's a good idea to have someone knowledgeable supervising it.
Good luck.
Posts: 164 | From USA | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
Radiogirl: Supplement with fish oil (for essential fatty acids) and magnesium.
Essential fatty acids are vital for the body to maintain cell membranes.
Google for Mary Enig, and read some of her articles about essential fatty acids.
Magnesium is necessary for all of our enzyme processes.
The Lyme bacteria deplete magnesium in our muscle and nerve cells.
Google for magnesium and depression to find information about this.
Carol
Posts: 6947 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
| IP: Logged |
sometimesdilly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9982
posted
i second Carol in a big way about magnesium. it just helped me in a big way-- i forgot to take it for at least several weeks, and probably is no coincidence a real depression resulted soon after that lasted for weeks. Feel better after 3-4 days back magnesium.
i'd strongly suggest that no matter what else you add to it.
one more thing to add would be radiola rosea, an herb. highly recommended as well.
Posts: 2507 | From lost in the maze | Registered: Aug 2006
| IP: Logged |
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
GiGi
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 259
posted
I was in an on and off depression for many years. Everything in my life was fine and I could never figure out why. The minute my heavy metal detox was taking place, which was initiated so that I could get rid of Lyme, the depression left, left, left - I have not been depressed a single day since then - even while I was still working on getting rid of Lyme. Even when some of the world around me collapses, I am no longer depressed.
Environmental toxins are a huge factor in depression. Just look around - half the world is trying to hide depression --- it's in young and old and many do not have Lyme Disease.
Hope you find your solution. Not everything is Lyme caused.
Take care.
Posts: 9834 | From Washington State | Registered: Oct 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
if you do the 5htp there is something you need to take along with it....it might be the amino acids the the previous poster noted. Good luck. )
Posts: 56 | From bayarea | Registered: Nov 2006
| IP: Logged |
clairenotes
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10392
posted
My favorites are htp and theonine (an amino acid that helps with clearer thinking). Htp can be a little sedating at first, too, until your body gets used to it.
Also, never forget a good quality magnesium supplement.
Best wishes,
Claire
Posts: 1111 | From Colorado | Registered: Oct 2006
| IP: Logged |
klutzo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5701
posted
5HTP is a potent vasodilator. If you have heart damage from Lyme like I do, or high cardiac risk factors, especially blockage and/or high blood pressure, please do not take it, at least not without close supervision. It almost killed me....I ended up on a cardiac event monitor, barely able to walk. I had arterial spasm from it, which could easily happen to anyone deficient in Magnesium, which is most Lymies.
St. John's Wort has a high rate of allergic reactions, so be aware if you have pollen allergies.
I am not pooh-poohing these things, just advisng caution, from my own experiences. I hope they do help you.
I already take fish oil and krill oil with no help there. SamE did not work for me either. That does not mean they won't work for you though!
I finally had all of my hormones checked and found that my Dhea was much too low. MY doctor says if there is no joy in your life, your Dhea will fall. Taking a small Dhea supplement has helped some, but not enough. You might want to get hormone testing if nothing else works for you.
Good luck,
Klutzo
Posts: 1269 | From Clearwater, Florida, USA | Registered: May 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
I find that fish oil ( I use Carlson's lemon flavored in a bottle about a half teaspoon or so dailY ) Makes my zoloft MUCH more effective .
NOTE : 5 HTP must be used WITH Vit B6 to be effective. If you are not on an anti depressant , you could try a combo of : 5 HTP, fish oil, and L phenylalinine . These are all precursors for the production of serotonin and dopamine ( mood neurotransmitters ) .
L phenylalinine and 5HTP are amino acids that DEPEND on Vit B6 to be absorbed . Both combined can make a big difference with concentration and moods . I think fish oil is also a helper ( So does Harvard ) .
I have read multiple anecdotal reports on rhodiola being a help with depression .
posted
I see a Homeopathic LLMD who recommended NADH for depression. I started taking it last year but only around my menstrual cycle (which was when the depression was the worst) It was unbelievable how it worked. Everytime I get even alittle bit deppressed I take one and its completely gone.
posted
Allegedly, Rhodiola is just the absolute wonder-supplement for depression. There are a few books about it by psychiatrists. I haven't tried it, but I hear good reports from my Lymie friends that have.
I have tried Rhodiola, but not for depression. From what my LLMD told me Dr. F has been doing research on it for treating lyme and Bartonella (from what I remember) I did herx from it about an hour after taking it.
Although I did read that it was good for anxiety and social disorders.
This is also what I have read on it:
"Some studies have shown Rhodiola benefits such varied areas as increased learning capacity and memory enhancement, regulation of menstrual periods and infertility, reduction of side effects from cancer chemotherapy, increased sexual libidio and erectile dysfunction, enhancement of thyroid gland function, increased capacity for work and endurance, and protection from environmental toxins."
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic