Deplin - what to expect, time frame, side effects?

Hi Anne,

I don't know anything about deplin, other than what I read on the forum today. Was it folic acid? And I think that I read that it helps other medications work better. If I am wrong, please correct me, I am counting on my memory and that just doesn't cut it. I will have to reread that other post.

Any way, I hope that you had a wonderful day today.

Hugs, Karen

Ok there is a website, I hope it's ok that I tell you here, it's deplin.com, it sounds really great, it's not folic acid, I think what my doc said was LIKE a super charged folic acid, she was very excited about it, anyway it helps your antidepressant work better, I will keep you guys up to date on how I am feeling over the next month, I read yesterday that it can take like two weeks before you start feeling it, Ill be the lab rat.

Yesterday was sorta an up day for me, I was happy and had energy, I feel good this morning but I have so much running to do, paying bills, driving all over middle Tennessee, going to the grocery store, getting my kids signed up for summer classes, getting tags renewed, and yes I am registering to vote today, so lets see how I feel this afternoon, did I tell you that I am doing all this with a 9 yr old, a 7 yr old, and a 1 yr old. This should be lovely. Maybe my mood will hold. Pray for me!

Here is hoping your mood stays elevated and my yes I remember the days I ran around with 4 little kids in the car so I know where your coming from.

Do keep us posted on the med, I am very curious to see how you do on it.  You are our guinea pig..............

Hugs
Kitt

I am sorry I haven't been back in a while, everything has been very busy with my children being out of school, last week they had an art class at the center here in town and we were out alot. I am only on week two and haven't really felt any differently. I feel as though I am stuck about half way up a pole, I am not down really but not up either, just kinda in the middle. Maybe it's because I haven't really had time to think, it seems like everyday there is something I have to do, but this next week we have nothing planned excepts for trips to the park near here to play. Anyway, it says that it takes about two weeks so I am hoping it will boost next week, we will see what happens. I will keep you updated. I am also trying to loose weight so that may be playing part in my recovery, along with the prices of everything going up, I seem to worry about everything, yesterday in the grocery store I nearly started crying while looking at the prices on the baby food, I finally gave up and just walked away.

Hello Jill,

Welcome to Healing Well. I am so happy that you have posted.

Sometimes when we start more than one medication at a time, we aren't sure which is causing what. I hope you figure your headaches out. I hope that your anti depressants work good for you. I didn't realize that the dephlin could work so fast.

Thank you for your input, keep posting.

hugs, Karen

Hello Jill,
Welcome to HealingWell and the Depression Forum. If you would like to start your own thread that would be great and we can all get to know you better
I will be interested in the Deplin and how you think it is working a few weeks down the road.
Sheryl, this is a fairly new med and I am still wonderinf myself why I have to use another med to make the med I take work better............but I am not a scientist.
Hugs Kitt

I’m glad to find this discussion of Deplin as I can add a few things from my experiences as well as a few questions.

I started taking Deplin as part of Stage III Clinical trials of the product in Feb 2007, and have been taking it since that point.

In terms of effect it takes about 5 days. The premise of the product is that it compensates for a defect in the CH5 gene which is involved in foliate metabolism
which is critical to neurotransmitter production. about 10% of the general population have is defect, while 45% of those with clinical depression have it.
I was taking Lexapro when I started taking Deplin. It seemed to give me a large lift in mood and functionality that lasted several months and ended my depression.

On possible side effect of Deplin is sleep disturbance: I keep waking up every 2 or 3 hours.


I stopped taking Lexapro about 6 months ago as the depression ended about a year ago. I've continued taking Deplin as part of the study but since that ended
I have to pay the $114 a month myself and with no insurance that a lot of money. So I'm going to stop taking it and see what happens.

In theory if I don't have the genetic defect it shouldn't matter.

Does anyone know of a drug company trade group that helps low income people pay for medications?

I was gonna say the same thing the maunfaturer
usally has programs to help people who have no insurance or cannot afford it.

Just wanted to post that our pdoc added Deplin to my son's regimen and to mine. I didn't notice a big difference in the effectiveness of my drug cocktail but my son has noticed improved mood.

Our insurances don't cover, they consider this a supplement, not a medication. The cost is about $65 but our doc gave us a discount card that makes it $46 or so.

Hi

I have been suffering great stress in my life and I decided to go on meds. I've been taking deplin and sertraline for 3 weeks. I felt the difference in one day with the sertraline on the first week. On my follow up with my Dr. she recommended some vitamins to take for stress and had some samples of deplin as it is a folate med food. I take the sertraline and deplin in the morning along with COq10 and vitamin D-3. WIth the intense stress I had the first week of the meds I did have mild side effects, headaches and diahrrea but that subsided after a week. This is the best I feel it gives me so much energy and increased happiness. I feel like me again after 20 years of turmoil. I rejected anti depressants for years because of hearing about suicidal thoughts and its negativness to the drug. At this point in my life of so much counseling etc, I was finally ready to take something for my neuotransmitters, which like i said the sertraline i felt with in one day. THe doc said because I had such a disconnection in the neuotransmitters/ serotinin etc, it showed the anti depressent was working quickly. However the Deplin was taken a week later with the sertraline and my mood, energy hit is high in such a great way. Also I've been on a samples of the Deplin as i will run out next week. So I will have a week with out it before I see my doctor and want to see the difference of just being on andidepessent without Deplin, as the say Deplin enhances the anti-depressant. I have also heard Deplin can work by itself and I hope I can just do this rather than depend on the anti-depressant as I'm not to keen on being on Meds. However being on Deplin can deplete your B-12 I understand so that is something i'm looking into adding to my supplement list.

Good luck I like Deplin no other side effects except positive effects. I feel like a New Person.

Hello Deplin discussion ppls,

I wanted to chime in about Deplin and my experience. I was very skeptical about "super folate" doing anything for me. However, I trust my dr and decided to give it a try.

After about three weeks I did notice a difference. Nothing super-amazing but I did feel better. A little more energy, easier smile, a bit more "weight" lifted. You know what? I'll take it!!!

I do use it with my primary anti-depressant (Celexa, 40mg). My understanding is it works best with your main drug. I have zero side effects.

My opinion is that if your dr is ok with it, go ahead and give it a try. Unfortunately it is not a cheap drug, but not super expensive either. I've had good luck with the mfgr. sending me a gratis supply which got me by. Just takes a little paperwork and some patience. My doctor had tons of samples which got me started in the first place.

Good luck and God Bless.

I am wondering if there are any updated viewpoints on Deplin. I am on Pristiq and Wellbutrin and have had numerous "poop outs" with various SSRI or SNRI's and convinced my psychiatrist to let me try Deplin. It was not cheap, insurance did not cover it but a RX card from store helped. I have checked UK, Canada etc prices and they don't seem to be markedly different. I am in an unusual situation as this is also the type of practitioner I am. So I have my script as of tonight and am really hoping it will help boost my neurotransmitters. I cannot find anyone I know who really knows much about it including my doc. Pristiq worked for awhile and is still somewhat working but it is lagging now a bit. Any advice/help?