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Supplements and natural remedies for fibro

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Posted 5/28/2010 2:35 AM (GMT 0)
Has anyone taken 5-HTP? Does it help? Any feedback would be wonderful about anything I can do that will make me feel better.
Much Love
Posted 6/12/2010 3:42 PM (GMT 0)
I haven't but I've heard of other things that might help a little. Sorry I don't remember what it is.

Hara - brain fog

Posted 6/12/2010 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
I've tried 5 HTP and I didn't find it helped at all but everyone is diffierent and I guess you won't know unless you try it. It's supposed to help you sleep better.
Posted 6/12/2010 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
Try Melitonen (sp). It helps with the sleep.

Or Klonopin might work. It also keeps the anxiety level down.

Trazadon might help.

Talk to your Dr about these meds.

HARA

Posted 6/12/2010 7:26 PM (GMT 0)
5HTP is suppose to be good for depression too.
Posted 6/13/2010 3:55 AM (GMT 0)
As usual, when I don't know much about a topic or question I go read on the web whatever resources seem as non-biased as possible. Reading articles by people who sell a product isn't what I consider good information.

One thing I ran across that was very disturbing is the 'trend' to preload with 5HTP before taking ecstacy. Users claim it takes away some of the toxicity of the ecstacy and possible some of the harmful side effects. NOT a good situation there.

Another item that came through in some of these articles is that an increase in anxiety is common in about 50% of the people who take 5HTP. Also, if you have heart valve issues it's either best not to take it or ask your cardiologist.

That said, here are links to a couple of places that have comprehensive information on 5HTP:

www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/5htp_myth.htm

depression.about.com/cs/altmed5htp/f/5htp.htm

Chutz
Posted 6/13/2010 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
@Chutz - when you do ecstasy, the next day you are super depressed so that's why people eat a ton of it before they roll as it helps with that aspect of the crash afterwards.

Squrrile - if you are having some issues with minor depression/anxiety, i'd just talk to your doctor before starting up a natural supplement as some of them will interact with your prescription meds. If you're interested in natural/homeopathic remedies, there are great sites out there if you research homeopathic healing / herbology / Eastern medicine / Native American remedies as well as books that are guides for what's available in nature and what it can do for you. Search under those strings for suggestions of books to get, which you can get at a library or bookstore if you're able to purchase them.

The internet, especially when one does searches for herbal supplements, is not a good source of information for that yet as most of the results are going to be ads paid for by manufacturers and it takes a lot of wading to get through the bad information.

@Hara - Melatonin helps so many people! Sadly, when I was taking it, it gave me crazy night terrors =) But it can help get back on a sleep schedule and that helps a lot with pain, overall.
Posted 6/13/2010 2:15 PM (GMT 0)

Also...5htp is not to be taken with SSRI's of any kind as it can boost seratonin to dangerous levels.  The same for St. John's Wort...and many other 'natural remedies' that are sold as antidepressants.  So...I would ask your pharmacist about this if you are on any other meds before adding this to the mix.

Huggies

Donna

Posted 6/13/2010 3:02 PM (GMT 0)
I have a friend that takes only natural supplements. She sees a homeopathic doctor. But honestly she always seems to be sick. So I don't know how much that they actually help.

And yes, consult the doctor before starting. They don't all mix with prescription medications, especially with anti depressants.

Do your homework, but check with the doctor first.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 6/14/2010 7:32 PM (GMT 0)
Just another word of warning read the paper that the pharmasist gives you if you are taking Cymbalta. I am taking it and it's doing great for my depression and my fibro. It can however interfer with the other anti-depression drugs like (ex.) Zoloft, Effexor, Trazadon and so on. If you are a Diabetic you need to watch your blood sugars to.

 

HARA

Posted 6/15/2010 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
It shouldn't be taken with tramadol.
Posted 6/15/2010 6:47 AM (GMT 0)

Dagger said...
It shouldn't be taken with tramadol.

I'm allergic to Tramadol anyways.

 

HARA

Posted 6/15/2010 1:34 PM (GMT 0)
I have found that Vitamin D3 has REALLY helped my Fibro pain alot. Give a try, can't hurt and its good for you too.
Posted 6/16/2010 7:47 AM (GMT 0)
I take Vit. D-3 also, not sure if it's working. Don't know what it's suppose to do either.

 

HARA

Posted 6/16/2010 5:00 PM (GMT 0)
wow thanks everyone! I didn't expect to get so much feedback. yeah I just have so many friends that are addicted to prescription meds and I don't want that for myself. I would rather see what else I can do to make me feel better. and I do take melatonin before I go to bed but it gives me anxiety attacks in the middle of the night sometimes so I might discontinue use of that. and I am currently taking St. John's Wort, Vitamins C, B, D, and E, and a few other vitamins. I notice a difference in energy.. but not much else. but thank you all for your feedback I will definitely take everything into consideration. And I am going to research homeopathic remedies right now!
Posted 6/16/2010 8:56 PM (GMT 0)
Wow! Thanks for the posts. My pain doc told me he was considering putting me on Cymbalta or Savella if increasing the gabapentin didn't help with pain. I was going to ask my PCP for Cymbalta when my pain doc didn't believe I had a bad reaction to raising the dose of gabapentin. Since I do take tramadol, that could have been lethal, according to what I read after looking them up from your posts.

I see there is the same warning for Savella with tramadol! Gabapentin is on the list too! Interestingly, tramadol may possibly interact even with vitamin D, according to Drugs. Wiki says that St John's Wort can cause seratonin syndrome all on its own.

Since I have already had some mild experience with serotonin syndrome, I'll have to check for interactions even more carefully.

I have no pain med but tramadol that works and I tolerate, I'll type up an interaction list to take with me when I visit my doctors. Maybe my apnea problem was brought on by the higher dose of gagapentin because I was taking tramadol.
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