Posted by Ron Hill on March 21, 2002, at 14:47:14
In reply to Re: SAM-e queries to Ron » Ron Hill, posted by lizzyg on March 21, 2002, at 11:09:22
Lizzy G,
I was thinking about you last night wondering how you are doing with your SAM-e trial. Sounds like you are experiencing some undesirable side effects.
> I tried putting the SAM-e up to 400mg last week, but it made me more agitated and impeded sleep, so I'm back down to 200mg a day, too.
Sounds wise to go back down to 200 mg. You may even benefit by lowering your daily dose down to 100 mg, at least temporarily. 100 mg tablets are not very common, but Colin found a vendor. Here is a link to their site:
http://www.fibromyalgiasupport.com/shop/product.cfm/Product__Code/n0165
As I've stated before, SAM-e serves as the methyl donor in the synthesis of various neurotransmitters within the body, including the neurotransmitter melatonin. As you know, melatonin is involved in regulating the body's sleep/wake cycle. For this reason, it is best to take the SAM-e early in the day, with no doses past about 5 pm. When I take SAM-e in accordance with these guidelines, SAM-e actually seems to enhance my sleep quality. Did the dose reduction solve the sleep problems?
Further, please define what you mean by "agitated". Do you mean irritable or overly hyper or anxiety or something else? As you may recall, when I first began SAM-e four and a half months ago, I could only take 200 mg every other day. If I took it everyday I felt "over stimulated" (like skin crawling and pins and needles throughout my body). But that went away after about a week.
> At the same time, I developed flu, so have been feeling pretty bad with that, too.Sorry you’re sick. No fun, huh?
>One worrying symptom I developed at the same time as both of these events is an irregular heartbeat, which feels as though it's 'skipping'. This happens about every 20 or 30 minutes.
> The SAM-e seems pretty good at lifting the depression, but isn't doing much for my anxiety. Previously, the antidepressants I've used seemed to do both.
> Do you think this skipped heartbeat is just due to anxiety, or could it be something to do with the SAM-e? Or is to something worse that I should REALLY be anxious about?!Lizzy, I don't like the sound of the irregular heartbeat presentation. I've never heard of this with SAM-e, but there is a lot I don't know. I experienced something similar to this in the early days of a Ritalin trial and my pdoc told me not to be concerned about it. Eventually, it went away. Lizzy, please play it safe and get an opinion from a GP or pdoc regarding this issue. Better to be safe. Also, refresh my memory by telling me the meds you're currently on. Could there be some kind of drug interaction with the SAM-e?
> Also, do you suffer from anxiety, and has the SAM-e helped you?Anxiety is not part of my formal dx; just BPII. However, when I read the list of symptoms for Generalized Anxiety Disorder, it seems to me that I should qualify for the GAD label as well as BPII. As I mentioned to Mitch yesterday when he asked the same question, SAM-e provides a soothing and calming effect which helps to take off some of my "inherited edge" and, thereby, reduces my irritability. Your mileage may vary!
Thanks for keeping in touch.
-- Ron
poster:Ron Hill
thread:98301
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020318/msgs/99236.html