Posted by bleauberry on November 8, 2010, at 5:19:40 [reposted on November 24, 2010, at 0:39:42 | original URL]
In reply to Optimax / tryptophan anyone?, posted by JMS600 on November 7, 2010, at 18:46:55
> Has anyone any experience with taking prescibed tryptophan for treatment resistant anxiety and depression? If so, how successful was it?
>
> I know simply trying to raise serotonin levels is not always the answer. But when most drugs have been tried unsuccessfully, isn't it time to consider alternatives such as tryptophan as an 'add on'??
>
>Tryptophan is a fair option and easy enough to try. I don't put much faith in pure serotonin strategies though.
With tryptophan there are a lot of assumptions...your body is converting B vitamins correctly...your body will convert tryptophan correctly...norepinephrine and dopamine are fine....these are pretty big assumptions in my opinion. More than likely, in my guess, all of these things are not working right.
But it is worth a try.
When psych meds just don't work, common logic says. "it is somethinig else". That's when it makes sense to turn the focus to food choices, detoxification, chronic infections, and inflammation. None of these are easily or reliably tested or diagnosed. You kind of have to just assume they are problems. One thing in common with all of them.....depression is a symptom and it doesn't respond well to psych drugs because the psych drugs are doing nothing to hit that problem.
The body is kind of like a garbage can. It needs to be cleaned out and it needs as little garbage as possible going into it. This is especially important when there is chronic disease present.
What I am saying is, in your alternative searches, do not look exclusively for or even primarily at brain altering substances. Look at substances that do other disease fighting stuff. When the disease is altered, so is the depression.
poster:bleauberry
thread:969029
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20101117/msgs/971160.html