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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by jrbecker76 on October 27, 2007, at 14:00:37
In reply to , posted by on December 31, 1969, at 18:00:00
my post comes with the usual disclaimer reminding everyone that I'm pretty med sensitive (to both prescription meds and supplements).....
I tried Deplin (L-methyfolate) for three days. Response was consistently poor for each day of the trial. I noticed a very mild increase in focus and attention span for the the first four to six hours after ingestion. But by mid-afternoon, I would begin to experience some irritability followed by a worsening of mood within 8 hours after ingestion. I forced myself to nap to recover from the low mood. Sleeping it off for an hour or two led me to feel somewhat refreshed but still with some lingering low mood for the rest of the evening. No real anxiety to speak of though.
My doc has mentioned, however, that he's had several patients have some fairly positive responses to it.
Posted by KayeBaby on October 27, 2007, at 14:00:37
In reply to Re: Deplin (l-methylfolate), posted by jrbecker76 on October 15, 2007, at 20:07:51
I have been out of my samples for the past couple of days and it seems like my motivation/energy may have been better on it. It could be coincidental.
I will not have insurance till Nov. so I did some digging around online and found some l-methylfolate left from before it was disontinued otc. I ordered two bottles. Of course the amount in this is in mcg. and Deplin is 7.5mg so we shall see.
Kaye
Posted by Ron Hill on October 27, 2007, at 14:00:38
In reply to Anyone tried Deplin?, posted by KayeBaby on September 24, 2007, at 17:08:31
Kaye,
I've been taking Deplin (L-methylfolate) for the past five days and, so far I am enjoying a remarkable benefit in the tx of my bipolar depressive phase. It has completely eliminated my depression.
I am currently taking 15 mg/day.
Will it last? Time will tell. But in the meantime, I'm enjoying life without depression.
What is your response to Deplin?
For those reading this post, here is the URL for the Deplin home page:
http://www.deplin.com/
Click through all the links.-- Ron
Bipolar II with ultra rapid cycling (15 day cycle), and mild Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)
600 mg/day Trileptal
200 mg/day Lamictal
875 mg/day Keppra
90 mg/day Nardil
15 mg/day Deplin--------------------------------------
> My Doc gave me samples today. Apparently it is a Rx only, highly absorpable form of folate. it is given to boost effectiveness of antidepressants in people who have less than a full AD response.
>
> I have 2 weeks worth. We shall see....
>
> Kaye
Posted by KayeBaby on October 27, 2007, at 14:00:38
In reply to , posted by on December 31, 1969, at 18:00:00
It definately has helped with energy and motivation. Depression too but i am pms-ing right now and stressed so it's a bad time for me to try to *ss*s that. I have certainly been worse...
I am not taking near the dosage you are. I might bump it up some and see how I do.Glad to hear you are getting some relief. I, too, noticed the effects on the first day.
Kaye
Posted by stargazer2 on October 27, 2007, at 14:00:39
In reply to , posted by on December 31, 1969, at 18:00:00
Hi, I am following your posts as I have TRD and have failed most AD trials. I am currently on Nardil and Nortriptylline and the response has been unremarkable although I did have a 3-4 period of improvement.
Do you both take deplin or the generic version. I will order some myself to try and join your post too. I may wait a week before I do that since I just increased the Nardil from 45 to 60 and I want to see if that does anything.
I probably will take anyway due to my poor results with most AD's.
Is there a blood test that you were given before starting deplin or generic?
Stargazer
Posted by sparkle on October 27, 2007, at 14:00:40
In reply to , posted by on December 31, 1969, at 18:00:00
stargazer, deplin is a prescription but i continue to see improvement and this is usally the time of the year my mood takes a dive. I think it is well worth a trial. blessings
Posted by Ron Hill on October 27, 2007, at 14:00:41
In reply to , posted by on December 31, 1969, at 18:00:00
> Do you both take deplin or the generic version. I will order some myself to try and join your post too.There is not a generic version of Deplin. Further, the OTC products are being forced off the market by Merck. Merck owns the patent for Metafolin (L-methylfolate), and they contend that the OTC products violate their patent rights.
You can still find some L-methylfolate OTC products if you look online, but one-by-one they are being pulled from the market.
> I may wait a week before I do that since I just increased the Nardil from 45 to 60 and I want to see if that does anything.
I make it a rule to only change one thing at a time, otherwise, I do not know what is doing what.
> Is there a blood test that you were given before starting deplin or generic?
Nope.
> Stargazer
Posted by Dr. Bob on October 27, 2007, at 14:02:46
In reply to Re: Redirect: Deplin » Dr. Bob, posted by Phillipa on October 22, 2007, at 22:58:22
> deplin is prescription only now so please redirect back to meds board.
Oops, sorry about that!
Bob
Posted by Phillipa on October 27, 2007, at 20:29:38
In reply to Re: Redirect, posted by Dr. Bob on October 27, 2007, at 14:02:46
Dr. Bob it really is a prescription and an old poster one the most knowledgeable ones who volunteerily left is doing well on it too. Thanks for looking into the fact that it is indeed a med. Phillipa
Posted by Astounder on November 1, 2007, at 20:02:36
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin? » KayeBaby, posted by Phillipa on October 27, 2007, at 14:00:24
This article explains the mechanism of Deplin (L-methylfolate):
http://www.cnsspectrums.com/aspx/article_pf.aspx?articleid=1267
The jist of it:
"Antidepressants boost the actions of one or more of the three monoamines: DA, NE, and/or 5-HT. MTHF acts as an important regulator of a critical co-factor for trimonoamine neurotransmitter synthesis. This co-factor is known as tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4).... By boosting trimonoamine neurotransmitter synthesis via enhancement of BH4, MTHF presumably is able to augment the antidepressant actions of known antidepressants."
So basically what it does is recycle BH4. BH4 is a necessary cofactor in the enzymatic conversion of L-phenylalanine to to L-tyrosine by phenylalanine hydroxylase, L-tyrosine to L-DOPA by tyrosine hydroxylase, L-tryptophan to 5-HTP by tryptophan hydroxylase. It is not a cofactor for the conversion of L-DOPA to dopamine or 5-HTP to serotonin by aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase.
Two questions: 1) Wouldn't this have the same effect as supplementing with 5-HTP + L-DOPA + carbidopa? And 2) couldn't you simply supplement BH4 directly? They do sell it online at a comparable cost to Deplin:
http://www.schircks.com/tablets/sys/tetrahydrobiopterin_tab_frame31.htm
BH4 100x 10 mg tablets = $113Quoted from Deplin website:
L-methylfolate 90x 7.5 mg tablets = $119.69
Posted by Phillipa on November 1, 2007, at 22:21:30
In reply to Antidepressant mechanism of Deplin, posted by Astounder on November 1, 2007, at 20:02:36
So you compare Deplin with Samee? Phillipa
Posted by Astounder on November 3, 2007, at 9:57:53
In reply to Re: Antidepressant mechanism of Deplin » Astounder, posted by Phillipa on November 1, 2007, at 22:21:30
> So you compare Deplin with Samee? Phillipa
Well, the way it looks like is that SAM-e's metabolite homocysteine can steal the methyl group from L-methylfolate (MTHF), turning it into THF. Both MTHF & THF can recycle BH4 using a different enzyme, cofactor, and precursor--I suppose this would make synthesis of BH4 more efficient, fully utilizing both pathways.
Homocysteine indirectly damages the walls of you blood vessels and high levels are a big risk factor for heart disease. So, recycling it into SAM-e is good for your health in general. SAM-e is a methyl donor that's important for the upkeep of a lot of cellular functions, including polyamine & mRNA synthesis. SAM-e is also a necessary cofactor in the conversion of norepinephrine to epinephrine, as well as in the metabolism of monoamines and their (neurotoxic) MAO metabolites by COMT. Conversion of NE to normetanephrine by COMT may be responsible for the latency in response to noradrenergic antidepressants.
Taking both Deplin & SAM-e should be synergistic, and the combination might have advantages over simply taking BH4.
Posted by Phillipa on November 3, 2007, at 20:02:43
In reply to SAM-e, Deplin, and BH4 » Phillipa, posted by Astounder on November 3, 2007, at 9:57:53
So is a combo of Sam-e and deplin better than a prescription ad? Phillipa
Posted by crawdad105 on November 6, 2007, at 11:32:19
In reply to Anyone tried Deplin?, posted by KayeBaby on September 24, 2007, at 17:08:31
My doc says that in simple terms Deplin acts to make antidepressents more effective by increasing folate in the brain. He has had good results with it. It can take up to 4-6 weeks for it to kick in. He says that most of the ingredients in over the counter folic acid pills pass out your body in your urine so that is why he prescribes the Deplin.
He just prescribed it to me today. My health plan doesn't cover it so I'll look for the least expensive cash price at various pharmacies.
Posted by Ron Hill on November 6, 2007, at 18:46:31
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin?, posted by crawdad105 on November 6, 2007, at 11:32:19
> My health plan doesn't cover it so I'll look for the least expensive cash price at various pharmacies.
Crawdad,Don't forget to use the coupon.
Pull up the Deplin site:
Look for the "ValueCardRx Program" links in the far right column at the top of the Deplin Home Page. Click through the column of links and print the coupon. No strings attached that I have found.
Make sure to check the list of participating pharmacies in you area.
-- Ron
dx: Bipolar II, with ultra rapid cycling (15 days for one complete cycle), and mild Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)
600 mg/day Trileptal
200 mg/day Lamictal
875 mg/day Keppra
90 mg/day Nardil
15 mg/day Deplin
Posted by Phillipa on November 6, 2007, at 19:20:04
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin? » crawdad105, posted by Ron Hill on November 6, 2007, at 18:46:31
Saw ob-gyn senior doc who's doing surgery in January on me and he hadn't heard of it . You'd think he would have as this practice takes the high risk births. I explained what it was he understood and said he would have to be on his toes with me. And did you get your mail? Love Phillipa/Jan
Posted by Ron Hill on November 6, 2007, at 20:20:08
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin? » Ron Hill, posted by Phillipa on November 6, 2007, at 19:20:04
Yeah, I saw this in your previous post in another thread. Did you charge him for your time taken to educate him. Seems only fair given that he charges you so much.
-- Ron
> Saw ob-gyn senior doc who's doing surgery in January on me and he hadn't heard of it . You'd think he would have as this practice takes the high risk births. I explained what it was he understood and said he would have to be on his toes with me. And did you get your mail? Love Phillipa/Jan
Posted by Phillipa on November 6, 2007, at 21:13:39
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin? » Phillipa, posted by Ron Hill on November 6, 2007, at 20:20:08
Ron still have my active nursing license he knows I'm not working and likes older nurses. Medicaire he said would pay for the proceedure. But just did the Deplin check pharmacies the one I use has it and it's across the street from the hospital. Wish I had brochures on it as I would play drug rep and give them to him. Love Jan
Posted by rskontos on November 8, 2007, at 18:54:07
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin? » Ron Hill, posted by Phillipa on November 6, 2007, at 21:13:39
Would deplin work without a an AD if I wanted to go off my SSRI. IT isn't working so well. Thanks rk
Posted by Phillipa on November 8, 2007, at 21:04:17
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin?, posted by rskontos on November 8, 2007, at 18:54:07
I second that question. Phillipa
Posted by Questionmark on November 11, 2007, at 23:03:41
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin?, posted by rskontos on November 8, 2007, at 18:54:07
I'm a pessimist, but, if i were to guess, i doubt it. Possible though.
> Would deplin work without a an AD if I wanted to go off my SSRI. IT isn't working so well. Thanks rk
Posted by rskontos on November 12, 2007, at 10:16:02
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin? » rskontos, posted by Questionmark on November 11, 2007, at 23:03:41
Posted by KayeBaby on November 12, 2007, at 22:24:29
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin?, posted by rskontos on November 8, 2007, at 18:54:07
If low folic acid is the cause or a large portion of your depression, it would help a lot.
If the SSRI is not so good and you have given it a fair trial then try something else in another class. SSRI's don't work well for all.
The right med should make you feel well or close enough to cope.
Best wishes,
Kaye
Posted by Fivefires on November 13, 2007, at 17:43:57
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin?, posted by crawdad105 on November 6, 2007, at 11:32:19
I'm just now on my way to p/u some samples of Deplin.
I'm in a pretty bad depressive state ... not wanting to get out of bed, cryin' a lot.
I'll have to run down the thread here and read up a bit ... or not! Sometimes the POS can be so influencing I'd rather not know. I just told him I'd had one too many birds sh*t on my head lately and was feeling very abandoned and very rejected. He came up w/ this.
Funny as my gyn said, couple mos back, I needed folic acid and B12 re: last lab tests.
Anyway, pdoc said this should work better and help my depression. He didn't call it an anti-depressant per se. Guess I'll know soon enough. Better hit the road b4 they close their doors.
Any1 feeling the need to warn me of anything in particular would be appreciated, but it would also be appreciated if the 'it didn't work for mes' were held back a bit, at least until I find out for myself ... if ya' know what I mean.
Don't think could take another blow at this time.
Can't believe Thanksgiving is next week.
I'm soooo NOT thankful it's downright selfish.
5f
Posted by sparkle on November 13, 2007, at 20:51:11
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Deplin?, posted by Fivefires on November 13, 2007, at 17:43:57
iT seems to have helped me in combination with celexa. i am praying it helps you too.
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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