You guys should be careful with L-Tryptophan. The FDA is still not convinced that it is a safe product and as a result, it is still banned by them even though it has crept back into the market. However, despite the FDA's stance on tryptophan, I have read that it is completely safe to use. The story on Tryptophan is that a series of strange incidents happened in 1999, (by the only reliable accounts, a muscle-paralyzing disease that was caused by an impurity in one manufacturers tryptophan when they changed their manufacturing process.) initiating a chain of events that ended up in an FDA action causing tryptophan from being withdrawn from the market in the US. Other reports, although unverified, have said that it also caused liver failure in these patients.
There are two good alternatives to tryptophan that are just as effective and aren't banned by the FDA. These are 5-HTP and SAMe.
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Originally Posted by Mark in Idaho
I already knew that Paxil was dangerous. But, for me, I needed the effect it had on repetitive thoughts that overwhelm my mind.
My brain will get stuck repeating the most mundane things, like a license plate number, a stanza from a song, the spelling of a word. The repetition can last for hours or even days. I may be able to stop it momentarily but it will return. It is an exhausting symptom.
The Paxil works at the 60 mg per day dose but it can be brutal with side effects.
An alternative is L-Tryptophan and other precursors to whatever neurotransmitter is out of whack.
There are other SSRI's and SNRI's that can be helpful but I have never found a physician who will work with me to find a better solution. Back when I went on Paxil, my psych wanted to use L-Tryptophan but it had been blocked by the FDA because of a bad batch that caused some deaths.
It is back on the market now, but I want a physician to help me. The withdrawal from Paxil can be very dangerous. It should never be done without the support and supervision of a knowledgeable psychiatrist.
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