I switched to taking 2 - 500 mgs of L-Tryptophan at bed time and only 1- 500 mg in the morning with my 30 mgs of Paxil. I slept much better last night. Woke up feeling rested.

I'll stay with this for another week or so before reducing the paxil some more.

L-Tryptophan is very fast acting. I can feel a difference within a hour.

It is a good anti-anxiety supplement if you are not taking anything else for anxiety.

Glad to hear you are doing well. Looks like your plan is working. No complaints from the wife? Where would one get L-Triptophan for anxiety? Is this a vitamin? Would it have any bad reactions with pain meds or seizure, sleep meds? Is it hard on the liver or kidneys?
Who is that cutie pie baby picture of? It always makes me smile when I see it. Is this one of your children? So cute.
Brain

I've been taking 200mg 5-HTP for about a year now per Dr suggestion to help with the anxiety and depression I was having after my son's sTBI. Wellbutrin was horrible for me, made me feel much worse. I was too leary of side effects if I tried Lexapro or anything else, L-Tryptophan didn't do that much for me. 100mg took the edge off and I was functional, but definitely happier and more relaxed with 200mg. Wouldn't go over that though.

If I go a couple of days without 5-HTP, the horror all comes rushing back -- I think I may have some PTSD. So 5-HTP has helped a LOT, and I do notice I sleep better, too, goes well with the Ambien. Whatever works!! Everybody is different.

My son is doing okay, we very much enjoy 3D movies together. Went to a Renaissance Festival recently, he lasted about 3 hours before over-stimulation and noise sensitivity set in. It was a good time! He doesn't appear to have PCS side effects, all fatigued, like he used to; just being his "new normal" playing computer/video games and TV and no nap needed. That's much improvement over a year ago.

I've been betting myself that Marks pic is his new grandbaby. SOOO CUTE!!!

5-HTP does the same as L-Tryptophan except 5-HTP has a risk factor. The body knows how to regulate L-Tryptophan. 5-HTP enters the process after the body's regulation system. It is easy to overdose on 5-HTP. It is difficult to OD on L-Tryptophan.

As L-Tryptophan is metabolized, the body releases the needed amount as 5-HTP which becomes serotonin and melatonin.

Top food-based sources of tryptophan are tofu, flax seeds (ground), roasted pumpkin seeds, gluten flour, sesame seeds, almonds, black walnuts, and blackeyed cowpeas.

Ground flax seeds are a double whammy of tryptophan and omega-3s. I take 3 tbsp in juice in the morning, plus try to eat tryptophan-rich foods throughout the day.

Tryptophan has a major advantage over SSRIs of actually helping your brain produce more serotonin. SSRIs just reduce how much your brain destroys in the reuptake process (or something like that).

If you have adequate levels of vitamin D and calcium, the serotonin will also convert to melatonin at night, helping you sleep better.

Glad you are getting benefit from it, Mark. Hope you are able to reduce or eliminate the troublesome meds soon!

To get as much L-Tryptophan from food sources, I would need to make my whole diet those foods. Tofu has too much free process glutamate to be safe to eat. Plus, the nuts can get very expensive as a source. They are a great addition as they can be afforded.

I am overwhelmed
 

I am honestly overwhelmed how you can write these post so scientifically.Someone like me that has a severe brain injury cannot understand Mark's post and it is kind of overwhelming. All I am getting is that you are making your own regimen to make it work for you.

Is this advisable to anyone trying to get off medication?Or taking Medication period?Sounds to me like a self medicaid program.And at first you say "so this could be in your medical records" curious to why? Is it in case something happens to you while your self medicating?If your post where more simple for brain injured people maybe it would be better understood.Please simplify so some of us DO GET OVERWHELMED and cannot UNDERSTAND.

Mia,

There are sites , where folks have posted small decreasing regimens that have worked for them without the need for supplements, and used longer timelines than Mark has planned out, that one could post a link for anyone .

Mark is resourceful and self sufficient in caring for himself , having so many years of dealing with his problems that he has his own understanding of what he wishes for himself, and setup his plans that way. Many would not use the half dosing plans, but he has the backup of the L-tryptophan for the support side, which is good for that, as long as it does the trick.

If/when you decide to want to withdraw, discuss it with your PCP, and see if they are able to work out a plan with you; if not, look up those plans online and proffer one to the PCP and see if he/she will work with you with it - and setup the Medicaid sponsored drug plan for the withdrawal - I believe you said you had Medicaid? - because you will have to have the number of pills and dosages all delineated on separate prescriptions.

I did not start this transition from Paxil to L-Tryptophan until I spoke with a new doctor who agreed with my goal.

He explained the symptoms of serotonin syndrome so I could be watchful of that risk. He did some L-Tryptophan research while I was in his office.

I wanted this transition listed in my medical records in case I had any bad side-effects or other problems. I did not want to have an emergency without a medical record listing what I was doing as doctor approved.

I am currently at the 30 mgs with 500 mgs of L-Tryptophan in the am and 2-500 mgs of L-Tryptophan in the late pm.

I am doing great. I wish I had started this years ago. My psychiatrist who prescribed the Paxil in 1999 wanted to try L-Tryptophan back then but it was not available on the U S market. It has only become broadly available in the U S in recent years.

No offense was intended Mark.

Just saying, most have used a minimal dosing reduction , even by the 5 miligram reduction dosing in some reports to minimize the withdrawal syndromes in reports.

However, most have also not used supplements along the way, and your choice - or your docs choice of L-tryptophan is a good one. Its good that it is back in the US market. I was saddened when they removed it back during that time of the troubled market.

Ah, well, good luck with your withdrawal regimen.