update on L-tryptophan
 

So, I've been taking this about a week now, and I have to back off! It is making me too sleepy and it seems to be making my carb cravings worse because the tiredness. I will start taking it every other night or either just one a night and see how it does.

After the very first night, I noticed a huge difference. I awoke feeling that life was good, and just a complete sense of contentment that I haven't felt in such a long time, I forgot how good it felt. But with each subsequent night, I have been more and more tired throughout the day. I actually took wonderful naps Sat and Sun, but also had a real hard time avoiding carbs.

So I didn't take any last night, and tonight I will take only one and see what is going to happen.

My DH is also taking it and he had the same experience as I did as far as waking feeling great about everything, but he didn't have the tiredness. He has a terrible anxiety problem, so I think that is why he is not feeling as sleepy as I do with it. he also eats very little meat/eggs (no low carb for him), so that may be another reason why it is acting differently on him. But I could tell a huge difference in his anxiousness.

Wow Quietone, what a difference the l-tryptophan made for you! How much were you taking?

I took 2 grams, but it didn't do anything for me at that dosage, but the price was too much to go any higher. Get a natural substance through a pharmacy and the price rockets through the roof, eh?

Yes, its really good stuff. I have thought for some time it would help, but had trouble finding it before on the net.

I take two capsules, I think each is 500 mg. Big horse pills. I paid $39.95 for 60 pills., plus shipping because I didn't buy $100 worth of stuff. So i think the total was $42.95 and I had it in less than a week.

So, I am going to just take one tonight. And another thing, I have been having the most pleasant dreams. Don't know if it is from this, or just that I am getting such deep, good sleep. But I didn't take it last night because I thought a night off would help with the day sleepiness and I did notice a huge difference in my mood this morning (as in bad). Which that has always been part of my change of character that went along with the fibro, is bad morning moods. I had in my previous life, always awakened happy.

Oh ok, you're taking 1 gram, which is half the dose I took. I thought for a moment that maybe I wasn't taking enough. So you're getting this "sleepy" effect without help from any other medications or supps? That would be nice to wake up feeling "happy", not "groggy".

Hopefully you can do some tweaking and keep taking it. Did you try reducing to 500mg/night to see what happens now that it's fully in your system?

No, that's what I will do tonight. (taking 500 mg)See what happens. I slept fine last night, good dreams and all, but I woke up crabby again which I haven't done since I started taking it.

The instructions on this was to make certain there was no other protein (amino acids) in your system.

Yes, that's correct. They also recommend a carby food with it, but it seems like you didn't need it.

No, I didn't want to mess with my eating plan that way.

Also, that is to help enhance the serotonin production. Maybe mine is so low that anything would help. :) But I do make sure to get B vitamins as suggested.

Let me know how it works out.

I'm taking 5-HTP and l-tyrosine to help the ol' neurotransmitters now. Someday I might try the l-tryptophan b/c I'd read that prolonged use of 5-HTP isn't good. Maybe there's hope it'll work.

Maybe...

I'm hoping that as my weight goes down and I get better sleep, I'll feel more up to exercising my poor, hurting body.

I get the same result (better outlook and good mood) with Sam-e. Have you ever tried that? If I miss a few days, I can tell. I also can tell I need more in the winter than summer. I've never heard of it having undesirable side effects.

Yes, I've tried it and it makes my BP go up. I think that's the only reason I didn't take it. I can't remember anymore. I tried it some time ago and then tried it again. Now that I'm on BP meds, I have been thinking about trying it again since they keep it down so low.

I can't tell you how much I don't want to be one of those persons that has a pill for everything! It really goes against the grain!

I have tried so many different things over the last five years, that I have unfortunately, forgotten some of the side effects or whatever reason I stopped.

I'm really sensitive to medicines and herbs and always have bad side effects.

My DH constantly tells me I should write all this stuff down and I start, but then slack off and then can't remember where I started writing it down. :) It's hell being me!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

Maybe that's what these journals are good for...stand-ins for actual memory, LOL--Gail