how come, with all of the drug companies big advances, they can not come up with something that just adds serotonin or dopamine instead of reuptake inhibitors?

I heard some time ago that Europe did have a drug that just made you produce more serotonin, but it wasn't available here. Will try to find it again, but what do you SAD, CFS, fibro suffers think?

I ask in this forum, because usually that is the dr. first line of defense, it seems.

Ok, I found it...it is called tianeptine.

anyone heard, know or experienced with it?

So, has anyoen tried buying L-Tryptophan from Germany?

I'm taking 5htp...isn't that just as good? I don't know, so new, I haven't even read many threads in this heading yet. This forum has me going in so many directions, learning so much that I'll probably run across the answer soon, but I thought 5htp is tryptophan, basically. I can't tell if it's helping me, but the ND put me on it. --Gail

I have tied 5HTP with no help.

It is not the same thing as l-tryptophan. And 5HTP can turn into several different things, which is why, in my opinion, it may not be safe. If I understand right, it is a prescursor to tryptophan, but doesn't necessarily convert to tryptophan. I think it can turn into any one of several hormones, but I'll check in my research material.

So is it helping?

I have been taking something called Serenity, which is a natural form of lithium, and that seems to be helping me quite a bit.

Strangely, since the dr. put me on diuretics to control the night time fluid retention (and my BP), I find my morning moods to be much better!

I don't know if 5htp is helping me or not. My new NP just put me on it and I'm open to her suggestions right now, so I went for it. I can't say I'm sleeping better than before, but maybe it takes time.

Oh, sorry it isn't helping. I assume you are taking it right before bedtime?

I take that back, Gail. I don't think I ever tried 5-htp.

I'm sorry, but my brain fog is just outlandish the last couple of days! I will ask DH if he remembers. We have usually tried everything together since we both suffer. Maybe he will also remember why we didn't, if we didn't.

Yes, I take the 5htp right before bed. It's pretty expensive, so I never would've tried it on my own. My NP has a plan in mind for me which I will get when my allergy tests come back next week. I think she's focussing in on the adrenals so I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with.

Ok, so I asked him last night and he agreed that we had tried and both stopped taking it very quickly.

This is a list of side effects: include nausea, constipation, flatulence, drowsiness and reduced sex drive.

Based on what I know about us, it must have been some kind of stomach disturbance that caused us to give it up.

Maybe so, because I have had no noticable side effects. I don't seem to sleep as well lately as usual but I think that's because i added caffeinated green tea back to my chai tea blend. I read on this site that the decaf process takes out the weight loss benefit. I think I'll go back to straight decaf since I haven't lost quickly either way.