Posted by Tomatheus on November 10, 2010, at 17:45:23
In reply to SAM-E? Anyone tried it?, posted by Conundrum on November 10, 2010, at 16:34:47
Conundrum,
I first tried SAMe in combination with the version of tranylcypromine that Goldshield markets in the U.K. in late 2006. I've read that the two treatments are contraindicated with one another, but at the time my depression was really severe and wasn't responding consistently to any treatment, so I decided to try a low dose of SAMe with a low dose of the tranylcypromine. For some reason, it didn't cross my mind to try SAMe alone, which definitely would have made more sense than trying it with tranylcypromine, but I was looking to augment, and SAMe seemed like a promising option.
So, I had been on 20 mg of tranylcypromine for about a week and wasn't noticing any significant antidepressant effects (although I was in remission for my first three days on the medication and for my first three days after going from 10 to 20 mg) when I started the SAMe. I know that I was taking 400 mg of SAMe when I started the supplement and that I backed down to 200 mg at some point, but I can't remember when. What I do remember is noticing a robust antidepressant response -- particularly as far as energy, psychomotor retardation, and anhedonia were concerned -- for about three days (which seems to happen too often in the treatment of my depression) before the response weakened. I also experienced some insomnia initially, but after my antidepressant response weakened I noticed a lot of fatigue -- particularly in the early evening. It was the fatigue that prompted me to reduce my SAMe dose to 150 mg, and because I was experiencing partial-but-consistent antidepressant benefits from my combo, I stayed at 20 mg of tranylcypromine and 150 mg of SAMe for about three months.
I ultimately stopped taking my tranylcypromine-SAMe combo after I became psychotic and was hospitalized. I suspect that a medication called aminoguanidine, which I took when I was on tranylcypromine and SAMe, triggered my psychosis because the psychosis occurred a few days after I took the aminoguanidine and because the aminoguanidine profoundly affected my cognition from the moment I took it. Anyway, I did try SAMe again a few times after I developed psychotic symptoms. The first few times I took it, I noticed some of the same benefits that I noticed when I originally took it with tranylcypromine. However, I never stayed on it for long (following my descent into psychosis) because its benefits seemed to be short lived. For some reason that I can't explain, the last few times that I've tried SAMe I haven't been able to get any response out of it.
Well, that pretty much sums up my trials with SAMe. As you know, my experience isn't going to be representative of the experiences of everybody who has taken SAMe, but I hope that you find it to be at least somewhat helpful.
Tomatheus
Diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. Currently taking 5 mg Abilify, 12.5 mg Lamictal, 2.25 mg Hydergine, and four supplements.
poster:Tomatheus
thread:969668
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20100930/msgs/969682.html