Hello. :) I am glad you are planning on getting off the meds and going the natural route. I recommend reading Dr. Slaegle's book: "The Way Up From Down". I believe the website is http://www.thewayup.com. I think you can actually email her if you have any serious questions.

I recommend you find a naturopathic doctor in your area who is familiar with her or work like hers and get some assistance. It can get pretty weird and you must ABSOLUTELY do the wean off slowly! You also must not take certain aminos while on SSRI's, MAO's and such things. This is very important. I say this becasue I did it a while back before I knew and it was horrible! I've also read about it from others.

Some Docs recommend being off SSRI's for a month before taking 5HTP, L-Tryptophan and others. Not so sure about those things with drugs like Wellbutrin which work with Dopamine, but for sure you don;t want to take L-Tyrosine if you are on Wellbutrin.

Anyway, once you are ready and with the aid of a naturopath, build up slowly. You may find that a lower dose of L-Tyrosine is helpful. Everyone is different. For me it took a rather large dose to finally feel a significant effect. For me it is L-Tyrosine, 5HTP, B-Complex, and fish oil. I would put that plus a healthy Diet and exercise up against any anti-depressant on the earth! :)

Also, L-Tyrosine is not absorbed well. They generally recommend taking it on an empty stomach. Food messes it up and your body doesn't absorb it. I take it in the morning first thing and usually have a bit of water with liquid B-Complex afterwards. You may also want to look into L-Phenylalanine too. It is a precursur to L-Tyrosine I believe and absorbed better.

Anyway, I believe you can read her entire book online now so please check out the website and be sure to be slow and careful, OK?

Warmly,

Brian

Wow this is great info thanks for sharing.

I have been on L tyrosine for years. Not sure if I notice an effect at the moment because I am cleansing and I just recently got off some major meds. Seroquel for 12 years which I know depleted my dopamine levels greatly. So I am down to a bare minimum on meds.

Although I never liked the SSRI drugs I may give the tryptophan another try next time I do a vitamin order. I think my brain needs all the neurotransmitters. I think years of being on meds I dont even know if it can be repaired!

I just recently started sleeping without the seroquel and ambien but it takes a great deal of herbals.

Melatonin 10mg
Holy Basil 2 pills
Valerian Root

I still take 1mg of Klonopin a day but that will be a withdrawal for another day as I am at my max for my brain taking on too much change to fast.

I am also on a low dose of Wellbutrin SR 100mg...I refuse to go up even with my energy low because even though this one helps...(which shows me I am low on dopamine and norepinephrine) I also get insomnia with higher dosages.

So adding the amino's to support this hopefully will help this med work better.

Right now I am really tired...not depressed...just real fatigued but that could be from all the parasite cleansing and recent med changes my adrenals are probably shot too!


My plan is to take:

2,000 mg Tyrosine a day and if too much just go back down to 1000 mg.

Tryptophan at bedtime and afternoon if I feel anxiety coming on as I still have breakthrough panic attacks.


I know I have a long way to go in recovery and I am so tired I feel like giving up.. It did take 2gms of the tyrosine to pull me out of my fatigue today plus a break from parasite cleanse.

I hope and pray others can find help in this. My worry is that I will never get my normal brain back after years of antipsychotic use (as a sleep aid) got off it because of blood Sugar issues and well I never understood why the heck I was put on it!


I personally think I was misdiagnosed bipolar. I suffer from mostly depression, anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD and trouble sleeping. I do not have elation or the normal stuff that goes with that. I think it was based off bad reactions to SSRI's 12 years ago.

Thanks again for this post. I dont know if I could take 3500mg twice a day of l tyrosine but if it works for the original poster I say go for it. I think my max would be 3 gms a day total.

I take a load of vitamins as well. I go broke trying to get myself well...(hmm)