How do I Mix 5-Htp With Fluoxetine?

According to the Intelegen web article on 5-Htp, this supplement naturally boosts serotonin levels, the neurotransmitters in the brain responsible for maintaining a calm, stable mood. Its starting dose is generally 25mg, and if taken on its own for its antidepressant effect, this can be increased to 200mg or 300mg.

5-Htp can be found in most health stores, and has become a household name as "nature's Prozac." It works differently to Fluoxetine (Prozac) by boosting the brain's own serotonin levels. Prescription antidepressants such as Fluoxetine work by inhibiting the brain's serotonin reuptake processes, which break down serotonin.

Things You'll Need

• Your prescription dose of Fluoxetine
• The information leaflet that comes with the Fluoxetine
• 1 bottle of 25mg 5-Htp capsules
• A diary

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Instructions

Reflect on Your Current Medication Regime

• 1

  Mental health medications may sometimes benefit from a gentle, natural boost.

  Read the information leaflet that comes with your Fluoxetine, to familiarize yourself with the dose you are on, potential side effects, risks of interactions with other prescribed and "natural" drugs.

• 2

  It can take time to find the right antidepressant medication

  Write down any ill effects that you have experienced on the Fluoxetine. Speak to your doctor or psychiatrist about any negative side effects, or if it does not seem to be working for you.

  Never discontinue or alter the dose you are taking without approval from your mental health psychiatrist.

• 3

  5-Htp can help in getting a good night's sleep

  Start the 5-Htp at a low dose of 25mg at bed-time, to promote a good night's sleep. Low serotonin levels are linked to low melatonin levels, a chemical in the brain that promotes sleep. Taking 5-Htp at bedtime can reinforce the serotonin-boosting action of the Fluoxetine, helping to restore a normal sleeping pattern.

• 4

  Taking a small dose of 5-Htp in the morning can assist Fluoxetine in lifting mood

  If your sleep has improved, but you feel that your mood could be brighter, take an additional 25mg of 5-Htp in the morning.

• 5

  Keep a diary of moods and symptoms

  Assess your mental well-being, paying attention to signs of agitation, hopelessness, anxiety, weepiness, and lack of motivation. Monitor yourself for physical symptoms such as trembling, migraine, nausea/gastrointestinal upset, fever, insomnia, and dizziness.

• 6

  Inform your doctor that you are taking 5-Htp alongside Fluoxetine

  If sleep and mood are good, the combination of 5-Htp and Fluoxetine is appropriate. Maintain it under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist.

• 7

  The onset of physical symptoms may mean that Serotonin Syndrome has occurred, from excessively high serotonin levels

  If physical symptoms arise such as dizziness, disorientation, nausea/vomiting, brain "zaps" (electric shock sensations in the brain), heart palpitations or fever, stop taking the 5-Htp immediately, and consult a doctor, informing her that you have been taking both medications together.