Anyone used HTP5

thebull85

My OH suffers terribly at times with anxiety, and ive done some research online and found this HTP5 drug according to most reviews seems to work wonders for anxiety.

Has anyone on here tried it? Id like to hear what your experiences of it are.

Thanks.

RabbleRouser2k

I've done it-it can make symptoms a lot worse. I took it a number of years ago for depression and other things, and it made things worse in many cases.

Short answer-don't take it. Consult your GP or even see a counsellor. Anxiety can be relieved without any tablet, and its definitely not worth taking 5-htp to potentially make matters worse.

Also, it's online-there's no guarantee you're getting a working supplement. You may be buying a dangerous chemical.

thebull85

RabbleRouser2k wrote: »

I've done it-it can make symptoms a lot worse. I took it a number of years ago for depression and other things, and it made things worse in many cases.

Short answer-don't take it. Consult your GP or even see a counsellor. Anxiety can be relieved without any tablet, and its definitely not worth taking 5-htp to potentially make matters worse.

Also, it's online-there's no guarantee you're getting a working supplement. You may be buying a dangerous chemical.

Thanks for the reply, the doctor hasnt been much help, prescribed a different number of anti depressants over the last couple of years(doctor maintains these particular anti depressants can be used to treat anxiety) but none have helped and the anxiety has not gone away.

I may not bother getting this stuff for her now after all.

RabbleRouser2k

thebull85 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, the doctor hasnt been much help, prescribed a different number of anti depressants over the last couple of years(doctor maintains these particular anti depressants can be used to treat anxiety) but none have helped and the anxiety has not gone away.

I may not bother getting this stuff for her now after all.

It may be the approach the doctor is taking. It can be a right pain to sort out mental illness. Sometimes breathing exercises and other stuff can help.

I hope she gets help for her problems. I sometimes use lavender oil on a pillow/ tissue to help me relax.

thebull85

RabbleRouser2k wrote: »

It may be the approach the doctor is taking. It can be a right pain to sort out mental illness. Sometimes breathing exercises and other stuff can help.

I hope she gets help for her problems. I sometimes use lavender oil on a pillow/ tissue to help me relax.

Me too mate, and thanks a lot for your help. Ill keep trying every avenue.

Cheshire Cat

I tried it for mild anxiety and insomnia. It did absolutely nothing for me.

Stanford

5-htp is a precurser to the neurotransmittor Serotonin and newer antidepressants act on serotonin to calm anxiety and alleviate depression, however 5HPT is NOT serotonin itself and its use alone can cause increased anxiety, sweating and heart problems and should never be used in raw OTC form. The newer SSRI antidepressant meds act on anxiety and depression but can take 3-4 weeks to work. You say "I may not bother getting this stuff for her now after all", why not leave it between her and her GP and do not interfere in her treatment.

As also mentioned there are other things which help like exercise, CBT therapy, relaxation exercises etc.

Soilse

Tried 5htp really didn't get on with it. Try gaba, and look into cbt simple things like getting outdoors for 20mins a day can help prevent symptoms building up

thebull85

Stanford wrote: »

5-htp is a precurser to the neurotransmittor Serotonin and newer antidepressants act on serotonin to calm anxiety and alleviate depression, however 5HPT is NOT serotonin itself and its use alone can cause increased anxiety, sweating and heart problems and should never be used in raw OTC form. The newer SSRI antidepressant meds act on anxiety and depression but can take 3-4 weeks to work. You say "I may not bother getting this stuff for her now after all", why not leave it between her and her GP and do not interfere in her treatment.

As also mentioned there are other things which help like exercise, CBT therapy, relaxation exercises etc.

You're talking like im interfering here in some way, the anti depressants that have been described by GP havent helped alleviate the anxiety at all.

I have been with this girl for almost 12 years and it kills me to see what she goes through sometimes, All im doing is exploring alternatives for her..

thebull85

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Stanford

thebull85 wrote: »

You're talking like im interfering here in some way, the anti depressants that have been described by GP havent helped alleviate the anxiety at all.

I have been with this girl for almost 12 years and it kills me to see what she goes through sometimes, All im doing is exploring alternatives for her..

By all means help her to explore alternatives but when it comes to medical treatment why not suggest that you visit her GP with her (and GPs consent) where you can advocate for her? From a medical route there are other classes of antidepressant medications that can be trialed as well as other meds that treat depression and anxiety but might need a GP referral to a Phychiatrist

thebull85

Stanford wrote: »

By all means help her to explore alternatives but when it comes to medical treatment why not suggest that you visit her GP with her (and GPs consent) where you can advocate for her? From a medical route there are other classes of antidepressant medications that can be trialed as well as other meds that treat depression and anxiety but might need a GP referral to a Phychiatrist

Its just hard to get her to do these things she has no get up and go at all for the past while shes on no medication at all at the moment, id agree 100% about the psychiatrist or therapist of some kind.

The way im describing things probably sounds to people like its bad all the time, there are great days then there are some really bad days. She is not constantly like this all the time, thats where the reluctance to go back to the GP comes from i think.

thebull85

Im probably in the wrong forum to be discussing this anyway, thanks again for all your advice.

Stanford

Having no "get up and go" is a typically depressive symptom and, like you say, depression can be episodic. From a medical viewpoint the newer SSRI antipressant medications can take 2-4 weeks to work and are usually started with a mild benzo to handle any anxiety side-effects. Her GP can trial a number of SSRIs before hopefully one will show results but it really is a trial and error process. Sometimes people lose faith in GPs because they don't get instant results or may get unpleasant side-effects. Therefore by going to her GP with her you can more fully explain her symptoms as she may be actually too exhausted to do so. A referral to a Psychiatrist may be helpful as well as CBT counselling.

People will tell you that the answer is not in a pill and they are right but the modern approach is to prescribe an SSRI for a few months to control the symptoms while the person adopts new lifestyle patterns like exercise and perhaps meditation.