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SSRI withdrawal symptoms

by Heather
(Texas)

Does progesterone help with SSRI withdrawal symptoms?

I have slowly weaned myself off of Prozac over six months, but still have withdrawal symptoms, like nausea, hot flashes, anxiety, insomnia, depression, increased heart rate, etc. Also, my doctor did a urine test and noticed that my GABA level is elevated. Would this cream help me?

Comments for SSRI withdrawal symptoms

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Oct 24, 2009
 SSRI withdrawal symptoms
by: Wray

Hi Heather. GABA is one of our most calming neurotransmitters, the body is probably trying to compensate for the lack of Prozac. You've weaned off now, but a more gentle approach would have been to give your body support over this time with natural antidepressants. I'll give a list below, any one of them will help you now as well.

Progesterone does raise serotonin and dopamine levels, much as antidepressants do, but without the side affects. It also activates the GABA receptor sites. GABA is not listed below as I've found it a very difficult amino to take, too much and the symptoms come back. Please consider taking tryptophan, this is the amino acid precursor to serotonin, which is low in depression, insomnia, anxiety, OCD, a stomach in knots, aches and pains, hot flushes, a tight chest and more. It helps stabilise blood sugar as it?s involved with appetite control. Often a sharp drop in blood sugar causes depression and anxiety. This drop can also cause a hot flush, studies have found tryptophan helps with these. Serotonin is the precursor to melatonin our sleep hormone, supplementing with tryptophan helps with insomnia.

Start with 250mg/day about half an hour before bed and away from food. Tryptophan needs an insulin spike to push it into the brain, so take with about 1/4 glass of fruit juice or water and a biscuit. Take 25mg B6 and 300mcg folic acid with it, to convert it into serotonin. Increase the dose slowly in 250mg increments until you find the optimum, no need to increase the vitamins.

Another effective antidepressant amino I suggest you take is tyrosine, this is the amino acid precursor to dopamine. To begin with take 250mg/day in the morning, plus 100mg B3 and 300mcg folic acid for conversion. Gradually increase the dose until the optimum is found, no need to increase the vitamins. It is safe to go up to 5000mg/day. Another wonderfully calming amino acid is taurine, particularly for the heart. Take 500mg/day, increasing till the optimum is found. Take 25mg of the co-factor vitamin B6 too. It is safe to go up to 5000mg/day. Inositol can be helpful in depression as it raises serotonin levels and helps stabilise blood sugar levels. Take 2000-4000mg/day. Levels of 12g/day have been given for OCD and depression. Vitamin B3 (niacin or nicotinic acid, nicotinamide or niacinamide) is an antidepressant vitamin, take 100-300mg/day. Levels of 1500mg/day of niacinamide have been given for anxiety. Niacinamide does not cause flushing of the skin, niacin does. Take care, Wray
Jun 04, 2014
 natural antidepresants
by: sandra

Is it necessary to take all of these supplements for a natural anti depressant at the same time? I can't tell if you mean these are options to try or take them all.

thanks.
Jul 10, 2019
 Progesterone Heals
by: Ruth

I tapered off of Prozac and Wellbutrin very slowly over the course of two years. Faster attempts always failed. I survived the slow taper but suffered terrible insomnia and anxiety/agitation, common side effects of stopping antidepressants.

I started taking 100-200 mg of bio-identical progesterone about three months ago. I now sleep 7-8 hours per night in a deep sound sleep. Although I stop the progesterone for a week every month for a menstrual period, I still sleep well during that week. Moreover, I have no symptoms of anxiety, depression or agitation during that week or any other time.

I feel completely healed from the damage caused by antidepressants.

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