If SSRI's were prescribed for you in the past, it's because the doctor thought you might have low levels of serotonin. Then again, your doctor might just be blindly prescribing anti-depressants as a panacea for a problem too complicated to for him or her to correctly diagnose. Not that anyone else would know how to analyse every little thing which might not be optimal in your brain chemistry. The problem with SSRI's is that although they increase the amount of serotonin in the synapses, reuptake inhibition results in a degraded quality of neurotransmitters according to the author of the book, "The Amino Revolution." That could account for at least some of the side effects of SSRI's and other reuptake inhibitors. There is a formulated supplement which uses other ingredients in addition to tryptophan which results in less of the tryptophan being converted to something else before it gets to the brain, thus more of the tryptophan gets to the brain. It's called Optimized Tryptopure Plus. Read this article for relevant info:
http://search.lef.or...d=tryptopure%20. Another neurotransmitter which your brain might be low in is GABA (the only amino acid which behaves as a neurotransmitter as soon as it gets into the brain without needing to be altered). The problem with synthetic GABA is that 0.4% of it is highly toxic. So, if you have a leaky brain barrier like me, the synthetic GABA will make you groggy all the next day even if you take just before bedtime. Naturally made PharmaGaba (made via bacterial fermentation) can be taken morning, midday, or before bed. Watch this video about it:
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Y455O9NLPuA. It can help balance your neurotransmitters somewhat if they are out of balance. Just by making you calmer and less stressed it might help relieve brain fog. Another thing that might help is Noopept. Read my two posts here:
http://www.imminst.o...post__p__425077 and
http://www.imminst.o...post__p__424457. Here are the instructions, etc. translated from Russian:
http://translate.goo...l%3Den%26sa%3DG. I'm not sure if it is necessary or preferable to use a choline supplement while using Noopept as it is with the racetams. I happened to be using Alpha GPC along with some racetams at the time and had excellent results. It took about 3 weeks before I felt like I had peaked with its therapeutic effect. Then there is the controversial Nefiracetam which I've never tried but might in the future. Some claim it has a somewhat amphetamine like effect. Here is a source (I can't vouch for the quality):
http://www.ktbotanic...0937fc6f3c952b5.
I would try the Optimized Tryptopure Plus first all by itself before anything else. That way you might be able to tell if low serotonin is a problem for you. Even if it makes you feel and function a lot better, you might want to try PharmaGaba while either while continuing Opt. Trypt. Plus, or by itself. Then later you might want to see if you can benefit from Noopept. Lastly, if you're adventurous or desperate, you might want to try Nefiracetam.
Edited by MoodyBlue, 27 August 2010 - 01:01 AM.
