14 replies to this topic

[Kewell]

Has anyone tried using an SSRI such as Lexapro (low dose) and acetyl l carnitine? I was wondering if it's possible to combine both.

[Insomniac]

Why would you want to use ssri if you don't have depression/anxiety? Ssri come with a myraid of side effects after discontinuation, i speak from personal experience.

[Kewell]

Why would you want to use ssri if you don't have depression/anxiety? Ssri come with a myraid of side effects after discontinuation, i speak from personal experience.

I do have depression and anxiety. I was on Lexapro already but went off of it recently. The effects from discontinuation lasted a week for me. My depression is really bad right now so I am likely to go back on it. The other antidepressants that I used didn't work as well. I was just wondering what supplements would work to combat the fatigue and memory problems that I went through.

[Insomniac]

How about starting paleo diet, drinking water, excercising, gettimg plenty of sun, B-vitamins, fish oil? Maybe being on ADs is the reason why u r more depressed, maybe youneed to change ur lifestyle, cut alcohol completely, gluten free diet. I did some of those changes and last few months i see improvement.
The main reason why i am not back on ads is this web page: paxilprogress.org.

[Insomniac]

And maybe add some iron supplement to ur diet if you lack energy.

[Kewell]

How about starting paleo diet, drinking water, excercising, gettimg plenty of sun, B-vitamins, fish oil? Maybe being on ADs is the reason why u r more depressed, maybe youneed to change ur lifestyle, cut alcohol completely, gluten free diet. I did some of those changes and last few months i see improvement.
The main reason why i am not back on ads is this web page: paxilprogress.org.

Actually, I have tried most of these.
I drink about 8 glasses of water.
I do exercise 1 hour and a half about 4 times a week, both resistance training and cardio.
I stay in the caribbean so I do get alot of sun!
I take source of life liquid multivatmin at least every other day
I take carlson's lab liquid fish oil
I don't drink alcohol.

I was already depressed before starting the ADs though!
I am not on a paleo diet or gluten free though......would definitely look into it!


I understand your fears but Lexapro helped alot for fighting depression and anxiety but it dumbs you down. There is nothing else that I have tried that works as well.
Thanks for your help though.

[Insomniac]

I stay in the caribbean so I do get alot of sun!

You live in carribbean and your still depressed?? (ok, bad joke )
As far as supps go, i take occasionally piracetam with choline bitwrtate and i feel kinda smarter. Maybe it's placebo though. But since i am not on ssri anymore, i don't know if there are any interactions between both. Maybe someone more knowledgable will chim in. Anyway, i feel for you and beast of luck whatever you intend to do!

[longevitynow]

ALCAR is pretty non-toxic and tends to improve response to other nootropics. I prefer 5-HTP to SSRIs any day, but I don't see any inherent conflict between SSRIs and ALCAR. In general ALCAR is slightly stimulating, rather than calming. If you are off SSRIs, consider 50-200 mgs of 5-htp before bed. Start low and ramp up every few days. Theanine 200-600mgs 2-3x a day is calming without being sedating. 5-htp will build up your serotonin levels slowly, whereas Theanine is more GABA-ergic, producing a more quick calming sensation that is nice but rather short-lived, necessitating frequent dosing. In general with depression/Anxiety you should treat anxiety first before giving things that are more stimulating, but ALCAR is not that stimulating (but I would not take after say 5pm, as I use it intentionally to wake my brain up a bit in the evening). Fish oils, high dose (2-3 tablespoons a day) are a good calming agent safe with just about anything else. IMO SSRIs have a lot of side effects in general, and they are worse when both when you start them and when you stop them. 5-htp with some other supplements can work equally quickly with a lot fewer side effects (and it is far more natural, working with your body rather than addicting it to a mediocre substance--an ssri).

[Kewell]

ALCAR is pretty non-toxic and tends to improve response to other nootropics. I prefer 5-HTP to SSRIs any day, but I don't see any inherent conflict between SSRIs and ALCAR. In general ALCAR is slightly stimulating, rather than calming. If you are off SSRIs, consider 50-200 mgs of 5-htp before bed. Start low and ramp up every few days. Theanine 200-600mgs 2-3x a day is calming without being sedating. 5-htp will build up your serotonin levels slowly, whereas Theanine is more GABA-ergic, producing a more quick calming sensation that is nice but rather short-lived, necessitating frequent dosing. In general with depression/Anxiety you should treat anxiety first before giving things that are more stimulating, but ALCAR is not that stimulating (but I would not take after say 5pm, as I use it intentionally to wake my brain up a bit in the evening). Fish oils, high dose (2-3 tablespoons a day) are a good calming agent safe with just about anything else. IMO SSRIs have a lot of side effects in general, and they are worse when both when you start them and when you stop them. 5-htp with some other supplements can work equally quickly with a lot fewer side effects (and it is far more natural, working with your body rather than addicting it to a mediocre substance--an ssri).

How does 5-HTP affect memory and concentration though? This is the only worry because alot of the supplements/drugs that affect serotonin cause a drop in concentration. I take ALCAR once or twice a day (500mg-1000mg) for about 1 year. I recently stopped for 2 weeks and started back and found it very stimulating actually so I was thinking maybe low dose Lexapro and ALCAR would balance each other out. It's comparable to methylphenidate in effects but not as strong. I used to take theanine but did only a little and found really no effects at all. I remember reading it's easy to build up a tolerance though. Is that true?


I don't experience much side effects with Lexapro, just the decreased concentration leading to a bit of fuzzy memory. It works amazing for anxiety and depression and the idea behind it is to use ALCAR to help with balancing it out. I am willing to try 5-htp but the thing is I don't have much time to experiment as exams are coming up. I already know the situation with Lexapro and was just trying to 'tweak' it a little.

[Kewell]

I stay in the caribbean so I do get alot of sun!

You live in carribbean and your still depressed?? (ok, bad joke )
As far as supps go, i take occasionally piracetam with choline bitwrtate and i feel kinda smarter. Maybe it's placebo though. But since i am not on ssri anymore, i don't know if there are any interactions between both. Maybe someone more knowledgable will chim in. Anyway, i feel for you and beast of luck whatever you intend to do!

The caribbean is not all that it is hyped up to be! especially if you have to stay for an extended period and not a vacation.
I have tried many supplements/herbs but never piracetam actually. I wonder the effects of mixing an ssri and piracetam?

[houstonguy76]

Has anyone tried using an SSRI such as Lexapro (low dose) and acetyl l carnitine? I was wondering if it's possible to combine both.

I'm on Lexapro and will begin taking acetyl-l-carnitine (AKA "ALCAR") in a couple days. I have not come across anything suggesting that mixing SSRIs with ALCAR is not suggested. Be sure to supplement your ALCAR with ALA though. My thought process regarding ALCAR is identical to yours...taking Lexapro cures my anxiety beautifully but it does introduce brain fog making it difficult to think or remember. My hope is that the ALCAR/ALA combo in my new mutlivitamin (NSI's Men's formula) will at least partially reduce the "fog".

Also, someone mentioned using 5-HTP. Don't do it while you're on a SSRI as it could be very dangerous. Here's one of many links that speaks to that. Read the comments...

http://www.medhelp.o...SRI/show/645122

[Kewell]

Has anyone tried using an SSRI such as Lexapro (low dose) and acetyl l carnitine? I was wondering if it's possible to combine both.

I'm on Lexapro and will begin taking acetyl-l-carnitine (AKA "ALCAR") in a couple days. I have not come across anything suggesting that mixing SSRIs with ALCAR is not suggested. Be sure to supplement your ALCAR with ALA though. My thought process regarding ALCAR is identical to yours...taking Lexapro cures my anxiety beautifully but it does introduce brain fog making it difficult to think or remember. My hope is that the ALCAR/ALA combo in my new mutlivitamin (NSI's Men's formula) will at least partially reduce the "fog".

Also, someone mentioned using 5-HTP. Don't do it while you're on a SSRI as it could be very dangerous. Here's one of many links that speaks to that. Read the comments...

http://www.medhelp.o...SRI/show/645122

Can you tell me how it goes?
Would really appreciate it.

[houstonguy76]

Has anyone tried using an SSRI such as Lexapro (low dose) and acetyl l carnitine? I was wondering if it's possible to combine both.

I'm on Lexapro and will begin taking acetyl-l-carnitine (AKA "ALCAR") in a couple days. I have not come across anything suggesting that mixing SSRIs with ALCAR is not suggested. Be sure to supplement your ALCAR with ALA though. My thought process regarding ALCAR is identical to yours...taking Lexapro cures my anxiety beautifully but it does introduce brain fog making it difficult to think or remember. My hope is that the ALCAR/ALA combo in my new mutlivitamin (NSI's Men's formula) will at least partially reduce the "fog".

Also, someone mentioned using 5-HTP. Don't do it while you're on a SSRI as it could be very dangerous. Here's one of many links that speaks to that. Read the comments...

http://www.medhelp.o...SRI/show/645122

Can you tell me how it goes?
Would really appreciate it.

So far I've taken it only a couple times. It seems to hit within about half an hour after taking it (assuming what I feel is the ALCAR/ALA, as I'm taking it as part of my mega-multivitamin). I feel a bit more lucid and my thoughts do tend to be *quicker* but again, it's very subtle. The way my mutli-vitamin is broken up I take it in two doses, with each dose containing only 500 mg of ALCAR. I believe most people take it in doses of 1000 mg 2-3 times a day if I'm not mistaken - may want to google that.

I may try ordering ALCAR/ALA separately to up the dosage to see if it further reduces the fog. Let me know if you try it as I'll be curious what dosage works for you...

Edited by houstonguy76, 30 April 2011 - 02:39 AM.

[Kewell]

I tried 5mg Lexapro and 500-1000mg of ALCAR. I found a slight increase in stimulation but mostly fatigue/tiredness still from the SSRI. I am going to come off the SSRI and try to find another anxiolytic that would work well. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[Insomniac]

Stablon?