# Sleep/Q for Talissa et al



## 23392 (Jan 31, 2006)

My brain is getting fuzzy from *lack* of sleep. Talissa, if I remember correctly you're also pretty much a D as far as IBS, right? You wrote that you take, for sleep:--------------I use 5-HTP - a natural supplement - and it helps me to fall asleep and then I also take Neurontin to help me stay asleep which also helps my headaches. I also use sublingual (tablets that you suck on/let melt under your tongue) melatonin and that works really well when I'm still having trouble falling asleep.-------------My guy at the health food store tells me that 5-HTp is a serotonin precursor.I am too tired  to remember or figure out how serotonin affects our guts...can you or Kathleen or someone tell me?Neurontin's a standard pharmaceutical, not a suppplement, yes?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Yep, 5-HTP is then converted to serotonin. Serotonin would have different effects depending on which nerves it is released from/attaches to the receptors of. Both 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors are targeted by drugs. Melatonin is something I use sometimes to help me sleep better.Looked up side effects of 5-HTP to see what they list http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/subs...525,747,00.html lists nausea and constipation.http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsSupplements/...phan5HTPcs.html adds rumbling sensations and flatulence.K.


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## Talissa (Apr 10, 2004)

AO,Can't figure out how the above quote is attributed to me.I have no problems with sleep nor headaches...(Am knocking on wood big time!)I personally don't like the supp 5-htp for the same reason I don't like antidepressants...Yoga. That's my suggestion if you're having trouble sleeping. Begin doing yoga regularly. I don't know anyone, nor have I ever met anyone, who does yoga who also has insomnia problems...Specific poses to do before bed include inversions and forward folds. Just nothing with back bends, which are energizing.Kathleen, this is weird. At this site, they list diarrhea as a common side effect of 5-htp~"Common: Diarrhea, difficulty breathing, irregular heartbeat, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting."http://www.psyweb.com/alturn/alDrug/5HTP.jspGo figure...T-


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I'm not sure how complete any of the side effect lists are for most of the dietary supplement sites.It wouldn't suprise me if it could go either way much like with antidepressants (even ones most people consider one way or the other). Most of the clinical trial data from most of the drugs where they gave the numbers there is always some of both, even when one predominates.How much real data they have on the supplements I don't know. I have less confidence in those lists as usually I can't figure out where they got the info from. (they don't list the numbers from a trial with several hundred people, all I ever get is the list, they are all a bit different, and there is always a few sites that proclaim there are none at all)K.


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## 23392 (Jan 31, 2006)

Sorry Talissa! When i'm tired and there are several posts displayed on my screen, I can attribute the text from one to the tag line on another...My idiocy, my apologies!


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## tltrull (Nov 12, 2005)

Gee, I wonder if this is why I sleep like #### on Lotronex?


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## 21506 (Feb 4, 2006)

> quote:Originally posted by Kathleen M, Ph.D.:Melatonin is something I use sometimes to help me sleep better.K.


I, too, have had great results with melatonin low-dose sublinguals, if I have trouble falling asleep, or if I wake and can't go right back to sleep. Never takes more than 20 min.fwiwCarla


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