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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by 3 Beer Effect on December 30, 2001, at 23:28:55
I thought about taking SAM-E since SSRIs & Effexor give me insomnia, & Remeron doesn't seem to be effective for me. But I went to Costco & found out it costs almost as much as generic Prozac! Over 50 cents per tablet for the standard Nature Made brand.
It would be cheaper for me to buy any other prescribed antidepressant since I have health insurance & only have to pay a $15 co pay. (unfortunately, i've tried them all & they don't work for me- doctor thinks I'm probably a maniac, er, i mean Bipolar.
Anyone have any experience with SAM-E? Side effects?
I am sensitive to serotonin induced insomia, does SAM e cause anything like this?I noticed SAM-E is manufactured from the body from Methione which is loads cheaper. Would taking Methione be a good cheaper alternative? Is methione an inhibitory or an excitatory transmitter?
Posted by IsoM on December 31, 2001, at 2:07:45
In reply to SAM-E- why so expensive? $46 for 80 pills Costco!!, posted by 3 Beer Effect on December 30, 2001, at 23:28:55
I'm not sure taking methionine would do what you want. It's highly unlikely that you'd be deficient in methionine (which is one of the 8 essential amino acids we need 'cause the body can't make them from others. It's not a neurotransmitter). If you're taking in enough protein - meat, eggs, milk, you'll be getting plenty of methionine.
What may be at fault is the metabolic pathways - the enzymes may not work as they should to change it into the other compounds the body uses it for.
Even if you get sufficient methionine, if you're deficient in some of the B vitamins, the methionine won't be properly used. There is such a thing as a folic acid deficiency caused depression. Folic acid is mainly found in vegetables (dark, leafy ones), whole grains & beans. It may be better for you to supplement your diet with folic acid & a good B complex supplement instead. The average North American diet often doesn't get enough folic acid.
Here's a couple of quotes about methionine, SAMe, & B vitamins, and a warning about excessive methionine intake without proper supplementation.
"Folic acid deficiency causes a lowering of brain serotonin in rats, & of cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in humans. There is a
high incidence of folate deficiency in depression, & there are indications in the literature that some depressed patients who are folate deficient respond to folate administration. Folate deficiency is known to lower levels of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM-e), & S-adenosylmethionine is an antidepressant that raises brain serotonin levels.""Excessive methionine intake, together with inadequate intake of folic acid, vitamin B6, & vitamin B12, can increase the conversion of methionine to homocysteine—a substance linked to heart disease and stroke."
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> I thought about taking SAM-E since SSRIs & Effexor give me insomnia, & Remeron doesn't seem to be effective for me. But I went to Costco & found out it costs almost as much as generic Prozac! Over 50 cents per tablet for the standard Nature Made brand.
>
> It would be cheaper for me to buy any other prescribed antidepressant since I have health insurance & only have to pay a $15 co pay. (unfortunately, i've tried them all & they don't work for me- doctor thinks I'm probably a maniac, er, i mean Bipolar.
>
> Anyone have any experience with SAM-E? Side effects?
> I am sensitive to serotonin induced insomia, does SAM e cause anything like this?
>
> I noticed SAM-E is manufactured from the body from Methione which is loads cheaper. Would taking Methione be a good cheaper alternative? Is methione an inhibitory or an excitatory transmitter?
Posted by Bill L on January 2, 2002, at 9:07:30
In reply to SAM-E- why so expensive? $46 for 80 pills Costco!!, posted by 3 Beer Effect on December 30, 2001, at 23:28:55
I used to take SAM-e alone, then in addition to Celexa. Now I just take Celexa. SAM-e is effective alone for depression for some people but usually only at a dose of 1200 to 1600 mg per day. Each pill is 200 mg. So at 50 cents per pill (which is the best price anyone can get) it would cost 8 x 50 = $4 per day. You can also get 400 mg pills but they cost almost twice as much.
SAM-e can also cause insomnia so you should take it before noon.
I don't think that taking methionine would help but I don't know for sure.
The good thing about SAM-e is that it works quickly. So if you want to try it, you should know within a week or 2 if it will help. Start with 200 mg of Nature Made and work up to 400 mg within a few days. The maximum to go up to is 1600 mg per day. Take it on an empty stomach with water when you wake up and then wait at least 30 minutes (but preferably an hour or more) before eating. You are also supposed to take B12 and folate supplements when you are on SAM-e.
> I thought about taking SAM-E since SSRIs & Effexor give me insomnia, & Remeron doesn't seem to be effective for me. But I went to Costco & found out it costs almost as much as generic Prozac! Over 50 cents per tablet for the standard Nature Made brand.
>
> It would be cheaper for me to buy any other prescribed antidepressant since I have health insurance & only have to pay a $15 co pay. (unfortunately, i've tried them all & they don't work for me- doctor thinks I'm probably a maniac, er, i mean Bipolar.
>
> Anyone have any experience with SAM-E? Side effects?
> I am sensitive to serotonin induced insomia, does SAM e cause anything like this?
>
> I noticed SAM-E is manufactured from the body from Methione which is loads cheaper. Would taking Methione be a good cheaper alternative? Is methione an inhibitory or an excitatory transmitter?
This is the end of the thread.
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