Does SAM-e work?

[JMB]

Has anyone tryed SAM-e? And, has it worked for any of you suffering from mild depression and or anxiety? Please let me know. Thanks!

[Stef]

I used SAMe starting in May and was taking 400mg a day.(200mg 2x a day) I found that it took the edge off and that I was less "bleak" about everything. I didn't take it for a week while I went away and when I got back (5 days without) I had the worst episode of my life. I went back on and upped my dose to 800mg. I got leg tingles and stomach issues and was just not the same as before. I couldn't pull myself out of the pit or see anything positive. I've backed myself back down to 200mg a day and my friend told me to add St. John's Wort to the SAMe to help stabilize my moods.

So - yes it worked for me but not enough. Make sure you buy a good brand and that it's "enteric-coated". SAMe is VERY unstable and the quality will vary from brand to brand.

I looked into SJW but it seems like there's a laundry list of side effects for that as well. So I've been prescribed Efexor - and it's been sitting in the cupboard while I read all these horrible things. I just wonder that maybe it might be better to feel like myself than to worry about coming off it right now.

[JMB]

Thank you for your information.....I think after reading your input I will try another route my self. So far I'm just taking the fish oil/omega 3 and I'm doing very good. Supposidly, the fish oil/omega 3 aids your body in creating its own natural (uppers) in your brain, with out replacing it or creating it with chemicals. I read that studies were done in regions all over the world and it was found that.....where fish was consumed on a regular basis, depression in that region was very low. Regions where fish was not readdly available or consumed, depression was at a high persentage. I NEVER EAT FISH OR HAVE any form of OMEGA 3 in my diet so I'm starting at square one and adding omega 3 to my diet everyday and seeing if I feel better and will be able to go at it alone without anti's. Also, I think that the best form of omege 3 and the highest available mgs. is in fish oil. I'm hearing RAVES about it all over the internet. Omega 3 is not in many foods so I'm taking a fish oil supplement that I purchased at a health food store.

[Chelsea]

I am taking Sam-E.. have been for a few weeks now and don't notice a big difference, but I definitely haven't been crying or worrying as much as I normally do. Now to talk about Effexor, I took that and it was THE scariest thing I have ever done in my life. I felt like a zombie, I couldn't feel anything... happiness or sadness.. my pupils were so huge and my eyes hurt while I was on it. I had a major anxiety attack while I was on it and haven't taken it since. I do know some people who it has worked for, but I read a lot of other horror stories online besides my own!

[NKN]

Like any other product, there are probably good brands of SAM-e and not-so-good brands. My ND doctor recommended the SAM-e +CoFactors by Metabolic Maintenance and I have had fantastic luck with it.

I've been taking two a day (Morning and afternoon) for just about a year now and since I started weaning myself off it due to the back order issue, and was surprised that I was doing reasonably okay. So when I get my next supply I'll probably cut back to just one a day.

I'm actually looking for a referral to a back-up brand as Metabolic Maintenance is occasionally on back-order.

When I had my first episode, my MD doctor put me on some usual mainstream product and it was horrible. I hated it, after just 2 days. Then my ND doctor recommended the SAM-e.

I'll take my ND doctor over the MD doctor, anyday.