Depression Support Group

Depression is a real and debilitating condition that is often misunderstood by family and friends. Its meaning can range from a prolonged period of sadness to an actual mental illness with specific symptoms. Find and share experiences with others who are going through the same struggles.

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Has anyone tried SAM-e?

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Hi,

I've never taken prescription anti-depressants and never want to. However, I've been looking at natural depression remedies and the one that seems most appealing in terms of few side effects is SAM-e. I still need to do a little more research but I'd like to know if any of you have taken this product, what the brand was, what your experience was like and, most importantly, what side effects and withdrawal symptoms you had. I would greatly appreciate it.

David
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I have never heard of it and wouldn't mind knowing more about it myself. I'm a tad nervous about these "natural" remedies though. Afraid I'll wake up with warts, horns and green hair. lol
Let me know what you find out, Unliked.
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i've heard of some people that are mildly depressed getting some effectiveness. i tried it once..wasted money for me. and it isn't cheap.
useless for moderate to severe depression..IMO.
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JaneDoe56--You said it isn't cheap but the prices I looked at for some brands (under $20) are about what I would expect to pay for such a thing. But perhaps I don't know much about these types of things as I've never bought any.
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yeah...maybe i'm comparing it to what my co-pay is for an anti-d. so that would be kinda high for me. :)
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Hi David--I remember a few years ago, SAM-e was the "it" drug raved about by lots of "celebrties." Then it kind of faded away.
I've never heard of anyone using it with great success, but maybe if your doctor thinks it's OK to try--why not? Gotta be careful with over the counter stuff too!
BTW--GO STEELERS! (my team!)
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Hi NancyJ and thanks for your reply. I haven't talked about it with my doctor but the reason I'm interested in SAM-e is that it is a naturally occurring substance in cells, not a synthetic drug or some herb or plant. In the research I've done on it, it seems to have great success in some people and absolutely no success in others and its effects are apparently subtle and take a week or more to kick in. Plus, if I do try it I'm going to start at the lowest dosage as I've never popped any kind of pill ever and am wary of any pill, regardless of whether it's OTC or prescription. At any rate, have a good day and GO STEELERS!
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If you were diabetic I bet you would have no problem taking insulin. Why the problem with antidepressants? It appears you also may suffer from a social phobia which is very painful and disruptive to one's life and could benefit greatly from the right antidepressant.

To be too adamant against antidepressants
may not be in your own best interest.
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ive tried sam-e but it didnt work very well for me...ended up having to go to a doc and get something abit stronger for my depression.
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