Hi...

I was given a prescription for elavil 75mg back in '94 when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. It helped me get a good quality of sleep and over the years, I've been able to wean my self down and off. I finally got diagnosed with hypothyroidism and I'm dealing with adrenal fatigue. When I was at my worst, I resorted to the elavil again to help me sleep. I've weaned myself off again and I'm currently taken just melatonin, Seriphos (phosphydityl serine) and benadryl to sleep. I'm reaching the point where I'm about ready to lower the melatonin and benadryl, cause most mornings I wake up really groggy.

When you've got adrenal fatigue, sleep is perhaps the most important thing you can do for yourself. You're not going to get well if you can't sleep.

If the ssri helps you sleep, then you do what you gotta do to sleep. As you slowly get better you should be able to wean yourself off of it. But, I would take the lowest dosage you need. And try other things like, like sam-e, l-theanine, licorice, hawthorne first.


iolite

There are much better ways than taking a masking chemical that also has dangerous side effects.

Getting to the root cause is by far the best approach. The root cause of all disease is toxicity and lack of nutrition.

Hi ich - I had an experience very similar to Iolite's when I first learned I had severe adrenal fatigue 15 years ago. I was taking Elavil at the time, and wanted to get off it since I preferred the natural approach. I kept taking it while I was taking supplements for AF because it was the only thing that enabled me to get enough sleep, maintain a consistent appetite and weight, and feel somewhat calm. After a few months my adrenals started getting better, and I didn't need the Elavil anymore. I stopped taking it, and haven't touched it in over 14 years.

My point is that when one has severe AF symptoms, a SSRI may be necessary temporarily. I look at it as a necessary evil until one's adrenals heal to a certain point. When one reaches that point, they aren't necessary anymore, and one can then depend on supplements and other natural modalities.

Tom

SSRIs have not a good reputation of treating Depression or PTSD. See:

http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/research_hypoglycemia.html#SSRIs


It is better to treat the condition at its root namely by nutritional means.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): a Disease of Body and Mind at:
http://www.hypoglycemia.asn.au/articles/PTSD.html

Probably better to take as natural as possible for treating anxiety and depression, although once the glandular problems are healed, that will resolve these symptoms greatly.
In the meantime, during my adrenal, thyroid recovery, I have been taking 5-HTP ( a natural precurser to serotonin, you can get at a health food store ) and also L-Theonine ( an amino acid that converts to GABA in the brain to help relieve anxiety. Both can be taken on a daily basis.
I have found these two suppliments to be helpful for myself the past year. They also help better sleep.

Paulette
( recoving in a severe 3rd stage of adrenal burnout and
reverse T3-hypothyroid, and hypoglycemic )