I would try some tryptophan 500mg at night.
I’ve been sleeping well lately since starting that, along with trazodone.
I too believe I may be low on serotonin. Shitty sleep, dry eyes, zero sex drive, anxiety, etc.
My only reservation is that I read that remeron has an interaction with tryptophan and they are not recommended to be taken together, what do you think?
I think you mean interactions with remeron and tryptophan.
Tryptophan we get in most foods we eat. I wouldn’t worry about it. If you’re dosing it 5000mg a day, yes, too much.
I would try it.
Yes, excuse the typo, it’s been a long day. I have sourced some tryptophan on amazon, 220mg which I think is a good starting dose, test the water…
You could, but in all honesty, 500mg is really low to begin with.
I use bulk supplements powdered tryptophan. Love it.
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I need your help guys to try and get to the bottom of my problem…
Ok, so I have this weird problem, when I exercise, that night I will have terrible insomnia.
Examples of this are:
Last Sunday - I went swimming, just did around 12 lengths of the pool, I took it easy to gently ease myself into some kind of exercise. An hour after excessive yawning starts. That night I go to bed and don’t sleep a wink, feel absolutely wired and heart feels like its beating really loud, feel terrible next day.
Yesterday I decided not to do cardio but to lift some light weights. I did 3 x sets of 10 military presses and 3 x sets of 10 bent over rows. An hour later excessive yawning starts. Last night wired in bed, heart beating through my chest again. feel awful today.
This has been happening for 18 months - I exercise - I have insomnia.
Does anyone have any theories on what is happening here? My only idea is that the exercise is creating adrenaline, which is then triggering a fight or flight response in my body which of course causes anxiety.
How do I fix this?
The idea of not being able to exercise ever again is killing me. I have just doubled my dose of Remeron so I am kinda hoping the anxiety will ease up a little but not confident it is going to fix this particular problem.
What should I do guys, I’m so miserable at the moment?
I used to workout at about 6pm. I’d always have trouble sleeping.
I now, for the past few years, work out at 7am before work.
I have read exercise uses up a good amount of serontonin. Serotonin makes melatonin. If you’re going to bed depleted, that could be your issue.
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… having 2 small children, it’s impossible for me to exercise in the morning, although I wouldn’t have the energy for that anyway.
Thinking back to 2 years ago when I was reducing my SSRI, the exercise insomnia thing coincides with that exact time, being at an all time high now I am completely off them!!!
Ok, so now I need a plan. I can give the higher dose of Remeron chance to start working, although I am not sure if this is the best drug for serotonin deficiency ( ? ), I’m reluctant to go back on an SSRI due to the side effects, if anyone know’s if Remeron will do the job on my serotonin I would love to know or if there is a better drug?
I also have on order tryptophan which I can experiment with. I cannot believe a brain chemical could be doing this to me, it’s absolute torture!!!
It’s likely brain chemical.
Serotonin turns into melatonin. Your brain has an imbalance somewhere in serotonin uptake. There are different receptors. Google 5ht1a, 5ht2a etc. Remeron acts as an antagonist for many of the 5HT receptor sites. I believe the ultimate affect it has, therefore, is to increase serotonin in the spaces around that specific receptor. I THINK an antagonist dampens the receptors ability to sense serotonin, which causes the body to spit out more.
A good psychiatrist would know.
However, you may not be producing enough in general to even use. That’s where tryptophan may help. Take it solo, at night before bed.
I definitely think you are correct with the low serotonin diagnosis. I am going to keep on with the remeron AND take tryptophan too, see what happens!
I’m experiencing similar problems to you Pilchard.
My problems, however, predated my use of TRT. I fell ill in late 2017 with thyroiditis and ever since that event I have experienced the most extreme intractable insomnia (despite my thyroid levels returning to normal very shortly after the thyroiditis). I’ve seen a psychologist who has helped me soften my relationship with sleep (this helped immensely) but I remain in a state where I can only sleep 4-6 hours most nights, and some nights not at all. It has taken a huge toll on me physically and emotionally.
The TRT didn’t help with my sleeping patters, but did help with my energy levels. I’ve now been on TRT for 2 months.
I’m thinking that I will go on a low dose of Mirtazapine (say 7.5mg) to see if that will help. My problem is that I tend to build an insanely fast tolerance to the sedative effects of antihistamines (i.e. after 2-3 days). Thereafter, they cease working at all, so I’ll stop taking them, which will lead to rebound insomnia (i.e. even worse insomnia than I experienced before taking the drug).
Nonetheless, I feel that I have few options left so I might give it another go in coming days…
I feel your pain, I just had another night of no sleep. I have just upped my dose of remeron to 30mg but seriously feel like I have been hit with a sledgehammer.
I’m exhausted and don’t know how to put it right.
Totally drained, totally depressed!
Pilchard what is your e2 level like?
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It was at 28 a few weeks ago with a lower dose of T, before this it was at 57.
The insomnia started before TRT to be honest, just seems to be worse now
Have you ever tried lowering it more?
Some
Guys need a lower e2 level. You have low shbg as well don’t
You?
I have just split my dose of T, 62.5mg E3.5D to try and bring my E2 down, I am only 3 weeks into this protocol so I will test again at week 6 to see where I am at. I have some DIM on hand but wanted to wait and see what my E2 was before I started taking it.
SHBG 40 18.3 - 54.1 nmol/L - this was 8 weeks ago, had 2 protocol changes since this.
but yes, I have had high E2 since starting TRT which can’t be helping matters!
I can’t seem to find any increase in arousal or libido on trt. Frustrating as that why I started. I’ve tried numerous protocols but my e2 has never gone lower than about 29. Wondering if it needs to be down lower. My shbg is low.
I started TRT because of the constant fatigue, I had mega low levels of T. I have been slightly more interested in sex since starting TRT but the insomnia is making me too tired to perform.
The added mirtazapine is making me feel like a zombie, so it seems I am back to square one.
I have bought an OTC estrogen blocker which has great reviews (purchased on amazon), I am just unsure how to use it whilst on TRT, I’m not sure how powerful this stuff is.
My E2 is high so I know I am not benefiting from the TRT fully. It seems I have got so many problems to deal with… I just can’t see an end to it…
I hear you.
It’s been almost two years for me on trt. Feeling hopeless.
If I can’t fix myself I need to just be single. It’s not fair to my gf.