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robbiewtc · Mar 22, 2007, 08:05 AM

I just started taking sam-e yesterday. I woke up this morning with some bowel irritation and bloating. Not real painful just uncomfortable. Will this side effect go away? If not is there anything I can do to stop it?

avataress · Mar 22, 2007, 12:30 PM

Dear robbiewtc,

Is that Sam-e Mood Plus? I was considering taking that to see if it would help my off and on feelings of despondency, which is why I was interested in this (and other) possible side effects. I have no answers for you on the possibe side effect you mention. However, you might want to put the word "naturopathy," or "naturopaths," into Google and contact a naturopathic doctor about this. There's also a website called "The Analyst," which is just encyclopedic about alternative health situations. I don't know the site name, but, again, you can put the words, "The Analyst" into Google. There are several by that name, but you'll know when you've got the health one.

Finally, when I take medicines or herbs whose side effects don't agree with me, I usually continue to take them for another week or two to see if anything changes. If not, I usually discontinue their use. This has happened to me with echinachea, C-Q10, some liquid minerals, glyconutrients, and several other products over the years. St. John's Wort worked well for me for a while, then seemed to stop working and I seemed to get worse. A health food store employee in my neighborhood whose knowledge I trust, suggested that perhaps if I was getting a negative effect, I should just stop it, which I did. I got better, but the blues are back. I do take other meds, and it could be them, but it's not all the time and I haven't changed meds in years. I'd say it's the darnedest thing because it's not all the time, but then again, with the situations in my life, it's quite understandable. It could also be my hormonal fluctuations, which seemed to have stablized (I'm in peri-menopause), but they may have gotten off kilter again. Sometimes if someone's constitution is very sensitive, it's hard to know what exactly is affecting one, especially using allopathic (traditional) medical methods. Cheers :)!

robbiewtc · Mar 23, 2007, 07:12 AM

Thank you avataress. Yes I am taking the mood enhancing SAM-e. I had stomach bloating and discomfort all day. Today I am going to cut the dosage in half and take it with food instead of on an empty stomach to see what happens. I am already feeling better than I have in a while even after just starting the SAM-e. But if the discomfort continues I will probably stop taking it. Thanks again for your input. robbiewtc

avataress · Mar 23, 2007, 12:49 PM

Dear robbiewtc,

Thanks for answering my question and responding at all. I will still try the Sam-e now that I hear it is helping your mood so quickly in spite of the side effects. I will also remember to take it directly after eating. Are you taking the recommended dosage? Sometimes one needs more or less; for example:

When I was diagnosed with diabetes and I told a friend about it, he immediately recommended chromium picolinate. He said it stimulates the pancreas to secrete and release more insulin into the bloodstream, hence lowering the blood sugar level. He has quite a lot of knowledge like this, although it seems that he prefers to go down a destructive path because of his upbringing.. . but I digress:

I bought the chromium and I was taking one pill per day as the bottle suggested. I saw him about a week or two after I started it, and he asked me how much I was taking and he suggested I take it only every other day or every two days (I settled on every other day because that schedule is easier to keep track of) because, he said, if I took it every day, it would leach all the sugar out of my blood and my blood sugar would be too low. I've been keeping to that schedule and it seems to be controlling my blood sugar with no need for the awful drugs for that purpose. I wonder what my doctor's going to say when I go back to him?

Finally, I hope this doesn't scare you, but I'm pretty intuitive, as well as observant, almost psychic (I had a dream earlier this week that a company I had submitted an idea to had turned the idea down; I then knew the outcome before it came; it came today and it was just as my dream described; some dreams are not so straight forward, like winning the lottery, but some always are; I have a knack for interpreting them [at least some of them] from having worked with dreams all my life), but I surmised that the wtc in your handle must stand for World Trade Center and that your mood problems must come from dealing with some fallout from that. If you don't care to discuss it, or would like to do so privately, that's fine. I'm sorry if I have been intrusive. Please let me know how you're doing with the Sam-e and if you decide to continue on it. Cheers!

robbiewtc · Mar 23, 2007, 01:14 PM

Dear avataress,

I am feeling better quickly. I started with 400mg pills but I read where that may be too much and may cause the discomfort. This morning I broke the pill in half and took 200mg and so far I don't have any discomfort. I am feeling a little speedy today but nothing I can't handle. It is more like an energy or too much energy. I will let you know how I feel after a couple of days goes by.

The wtc does stand for World Trade Center but my mood is not from that even though it was a terrible thing that happened. I didn't lose any family members or friends in that tragedy. It is more like a tribute. So no direct fallout. Unless it really affected me and I just don't know it. I think I have more of a mild depression, being tired and lethargic, not wanting to work or be around people. Today has been one of the most productive days I have had in a while. Professionally and socially. I can't believe it worked so fast. I read that depending on the person it can work in days or up to 2 weeks. Thanks for responding. robbiewtc

avataress · Mar 23, 2007, 02:16 PM

Dear robbiewtc,

Thanks for your response. I will keep all of that in mind. I also wanted to ask if you are male or female, as that could have some effect also. I'm female as you may have guessed from my handle. However, yours is androgynous, it just occurred to me, so one can't be sure :)! Have you looked at my website? It is in my signature. Cheers!

robbiewtc · Mar 26, 2007, 06:05 AM

avataress,
I have been on SAM-e now for 5 days and my mood is great. I am getting out of bed before my alarm is going off instead of hitting the snooze button 5 times because I don't want to face the day or go to work. I feel great. The speediness has gone away and also the stomach discomfort has gone now that I take it with breakfast. I am taking 200mg now and it is working great. I wish I had found SAM-e years ago. robbiewtc

avataress · Mar 26, 2007, 02:16 PM

Dear robbiewtc,

Thanks for posting your continuing results with Sam-e. I will probably try it next month. There is also a wealth of information on the website: www.bottomlinesecrets.com on health (especially alternative), money, etc. You can sign up for a free newsletter and also get books with more indepth information, which latter you can always preview for 30 days at no charge before you decide if you want to keep them and pay for them, also on these subjects!

I hope your results with Sam-e continue. If they don't I'd like to know about that, too. As I mentioned St. John's Wort worked for me for about one to three months, then my despondency returned. I hope that's not the case with the Sam-e. Cheers!