Great question!

Hi JBB,

Yes, of course I was anxious, and that is why I did an enormous amount of research. :) It is natural to feel trepidation when embarking on the unknown, and it is wise to err on the side of caution.

As for why it was not necessary for me to remain on daily L-Tryptophan treatment, this answer is a little more complicated and I can't give you an adequate answer without prefacing with some explanations, please bare with me. :)

From what I understand about how the body and the mind functions, I can say that fundamentally it is a matter of "cause and effect."

THE BASICS: My favorite quotation is from Ralph Waldo Emerson "Life is a perpetual instruction in cause and effect." This is nowhere more true than in dealing with PMDD. PMDD is a cycle which feeds upon itself, and if it goes unchecked, gets exponentially worse -- the word "exponential" is the key here as I will be mentioning it later in my more direct answer to your question. It is also important to understand the role of stress as either a cause of, or in exacerbating PMS/PMDD.

The more consistently stressed we are (I am not referring to normal fight and flight response) the more the amino acid L-Tryptophan (amongst other vital elements) is depleted in our vital systems (we would die if we had no L-Tryptophan in our bodies as it maintains a number of very important biological functions).

The more depleted our L-Tryptophan levels, the less serotonin becomes available to the brain, the more stressed we begin to feel and so a veritable and negative spiral of 'cause and effect' is set into montion.

Btw, there is a great misconception that hormonal imbalances cause PMS/PMDD, not true! I explain why in my essay on my main site. All my information comes from well-founded clinical studies and respected authorities in the field of medicine.

HOW IT ALL STARTS: But back to the main point of this discussion -- because over a period of time (years) our bodies become more and more depleted of L-Tryptophan through basically inadequate diet, poor life-style habits, chronic childhood abuse (which 'hard wires' the stress response), chronic illness, chronic stress, etc. etc., our systems slowly break down ... for many women this break down is in the form of very difficult PMS or PMDD(aside from chronic illnesses e.g. IBS and so forth) and so called 'hormonal irregularities.' For men it would translate to heart disease, and so forth. Now please note I said it takes years for this to happen, we don't deplete our entire store of L-Tryptophan and serotonin to critical levels through a single stressful experience, or indiscretion at the local hamburger joint.

WHY THE INITIAL 6 MONTH DOSING: By the time the physical manifestation of "serotonin deficiency" appears, hence the manifestation of PMS/PMDD and a host of other ailments, we are seriously depleted of L-Tryptophan, and patently not getting enough of it through our diet otherwise we would not be showing symptoms of serotonin deficiency and so forth. It took years for our bodies to deplete its reserves to critical level, it will take a good amount of time and consistency to restore the lost reserves! Hence the 'power dosing' in the initial 6-month phase of treatment. It is vital to rebuild the stores of L-Tryptophan in the brain as quickly as it is safe to do, but at at a controlled and even pace at the same time so that the negative cycle of 'cause and effect' PMDD created can be effectively stopped in its tracks and reversed -- much like throwing spikes accross a highway to stop a speeding gettaway car.

Once normal L-Tryptophan levels have been restored, and serotonin production is normalized (which in turn will EFFECT other positive changes in the body's belaboured systems, hormones included) it should not be necessary to remain on a daily dose after 6 months (maybe less, maybe more -- everyone is different). That is, until we start living impossibly rushed and stressed lives again, stop exercising, eat unhealthily and think pessimistically about life, because the 'stress' that is thus created will once again deplete these important reserves.

It is for this very reason that I so emphatically stress that taking a pill (even just L-Tryp on its own) isn't going to cure PMDD. Only dedication, self-discipline and positive change and determined 'will' will accomplish this, i.e. change to a healthier way of eating, supplement with a multi, exercise exercise exercise, de-stress your life, and so on, WHILST taking the L-Tryptophan, and continue with these changes after the daily dosing is no longer necessary. The L-Tryptophan will only do so much good (and not effect a cure) if it is NOT accompanied by the aforementioned.

WHY IT IS POSSIBLE TO STOP DOSING AFTER 6 MONTHS (LESS OR MORE DEPENDING): --> It is time to mention the word "exponential" again ... and this perhaps is the basic answer you are looking for: Unchecked (and incorrectly treated) PMDD creates a NEGATIVE cause and effect downward spiral, which exponentially gets worse because it feeds upon itself. Prozac and similar drugs DO NOT address the underlying causes of PMDD, and this is why it is necessary for women to remain on the drugs until menopause or they commit suicide or worse, i.e. they hobble along with a band-aid trying to heal a broken arm, instead of having it set properly in a cast to heal permanently.

Checked and correctly treated, PMDD symptoms become less and less severe, each month that dedicated persistence and loyalty to the treatment is applied, hence, a POSITIVE upward spiral of 'cause and effect' is created. Your body and its systems become healthy and normalized again, hence eventually there should be no need to remain on a daily dose of L-Tryptophan (but it is important to continue with exercise, eating right and living right -- that doesn't stop). This is why I no longer have PMDD, and this is why I don't have to have L-Tryptophan or prozac every day just to live a semi-normal life. Heck, I haven't even been to the doctor for the last 6 months for any reason, I'm as healthy as a race-horse, I can't even tell you the last time I had a head cold! Why? Because I applied myself to changing my life from negative to positive, and yes it required learning what 'de-stressing' your life really means at its most basic core. ;)

Hope this all helps to answer your most welcome and extremely important questions re. this issue. You are the first to have asked me why I no longer need treatment. Very good questions indeed!

All the best, :)
Anthea