Just thought I would tell you about the side effects that both my husband and I have experienced with the nutritional supplement SAM-e. It is billed as a mood regulator and joint comfort supplement.

My husband experienced arthritis like discomfort in his hands, to the point of losing grip strength. My wrists got sore. We both stopped the SAM-e and got relief.

I started taking it again to be sure it was that and not something else, and in less than a week, my wrists are killing me again, to the point of worrying that I was going to drop a pan of cookies as I took them out of the oven. I won't be taking them again.

-- Rose (open_rose@hotmail.com), March 01, 2002

Answers

My homeopathic gave it to me to help with the pain I was having with my ankle that I had twisted (or fractured, don't know since I didn't get an X-ray...or stop working for that matter) I didn't like the feeling I had with it. I can only discribe it as feeling spacy.

I tried taking it at night since it did make my ankle feel better but I had such an overpowering feeling that I was going to die during the night (I have night terrors) that I took a couple charcoal tablets to absorb what was left in my system.

Now that you mention it, my wrist was hurting me too but I didn't associate it with SAM-e.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), March 01, 2002.

I've been taking it for depression for the last eight months and have had excellent results--no side effects that I can determine and my mood has been much better.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), March 01, 2002.

So glad to see this post. I have been taking Sam-e for depression for 2 months. It began working within two days. I was so pleased as prescription drugs left me nauseous. Then I read that BHB plus would make Sam-e work better. I tried it, it doesn't really, but I noticed my skin has tiny,tiny blood spots just under the surface. I stopped the BHB but the spots are still there and darker if I take the Sam- e. What is this? Is it dangerous?

-- HaloHead (HaloHead@noplacereal.com), March 03, 2002.