st john's wort

[M00T]

have you taken it?
how has it affected you?
did you experience any side effects?

 

[Mday]

i thought about taking it, but i remembered that the side effects and all that concentration stuff steered me away. i won't try it.

and you should check with your DOCTOR for details.

 

[lowlevel]

Probably should check with a doctor, just because drug and herbals affect everyone slightly differently.

St. John's effects on me were very minor, mellowed me a little, made me less on edge, but did not make me feel zombified as Zoloft had...don't want to be numb to the world.

 

[apoppin]

It works really well for my mom.

 

[randypj]

You might want to check out a "depression" thread in OT (search). I think several of the people there had tried it. I haven't tried it, but, like lowlevel said, Zoloft left me a bit "zombified". Wellbutrin has been much better for me....libido, etc. Yesterday, I heard, on a local radio show, Dr. Frank Minrith, mention, when someone asked the same thing, that he expected the effects would be minor...not necessarily a bad thing. He also mentioned that you couldn't be sure of how much/what you're getting in each tab....not FDA'd.
--Randy

 

[Virgo]

I tried it and I liked it , but like most downers they always give me a headache the next day,which leads to taking Advil or something else for my headache that also has a down affect and ofcourse leads to ANOTHER headache the next day and so the cycle never ends.I never take any pain killers or zombie pills unless I really need too. Also I have heard that continuous use of St.Johns Wort will make your skin more vulnerable to the suns harmful rays and you will burn easily.

 

[Tripleshot]

PLEASE,please,please,...............If you think you need St. Johns Wart and you are trying to treat yourself for depression,see a mental health proffessional.If you have recognized the need for medication,it will not hurt you to get a proffesional opinion.Obviously some of you have seen a proffesional or you would not be talking about zoloft or welbutrin.
I work in the IT dept of a large mental health organization and talk with councilors all the time,and the worst thing they have to do is undo what someone else has told a client or the client has told themselves on how to treat there depression.You do not treat depression with ST. johns Wart.Not unless a mental health professional prescribes it to you.
You can make a phone call to your county crisis center 24hrs a day in most every location in america. They can guide you to the source of relief you need.You do not have to have money,it is pay as you can afford.NO ONE is turned away,that is the law. This service is available to everyone without regards to your age,race or any other thing you could think of.
Your call will be kept confidential,it doesn't matter if you are 8 or 14 or 16,your assistance does not have to include your parents permission.

Don't use these forums to practice mental health medicene.It's one thing to share your experiences,but recommending medication(or not recommending medication) for mental illness is plain wrong and dangerous if you are not qualified. BE careful.

 

[Midnight Rambler]

Tripleshot is right on. Self-medicating can be very dangerous. I even know a doctor who put himself in the hospital by self-medicating.

Also, I think St. John's is a mild MAO inhibitor. MAO's require some dietary restrictions and contraindicate with many other types of drugs. While you would likely have to take St. J's in large doses to get in to any trouble such as this, a person who is drug-hypersentive would be at greater risk.

 

[M00T]

I'm not diagnosing myself or self-prescribing... All I wondered was if it had been beneficial to some people or not.

 

[nickdakick]

WTH are you all talking about :Q

 

[Lvis]

There was an article in the news recently, linking SGW to cataracts. Something to think about.

 

[Mrs AntiSocial Virge]

I had heard on the news (yeah, I know, not always the most reliable source!) that if you are taking ANY other medication of ANY kind not to take St. John Wart. Doctors have seen it make everything from heart medications to birth control ineffective. So I would definitely check with a doctor anyway, but make sure you mention everything you're on so that you don't have any potentially serious reactions.