General Herbals And Meds

[Jen L]

I would be concerned with drug interactions and physical reactions to suddenly stopping one drug anf starting another herbal/natural or not.

Yes....I'm concerned about that too. That is why we are not doing that. The only one he stopped was the sleeping pill and that was an as-needed pill anyway. He is now taking melatonin, which is a naturally produced chemical we all make anyway.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

Also, I have not changed his meds at all.

@Jen L, You are changing his medication. Herbal medication is still medication.

IMHO I think what you are doing might be dangerous. I understand 'out of the box' thinking but I know there are doctor's out there that you can talk too about herbals and I do think you should get them involved.

I find the melatonin to be helpful too.

Best wishes.

 

[kahlan]

Yes melatonin is what is produced in ones body to regulate sleep patterns...I'm talking about broader scope with interactions between the other drugs and the herbals and if any of the other meds are in the process of being outed for a more natural "aproach". Some natural substances can either lessen the effect of prescribed meds or cause side effects that wouldn't normally occur because of how they interact. Also it seemed (to me anyway) that you were in the process of eliminating the prescriptions for the herbal treatments. That's where I was talking about sudden stops on the meds.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Some herbals can cause negative side effects. I've had some throw me into a state of extreme dissociation. I guess some people go for that effect, but it was SO scary. Sorry I can't remember which one did that. :(

Please STOP monkeying with his meds! You put him on Sam-e which is NOT supposed to be taken with ANY antidepressant because they both affect serotonin levels. He could develop serotonin syndrome or you could push him into a manic state. I know you want to help, but I think you are playing with fire by simply adding herbals which are supposed to help with XYZ symptom. Have you even checked drug interactions? There are a ton of drug checkers online.

 

[Jen L]

@Jen L, You are changing his medication. Herbal medication is still medication.

... there are doctor's out there that you can talk too about herbals and I do think you should get them involved.
.

Thank you. Good point.

Great idea too. I will check into an herbologist. That didn't occur to me, but I'm glad you mentioned it because I should know better. :-/

Oh, and thanks for letting me know melatonin works for you. It's good to hear. :-)

 

[Jen L]

Some herbals can cause negative side effects..... Have you even checked drug interactions? There are a ton of drug checkers online.

Thanks Solara....as I stated earlier, I did check with drug interactions and I did note that there was a Sam-e/seratonin issue. I also spoke with many people who took some of the same antidepressants he has been on that also took Sam-e with wonderful results. I'll tell you what....I'd take manic over the crap he's going through now any day. I think he would too. But so far, so good with that. :-)

 

[Jen L]

I must say to everyone who is responding and to those who want to respond, but haven't - yet. :-)

I appreciate all the advice, even those of you who aren't throwing roses my way. I am a rare breed who actually LIKES to hear all comments and advice. lol All I ask is that it is done in kindness and so far, so good there.

Thank you all for taking the time to write to me. I know it's because you care.

I'd still love to hear from those of you who want to say something, but hesitate for one reason or another (I know you're out there!).

Jen

 

[rebecca.kaysen]

I read this because I was actually asking for some herbal remedy advice in my intro post. I'm hesitant to try anything sleep related because everything I have ever taken makes me angry and/or drowsy the next day. Advice on melatonin would be appreciated... I have trouble falling asleep and I often wake up talking/crying/shouting.

 

[DMerish]

I've taken melatonin off-and-on for years. It has not helped me alleviate nightmares. The only things that have helped me for nightmares has listening to evening meditations and very soothing music along with exercise (making sure my physical body is good and tired, and that I'm not simply adrenaline depleted). Once the nightmares/waking up crying begins to subside a lot, then I begin melatonin until I'm back on a normal sleep/wake cycle. I have no grogginess in the morning from melatonin. I think people can react differently though. This just works for me.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Honestly, I don't think you're taking us seriously.

It's NOT about what you want. You don't get to choose to put him into an excess state of seratonin because mania (or rather the risk of) would be better for YOU! It's not about "so far, so good" and I can almost GUARANTEE you that he would take his current crap over a state of drug induced mania and possible psychosis. Have you ever been drug induced manic? I have, and it was not fun! I was hospitalized because of it. It literally put my family through hell and back. I'm lucky that I don't remember a lot of it, but what I do remember is that returning to a state of normal was horrendous. Constant paranoia and doubting reality.

Sorry, but I don't think you understand what you are doing. Just because others have mixed herbals with prescription drugs doesn't make it ok. I also don't think that you are seriously reading the replies here. You're getting advice from people who have been dealing with PTSD for years if not decades, but you still think that herbals are no big deal (not a big risk). I realize you're new to both the forum and to your PTSD relationship (just a few months), but please don't assume that you know better when it comes to his medication.

 

[Jen L]

...everything I have ever taken makes me angry and/or drowsy the next day. Advice on melatonin would be appreciated... I have trouble falling asleep and I often wake up talking/crying/shouting.

Sounds a lot like my man's issue.

Melatonin is something that our body creates to help us sleep. More is created when the room you're in is completely dark. Any light, or even getting up to go to the bathroom in the night, and turning on a light will disrupt the formation of melatonin in your body. Sometimes people (PTSD as well as non PTSD people) have trouble making enough to stay asleep.

The trouble with any prescription medication are the side-effects. Being angry was one of his with Ambien. Melatonin MAY cause you to be drowsy the next day as well, but without other terrible side-effects. You can adjust it as well. For example, we started out with one 5mg dissolvable pill (found at Walmart - purple cap) but have cut back to 2.5mg by breaking it in half. There is a 3mg dissolvable pill and a 1mg pill that is not dissolvable. You can always switch out later if it's too much. I found that, for myself, I ended up needing to go to 1/4 of a 5mg pill as it seems you need less and less as time goes on. But then, I do not have PTSD either.

Also, for some reason, when first taking melatonin, as your body adjusts your dreams are weird and you may wake up a coupe of times. This passes after about a week.

Hope that helps!

 

[Jen L]

I've taken melatonin off-and-on for years. It has not helped me alleviate nightmares.

Awesome to hear! Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Yes, if anyone got the impression that melatonin is for nightmares, it is not. My man takes something for that (still), which also makes him groggy, as (according to him), it contains antihistamine or something of that nature.

It seems that the Ambien (sleeping pill) tends to exacerbate his negative symptoms (crying, anger, impulsiveness). Just my observations. He doesn't seem to see it as clearly as I do....but then, that's human nature, isn't it? :-)