St. Johns Wort In High Dosage?

[Belle]

Has anyone got an update to this? I am starting 450mg of St John's Wort to help with my anxiety levels and low mood as I have tried anti-depressants and they just don't work for me, side effects outweigh any benefits.
I am also taking anti-histamines as dual purpose - to help with allergies and to have a calming effect.

 

[Lionheart]

I think that if you try St John's wort and it works for you then that is cool, but from what I have read it is only helpful in cases of mild depression. The reason is that, while it can increase serotonin levels, this chemical messenger cannot get across from one receptor to the next due it being re-absorbed by the initial receptor, thus the reason a lot of anti-depressants are selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI's). This allows the serotonin that is in the brain to circulate freely.

You can use herbal medicine to build up the serotonin, but if it can't circulate through the brain, it just sits there and isn't helpful. Still, I say if you can't take anti-depressants then this may be a good alternative for you, but I have doubts of it's efficacy in cases of severe depression.

Still, I wish you all success with it!!!

Peace,
Lion

 

[ellieggggg]

The package says not to take it if you have a peanut allergy even though there aren't any in the ingredients, so I'm guessing it was made in a nut environment - has anyone experienced any allergic reactions?

 

[Hashi]

I found St John's Wort didn't help with depression, and made me feel worse because of the side effects - tiredness, stomach upset, increased sensitivity to things I have an intolerance to. That may be why it's not recommended for those with a peanut allergy - it can make other intolerances worse. I have no idea how, but this happened with me.

I sympathise very much with wanting to find an alternative to antidepressants, and I'm glad for those who find St John's Wort helpful. I hope that anyone posting here who's trying it falls into that category, and it helps.

Please be aware, though, that it can have side effects, and can interact with other medicines or herbal remedies. So go carefully with it, and always check if you're taking anything else (even "natural" remedies) whether there might be an interaction. There's some good information here:
[DLMURL]http://www.mind.org.uk/help/medical_and_alternative_care/st_johns_wort_hypericum_perforatum[/DLMURL]
(although if you're taking anything else, I think you need to check with a practitioner about interactions, rather than just google it).

 

[Elizabeth-Ann]

I take 500mg morning and 500mg evening. In our country it is quite common and accepted. I have good experience with homeopathy too. Especially for sleeping and nightmares.

I am taking citalopram although, but it does not cause addiction nor other negative things, but I do not take other medication for the moment, even if I am a diagnosed severe case of CPTSD, going slowly on the path of healing... :)

 

[vikingr12]

I have had PTSD and all the accompanying feelings for many years, delayed and suppressed. St. John's Wort for me works best in the morning 900 mg along with Sam/e on an empty stomach (with water of course). It works very well for me but lasts until the afternoon. I am thinking of taking another one then.
SAM/e and GABA do well for mood and anxiety. And melatonin and tryptophan at night really do help me sleep. I do have to take Ativan twice a day at times.
Am I cured? By no means. I will be seeing a therapist for some time -- again.

 

[LizardViolet]

I have suffered from depression since my teen years and I find that St. John's Wort is helpful. I've been taking it for quite a few years now. I take one at lunch and one at dinner; my depression is linked to PMS so I take just one a day for the week or so after my period, then go back to two. I also take a B complex and magnesium. I increase the magnesium when I increase the St. John's Wort. I also take GLA (you can get it as fish oil, or evening primrose oil, or flax and borage oil), which also can have some positive effects on mild depression. I tried an antidepressant many years ago and found that it was like hitting my system with a sledgehammer. The St. John's Wort is much more gentle and subtle.

 

[Belle]

Well I tried it and I think it worked a bit but not enough to help me to feel ok, now taking meds from GP.

 

[Dissociation]

I find St. John's Wort definitively helpful for light-moderate depression, maybe it doesn't work for major depression. And I don't think it will work after a long period taking chemical strong antidepressants.

Antidepressants don't work for sleeping. If you sleep better when you are medicated for depression it is because insomnia is one of the symptoms of depression.

I take 370 mg., that correspond to 1 mg. of active ingredient in the brand I use.

:geek:

 

[Artemis]

I take Remotiv. It is important to pay for a good quality St John's, as the cheaper products generally dont work (I think that is the major reason for why some people find St John's ineffective). Most clinical trials used dosages equilavent to approx 5mg dried herb per day (see "A Clinical Guide to blending LIquid Herbs - Kerry Bone), most available tablets out there have much lower dosages.

I'm taking St Johns and have been combining it with many other serotonin enhancing agents (melatonin, 5HTP, SSRI's etc) and have not suffered with Serotonin syndrome yet. I think you would have to overdose or be highly sensitive to have any problems. My psychiatrist also knows I'm taking St Johns and she has no concerns about me using antidepressants and sleeping agents in combination with it.

 

[intothelight]

Just a note of caution. Even though supplements and natural herbal remedies are helpful, it is critical to run these by your pharmacist if you are taking other types of medication.

It is surprising the adverse drug reactions that can occur and also some benefits/effectiveness of drugs can be reduced or negated.

 

[Hashi]

I'm taking St Johns and have been combining it with many other serotonin enhancing agents (melatonin, 5HTP, SSRI's etc) and have not suffered with Serotonin syndrome yet. I think you would have to overdose or be highly sensitive to have any problems. My psychiatrist also knows I'm taking St Johns and she has no concerns about me using antidepressants and sleeping agents in combination with it.

When you say she has no concerns, that is presumably based on her knowledge of you and her general monitoring of your medications. (If not, I'd be alarmed!)

As patients, we need to always check. There are a number of medications on the list for possible interactions with St John's Wort, including oral contraceptives as well as SSRI anti-depressants and others. We have no way of judging how likely we'd be to experience a negative interaction.