Guest guest Posted November 24, 2004 Report Share Posted November 24, 2004 Hello- I have a question about the use of St. John's Wort that I thought perhaps someone on this list could answer. Like many I tend to get depressed in winter, and was diagnosed by my Doctor with SAD. I spent all of last winter on Celexa, an anti- depressant, but was not keen on continuing with it, so when spring came I spent as much time as possible outside, eased off the Celexa and started taking St. John's Wort. It seemed to work, and now, over 6 months later I'm still taking it. I feel pretty good to say it's November and dark alot! I am wondering however if there are any negative side effects associated with the long term use of St. John's Wort? It says on the bottle that what I take are 1000 mg tablets but then adds in brackets " 200 mg powdered extract 1:5, Standardized to the bioactive compounds of Hypercin minimum 0.3% and Hyperforin minimum 3% " . So going by that I have no idea of exactly how much of the actual herb I'm really taking! I take two of the tablets a day. Thanks in advance for any advice you can give- Lynne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 25, 2004 Report Share Posted November 25, 2004 I also have a question about St. John's wort. I have just taken myself off meds (my dr. does not yet know) for bipolar and depression which I was started on in May, because I gained so much weight on them. (40 lbs. in 7 months, 20 of it in the last month since my dosage was doubled.) I cannot be happy and overweight, so I chose to take a chance and go off of the meds, very gradually, which I have done. (Lamactil, Seroquel, Lexapro, and Abilify). I have taken SJW now for about one week, and aside from dizziness I feel great. But the weight gain has leveled off, and I haven't started losing yet. Does anyone have any experience they could share about weight loss or gain on SJW? And answers to Lynnes comments on long term use would be appreciated also. I like that SJW is completely natural, though not well understood. Athena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 25, 2004 Report Share Posted November 25, 2004 Hi Lynne, So good to hear St. John's Wort has been helpful to you. There is no limit to the duration of time this herb can be used. There can be however some long term effects, such as the skin's increasing sensitivity to sunlight. (See below) I also found that after about a year of use, it didn't work that well for me. 5HTP is another of my favorites. I feel that it is actually more effective at elevating seratonin levels more consistenty. Most on this list are hopefully medication free. Just in case though, this is a list of prescription drugs that should NOT be used with St. John's Wort. Chemotherapy Cyclosporine Digoxin Fluoxetine Fluvoxamine Indinavir Nefazodone Oral Contraceptives Paroxetine Phenelzine Sertraline Theophylline/Aminophylline Trazodone Tricyclic Antidepressants Venlafaxine Warfarin Here's more info on St. John's Wort for your consideration: St. John's wort has a low incidence of side effects compared to prescription antidepressants. An adverse events profile of St. John's wort found that, of 14 controlled clinical trials, seven reported no adverse reactions, two had no information, and five reported a total of seven mild reactions.11 Adverse effects reported included stomach upset, fatigue, itching, sleep disturbance, and skin rash. The rate of adverse reactions was always similar to that of the placebo. Additionally, in seven trials comparing St. John's wort with other antidepressants, the adverse reaction rate for St. John's wort was consistently lower than that of the antidepressant drugs with which it was compared. St. John's wort can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight. Therefore, fair-skinned people should be alert for any rashes or burns following exposure to the sun. Three cases of severe blistering and burns were reported in people taking St. John's wort internally or applying it topically and then being exposed to sunlight. There is a case report of a woman experiencing neuropathy (nerve injury and pain) in sun-exposed skin areas after taking 500 mg of whole St. John's wort for four weeks. Although St. John's wort has photosensitizing properties, the severity of this reaction is not typical for people taking the herb. People with a history of manic-depressive illness ( bipolar disorder) or a less severe condition known as hypomania, should avoid use of St. John's wort as it may trigger a manic episode. There is a single case report in which ingestion of St. John's wort appeared to cause high blood pressure in a 56-year-old man. The blood pressure returned to normal when the herb was discontinued. Michelle http://www.holisticmenopause.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 25, 2004 Report Share Posted November 25, 2004 Another solution for SAD is to use full spectrum lights in your house or office, especially anywhere you spend a lot of time. I have one over my reading chair and one over my computer. They help a lot. I haven't been depressed all winter since I started using them. My local hardware store carries full spectrum bulbs. Linda - HeiressArts Thursday, November 25, 2004 5:27 AM Re: St. John's Wort - long term use I also have a question about St. John's wort. I have just taken myself off meds (my dr. does not yet know) for bipolar and depression which I was started on in May, because I gained so much weight on them. (40 lbs. in 7 months, 20 of it in the last month since my dosage was doubled.) I cannot be happy and overweight, so I chose to take a chance and go off of the meds, very gradually, which I have done. (Lamactil, Seroquel, Lexapro, and Abilify). I have taken SJW now for about one week, and aside from dizziness I feel great. But the weight gain has leveled off, and I haven't started losing yet. Does anyone have any experience they could share about weight loss or gain on SJW? And answers to Lynnes comments on long term use would be appreciated also. I like that SJW is completely natural, though not well understood. Athena ********************************************* WWW.PEACEFULMIND.COM Sponsors Alternative Answers-HEALING NATURALLY- this is the premise of HOLISTIC HEALTH. Preventative and Curative measure to take for many ailments at:http://www.peacefulmind.com/ailments_frame.htm__________-To INVITE A FRIEND to our healing community, copy and paste this address in an email to them:http://www./members_add _________To ADD A LINK, RESOURCE, OR WEBSITE to Alternative Answers please Go to: http://www./links___________Community email addresses: Post message: Subscribe: - Un: - List owner: -owner _______Shortcut URL to this page: http://www. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 27, 2004 Report Share Posted November 27, 2004 Another solution for SAD is to use full spectrum lights in your house or office, especially anywhere you spend a lot of time. I have one over my reading chair and one over my computer. They help a lot. I haven't been depressed all winter since I started using them. My local hardware store carries full spectrum bulbs. Linda the important thing to know with the full spectrum bulbs, is the light needs to shine into the eyes to get the effect for it. that is why the light boxes are so beneficial. Antonia Nelson -- Antonia Nelson Integrative Coach & Therapist http://www.Body-dynamics.com 920-868-9599 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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