Anyone take St Johns Wort?

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Marjayhan
Marjayhan Posts: 59 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all, I bought some St Johns Wort as I have lost my mojo for most things in life and looking for a kind of pick me up,
where diet etc is not really making any impact. I can't take meds for depression as I'm sensitive to medication and suffer all the extreme side effects with them. So I ordered this St Johns Wort 300 mg quick release. I'm not on any medications at all atm. Just wondering if anyone has taken them before and found them effective? Cheers :smile:
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Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,951 Member
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    After reading 20 years or so ago that St Johns Wort was prescribed in Germany for depression, I tried it, but didn't find it particularly effective. I may have read this exact article: https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/09/science/in-germany-humble-herb-is-a-rival-to-prozac.html

    My mood is really affected by sunshine and exercise, or the lack thereof. It was so miserably hot this summer I hid inside for a lot of it, and this depressed my mood. We've had more moderate days recently, and getting back outside has perked me back up.

    Of all the pharmaceutical ADs I've tried (probably a half dozen), Wellbutrin is the only one that didn't give me negative side effects.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    edited September 2018
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    After reading 20 years or so ago that St Johns Wort was prescribed in Germany for depression, I tried it, but didn't find it particularly effective. I may have read this exact article: https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/09/science/in-germany-humble-herb-is-a-rival-to-prozac.html

    My mood is really affected by sunshine and exercise, or the lack thereof. It was so miserably hot this summer I hid inside for a lot of it, and this depressed my mood. We've had more moderate days recently, and getting back outside has perked me back up.

    Of all the pharmaceutical ADs I've tried (probably a half dozen), Wellbutrin is the only one that didn't give me negative side effects.

    I had a similar experience. One thing about St. John's wort is that you should stay out of the sun while taking it because it causes a higher sensitivity to UV rays. I get my mood lifted more by sunshine than I ever did with the herb.

    ETA: Viibryd is the AD I ended up with. Effective for me and minimal side effects.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,951 Member
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    earlnabby wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    After reading 20 years or so ago that St Johns Wort was prescribed in Germany for depression, I tried it, but didn't find it particularly effective. I may have read this exact article: https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/09/science/in-germany-humble-herb-is-a-rival-to-prozac.html

    My mood is really affected by sunshine and exercise, or the lack thereof. It was so miserably hot this summer I hid inside for a lot of it, and this depressed my mood. We've had more moderate days recently, and getting back outside has perked me back up.

    Of all the pharmaceutical ADs I've tried (probably a half dozen), Wellbutrin is the only one that didn't give me negative side effects.

    I had a similar experience. One thing about St. John's wort is that you should stay out of the sun while taking it because it causes a higher sensitivity to UV rays. I get my mood lifted more by sunshine than I ever did with the herb.

    ETA: Viibryd is the AD I ended up with. Effective for me and minimal side effects.

    Ah yes, good point about sun sensitivity - I'd forgotten about that!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,951 Member
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    Marjayhan wrote: »
    Thanks for the replies, i'm not taking any medications for anything at all atm so im not worried on that aspect but theres also no threat from the sun either , as I live in Ireland and you know what they say about this place lol rain is second nature. i really need a boost of something . I fluctuate between feeling over whelmed for no reason to feeling tired and meh throughout the day. Trying to mask things by being smiley and enthusiastic on the outside to others but thats not how i feel on the inside, sadly.

    Are you getting regular exercise? I often have to force myself to start, but am always glad I did.

    I have a tough time in the afternoon if I didn't get any exercise at lunch, so doing that has become a routine.

    Also, what I eat at lunch effects me in the afternoon as well - I need a reasonable amount of protein and I have to avoid bread made from flour. (I'm fine with bread made from sprouted grains.)
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    Marjayhan wrote: »
    Thanks for the replies, i'm not taking any medications for anything at all atm so im not worried on that aspect but theres also no threat from the sun either , as I live in Ireland and you know what they say about this place lol rain is second nature. i really need a boost of something . I fluctuate between feeling over whelmed for no reason to feeling tired and meh throughout the day. Trying to mask things by being smiley and enthusiastic on the outside to others but thats not how i feel on the inside, sadly.

    I guess that, unless you see a reason why St. John's Wort may not be safe for you, it wouldn't hurt to try. Just go with a brand that has a good reputation. You might also want to consider talking to a therapist who can give you some strategies to deal with the overwhelmed feeling when it happens.

    BTW: I spent 2 weeks in Ireland and was ready for a lot of rain. In the entire 2 weeks it rained for a half day once and a full day once. Otherwise, the weather was beautiful. Loved visiting your country.
  • whitpauly
    whitpauly Posts: 1,483 Member
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    I've used it in the past and it seemed to work ok for me,it can be a little stimulating tho so if you're prone to anxiety it's not a good supp to take,however that was just my experience everyone is different,try it but start with a small dose,keep us posted <3
  • Marjayhan
    Marjayhan Posts: 59 Member
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    Yes i will start small, i'm gonna try. It can't hurt. I am prone to anxiety sometimes yea so thanks for the advice on that. I try to exercise but i suffer with back problems and swollen legs and ankles. But i do try to walk an hour at least a day any exertion , i will be in dire pain. I know it's not the same but better than nothing. But i do force myself to walk at least an hour outside. During the summer it was too humid i couldn't breathe. But now the country seems back to normal so i can start back up again.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
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    Marjayhan wrote: »
    Thanks for the replies, i'm not taking any medications for anything at all atm so im not worried on that aspect but theres also no threat from the sun either , as I live in Ireland and you know what they say about this place lol rain is second nature. i really need a boost of something . I fluctuate between feeling over whelmed for no reason to feeling tired and meh throughout the day. Trying to mask things by being smiley and enthusiastic on the outside to others but thats not how i feel on the inside, sadly.

    Are you seeing a therapist? While I'm very biased, I would try psychotherapy before St. John's Wort.
  • garber6th
    garber6th Posts: 1,894 Member
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    I actually had a doctor recommend that I take it for PMS but I didn't really notice that it did anything for me.
  • vanmep
    vanmep Posts: 406 Member
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    I take SJW related to travel anxiety. I suffer from heightened anxiety in the weeks prior to a trip and did not want to go on a regular anti-anxiety med as the anxiety is not bad the rest of the time. I find it helps to take the edge off - it helps me not to ruminate on negative things, it helps me to sleep and it helps
    Me maintain more calmly. My understanding is that I should not be taken long term though I can’t remember the reason why.

    Just a note that I recently started the couch to 5 k program. I have never been a runner before but I noticed a definite improvement in both my mood and my anxiety and I think I will continue running just for that purpose.
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    earlnabby wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    After reading 20 years or so ago that St Johns Wort was prescribed in Germany for depression, I tried it, but didn't find it particularly effective. I may have read this exact article: https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/09/science/in-germany-humble-herb-is-a-rival-to-prozac.html

    My mood is really affected by sunshine and exercise, or the lack thereof. It was so miserably hot this summer I hid inside for a lot of it, and this depressed my mood. We've had more moderate days recently, and getting back outside has perked me back up.

    Of all the pharmaceutical ADs I've tried (probably a half dozen), Wellbutrin is the only one that didn't give me negative side effects.

    I had a similar experience. One thing about St. John's wort is that you should stay out of the sun while taking it because it causes a higher sensitivity to UV rays. I get my mood lifted more by sunshine than I ever did with the herb.

    ETA: Viibryd is the AD I ended up with. Effective for me and minimal side effects.

    I'm another with a similar experience. Zoloft was what I landed on with no side effects. Since I started lifting and running several years ago, I've been able to cut it down to 50mg/day. The sun definitely helps too. Spending time in my pool this summer has been energizing.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,951 Member
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    Marjayhan wrote: »
    Yes i will start small, i'm gonna try. It can't hurt. I am prone to anxiety sometimes yea so thanks for the advice on that. I try to exercise but i suffer with back problems and swollen legs and ankles. But i do try to walk an hour at least a day any exertion , i will be in dire pain. I know it's not the same but better than nothing. But i do force myself to walk at least an hour outside. During the summer it was too humid i couldn't breathe. But now the country seems back to normal so i can start back up again.

    Don't knock walking! And an hour a day is great!
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    RelCanonical wrote: »
    It sounds like it's inconsistent as far as effectiveness, so you'll probably get anecdotes going both ways in this thread if anyone has taken it: https://nccih.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/sjw-and-depression.htm

    I would let your doctor know if you do decide to take it even if you aren't taking medication right now, just in case you do get put on medicine in the future and forget to mention it, as it can interfere with the effectiveness of some medications.

    It can affect the effectiveness of oral contraceptives (render them less effective). Please be aware.
  • Marjayhan
    Marjayhan Posts: 59 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies. I'm on day 2 but only taking one capsule when it recommends 1 capsule 3 times a day but i'm a bit wary. Maybe i will increase to 2 a day in a week or so. We don't really "do" therapy in this country, I can imagine it being expensive. I suppose I could go back to the docs and talk to him he's good. I don't want to be put on any SSRI's though cos i had them before (Paxil) and they made me go nuts lol

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