St. John's Wort?

Has anyone else here tried St. John's Wort for treating depression?

About a month ago, I was near the end of my rope (again), and decided to try it. I've been taking it for a few weeks now, and actually have been feeling fairly good (calm/mellow) for the last few days, so I'm optimistic that maybe this is actually helping me.

Has anybody had success with SJW? Or, are there any other alternatives to prescription meds that you recommend?

Thanks!!

I am glad it is helping you. I tried it with no change whatsoever!

Mayo Clinic:

St. John's wort. Known scientifically as Hypericum perforatum, this is an herb that's been used for centuries to treat a variety of ills, including depression. It's not approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat depression in the United States. Rather, it's classified as a dietary supplement. However, it's a popular depression treatment in Europe. It may be helpful if you have mild or moderate depression.

I've heard of it, but never heard of it for depression..... Maybe I'll give that a try as I don't want to go back on prescription meds if I can help it. Thanks for the idea.

I tried it and thought it made a difference in my depression the few days that I did try it

Hi MoonTurtle,

I've been taking St. John's Wort for two years now and have found it helpful for treating my own depression and anxiety (along with therapy).
I was diagnosed with moderate depression.
The two brands I have used (at different times) are Kira and New Chapter. I have now settled on 4 pills of Kira Brand St. John's Wort daily (1,200 mg per day). I space them out and pretty much take them with meals.
I like this brand because it has been used in clinical studies. I do think it has taken me a while to work up to using this dose without the occasional minimal side-effects that I had at the beginning, which were jumpiness and headaches in the evening. I now have no side-effects and feel that this stuff really helps to keep me from falling too low. As far as St. John's Wort goes I think its efficacy is similar to other antidepressants; it really helps some people, for some it does nothing, and some experience too many side-effects. Because it falls into the category of "alternative medicine" it is kind of a do-it-yourself or trial-and-error sort of thing. This can be both liberating and frustrating and sometimes even dangerous. You must be sure never to take St. John's Wort woth any other antidepressants. There are a few other warnings and contraindications, as you probably are aware. Best to read up on a website like drugs.com or even talk to a pdoc. Good luck.

E

My dad took it for years and had very good results with it. I personally have never tried it but I just might now.

I tried it but it was at a time when my depression and anorexia was escalating and it didn't really offer much relief for me, I started on prescription meds not long after (to be honest, thinking back, being anorexic prob meant it wasn't being absorbed properly so maybe that's why it didn't work).

If it's providing you with relief then don't worry, stick at it and see what it can do for you, it might be a good match for you and it's great if you can be on a healthier alternative to prescription drugs, I think st john's wort is a safer alternative because it's herbal.

Hey Lisa Michelle

It's an interesting question and I have given it a lot of thought... I'm not so sure that St. John's Wort is really any healthier than prescription pharmaceuticals. I guess it really depends which one. I mean, many have a good "track record" like prozac or zoloft or effexor. For many, St. John's Wort can make you burn more easily in the sun (photosensitivity) and some studies have found it to increase the chance for cataracts if taken for a long time. I only add this because the clinical doses are so high that I just really wonder if it could be considered "natural" anymore. You know? Like that pharmaceutical digitalis, which comes from the plant Lady's Glove but gets transformed into that drug for heart patients. However, you can start off with a very low dose... and it did seem more "mild" to me than celexa or zoloft. Hmm.
I guess in the end I just wouldn't want anyone to think it's without its cautions... In Germany, doctors need to prescribe it just like any other AD. Well, food for thought I guess. (Until more studies are done).

E

I'm afraid I spoke too soon about the SJW. Darn! I was actually feeling good for a couple of days, or at least feeling calm/stable, but for the last 48 hours or so I've been feeling very lousy again. This keeps happening. Whenever I have a few days of feeling better, I get my hopes up, and it never lasts. I keep trying different things, and always think "this will be the thing that finally works!" but then it doesn't, at least not in the long term.

Guess my next effort will be prescription medication. I've been trying to avoid that course, but self-help activities and talk therapy (and now alternative/herbal supplements) just aren't cutting it anymore. I guess I hate the feeling that I'll be dependent on a drug to feel "normal" but then again it would be better then feeling bad all the time. And if the SJW had really worked, I guess I'd be dependent on that too, wouldn't I? Might as well try something else.

Just a word of warning - I believe taking SJW and prescription drugs can have very adverse effects. Therefore if you are taking prescription meds, especially Anti-dep's, please be sure to tell your doctor about the SJW too

Hi MoonTurtle,

I think the best way to tackle depression is a combination of meds and therapy. I hope you find a med that fits for you.

E

Thanks for the idea.I think I'll give it a try. Be careful though because some antidepressants recommend that you not take St. John's wort the same time.

Everyone,

Thanks for the heads up about mixing SJW and meds. I read that somewhere recently too. If/when I get started on meds, I'll be sure to ask the dr about anything else I should avoid.