St. John's Wort (Hypericum) Information?!
Question: I've just started taking St. John's Wort, due to advice from other people on Yahoo after reading about the situation I've been in over the past little while...
I'm 16 years old, and I've never been on medication before that's been over a long length of time, and I'm wondering if there are any precautions that I should take now that I'm ingesting Hypericum on a daily basis? The pack says to take 3 pills a day, but I think I'll stick with 2, because I don't particularly like pumping chemicals into my body.
I haven't told my parents. I'm not planning to either, so please dont suggest it; I don't want to worry them. I've got a slight heart murmur, which causes my heart rate to be very low (55 at resting) and I've got low blood pressure also. Could this be affected by the pills?
Or, if you've tried St. John's Wort, and it hasn't worked for you, what did you do to remedy the situation? (I'm taking it for depression) I'd only be able to get over the counter drugs, not perscription.
Answers: I've just started taking St. John's Wort, due to advice from other people on Yahoo after reading about the situation I've been in over the past little while...
I'm 16 years old, and I've never been on medication before that's been over a long length of time, and I'm wondering if there are any precautions that I should take now that I'm ingesting Hypericum on a daily basis? The pack says to take 3 pills a day, but I think I'll stick with 2, because I don't particularly like pumping chemicals into my body.
I haven't told my parents. I'm not planning to either, so please dont suggest it; I don't want to worry them. I've got a slight heart murmur, which causes my heart rate to be very low (55 at resting) and I've got low blood pressure also. Could this be affected by the pills?
Or, if you've tried St. John's Wort, and it hasn't worked for you, what did you do to remedy the situation? (I'm taking it for depression) I'd only be able to get over the counter drugs, not perscription.
2 are likely ineffective. Hypericum Perforatum, detailed info via section 2, at ezy-build*. DEPRESSION: My standard post follows, but, if you are young, antidepressants are unsuitable for young people. See depression treatments, at ezy-build *(below) in section 2, and consult a doctor, to eliminate thyroid problems, etc. as possible contributing factors: also seek a referral to a therapist using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy. It is your decision, and yours alone, as to whether to take any antidepressants offered, but, before you do, read section 1, and check medications out at www.drugs.com so you will be on the lookout for side effects, like sexual dysfunction. My strong recommendation, however, is to follow the advice of my doctor, his associate, and also Marcelle Pick, OB/GYN NP, and Dr. Mercola, at http://www.mercola.com and many others: avoid antidepressants (pages 2V, and 2Z refer, & antidepressant websites: page 2). The reasons why we all share the same view on this are explained in full, as you will find, if you read the whole section. All of their advice, (except prayer, because many people are not religious) I have incorporated into the "core treatments", including occupational therapy, relaxation techniques, and exercise, with others as options, such as the supplements: Inositol, or SAMe, or herbal remedies, like St. John's wort. If you are diagnosed with clinical (major) depression, antidepressants may be necessary for a while, which will give the treatments time to become effective. The antidepressants themselves need at least several days, or even weeks to begin becoming effective. It's a good idea to taper off them slowly, with medical advice, after several months, say, to a couple of years, at most, because they are only effective in the long term for about 30% of people. Because of this, you would be well advised to begin the treatments immediately, and maintain them. I'd just thank your mental health care provider, and pocket the prescription, trying the treatments for a few months, to see if they are sufficient for you, before considering filling it (unless clinically depressed, and having great difficulty functioning, or suicidal, in which case I'd take them). If the amount of daylight you have been exposed to recently has reduced, perhaps due to the change of seasons, see Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.) in section 2, at * http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris and, instead of taking 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily; replace 2 of them with cod liver oil supplements for the winter months only! (or, as probably a better alternative to the 2 cod liver oil supplements: 1 teaspoonful of cod liver oil, with a little butter, to ensure its use; I take mine on sourdough rye bread, or toast, covered with fishpaste, and pepper, to mask the strong taste). Consider having your doctor test your vitamin D levels, using the 25 HYDROXYVITAMIN D test. Optimal levels are 50 - 55 ng/ml (115 - 125 nmol/l. It should be above 32 ng/ml. Those people who receive adequate exposure to sunlight, daily, won't need the vitamin D from cod liver oil, but many people, particularly those in latitudes far from the equator, find this difficult, to achieve. ~~~ Increase salt intake 25% to increase blood pressure: another 25% if necessary. If the wort's ineffective, after 3 months, try Inositol, or SAMe (not both at once!). Adopt all core treatments. With your heart problem, it may be better to avoid Hypericum, just in case.
I was diagnosed with depression but my parents didn't want me on medications (prescription) so my mom gave me St Johns Wort to start taking. I took 3 pills a day every day. After about 8 months I noticed I wasn't feeling any better so I stopped. If it does somethng for you great, but don't be surprised if it doesn't. It doesn't always work for everyone. As for side effects, this might be tmi but it caused constipation.
Also, it can make the birth control pill not work, there have been studies where women got pregnant while on the Pill and taking St Johns Wort at the same time. Just an fyi though I'm pretty sure you're a guy.
It is good for depression and nerve pain.
Caution: It can make you sensitive to the sun (burn easy)
it also interferes with the absorption of iron and other minerals.
st johns wart is one of the best herbal remedys about right now it does work and has calming effects to the nerves i have been on different meds over the years and this is just as good on the system as any prescribed medication it stresses that you can not be taking any other prescribed meds when you take st johns wart if you follow this simple plan you will be ok it works trust me
When I took St John's Wort I didn't feel a significant difference but I did feel lke it helped a bit. Maybe it was because it was psychosomatic? But i heard heard and read positive things about this herbal remedy. Still talk to a doctor to make sure it is safe for you to take this (since you mentioned your heart murmur). Also, if you are on any other sort of medication it is always best to consult with your physician to ensure that there aren't going to be any negative reactions with the different pills, etc.
Hope this helps.~~
I'm no expert on St John's Wort, although I suffer badly with depression (and other problems) it didn't do anything for me when I tried it, but I can tell you a couple of things that might be relevant.
Firstly, try not to worry too much about pumping chemicals into your body in this case. The good thing about it is that it's a herbal remedy, a flower actually, so it's completely natural. If the pack says 3 then it's probably best to go with 3, the folks who made it know the doses and contents better then you or I.
Secondly, and more importantly, although it's a natural remedy, it can interact with other drugs, so if you're on any other medication this can be a problem. Also, you really ought to speak to a doctor or pharmacist about taking it with your heart and blood pressure issues, just to be safe. Pharmacists are good for this type of general advice, plus you usually don't need an appointment and it's fairly anonymous if you're worried about your family knowing.
There are no realistic over the counter drugs for despression apart from herbal stuff, so all you can do apart from that is go for a chat with your doctor, which is the best recommendation anyway. Sometimes depression isn't what you think, there are some illnesses that can gives some similar symptoms, and regardless you'll feel better for talking to someone and getting real guidance.
Good luck, hope things pick up for you soon.
Don't get your hopes up about it. It works hardly anymore than placebos, but you would be amazed how often they work. If it really did work well, then we wouldn't have the prescription drugs. Sun light and exercise with counseling are the best nonprescription treatments. Don't feel bad about the chemicals; you are always "pumping chemicals" into your body. Your body would not work without chemicals and certain chemicals may be low now. There are supplement treatments that some have had some success with. B vitamins and other vitamins and minerals can be helpful. Tryptophan is another natural substance that also has some potential, but I don't know how much is good. I would personally never take St. John's Wort, because it is an unregulated herb that is not recommended by most doctors. The worst thing about St. John's Wort is you have to clean it out of your system before you take almost anything else. It has been the cause of many drug overdoses and bad reactions. Your doctor should know you are taking it. The pills could effect your heart, but it is also likely that depression is affecting your heart.
I tried St. John's Wort and had an adverse reaction. It slowed my heart-rate significantly and from what I've read, this is not something you need.
I agree with Susas about the B vitamins. I take B complex with C daily. The B vitamins are water soluble and do not store in your system. They give an energy boost and are relatively inexpensive.
Try the vitamins, exercise and moderate sun exposure. If you're not responding then seek additional avenues, including assistance from medical experts.