St Johns Wort

Question: How long does it take for St Johns Wort to go out of my system? Ive been taking St Johns wort but haven't taken it for the past 2 days. I was prescribed Imagrin Nasal Sprays which I cannot take at the same time as St Johns Wort. Would I b ok to take the nasal spray now or shud i wait longer?

Answer: You should be ok to use the nasal spray now. By not taking it at the same time would just mean that the spray wouldn't work as effectively. It won't cause you any harm.

Question: If i take one st johns wort will it still affect the pill? I am on the contraceptive pill and i know that st johns wort can affect the pill. If i take one st johns wort capsule every now and again will that still affect the pill? Would there be an alternivtive that i can take?

Answer: Hi.,, im having the same problem finding out the answer to this. My doctor said that i could take them in my 7 days free from taking the pill, but even with his advice (and he is a very good doctor) i still don't know if i would risk it, and like someone else has answered surely we would have to take St Johns Wort everyday for it to work effectively as with any vitamins. So for now im not going to take St Johns Wort until i can find out alittle more about it, i wouldn't want to risk falling pregnent again, im 36 and have two wonderful children don't think i cope with having any more. good luck in finding out your anwer to this :o)

Question: Should i start taking st johns wort for depression? Well Iv been feeling pretty miserable and crying too much just cant be that bothered with things, but im not sure if i am actually properly depressed I dont want to take antidepressants as i dont wanna gain weight. Will st johns wort be as good as antidepressants an will it give me any side effects like antidepressants did before ?

Answer: I advise you to go and see a naturapath. I'd like to mention about ten different types of natural remedies but am not qualified to do so. Maybe also visit your GP for a referral to a specialist to diagnose possible depression. This just to get a sense of direction on where you need to be at.

Question: How can I come off Kira St Johns Wort when all I can find is the one a day tablets? I have been taking St Johns Wort for about 9 months now and now feel that I want to come off it. I do not want to just stop taking it but I can not find anything else in the Kira St Johns Wort range. I am sure they used to do 3 a day ones which were individually a lower dose? I do not wish to switch brands at this stage or take one every other day I just want to gradually cut down now. Anyone got experience of this? Serious answers only please.

Answer: A lot of the St John Wort on the market is actually ineffective because there is not enough of its active ingredient Hypercium to have an effect. However whether you are reacting to the tablets or the placebo effect you would still need to reduce your dosage gradually as the withdrawal effects could still be the same. Although you stated that you don't want to take them every other day this is what I would actually recommend. When I stopped taking St Johns Wort I noticed that even if you stop cold turkey the effects take a long time to wear off. For this reason taking them every other day should ease coming off of them without any instant negative effects. In addition I would recommend the following as more effective long term strategies to deal with the depression and thus easing the withdrawal from St John’s Wort: A) Omega 3 Fish Oils with a high EPA content You can do your own research but the best source I’ve found is www.mind1st.co.uk. In addition to the mood benefits these fish oils are also totally natural and provide a range of other long term health benefits. B)Exercise I’ve found moderate to high intensity cardiovascular exercise 2-3 times a week for 20-30 minutes to easily be as effective as St John’s Wort. C)7-11 Breathing An excellent technique that decreases the intensity of negative emotional arousal and works in 100% of cases very quickly. There is plenty of information about this available on the internet and an associated hypnosis download to make it more automatic. http://hypnosisdownloads.com/downloads/s... Good luck and all the best

Question: took st johns wort this morning but want to start zoloft tonight? i have been taking st johns wort to try to help with anxiety. it is doing nothing, i was perscribed zoloft. i took one pill of st johns wort this morning and i want to start my zoloft tonight. i have read before that mixing the two can cause problems or bad side effects. i am wondering if anyone knows or has experienced that. or how long i would have to wait for the st johns to get out of my system before starting the zoloft .

Answer: Melissa,I believe that you would have to take the two for a long period of time for any interaction.I've tried St. Johns Wort too without much luck,you should be fine to take the Zoloft,I was on Prozac and quit the St.Johns Wort,I really don't think that you have anything to worry about. Tomb Raider.

Question: Is drinking st johns wort tea effective if you drink a variety of other teas? I started drinking st johns wort tea and i also drink 1 cup of: jasmine lavender peppermint rose chamomile everday too (haha, yes i know i'm addicted to tea). Will this cause st johns wort tea to be less effective for my depression?

Answer: Those other herbs are fine and won't lessen the effectiveness of your St. Johnswort.

Question: What is the risk of st johns wort effecting the pill. More or less chance that antibiotics? I was wondering.... i've heard that st johns wort can effect the pill, but then antibiotics are supposed to and i've been on those for the last three years not using anything else and it's still never failed. What are the chances of st johns wort being the same? My pill is microgynon 30 and the dosage of st john's wort is 250 mg one a day

Answer: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John's_wort Apparently it can affect the pill - you may have been lucky not to have become pregnant.

Question: how long does st johns wort take to get out of your system? i've been prescribed anti-depressants but on reading the label i shouldn't use it with st johns wort which i took yesterday. how long should i wait before starting the new medication?

Answer: A day or two would be long enought, I would have thought. But why do you want to take anti-depressants instead of St. John's wort? All the evidence says that they are both as good as each other - St. John's wort is just as effective as conventional drugs, such as tricyclic and the newer SSRI anti-dpressants such as Prozac. All of them - including St. John's wort will take 2 - 4 weeks to kick in, and probably 6 weeks or longer in some cases. But, St.John's wort is far safer, has less side-effects and less long-term effects such as dependency. Of course, I am biased, having practiced Complementary and Alternative Medicine, including herbal medicine, for over 12 years. Before this I was a GP. At the end of the day the choice is yours, but don't discount St.John's wort just for the sake of it.

Question: What are the possible side effects of taking 10mg of Paxil and St. Johns Wort together? I am suffering from depression and anxiety..... I have been taking herbal supplements recently. St. Johns Wort, Valerian Root, and Kava Kava. Can I combine any of these herbal remedies with my Paxil or should I just take the Paxil alone?

Answer: dont take st john's wort...it has something to do with the release of neurotransmitters and the effects of your paxil

Question: How many mgs is high potency st johns wort? my mum was asked to take high potency st johns wort whow many milligrams is this? also how much is an overdose?

Answer: A common dose of St. John's Wort is 375 mg, but an extract of St. John's Wort (often standardized to 0.3% hypericin or more) would be a higher potency. But Jennifer is right... your best bet would be to have your mom check with the people that told her to take the St. John's Wort. That doctor would also be able to tell her how much would be an overdose for her (as everyone is different... some people need just 1 dose, some people can handle 3-4 doses per day). I wouldn't recommend that she take more than the bottle recommends if you buy one in a store unless the doctor says otherwise, though. Good luck and I hope I helped!

Question: Has anyone ever gotten pregnant while on st johns wort and birth control? I am currently on birth control for about 6 months. I heard some good things about St Johns Wort for mood. I read that it weakens birth control. Is this true anyone have any personal experience or know someone who has gotten pregnant while on the two?

Answer: If you are on the pill, then don't use St. Johns, it can and does keep it from working properly, i know several women that have gotten pregnant while taking it.

Question: How long does it take for St. Johns Wort to get out of your system? I've been taking St. Johns Wort for the past 4 months consistently, but have come to the conclusion that it just isn't for me. The side effects associated with it have affected me more severely for some reason and I have decided to limit my doses and eventually quit taking it. Does anyone know how long it will take before it is completely out of my system?

Answer: i'm guessing a day or two. I took that for 1.5 months, and the first day or two seemed great. But last week was absolutely horrible. Yesterday was my first day of stopping taking it, and things seem normal again. it's a b.s. anti-depressent drug

Question: is it safe to drink tea with St Johns wort? I bought a bedtime tea and it has St Johns wort in it, I wish I noticed it before because now I am hesitant to drink it. Any suggestions?

Answer: That all depends. St. Johns Wort interacts with quite a few medicines and it is not really meant as a sleep aid. However, this tea may not have much real St. Johns Wort in it, so it is hard to give you an answer without seeing the tea that you are talking about and reading the ingredient list. I would suggest speaking with a qualified naturopath or herbalist who knows your health history and any medications that you are taking to find the answer to your question.

Question: Can you buy St Johns Wort Tablets in pharmecies? are they available in pharmecies? if so can you buy it without a prescription? also, is st johns wort really honestly effective for depression? i mean, if st johns wort really was such a miracle herbal/natural alternative for anti depressents, why arent doctors prescribing them instead of chemical inducing drugs?

Answer: Yes, you can purchase St. Johns Wort (SJW) over the counter (OTC) at most pharmacies such as CVS, Walgreens, and the like. That said, If you're looking for a St. John's Wort product. It's my understanding that you need to find one that's been standardized for hyperforin. This is main active component responsible for reducing symptoms of depression. Here's a link to a clinical research study published in a reputable medical journal discussing the topic - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15492771 There are a number of reasons why doctors don't prescribe SJW. Here are a few of those reasons: 1.) Alternative medicine is not something that's normally focused on in med school. 2.) Generally speaking, the FDA does not officially approve alternatives to prescription medicine like SJW. The main reason for this that a company cannot patent a plant such as SJW. Therefore there's no way for a company to recoup the investment of the FDA approval process. Once SJW is approved all would benefit from that approval process. 3.) FDA and the pharma companies have a pretty close relationship with one another. I have a number of friends that have found success with a St John's Wort products called Amoryn. It's an all-natural supplement designed to help with symptoms of depression. You can learn more about Amoryn at http://www.amoryn.com/advantage.html - This site actually has a lot of great info. Amoryn seems to have done their homework when they designed their natural formula. Their clinical research page lists a number of clinical research studies that show the effectiveness of St. John's Wort used in Amoryn. As with the above study, these are all clinical research studies that have been published in reputable medical journals. Go to http://www.amoryn.com/index_clinical.html for more info. Another great resource is the Kelly's St. John's Wort Blog - http://www.sjwinfo.org/ Try Google-ing "Natural Depression Supplement" - It seems like there's some good info there about how to naturally overcome depression symptoms without prescription medications. Start there and continue learning about different alternatives. Everyone's different, so the best long-term approach is to continuing to educate yourself and find what works best for you.

Question: Is hypertension caused by st johns wort? I have been told that st johns wort can be good for mild depression, but Is hypertension caused by st johns wort ? Is it safe to take if you have high blood pressure.

Answer: St Johns Wort can be effective in treating mild depression as hypericin, one of the active ingredients, effects the neurotransmitters in the brain in a similar fashion to anti-depressant meds. However there is a risk of hypertension being caused by St Johns Wort because hypericin can have a reaction when mixed with the amino acid tyramine. Reactions include a quick increase in blood pressure, nasty headaches and an irregular heartbeat. Although these reactions aren't that common its not really worth the risk. However, should you choose to take St Johns Wort then best to avoid foods and drinks that have high concentrations of tyramine. These include: - Aged, dried, smoked, pickled or processed fish or meats - Chicken liver - Aged cheese - Soy sauce - Yeast/protein extracts - Legumes - Over-ripe fruit - Figs or raisins - Alcoholic beverages including ale, beer, red wines, sherry and liqueurs. And its also advisable to limit caffeine. It's not just the risk of reaction from tyarime either that you should be aware of. Like all herbs, just because its natural doesn't mean there can't be side effects. There is a risk that St Johns Wort may interact with other medications, including those for controlling high blood pressure and prescription anti-depressants. So if you're already taking blood pressure meds and anti-depressants of any kind then don't self-medicate with St Johns Wort. If you're interested in alternative remedies you should speak to your doctor about which alternative remedies can address any feelings of mild depression without increasing the risk of high blood pressure.

Question: How much of St Johns wort should I take? I just got some st johns wort and it says to take it three times a day but I was wondering if I could possibly take the three pills at once when I go to bed? or should I start out taking on pill and gradually go to a higher dose?

Answer: 3 first day, as shown below. It shouldn't be relied on as a sole treatment for depression, or anxiety. Ask yourself: "Why do I feel depressed, and when did I first start to feel this way: can I associate this with any recent change in my life?" (if so, it is probably situational depression: counselling, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is indicated). Or, was it a more gradual thing, with no apparent cause? (a nutritional deficiency, hypothyroidism, environmental toxicity, or reactions to some medications, etc., becomes more likely as the cause). Antidepressants work quicker than the following; 2 - 6 weeks, but you may have to adjust dosage, or types, whereas St. John's wort is effective for most people, tolerance doesn't develop, and the few side effects don't occur often, and even then are normally not severe. It doesn't cause sleeping problems, or weight change, but usually takes at least 2, and generally 4 - 6 weeks to become effective, but can work quicker than antidepressants, sometimes. A recent, independent German double blind study showed it to be as effective as Sertraline (marketed in the USA as Zoloft: a commonly prescribed antidepressant) in cases of major depression, with far fewer side effects, and those were generally better tolerated, with a lower rate of discontinuation. Unlike antidepressants, where sexual dysfunction is a common side effect, it happens much more rarely with St. John's wort (I have noticed no effect in this area). Remember back to a time when life was full of promise, or a day when you felt particularly good, or possibly excited from a good result. Emotional states are associated with memories, and if it isn't major depression, this method can help. A multidimensional approach to treating depression without medication follows. All except for no. (7.) are safe to use with medication, but not St. John's wort, because of interactions, and it's sensible to check out anything else first with your doctor. (1.) Take 4 Omega 3 fish oil supplements, daily: (certified free of mercury) it is best if consumed with an antioxidant, such as an orange, or grapefruit, or their FRESHLY SQUEEZED juice. If vitamin E is added, it should be certified as being 100% from natural sources, or it may be synthetic: avoid it. In the winter months, replace 2 Omega 3 with a teaspoonful of cod liver oil, if not getting sufficient daily exposure to strong light (http://www.mercola.com/ SEARCHBAR: enter: "vitamin D"). Also take a vitamin B complex which is certified as being 100% of natural origin; a deficiency in vitamin B9 (folic acid, or folate) is known to cause depression. Around 30% - 40% of depressed people have low vitamin B12 levels. Depressed females using the contraceptive pill may benefit from vitamin B6 supplements. ~~~ (2.) Work up slowly to at least 20 minutes minutes of exercise, daily, or 30 - 60 mns, 5 times weekly. Too much exercise can cause stress, which isn't wanted when dealing with depression. ~~~ (3.) Occupational therapy (keeping busy allows little time for unproductive introspection, and keeps mental activity out of less desirable areas of the brain). (4.) Use daily, a relaxation method* and/or yoga*, and/or Tai Chi. ~~~ (5.) Initially, at least, some form of counselling, preferably either Cognitive Behavio(u)ral Therapy, or Rational Emotive Behavio(u)ral Therapy. ~~~ (6.) Maintain a mood chart, and daily activities schedule. ~~~ (7.) As options, if desired, either a known, effective herbal remedy, such as St. John's wort, (get a German variety, if possible; local ones may vary in effectiveness. Take 3 times daily with a meal) or supplements, such as SAMe, or Inositol (from vitamin and health food stores, some supermarkets, or mail order: view section 55). If 5HTP is used to boost serotonin levels, (which are low in depressed people) it is best taken with a high carbohydrate, minimal protein meal, like pasta, with tomato & basil, and avoid protein for 90 minutes, before, and after, to maximise the amount crossing the blood/brain barrier. Also, 80% of people in the Western world have low magnesium levels, and these are known to cause depression & anxiety. Try the magnesium supplement types shown in http://www.real-depression-help.com/ Some of these will be available in pharmacies, or supermarkets. Low levels of calcium, and potassium can also cause depression. Have your blood tested, and correct any deficiencies, preferably through improved nutrition. An improvement can be noticed in as little as a week, if a deficiency is the cause. Also, iodised salt is much preferable to regular salt (one of the treatments in books on depression is iodine drops). Try to imagine, as vividly as possible, a time in the not too distant future, when you have overcome this temporary setback, and things are much better. *View section 2, on the first 3 pages, and also pages R, C, I, and section 11, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris Anxiety; section 6; page N first.