St John's Wort

[slightlysuze]

Has anyone tried this stuff for depression? Any good?

Suze x

[MyOwnWoman]

St John's Wort

Hi Suze...
I used it plenty for mild depression and do believe that it works. I noticed that when I'd stop taking it i'd get way more blue.

[KAT20]

St John's Wort

Slightlsuze, yes I have tried the st johns wart and it did'nt seem to have any effect. I am currently taking Paxil and that seems to be more effective. St johns can cause some gastrointestinal distress. A friend of mine takes 5htp and swears by it. All trial an error I guess, since alot of these seretonin reuptake meds treat many different things. I take mine more for anxiety and mild depression, my husband takes paxil cr for irritability and depression. I say don't be afraid to research and try what works for you.

[lushy]

St John's Wort

Personally I would recommend 5 htp or SAMe over St. John's Wort. I have seen studies that showed SJW was not as effective at helping with depression. I started SAMe last week and I really think I notice a boost in my mood. I also took 5htp but did not notice that much.

[Accountable for Me]

St John's Wort

I used St. Johns Wort for many months. I started taking it a month before and several after I quit drinking. You have to be cautious as to what brand though. Some work better than others. I used Webber Natural. I also found I was extremely light sensitive while taking it, especially on overcast days. It is a possible side effect, so wear your shades if this happens to you. The headaches and eye pains were horrific if I forgot my sunglasses at home or there was a sudden change in the weather.

I hear that SAMe and 5 htp are good alternatives as well. More expensive but good. No experience with those myself but they both have a good reputation.

[slightlysuze]

St John's Wort

Thanks everyone. I was wondering about SJW for my low feelings but wasn't too inspired as my mum tried it and got no effect at all.

What exactly is 5htp and SAMe? Can you get them off prescription?

I'd like to find something to lift me up a bit, gently

Suze x

[Finding My Self]

St John's Wort

Hi Suze - joining in here with all the same questions! Hope that's ok...

I've had SJW years ago and noticed nothing but a friend swears by it. It certainly seems gentle - perhaps too gentle for me!

5htp I know I've done but presumably because they are still in the cupboard and I don't remember anything it either didn't work or upset my tum (like Prozac did BIG time.)(I think it was the latter now I come to think of it...)

I so, so, so wish Citalopram would do the same as it did the first time I took it - 2.5 weeks in I wanted to skip, then I didn't want any cr*p food or even booze, lost a stone and bounced my way around with many comments about, "Wow, you look amazing!".... I just couldn't sleep a wink...hey ho! But since, any times I've been on it I guess I have only cried twice a day instead of twice an hour....with no 'bounce'.

The thing is, I guess I do have a lot of reasons to feel depressed at the moment. (Not going neggy just fact and it could be lots worse...) but so, so, so want to find something that gives me the energy to actually DO something about these depressing things that have been around for about 3 years now.....sell my stock, close the studio, clear out the garage and house, find a new house, get a job and have the energy to actually do it, sort out my famly hassles, deal with the benefit system (a full time job in itself!) and get rid of this boring pains I've got etc etc etc.....(yawn!) I mean, is that really depression or just exhaustion?! I have always thought of depression being very low with no obvious reason? (And I do not knock anyone with it; it's an nasty, cruel 'affliction'...)

Me, me, me, me (again!) - sorreeee! But the point being, what can I take to get the energies up to climb out of the depression and act? What can anyone take? I really don't want to fill myself with chemicals just because I live in a depressed part of the UK (known to be; very low everything) and am being p'd on big time by my family....I can move next year when daughter goes to Uni but will I have sunk so low to do it by then? Even the thought of it now fills me with fear about how; the shopping bag hurts, let alone all those boxes!?!? (Can't afford a removal firm.)

Oh lordy - another dump..sorry Suze. But if you're feeling anything like me I really feel for you...you've got a friend 'down here'!!! (As in the seratonin has sunk beneath the parapet!!)

I guess it depends what's causing the depression? Is there a valid reason (bereavement, job loss, financial probs....) in which case I think it's 'natural' and just has to run it's course...but at what point do you intervene to 'kick the body back into gear'? Is that why diferent things work for different people? Any feedback?

("The Only Way is Up" is on the rado as I type - TBR!!!! Too b****y right!!!!! But that line, "Hold on baby..." - yea, trouble is I'm fed up with doing that! I'm knackered!!)

Love to all and I hope we find our remedy!
FMF xx

[slightlysuze]

St John's Wort

I'm with you on all of that FMF....thanks for joining in on this thread :l

I think depression is at the root of a lot of drinking problems....it feels at the time as if it's an instant 'medication' for feelings of hopelessness/lethargy/everything is pointless etc. Of course, it isn't - it really just makes things worse...costs money, makes us fat, ill, tired, angry and all that. (preaching to the converted here :H )

I think the docs recognise two major types....reactive depression, where circumstances in life get you down, and endogenous depression, which is for no apparent reason and may be chemically driven (serotonin levels etc) I suspect that people with depression get both! And women get the menopause/peri-menopause too.....OMG!

I've got stuff in my life that depresses me (family things, health problems..the usual things) but I also have that 'inner' sadness thing. I think I've had a tendency to it all my life. But I am often also quite bouncy and positive....frustratingly I can't tell why that happens sometimes and not others. My drinking was like that too.... just glugging along drinking every day then suddenly reacting to something and bingeing.....and occasionally being happy without a drink, for no apparent reason!

I'm a bit low at the moment so I probably won't be able to inspire you, FMF, but I have found (in my bouncy moments!) that making lists/plans helps me a lot. Like your major things...eg selling the studio stock. I would break that down into several small steps and set a goal to complete one task each day (or week if more appropriate). I would draw out a mind map to help me see the overall picture. (do you know mind-mapping?) Even if you end up with a massive list....it does help to tick off at least something each day.

I've got family in Cornwall...you don't have to tell me how tough it can be down there! They hire deckchairs at Porthemmett....(snort). No, really I do know....it's a different world in November isn't it? Mind you, most of this summer looked like November - my lot had a grim time (hotel business).

Well, I doubt that's been much help....but maybe we could have a thread about depression and how others cope? Maybe there is one already??

'The serotonin has sunk beneath the parapet'.....LMAO

Hope your day brightens a bit, FMF :h

Suze xx

[CaptJBean]

St John's Wort

I took it once and did not notice a difference. However, I have read on pre op paperwork... if you are on St. John's Wart... you are to discontinue it prior to surgery. Why, I don't know.

[gonegator]

St John's Wort

for what it is worth, I have taken it for years and it seems to prevent sudden mood swings

Good news about St. John's wort and the treatment of alcoholism

Pubdate: Wed, 24 Jun 1998
Source: Independent, The (UK)
Contact: letters@independent.co.uk
Website: Independent Online Edition > Home
Author: Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor

HERB HOPES GROW FOR ALCOHOLICS

SCIENTISTS BELIEVE they may have found a herbal treatment to curb excessive drinking. An extract of the yellow flowers of St John's wort, a herb used for centuries to treat melancholia, cut by half the amount of alcohol consumed by a group of heavy drinkers.

The heavy drinkers were rats, selectively bred for their liking for the hard stuff. Researchers from the University of North Carolina who carried out the experiments, plan next to test it on human alcoholics.

Dr Amir Rezvani, research associate professor of psychiatry at the university's school of medicine, said: "We don't know yet whether the compound will work in human alcoholics, but we are optimistic.

"Since it is a herb, it should have no side effects or fewer side effects than synthetic drugs. One of the major problems with alcoholics is that they don't like to take medications that have side effects. St John's wort might be different in that it would just reduce their desire for alcohol."

Dr Rezvini decided to investigate the herb because depression and alcoholism were thought to have a strong biological link. "If it worked for depression, then it might just have a beneficial effect on alcoholism," he said. "Many people think the link may be a deficiency of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain."

The findings were presented yesterday at a meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

The researchers compared the behaviour of rats that were given the extract and another group that was not. All were offered a choice between alcohol and water.

Over a 24 hour period the rats treated with the herbal extract drank half as much alcohol as the untreated animals.

[Accountable for Me]

St John's Wort

gonegator, I read this EXACT article when I was researching alternative meds for depression back in November.

I found it really helped me BIG TIME when I quit drinking and from having the big dip in moods. I already voiced my opinion on this earlier in the thread so I won't repeat myself here ;-)

[hippie37]

St John's Wort

The heavy drinkers were rats, selectively bred for their liking for the hard stuff.

Poor bleed'n rats!... forced to be alcoholics by genetics! Shame they can't do something the opposite way for us humans!! At least I'd be able to moderate my drinking then rather than give up completely!!!lol

[Guest]

St John's Wort

Well, I tried and failed to be a mod.........am now happy to be a teetotal rocker!!! LMAO

Starlight Impress x

[MyOwnWoman]

St John's Wort

I just remembered that tryptophan was recommended to me recently, by a natural health care expert. It was banned for years in the states because some people got sick and someone died from taking it, but it turns out that it was contaminants in the supplement, not tryptophan itself. So it's available now.

I hadn't thought of SAMe - I'm going to look into that too. I'm sick of the swings from high to low. I'd been doing pretty good then woke up very nearly suicidal yesterday, for no apparent reason.

[gonegator]

St John's Wort

I found this about a month ago, may prove helpful

Kelly's St. John's Wort info pages

Kelly's SJW (St. John's Wort) pages for depression