St John's wort?going to try for depression is it worth it?

[WhatAMum01]

Posting here so I get some replies.im depressed due to very difficult family life mainly due to my severely disabled child.i need help as I'm now getting so low i think theres no point in anything. I'm not suicidal, just very sad and low.i dont want to go on medication and would be interested in trying a more natural approach. I do exercise but I cant bring myself to do it anymore so any mood enhancement this way is off the cards.ive read about st johns wort but would love to hear if it works for anyone?thanks everyone

Yeah it helped me when I had mild PND after birth of my DS. I used one that was drops rather than tablets if that makes sense.

No, if you have actual depression its not a good idea; you cannot predict the dose in each brand or batch, and your depression may have a medical cause that needs treating.

Get a proper anti depressant from your GP, have a check up for other underlying issues that can cause or aggravate depression.and see what other support is on offer.

I am a GP and have used it for the past 3 years for mild depression/anxiety. It interacts with lots of medications though so please check if you are ever prescribed anything else, including the contraceptive pill. Personally I have had no side effects.

Hi everyone, thanks for input.anyone know would it react with contraceptive implant?I'm swayed to using it.my son doesn't sleep more than 3 hours,think the sleep deprivation has caused me to have insomnia as even when he has the odd night when he sleeps through I cannot sleep. I have eye bags bigger than the grandcanyon

I have been on this for several years. I have been so unwell with depression in the past that I have been hospitalised with it. My GP is aware that I am on it, and as I have a heart condition and get hypomanic with antidepressants, this is the best choice for me and it definitely works and I am the most stable I have been in a long time. Just make sure any Dr's you see know you are on it as it interacts with other drugs.

Floradix make a St Johns tea which I use as a top up on bad days.

@clairethewitch,I'm sorry for your troubles, genuinely I wouldn't wish such a low mood and feeling of despair on anyone.can I ask what brand and dose you use?thers so many,its confusing for my mashed up head.

After the birth of my second baby I really struggled. I went to see a renowned local herbalist.

She said that to be taken properly at a medicinal dose I'd need a pure wort and a good herb brand.

She also said I'd need to take 3 times the recommended daily dose. I was advised that to take it at this strength was the equivalent to 30mg of Prozac and I'd have to always wear sunglasses when in bright light as it can affect the cornea.

Before I took it, I ran it by my GP who agreed with the herbalist. He said not to take more. If I needed more he said it would be safer to swap to Prozac.

I took the St Johns wort along with 5HTP and it had a dramatic effect. However I couldn't cope with increasing the tablets to three, I had the mental lift I needed but I also had intermittent headaches that I couldn't shift.

My GP put me on Prozac after 5 months.

Both worked in lifting my mood.

@Iknowitsover thanks for the advice and well wishes.ive been suffering quietly for five years since my son was born ,I keep thinking it must be time for me to catch a break and for good things to happen.i believe bad things and unhappiness cant be forever,I'm patiently waiting my turn

@24hourshomeedderandcarer you sound like you are in my situation,I feel for you,i really do its not what we signed up for when dreaming of motherhood is it?can I ask which brand worked for you?

Get sertraline x honestly it's the best thing since sliced bread for me & plenty of others who have tried it all x

It reduces the effectiveness of some medications including contraceptives

St John's Wort interactions

Just because SJW is herbal rather than being created in a lab doesn't mean it isn't a medication. And like any other medication, if it's strong enough to work it's strong enough to have side effects. Please read the list I've linked to above.

It is very effective against mild depression because it is a weak monoaomine oxidase inhibitor, meaning it increases brain levels of serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline. In Germany, their equivalent of a GP can prescribe it in place of other pharmaceutical antidepressants.

It must not be taken alongside prescription antidepressants because it will cause an excess of serotonin, a condition known as serotonin syndrome, which is at best unpleasant and at worst fatal. Paradoxically one of the early signs of excess serotonin is...depression. For the same reason I have major reservations about a previous PP who said they took it together with 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). 5-HTP is a precursor of serotonin so again will raise brain levels and carries the same risks.

As long as there are no interactions with any other drugs you take, and as long as you choose a reputable brand, not the cheapest you can find on the internet, you should be OK and I would expect you to feel lower anxiety and an upturn in mood.

It didn't work for me. I needed prescribed meds for my depression.

I find herbs way too strong in terms of side effects. There are some good amino acids for depression and anxiety: L-Theanine, Gaba, 5-HTP.

Ah Op

If you want a more natural approach I would try the following which work for me

Find some groups with other parents of
Disabled children
Get outside . This is critical
Exercise - just do it
Garden
Connect with people even when you don’t want to
Read
Watch happy programmes - I know that’s very subjective
Get some talking therapy

You deserve happiness and the above things are proven to help

I would try all the above first

Wishing you healing