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Mental health

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Original poster

St John's Wort - anyone tried it?

20 replies

twolittlemonkeys · 20/08/2010 13:12

Was diagnosed with PND following birth of DS2. GP was very supportive, told me he was happy to prescribe ADs but said if I was his daughter he would advise me to try everything else first. I appreciated his honesty and opted not to go for ADs. Got slowly better but am still not quite there and 2.5 years later can't shake my low moods so a friend suggested I try St John's Wort. Got some in liquid form from health food shop as the tablets, although cheaper, were massive and I know I'd gag on them. The liquid is pretty disgusting even when mixed into a drink.

So my questions are - how long will it be before I notice an improvement? Did it work well for you? What dosage did you find effective (it says I can take the 1ml dose between 1 and 3 times a day)? Did you find there were any side effects? Today I'm feeling worse than when I started it 3 days ago. I probably need to be more patient - it's not as if I expect to be really chirpy all of a sudden, but I don't know anyone IRL who has used it - the friend who recommended it just knows someone who has used it.

Thanks in advance :)

OP posts:

orangina · 20/08/2010 13:17

I used it when I had SAD a few years ago and it didn't agree with me AT ALL. Made me feel worse and did funny things to my eyesight. Found 5-HTP much more helpful.

Will try to find links of useful 5-HTP sites, if that would help?

(Really REALLY didn't get on w the SJW....)

orangina · 20/08/2010 13:27

this is quite interesting.....

Original poster

twolittlemonkeys · 20/08/2010 13:38

Thanks orangina, I will try to get hold of some 5-HTP that looks like it may help. Looks like Chromium might help possibly too. Hmmm,

OP posts:

PomPotty · 20/08/2010 13:42

I didn't use it for very long as I stopped it when I found out it could interfer with the pill just wanted to let you know in case that was relevant.

Original poster

twolittlemonkeys · 20/08/2010 14:12

Thanks, I had heard that, but am pretty sub-fertile anyway so don't use the pill. Have put ttc #3 on hold for a while, but it wouldn't be the end of the world if we did conceive

Did it help whilst you were on it PomPotty?

OP posts:

Sarahpo · 20/08/2010 15:24

I am about to try it i took it before in pill form and it made me way too hyper also DO NOT DRINK while taking it i had a very bad reaction to SJW and booze...that is why i am going to try the tincture i bought it from Boots and am going to just try a little bit at a time...

ohnonotthat · 20/08/2010 16:26

I've tried sjw and didn't find it helped at all...

ive heard good things about 5-HTP a very good friend of mine takes it and swears by it..

madmouse · 20/08/2010 17:05

I have recently started taking it (4 weeks ago) and I feel it's made a real difference and that was after about a week. I came out of 1.5 years of running on adrenaline due to being pretty agitated with PTSD symptoms and when the adrenaline went so did my mood - low exhausted, not seeing the point.

It has given me that lift that I needed to get back on an even keel.

Be aware - and that may be the problem for some of you - the SJW helps with low moods but not with anxiety! I know modern ADs do both but hypericum does not work in the same way.

I just take a standard tablet every morning - from Tesco even.

KPidgeon · 20/08/2010 17:11

I took it when I was feeling a bit low a few years ago and took it every day and did feel a lot better- just more able to cope with things and more of a spring in my step. It helped me to not dwell on negative things at night which is my main downfall so I'd giv it a go. If it works for you I think you'd notice the benifits it about a week.

PomPotty · 20/08/2010 21:12

Am not sure I gave it long enough to notice a difference, I think it was only 3 weeks or so. Hope you find something that works for you.

Original poster

twolittlemonkeys · 20/08/2010 22:27

Thanks - it's really good to get different points of view about it. I'll carry on with it for a bit (may as well as I probably have a month's worth) but will also try to get hold of 5-HTP too. I don't drink or take pill so no worries about combining SJW with those. Sarahpo - I could do with being a bit more hyper. I have felt so lethargic over the holidays, I feel like I'm shortchanging the children, so I really need to do something to get out of this rut.

OP posts:

Sarahpo · 21/08/2010 14:57

Hiya hopefully the SJW will pick you up it isn't doing anything for me yet...still only day two...i remember the tablets making me as high as a kite!!! I know what you mean about feeling lethargic urgh the husbands just gone out and once again i have resorted to CBeebies i know this sounds awful but i have no interest in entertaining DS :-( i've spent five days entertaining him!! am i a selfish so-and so? probably oh dear hope you feel better soon

topsi · 21/08/2010 16:25

I think it is great stuff and has helped me feel so much better. I use it in combo with some amino acids and vitamins.
I found 5HTP made me drowsy and be careful combining the two together.
Kelly's St John's Wort web site is good for general info on dose and brand.

BigBoldAndBeautiful · 21/08/2010 17:04

Kelly's Page

Original poster

twolittlemonkeys · 23/08/2010 13:26

Thanks for all the info, am feeling a bit less lethargic today though one of my boys is still in his pjs at nearly 1.30pm! Hmmm, need to get more with it and get them into a better routine before he starts school in a couple of weeks!

OP posts:

orangina · 24/08/2010 12:43

Exercise helpful too by the way..... Also, I take my 5 htp in the morning, and find I sleep very well. If I take it later in the day, I have very vivid dreams (and not vrey restful sleep!)

Good luck!

Bananaketchup · 24/08/2010 17:58

If it helps I posted recently about the foul taste of my SJW and was directed to the Kira brand. They're not tiny but they don't taste really of anything which is very helpful for me as I was retching badly on the Healthspan ones I tried. Not sure if they're working yet but I've only been taking the proper dose for 10 days so it's early to tell (could only face one a day of the bad tasting ones!).

I was interested in 5HTP but having read about it there was some evidence it caused heart value disease (wiki I think) and the Healthspan website recommends only taking for 3 months at a time then stopping for a month, which I didn't think would work well for me. Has anyone been taking it long term, how do you find it?

nah1974 · 29/08/2010 19:03

I have recently tried St John's Wort for postnatal depression (I was and remain reluctant to take anti depressants). I only took it for 3 days but found it really disagreed with me - upset my stomach terribly (which is a problem for me as I have IBS) but the main thing was that it made me feel really odd & woozy. I do hear that it works for some people though.

TrillianAstra · 29/08/2010 19:09

Just a reminder that St John's Wort can interfere with hormonal contraceptives - you don't want to be depressed and pregnant (unless you do want to be pregnant of course :))

Persimum · 03/09/2010 12:08

Also be careful never to take it with SRI ADs as i think it can be seriously bad to do that cos they are working against each other or doing something strange - sorry to be vague, don't really understand what. My DS took it for some time at Uni and i think later took SRIs as well, alongside it, and the GP went ballistic when he found out. I guess if you just take SJW on its own and nothing else, it would be OK.

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