St Johns Wort?

[SethAndReubenTooSendWellington]

Anyone have any experience and/or advice?

I am low. Not massively or noticably to anyone else but inside I know I am. Also random irrational things are making me anxious.

Life is busy. I DD with HFA. Work is ok but busy. I just feel like everything is hard work.

So. Would St john's wort be worth a try?

Be careful with St Johns Wort I found that it did help but not enough when I was low. in the end I went to the GP and had to wait until St Johns Wort left my system so that I could start an antidepressant that in four weeks made my feel 'normal' again.

Geri

I tried taking it for months, hoping (kidding myself) that it was doing something, determined not to take anything 'prescribed'. But I was gradually feeling worse and worse and spending a fortune on the SJW in the meantime...

When I eventually admitted I needed help & saw the GP, he prescribed ADs which I could feel actually working within a couple of weeks. Now I feel so much better & just wish I hadn't waited so long before getting the help I really needed.

I'm sure for some people SJW is the answer, but it didn't work for me.

SJW has/is working for me.

I was feeling as you describe... I had a lot on, not feeling happy, irrational and irritable. Usually put it down to work/dc/dh but it was more than that.

I looked into whether I could be depressed, but I didn't really think I was. I looked into a bit of self help stuff too, which helped, but I thought I'd give SJW a go as well. It did take a few days but it has definitely helped. I feel brighter, and feel more balanced. I can tell when I haven't taken it, but can also keep a lid on how I feel once I take it again so I've also become more aware of how I feel in myself. I'm not sure how long I will take it for but I've been taking it for a few months now and won't be stopping for a while yet.

Bear in mind it interacts with loads of other medicines so, if you take anything else including the contraceptive pill, it may cause more problems than it solves

I found it made enough of a difference as well. Just took the edge of slight anxiety. I've had to stop though as I can't afford it just now. And something happened that made me low, which was sort of ok as I knew I had a valid reason to be anxious so I'm just rolling with it (if that makes sense?)

The only thing I noticed (and not even sure if it was down to SJW) was I would get random needle pricking like sensations in various parts of my body. Eyeball was the weirdest! NB- not painful at all, just...weird.

Not on anything else to interact with. Not really depressed as suck I think. More like wading through treacle when it should be more skippy iyswim.
Might give it a go and if not any different will think again.

shakeyi have about three sealed bottles which I'm never going to use - brand is Perika. you are more than welcome to have them -pm me if yr interested

Or anybody else, obviously

I am very grateful for the offer chuffchuff but I'm not too bad so will try and manage without. x

That's ok

I bought them in bulk to make it a bit cheaper so they're just sitting at the back of the medicine cupboard now!

Sjw also does something funny when metabolised in the liver when taken with paracetamol, be careful.

Chuffchuff I'd be interested in having your bottles please, am having very similar feelings to the OP but not sure it's worth going to the GP for :(
Could you PM please me as my phone doesn't show PM options
Thanks!

Have pm'd you buttons

SJW has been through proper trials particularly on the continent and is prescribed as a proper antidepressant in some countries eg Germany.

It can work as well as some of the gold standard drugs.

However getting a good quality, reliable dose is the issue in this country is the issues.

Also I would say, if you are on any other medication at all please do check with your GP as pp have said SJW can and will interact negatively with many medications ( it really affects some of the liver enzymes).

Worth mentioning also that if any one feels really very low, the GP is the safest option as they can monitor you and help you access other forms of support if needed.

On a personal note, I have suffered from depression on and off for years and have taken numerous prescription antidepressants. Now I take SJW for 3-6 months if low which works extremely well for me and causes no side effect. However In am no other meds.