St Johns Wort or 5-HTP??

[alexa1]

Hi. I have Just been to Holland & Barratt and asked about the best remedy for depression/anxiety and she reckons 5-HTP, but it is expensive. I didn't buy as it was dear but I wanted know if any of u have had good results with it. She said I could take alongside the SJW and advised me to take at bedtime 1 0r 2 tablets. .She also advised me to buy rescue remedy which I declined as it's pants, and a vitamin B6 comlex.

Any suggestions, shall I Just stick with the SJW for a while longer (it's only been 2 days), or should I go for the ones she said.

Thanks for any advice

Sorry about the terrible grammar and spelling. I typed it in a rush.

hmm - this is a bit odd. 5 HTP is the chemical name for seratonin - hte neurochemical associated with depression. Drugs like Prozac prevent your body reabsorbing seratonin, so keep levels in your body high which is thought to help with depression. I can't believe seratonin is available to purchase over the counter. Don't know about SJW - it is rumoured to be effective but i am a bit sceptical. i know that chemical anti depressants take up to 4 weeks to kick in, but don't know if you should expect the same sort of timescales for SJW. I'd suggest you see your GP an insist on a referral to a counsellor.

5HTP is great! I was taking it for a while, and I also tried out another mix that had it in it - I was bouncy and happy and full of energy. I'll go and find the link for the site (it was slightly cheaper online iyswim).

My friend took st john wort and said it made her feel a lot better but you do need to be careful as it stops the contraceptive pill from working just in case you are on that.

The site isn't there anymore... I really can't recommend the 5HTP highly enough though - I have never been able to take SJW because of the pill interactions.

what is 5htp exactlly? neve rheard of it, surprised it's not via GP if "chemical"??

an article about it - I hadn't heard about the weightloss bit that they are doubting, just the depression lifting which they seem to support.

I was sceptical. I only took it because my mum bought it for me and insisted I try it. I hadn't realised how low I was until I started it, and the change in me was incredible (I'll get Psycho on here later - shell tell you ).

The ones I had are here . I found that after the first few weeks I only took them every 2 - 3 days or I wsa hyper

an article about it - I hadn't heard about the weightloss bit that they are doubting, just the depression lifting which they seem to support.

I was sceptical. I only took it because my mum bought it for me and insisted I try it. I hadn't realised how low I was until I started it, and the change in me was incredible (I'll get Psycho on here later - shell tell you ).

The ones I had are here . I found that after the first few weeks I only took them every 2 - 3 days or I wsa hyper

does 5htp aslo help with anxiety and out of control thoughts? does it stop the contraceptive pill working?

No effect on the pill. I felt that it did help with anxiety. I had been very low and tired (not sure if I was actually tired, or just lethargic) and having anxiety attacks on and off. No idea about out of control thoughts though.

glad it worked for you. was wondering for me but still bfing so have to wait a while/

Thanks for your replies. I might carry on with the SJW for a few more weeks then if no effect I will try the 5-HTP

can any of these be safely taken while pregnant..? I'm suffering with AND (was pnd following dd's birth 16 months ago) and I am now getting counselling privatly. I'm 20 weeks pregnant and along with the added hormones somedays I am a nightmare... Didn't want ad's but wondered what I could take over the counter iykwim..?

ps sorry to hijack.

No Neither are safe during pregnancies. For AND I think it is only conventional ADs or nothing I ended up the hysterical nothing route.

seratonin/ 5 HTP is a very powerful neurochemical and i'd be really concerned about people taking it without medical consultation. I seriously doubt it's any better for you than taking a "chemical" like Prozac in a controlled medical environment. Please, please go to your GP and ask for a referral.

Hi

Thouoght I would add the advice I was given from PNI Website......

The 5-HTP is Serotonin.

This is its chemical name 5-Hydroxytriptamine and some 'people'
(i use the term 'people' loosely as selling this is a con...) they try to sell this in tablet or liquid from for people to take.

The problem with this is your liver 'breaks it down' (metabolises) too fast for your body to use it.
If you took lots of tablets or liquid you would get quite severe shaking and 'CNS' (Brain and nervous system) stimulation which is horrid and distressing.

shhhh-i am pregnant and im suffering from AND,i did during my last pg as well and took prozac in that pg and have been taking it for 2 weeks in this.its not an ideal situation but at least there have been clinical trials etc with prescription drugs,some herbal stuff is very strong and they aren't regulated in the same way.ur better off talking to ur gp and finding out what is best for you.
p.s.the ad's caused no problems atall in last pg.
sorry for the hijack everyone

Sorry, but I don't think I am better off going to my GP and getting some crappy chemical Anti-depressant drug that makes u feel like a zombie. I have already tried Citropram and I had the most horrendous side effects.

As for the 5-HTP being bad, it can't be that bad if u can walk into Holland & Barratt (a well known shop) and buy it. So how can u call it a con??

"If you took lots of tablets or liquid you would get quite severe shaking and 'CNS' (Brain and nervous system) stimulation which is horrid and distressing."

I'm sorry, but what?! If you took lots of paracetamol then you'd die! Taking lots of anything has an adverse effect!

Having tried both anti-d's and 5htp, I would opt for the 5htp every time. I wouldn't take it during pregnancy though because of how bouncy it made me - it was clearly having a big effect and I wouldn't risk it with a baby.

Piriton has a similar effect on me, but much much worse (like if I took "lots of tablets") and causes my heart to go nuts - and that is a tried and tested medication!

My mum found out about it from a book all about natural ways to give your mood and body a lift (called something like natures highs, or natural highs)

sorry alexa1,i was aiming that msg at the person who was asking about taking it in pregnancy.that is the only time i have found ad's to do any good atall(and it was only prozac,i have tried many different ones and side effects ranged from being zombie-fied to having paranoid delusions) and i would try anything if i thought it could help if i werent pregnant

Then there's Rhodiola as well. That's another "natural" thing that's supposed to help depression. Anyone tried that? I almost did. Holland and Barrett sell it.

i started taking 5-HTP years ago when i was doing a lot of esctasy as E lowers your serotonin levels (which is why you get mid-week blues after a heavy session at the weekend!).....they worked really well but when i stopped taking ecstasy they made me feel very faint. the reason for this is because 5-HTP tablets also contain valerian root, which (among other things) lowers blood pressure. as i already have very low blood pressure it didn't really work for me. prozac doesn't work for me for much the same reasons.

i would always be more inclined to go for a "natural" remedy than one the dr prescribed, simply because i have been on pretty much every ad in the book, and the side effects of those were much much worse than feeling a bit faint. citalopram was the worst so far.

having said that, i know plenty of people who would prefer to see a doctor and that's cool too. i guess it just depends on your personality and personal preferences.

i know that 5-HTP and SJW is NOT safe during pregnancy (it says so on the label ) and also that SJW stops Microgynon 30 and possibly other contraceptive pills from working.

to be honest, i am of the opinion that if you are depressed then there is usually more than just a chemical reason for it (not true in the case of PND and drug-induced psychoses i don't think) so things like ad's and herbal remedies only cover up the problem rather than solving it. i would always recommend cognitive counselling or just attempting to get your head straight through other means first.

I am sat here with a GP and we think this "herbal" thing is a load of crap. Don't self diagnose and self medicate - you play with your brain's chemistry at your peril.

believe me, no-one knows that better than me mate! i "self-medicated" for many many years. in my case specifically i think it was the lesser of two evils! BUT i don't think any GP would ignore the placebo effect that some herbal medications can have, even if you ignore all the proven medical benefits!

just playing devil's advocate really.....it's up to the individual, isn't it?

What a pile of crap ANAconda.

As I have already mentioned, I have taken Citrolpram which had horrendous side effects and I am sure other AD's are the same.

Others have mentioned on this site that they have gone down the herbal route and although they take a long time to kick in, they have no nasty side effects like AD's do.

I have two friends that are Pharmacists and both of them said they wouldn't take AD's, they would try herbal. Pharmacists know better than GP's about medicine and what nasty side effects they have.