Psycho-Babble Medication | about biological treatments | Framed
This thread | Show all | Post follow-up | Start new thread | List of forums | Search | FAQ

Kava VS. Benzodiazepines » Sunnely

Posted by Areila on June 27, 2001, at 7:44:41

In reply to Re: Zoloft and Kava interactions? » Areila, posted by Sunnely on June 26, 2001, at 23:58:09

Hi Sunnely,

Thanks for your comments!

I've heard that benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Valium and Librium combined with Zoloft also have negative combinational effects. Specifically the famous case of the man who was "in a semi-comatose state" after taking Kava and Xanax, which is actually a misconstruction of the facts, as he was on two other medications as well, with a possible four-way drug interaction, and apparently the three initial prescribed drugs alone could even have similar effects even without the Kava. I simply don't know which combination is LESS harmful Kava and Zoloft or benzodiazepines with Zoloft.

I am not very knowledgeable about other types of anxiolytic drugs, so I am assuming my doctor would prescribe a benzodiazepine. Perhaps he has something else in mind, that would not have such problematic interactions.

However, I have not heard about Kava's dopamine antagonism. Could somebody reading the thread confirm this? This would be a problem certainly. I've read that Kava has muscle relaxant properties, that it "directly relaxes muscles by fast and specific inhibition of voltage dependent Na+ channels" without affecting the central nervous system, etc. and so it shouldn't aggravate or lead to EPS. In fact I started feeling EPS when I started taking Zoloft, and although it's improved significantly, it's also to relieve this even more that I want to try Kava, or something to help.

The bleeding issue is a good point, I'll have to consider that as a side-effect. Plus of course I'll stay away from alcohol, sedatives, MAO inhibitors etc, all the contraindicated substances, which can cause many disastrous effects.

Well, anyway it certainly has opened up an interesting discussion, and I thank you again for that. I hope more people join in this particular thread, it helps to have different perspectives on the issue. It's so difficult still even in this day and age to be able to know with any degree of certainty how to help yourself with regards to mental health.

Hope to see more follow-ups about this.

Areila


Share
Tweet  

Thread

 

Post a new follow-up

Your message only Include above post


Notify the administrators

They will then review this post with the posting guidelines in mind.

To contact them about something other than this post, please use this form instead.

 

Start a new thread

 
Google
dr-bob.org www
Search options and examples
[amazon] for
in

This thread | Show all | Post follow-up | Start new thread | FAQ
Psycho-Babble Medication | Framed

poster:Areila thread:68025
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010625/msgs/68060.html