Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 7352

Shown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

St. Johns Wort with WellbutrinSR

Posted by Brian on June 14, 1999, at 0:47:29

I recently started taking WellbutrinSr for depression and adult ADD. The med has worked great and I am able to concentrate on things at will and it definitely has improved my effeciency at work. However there has been one side effect that is almost intolerable...anxiety. I used to be a prett laid back person but now on the med it has become very bad. So to the point I was thinking of trying St. Johns Wort with it since I heard that it can have anti-anxiety effects. By the way my dose is relatively low. One 150mg tablet in the morning. Does anyone here have any experience with this combo?

 

Re: St. Johns Wort with WellbutrinSR

Posted by Phil on June 14, 1999, at 6:32:14

In reply to St. Johns Wort with WellbutrinSR, posted by Brian on June 14, 1999, at 0:47:29

> I recently started taking WellbutrinSr for depression and adult ADD. The med has worked great and I am able to concentrate on things at will and it definitely has improved my effeciency at work. However there has been one side effect that is almost intolerable...anxiety. I used to be a prett laid back person but now on the med it has become very bad. So to the point I was thinking of trying St. Johns Wort with it since I heard that it can have anti-anxiety effects. By the way my dose is relatively low. One 150mg tablet in the morning. Does anyone here have any experience with this combo?

>>Brian,
From what I understand...don't even think about mixing SJW with any AD. You'll have to go a different route.
Phil

 

Aww, come on.

Posted by paul on June 14, 1999, at 9:35:40

In reply to Re: St. Johns Wort with WellbutrinSR, posted by Phil on June 14, 1999, at 6:32:14

> > I recently started taking WellbutrinSr for depression and adult ADD. The med has worked great and I am able to concentrate on things at will and it definitely has improved my effeciency at work. However there has been one side effect that is almost intolerable...anxiety. I used to be a prett laid back person but now on the med it has become very bad. So to the point I was thinking of trying St. Johns Wort with it since I heard that it can have anti-anxiety effects. By the way my dose is relatively low. One 150mg tablet in the morning. Does anyone here have any experience with this combo?
>
> >>Brian,
> From what I understand...don't even think about mixing SJW with any AD. You'll have to go a different route.
> Phil

Antidepressants and St. John's Wort are in widespread, mainstream use in this country, with SJW falling off the shelves at places like Wal-Mart and 7-11. My guess is that possible interactions between most of them (MAOI's excluded) and SJW are highly overrestimated and largely theoretical. I wouldn't worry about any serious interactions, especially at a low dosage.

 

Re: Aww, come on.

Posted by dove on June 14, 1999, at 12:41:58

In reply to Aww, come on., posted by paul on June 14, 1999, at 9:35:40

Be forewarned, SJW can and will cause anxiety to worsen in some people even in very small doasges. I give this warning from my own personal experiences with SJW. I took 250mg in the a.m. and within an hour felt very agitated and anxiety ridden. I thought it would help and it truly made things worse and caused new symptoms that I did not have before. Everyone is different of course, just be aware because it is a drug and it has side-effects just like any drug.
dove~

 

Re: Aww, come on.

Posted by Phil on June 14, 1999, at 19:43:13

In reply to Aww, come on., posted by paul on June 14, 1999, at 9:35:40

> > > I recently started taking WellbutrinSr for depression and adult ADD. The med has worked great and I am able to concentrate on things at will and it definitely has improved my effeciency at work. However there has been one side effect that is almost intolerable...anxiety. I used to be a prett laid back person but now on the med it has become very bad. So to the point I was thinking of trying St. Johns Wort with it since I heard that it can have anti-anxiety effects. By the way my dose is relatively low. One 150mg tablet in the morning. Does anyone here have any experience with this combo?
> >
> > >>Brian,
> > From what I understand...don't even think about mixing SJW with any AD. You'll have to go a different route.
> > Phil
>
> Antidepressants and St. John's Wort are in widespread, mainstream use in this country, with SJW falling off the shelves at places like Wal-Mart and 7-11. My guess is that possible interactions between most of them (MAOI's excluded) and SJW are highly overrestimated and largely theoretical. I wouldn't worry about any serious interactions, especially at a low dosage.

>>Brian,

I've read quite a lot on SJW and am considering
a go on it myself. In my past, I've dropped acid, did coke, smoked joints, and drank beer, just like there's nothing to it. The same day.
But until I see some studies done on interactions of certain drugs, well, I am not a guinea pig anymore.
I know how well SJW sells and I am sure there are folks mixing w/ AD's. However when starting Luvox a few months ago, I took an EMS cruise to the ER w/ my pulse and BP going through the roof.
And I wasn't even mixing two drugs.
I'd get off anything for a few weeks before starting SJW.
Of course nothing may happen, but there's all kinds of shit that can happen!
Phil

 

Thanks for the advice.

Posted by Brian on June 15, 1999, at 0:22:20

In reply to St. Johns Wort with WellbutrinSR, posted by Brian on June 14, 1999, at 0:47:29

> Just wanted to say thanks for all the advise I got to this question. I think I'm going to give it a try, there seems to be a lot of growing evidence that St. Johns Wort does not act through MAO inhibition. I checked out a sight called www.hypericum.com. It was extremely helpful and it even mentioned a study were the two were combined. Anyway thanks again and good luck.

 

Re: mixing other ADs with SJW

Posted by JD on June 15, 1999, at 11:18:32

In reply to Thanks for the advice., posted by Brian on June 15, 1999, at 0:22:20

Perhaps too late for you to read, Brian, but...

I probably agree that only absolutely dangerous combo with SJW is MAO inhibitors. This said, do be very cautious if you plan to use with Wellbutrin (as you should with any other antidepressant). SJW is a complicated substance that appears to have some dopamine re-uptake inhibition effects, which would likely synergize with the dopamine effects of Wellbutrin. If you are going to try the combo, my advice is to start with VERY low dosages at the beginning to see how your system reacts. Keep in mind that the stuff can pack a surprising whallop for some people (especially atop other meds, I'm sure), and that it takes a very long time to get it fully out of your system (up to several weeks) if and when you decide to discontinue!

Good luck -- play it safe,
JD


> > Just wanted to say thanks for all the advise I got to this question. I think I'm going to give it a try, there seems to be a lot of growing evidence that St. Johns Wort does not act through MAO inhibition. I checked out a sight called www.hypericum.com. It was extremely helpful and it even mentioned a study were the two were combined. Anyway thanks again and good luck.

 

Kava etc.

Posted by Sean on June 16, 1999, at 9:47:30

In reply to Re: mixing other ADs with SJW, posted by JD on June 15, 1999, at 11:18:32

> Perhaps too late for you to read, Brian, but...
>
> I probably agree that only absolutely dangerous combo with SJW is MAO inhibitors. This said, do be very cautious if you plan to use with Wellbutrin (as you should with any other antidepressant). SJW is a complicated substance that appears to have some dopamine re-uptake inhibition effects, which would likely synergize with the dopamine effects of Wellbutrin. If you are going to try the combo, my advice is to start with VERY low dosages at the beginning to see how your system reacts. Keep in mind that the stuff can pack a surprising whallop for some people (especially atop other meds, I'm sure), and that it takes a very long time to get it fully out of your system (up to several weeks) if and when you decide to discontinue!
>
> Good luck -- play it safe,
> JD
>
>
> > > Just wanted to say thanks for all the advise I got to this question. I think I'm going to give it a try, there seems to be a lot of growing evidence that St. Johns Wort does not act through MAO inhibition. I checked out a sight called www.hypericum.com. It was extremely helpful and it even mentioned a study were the two were combined. Anyway thanks again and good luck.

In my experience SJW will cause anxiety in some people while in others it will ease anxiety. You might want to consider
trying Kava Kava or the Amino Acid Taurine which is useful in combatting anxious feelings.

 

Re: St. Johns Wort

Posted by Alison on June 21, 1999, at 7:11:13

In reply to St. Johns Wort with WellbutrinSR, posted by Brian on June 14, 1999, at 0:47:29

I have been taking Zoloft (200mg per day) and SJW as well. I found it gave me that extra pickup on top of the meds. I take Zoloft for anxiety, panic, and depression. Find a reputable pharmacist or doctor, who can help you find out what is best for you. I personally have had no side effects at all, but I think it is not a good thing to self medicate with SJW. My SJW tablets also contain other ingredients which aid nervous system function. My pharmacist recommended them, and he knows which meds I take and my situation.
So talk to a professional that you trust.
Alison


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