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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Tomatheus on March 7, 2009, at 23:55:46
To all:
What have your experiences been with the Kira and Perkia brands of St. John's Wort? For those of you who've tried both brands, how do they compare?
I've read some claims that St. John's Wort has an active ingredient in it that's an MAOI. Between the Kira and Perkia brands (and the other brands if you've tried them, too), which one feels the most like the MAOIs Nardil, Parnate, and Marplan?
Tomatheus
Posted by bleauberry on March 10, 2009, at 18:25:56
In reply to St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika, posted by Tomatheus on March 7, 2009, at 23:55:46
> To all:
>
> What have your experiences been with the Kira and Perkia brands of St. John's Wort? For those of you who've tried both brands, how do they compare?At sjwinfo.org you can roam through the archives of hundreds or thousands of sjw user posts to compare the two brands. Basically, Perika seems to be more activating, Kira more calming. To me, they were both very powerful. Kira was smoother for me, which allowed me to take it long enough to see it work. It was, by the way, the best antidepressant I've ever had, which includes all of them except effexor, parnate, nardil.
>
> I've read some claims that St. John's Wort has an active ingredient in it that's an MAOI. Between the Kira and Perkia brands (and the other brands if you've tried them, too), which one feels the most like the MAOIs Nardil, Parnate, and Marplan?
>
> TomatheusThe MAOI activity in sjw is very small if any at all. The claims of MAO activity were from earlier studies that have since been proven faulty. If there is any MAO activity, it is found in the stems and raw parts of the plant, not in extracts. If there is any MAO activity, it is too weak to explain clinical effects. Sjw works through a variety of mechanisms, all of which work in harmony. No one has ever gotten a hypertensive cheese reaction from SJW, so the idea of it having any significant MAO activity is doubtful.
Both brands are excellent choices. Don't waste time trying to figure out how sjw works. No one knows. It just does. At sjwinfo.org you will also see that some people respond well to cheap brands that have low hyperforin content and get worse on good brands that have high hyperforin content (Kira and Perika are both high, in the 3%-4% range). Other people get no benefit from the cheap low hyperforin brands but find high hyperforin brands very good.
Brands of sjw are almost as different from one another as ssris are from one another.
Actually the best response I ever got from sjw was from a cheap 150mg capsule Rite-Aid brand, and the WalMart 150mg capsule Spring Valley brand. The Whole Foods Market house brand was also fairly good. But if you want the same stuff in clinical studies, then Kira or Perika. Just keep in mind, if it doesn't work, don't throw out the idea of sjw, instead, switch brands.
Posted by Tomatheus on March 14, 2009, at 2:43:57
In reply to Re: St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika, posted by bleauberry on March 10, 2009, at 18:25:56
Posted by gardenergirl on March 16, 2009, at 21:43:01
In reply to Re: St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika, posted by bleauberry on March 10, 2009, at 18:25:56
OMG, I've been trying to remember the brand name of the SJW I took years ago. Thank you! It was Kira. At the time, it worked reasonably well for me. I've since been on Nardil, and now Cymbalta.
Thanks again,
gg
Posted by SLS on March 18, 2009, at 8:47:05
In reply to Re: St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika » bleauberry, posted by gardenergirl on March 16, 2009, at 21:43:01
> I've since been on Nardil, and now Cymbalta.
Good luck with the Cymbalta. I think there is a tendency for people who respond to MAOIs to also respond to Effexor. Perhaps the same thing is true of Cymbalta, since both Effexor and Cymbalta are SNRIs.
In any event, I said a prayer for you to get well. With a little patience, I am sure it will be answered.
- Scott
Posted by desolationrower on March 19, 2009, at 1:43:54
In reply to Re: St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika » gardenergirl, posted by SLS on March 18, 2009, at 8:47:05
i hated effexor, it was just as much brain fog as ssris, but made me more tired. and withdrawal was the worst.
-d/r
Posted by SLS on March 19, 2009, at 9:13:40
In reply to Re: St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika, posted by desolationrower on March 19, 2009, at 1:43:54
> i hated effexor, it was just as much brain fog as ssris, but made me more tired. and withdrawal was the worst.
I can see that.
Too bad, really. How long were you on Effexor and at what dosage?
- Scott
Posted by gardenergirl on March 30, 2009, at 13:23:38
In reply to Re: St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika » gardenergirl, posted by SLS on March 18, 2009, at 8:47:05
Posted by desolationrower on March 30, 2009, at 21:53:13
In reply to Re: St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika » desolationrower, posted by SLS on March 19, 2009, at 9:13:40
> > i hated effexor, it was just as much brain fog as ssris, but made me more tired. and withdrawal was the worst.
>
> I can see that.
>
> Too bad, really. How long were you on Effexor and at what dosage?
>
>
> - Scottnumber of months, from 37 to 225. 225 made me narcoleptic, only did that for maybe 4 days. the other doses at least 2 months each. i got pretty stuck on the drug, too apathetic to demand any changes.
-d/r
Posted by Jimmyboy on August 9, 2009, at 9:35:44
In reply to Re: St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika, posted by desolationrower on March 30, 2009, at 21:53:13
Just wanted to add on to this thread..
I have been taking Kira brand SJW for about 3 months now. I have found it to be extremely helpful for depression and anxiety about 80% reduction in symptoms of both and side effects have been basically non-existant. I have tried about every AD out there and this seems to be the best one I have tried so far in terms of efficacy vs. side effects. Some of you should check it out
Posted by morganator on August 13, 2009, at 23:47:20
In reply to Re: St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika, posted by Jimmyboy on August 9, 2009, at 9:35:44
How much Kira do you take? 300 mgs?
Posted by morganator on August 13, 2009, at 23:47:52
In reply to Re: St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika » Jimmyboy, posted by morganator on August 13, 2009, at 23:47:20
Do you have sun sensitivity?
Posted by Jimmyboy on September 18, 2009, at 9:06:33
In reply to Re: St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika » morganator, posted by morganator on August 13, 2009, at 23:47:52
This is a way late response, but no , I do not have sunsensitivity, even going outside swimming all day in the middle of the summer. I did not burn or anything worse than uusual.
Posted by ralphrost2 on November 6, 2009, at 9:36:24
In reply to Re: St. John's Wort: Kira vs. Perika, posted by Jimmyboy on August 9, 2009, at 9:35:44
Jimmy,
I've been taking Hypericum but my sleep is being ruined by it (sort of not restoring/deep sleep). Did you have this sort of effect? Do you take something else besides SJW?
Thank you
Ralph
> Just wanted to add on to this thread..
>
> I have been taking Kira brand SJW for about 3 months now. I have found it to be extremely helpful for depression and anxiety about 80% reduction in symptoms of both and side effects have been basically non-existant. I have tried about every AD out there and this seems to be the best one I have tried so far in terms of efficacy vs. side effects. Some of you should check it out
This is the end of the thread.
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