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Anxiety (GAD) and St Johns Wort

Posted , 12 users are following.

thomas96833
thomas96833

Hello,

Out of interest -- runing out of options now rolleyes 

Has anyone tried St Johns Wort for Anxiety and has it worked in any sense or been more of a placebo? 

I have been suffering with Anxiety and panic attacks for awhile now and struggling to get through day to day. It's exhausting putting a front on in the office all day acting as though your fine, but on the inside you're shakey all day and jumping out your skin at every noise!. Whilst I'd love to leave work and not put myself through the torture, bills say I can't just yet. Adulting is boring.

Looking for something to help calm me down a little bit and help to just get on with things. I have a stock pile of camomile tea at the moment!

I have had a bad experience with AD's and the sledge hammer of side effects and don't really want to put myself through another. I have tried beta blockers as well, but want to keep up going to the gym and they make you to physically tired. There is no winning!.

Anyway, I have read a lot of positive stories about St Johns Wort and given the lack of side effects it has (next to none), I am curious about just how good a natural remedy is for tackling anxiety in general. 

Giving a few more days for this Fluoxetine to leave my system (been 2 weeks so far!) and the side effects to stop, before trailing it. It can't hurt to try surely.

Any experience with this? Thank you!

2 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

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  • wendywilts
    wendywilts thomas96833

    Posted

    St Johns Wort is often used for mild to mid depression, doctors in America actually often prescribe it to their patients.

    Although it helps depression it appears not to be very helpful for anxiety unfortunately according to trials that have been done.

    Mind that said everyone is different and it maybe that it will benefit you, certainly worth a shot, and if it is prescribed in America the doctors there obviosly have some faith in it.

    Dont take it alongside any other meds, as it has a tendency to interact with them.

    But otherwise why not give it a shot, let us know how you get on.....

  • lisalisa67
    lisalisa67 thomas96833

    Posted

    Suntheanine l theanine is calming. I have never used st.  Johns wart person ally.  I Would be curious if it does work though.
  • mariano
    mariano thomas96833

    Posted

    Have been told st johns wort is just as good for depression as the SSRIs ,with less side effects, not sure if its any good for anxiety,though, but its worth a try, just be careful what other meds you take with it,as they can interact. Rhodiola rosea, has good reports, also inositol,I have been researching these, but havant made up my mind, witch one to take yet,let us know how you get on...good luck. xxxx
    • thomas96833
      thomas96833 mariano

      Posted

      Hello,

      I have read that it's good for low mood and mild depression/anxiety as well the only thing that puts me off so far is the time it takes to build up and the interactions. Saying that SSRI's also take awhile.

      So far I have found that passion flower (Holland and Barrett) really works well for immediate relief, especially to tackle the morning anxiety. It's calmed me down a lot and helped to get back into work okay. Had 100% no side effects to. Just worried it won't last!

      I have tried buspirone if you ever get prescribed that, it's not great. Made me high as a kite! No anxiety though but not a care in the world haha, hell headache when it wears off too. No winning again.

    • ramon7
      ramon7 thomas96833

      Posted

      Try and see if your doctor can subcribe you with Hydroxyzine 50mg. It comes in 25mg 50mg 100mg i take it and without it my day to day isn't easy , i take my dose 3 times a day that's every 8 hours. My doctor explained to me that the medicine is to treat itching but patients like myself who deal will anxiety and panic disorder it really helps. When i first started taking the meds i was exhaulsted everytime yes it will put you to sleep but once you get use to it you will maitain better. The 50mg is a sedation level as well as the 100mg those two mg's treat the disorder. The 25mg i was told is mainly for the itching but everyone is different. My 50mg takes care of everything. I don't know were you live but i live in the America , but if you don't still ask and see. One more thing Hydroxyzine is the Generic word but the Brand name is Vistral but they do the same one just cost way more then the other. I've been there before taking everything to try to help and nothing seems to work you are not alone but I've found that my medication takes care of it. Try use warm lemon water , get real lemons cut them , then put them in a pitcher and put water in it then put in fridge over night then pour some in mug warm it up and drink it , it helps keep you calm , you can drink it cold to but either way don't put sugar in it you can add limes to if you choose... God Bless You And Good Luck.... I pray you find something to help you cause i know it's no fun...

    • Ashley025
      Ashley025 ramon7

      Posted

      Ramon

      I feel as though we should be Aware and Alert at all times. It's not good to be taking sedatives when you're not in your house. It's not good. Something may happen. People are not good. Take care. I do understand I have Severe Anxiety and I take more than one just to be in the sedative state in Public. I can't manage going out without being desenthesized from everyone. sad God bless you and Take care.🙌

  • lisalisa67
    lisalisa67 thomas96833

    Posted

    Have you tried actually seeing an alternative doctor. They are all over. Google one in your area. Maybe they can give you some really good advice in this. They usually specialize in anxiety. 
  • borderriever
    borderriever thomas96833

    Posted

    St Johns Wort have heard mixed reviews, they say not to take it with any other AD medication. as they have negative effects on AD medications

    If you have stopped AD then talk to your GP. Mine is broadminded I feel and will explain his ideas regarding this drug

    Let me know how you get on

    BOB

  • meghann51553
    meghann51553 thomas96833

    Posted

    Hi Thomas.

    I suffer from extreme anxiety, almost on a daily basis. I was always weary of taking medication due to adverse side effects which I didn't want. I found St John's Wort and started taking it. It has helped relieved my symptoms significantly.

    I don't know if you've already started it. I would strongly suggest you do.

    Sincerely,

    Meghann

    • sunnycms
      sunnycms meghann51553

      Posted

      Thank you for this post. I hope you see my reply so you can answer some questions. How much SJW are you taking? How long until you felt it making a difference? Thank you so much.
  • jack66242
    jack66242 thomas96833

    Posted

    Hi thomas,

    This post was 11 months ago as i can see so i hope you are winning your fight!

    I have been taking S.J.W for anxiety (pretty severe anxiety) for over a year now. I was first diagnosed with Anxiety a while ago and was attempting to manage it on my own but with repeated visits to my G.P for panic attacks he started really urging me to start on anti depressants. i was reluctant to take them though as i had heard they can make your anxiety worse for a couple of weeks before it gets better. Any way S.J.W has %100 worked for me, i am just not anxious if i take it reguarly, i remember when i realised i felt 'normal' again and the relief was massive. This worked for me in about a month. I had played around with different brands and had to find a fairly high dose which is available in my supermarket. Just like the SSRI's you have to be regular and give it a chance to work. I find that if i am busy and forget to take one for any longer than two days my anxiety hits me like a ton of bricks which just re-afirmed for me that its working. Hell if it is a placebo them im fine with that but im sure its not. I found your post while i was looking for information on whether or not i need to come off S.J.W at any stage. I am quite happy to keep taking it as ive not noticed a single symptom. Ofcourse if you are suffering from depression as well and have suicidal thoughts or anything like that then dont delay getting properly medicated but for me it is just the anxiety, no depression and this really did work! I truly hope you have found a way to get rid if the horrible feeling of anxiety before now but if not then dont delay trying this and do give it a chance to work, maybe a month or so, is has to build up in your system. All the best.

    • mariano
      mariano jack66242

      Posted

      hi jack..would you please tell me what brand of st johns wort you take, and the dosage...I have severe anxiety, and find it very hard to cope..I take xanax daily..??
    • Ashley025
      Ashley025 mariano

      Posted

      Mariano

      Xanax is only used short term. It's addictive and won't work for long if you use it each day. You're building up resistance. Try other SSRI medication that can be used daily.👍

    • Ashley025
      Ashley025

      Posted

      I hope you all arent spamming. I'm real skeptical when I see more than one talk about a medication saying it works. It also depends on what you mean with "severe Anxiety." Are you able to cope? And do daily tasks? Or no? I remember taking this natural pills I bought in the grocery store and they worked like Xanax. Even more I think. I remember being in college and sitting down in the hallway bench and looking @ people really deep into them. Lol they thought I was weird.. It was the medication.😂😭 It worked for three days then It didn't do anything so I took more and more until I had none left. So yeah nothing really seems to work. I'm a real impatient person. I like seeing results fast. Like Benzos. I want Valium. I was taking Xanax too but after a few trys the effects wear off so I would take more than I should. So not good.

    • laura41729
      laura41729 Ashley025

      Posted

      Hi ashley what do you take? I've just been taken off citapram as it has caused me to have a long qtc in my heart. I can no longer get out of bed as I constantly feel like I'm going to faint I'm that dizzy 24/7 my anxiety and panic attacks are through the roof at the minute I'm really not coping at all.

    • jojo1974
      jojo1974 laura41729

      Posted

      Hi Laura

      I can sympathise with you I'm the same can't get out of bed I've been taking sertraline 150 mg for two years it was working fine after a breakdown in 2015 . I was doing so well then a few weeks ago bam ! It all started again scared to leave the house not wanting to do anything I've been in bed since Saturday morning and feel like I can't get up but I got better once I know I can do it again talk to your gp maybe you need counciling . I spent 6 months in bed last time to scared to even go downstairs I thought I would die ! Good luck I wish you well x

    • Ashley025
      Ashley025 laura41729

      Posted

      Hey Laura

      I don't take anything. I used to take Xanax. It works at first. But it's not for long term. Dont take St John's Wort I searched it. Can cause vision loss. (Cataracts)Apart from that St Johns Wort brands have fake ingredients.👎

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