am i taking the correct dose st john wort 900mg daily?..and for how long should i continue?

Answer 1

Because dosages of herbal preparations are not always standardized, it is important to discuss with a knowledgeable practitioner the most reliable form of St. John's wort. Recommendations call for 300–500 mg (of a standardized 0.3% hypericin extract) three times daily. It can take four to six weeks to notice the antidepressant effects of this preparation.


Precautions

The following precautions should be considered and discussed with a knowledgeable practitioner before St. John's wort is taken:

* Some people may become more sensitive to the sun.
* Patients taking MAOIs must carefully avoid taking St. John's wort due to serious adverse effects of combining the two.
* Because the effects of St. John's wort are still being studied, pregnant and breast-feeding women should avoid its use.
* Depression can be a serious, even life-threatening, condition; therefore, it is imperative that depressed patients using St. John's wort are carefully monitored.

Side effects

People taking St. John's wort may develop one or all of the following side effects:

* skin rash due to sun sensitivity—the most common side effect
* headache, dizziness, dry mouth, constipation
* abdominal pain, confusion, sleep problems, and high blood pressure are less frequently experienced





If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use St. John's wort without first talking to your healthcare provider:


Drug Interactions
Antidepressant Medications
Birth Control Medications
Cyclosporine
Digoxin
Immunosuppressive Medications
Protease Inhibitors
Theophylline-containing Medications
Warfarin

Antidepressants
St. John's wort may interact with antidepressant medications that are used to treat depression or other mood disorders, including tricyclics, SSRIs (see earlier discussion), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) such as phenelzine. How St. John's wort works is not entirely clear, but is believed to be similar to how SSRIs work. Therefore, using St. John's wort with this class of antidepressants in particular can lead to exacerbation of side effects including headache, dizziness, nausea, agitation, anxiety, lethargy, and lack of coherence.

Digoxin
St. John's wort should not be taken by those on digoxin because te herb may decrease levels of the medication and reduce its effectiveness.

Immunosuppressive medications
St. John's wort should not be taken by those on immunosuppressive medications such as cyclosporine because it may reduce the effectiveness of these medications. In fact, there have been many reports of cyclosporin blood levels dropping in those with a heart or kidney transplant, even leading to rejection of the transplanted organ.

Indinavir and other protease inhibitors
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health advisory in February 2000 concerning the probable interaction between indinavir and St. John's wort that resulted in significantly decreased blood levels of this protease inhibitor, a class of medications used to treat HIV or AIDS. The FDA recommends that St. John's wort not be used with any type of antiretroviral medication used to treat HIV or AIDS.

Loperamide
There has been a report of a possible interaction between St. John's wort and the antidiarrheal medication, loperamide leading to delirium in an otherwise healthy woman.

Oral contraceptives
There have been reports of breakthough bleeding in women on birth control pills who were also taking St. John's wort.

Reserpine
Based on animal studies, St. John's wort may interfere with the intended action of this medication used to treat high blood pressure.

Theophylline
St. John's wort can reduce levels of this medication in the blood leading. Theophylline is used to open the airways in those suffering from asthma, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis.

Warfarin
St. John's wort interferes with the anticoagulant medication, warfarin, by reducing blood levels as well as the effectiveness. This leads to the need to for adjustments in doses of this medication.

The Purpose:
Writings since the Middle Ages have described using St. John's wort as treatment for inflammation, injuries, burns, muscle pain, anxiety, high blood pressure, stomach problems, fluid retention, insomnia, hemorrhoids, cancer, and depression. Research conducted over the 1990s in Europe studied the efficacy of St. John's wort for the treatment of depression and anxiety. Research protocols have been developed in the United States to study the same issues, to determine appropriate dosages, to develop standard formulations, and to define whether it can be used for all forms of depression or only for more mild forms of the condition.

How It Works:
Research has yet to completely explain how St. John's wort affects the brain in depression. It is, however, thought to change the balance of chemicals in the brain in much the same way as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine (Prozac), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). The active ingredients are thought to be compounds called hypericin and pseudohypericin, although researchers are attempting to identify other chemicals that may be involved in the herb's effectiveness.

The leaves and flowers of St. John's wort are both used. St. John's wort is available as pills, capsules, extracts, dried herbs for tea, and oil infusions for skin applications.

Answer 2

St. Johns wort only works on people who are not really depressed. The people it works on are so mildly depressed that they find a way out of it or simply fall for the placebo effect. "I heard this works therefore it will work" Good luck. Hopefully you're not really depressed and this works for you. Do talk to your pharmacist about interactions of St. Johns wort with other medications you are taking. Also do your research. That stuff has side effects just as bad as SSRI's sometimes.

Answer 3

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Answer 4

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Answer 5

st johns wort can be dangerous, for those who suffer from allergies, sleep disorders, or thyroid problems so be careful. If you are experiencing probles sleeping, diarrhea, vomiting, or a rash you should discontinue use.

Answer 6

i'm taking that--- i take two pills, it's recommended to take 4--- i'm gonna dose it up, so 900mg, i think that's not bad--- read the instructions

Answer 7

Just a little word of warning. It can interfere with the contraceptive pill, as my friend - and her son - can testify.

Answer 8

I take my magic pill every day........ though I think I am taking a lower dosage than that.