What do you know about St. John's Wort?

Question

I am thinking of taking St. John's to helpt treat my mild depression and anxiety. However I have some concerns and questions. Who has used St. John's and if you have what was your experience like? Any noted improvements? Any side effects? I have heard it lower the effectiveness of birth control pills. I have also heard it can even affect fertility. Any info you can share is appreciated. Thanks

Answer 1

St John's Wort "HYPERICUM" this is what its used for in Homeopathic Medicine, if you have the symptoms given below it will do you good otherwise not :-

HYPERICUM PERFORATUM
St. John's-wort
(HYPERICUM)

The great remedy for injuries to nerves, especially of fingers, toes and nails. Crushed fingers, especially tips. Excessive painfulness is a guiding symptom to its use. Prevents lockjaw. Punctured wounds. Relieves pain after operations. Quite supersedes the use of Morphia after operations (Helmuth). Spasms after every injury. Has an important action on the rectum; hæmorrhoids. Coccydynia. Spasmodic asthmatic attacks with changes of weather or before storms, better by copious expectoration. Injured nerves from bites of animals. Tetanus. Neuritis, tingling, burning and numbness. Constant drowsiness.

Mind.--Feels as if lifted high in air, or anxiety lest he fall from heights. Mistakes in writing. Effects of shock. Melancholy.

Head.--Heavy; feels as if touched by an icy cold hand. Throbbing in vertex; worse in close room. Brain seems compressed. Right side of face aches. Brain-fag and neurasthenia. Facial neuralgia and toothache of a pulling, tearing character, with sadness. Head feels longer-elongated to a point. In fractured skull, bone splinters. Brain feels alive. Pains in eyes and ears. Falling out of hair.

Stomach.--Craving for wine. Thirst; Nausea. Tongue coated white at base, tip clean. Feeling of lump in stomach (Abies ***; Bry).

Rectum.--Urging, dry, dull, pressing pain. Hæmorrhoids, with pain, bleeding, and tenderness.

Back.--Pain in nape of neck. Pressure over sacrum. Spinal concussion. Coccyx injury from fall, with pain radiating up spine and down limbs. Jerking and twitching of muscles.

Extremities.--Darting pain in shoulders. Pressure along ulnar side of arm. Cramp in calves. Pain in toes and fingers, especially in tips. Crawling in hand and feet. Lancinating pain in upper and lower limbs. Neuritis, with tingling, burning pain, numbness and flossy skin. Joints feel bruised. Hysterical joints. Tetanus (Physost; Kali brom). Traumatic neuralgia and neuritis.

Respiratory.--Asthma worse foggy weather and relieved by profuse perspiration.

Skin.--Hyperidrosis, sweating of scalp, worse in morning after sleep; falling of hair from injury; eczema of hands and face, intense itching, eruption seems to be under the skin. Herpes zoster. Old ulcers or sores in mouth when very sensitive. Lacerated wounds with much prostration from loss of blood.

Modalities.--Worse, in cold; dampness; in a fog; in close room; least exposure; touch. Better, bending head backward.

Relationship.--Compare: Ledum (punched wounds and bites of animals); Arnica; Staphis; Calend; Ruta; Coff.

Antidotes: Ars; Cham.

Dose.--Tincture, to third potency.
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I hope the provided information is of help to you.
Take Care and God Bless you !

Answer 2

You have started something that you don't know about? Wouldn't be wise to study up on St. John's Wort before you start taking it? St. John's wort has been used for centuries to treat mental disorders and nerve pain. In ancient times, herbalists wrote about its use as a sedative and a treatment for malaria, as well as a balm for wounds, burns, and insect bites. Today, St. John's wort is used by some for depression, anxiety, and/or sleep disorders.

Answer 3

(I have a bottle next to me, and am typing what I am reading):

-St. John's Wort
-Helps Promote A Positive Mood
-Standard Dosage in Research Studies
-Serving size 2 capsules
-Suggested Use: For Adults, take two (2) capsules three (3) times daily...Discuss with your health professional if you are being treated for ANY health condition or are taking medications or remedies
-Not for use in pregnant or lactating women
-Do not exceed recommended doseage
-Not intended for persons under the age of 18
-This product has not been evaluated by the FDA
-Keep out of reach of children

That's all I can read. Personally, I used it--I didn't have any side-effects or adverse reactions. I know others who have said the same. No one, who I know, is absolutely sure of how much benefit St. John's Wort had on them--but no one got worse.

There is no information on the bottle about fertility, or lowering the effectiveness of birth control pills--however, it does say (above) to discuss use of this with ANY other meds--so I would ask the doctor or pharmacist before starting.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What do you know about St. John's Wort?
I am thinking of taking St. John's to helpt treat my mild depression and anxiety. However I have some concerns and questions. Who has used St. John's and if you have what was your experience like? Any noted improvements? Any side effects? I have heard it lower the effectiveness of birth...

Answer 5

I know for some people, it worked. Some, it didn't. If you can find an easier way to treat your depression and anxiety, you might be better off if you're worried about the side effects. I never tried it, but I did try Cymbalta, and it only took one day for me to realize that I hated it, lol. If you do St. John's Wort, best of luck. If you really need help with it, all I can recommend is to get enough sleep and have a healthy diet. Also, it helped me with my problems to start a little notebook journal of anything making me depressed over time. Maybe you should try that. =]

Answer 6

you might want to avoid taking this herb if you are fair-skinned or if taking pharmaceutical MAO-inhibitors. I have used St. John's for insomnia and it helped me to sleep. I just take 1 teaspoon only at night time with 6oz of water & let it steep for about 10 minutes and then drink it.

If you are fair-skinned, you might try taking black cohosh. Health food stores sell these in tea bags. But avoid taking this herb if pregnant, nursing & not to use for more than 6 months.

Answer 7

I've never taken this supplament, but this site: http://mayoclinic.com/health/st-johns-wort/NS_patient-stjohnswort

You can also look into Sam-e, That's a good medicine for deppression... my sister and boyfriend took it.

Answer 8

I don't know the side effects of this herb, but this site may be useful to you:

http://www.earthclinic.com

Answer 9

To me, its a liquid medication to help eliminate worts.