My doc has given me fluoxetine, would i better off trying st johns wort 1st?

Question

I'm really nervous about taking anti depressants as i have heard they are really hard to come off, would i be better trying something herbal 1st?

Answer 1

Statistically not, not only are its chances of working much less, but even though it is a ' natural product ' it still has as many potential side effects and also drug interactions as Fluoxetine. It has not had a tiny fraction of the safety testing, nor does it have anywhere near as much patient years of experience.

Answer 2

There have been a lot of studies on St. Johns Wort, and it does appear to work for a lot of people.

Fluoxetine has bee on the market for a long time and has been used by a lot of people, so I think you can consider it safe, however some people do have unacceptable side effects. If you have side effects that aren't really minor you should discontinue taking Fluoxetine.

Also, you should not take Fluoxetine with St. Johns Wort. Let your doctor know that you are considering St. Johns Wort, and are concerned about taking an anti-depressant.

Answer 3

It wouldn't hurt to try St. Johns Wort first but it doesn't always work for everyone and takes a really long time. I have taken fluoxetine before. I don't think it's hard to get off of...you can stop taking it once you feel your depression is under control, just like any other drug. It's a lot better than zoloft! It should definitely be a personal choice, though. Both have side effects and both alter chemicals in your brain.

Answer 4

Hi, I get anxiety. I've never given St John's Wort a proper try though I have a bottle I bought once. I was a bit put off by the caution that it can cause photosensitivity as I burn in the sun far too easily already. Also, it's supposed to take a while to have any effect. I would trust your doctor for now and go with the fluxetine - of which I have no experience though I did used to be on Seroxat. I'm no longer on medication although in all honesty, sometimes I maybe should be. Give it a chance to get to work: Seroxat worked for me initially and only became ineffective five years down the line. I think that was probably because once the medication was working, I suddenly decided I was Superman and tried to take on far too much (for me) in a push to drive my life forward. Let the anti depressants do their stuff - give them a fair chance to do so - and then review.

Answer 5

the "herbal stuff" is no easier to come off of, I took St John's Wort for three years and needed to taper to come off of it.
Frankly, if you sought out a doctor, then I think you should do as he prescribes. However, be aware, antidepressant medication is only half the answer. By itself, you aren't going to get much better. You need to help yourself by seeing a therapist and working on the issues that caused the depression in the first place. Issues you may not even be conscious of because you have repressed them. All the anti-depressant does is straighten up your brain chemistry a bit so you can think straight. But unless you deal with the underlying cause.....eventually the antidepressant won't work anymore and you are worse off than when you started.
I've dealt with clinical depression for thirty years, I know what I am talking about.

Answer 6

Try St John's Wort, or maybe you could try taking sips of water drawn from a well with a frog in the bottom on the second Tuesday of every other month when the moon AND the sun are both in the same sky. Take the prescription medicine. Fluoxetine is a good antidepressant. DON'T take St John's Wort with any prescription drug, especially antidepressants - that's a no no and no joking.

Answer 7

If you had an ear infection and he prescribed antibiotics, would you take them? All drugs have side effects. Why not try the anti-depressants and see if you feel any better. You will have to take them for a couple of weeks before you will feel any effect. If after a few you weeks you don't feel they are working, go back to your doctor. I know lots of people who have been really helped by taking anti depressants. I also know some people for whom they haven't worked.

Another thing to think about would be counselling, you can get this on the NHS but you will probably have to wait quite a while and may only be offered six or eight sessions. You can find private counsellors at www.bacp.co.uk, click on 'find a therapist'.

Answer 8

I also had reservations about taking an anti depressant. My Doctor assured me that Prozac was a good medicine, and if I took even 10 mg every other day I would feel better. I resisted at first, but grew tired of my symptoms and did start taking 10 mg every other day. When nothing bizarre happened I began taking it as prescribed, every day. I now feel so much better. I know nothing about St John's Wort so I can't comment on that. The best source of information is your medical doctor.

Answer 9

It worked wonders for me. I've suffered with depression for over twenty years. In that time I've tried several anti-depressants; the few that helped in the slightest bit had side effects that made things worse. Also, there was the cost of medication, I've never been able to easily afford them. My insurance through work would run out and suddenly it was coming out of my limited funds. I explained to my nurse practitioner that I was concerned about cost (over $200 a month) and she suggested I try St. John's wort. I had immediate, dramatic results with zero side effects. I just picked up a 3-month supply at a drug store, no prescription, on sale for $4.50. St. John's wort has been known to cause sun sensitivity in some fair-skinned people and should not be used along with other anti-depressants. Most people report that it takes time for the effects to kick in, guess I'm one of the lucky ones. It's made a MAJOR difference in my life. I'm no longer just "going through the motions", but living.

Answer 10

I was on fluoxetine when I was very depressed and I didn't really want to start taking them but I suffered for nearly a year before I really couldn't take anymore. I have come of it now having taken it for about 3 months. It made me feel loads better and I didnt find it hard to come off of. However I would suggest exercise as a good way of getting rid of depression as it releases the 'happy' chemicals and does help a lot of people who have depression (I aways feel better after exercise)