can you take st johns wort and anti depressants together?

Question

My husband is on Fluroxatine for his depression, which has helped in the past but only briefly. I have heard alot of positive stuff about St Johns Worts, but could he take this along side his fluroxatine?

Answer 1

Two anti-depressants taken together isn't usually a good idea. The side-effects can be quite dangerous.

If fluoxetine isn't working, get an appointment to see the GP and they might try another one with properties more suited to your husband's symptoms - there are loads to pick from.

Best of luck :)

Answer 2

No - St Johns wort should not be taken with any anti-depressant. It can cause many side effects and can interfer with the prozac. St johns wort is generally used for mild depression when the person has not been prescribed anti depressants.

Answer 3

Hi,

Sorry to hear that your husband as Depression, I have had it and was prescribed Prothiadine (Dopamine) to start with then because the depression was not lifting, I pleaded and demanded that my doctor change my prescription drugs to Amitriptylene. At present I am taking St. John's Wort to relieve the symptoms of depression.

It does say on the instructions part to seek advice from your doctor or pharmacy if taking any prescribed medicines as St. John's Wort may affect the way they work.

Hope this helps and hope that your husband gets well soon.

Take care both of you.

Answer 4

It is highly inadvisable to combine st johns wort with anti depressant medication.I queried the same thing with my GP and was advised not to take complementary medicines with prescribed anti depressant medication.If depression is severe or medication is no longer effective, your GP may decide to increase the dosage of your husbands current medication or prescribe a different medication.However, do be wary of taking seroxat as it has severe withdrawl symptoms when trying to stop this medication.

Answer 5

There is an absolute contra-indication to taking St. John's Wort with SSRI antidepressants. { Every pack of every brand of fluoxetine has a package insert advising that it should not be taken with St. John's Wort . }

Even if this wasn't the case, you should never consider taking actions like this without consulting your GP.They are always potentially fraught with dangers.

Answer 6

I wouldn't mix St John's Wort with water to be honest! It reacts with so many things and has so many adverse effects its not worth taking it for its alleged benefits to anxiety and stress.

Good luck

Answer 7

Don't do it. If you are not happy with fluoxetine go back to see your GP. It does say on fluoxetine do not take with st johns wort. What ever you do don't self medicate, it's so dangerous. You don't know the side effects.

Answer 8

St Johns Wort reacts with a lot of other medicines, and one of the groups that it is known to react with is antidepressants. You will have to see your pharmacist for advice, and you may have to see your GP to prescribe something alternative.

Answer 9

NO! Not Kava Kava or any other OTC herb/product, either. Although rare, adverse reaction can include coma or death. Seriously.

Get him to see his doc to either get the Prozac dose increased or to try another antidepressant. If Prozac is not his first AD, then steer him to a psychiatrist, the psych med experts. They know much more about psych meds than gp's and are much more apt to prescribe the right med for him.

Answer 10

I would advise against it, there have been reports of adverse side effects, in particular St Johns Wart.