St. John's Wort
PJ
Has anyone tried St. John's Wort for Bipolar and if so how does/did
it work?
Thanks
PJ
RPlam20368
PJ, There is no clinical evidence or trails that indicate St John Wort can be
use in support of or treatment for Bipolar. All the clinical evidence
available on the research done, both by NIMH and in European trials was for
clinical depression, and I must emphasize MILD depression. I do know that my
wife's attempts at using SJW in self treatment resulted in something resembling
a vegetative state, save for the ability to communicate...sometimes. SJW is
not without side effects and their are plenty of sites on the net you can
research. Rich P.
HOOVER THE MOVER
In article <3556b21f...@news.deltanet.com>, dpr...@deltanet.com (Daric Priest) writes:
>On Sun, 10 May 1998 23:46:42 -0500, PJ <pja...@meta3.net>
>wrote:
>holidays. It seemed to help with my depression for a period
>of a month and a half, then it didn't seem to help at all.
>My clinic, which had been monitoring my little experiment,
>told me that they had seen several others realize the same
>result from trying St. John's Wort. Temporary.
>
>There was a long-time member here, however, who reported
>good, long-term results. Lindsey, you still out there???
>
>dp
Hi everyone. Larry here.
I'm BP2, and I've been taking SJW for about a year now, maybe a little longer
with good results. I know I could have entered into a period of spontaneous
remission anyway, so it's tough to generalize from an experiment with one
subject. Here's my story.
In September 1996, I started to slide heavily into depression. There is a 100%
incidence of bipolar in male family bloodline, and I had already had the Aha!
experience upon reading the diagnostic criteria in the DSM IV, but my family
doctor chose to put me on Prozac, and I started cognitive therapy. I couldn't
handle the way Prozac made me feel, so he switched me to Paxil after about six
weeks. About four weeks later, I was hospitalized after falling into the black
hole of depression. I was activated, couldn't sleep, but depressed as hell.
Suididal ideation (no plan) was a constant visitor. After three weeks they
kicked me out, and again switched meds to Luvox. I started to really hum on
this stuff, and by January 1997, I was in a full-blown manic psychosis. Believe
me, LSD is a far better high.
I stopped taking Luvox, and was put on lithium. They had a little trouble
finding a therapeutic level for me, and in the meantime, I fell back into
depression. When the lithium finally kicked in, it worked, in a manner of
speaking. I wasn't depressed really, just numb. Apathetic. But also, I had
extreme difficulty remembering things, even forgetting what I was saying
half-way through a sentence. I'd be standing in front of the bathroom sink with
my toothbrush in my hand, and I couldn't remember if I was about to brush my
teeth, or just finished. I basically lost my higher cognitive functioning.
After three "experiments" going on and off lithium, I realized that I could not
tolerate it. So, I decided to try SJW, without telling my doctors what I was
doing.
I can't remember when this started, but it was April or May last year. Within
four weeks, my family doctor began to remark upon the positive change in my
affect. I was talking in a lucid manner. Once in a while, I was actually
smiling. I just gradually kept getting better, until in July, I could work
again. I've been very gentle with myself over the ensuing months, gradually
taking on more and more responsibility, as stress is a trigger for me. I've had
a few minor setbacks, in the form of rapid-cycling mood swings, but these were
of very short duration (and entirely new to me). But overall, I've just kept
getting better, until today, I'm working full-time, off welfare, and fully
enjoying life (a feeling I cannot recall for a very long time). I've been
monitored along the way by my family doctor and my pdoc (who I told about SJW
fairly early on). I'll take their meds if I need them, but this is the biggest
holiday from symptoms I can recall, and I haven't needed that kind of help yet.
Was it SJW that has had this effect? Who knows. I also have learned to get rest
when I need it, to eat well, to exercise regularly, to self-monitor my mood
state routinely, and adjust accordingly. I've done extensive research into
orthomolecular psychiatry, a branch of medicine that tries to "treat" mental
disorders with nutrition. I take a variety of nutritional supplements that have
been identified as having a psychological impact on depression. Its akin to
fire prevention, rather than putting out the fire, as with conventional
treatment regimes. I know of a BP1 who found SJW to be intolerable, as it
induced mood swings, so this may not be useful for everyone here. But, I also
know of a BP1 who claims to have completely controlled drug-resistant major
mania with the nutritional approach. Again, an experiment with one subject. But
I have formed an hypothesis that the genetic transmission of mood disorders may
involve a sub-clinical malabsorption syndrome that when chronic, expresses
itself in neurotransmitter disruption. Whether it's truly nutrient
malabsorption, or ineffective enzyme synthesis of neurotransmitters, or both, I
have no idea. By why else would nutrient therapy have *any* effect? Just my
ponderings.
Anyway, I still take SJW every day, because it hasn't been shown to be
ineffective, and I have had no side-effects. I won't tinker with what seems to
work. This is *my* story, and as James has said so many times, YBMV.
Regards,
Larry
Fading Away
I tried it recently, daric and cried almost everyday after an hour of
taking it (within an hour) it was very draining on me and I had to set
it loose ointo the toilet because I dont need to have a boost of what I
am trying to get rid of. I had the blues to begin with. let me tell you
something DP it sucked out loud for me to take them, and it was not my
idea to do so. now I am on lithium ...eskalith.... and wellbutrinSR
and all I want to do is erase this chalk cirle I lay in and draw a
darker one to curl up in and stay here all warm... SJW sucks far as I
am concerned. WHERE IS MY BIG BRODUER?! BIG BRODUER?!?!
Brandie- Like a clothesline in a summer breeze - I am hangin in there..
sophia
PJ wrote:
>
> Has anyone tried St. John's Wort for Bipolar and if so how does/did
> it work?
> Thanks
> PJ
i'm BPI and I tried SJW with amino acids and I loved it. For a while.
Pulled me right out of this gnarly depression and then into this manic
state for just a little while and then rapid cycling. So i don't
recommend it with no mood stabiliser. Although larry (HOOVER THE MOVER)
has been on it long term and he says he's doing great. Maybe it's cause
i'm BPI.
good luck
-sophie
message_...@hotmail.com
roymc...@mindspring.com
Saint John's Wort is a test for bipolars. If you are stupid enough to
take it, you don't pass, nd will continue with cycling and pain and
depression. Despite someones seeming shortterm success, it has been
proven, in Europe, to be useful in treating clinical depression ONLY.
Not us. Anyone who believes it helps us is delusional and just
waiting for the crash.
Roy
47 and still bipolar
J. Miller
Oh...please...please...DO NOT TAKE that for Bi-Polar...
I did for a while thinking I only had depression (missdiagnosed as so many
of us are with only depression)...felt the bad edge of depression pass...but
man...when I stopped I rebounded and hit hard...was suicidal for about 3
weeks...nothing but the though of my kids and my on-line freinds kept me
going.
Went and seen a civillian psychiatrist for the first time (all the others
were military) and he put me on Depakote and Wellbutrin. Still going
through swings...going on my second week on them...much better. However, I
could do without the unpredicatable swings that I get when I up the
meds...as I will be doing tomorrow...UG!
Wish you luck....
Jacque Miller
jym...@pcisys.net
ICQ # 10876877
PJ wrote in message <355682...@meta3.net>...
Jim Funkhouser
All it did for me was give me a headache.
J. Miller wrote in message <6jt6o7$8li$1...@newman.pcisys.net>...
reese
Hi all,
I heard something disturbing recently about SJW. The father of a
kindergartener at the school where I work apparently had an severe
allergic reaction to SJW and died (very quickly right there at home).
It was supposedly just a tea made from the herb that he was taking.
Rumor has it that he also was taking some other kind of antidepressant
also. Has anybody else ever heard of anything like that? That's pretty
scary, esp. since all the info. on SJW says there aren't any recorded
bad effects.
Amy
J. Miller
Hi...
St. John's Wort is sort of like a MAOI (monoamine-oxidase inhibitor)...it
can react badly to various foods and with other anti-depressants along with
a host of other over the counter medications as well as prescribed drugs.
Care needs to be taken with this herbal med....I thought (as earlier posted)
that I only had depression. It took the depression edge away and was stable
on it for a couple of months. Then it lost it's effect and I not only swung
high for a few days (that was the best part), but then crashed heavily into
depression. Couldn't think, couldn't go to school, couldn't even take care
of my self little lone what I needed to do with kids and husband. Was
suicidal for nearly 3 weeks before the meds from my new p-doc started to
kick in....and even then...I swing back and forth when I go up.
So...to end this ramble, just take care and caution about this...it might
work, but be sure that you know what not to eat or drink on it and make sure
that your p-doc is aware of what you are attempting...
Jacque Miller
jym...@pcisys.net
ICQ # 10876877
reese wrote in message <35638A...@tir.com>...