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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dr. Bob on August 11, 2004, at 23:31:12
In reply to St. John's Wart While Weaning Off Effexor XR?, posted by laurie_lu on August 10, 2004, at 8:22:05
Posted by laurie_lu on August 10, 2004, at 8:22:05
> I know docs prescribe Prozac to help with the withdrawl symptoms from weaning off Effexor XR. Can SJW be used to help with the withdrawl symptoms when I begin weaning off of my Effexor XR? Or is that not safe since you're not suppose to take other antidepressants or herbal medications while on perscription antidepressants?
>
Posted by pretty_paints on August 12, 2004, at 14:24:11
In reply to St. John's Wart While Weaning Effexor? « laurie_lu, posted by Dr. Bob on August 11, 2004, at 23:31:12
Yeh sure, you might be right Laurie. I see what you're saying. What I meant by "cancelling out" is that I thought the SJW would stop the Efexor from working. I used to take SJW and when I started on prozac, my doctor told me to stop taking it 5 days before I started the prozac as it would stop the prozac working. But I don't know what happens with Efexor. Is there any reason why you want to take SJW instead of prozac?
xxxxx
Posted by laurie_lu on August 12, 2004, at 22:44:16
In reply to Re: St. John's Wart While Weaning Effexor?, posted by pretty_paints on August 12, 2004, at 14:24:11
I want to stop taking the prescribed ADs because I was diagnosed with Dysthymia(life long mild depression). I've managed to deal the mild depression and anxiety my whole life without drugs and I guess I want a little help with it now since I've been diagnosed, but was thinking something more natural would be better for me. I can see where people with moderate to severe depression need perscriptions, but it might be over kill for me. I could be wrong though. I'm new to all this medication stuff.
Posted by Larry Hoover on August 14, 2004, at 20:04:06
In reply to St. John's Wart While Weaning Effexor? « laurie_lu, posted by Dr. Bob on August 11, 2004, at 23:31:12
> Posted by laurie_lu on August 10, 2004, at 8:22:05
>
> > I know docs prescribe Prozac to help with the withdrawl symptoms from weaning off Effexor XR. Can SJW be used to help with the withdrawl symptoms when I begin weaning off of my Effexor XR? Or is that not safe since you're not suppose to take other antidepressants or herbal medications while on perscription antidepressants?
> >Dr. David Healy suggests that SJW can be used to help someone withdraw from SSRI meds. The idea is to increase the SJW every time you decrease the SSRI, so that you're taking a sum of one day's dose. For example, if you drop your Effexor by 1/3 the first week, you start on 1/3 of the daily dose of SJW, as a replacement....and so on. Once you are off the SSRI, it is easy to withdraw from the SJW (or to continue with it, if it seems to help).
Lar
Posted by Larry Hoover on August 14, 2004, at 20:05:05
In reply to Re: St. John's Wart While Weaning Effexor?, posted by pretty_paints on August 12, 2004, at 14:24:11
> Yeh sure, you might be right Laurie. I see what you're saying. What I meant by "cancelling out" is that I thought the SJW would stop the Efexor from working. I used to take SJW and when I started on prozac, my doctor told me to stop taking it 5 days before I started the prozac as it would stop the prozac working. But I don't know what happens with Efexor. Is there any reason why you want to take SJW instead of prozac?
>
> xxxxxThere is no evidence that SJW would cancel out the effect of a prescription antidepressant. I think there is some kind of misunderstanding.
Lar
Posted by laurie_lu on August 17, 2004, at 20:56:40
In reply to Re: St. John's Wart While Weaning Effexor? » pretty_paints, posted by Larry Hoover on August 14, 2004, at 20:05:05
Thanks Larry. I am down to 75mg Effexor XR from 150mg. So I am down by half at the moment. I think I will start taking one SJW capsule and when I get down to 37.5mg Effexor, I will increase SJW to 2 or 3 capsules. I have read that reaching 37.5mg and below of Effexor is the toughest.
Posted by Larry Hoover on August 19, 2004, at 10:31:24
In reply to Re: St. John's Wart While Weaning Effexor?, posted by laurie_lu on August 17, 2004, at 20:56:40
> Thanks Larry. I am down to 75mg Effexor XR from 150mg. So I am down by half at the moment. I think I will start taking one SJW capsule and when I get down to 37.5mg Effexor, I will increase SJW to 2 or 3 capsules. I have read that reaching 37.5mg and below of Effexor is the toughest.
Sounds like you have the concept understood. Good luck. Keep us informed of your progress, 'kay?
Lar
Posted by laurie_lu on August 22, 2004, at 21:58:54
In reply to Re: St. John's Wart While Weaning Effexor? » laurie_lu, posted by Larry Hoover on August 19, 2004, at 10:31:24
I'm down to 37.5mg of Effexor XR now. Tomorrow will be the 3rd day at this dose. I'm not really having any bad side effects. Yesterday was the most annoying. I would get dizzy spells while driving. I would also experience a heavy sensation in my chest. When these symptoms occur, I just take a deep breath and try to relax and it passes. Up to this point it hasn't been bad at all and I've not felt I needed to begin the SJW yet. I do realize by all that I've read, the bad withdrawl effects don't begin until you start going below 37.5mg. I do intend to take it if I am having a difficult time coping with the withdrawl. In the end I do plan on starting SJW once the Effexor is over.
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