Posted by blueberry on September 24, 2005, at 6:05:09
In another thread on akathisia, Phillipa asked if sjw and meds are contraindicated. I wanted to start a new thread to comment.
Some docs say it is fine. Others not. Mine said it is a safe harmless herb and to add it to my prozac and zyprexa.
Serotonin sydrome is an obvious concern, but there are actually far worse concerns.
Sjw changes the proteins in the stomach that absorb meds. It also either induces liver enzymes or inhibits them, so med levels can be decreased or increased by adding sjw.
Many meds are reduced by coingestion of sjw, making them ineffective and requiring higher dose adjustments. People with organ transplants have died because sjw made their organ rejection meds ineffective. At least 50% of the meds on the market are affected by sjw. There is a case report of a lady on zyprexa who had a 300% increase in her zyprexa plasma levels after adding sjw.
SJW inhibits the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, glutamate, and gaba, all at about the same affinity, and it also hits the opioid receptors. The serotonin, ne, and dopamine part...fine. But the glutamate and gaba part...that's asking for trouble, as I discovered personally.
When I weaned off of sjw after it pooped I experienced severe withdrawals of anxiety and panic attacks including an emergency room visit, where I had never in my life had anxiety or panic before. Though the serotonin part could have been involved there, I believe it was the gaba and glutamate part that did it. I had every single one of about 30 withdrawal symptoms of benzos. Not to mention how it might have affected the prozac and zyprexa levels.
If someone absolutely wants to try adding sjw to meds, I think it is crucial to get a blood test of med plasma levels before starting sjw, then again 2 weeks later, and again 4 weeks later. Watch out for serotonin sydrome, med interactions, poopout, and benzo type withdrawals.
This post is intended for medication users, not alternative users.
poster:blueberry
thread:558861
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050921/msgs/558861.html