Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 228825

Shown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

St. John's wort long term safety question?

Posted by bookgurl99 on May 24, 2003, at 11:15:41

Hi,

As I'm currently switching from an SSRI to Saint John's Wort (in an effort to eventually give up all antidepressant 'substances'), I am wondering what evidence there is regarding long-term safety and St. John's Wort. Just as the jury is still out on long-term pharmaceutical SSRI safety, is there still no data on longer term St. John's Wort use?

Are there any studies out there, aside from Germany's Commission M (or whatever it's called?), that have examined the long-term safety of SJW?

 

Re: St. John's wort long term safety question?

Posted by Larry Hoover on May 24, 2003, at 12:08:51

In reply to St. John's wort long term safety question?, posted by bookgurl99 on May 24, 2003, at 11:15:41

> Hi,
>
> As I'm currently switching from an SSRI to Saint John's Wort (in an effort to eventually give up all antidepressant 'substances'), I am wondering what evidence there is regarding long-term safety and St. John's Wort. Just as the jury is still out on long-term pharmaceutical SSRI safety, is there still no data on longer term St. John's Wort use?

Nobody's done that kind of study yet, as far as I know.

> Are there any studies out there, aside from Germany's Commission M (or whatever it's called?), that have examined the long-term safety of SJW?

Perhaps the German experience is instructive, by the very absence of reports of adverse effects in the long term. 10's of millions of doses of SJW extracts, used by German patients, have yet to stimulate even case reports of long term adverse effects. I know, "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence", but as it stands, that's all that can be said.

Compared to SSRIs, with both acute (treatment emergent) and persistent (even after withdrawal of treatment) side-effects, the generally benign character of SJW stands in rather stark contrast, IMHO.

Lar

 

Lar,Re: St. John's wort long term safety question?

Posted by McPac on May 24, 2003, at 15:26:12

In reply to Re: St. John's wort long term safety question?, posted by Larry Hoover on May 24, 2003, at 12:08:51

"Compared to SSRIs, with both acute (treatment emergent) and persistent (even after withdrawal of treatment) side-effects"

Lar, which ssri side effects remain even AFTER discontinuation of ssri's? Thanks!

 

Re: Lar,Re: St. John's wort long term safety question? » McPac

Posted by Larry Hoover on May 24, 2003, at 15:41:40

In reply to Lar,Re: St. John's wort long term safety question?, posted by McPac on May 24, 2003, at 15:26:12

> "Compared to SSRIs, with both acute (treatment emergent) and persistent (even after withdrawal of treatment) side-effects"
>
> Lar, which ssri side effects remain even AFTER discontinuation of ssri's? Thanks!

I've seen anecdotal reports of persistent movement disorders, akathisia, apathy, and long-term sexual dysfunction. There is also a defined syndrome, PANES (Persistent Adverse Neurological Effects (following) SSRI (treatment)):

http://www.priory.com/psych/panes.htm#discussion

 

Re: PANES

Posted by bookgurl99 on May 24, 2003, at 17:12:17

In reply to Re: Lar,Re: St. John's wort long term safety question? » McPac, posted by Larry Hoover on May 24, 2003, at 15:41:40

> http://www.priory.com/psych/panes.htm#discussion
>

Interesting; I had a similar experience to one of these cases for 6 months after discontinuing an SSRI. I had involuntary jerks in the fingertips and limbs, a tingling sensation in them, and an increased tendency towards migraine. (The migraine syndrome runs in my family, however, and may have come up regardless.)

My doctors at the time could not find anything to indicate why the jerking was happening. (I had an EEG, etc.) What surprises me is that they used the fact that I was discontinuing an SSRI as evidence that it was all in my 'head,' without considering that it could be related to discontinuation.

Luckily, the jerking went away. Today, one year later, I occasionally have a tremor-like jerk but it is infrequent and usually related to fatigue.

Since using SSRI's long term, I have also had a persistently short attention span. This may be related to my hypothyroidism, but I'm hoping that getting off meds will help.

I have a feeling that in 20 years SSRI's may be viewed the way we now view TCA's; as useful, but potentially health-impairing medications.

These side effects are why I'm unsure about using St. John's wort. But as a therapy to prevent relapse of depression as I adjust to being off meds, it's worth the (aparently minimal) risk to me.

 

what abt mixing it w/ an amino acid re:l-tyrosine? (nm)

Posted by bookgurl99 on May 27, 2003, at 22:25:42

In reply to St. John's wort long term safety question?, posted by bookgurl99 on May 24, 2003, at 11:15:41


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.