Natural

[beatrixkiddo77]

Hello. I'm 23 and I have PTSD. I use to take cymbalta which worked well for me but my insurance no longer covers it, which means it's over $1,000. Obviously being a full time student I cannot afford this. Does anyone know of anything natural I can take daily that will help? I have nightmares every night and keep my poor boyfriend up. And I'm getting worried that I may be developing sleep walking behavior. I don't want to feel out of it, and like I said I'm low on funds.

[Paxiled]

Cymbalta is an odd choice for PTSD, unless you're also suffering from strong depression.  But if it works, some pharmaceutical companies have programs to make it affordable to those with limited income.  Natural remedies are best used in combination.  Because Cymbalta affects both norepineprine and serotonin, it's known as a stimulating anti-depressant, which is why it wouldn't usually be a first line treatment for a case where anxiety was the main problem.  Examples of stimulating anti-depressants in the natural world are DLPA and SAMe, but again, with anxiety, these aren't usually used, they're usually used for depression.  For anxiety, you'd usually go to something like kava or valerian for on the spot use, passionflower for regular use, 5-HTP for regular use, and something like eleuthero, holy basil, and ashwagandha to moderate the adrenals.  I'd read a book called Natural Highs by Hyla Cass, a psychiatrist at UCLA, for an overview, and for expert guidance consult a naturopath.  Good luck.

[M4Y0U]

SJW and 5-HTP. Valerian and 5-HTP can be both used at night before bedtime and may help a lot.

Always check with your pharmacist and/or doctor for interactions if you are on medications or have a medical condition.

M4