alprazolam and supplements

[angalica_f]

Hi, I have been taking alprazolam for cronic anxiety disorder and was wondering if this medication would have any possible interactions with dietary supplements such as evening primrose oil. Also taking into consideration that I also have Hashimoto's autoimune thyroiditis.

[Paxiled]

Good work there, guy.  Very informative.

[Paxiled]

The major herbs to be careful with would be those that act, as benzos do, on the GABA receptors.  These would include most relaxant herbs, such as valerian, kava, passionflower, etc.  Now, this would depend on when you were taking them, as herbs are digested as food and medications are taken into the blood steam usually through the mediation of liver metabolites.  Therefore, herbs are much milder than medications, much more complex in nature, and far beyond human understanding at this point in our scientific progress.  This is partly due to the lack of funds dedicated to anything that can't get a patent, which includes all natural remedies.  Just not enough profit to be made there for the animal studies required by the FDA.  It's also, however, due to the fact that plants are just too complex.  I wouldn't think evening primrose oil would be a problem.  It doesn't contain a high amount of GLA; borage oil and black currant oil have much more.  GLA is also necessary for human existence, so it obviously isn't in itself contraindicated with benzos or we'd all be dead.  But evening primrose has many other properties, most notably on female hormone balance, which is often involved with anxiety (as is male hormonal imbalance).  Most natural practitioners really don't like to work with people who are also taking pharmaceuticals for all these reasons, but life being what it is, many naturopaths and physicians have studied up on this.  Finding a good one would be difficult, but you might try contacting the American Herbal Products Association for references, and there's an excellent general book called Prescription for Nutritional Healing co-written by a physician and a natural healer who do list contraindications.  As you can see by the replies, this is a complicated issue with different opinions, and it is also very individual to the person, so you do have to take as much care with natural remedies as you do with medication.  But you don't have to rule them out, just be careful.

[RubyWitch]

WOW! Impressive investigating there, dude! I should have widened MY search on the primrose oil beyond it's interaction with Xanax!
Thank you for adding to my meager advice.
Peace
Greenlydia

[RubyWitch]

Hi and welcome to the forum! You've come a long ways............

There are a few herbs/suppliments that can have adverse affects when taken with Xanax. The one's listed all INCREASE the depressive effects on the central nervous system. They include:
cat's claw
chamomile
cowslip
echinacea
goldenseal
hops
kava
licorice
Queen Anne's lace
skullcap
St. John's wort
valerian
wild cherry
grapefruit (the fruit itself, the juice and grapefruit tablets)

I could find nothing about evening primrose oil. I would consult with a Naturopathic doc about that one. Actually I would consult with one about ANY suppliment due to the Hashimoto's autoimune thyroiditis. (Have you been tested for Turner's, Down, and Klinefelter's syndromes?)

I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help. This question was a bit out of my league. I'm sure there are extremely qualified folks out there who can answer your question with far greater authority.

I wish you the very best and hope you join us often. Please let us know what you find out.
Peace
Greenlydia    

[amish1979]

Alprazolam is a CNS depressant.  The article mentions possible interactions with CNS stimulants, but I would still let your doctor know what you are planning.  Also you didn't mention you were taking an SSRI, which could also interact with the EPO.

[amish1979]

I did find this on the website for the US National Library of Medicine Website:

( http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-primrose.html )

Interactions

Most herbs and supplements have not been thoroughly tested for interactions with other herbs, supplements, drugs, or foods. The interactions listed below are based on reports in scientific publications, laboratory experiments, or traditional use. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy.

Interactions with Drugs

Because of reported seizures in people taking evening primrose oil alone or in combination with certain medications used to treat mental illness, patients should use caution when combining evening primrose oil with medications like chlorpromazine (Thorazine®), thioridazine (Mellaril®), trifluoperazine (Stelazine®), or fluphenazine (Prolixin®). Individuals undergoing surgery requiring general anesthesia may be more sensitive to developing seizures, and should stop taking evening primrose oil two weeks ahead of time. In people with a history of seizures, doses of anti-seizure medications may require adjustment because evening primrose oil may increase the risk of seizures.

An ingredient of evening primrose oil, gamma-linolenic acid, is reported to lower blood pressure in animal studies. Although human studies do not show clear changes in blood pressure, people taking certain blood pressure medications should consult with a healthcare professional before starting evening primrose oil.

Possible additive effects may occur when primrose oil is taken with anticoagulants (blood thinners) and drugs used to treat arthritis.

Possible interactions may occur with antidepressants, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Interactions may also occur with the following: antineoplastic agents, anti-obesity agents, antiviral agents, CNS stimulants, drugs metabolized by the liver, gastrointestinal treatments, and neurological agents.

[amish1979]

It's nearly impossible to gage the interactions between medications and supplements because supplements are not regulated and/or tested to the extent that medications are.  My best and only advice would be to ask your physician, even he/she may draw a blank.