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Primrose Oil for Depression

I'd just like to share my experiences here and maybe I can help a person or 2.    

I've tried prescription anti-depressants years ago...and they barely did anything.  If anything it was worse..because #1 they'd take about a week to start working.. and during that week, I personally felt worse / more ragey than before...but eventually it helped some.  #2 , I had enormous food cravings.  #3 very weird, electric like feeling in my head when trying to withdraw off the stuff.    That alone was enough for me to never try the stuff again.

But time and time again, whenever I ever have occasional bouts of depression...and even severe depression. Primrose Oil has worked like a godsend.   I even told my sister to try it , and she couldn't believe it either.

Whenever i'm very irritable , angry , depressed , anxious.. I take a 1000 MG's of Primrose Oil a day...and ALL OF THAT goes away.  I feel soooo calm and relaxed everyday after.  It only takes a day or 2 to start working. and by the 3rd day, you'll definately notice it.

Amazing natural drug this is.  I'm 35 now and first tried it when I was like 22.  

I dont know WHY this drug doesn't get more national attention ? I've tried St. John Wort numerous times... everybody says thats suppose to be the #1 natural / herbal pill for depression.  But its NEVER worked for me.

Evening Primrose Oil works in an amazing fashion for me. EVERY single time.    I had a really bad bout last week... starting taking Primrose Oil, and I completely changed around for the better almost instantly

Would love to hear other peoples thoughts on this.  Even 500 MG's a day is nice too.  But 1000 MG's a day, you'll definately notice it.

I'm a guy too.... so I remember reading online that this is mostly for women...to help with their PMS symptoms or whatever.  But it is for soo much more.  

The anti-depressing effects are amazing and soo smooth.  No side effects at all.

thank god for primrose oil

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Avatar universal
Undermethylation:

Those with undermethylation often respond well to methionine, SAMe, 5HTP, calcium, magnesium, omega-6 essential oils such as borage and evening primrose oil, B-6, inositol, and vitamins A, C, and E, plus zinc, TMG or DMG. They should avoid supplements containing folic acid, but can tolerate the more active forms where there is MTHFR defect, especially if Homozygous for the defect.
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Avatar universal
folks, i think EPO helps with the MYELIN SHEATH, amongst other benefits. personally when I think EPO, I am much more relaxed, and some times happy (can laugh for example, in particular when I take BARLEAN'S EPO)

also for mood issues, consider JULIA ROSS' THE MOOD CURE, which deals with depression, over-sensitivity, mood swings, stress and so on (due to imbalanced/ lack of SEROTONIN, ENDORPHINS etc.). a good questionnaire can be found here: https://www.moodcure.com/take_the_mood_type_questionnaire.html

hope this helps!
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Avatar universal
Have been experimenting with EPO. I bought a Super Evening Primrose Oil which is 1300 mg. away too strong, but only now figuring out after several weeks. It makes me too sleepy the entire next day. I wish I had know this sooner! I thought debilitating fatigue was a new symptom. NO! Just taking too much EPO. I'm deciding whether to abandoning it for depression or purchase 500 mg.
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Thank you for sharing this.. I'm going through the same symptoms as you have described..you are right I have been taking this for a week now and I feel a lot of change in me.
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I know this is an old post, but I just read it and will try it with my son who has aspbergers and has lots of anxiety. Thanks for sharing your story, I will let you know if it helps!
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For those for whom the EPO has worked , Can you please let us know if this is to be taken before food (e.g. 1 hour before food ) or immediately after food ?

I found that this worked for me when i took it on empty stomach with warm water but then it made me so much hungry and caused weight gain. I also got mouth ulcers after few days.

It seems that this did not happen for others so really want to know if this is to be taken before food , with food or after food.

thanks
Megha
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Avatar universal
Thanks for taking the time to let us know about your experiences. I will be picking up some tomorrow and giving it a go.
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Avatar universal
Just read back through your posts... only just found them (march 2013) .... while researching primrose oil.
Found it all very interesting. Thanks.
Starting it today for anxiety & psoriasis. I hope it works for me too. 8-)
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Avatar universal
I made this thread 2 1/2 years ago and kinda forgot about.

Glad it's helped so many.  I still use it today and still works like it did several years ago.     I sometimes go up to 3000 MG's a day on rough days.  

Charlie, I really haven't researched up on exactly how it works...but some interesting info on wiki when you google primrose oil wiki.

hope that helps.  
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2 Comments
I am just trying it will let you know
Just started taking primrose oil for thyroid issues and noticed feeling great on it. Was doing research online about its correlation to depression and found your post. You are 100% correct! It works wonders! I'm on 1300 mg a day. Who knew? Was taking it for something unrelated and it's working for depression as well. Thanks for your post.
Avatar universal
Does anybody know how it actually works? Scientifically? I'm so depressed, Iv just had the copper coil IUD taken out as I'm convinced after research it has been copper toxicity causing all my problems. Doctors just fob Me off with more pills & look at Me like I'm crazy. Iv always suffered depression BUT this time I'm unnervingly uptight, anxious, mind racing... Insomnia! Making it very difficult for Me to look after my 3 year old son. Help??
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Avatar universal
Hi John

Thanks a lot John for your post ! This is a ray of hope for me !

It's amazing how similar experience i have with that of yours. I do have a skin condition and I was adviced to take Evening Primrose Oil. I too noticed good effect on mood of EPO. I found that generally it works on skin when taken after food in night and works for mood when taken on empty stomack. I do believe that the skin condition and mood disorders could be because of same reason.

I also have bit of depression/anger, feeling of being unsecured. I rarely feel relaxed. and EPO helped in this when i was taking it early morning on empty stomach. I had do stop taking the same due to some side effects a) It made me so much hungry. I had to eat so much when on EPO. b) it caused mouth ulcers (after around 8 days). So i had to stop it in between. What is your experience on this one ? Do you take it before or after food ? If on empty stomach then after how much time you eat ?

Thanks John again and waiting to hear from you.

Cheers
Megha




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Avatar universal
I have been taking 2000mg for the last 7 days and nothing. What brand do you take???
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Avatar universal
Hey everybody. I'm 17, and I've just recently been have a bout with depression and have always had a bit of an anxiety problem. I'm not a big fan of prescription medications, and only take them if I really need to (I currently only have a medication for my anxiety, and I only take that when I have the anxiety attacks). I've been reading over this article and I believe I might try this. My mom has been looking into natural aids to help with my anxiety recently, and I think she'd be interested to hear about this. Would you recommend a lower dose for a younger person? Thanks for the help.
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914696 tn?1283727392
After reading all your posts I'm very interested in giving this a try.  I must have tried years ago because I found a bottle of 1300 mg of Primrose Oil capsules in my basement not even opened yet.  The expiration date on the bottom is May 2005!!  I opened the bottle and there is defintely a smell.  Don't know if it's a good smell or a bad smell.  I would think that a fresh bottle would smell?  Any advice on whether I should try them or pitch a buy new??
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Avatar universal
Been about a week now on the Primrose oil. It's odd that it caused anxiety in some, because I have horrible anxiety and I find it soothing in that regard.

Thanks John for turning me on to it. I have noticed that it's not working quite as well as it did the first few days. Perhaps thats me adjusting to it. No side effects at all.

It's not a cure all and won't fix ones anxiety, but I found something that keeps my hands from shaking for 8 hours and gives me maybe 25% relief of my anxiety then I call that a welcome aid in my fight against my condition.

Seems to have no negitive impact on my Depression and no good either, but that's fine with me as it helps the anxiety just a tad. Now I can wake up, take 1300Mgs and send emails because my hands can type. Not half bad for a natural substance.

Off all the junk naturals I have taken who would figure primrose oil to work. I can't even find any documentation for it being helpful for anxiety, but who cares because it works for me just enough to give me a little edge on life.
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well, i tried the primrose oil caps. they work very well. gave me such a wondeful feeling of well being. cannot take them though because the gastric problems were awful. wuckie
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hi, can you take primrose oil and stjohns wort? i tapered off effexorxr about 4 wks. ago, and starteda regimen of stjohns wort 2 caps. 2xs. a day and omega3 fish oil caps. 1 once a day. got through the dizziness/ brain zaps o.k. now the crying jags / shortness of breath and anger are in full tilt. my husband bought the primrose oil for me this morning, but brought home 1000mg. caps. instead of 5oomg. caps. i took one anyway. on top of the stjohns wort and fish oil cap. now i am sooo tired and drowsy and moderately dizzy. but i have been bawling alot and been angry at everybody this morning so maybe this accounts for the fatigue and clogged sinus dizziness? it takes alot of energy to be a complete b- -ch. did i screw up taking the primrose oil and stjohns wort? help!!!
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Refractory and Mamia glad to hear its still working.  

Paxiled, i'm not sure why it did that to you.  Maybe you were coming off an anti-depressant ?  
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Upon your advice I started taking the Primrose oil 3 days ago.
I take two in morning and two in evening.

I have to say that I have noticed some theraputic effect regarding my GAD Generalized Anxiety Dissorder. Problem is that it's doing nothing for the symptoms of my depression and the heavy feeling I always have in my head.

Getting back to the anxiety, I have noticed that when I wake my body is not trembling upon waking up as it always was before. This is making it easier to get out of bed.

The verdict is still out for me and this obviously could all be me experiencing a placebo effect. (Think something might work and even though it doesn't you manifest it working in your brain)

My hand tremmor also seems a bit better too. Maybe there is something to this Primrose oil. I am still experimenting with different dosages and times of dosage, but I really think it may be helping with my constant symptoms of anxiety.

I also take several other depression and anxiety meds and have not noticed any bad interaction with my meds, nor can I find any medical documentation that Primrose can not be taken with Psychiatric meds.

We shall see. I have never gotten any benifit from any natural substance, but this may be different.
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Avatar universal
I had to stop.  Was getting very depressed and much more anxious.  Feel somewhat better after stopping.  Probably not the right time for me, since I'm tapering off Celexa, and maybe it isn't best used with an anti-depressant.  It also might have stimulating anti-depressant effects, which aren't good for anxiety sufferers, like Wellbutrin.  But my problem is quite weird anyway, I completely went to hell when I went off paxil four years ago and never came back, and have had a lot of paradoxical reactions since then.  Maybe I'll try again at a later time, since at first it improved my sex drive, but not now.
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Hi John,
I just want to thank you again.  My doctor wanted me to get off of it for 2 weeks to do some blood work.  I did, now that is now over.  I went back on it, wow, what a difference.  I know this works well with my body.  

Because you took the time to try to help someone make a difference in their life.  I just wanted you to know it has, and I'm very thankful to you for caring to share, if we all find things and share them people can be helped and that is one reason we come to this, looking for answers from people that know how it feels to live like we do, with many of the same issues.

take care,
mamia
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Avatar universal
so results seem mixed so far ?

I found myself a bit more anxious than normal..so I went up to 1000 MG twice a day and feel better now.

It always seems to have that more relaxed / less anxious / less worried effect on me. Which is a good thing.


I agree with Mo906, it definitely helps relax you right before sleep.. I usually wake up feeling good too.
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800339 tn?1270433486
I think I'll pass, but thanks for your help.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the tip. I don't hold much faith in natural suppliments for depression as bad and chronic as mine is, but nothing gained nothing lost. Can't hurt to try because God knows I have already tried everything and nothing works but my meds, only they only help with about half my symptoms.

I'm game to try anything once.
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