ready to give up!

[reginaw1]

I have been taking st John wort for my anixety and it seems to not help much. I have Zoloft and my question is can I start on my Zoloft 24 hours after taking sjw. Is it safe. And can anyone share their stories taking Zoloft. Oh yea I am a 24 year old female if that helps any. Please help! I want to feel normal again and love life like I used to but my anxiety makes me scared to take any medicine because I always have this thought of death. Please help

[Paxiled]

St. John's Wort is usually used in standardized form for depression, which would be two or three a day, not six.  It appears you were trying natural medicine without understanding it, which is common -- it's very complex.  If it's something you're still considering, try reading a book called Natural Highs by Hyla Cass, a psychiatrist at UCLA.  It's a pretty good overview of what's available, how to combine remedies, and dosages.

[cnote]

Since you are scared of medicine, have you considered doing therapy? As in a psychologist? They don't prescribe meds, but can greatly help reduce your anxiety and help you gain control again without meds and without side effects. I have gotten into trouble with meds, and my body is just WAY too sensitive. I have side effects when I take them, and I def. have BAD side effects when I'm coming off of them, making it a living HELL. Worse than the anxiety before. Not to scare you. I may be a rare breed. lol.

But In my personal experience, seeing a psychologist was the best thing ever for me. And it showed me, even how bad it can be, "I" can get through anxiety without meds.

A psychologist can help you learn a lot about yourself and why you struggle with anxiety, and teach you WONDERFUL coping mechanisms. The thing is, is that you have to stick with it.

If things ever get tough for me again, I will def. see this psychologist again vs. running to my Dr. for pills like I used too.

That's just my story.

Some people honestly do need some form of meds, depending on how bad their anxiety/depression is. But I dont' think it's a permanent cure.

I remember saying exactly what you have said in your posts "I want to feel normal again and love life like I used to..."

My anxiety started when I was your age exactly! I'm 30 now, and barely struggle with it as much. :) In my whole experience with anxiety, it CAN get better. You can have your ups and downs. In my experience, it was never forever.

Have hope. Seek help and even just seeking help can help help anxiety big time. Having FAITH helped me a ton. If you have to resort to meds for a while, then so be it. Life is too short to be constantly miserable. But I strongly suggest if you do that road, do therapy on top of that. Therapy is the best answer to anxiety in my opinion.

Much love!~ -Chris-

[reginaw1]

Thank you guys so much., i'm just ready to live a normal life again.,I don't take the dosage recommended for sjw I was only taking one pill a day instead of the six a day.

[Paxiled]

Your pharmacist won't know anything about St. John's Wort, they don't study anything but pharmaceutical medicine in school.  St. John's Wort isn't really for anxiety, it's for depression (and many other things -- it's also an anti-viral and helps with nerve problems, for example).  Nobody really knows how St. John's Wort works for depression, but it is recommended not to take it if taking a drug targeting serotonin.  However, its effect is much milder and there shouldn't be a problem starting the Zoloft as long as you don't take them at the same time.  If you feel more comfortable and less anxious it won't hurt you any to wait a couple days.

[birdie0907]

Your pharmacist can give you good advice on that question. Maybe someone here who knows will help too.