questions about st johns wort

[cashamby]

i have been using that because the side effects of prozac scare me, but recently ive been feeling wierd, i noticed that sunlight hurts my eyes even if im not in direct contact with it and black dots or moving things are starting to appear in my eyes. they dart away pretty fast but i was wondering is this normal?  my eyes are just really sensitive since ive been taking this medicine, and the sun is unusally bright and irritating.

[birdie0907]

Don't trust natural meds unless you research them with your doc. Someone told me her hubby cured his arthritis problems taking natural cortisone by mixing some natural ingredients. My physiotherapist said there is nothing natural about self regulating your cortisone levels and there could be severe problems.
Tell your mother that poison ivy is natural, but despite being natural still has bad side effects. A doc in a lecture said that anything that works has to have side effects, although I am wondering if my interpretation has distorted his message.

[SnowWhite88]

The photosensitivity is quite a common side effect of St Johns Wort unfortunately. If you are going to commence treatment on an SSRI or other antidepressant there will have to be a short break from when you stop taking the st johns wort because the two can react with each other. x

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes that makes sense. Those incidences of suicide were rare incidences. However, if an anti-depressent is starting to make depression worse which happens rarely, then speak to your doctor about it and he'll change it. If he feels Prozac is his first choice that's fine but you can look up other anti-depressents just as well to know how they will help you and what side effects to look for. Look up "Depression Central".

[cashamby]

well first off my doctor didnt perscribe me st johns wort, my mom is all about organic remedies and read that prozac and other anti-depressants have caused teens to commit suicide and get worse into depression and anxiety, so she purchased st johns wort. I think im going to follow my doctors orders and start taking the prozac though. I think a doctor knows more than my mom (even though i love her to death)
and i also read up on the internet that st johns wort causes photosensitivity, so maybe thats why my eyes hurt in bright sunlight/ bright colors. and it started right after i started taking the st johns wort.

and i havent yet begun counsuling  but my doc wants to start soon after she see's how i am after a few weeks of prozac.

[ILADVOCATE]

I can't figure out what that effect is but since St. John's wort is not regulated its hard to know what you are getting in terms of purity and strength. Are you seeing a psychiatrist? Because even if you take St. John's wort which has been shown to have an anti-depressent effect in European studies it should be given under a psychiatrist's care. And if its having this effect better to stop it and have a psychiatrist transfer you to a prescription anti-depressent. And since St. John's Wort boosts serotonin it has the same effect as most prescription anti-depressents which are safer in that they are a known quantity. And its not just Prozac. There are other anti-depressents. Prozac is an SSRI, a type of anti-depressent but there are other kinds of anti-depressents as well. Most of them are safe and effective and a psychiatrist could find the right one for you but look up "Depression Central" for more information. I am not against natural remedies. I take rhodiola for tardive dyskinesia and that's also used as an anti-depressent. Its just that I found out the specifics of it from a research neurologist. And I also known exactly what to buy and what side effects to watch for. And the side effects you are describing with vision concerns me and it would be best to find out from a psychiatrist what's going on and take it under their supervision.