The Pill while taking St John's Wort
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The Pill while taking St John's Wort
| Fri, 10-01-2004 - 5:00pm |
Ok, so I started taking St. John's Wort and a friend told me that it would make the pill ineffective. of course this freaked me out so I stopped taking it till I could get some more information. I have looked all over online and found 3 different affects, one of course rendering the pill ineffective and one saying it could cause spot bleeding or cramping. Can someone please help me out and tell me if any of these are proven or that you have experienced this first hand? Also, if this root has these affects does anyone have a recommendation for another herbal remedy???
Thanks for your help everyone and have a great weekend!
- Jennfer

I did find this article, it mentions a study. Out of 16 women taking St. John's wort, 3 of them had their birth control pills affected enough that they were ovulating while on the pill.
http://www.hon.ch/News/HSN/515031.html
If you must take St. John's wort and you want to avoid getting pregnant, then you really should consider using condoms just in case. If you're taking it for depression, you could always go to a doctor and have an antidepressant prescribed for you so that your birth control won't be impacted.
St. John's Wort is widely reported as possibly affecting the absorption of the hormones in the pill. I've taken the two together, but it's not a good idea, and I definitely quit when I found out. I didn't like the way SJW made me feel either, I didn't feel so bad, but I didn't feel the good stuff either!
If you're looking for another means of stabilizing your moods, some people swear by a good B complex vitamin (which is a good idea if you're taking the pill anyway). Others swear by fish oil. A good thing to do might be to consult with an herbalist, a naturopath, or some other specialist who is well-versed in different herbs and how they affect the body. You might also consult with your regular doctor to see if your feelings warrant medical treatment or if you just need a little pick-me-up.
My own personal prescription is typically exercise (vigorous or yoga, depends on the day) and a good night's sleep, but everybody needs something different to keep them balanced. Other valuable tools are time with girlfriends, or if there's a girlfriend shortage, we've got some amazing communities here at iVillage where I've made some good friends and just gotten a lot of opportunities to get junk off my chest. Talking helps, and iVillage is a whole lot cheaper than a therapist!
Good luck...I hope you can find something that helps!
Co-cl for Birth Control