Non-prescription Supplements?

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-25-2004
Non-prescription Supplements?
4
Mon, 05-23-2005 - 4:33pm

I was wondering if anyone has advice on a non-prescription supplement—or alternative medicine supplement, whatever you want to call it—for people suffering from anxiety disorders.

I haven’t had full fledged panic attacks in several YEARS, and don’t feel any other symptoms of depression like I did when I had them before…but I am starting to feel like my anxiety level is creeping up and beginning to interfere with my life (intermittent insomnia, not able to concentrate, that horrible “tight” feeling in my chest, etc).

It’s a long story on why I really would prefer not to go the prescription route (nothing against them, I took Zoloft for years, they just aren’t for me right now I don’t think)…but I am to the point where I think I probably need to be taking something, at least in the short term.

Any recommendations? I’ve heard St John’s Wart is good, but honestly am not sure what else is even out there….

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Mon, 05-23-2005 - 8:21pm

Hi & welcome to our caring community. Try your luck with the quiz I posted this morning. *Test your knowledge of vitamins/minerals.* It tells about some herbs, including St. John's Wort in the article. I know that some herbs can't be taken with prescription meds. That includes all meds, not just antidepressants or anti-anxiety meds that some folks use here. I take evening primrose oil for female health & regularity. Some articles say it helps but no good studies have been done. I read up about it & made what I felt was an informed decision. I hope others can give you some ideas of what they found helpful. You are very welcome to post here & join in our chats & discussions. We will support you regardless of how you plan to cope with your anxiety. FYI there is alternative medicine board.(I see you already beat me there. LOL)

 

 


 



iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Tue, 05-24-2005 - 6:11pm

I was doing some checking & thought maybe this would help. It's from the official PDR site. jan


St. John's Wort



Latin name: Hypericum perforatum
Other names: Amber, Goatweed, Hardhay, Klamath Weed, Tipton Weed

A Remedy For


  • Blunt injuries
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Skin inflammation
  • Wounds and burns

Although its effectiveness for other ailments has not been proven, St. John's Wort has also been used to treat sleep disturbances, gallbladder disorders, gastritis, bronchitis, asthma, diarrhea, bed-wetting, rheumatism, muscle pain, and gout.


What It Is; Why It Works
St. John's Wort is believed to combat depression by boosting the levels of certain chemical messengers in the brain. Like the prescription antidepressant Prozac, it seems to increase the amount of serotonin available to the nervous system. It also tends to promote higher levels of the chemical messengers norepinephrine and dopamine. In some clinical trials, daily doses of 800 to 900 milligrams of St. John's Wort have proven to be as effective as 20 milligrams of Prozac or 75 milligrams of the antidepressant Tofranil.
 

 


 



iVillage Member
Registered: 05-25-2004
Wed, 05-25-2005 - 1:54pm

What great information, thank you for posting it. It actuallly makes me even more sure I want to stay away from St John's Wart b/c I am taking birth control pills...nothing quite like an unplanned pregnancy to raise your anxiety level! LOL

I got some great recommendations from the Alternative Heath board....has anyone ever used the following:

B8 (inositol)
B6 (pyridoxine)--both while using a B complex supplement
Dr Bach's Rescuse Remedy
magnesium supplements
L-theanine

What kind of results did you see with them if you have taken them? I'm thinking of starting with the B vitamin complex pair and uhaving the Dr Bach's handy for emergencies (it sounded like an on-the-spot kind of thing for reducing anxiety levels).

Thanks for everyone's nice responses, I feel very welcome here. ;-) gretchen

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-11-2004
Wed, 05-25-2005 - 2:25pm
I just found this. I will post it below in our health folder. Good luck!
Herbal Don'ts
A short list of unsafe supplements

But what's green isn't always groovy. "Herbs are pharmacologically active" and should be used under the watchful eye of a health-care practitioner who knows about possible interactions with other herbs or drugs, warns Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council in Austin, TX. In fact, several herbs have raised eyebrows ‑- and the concerns of the FDA ‑- because of their severe side effects or potentially harmful interactions with medications. When it comes to the following five botanicals, it's buyer beware:


Read more!


http://health.ivillage.com/holistic/hherbal/0,,798hmssh,00.html?ice=iv|wb|green