Valerian root...I HATE IT right now!!
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Valerian root...I HATE IT right now!!
| Tue, 06-01-2004 - 2:52am |
I've been having sleep disturbances lately, and I think it's because I've been trying to cut down on my coffee intake, but the withdrawal symptoms make me want to jump out of my skin!!! It's like my skin is itchy on the inside, and it makes me so antsy that I can't even lie still enough to try to sleep. So, I decided to try this stuff my boyfriend said is supposed to work well. It's called Relax and Sleep by Jamieson, and it's mainly Valerian root. I took it at 11:30PM, and slept well for about an hour and a half or so. Then I woke up to go to the bathroom, and could not get back to sleep! I was so restless, and I wanted to sleep but I could not lie still. I have looked up valerian in my drug book (I'm a nurse) and it says that the adverse reactions/side effects include excitability, insomnia, and anxiety. That actually really sucks, because that is the opposite effect of what it is supposed to do! I also wonder if it's possible that the valerian could be interacting with the Celexa I take for anxiety and depression. The reason I thought that was because it also says in my drug book to avoid CNS depressants while taking valerian, and Celexa is a CNS depressant. It also says that the CNS depressants may potentiate the sedative effects of valerian, so I guess that because I'm on Celexa, the opposite effect is occurring from the valerian. See how wired I am? I'm doing all this research at 2:30 in the morning when I am supposed to be waking up at 5 am for work. Well, I shouldn't call it work...since I'm not getting paid for it yet! So that really sucks. But I'm almost done my placement, and I'm really enjoying it and learning a lot, so it's cool. I just wish I could sleep!!! Anyway, I'll try again, because I just finished some sleepytime tea. I hope that it works! ~Sabrina

Have you tried a herbal sleeping tea?
I know a lot of store meds you can't take if you're on Antidepressants or Thyroid meds
Hugs, Brenda
In my experience with Valerian, if it worked for me, great..but if I got up for any reason, I had difficulty going back to sleep.
Most herbs aren't meant to be mixed with medications and I'm sure you already know this, but just because they are 'natural' doesn't mean they are safe. Like if you have serious ragweed allergies, you need to stay away from St. John's Wort (Blue Coneflower). Some herbal ingredients and preparations (teas, tinctures, essential oils) can have major effects on the body and cause harm if not used properly - some even cause miscarriages.
I hope you get to the 'root'(LOL) of your sleep problem....I take 75 mg. of Effexor XR and that has helped me a bit, but sometimes I take 50 mg. of Benadryl if I'm really in a bind.
Amy
hardy har har!
Shawna