Starting RR Wednesday...

[quacker]

I ordered Nature's Way Rhodiola Rosea online and I am supposed to receive it on Wednesday. I am excited to start it, since SJW gave me three good days and that's it. In addition to depression, I have anxiety too, and I hear RR helps both. I find myself always worrying about stupid stuff, with no relief. So here I go starting RR! Just thought I'd share...

[Newgirlintown]

Hi Quacker,

I started RR over a month ago after trying SJW for 6 months. SJW helped relieve my depression, however, I started having major anxiety and panic attacks. I switched over to RR over a month ago and so far so good. I think it is really helping to even me out. I take one 170mg (The Vitamin Shoppe) per day in the morning on an empty stomach.

Good luck, I hope you experience positive results. Keep us posted.

I ordered Nature's Way Rhodiola Rosea online and I am supposed to receive it on Wednesday. I am excited to start it, since SJW gave me three good days and that's it. In addition to depression, I have anxiety too, and I hear RR helps both. I find myself always worrying about stupid stuff, with no relief. So here I go starting RR! Just thought I'd share...

[Zenec]

Hi quacker,

For how long did you take SJW? It takes some time for it to work. Maybe you're giving up too fast. Anyway, good luck with RR. I'm using both RR and SJW and it works great :)

[quacker]

I took it for two months straight with only about 2 or 3 good days halfway through. Those good days faded, and I have remained depressed ever since.

I've been taking 500mg of Rhodiola for a week now, and have not really noticed any good effects. Today was a bad day for me, the depression was rampant today. So I am thinking of only taking 250mg per day, because I heard with this herb less can be better. We'll see how that goes, but if Rhodiola can work, that would be awesome since it is so cheap and has no side effects on me.

[Zenec]

You can also try combining SJW and RR. It works quite well. The discussion about SJW and RR is here:
http://www.sjwinfo.org/forum/showthread.php?p=6391

Good Luck!

[quacker]

Thanks for the responses and advice.

Well, I am into my second week and I feel a lot better! I still have a few episodes here and there where I become extremely depressed, but it is usually momentary and 95% of the time I am feeling good. Also, the RR has helped with my social anxiety: I've been talking to people I would previously be too afraid to talk to. As for my anxiety, that is the slowest to improve. I am no longer freaking out over little things or things that may never happen, but if I am confronted with such thoughts, I go back to my old anxiety problems. So out of sight out of mind, basically.

The only problem? I don't know if I have seasonal affective disorder or not. It is now spring and almost summer, so I don't know if the rhodiola is making me feel better or the season is. I guess I have to wait till fall comes around to make sure. God, I just want depression and anxiety to stay gone; I want to live life, not spend it wondering how I can bear it till I die.

[echelon]

Quacker, if you can't tolerate SJW and still feel depressed then try 5htp. I couldn't take the SJW, but the 5htp is keeping my depression at bay better than anything I've ever taken before. You take it last thing at night, then take the RR in the morning as usual.

The SJW gave me terrible panic attacks!

[quacker]

Before I started RR I was considering 5-HTP. For some reason, I picked RR. I remember reading that 5-HTP may increase seratonin levels in the blood, which is bad. Before the RR kicked in (or the spring season ;)) I didn't care much; afterall, what could I lose if 5-HTP became deadly. But now that I am feeling a bit better, and valuing my life more, I am too fearful of taking 5-HTP. I know it's kind of a debate on the seratonin thing, just depends on who you ask. But unless I become intensely depressed again, I am going to keep 5-HTP out of my mind. Thanks for the advice nonetheless; companionship is much appreciated in this struggle.

BTW, what brand of SJW were you taking? I've heard some brands, such as Perika, can be intense on the anxiety.