S.J.W for Anxiety??

[floyd]

Hi everyone I've read up a little on SJW been used for anxiety but has anyone on here got any first hand experience? I suffer from mild anxiety due to years of drug abuse. Luckily my anxiety only surfaces every couple of years only this latest one's been going on a little too long for my liking. I've started taking sjw last week though I only take 3 x 170mg (from Tesco) as the 300mg ones from Asda made me really spacey/lightheaded ect (I work in a lab with chemicals so need to be fairly with it).
Will taking this smaller dosage than normally recommended be enough to work? or do I really need to move up onto 3 x 300mg? is it ok to take sjw with a occasional v.small dose of Diazapan (0.5mg if anxiety gets really bad)
It's only been 4 days in now but there is definately a little improvement though I still have small bouts of anxiety but these don't seem to last as long as before. I'm also taking vitamin B and drinking lots of green tea, which both seem to help. Any idea's and comments would be most grateful. FLOYD

[Pasiphae]

Hi Floyd
Unfortunatly I can't answer your question but it is very close to the one I was going to ask so I thought I'd ask it here (hope you don't mind). I suffer similar anxiety type problems and depression as a result of a long term dope habit but I've been too scared to try SJW as I read a few reports of it increasing anxiety. I take it by your post that you haven't found this to be a problem. Has anyone else found it to be?
As far as taking the diazapam with SJW I'm not sure that it is reccommended but again I'm not experienced enough to be able to give you an answer to that, might be worth a quick check with a pharmacist to make sure. You could try Valerian root instead, that has a good write up. I've been taking a Valarian based sleeping tablet for a few weeks and have found that I'm no longer waking in the middle of the night having panic attack so it could be worth a try.
Again I echo your request for advice on this matter, like I say I'm scared to try it but then again I don't want to keep feeling this way especially with the dreaded festive season approaching as that always makes me even worse.
Sorry to have jumped in on your thread but it seems we're both asking for advice on a similar subject so it makes sense (to me anyway) to put it all in one place!!!!
Hope someone has the answers we are seeking!!!!!!
Pas xx

[floyd]

No problems Pas, you ask away fella. I read your earlier post and thought that you may reply as we come from similar backgrounds. I wouldn't say that sjw has made me anymore anxious but i find with all meds/herbal stuff if they make me feel a little lightheaded/spacey i instantly think 'oh no it's back again, i'm not cured'. It's so hard to do but you've got to go with the flow (says me i'm the worlds worst). I do feel slightly better with taking sjw and am sure that in the long term I will benefit from it. Have you ever read any of the Claire Weekes books on anxiety, they are brilliant at explaining whats what with anxiety disorders. They do call it the 2nd bible and after reading them I must agree. Best place to get them from is www.play.com (http://www.play.com) there only about £6 posted or I could loan you them. I might try the valarian. In your original post you asked about alcohol and sjw, well I've never had a problem with it. Try the decaf green tea mate it's ok, it mellows you ok. Give sjw a go if your unsure go for a low dose like I have. P.M me anytime. FLOYD

[paulst]

HI, I started with 3 capsules of sjw per day for about 6 weeks, I found it relieved deppression but more recently, I started to suffer more anxiety, so acting on advice from other sufferers, I reduced the dose to 2 per day and now feel ok:smile:


paul

[floyd]

are you taking 300mg tablets paul?

[youda]

Hi, Floyd!
I've had a lot of problems with anxiety before taking SJW also. I still take my xanax for those times. I haven't noticed any big problems with taking the two, except that the xanax seems to hit me a little more than it did before I started the SJW, so I need to take less to get relief from the anxiety.

Although not as effective for me as the xanax, for milder anxiety I'm using cammomile tea and sub-linqual B-vitamins, and that seems to help.

The best to you!

[paulst]

HI floyd, yes I take 300mg capsules with 0.3% hypercin

paul

[youda]

Yesterday I was reading some more studies about SJW on PubMed. I found one study that used Valerian with SJW, the Valarien being used for the anxiety. Just one study, but it showed a good response to the combination of the two herbs when there is anxiety with depression.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=12807339&query_hl=1&itool=pubmed_docsum
Treating depression comorbid with anxiety--results of an open, practice-oriented study with St John's wort WS 5572 and valerian extract in high doses.

Phytomedicine. (javascript:AL_get(this, 'jour', 'Phytomedicine.');) 2003;10 Suppl 4:25-30.<script language="JavaScript1.2"> <!-- var PopUpMenu2_LocalConfig_jsmenu3Config = [ ["ShowCloseIcon","yes"], ["Help","window.open('/entrez/query/static/popup.html','Links_Help','resizable=no,scrollbars= yes,toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status=n o,menubar=no,copyhistory=no,alwaysRaised=no,depend =no,width=400,height=500');"], ["TitleText"," Links "] ] var jsmenu3Config = [ ["UseLocalConfig","jsmenu3Config","",""] ] //--> </script> <script language="JavaScript1.2"> <!-- var Menu12807339 = [ ["UseLocalConfig","jsmenu3Config","",""], ["Cited in PMC","window.top.location='http://www.pubmedcentral.gov/tocrender.fcgi?action=cited&tool=pubmed&pubmedid=12807339'","",""], ["Books","window.top.location='http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?itool=pubmed_AbstractPlus&cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=12807339&dopt=Books'","",""], ["LinkOut","window.top.location='http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?itool=pubmed_AbstractPlus&cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=12807339&dopt=ExternalLink'","",""] ] //--> </script>

[paulst]

I tried valerian for anxiety and stress about a year ago, sadly all I got was painful headaches. I reduced the dose but still the same result:frown:


paul

[youda]

Darn, darn darn! I was hoping the valerian would help me. :frown::frown:

[Pasiphae]

Try the Valerian mate, just because one person reacts to it adversly it doesn't mean you will too. As I said in my earlier post I use a Valerian based sleeping remedy (Valerina night-time) which has had a positive effect on me. I have been taking Kalms during the day which have only helped a little but could be worth a try. If Valerian does disagree with you there are other calming herbs like Passiflora or Lemon balm that could be worth trying.
I have decided that I will try the SJW but am thinking that I'll start low for a few weeks partly because the lower dose caps are on offer in Holland and Barrett and partly because I'm quite underweight at the moment so I'm concerned about putting my body under too much (if that makes sense).
Pas xx

[floyd]

Hi pas any of the Claire Weekes books are good especially the 'Self Help For Your Nerves' which I got from www.play.com (http://www.play.com) for £5.99 posted. The books are really good and worth every penny. For me the SJW is going really well i'm only 5 days in but there's been a vast improvement almost to the point of no anxiety at all and if I do feel a little anxious it soon passes. I find the more good days that i have the old bad days soon fade away and you don't constantly think about been anxious. I'm more happier about things and the futures looking good. I use the 170mg ones from Tesco I think their about £3 or so for 60 tablets. To start off take 1 every night for a few days then 2, (1 in the morning and 1 at night) then afer a week or so introduce a 3rd one at dinnertime. Then if all ok you can always move up to the larger doses. hope this helps FLOYD

[paulst]

I agree with whats been said about valerian, it certainly didnt suit me but it might be ok for you

paul

[youda]

Thanks! I'll give it a try. The SJW has helped so much with the depression, if I can now get rid of the anxiety...well, the world will be a new place!

[AcadiasMom]

I have pretty bad anxiety.

Some people say SJW increases anxiety, but I haven't felt that. It doesn't help the anxiety by itself, though. For that, I have taken valerian, and it works for me. I've never had a problem with it.

[paulst]

Good luck youda, I hope it works for you and you start to feel better soon:smile:


paul

[youda]

Thanks, Paulst! Next time I get into town, I'll check out the valerian. I know SJW isn't causing anxiety because it was there before I tried the SJW. The SJW has even seemed to help anxiety, but not completely stopped it.

[floyd]

Stick with it youda and the anxiety will pass, it has for me. The more you fight anxiety the more you feed it. I know it's hard but you have to shrug your shoulders and accept that whats happening to you is only adrenelin surging through your body, you have to go with the flow and you'll soon find that the axiety soon loses it's grip on you. Floyd.

[youda]

Good advice, Floyd. I can just be relaxing and suddenly, there it is...it's like some little gremlin suddenly throws a switch to the on position and then I'm a mess.

[tallgirl1982]

everyone is different with valerian remember i never got a headache! it made me drowsy and i had a nap but that could be a good thing

[paulst]

No medication is perfect, but if it works for you brilliant go for it.:smile:


paul

[youda]

Dear Tallgirl...well, now I'll definitely have to try it! Sleep, a full night's sleep, is something I don't get very often. Does the valerian seem to help you through the day, or does it wear off about the time you wake up? I've thought about using some melatonin so maybe the insomnia will be helped, butI don't know how that would work with the SJW??

[tallgirl1982]

i remember taking the valerian and feeling drowsy it just made getting to sleep easier, it was no sleep pill though! some brands are better than others though. I took it once in the day and it made me feel tired for some hours

[DonQ]

Hi,

I just signed up to jump in and say that Valerian has been working pretty well for me, for anxiety. I take a lower dose during the day, and it really doesn't make me very tired.

Also, you may want to try a magnolia bark extract, or kava kava. Those two are both very effective for anxiety; I use them on a more occasional basis, when I'm really stressed about something, and they work great.

Good luck!