Can Prozac and St. John"s Wort Be Mixed?
Updated January 01, 2014.
Question: Can Prozac and St. John's Wort Be Mixed?
Is it your general sense that it's OK to mix St. John's Wort with Prozac? The articles seem to suggest so. Also, is there a specific St. John's Wort brand that proves most effectual, given the unpredictable issues with herbal contents?
Answer:
I can't really give you medical advice, but I can tell you my experiences. I used St. John's Wort alone for several years with good results.
It's main shortcoming in my opinion is that it builds up slowly in your body. It might be 2-3 months after you start taking it that you get your maximum therapeutic effect. If you are severely depressed that's a long wait, in which case you might want to take another antidepressant first and switch over when you are stable. Dr. Hyla Cass has mentioned several that she has found to be compatible, although my personal preference was Prozac because it's least likely to cause any withdrawal symptoms due to it's long half-life. I generally stopped Prozac one day and started St. John's Wort the next with no problems.
Medications mentioned by Dr. Cass can be found here.
Question: Can Prozac and St. John's Wort Be Mixed?
Is it your general sense that it's OK to mix St. John's Wort with Prozac? The articles seem to suggest so. Also, is there a specific St. John's Wort brand that proves most effectual, given the unpredictable issues with herbal contents?
Answer:
I can't really give you medical advice, but I can tell you my experiences. I used St. John's Wort alone for several years with good results.
It's main shortcoming in my opinion is that it builds up slowly in your body. It might be 2-3 months after you start taking it that you get your maximum therapeutic effect. If you are severely depressed that's a long wait, in which case you might want to take another antidepressant first and switch over when you are stable. Dr. Hyla Cass has mentioned several that she has found to be compatible, although my personal preference was Prozac because it's least likely to cause any withdrawal symptoms due to it's long half-life. I generally stopped Prozac one day and started St. John's Wort the next with no problems.
Medications mentioned by Dr. Cass can be found here.
