| Before I begin...I am a Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome / | | | | To find out how St Johns Wort works visit: SIDE |
| Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferer myself but I am | | | | NOTE ------Having said that, one of the most common |
| not medically trained! I am merely passing on to you, | | | | side effects of St John's Wort is fatigue, which is |
| things I have read and learnt which may interest you. I | | | | obviously relevant when you suffer from ME/CFS! So |
| am not a 'health expert', so please - if you come | | | | if you do try St John's Wort, keep an eye on your |
| across anything in this article that you find interesting, | | | | energy levels. If they plummet even further, it may be |
| do a little research on it yourself and contact your | | | | a sign to rethink whether you should be taking it or |
| doctor or health professional about it before taking any | | | | not.What's more, St John's Wort **has** been found |
| advice from this article.Depression, anxiety and sleep | | | | to interfere with some prescription medicines. Studies |
| disorders can all be symptoms of ME/Chronic Fatigue | | | | published in the Lancet and the British Medical Journal |
| Syndrome. Whereas some ME/CFS sufferers may | | | | have shown that St John's Wort speeds up the |
| never experience depression and anxiety as | | | | breakdown of medicines in the body, leading to lower |
| symptoms of their ME/CFS, others unfortunately | | | | levels of the drugs in the blood. So if you're taking |
| do.For example, according to Dr Shepherd in his book | | | | other medication or supplements of any kind, that's |
| 'Living With ME', true clinical depression probably | | | | another factor for you and your doctor to consider |
| affects between 25-33% of ME/CFS sufferers at | | | | before taking St Johns Wort.------ SIDE NOTE ------ |
| some stage.Many ME/CFS sufferers are prescribed | | | | There are other side effects and dangers of St |
| antidepressants to help them sleep and to ease their | | | | Johns Wort. You can find out more about some of |
| fatigue (even if they are not depressed). But although | | | | these on this page: SIDE NOTE ------As with taking |
| prescribed antidepressants do help **some** ME/CFS | | | | any new substance for the first time, the best thing |
| sufferers, others find that they experience bad | | | | you can do is to approach St Johns Wort with |
| side-effects.St Johns Wort (also known as Hypericum | | | | caution.In essence, you should **not** take St John's |
| perforatum) is an interesting natural alternative to | | | | Wort until you have checked with your doctor that it is |
| prescription antidepressants.Many medics seem to say | | | | safe to do so. It's also often advised to start slowly |
| that it has far fewer side effects, yet it apparently | | | | with a low dosage.Although sometimes it gets |
| works just as effectively as common SSRI | | | | remarkable results, sometimes St John's Wort does |
| antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil/Seroxat and | | | | nothing. It really is down to the individual. But research |
| Zoloft. In fact, according to Dr Charles Shepherd in his | | | | suggests that you do need to take St John's Wort for |
| book 'Living With M.E.' (mentioned above), St John's | | | | a number of weeks in order for it to work.Bottom |
| Wort seems to have a lower incidence of side effects | | | | line?Always, ALWAYS check with your doctor first |
| (around 20%) - much lower than that seen with | | | | before taking St Johns Wort. And if you do decide to |
| conventional antidepressant drugs (around 60%).----- | | | | take it, keep an eye on your energy levels. If your |
| SIDE NOTE ------ | | | | fatigue worsens noticeably, then just be aware that it |
| For more information about the 'darker side' of SSRI | | | | might be the St Johns Wort that's causing it.And if you |
| antidepressants visit: SIDE NOTE ------With a 2,400 | | | | do decide to try St Johns Wort, remember that |
| year history of safe and effective use, the use of St | | | | research shows that you need to take St Johns Wort |
| Johns Wort has risen dramatically recently, especially in | | | | for a few weeks in order for it to start |
| Britain. And in Germany, they apparently use St Johns | | | | working.-----Copyright, Claire Williams, 2003-2005. All |
| Wort a lot to treat depression, anxiety and sleep | | | | Rights Reserved.-------** Publication Guidelines **The |
| disorders, all of which, as mentioned earlier, can be | | | | article above may be freely reproduced provided |
| symptoms of ME/CFS.St John's Wort has both | | | | that:(1) you only mail to a 100% opt-in list; (2) ALL links |
| anti-viral and anti-depressive properties and has been | | | | areLIVE hyperlinks (3) the article is published in its |
| used by Europeans for centuries as a remedy for:- | | | | entiretyincluding the title, copyright notice, & the |
| sleep | | | | author'sbio & resource box (which must be placed |
| - depression | | | | directly belowthe article).-----Claire Williams is editor of |
| - anxiety | | | | sleepydust.net and has suffered from Post Viral |
| - PMS | | | | Fatigue Syndrome since 1995.She created |
| - menstrual cramps | | | | sleepydust.net to help ME / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| - menopausal stress | | | | and Fibromyalgia sufferers deal with their condition - |
| - irritability | | | | from handling their money worries, to recovering from |
| - neuralgia | | | | their illness. |
| - tension------ SIDE NOTE ------ | | | | |