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