![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by KARIN C. on October 20, 2000, at 8:24:32
+I WAS ON PROZAC FOR ABOUT FOUR YEARS, THE SEXUAL SIDE AFFECTS (LACK OF DESIRE) WAS WHAT MOVED ME TO TRY SOMETHING ELSE. I WAS PUT ON EFFEXOR AND STAYED ON THAT FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS,THE EFFEXOR MADE ME FEEL DIZZY AND ESPECIALLY IF I MISSED A DOSE AND TOOK IT EVEN A FEW HOURS LATER. NOW I AM ON DAY THREE OF BEING "DRUG FREE" THE WITH DRAWEL FROM EFFEXOR IS VERY SCAREY, DIZZINESS~ HEART PALPITATIONS~ELICTRICITY GOING THROUGH THE BRAIN~ CONFUSSION ETC. ANYWAY MY QUESTION IS HAS ANYONE HAD ANY POSSITIVE REACTION TO A NATURAL TREATMENT? I WOULD LOVE TO GET OFF OF THESE NASTY DRUGS! ANY COMMENT WOULD BE GREAT.
Posted by stjames on October 20, 2000, at 13:51:23
In reply to NATURAL ALTERNATIVES?, posted by KARIN C. on October 20, 2000, at 8:24:32
I WOULD LOVE TO GET OFF OF THESE NASTY DRUGS! ANY COMMENT WOULD BE GREAT.
James here....
Herbs and such are drugs, too.
Posted by Flutterbee on October 20, 2000, at 13:57:49
In reply to NATURAL ALTERNATIVES?, posted by KARIN C. on October 20, 2000, at 8:24:32
Karin, depending on the extent of your illness, there are many options out there. One in particular that I use now is 5-HTP, it is a precursor to Serotonin. It is derived from Griffonia plant usually from Africa. You can look up more info on it and these others on the Net. What the 5-HTP does for me is relieve the depression. I also have anxiety, which it helps a bit, but not fully. I am going to start increasing my dose to 100mg.'s a day, I presently take 50mg.'s. It doesn't have anywhere near the side effects as Rx's do. They may have some, but slight. As a matter of fact it has made me more relaxed so I can have sex, which on AD's the thought of sex put up a big STOP sign.
Another route you can go is St.John's Wort (don't take if you are on birth control, it will decrease your BC by almost 50%). St.JOhn's Wort is a popular one and has been around a while. And another is SAM-e. It is fairly new and I have been told is more successful for some than St.John's Wort. Another is Amino Acids, which basically the 3 I mentioned already are, in some form, a amino acid or derivative that will turn into a Amino Acid. Some people take L-Tyrosine for depression. I have, but it makes my anxiety worse. But if you don't deal with anxiety, you may want to look into that. It makes you more mentally alert and feel "up".
The problem with Natural medicine is we have to pay for it all out of our pockets and some people will start to feel better after taking it and decide it is getting too expensive and stop and then revert back to Rx's because they are covered by insurance. You can't take alternative meds along with Rx, you can develop a serotonin overload which can make you really sick.
I hope I helped you in some way. If I can be of more help feel free to ask. I have a well rounded knoweldge of Natural medicine and nutrition.
-Flutter
Posted by GLYN on October 20, 2000, at 19:44:20
In reply to Re: NATURAL ALTERNATIVES?, posted by Flutterbee on October 20, 2000, at 13:57:49
Any natural anxiolytics that actualy work? ANything even nearly as powerfull as a benzo - even 10% of the action would do me. I have tried a homeopathic remedy called Rescue Remedy and it did zilch - not even a faint difference.
Posted by stjames on October 21, 2000, at 1:13:24
In reply to Re: NATURAL ALTERNATIVES?, posted by GLYN on October 20, 2000, at 19:44:20
> Any natural anxiolytics that actualy work? ANything even nearly as powerfull as a benzo - even 10% of the action would do me. I have tried a homeopathic remedy called Rescue Remedy and it did zilch - not even a faint difference.
james here....Kava Kava or Valerian would be my choice.
I feel the herbal movement does false advertising.
The word "natural" is thrown about. The assumptions
are that 1) natural chemicals are different from synthetics
and 2) this accounts to lower side effects. There is no difference between "natural" and
synthetic and the reason there are fewer side effects is because
most herbs are weak agents. Weaker med = fewer side effects. Prescribed meds
are usually very strong, after all who is going to pay the see the doc and shell out
lots of $ for meds if it takes a month to clear an infection ? BTW, I got this argument
from reading Dr. Weil. As not to bash herbs too much I will point out that it is a lot ez'er
for nature, through organic chemistry, to cook up new molicules than us in the lab. Nature has
also been cooking much longer than we have been doing chemistry. Molecules that a plant or your liver make
with ease are huge processes in the lab. There is still a lot to be found that will be useful. "Ask the plants
of the earth and they will teach you." Job 12:8GLYN's question does point toward where herbs are useful. Herbs, being less concentrated,
are not as strong. Good for when the big guns are not needed. I do cringe when someone with
significant illness decides to "go herbal". If the strong meds are not working, switching to
the weaker ones makes no sence. I posted a study the shows SJW is as effective in mild
depression, with fewer side effects than Prozac or Tofranil, can't remember which.
james
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.