Anyone take SSRI and homeopathic remedies together

[katies]

HI

Does anyone know whether you can take SSRI (on cipralex) and homeopathic remedies together ? Also someone has recommended ashwaghanda ??????

Thanks

KatieS x

[net]

i'm on prozac and taking sage for the hot flushes but a homepath told me
if you go into a health shop they should be able to tell you

netty


the dreams of the future are better than the history of the past

[Mystical]

Netty,

Sage for Hot flashes - really? More info please - Mystical xxx^I^xxx

[Danath]

I take Citalopram and occasionally throw down Valerian capsules, the pharmacist said it was ok, but to try a lower does if possible when first starting the herbal remedy just to see how one reacts first. Don't ask the people at the herbal remedy store if its ok as I did several times and they were a total waste of time, they can't give you a definitve answer legally or otherwise and anything they do tell you is probably from personal experience or whatever another customer told them. Ask a good pharmacist they have a books with lists of drug interactions if they cant tell you off the top of their heads.

personally I always wanted to give Kava Kava a go as it sounds fantastic but apparently it was banned in the UK for purposes of ingestion.

hope this helps,

Dan

[Cat80]

If taking SSRIs you can't take anything homeopathic that messes woith the chemicals in your brain. It's very dangerous to do that and it can cause serotonin syndrome which can be life threatening.

[KK77]

Be very careful. As Dan said, a lot of people seem clueless, and even pharmacists have given me contradictory advice at times.

Some of these remedies can interact pretty badly with medications so if you do start a new herbal remedy, start on a very low amount and listen to your body if you start to get side effects.

[NoPoet]

Do not take SSRIs with kava kava. Never, ever.

There's a list of stuff that is and isn't safe to take with SSRIs in my Citalopram Survival Guide -- click the link in my signature.

The best SSRI-safe natural remedy in my experience is inositol. Check my inositol guide.

[Maggie-may]

Also if your having hot flashes I swear by 'Mexican Wild Yam' it's available in capsule form and cream, I personally prefer the cream, Holland and Barretts used to sell the cream, but for some reason have stopped, they do still sell the capsules, I bought mine from my local health shop and it also contains Don Quai, Agnus Catsus and Black Cohosh, there are numerous herbal remedies for the Menopause just 'Google' it and you should get lots of info! Good luck!

[Mystical]

Hi there,

Agree with near all you have to say, tho' Blk Cohash is under scrutiny by a UK Parliamentary committee (due to EEC) and is one of the changes in remedies proposed as non-effective - as is Red Clover also under similar scrutiny. Best at present to consult a Registered Herbalist due to fact that anyone can say they are 'Herbalists' when in fact they are not! Certain Members of the English Parliament have been against Holistic health practice for several years; now that EEC are considering the situation it is up to each and every person in their respective country within Europe to lobby their MEP regarding the safety of so-called Complementary Medicine - please note the term for we work in parallel to the medical profession - not against it, as some would have you believe. All we ask is for free health choices for individuals in Holistic as well as Allopathic remedies. One thing for sure and that is that of all the SSRI's only Prozac (Fluoroxetine) seems to have the least side-effects when taken with herbal remedies. If in doubt consult your GP or Hospital consultant; failing that, speak to a local pharmacist about your own particular health issues.

As to Homeopathy, the fact that the Royal Family advocate such was ignored by the committee and so was the fact that there are Homeopathic Hospitals within the NHS? The person questioned was from the Boots Company, which is now more of a retail based operation, having sold out it's manufacturing division. The fact that one person cannot scientifically validate the efficacy of Homeopathy does not mean it does not work, or that it only works as a placebo. Both these statements of apparant fact can be widely challenged. Whether they will or not remains to be seen? Finally a kindly caution - please do not become obsessed with 'googling' every little ill that may befall you; take appropriate advice, rather than casually surfing via search engines. Mystically yours.... Stu_uk

[Maggie-may]

I wisht that the ECC/EU would just butt out, they always have to interfer, it has nothing to do with them really, awhile ago they were banging on about how truck drivers shouldn't have a fry up for breakfast, that they should eat Muesli for breakfast instead, I believe that the truckers just ignored them. However with herbal remedies it's different, you should try to contact you local M.P and voice your concerns, there maybe a petition that you can sign.