Best starting point for coming off Sertraline 100mg onto herb remedies

[Mark582]

I've read a lot of good reports about

Rhodiola Rosea
5htp
Ashwaganda
St John's Wort
Valerian

I've also heard of

Lions Mane Mushroom
And some others on here.

Anyone know the way to go about trying these once off Sertraline? Which one to try first? How many types can be taken at once?

Also can I take any of them lower doses of Sertraline? Or will it still be a risk of Serotonin Syndrome?

I do use Valerian, L-theanine and either Quiet Life, Kalms or Stressless tablets from Boots which the pharmacist checked and said was ok.

I have no other medication or major health concerns other than high cholesterol.

I am exercising, meditating etc, working on diet.

[Gotagetthroughthis]

Hi Mark, I actually made a post about natural alternatives to antidepressants the other day, check it out if you like.

I can't say i'm qualified to give you medical advice but I have tried all of the herbs/supplements you mentioned so have some idea of what works. I've also previously been on sertraline and many other antidepressants and have come off successfully and now only take natural herbs or supplements.

If it were me I would taper off Sertraline very slowly over the next 2 months and only start the herbs when you are either down to something like 25mg or when you are completely off the medication.

Out of the supplements you mentioned, I found 5htp a made very slight difference in that it lifted my mood a little and helped my sleep a little but I wouldn't say it did much for my anxiety. Ashwaganda, I felt made my head a little clearer. Rhodiola possibly helped my mood slightly. I can't say I felt much difference off the others but it's hard to tell and everyone is different.

If it was me now I would buy Dr Morse's Happiness Capsules, I talk about them briefly in that thread I made about natural alternatives. They have a combination of herbs in the capsules including Rhodiola etc and I've heard really good things about doctor Morse's Herbs in general. They aren't the cheapest but they seem to work. I bought a load myself the other day.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do anyway. Long term I definitely think the natural route is the way to go.

[MyNameIsTerry]

You can't take St John's Wort alongside the Sert due to the contraindications.

5HTP may also be an issue as it is trying to influence Serotonin.

I would suggest bunging those into the interaction checker on Drugs.com to see what comes up. Not all herbals are in that database though but the more common ones usually are.

Ashwaganhda is unlikely to be an issue (but obviously check the interaction checker) as I remember checking that against my SNRI to find no issues.

Valerian clashes with some, again use the interaction checker. I seem to recall it clashing with Citalopram for some reason and Sertraline is likely going to be the same if so due to them being in the same class of meds. If a pharmacist is aware of that and makes a judgement call, I would be going with them because interactions vary and not all mean much other than "monitor for X happening" or "if you have othe conditions...", "are in X disorder population group", etc.

L-theanine is likely ok as I've checked that against my SNRI but again, run it through the interaction checker first.

Where you have contraindications e.g. with St John's Wort, I would suggest that once you withdraw the Sertr for the med to"washout period" which will allow for the med to substantially reduce since the last tablet you take. Since Sertraline has a short half life, multiple with the half life by 5x to get the number of hours since the last tablet that you reach <5% of the drug in your blood plasma. This is the level at which a drug is classed as clinically insignificant. to be safer still multiple by 7x which gives you the point at which the drug is completely out.

That's a standard pharmacokinetic calculation. It differs per person as it is influenced by factors such as hydration, any kidney disorders, etc. However when applying the start up calculation to Sertraline, it matches the standard calculation when compared to clinical testing so this should be a decent guide in withdrawal too. Obviously, it can't be guaranteed so the more you extend the washout period, the safer you will make it.

[Mark582]

I checked up on Valerian and Sertraline and not sure if this affects me or not. Doesn't seem to.

It says:

Using sertraline together with valerian may increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and difficulty concentrating. Some people, especially the elderly, may also experience impairment in thinking, judgment, and motor coordination. You should avoid or limit the use of alcohol while being treated with these medications. Also avoid activities requiring mental alertness such as driving or operating hazardous machinery until you know how the medications affect you. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. It is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you use, including vitamins and herbs. Do not stop using any medications without first talking to your doctor.

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I do have difficulty concentrating in general anyway a good amount of the time but I just felt that's been there since I've had anxiety and even when I had depression. I don't think it is any worse with Valerian or not that I notice. For drownsiness i thought that wouldn't necessarily be such a bad thing if your having it before bed?