St. john's wort for Depression User Reviews (Page 4)

• Jay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 3, 2018

"Really pleased with this product. I have suffered on and off for years with depression (particularly in the winter months) and chronic mild anxiety. I have been taking it for five days, and I am honestly feeling much calmer and a lot less low in mood. Although it has not been a 'magic cure' as such, I am definitely experiencing significant improvements. Word of warning: If you do choose to use this product, however, you need to check first that it doesn't clash with any other medications you are taking. It says on the packet not to use with birth control pills, for example. I had to do my research first, and luckily none of my other personal meds do clash."

• Mad...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 17, 2018

"I love this stuff. I've taken it one time before, and it has worked great both times. I would not consider myself to be clinically depressed, but my anxiety is always constant and sometimes becomes unmanageable and starts to affect my work life. Also, the two-year anniversary of my dad's death is coming up soon, and this is the time when his cancer really started to take its toll on him, so I've been feeling some depression right now also. I've taken it twice, and I'm already noticing some positive changes in my mood."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 1, 2018

"I've been dealing with work stress for some time now, experiencing mood swings and snapping at coworkers. I tried SJW about 10 years ago and recall that it helped me then, so I started taking 3x300's tabs dosage today and immediately felt much more mellow. Dry mouth is the only side effect. I'll be sticking with SJW."

• Sam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 15, 2021

"I have been taking St. John's Wort for about a week now to help me with my anxiety, and it has worked brilliantly. I feel so much more energized and clear in my brain, and like other people said, wake up feeling ready for the day. I still have worries and thoughts to deal with, but they do not trigger hours of anxiety. I would definitely recommend taking them if you have been feeling like you want to sort out your anxiety for a while. I feel so much better!"

• Ban...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 9, 2020

"It is 4 in the morning, and I can't fall asleep because of it. Been taking St. John's Wort for only four days. I had more energy throughout the day, but every night I have these mini anxiety attacks <3."

• mil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 22, 2025

"It's so wonderful. It's taken away that undercurrent low mood. I was studying at medical school, failed my exams, and had to resit a year. I took a huge blow to my self-esteem; coupled with never seeing the friends I'd made in the years before (they had gone away on placement but I hadn't), replaced social time with more study. I'd cry most days and started to avoid all interactions with loved ones. I felt sad, unable to smile or crack jokes. I had a weight on my shoulders. I realized something had to change. I took St. John's wort after speaking to a nurse friend. After two weeks, I woke up and felt... good. Happy without reason. I could face the world again. With that ability, I started building a gym habit and started socializing. My life completely changed. St. John's wort isn't a miracle-it's science. A stopgap to help you help yourself. I feel like myself again. Side effects: nausea, especially when drinking alcohol, so drink slowly. I treat it as a supplement."

• ogo...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 29, 2020

"I was disappointed that St. John's Wort didn't work for me. I took 300 mg capsules 3X daily for, I'm not sure if it was a full year, but at least 6 months min. I wanted to really give it a good try and hoped it would work for mild depression and SAD. This was 10 years ago. It didn't lift my moods, in fact, in hindsight, I realize now that if anything it only made me more irritable in my situation at the time, and all I got out of it was an unexpected, very *nasty* painful sunburn on a cloudy day at the beach the first day of summer. I wonder if the 'recommended' dose was too high for me, but I was eager for results. I still struggle with depression, worsening as I age (hormonal decline which docs won't treat, now with terrible insomnia for over a year), but I'm not keen to try this herb again. I've since tried countless other nutritional, pharmaceutical, herbal, lifestyle, and behavioral suggestions that have not worked well for me. I don't know what else to do."

• Pur...
• October 19, 2015

"I have been feeling down and anxious, and my GP prescribed me an antidepressant for severe depression. I have been on a different medication before and found that although I felt more stable, I was reduced to a zombie. So, I decided to try St. John's Wort after reading good reviews. I started on 325 mg once a day in the morning. Day one - I felt amazing! I thought, hey, if this is a placebo effect, I don't care! Day two, I started to feel shaky and spaced out. My partner said he noticed that I became intense on worries and seemed worse. Day three, I took it, and all day, I have had that same fuzzy brain zap feeling that you get with prescribed AD, nausea, brain fog, insomnia, ear ringing, and light sensitivity. I would not say it has less side effects."

• D n...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 18, 2020

"This is a strong antidepressant, comparable to any SSRI. It's nicer in some way, more balanced. I did get a little manic with it (as happened to me with other antidepressants) after about a month. Take it with caution."

• Les...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 5, 2017

"I tried this as an alternative to SSRIs, which always have adverse side effects for me and are ultimately not worth it. I initially tried a very small dose of just 300 mg a day, which works fairly well for mild depression and, without being a life changer, certainly helps. I have also experienced an increased dose of 660 mg a day, which was an absolute help for more moderate depression but had slightly adverse side effects, including vomiting and stomach cramps. The side effects were mild, the vomiting was after a period of fast heartbeat that the pills caused, so I lowered the dose again. So I'd say these are great as a mood enhancer for mild/moderate depression, but keep an eye on the side effects, and ALWAYS take with or right after a full meal."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 18, 2022

"I've been on SSRIs, SNRIs, atypical antidepressants, stimulants, and multiple MAOIs. Nothing comes close to St. John's Wort. There's no huge immediate difference like stimulants, but the effect is smooth and works much better than any other medication I've tried."

• Ros...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 9, 2023

"I’ve come back 9 days on to say I’ve stopped SJW now. Since I started taking it, I did feel calmer for the first few days (a little woozy, but it wasn’t in a bad way), but sadly, it gave me terrible insomnia. I am really very low, but the one thing I was doing was sleeping, giving me respite from my intrusive thoughts. Sadly, I had multiple nights in a row where I only slept for 1-2 hours. I persevered and got some Zopiclone from my GP, but even with Zopiclone, I only got 5 hours of sleep for the past 3 nights. I plan to try 5HTP next, and if that doesn’t work, sadly, I’ll have to go down the SSRI route. It’s worth noting that I had no other negative side effects, a mild headache the first few days, but very mild. If I carried on, it may have helped my mood, but I’m afraid sleep for me is major!"

• PJN...
• December 31, 2017

"I have had restless leg syndrome for 30 years, and it is 24 hours a day. I have tried many medications, and ropinirole, by far, is the best prescription med I have taken. But after so long on it, your body needs more of it to work properly. I have tried many herbal remedies over the years, with none of them able to help with this unbelievably torturous condition. Until I read a new report about St. John’s Wort having been tested and found to help and relieve symptoms of RLS. Well, I did my research and got a bottle. Right from the start, I got a good deal of relief. I had to try different brands and strengths, some are stronger than others and can react differently with each person, but overall, I have found it quite effective in relieving RLS symptoms."

• Mic...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 16, 2018

"Please do not take this with other medications, especially prescribed medications, until speaking with your doctor. SJW has helped me with my depression. For some, the effects take time, but me, I felt the effects right away. I started with just taking one 300 mg tablet each day, and now I take it twice a day. I noticed a major difference in my irritability. SJW doesn't interact well with some medications, for example, birth control. Please do your research and/or speak to a doctor before taking this. Can be dangerous if taken with the wrong medicine."

• Nic...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 9, 2021

"St. John's wort works for me. I have 370 mg tablets. The packaging states only 1 tablet a day. I am going against the recommendation on the packaging and taking two 370 mg tablets a day. At that level, I do notice some difference. There are only 2 negatives: the cost and the effect on the stomach. The tablets irritate the stomach -- only take them on a full stomach. A 370 mg tablet has on its own very little effect. These are much more subtle than SSRIs. I don't get the tension in the head and jaw like with SSRIs. There doesn't seem to be the extreme flattening of emotions and other side effects."

• Pin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 22, 2017

"I have had seasonal affective disorder for the past two years. I would feel depressed, anxious, and even suicidal. However, when I learned about this, I started taking them, and it works wonders! I am so happy now! Keep in mind that this may have side effects... for me, I have some trouble sleeping after it and your appetite decreases. For some people, the appetite part is good because they need to lose weight, but not for me. I am a bit worried because I am already a bit underweight and I don’t want to lose any more weight. But I guess I’ll see :) Thank you, St. John's Wort!!"

• Bad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 13, 2021

"I wanted this to work for anxiety, but it had the opposite effect on me and gave me an intense panic attack. A stranger asked if I needed him to call 911. I could barely talk (stuttering), heart racing, hyperventilating. It was terrible. Never took St. John's Wort again."

• Mor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 14, 2019

"I took this for three days and was very cautious, taking about half the recommended dose. Unfortunately, even with a low dosage, I experienced a severe allergic reaction and ended up in A&E. My face, arms, and torso were covered in hives, but not my legs. I rang 111, and as I was talking to them on the phone, I watched the rash traveling down my legs. I expected to find more reports of people having a similar reaction, but it seems it’s pretty rare. I am shocked, as I have never had an allergic reaction to anything before in my life. But a small amount of a herbal remedy triggered one that affected my whole body. Very frightening."

• Ros...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 4, 2023

"I have started St. John's Wort 3 days ago, just 1 tablet a day that is 370 mg. I’m petite, so I started out on a low dose, the packet says to take 1 or 2 a day. I’ve had horrible intrusive thoughts for about a month, thought that now that life is pointless, etc., and I can’t work, I cry a lot and generally feel anxious and depressed. The triggers are not clear-cut. I’m only 3 days in, but today has been the best day I’ve had for about 3 weeks. I’ve felt a bit spaced out, and I think it’s affected my sleep a bit, but I had a good period today where I felt happier, and my intrusive thoughts of suicide lifted a bit. I’ll come back on to review again when I’ve been on it for longer, but I’m hopeful. I don’t want to take an SSRI, but if this doesn’t work, I’ll have to."

• Hot...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 14, 2022

"Taking a very low dose of about 0.25 ml of SJW for 8 weeks now, and I feel it has reduced, if not completely reduced, my seasonal blues this fall and winter (when the time changes). I am sensitive/allergic to most SSRI pharmaceutical meds, so I decided to give SJW a try and am a fan. I will continue until the spring, which is when my SAD stops. Highly recommend to those sensitive or allergic to medications."

• D88...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 4, 2022

"I overcame complex PTSD with EMDR treatment and finally got off my prescription meds in the last year that I’d relied on for a decade. So, when seasonal affective disorder hit me hard this year, I was reluctant to take any prescribed medication. I find SSRI side effects of having no emotions and low sex drive too much to face again. My GP suggested St. John's Wort. I was scared to try because I read it can make you anxious and very cynical, as I’ve never found herbal remedies helpful whatsoever. However, from the 2nd day, I noticed a significant improvement in my mood, and the heavy brain fog (which was affecting my ability to work) was gone. Even a colleague commented that I seemed back to myself. It’s been about 8/9 days, and my mood has remained stable. I feel normal again. It really does work - I NEVER thought I’d say that! I've noticed it can make you a little jittery sometimes, but it’s better than feeling depressed, anxious, and suicidal."

• Dot...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 18, 2018

"I started taking SJW from December, and it has helped me with the depression and anxiety, and I was feeling so much more positive and never once felt down over the seasonal period. I take 1x370 mg tablet in the early evening. The only setback is my sleep pattern has changed considerably, and I find myself unable to sleep until 2:30 a.m., and when I finally get to sleep, I can't get up in the morning as early as I used to. I find myself staying in bed longer - not feeling depressed or thinking of negative things - and I felt I am not in any hurry to get up like I used to."

• Lis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 11, 2022

"I'm in my mid 20s and have recently started suffering from terrible depression. After reading the reviews on St. John's Wort, I thought I would give it a try, as most were positive. Unfortunately, this only made me feel worse. Since starting to take these, I have had severe anxiety, constant sickness, and a bad stomach. I wanted to give them a chance, as I know some medications can make you worse before you get better. After two weeks of persevering, the anxiety has become unbearable and made me unable to function, so I have decided to cease taking them today. I'm really upset this didn't work for me, especially as it's a herbal remedy. Please be cautious when taking this medication."

• Irf...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2024

"I had been on Desvenlafaxine and anti-anxiety medications for some time, mainly because of my tendency to overthink, especially about my relationship. This habit would send my anxiety skyrocketing, leaving me feeling physically unwell, unable to sleep, and losing my appetite for a long time. It doesn't help that my partner has to be overseas for months at a time. With my pharmacy background, I knew the precautions. While there’s no stigma against these medications where I’m from, our lecturers always emphasized using them with care. For a long time, I avoided them. But eventually, I decided to give them a try—and I’m glad I did. In less than a week, I felt a significant change. The constant unease disappeared. Perhaps “euphoric” would be too strong a word, but I felt balanced and genuinely myself again. I regained my motivation and passion and, most importantly, my anxiety no longer fueled unnecessary tension with my partner. Would I continue taking it? Absolutely."

• ani...
• June 11, 2017

"I have dealt with moderate to severe depression on and off since my early 20s (I'm now almost 40). I have tried several antidepressants and found Zoloft was the only med that worked, so I remained on a dose of 100 mg for almost 10 years. I did try to wean myself off on 3 separate occasions, as I no longer wanted to be on pharmaceutical drugs, but every time I had terrible withdrawal symptoms. I finally decided to try St. John's Wort instead. I have been on 900 mg daily for close to 1 year. St. John's Wort was helpful in combating the withdrawal symptoms I continued to have even weeks after discontinuing the Zoloft, but I continue to have mild depressed mood with irritability. I am going to stop St. John's Wort and try 5-HTP."