St. john's wort and Upset Stomach: What Users Say

• Pin...
• August 4, 2019

For Depression "So I've been to doctors and been prescribed medications a few times. Somehow they always make me feel unlike myself. They make me incredibly tired, which in turn made me miserable. Then I had a chance to try St. John's wort. I've been on it for about a month now. At the beginning, I did have some vivid dreams, and the first dose gave me a stomachache. But I gave it a chance to work, and here I am now. I usually have bad depression and mood swings, but lately I feel balanced. I feel calm. It's much easier for me to be and to STAY happy. I started out with 300mg a day, and now I take about 1200mg daily, 600mg in the morning and 600mg before bed. I don't think it'll work the same for everyone, and probably different doses will be needed for each individual. But I'd recommend starting out at a minimal dose and seeing how it works for you. I'm so thankful I gave it a chance. I'm happy now."

• Zen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 20, 2017

For Depression "Only been on St. John's Wort for a couple of days, but so far, I'm optimistic. I'm a 39-year-old female that has battled moderate depression and anxiety on and off for years. After watching my stepmom turn into a pill-popping, SSRI-dependent maniac, I KNEW that I never wanted to take prescription drugs. I started off with 5-HTP, but it just put me into a 'fog,' and I felt like the only reason my anxiety decreased was because all I wanted to do was sleep while on it. Enter St. John's Wort. I feel like I am better able to focus at work and get things done, and the constant 'stomach churning' that I attribute to anxiety has gone away. I'll give another assessment in a few days."

• Bad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 12, 2018

For Depression "I wanted to try this as an alternative to SSRIs. I have been taking it for a little over a month, and it's causing me severe stomach upset, nausea, and vomiting. I can barely eat. I have to stop taking it altogether. It's also made my anxiety worse. I'm disappointed because I wanted it to work."

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

For Depression "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."

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

For Depression "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."