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6861995 tn?1385501475

Saint Johns Wort & Buspirone

Okay, so I have been taking Saint John's Wort for around 7 weeks now. I went to go see the doctor 4 weeks ago for my anxiety, and she prescribed me buspirone (7.5mg 2x a day). I felt a difference in how I was feeling a couple weeks ago. I don't feel like my anxiety is gone though... but I do feel happier. My social anxiety is still through the roof, and all the physical symptoms of my anxiety are still occurring. So I'm just not really if the prescription is doing anything? Or if it's the SJW that's making me feel happier? My overall wellbeing has increased, but my anxieties are still prevalent. I don't know which is working more, or if one of them is making me feel this way and the other has no effect at all? I just want someone else's perspective on all of this.

I feel content, relaxed, but still on edge, and I still have a lot of panic. I have minor depression, but I think that's a result of my severe anxiety. I went to see the doctor again yesterday. I explained to her all of this in great detail, and she prescribed me Zoloft? Which in fact she said was safe to take with Saint John's wort and Buspirone?! I'm not comfortable taking SSRI's, so that's out of the question. Should I call her and tell her this? She's not the best doctor but is all I can afford. I thought she would up the dose of the Buspirone or at least prescribe me a short acting anxiety medication, however she has been so pushy with this Zoloft. Are there any other non-SSRI medications that could benefit me? Because I'm not quite sure if what I'm already taking is working or not since I'm taking two different things.
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Avatar universal
Buspirone is a very strange medication -- it hasn't done particularly well in studies and it's been around a long time, but some people find it effective.  St. John's Wort is used for depression and nobody really knows why it works when it works -- theories have differed as to which neurotransmitters are affected.  Generally it is not advised to take St. John's Wort with serotonin targeting drugs, as it might affect serotonin, and buspirone does have an effect on serotonin.  As to which is working, it could be the combination -- Buspirone, because of it's very uneven record of working, is mostly used nowadays as an adjunct to an antidepressant, and St. John's Wort is an antidepressant.  But I have no idea if the two are considered safe to use together -- like St. John's Wort, busprione is also confusing as to how it works when it works.  Of course, in natural medicine, St. John's Wort isn't usually used alone if you see someone with expertise -- they will usually use a combination of remedies.  The only way you can answer your own question is to stop taking one or the other and see what happens, but while it's easy to stop St. John's Wort you might have to go more slowly on medication.  They have stronger and more artificial effects on the brain and therefore it's usually recommended to go slowly to be safe when stopping.  
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6790613 tn?1384997175
II don't no about the zoloft but make you should give the st. Johns sort and your depression meds alittle more time see if you can continue until  you start feeling more better and start reducing your buspirone to one at night worked well for my brother but don't be scared of a flair up though cause they can happen too i have them as time goes by myself
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