Can I take these supplements with citalopram?

[von123678]

Can I take rhodiola,saffron, flaxseed, coconut oil capsules, vitamin D3 and Apple cider vinegar capsules with citalopram please?
Want to take as low a dose as can with herbal supplementation.
Thank you.
Yvonne

[von123678]

Thanks x

[von123678]

For now was thinking citalopram, saffron, rhodiola, holy basil or Valerian?
Was thinking of alternating my saffron with turmeric but research shows citalopram and turmeric was studied and patients had bad longterm reactions. So not sure

[Paxiled]

Brintellex is a newer ssri and I have no experience with it.  Newer drugs have shorter use experience, but in your case, you might look into it but it is still in the ssri class.  My own opinion about rhodiola is that some people are really helped by it, but many, including me, get agitated by it.  It's a stimulating adaptogen often used by athletes to allow them to work out longer.  Ashwagandha is considered a more relaxing adaptogen, and if you need energy, eleuthero can be helpful as well without the agitation sometimes caused by rhodiola.  American ginseng is another adaptogen that is considered "cooling" rather than highly stimulating, but it also lowers blood sugar.  Holy basil is the best at lowering cortisol, in my experience, but it's also blood sugar lowering.  What this means is, it could make you tired but is certainly worth trying.  Valerian is most useful for help sleeping; although it's calming, it does often make people drowsy, and you're already expressing sedation.  I like kava the best, as it's most like a benzo, but avoid the standardized ones if you have any fears of liver toxicity -- a tiny number of people taking the standardized version were found to have suffered liver disease, but if you look at the islands where kava is native, the people drink it every day without any problems.  Passionflower is a relaxant used that is more systemic, meaning you might not notice it soon after you take it but might notice it after a couple of weeks taking it.  If you take a benzo, of course, you should avoid these.  Something else to try is dividing the dose of your antidepressant so you're not taking it all at once -- that can reduce sedation.  As for sex drive, people don't usually like to talk about this, but if you know what really turns you on you should be able to work around that.  In your case, given how many meds have failed to help you or have hurt you, I'd stick with the one that has helped but it means you're going to have to work very hard on your diet and exercise and your mental attitude toward sex to overcome the downsides.  For you, it will require great discipline and work.  As to combining it with herbs, it's trial and error, and you might benefit from seeing a professional about it.  A good book to read is Natural Highs by Hyla Cass, a psychiatrist at UCLA who uses natural remedies in her practice.  It will give you a kind of overview of how they're used and combined for maximum effectiveness, but most of them will be off limits to you as you're on an antidepressant.  A good combination I used to use before quitting Paxil put me beyond help is called Serenity by Gaia Herbs.  If it's still made, it's a combination of relaxants but you'll have to look at it to make sure it doesn't have any antidepressants in it that might affect serotonin.  Good luck.

[von123678]

Meantime was hoping that if Rhodiola too stimulating, my holy basil or Valerian could counteract that?

[von123678]

Also the d3, saffron and flaxseed

[von123678]

My pharmacist friend suggested brintellex. Any experience of this one?

[von123678]

General health and also wanting to take as little dose of antidepressant as poss, if I can balance it out with other things. Saffron meant to help libido side effect and rhodiola help the sedation side effect and depression also. Vitamin d I've been deficient before and heard people with depression often are deficient in it. Been told recently can be bad for u if don't take with k2 but k2 meant to interfere with antidepressant absorption.
The ape cider vinegar I've just heard lots of positive things about with helping weight issues etc which my antidepressant causes in me. 8 stone off them. Now bout 14 on them.
Generally run down health wise also.
Thanks
Yvonne

[Paxiled]

Apple cider vinegar helps some with digestion problems, but it's not going to help you lose much weight.  Exercise and diet are your best tools for this, though I know what you're going through -- I was extremely active and ate no differently when I was on Paxil and gained 50 pounds over the years I was on it.  Some drugs just are hard on us.

[Paxiled]

Yes.  But it would help if you say why you're taking these?  Vitamin D is obviously fine to take; without it you'd be dead.  Take it with a meal.  But I'm not sure why you're taking the other things.  Rhodiola can be helpful but it can also promote anxiety as it's a stimulating adaptogen; I know there's been a lot of positive thought about it but just be careful to notice if it seems to increase agitation.  There are adaptogens you can take that will balance your adrenals but don't have that effect.  You might want to look into when you take apple cider vinegar and research it -- it's not for everyone and I don't know if the acid might interfere with the absorption of the citalopram (and the supplements as well) so you also need to know when to take it.  Coconut oil also needs to be taken with a meal for best absorption, but again, why are you taking it?  Most of this stuff isn't probably going to help with depression other than maybe the rhodiola.  The other stuff might be useful, but for other things, and again, apple cider vinegar has to be the right form (organically grown with the mother) to do anything and some people do not do well with the acid.