|
Question:
Has anyone tried using KavaKava with an antidepressant? Im currently taking Prozac 20 mg and Wellbutrin 200mg. Ive only been on the Prozac for 2 weeks, but Im starting to get "old feelings" of something bads going to happen along with agitation. Does it sound familar and does it go away with continued use? Ive heard of the kava herb causing someone to go into a coma while on Zoloft, but how much was taken?
Answer:
My doctor told me that I could not take it with Effexor that it might cause "serotonin syndrome" Does anyone know what serotonin syndrome is? I would like to know. I searched on the web but was unable to find very much at all about it. I think your doctor is a little misinformed. St. John's Wort, when taken in conjunction with SSRI's may cause serotonin syndrome. Serotonin syndrom is cause by an overabundance of serotonin in your brain. Some of the symptoms include agitation, anxiety, high blood pressure, all in all it's a bad scene. Kava Kava, however, does not affect serotonin. It is a tranquilizer/anxiolytic. I take kava kava frequently when I have anxiety problems during the day and I don't want "the velvet hammer" effect of Ativan which I also take. I am on Effexor and Wellbutrin, and have never had a problem with kava kava. Incidentally, there is a substantial body of research going on right now, and it looks like kava may become an alternative to benzodiazepenes, like Valium/Xanax/Ativan etc.
|
|
