I ordered these capsules because I've been taking prescription antidepressants for years and I'd been wanting to stop taking them for a long time, so I decided to try St. John's wort because it's known to have similar effects to fluoxetine. (Prozac) In fact, it's actually been shown to be as effective as standard antidepressants (including Prozac) for relieving depression while having fewer side effects. They are actually saying now that it can treat major depression - not just mild or moderate. I actually have no complaints about Prozac, I never had any negative side effects and it worked very well, but it's very expensive and I've lost what little trust I had in pharmaceutical companies these last couple of years. (I never really trusted drugs, but sometimes you have no choice, or feel like you don't) I've always believed that natural alternatives were the best way to go, if at all possible - I know that prescription drugs can be life-saving, but when they're taken for years they can cause problems for some people and if you look at the package inserts for these drugs, they almost all have LONG lists of potential side effects. I can tell you that my depression was well controlled when taking Prozac, and when I switched to this St. John's Wort, I noticed no difference, once I increased my dosage to 2 of these capsules. Antidepressants stay in your blood for a while (weeks or months) after you stop taking them, so some people might say that I wouldn't be able to tell in only ten days, but I'd disagree. I'd been taking Prozac since 1995 and over the years I'd skip doses, I'd take extra, I'd stop taking it for weeks in an attempt to quit the need for it, etc. and I could always tell when I've missed only 2-3 days doses. I stopped taking the 40mg of Prozac per day that I'd been taking for years and began taking one of these capsules, but after 4 days, I increased to two capsules and that worked very well. The standard St. John's Wort dosage for mild depression is 900mg/day. The recommended dosage on this St Johns Wort is one capsule per day (400mg), so it isn't surprising to me that I needed more than one. It's best to take it with food and early in the day - it can interfere with sleep. (Just like Prozac) Please take note: When I was prescribed Prozac in 1995, I had major depression and I would not have tried to treat myself with herbs or without a doctor. My mood has been stable for many years and I've come to know all the phases that can occur, so I felt I could safely try this herbal alternative. Prozac has been known to cause suicidal thoughts and behavior in some people and St. John's Wort can have the same effect on some people, especially young people. Also, sometimes depression is only part of the problem and a patient needs a mood stabilizer along with the antidepressant (if they have bipolar disorder, for example) and if they are given the antidepressant without a mood stabilizer, they can become manic - which can be dangerous. So, if you have occasional, mild depression - try this herb! I think it will do wonders for you. If you have serious or lasting problems with depression or are seeking help for a teenager or child - get the advice of a doctor! (Knowing what I know now, I'd try to find a good Holistic doctor). I'm thrilled with this herb and I wish I'd made the switch years ago. If you don't see any update on this review, the St. Johns Wort is still working fine!
