Is There Any Problem With Taking St. John's Wort While On HIV Meds

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St. John's Wort (Hypericin)

What Is St. John's Wort? What Are the Benefits of St. John's Wort? Why Do People With HIV Use St. John's Wort? How Is St. John's Wort Used? What Are the Side Effects? How Does It Interact With Other Therapies? The Bottom Line What Is St. John's Wort? St. John's Wort is a flowering plant. ("Wort" is an old English word for an herb or plant.) It grows in many parts of the world. Its scientific name is hypericum perforatum. All of the...

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Saint John's Wort for depression - interaction with HIV meds?

Dear Dr. Gallant: There has been a lot of talk recently about the effectiveness of Hypericum (Saint John's Wort) in the treatment of depression. I suffer from depression myself and have been considering starting SJW. My question is this: I am...

Response from Joel Gallant, M.D.

Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine

We generally know very little about drug interactions between alternativetherapies and approved medications. Drug interaction studies are complex andexpensive and tend only to be performed to look for interactions betweencommonly combined... Read more »

St. John's Wort and many of my meds!

Six days ago, I started taking anti-depression pills that I purchased at a health food store--along with all of my HIV meds. These new pills contain St. John's Wort; and today, on day six, I have started shivering, and itching all over,...

Response from Benjamin Young, M.D., Ph.D.

Rocky Mountain CARES

Hello and thanks for your post.I would continue to take your HIV medications as previous, but stopp the St. John's wort supplement.Benadryl (diphenhydramine) is ok to take to help with the itching; but I'd contact your doctor at your next... Read more »

St. John's Wort Ingredient and Atripla

I purchased some herbal tea supplement tea that has organic St. John's Wort Leaf and Flower in it as one of many blends of herbs ingredients (Valerian Root extract 20mg, Passion Flower Extract 10mg, and proprietary blend of herbs(Licrice Root,...

Response from Keith Henry, M.D.

University of Minnesota, School of Medicine

There is concern that use of St Johns wort can decrease the levels of the efavirenz in Atripla. Though the amount of St Johns wort in the herbal tea may be minimal that may be difficult to determine so the best general advice would be to avoid St... Read more »

Sustiva & St. John's Wort -- Aerial Parts?

Hi, Dr. Bob!I might be posting this in the wrong category, but I read your responses routinely and know you cover a lot of ground when you reply -- so I have a feeling you will be able to provide some guidance. Plus, I have a crush on you.......

Response from Robert J. Frascino, M.D.

The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation

Hey Jim,Do you really think that just because you're a three-mile-per-day energized gym bunny with washboard abs that are so cut I could do my laundry on your stomach and that just because you routinely read my responses and harbor... Read more »

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taking st. john's wort?

Posted by Anonymous

I am working on a cover story for US News and World Report about dietary supplements. There have been some findings that taking St. John's Wort can interfere with the effectiveness of protease inhibitors. If this has happened to you or you know of... Read more »

taking hiv meds to Russia and Eastern Europe

Posted by Anonymous

I'm traveling to Russia and Eastern Europe this summer. I'm concerned that I might have a problem going through customs in these countries if my HIV meds are spotted. Has anyone taken their HIV meds to these countries? What happened? Any advice?... Read more »

22 poz..stopped taking meds/not disclosing status

Posted by Anonymous, 16 Replies

i was diagnosed hiv+ december 2003. i had an insane viral load of over a million. my initial cd4 was 280. i began taking medication and within 2 months i gained back the 50 pounds of weight i lost and became healthier than ive ever been before. i... Read more »

When does a person start taking ARV meds?

Posted by Carrie, 5 Replies

My boyfriends CD4 count is over 1100 and his Viral count is under 400. From my own researching, this appears to still be ok (considering the circumstances of course). He said though that today at the dr they want to start him on antiretroviral... Read more »

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