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Rhodiola contraindications
I have been taking Rhodiola tablets for the past two weeks in order to lift my mood as I am suffering from depression and anxiety attacks. This remedy has helped life my mood but my anxiety is now so bad, I feel I need to take antidepressants. How long should I wait for for the rhodiola to leave my system before taking prescription tablets?
After seven years of writing this column, increasingly the questions coming from readers are related to contraindications, which is, I believe, a really good sign of a growing collective awareness of the potency of herbal and nutritional supplements.
As a general rule, I would advise you to allow a minimum of two weeks from the day you stop taking rhodiola before you embark on a treatment plan that includes prescription antidepressants. I would also urge you to discuss the fact you have recently taken rhodiola with your doctor to keep him or her fully informed and confirm you have now stopped taking it.
Rhodiola and the better-known St John’s Wort are both excellent herbal remedies for helping to manage mild to moderate depression but since you feel your symptoms are worsening, you are acting very wisely in this instance.
What you may not know is that taking an essential fatty acid (EFA) supplement, alongside your prescription medication, can enhance its effects. For example, in clinical trials, patients who were given 1g of EFAs twice daily scored lower on scales of depression after a month than those given a placebo pill leading researchers to conclude that either the fatty acids work to augment the action of the prescription medicine (without adverse side-effects) or that this nutritional supplement brings its own antidepressant properties to the party.
To better cope with your anxiety attacks, contact the charity organisation No Panic which helps people suffering from panic attacks, anxiety, phobias and obsessive/compulsive disorders. The freephone helpline number is 0800 808 0545.