Dear DOLLY DR, I've had Implanon in for two years and I get a period every two to three months. I started taking St Johns Wort for stress eight weeks ago, and yesterday my friend told me it stops the implanon from working! Is this true? If so is there another vitamin I can take to help manage stress?
St Johns Wort is an ingredient used in complementary medicines mainly for the treatment of mild depression. It is available without a prescription in pharmacies and health food shops. The active ingredient in St Johns Wort however is NOT harmless.It can interact with a range of other medications, including the oral contraceptive pill and it is thought that it might also interact with Implanon (the hormone implant used for contraception).
Although there haven’t been any reported cases of unwanted pregnancy in women taking St Johns Wort and using the Pill or Implanon for contraception, there is a theoretical possibility that the St Johns Wort can make these contraceptives less effective.
You have a couple of options if you wish to avoid pregnancy. One is to use condoms as well as the Implanon for as long as you are taking the St Johns Wort. The other is to look at other ways to manage your stress or mild depression – such as talking to a counsellor (which is as effective as antidepressants for mild depression), or switching to a prescription antidepressant that does not interact with hormonal contraceptives.
You might not actually have depression, in which case there is no need to take any medication including St Johns Wort, but rather talk to a counsellor about ways to manage your stress.
Check the links below for more advice from DOLLY Doctor.
