Q I take an anti-anxiety medication from my psychiatrist and a stomach medication. Is it safe to take herbal medicine as well?
A Taking herbal medicine while continuing your current medication is generally possible. We do need the exact names and doses in order to combine them safely. Do not reduce or stop existing medication on your own.
Detailed Answer
Many people who come with this symptom are already taking anti-anxiety medication, sleeping pills, acid suppressants, or blood pressure medication. Before combining, we check the following.
- The name and dose of each medication (a photo of the prescription or the pharmacy bag is enough)
- Any current side effects such as drowsiness, dizziness, or constipation
- Any history of liver and kidney function testing
- Timing of doses (we usually leave one to two hours between them and herbal medicine)
One situation deserves particular care: taking anti-anxiety medication whenever symptoms appear. It helps in the short term, but if as-needed use continues over the long term, tolerance and dependence can develop, and the belief that you cannot cope without the medication slows recovery. This should be reviewed with the prescribing doctor.
Stopping prescribed medication on your own is equally risky, as abrupt discontinuation can trigger rebound symptoms.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
We plan on the assumption of shared care. Early on we leave existing medication unchanged and add Korean medicine treatment while watching the response. Once sleep, digestion, and symptom frequency stabilize, we advise you to discuss any adjustment of existing medication with the prescribing doctor. We do not independently decide to change psychiatric medication doses at the clinic.
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