- With Mayo Clinic psychiatrist
Gabrielle J. Melin, M.D.
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Gabrielle J. Melin, M.D.
Gabrielle J. Melin, M.D.
Dr. Gabrielle Melin, board certified in general psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine, is looking for ways to empower patients and families dealing with chronic mental illness. She encourages patients to commit to working together with their physicians and health care teams.
Dr. Melin completed medical school at the University of Minnesota. She completed both her psychiatry residency and consultation-liaison fellowship at Mayo Clinic before joining the Mayo Clinic staff in 2001. She is medical director of Mayo Clinic Psychiatry Emergency Services in Rochester, Minn. She has special interests in emergency psychiatry, adult psychiatry and addiction psychiatry.
"Instilling hope is one of the most important things we can do for patients and families. Mental illness can be chronic and significantly impacts lives. Our goal is to provide the best treatment and education so that patients can manage their symptoms more effectively," she said.
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Depression blog
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May 2, 2009
Blog: Watch for alternative medicine side effects during depression treatment
By Gabrielle J. Melin, M.D.
This is the first in a series that will briefly highlight some alternative medicine (also referred to as complementary medicine) therapies, especially alternative medicine side effects or interactions.
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A lot of people think of herbs or supplements when alternative or complementary medicine is mentioned. These are just one kind of a whole host of alternative therapies. I'll be focusing on depression at this time in relationship to herbs or supplements.
Always tell your provider about everything that you take, prescribed or not. Multivitamins are generally safe; ask your provider if you're unsure. Watch for vitamins or supplements that contain herbs such as St. John's Wort, ginseng, ginkgo, etc. These substances can cause side effects or interact with other medications.
For example, St. John's Wort can interfere with the effectiveness of the birth control pill. Ginseng may raise blood pressure and estrogen levels in women. Ginkgo can also interfere with clotting, so don't take it when you're on blood thinners, including aspirin.
Ginkgo can increase blood pressure when on a thiazide diuretic (water pill). This is a small list, but shows there are some potentially dangerous side effects. Make sure to talk with your health care provider about any supplements, herbs, etc. you are considering taking. Share with the group your experience in using alternative medical treatments for depression, especially the use of herbs or supplements.
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