HERBS TO AVOID USING

The term alternative medicine can be applied to any form of medicine that differs from conventional Western understanding of disease and its treatment. It includes many different types of therapies and some, such as acupuncture and osteopathy, enjoy fairly widespread acceptance. The various forms of alternative medicine have gained more respect in recent times because of the growing number of people who have become alienated by the clinical remoteness of orthodox medicine or as a last resort when science fails to effect a cure.

Herbal medicine is one such form of alternative medicine. It is an ancient system of treatment involving the use of plants, or substances extracted from them. Many drugs used and prescribed by doctors today are also derived from plants, but herbalists use them in their natural, unrefined, unconcentrated form; they consider that in this way side effects are balanced.

While some herbs promise healing remedies for many ailments, some are so toxic that they cannot be safely recommended. As an herbalist, I am constantly on the look out for herbs that will harm you friends in any way. The following is just a short list.:

1. CHAPARRAL - Although chaparral is used as a folk remedy for cancer, there is no substantial evidence that it works. Chaparral's active ingredient, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NGDA), can cause liver and kidney damage, such as hepatitis . This herb is highly toxic and should not be used. Chaparral, a native of the deserts of the American southwest, is also known as stink weed, creosote bush, and greasewood.

2. COMFREY - Ingesting this herb in any form (including tea) or applying it topically over large areas of broken skin can be highly toxic to the liver and kidneys and may even be fatal.

3. EPHEDRA - Large amounts, taken to lose weight or achieve a "natural" high, may cause dangerously elevated blood pressure and heart palpitations, even cardiac arrest and stroke.

Even without taking large amounts this herb has a powerful stimulant called ephedrine that is used to treat asthma and certain heart problems. It can cause high blood pressure, anxiety and irritability, rapid heart beat, and heart rhythm problems.

A number of deaths have been attributed to the misuse and overuse of this herb. In traditional Chinese medicine, ephedra is known as ma huang.

4. LOBELIA - No safe dosage has been determined by the FDA guidelines. Ingestion can slow breathing and dramatically lower blood pressure.

This herb was once recommended to treat asthma, and is today sometimes recommended as an aid to quitting smoking; there is little evidence that it is helpful for either condition. It also causes side effects, including dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Loveline, the active ingredient in lobelia, is a substance that acts as a mild form of nicotine; it should not be combined with nicotine replacement products designed to help you quit smoking.

5. PENNYROYAL - The oil is poisonous, even in small doses. Penny royal oil is traditionally used to treat digestive problems, but it has been shown to damage the liver and can be fatal in large does. This herb should never e used internally. It is also dangerous for your pets, as they lick their fur and ingest the penny-royal.

6. SENNA - Although it is used in small amounts in some over-the-counter laxatives, large amounts may cause diarrhea, nausea, and severe abdominal cramps.

7. YOHIMBE - Its extract (yohimbine) is used in prescription drugs for impotence, but yohimbe may cause anxiety, stomach problems, high blood pressure, and heart damage.

There are hundreds of good , safe herbs in the USA. We do not need to use any herb that is deemed harmful in any way at all. Be informed. Be sensible. Be safe. Buy your herbs from herbalists that know herbs and are concerned about YOUR welfare.

There seems to be quite a problem between surgeons and patients in the operating room these days. A variety of herbs, and even some vitamins, are causing serious problems in the operating room, and these problems seem to be cropping up more and more.

There are a growing number of people now take herbal supplements of one kind or another. A survey last summer showed that nearly a quarter of all Americans regularly take some herbal supplement. As much as 70 percent of people slated for surgery don't disclose herbal use. Herbs generally aren't prescribed by a doctor, and people just don't consider them a medication. But herbs and vitamins do affect the inner workings of the body -- and not always in a positive way when it comes to surgery.

Different herbs do different things to the body that can affect the way your surgery goes. Some will lead to excessive bleeding while others affect the heart and others interfere with anesthesia or other drugs you may have to take. It’s absolutely VITAL that you make your surgeon aware of any and all natural remedies you have been taking, even if you haven’t taken it for a couple of weeks. Multiple studies have shown that upwards of 60 to 70 percent of patients don’t have this conversation with their doctors and surgeons.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists wants people to stop taking herbal supplements at least two weeks before surgery, no matter what kind of operation you are going in for, saying that just because something is considered "natural," it's not automatically "safe."

A range of herbal supplements -- from the popular St. John's wort , ginkgo biloba , garlic, ginger, ginseng , vitamin E and feverfew and aspirin, which tends to keep blood from clotting, can cause increased bleeding during surgery, that's not only risky during the actual operation, but can lead to complications later. If a person has more bleeding than normal during an operation, a fair amount of time will be spent stopping that bleeding, and visualization can be impaired, too.

Some of these supplements [like ginseng] are finding themselves into iced teas, herbal energy drinks, herbal teas. Because of this, people can be honest with their doctors and say they're not taking anything, yet still be at risk. For instance, an 83 year old friend of mine takes about 10 different medications and was drinking an herbal tea. She later felt dizzy and light headed. We finally pin pointed the problem to the herb tea she was drinking. Herbs and even vitamins can not be mixed with medications. It's either one or the other.

Physicians have started asking specifically about vitamin and herbal supplement used in their pre-operative evaluations. And we, for our part, if taking vitamins or herbs might want to type out a list of ALL herbs and vitamins that we normally take on a regular basis and include the name of the herb/vitamin, the dosage amount and how many times during a 24 hour period that we take the herb/vitamin, also, why we are taking the herb/vitamin. Keep this list with other medical emergency papers and with the person whom you designate to take care of matters should something happen.

Studies are being done to learn more about how herbs and other remedies affect bleeding and anesthesia. Much is not known. Some herbs may change or lengthen the effects of medicines used with anesthesia. Others may affect bleeding or clotting. Some can change blood pressure or interact with medicines used during surgery.

The American Society of Anesthesiologists lists the use of herbs and remedies that could cause problems:

ALOE VERA – May cause increased peristalsis, so it may decrease effectiveness of diuretics given after surgery

BROMELAIN – May cause bleeding or interact with antibiotics such as amoxicillin or tetracycline

DANSHEN – May cause bleeding

DONG QUAI – May cause bleeding

ECHINACEA – May interfere with immune functioning, may alter effectiveness of immunosuppressant drugs given after transplant surgery

EPHEDRA – May cause abnormal heartbeat, extreme high blood pressure and coma if combined with certain antidepressants and anesthesia

EPHEDRINE comes from the herb ephedra, also called ma huang, which has been implicated in heart attacks and strokes. It also causes the blood pressure to rise, and that can cause bleeding during an operation.

FEVERFEW – May cause bleeding

GARLIC – May cause bleeding, may interfere with normal blood clotting

GINGER – May cause bleeding

GINKGO BILOBA -- which people take to improve their memory -- can cause spontaneous bleeding, and interferes with the process by which the body causes blood clots. It's also been blamed for post-operative bleeding. Underneath the skin, it can ooze itself into the tissue, much like mud or water might invade itself into a rug if you have a flood, ultimately causing a diffused discoloration, ( black-and-blue of bruising.)

GINSENG – May cause bleeding, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure

GOLDENSEAL – May cause or worsen swelling and high blood pressure

KAVA –KAVA May enhance sedative effects of anesthesia

LICORICE (not including licorice candy) – May increase blood pressure

OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS – May cause bleeding if taken in doses greater than 3 grams a day

SENNA – May cause electrolyte imbalance

ST JOHN’S WORT – May increase or decrease the effects of some drugs used during and after surgery

VALERIAN – May prolong the effects of anesthesia

VITAMIN E appears to be more like that with aspirin. Many people take a vitamin E supplement regularly because they believe it helps prevent heart disease. But people who "mega-dose" on vitamin E, which can happen simply by taking a 400-unit pill regularly, can get sort of an acquired clotting disorder, which results in excessive bleeding and interferes with platelets sticking to one another and forming the clot. Platelets are fragments of blood cells that help the blood clot, or form a scab.

What you should do before surgery

Anyone scheduled for surgery, medical experts agree, should stop taking herbal supplements two weeks before an operation. They also should avoid aspirin. And perhaps equally important, they should fully disclose to their doctor everything they take, prescribed or not. Also, see my suggestion above about writing out all the herbs/vitamins we take on a regular basis.

For people anticipating cosmetic surgery, it is also recommended that they stop smoking, because it, too, can contribute to excessive bleeding during surgery, and that they stay out of the sun because burned skin must heal before it can be operated on.

I'm glad to compile all this info for all of you as we never know from one day to the next if we might land in the hospital and find out we need surgery. It's bad enough to deal with that, we don't need more complications. Writing down all your herbs and vitamins is time consuming, but well worth it.

Good health to y'all!!

Whenever you use herbs to treat a health problem, no matter how minor, it is important to understand exactly what the herb is and how to use it correctly. You also need to know if the herb will interact positively or negatively with any other foods, herbs, supplements, or medications you take. If you are not sure whether the herb is safe for you , or if you're uncertain about the dosage, don't use it.

Make herbal safety a priority. Although most herbs are very safe WHEN USED PROPERLY, they still must be used with caution. Many herbs that are safe when used alone may be dangerous when combined with drugs or other supplements.

Some herbs are dangerous and should never be used and one that comes to my mind is EPHEDRA.

EPHEDRA (EPHEDRA SINICA) A/K/A MA HUANG herbal version of the illegal drug ECSTASY.

This herb can cause high blood pressure, anxiety, irritability, rapid heartbeat, and heat rhythm problems. EPHEDRA is a potentially dangerous stimulant herb.

You definitely DO NOT USE EPHEDRA with:

CHAMOMILE

PASSION FLOWER

KAVAV KAVA

VALERIAN

Do not mix EPHEDRA and ATENOLOL which is used to treat high blood pressure, EPHEDRA can decrease the drug's intended effect in the body.

Do NOT use EPHDRA if you have glaucoma, because as a stimulant, it will make the glaucoma worse.

Do not use EPHEDRA with ACETAZOLAMIDE, a drug used for glaucoma.

Do NOT use EPHEDRA with ANY TRICYCLIC ANTIDEPRESSANT. If you do, it will raise your risk of serious high blood pressure and heart arrhythmias.

Do NOT USE the drug EHPEDRINE and PSEUDOEPHEDRINE, which are similar to EPHEDRA and are found in many non prescription cold and allergy remedies.

Do NOT use EPHEDRA with any caffeine products such as ANACIN, CAFFEDRINE, EXCEDRIN, MIDOL MAX-STRENGTH, NO DOZ, VANQUISH, VIVARIN

Do NOT use EPHEDRA with ALLEGRA, ZYRTEC , CHLORPHENIRAMINE, ALKA SELTZER PLUS COLD AND COUGH LIQUI-GELS, CHLOR-TRIMETON ALLERGY, CONTAC 12 HOUR, CLEMASTINE ANTIHIST-1, TAVIST, TAVIST-D, which can worsen dry mouth . Also avoid the related drugs EPHEDRINE and PSEUDOEPHEDRINE, which are found in many nonprescription cold and allergy remedies.

Do NOT use EPHEDRA with CLOMIPRAMINE ( tricyclic antidepressant) OR ANAFRANIL, DESIPRAMINE, NORPRAMIN,DOXEPIN, SINEQUAN, IMIPRAMINE, TOFRANIL, TOFRANIL-PM, NITROGLYCERIN, PHENELZINE SULFATE, NARDIL, THEOPHYLLINE, BRONKODYL, SLO-BID, THEOLAIR, THEO-DUR, UNIPHYL. Taking EPHEDRA with any tricyclic antidepressant raises your risk of serious high blood pressure and heart arrhythmias. Similarly, avoid the related drugs EPHEDRINE and PSEUDOEPHEDRINE, found in many nonprescription cold and and allergy remedies.

Do NOT use EPHEDRA with DEXAMETHASONE, DECADROM, DEXONE, HEXADROL, PREDNISONE, DELTASONE, LIQUID PRED, METICORTEN, ORASONE, PREDNISONE INTENSOL, STERAPRED. The herb EPHEDRA naturally contains EPHEDRINE, which can reduce the effectiveness of CORTICOSTEROIDS. Similarly, avoid EPHEDRIN and PSEUDOPHEDRIN which can be found I many nonprescription cold and allergy remedies.

REGARDING the drug EPINEPHRINE, this drug is a synthetic form of adrenaline. As a non prescription drug, EPINEPHRINE is sold as a mist to be inhaled into the lungs to treat asthma symptoms. The drug EPHEDRINE, which is very similar to EPINEPHRINE, was originally isolated from EPHEDRA. Taking EPHEDRA with any product containing EPINEPHRINE could increase the side effects of the drug, including nervousness, insomnia, dizziness, high blood pressure and heart arrhrthmias.

EPHEDRA naturally contains EPHEDRINE, which reduces the effectiveness of CORTICOSTEROIDS. Do not take it when taking HYDROCORTISONE. Similarly, avoid the drugs EPHEDRINE and PSEUDOEPHEDRINE which are found in many nonprescription and cold allergy remedies.

The use of EPHEDRA may exacerbate insomnia and nervousness; side effects of PHENYTOIN. Similarly, avoid the drugs EPHEDRINE and PSEUDOEPHEDRINE which are found in many nonprescription and cold allergy remedies.

EPHEDRINE, a drug closely related to PSEUDOEPHEDRINE, was originally isolated from EPHEDRA. Taking EPHEDRA with any product containing PSEUDOEPHEDRINE could increase the side effects of the drug, including nervousness, insomnia, dizziness, high blood pressure and heart arrhythmia.

Taking EPHEDRA with THEOPHYLLINE raises blood pressure and can cause heart arrhythmia and other serious side effects. Similarly, avoid the drugs EPHEDRINE and PSEUDOEPHEDRINE which are found in many nonprescription and cold allergy remedies.