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>   Does anyone out there have any info on ephedra > that I can take to her and her docs?  Since she’s been in the hospital, > and has no access to ephedra, her liver enzymes are coming down.  Still > around 2000, however.  Better than 6k a week ago.  Am I missing > something?

di, heres the highlights from the PDR/ MA HUANG is generally used for bronchitis and cough but is also used as a stimulant for the heart and in general. in chinese medicine its often taken for fever, swelling, and bone pain. it has a calming effect on spasms in the bronchial walls and boosts the rate and strength of heart contractions also stimulating the nervous system. it has been shown to discourage the growth of bacteria. its active ingredient is ephedrine/the main component for many asthma remedies like Primatene. it is a very potent substance and is DANGEROUS WHEN TAKEN IN excessive AMOUNTS. AVOID if: high blood pressure/glaucoma/weakened blood vessels in brain/prostate cancer/overactive thyroid or adrenal/or any thyroid disorder are present. also if any condition that causes restlessness or anxiety is present. SIDE effects: sleeplessness/irritibility/headache/nausea/vomiting/urinary disorders/rapid heartbeat. high doses can trigger a sharp rise in blood pressure and disrupt the rythm of the heart./you should never take Ephedra for extended periods because of tolerance leading to higher doses. DRUG interactions: dont use/ with heart drugs like digitalis or digoxin(lanoxin).                                              /high blood pressure meds or MAO inhibitors Doses of more than 100 grams can be life-threatening/symptoms of overdose include: severe sweating, enlarged pupils, spasms, and increased body temerature. the normal dose is 1 to 4 grams 3x daily hope this helps, johnie

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Ephedrine is one of the ingredients in Methamphetamine(sp).  All the meth labs use it.  :) idydal-Diana Remove nospam from email address.

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Diane Abell wrote >On top of all my physical problems, this has really been a shitful week.

What’s going on with Di besides all this?–as if you needed anything else. I hope it gets better soon.  I’ve sent you a list of ephedra links by e-mail as it contained some commercial sites mixed in with the gov’t and medline ones, anyone else who wants the list, write me. Hang on, when you’re really down, just remember that the odds are anywhere you go from there will be up. Liz G

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>The US Army/Air Force Commissary stores carry a brand of supplements labeled >"MD" and put out by American Vitamin Co., American Forks, UT.  One of these, >"100% Natural ENERGY Formula" by name, contains 200% RDA of Vitamin C and >Niacin, 25% Folate, 4,167% of Vitamin B12, 500mg Guarana Fruit, 100mg Korean >Ginseng, 100 mg Bee Pollen.  

It’d mostly be the guarana.  However, be careful of guarana if you’re suscpetable to migraines.  The one and only time I tried an energy supplement with guarana in it, I had a blinding headache the rest of the day.  So it was a net loss for me. ;} — Member, Knights of Xenu (1995).  Chaos Monger and Jill of All Trades. "There are some people who will argue whether the flames are blue or green, when the real question is that their arse is on fire."

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> Diane Abell wrote >On top of all my physical problems, this has really been a shitful week. > What’s going on with Di besides all this?–as if you needed anything else. > I hope it gets better soon.  I’ve sent you a list of ephedra links by e-mail > as it contained some commercial sites mixed in with the gov’t and medline > ones, anyone else who wants the list, write me. Hang on, when you’re really > down, just remember that the odds are anywhere you go from there will be up. > Liz G

Liz, thanks.  I got the email, and I’ll start going through the links ASAP.  You are right, though.  Up is the only option, so that’s comforting.  Yeah, right.  Monday I see the neurologist about my migraines, so the "up" thing is still pending.  Up, up and awaaaayyyy!!!! — Di dabell at access1 dot net

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Best thing for my energy level is landing in Aruba. Tracy "if you’re on thin ice you may as well dance…"

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writes: >It’d mostly be the guarana.  However, be careful of guarana if you’re >suscpetable to migraines.  The one and only time I tried an energy supplement >with guarana in it, I had a blinding headache the rest of the day.  So >it was a net loss for me. ;}

Sorry to read that.  I have to go the other way.  I’ve been taking the tabs, 2 per day for over 2 years.  Never had a migraine while I’ve been taking them. Therefore, I have to feel that guarana prevents migraines.  Big gain for me as I keep reading that migraines can be real bears. Best, Larry

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Of all the arthritis stuff, migraines are by far the scariest. I had a year of continuous migraine due to inflammation in the cervical vertabrae. Nothing I’ve experienced was more incapacitating. That phase ended more than a year ago, but I’m still afraid of the headaches returning. Don’t wish em on anybody. CM

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Phyllis wrote >from taking it.  So is there something else she could try that would >give her just a little more energy to get thru the day?  Thanks!

Hi Phyllis,   Ginseng does give some people an energy boost,  but it’s long-term use in women is somewhat controversial AFAIK.  What helps me a lot is brewer’s yeast tablets for the b-vitamins they contain. I second your recommendations about the anemia and thyroid tests, and tell her she should ask her doctor before adding supplements to her regimen as herbals are medicines, too, and can interact with other medications. She should really get advice from a knowledgable herbalist or naturopath if her doctor is unfamiliar with them, JMO.  Liz G   PS Metabolife contains ephedra a.k.a ma huang, which can cause cardiac problems for some.  Ask her to talk to her doc about this too, OK?

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>   PS Metabolife contains ephedra a.k.a ma huang, which can cause >cardiac problems for some.  Ask her to talk to her doc about this too, OK?

And that would worry me. There are many side effects to ephedra. Recently there was a well publicized case in our province. A woman from Washington State drove her car into another vehicle at the border crossing, killing two young women. Her case was recently brought to trial. The verdict was that she was not guilty because the ephedra she had been taking as a diet pill caused her to hallucinate and she was not thinking rationally. And she had stopped taking the ephedra four days earlier. So this is a powerful drug. Rose

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>She is on Arava and she knows that the arthritis is a huge culprit for >robbing her of her energy, but she was wondering if there was >something else like the ginsing or other herb that might help get her >thru the day.

The US Army/Air Force Commissary stores carry a brand of supplements labeled "MD" and put out by American Vitamin Co., American Forks, UT.  One of these, "100% Natural ENERGY Formula" by name, contains 200% RDA of Vitamin C and Niacin, 25% Folate, 4,167% of Vitamin B12, 500mg Guarana Fruit, 100mg Korean Ginseng, 100 mg Bee Pollen.  I find one tab can give me the kick of a small (Bite Size) Snickers without the fat, sugar and carbohydrates.  I take maybe two a day.  One at mid-morning and another mid-afternoon.  They do nothing for pain or inflammation but do seem to increase my energy level a bit.  Which helps. Best, Larry

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>And that would worry me. There are many side effects to ephedra. >Recently there was a well publicized case in our province. A woman >from Washington State drove her car into another vehicle at the border >crossing, killing two young women. Her case was recently brought to >trial. The verdict was that she was not guilty because the ephedra she >had been taking as a diet pill caused her to hallucinate and she was >not thinking rationally. And she had stopped taking the ephedra four >days earlier. So this is a powerful drug.

Or a damned good lawyer, one or the other! <g> Steve http://www.zoomnet.net/~steve

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->   PS Metabolife contains ephedra a.k.a ma huang, which can cause >cardiac problems for some.  Ask her to talk to her doc about this too, OK? > And that would worry me. There are many side effects to ephedra. > Recently there was a well publicized case in our province. A woman > from Washington State drove her car into another vehicle at the border > crossing, killing two young women. Her case was recently brought to > trial. The verdict was that she was not guilty because the ephedra she > had been taking as a diet pill caused her to hallucinate and she was > not thinking rationally. And she had stopped taking the ephedra four > days earlier. So this is a powerful drug. > Rose

My son’s girlfriend is in the hospital right now.  She went in with serious stomach pains, which the docs haven’t figured out, but the pain went away.  However, bloodwork indicated extremely high liver enzymes.   Ranges in the thousands, literally.  Well, she was taking ephedra for energy.  One side effect is loss of apetite.  Well guess what?  She’s also severely anorexic – 30 lbs underweight, and she’s only 5′-1".  She looks like she died, and her family forgot to bury her.  So, I think that the anorexia is what’s causing the liver damage. My point – possibly the anorexia, but the doc’s aren’t looking at it carefully.  Possibly the ephedra, but they dismissed that, as well.  It’s just an herb, they say.  Does anyone out there have any info on ephedra that I can take to her and her docs?  Since she’s been in the hospital, and has no access to ephedra, her liver enzymes are coming down.  Still around 2000, however.  Better than 6k a week ago.  Am I missing something? On top of all my physical problems, this has really been a shitful week. — Di dabell at access1 dot net

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Arava or Enbrel.  Its JMO that its the inflamitory arthritis and if she is taking methx maybe more folic acid. Harv Houston,tx – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hi Everybody, > I’m posting this for my cousin.  She has PA.  She’s working fulltime > and being a wife & mother of 3 boys she is really fatigued with the > everyday routine.  She asked me if i knew if Ginseng worked as an > energy booster. I didn’t know, so i thought someone here could answer > that.  I suggested that she get a blood work up to check for anemia > and thyroid level.  She said she’s tried Metabolife, but feels nothing > from taking it.  So is there something else she could try that would > give her just a little more energy to get thru the day?  Thanks! > Phyllis > Texas

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Hi Everybody, I’m posting this for my cousin.  She has PA.  She’s working fulltime and being a wife & mother of 3 boys she is really fatigued with the everyday routine.  She asked me if i knew if Ginseng worked as an energy booster. I didn’t know, so i thought someone here could answer that.  I suggested that she get a blood work up to check for anemia and thyroid level.  She said she’s tried Metabolife, but feels nothing from taking it.  So is there something else she could try that would give her just a little more energy to get thru the day?  Thanks! Phyllis Texas

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Hi Harv, She is on Arava and she knows that the arthritis is a huge culprit for robbing her of her energy, but she was wondering if there was something else like the ginsing or other herb that might help get her thru the day. Phyllis Texas – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Arava or Enbrel.  Its JMO that its the inflamitory arthritis and if she >is taking methx maybe more folic acid. >Harv >Houston,tx > Hi Everybody, > I’m posting this for my cousin.  She has PA.  She’s working fulltime > and being a wife & mother of 3 boys she is really fatigued with the > everyday routine.  She asked me if i knew if Ginseng worked as an > energy booster. I didn’t know, so i thought someone here could answer > that.  I suggested that she get a blood work up to check for anemia > and thyroid level.  She said she’s tried Metabolife, but feels nothing > from taking it.  So is there something else she could try that would > give her just a little more energy to get thru the day?  Thanks! > Phyllis > Texas

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