Help plz. 18 y/o w/rare medical problem - Open to All Other Health Topics Message Board

JoeJack101 · 12-23-2004, 10:41 PM

I am an 18 year old male with an extremely rare medical situation that nobody understands or cares to listen to or believe. My body for some reason is extremely sensitive (and I mean EXTREMELY) to drugs and ESPECIALLY herbs (that have any medicinal uses/properties). This conclusion is not based on coincidence or one experience or one set of herbs or drugs. Understand that I am a very intelligent person, and I am very logical. This is not at all a phobia or psychological problem. Most of us don’t realize or care about how many products there are out there that have herbs in them (that are known to have medical properties). The rapidity of an herb being absorbed through even my SKIN is as instant as a tranquilizer hitting a cheetah. I can recall one (possibly two) instances where I was convinced I could easily die due to intentional exposure to an herb (This was during a time where I was convinced I was normal and I didn’t have a sensitivity to herbs/drugs.) This world just doesn’t understand. I need to know what doctor to see, and where to go. Another problem is that my parents don’t have too much money, so aside from what medical insurance covers; I doubt they are willing to spend too much on “experimental” tests, etc…. Somebody please help me, and don’t just reply and say “calm down” or “don’t worry about it” or “see a psychologist/psychiatrist.” If only you knew how many hours of my life have been wasted on this problem. I just want to be NORMAL… Is that too much to ask?

ILikeRats · 12-23-2004, 11:24 PM

I work at a health food store, and sometimes there will be a customer who has a significant reaction to something homeopathic (meaning it contains the active substance in only parts per hundred, per thousand, or per million), and I want to tell the person to talk to a psychiatrist, because I just don't believe someone's body could be that physically sensitive to homeopathy. Herbs, however, are different. I can believe you could be ultra-sensitive to certain herbs. Your post doesn't give enough information, though, such as why you think you have this problem (what sorts of symptoms you've had and the type of exposure that's caused the symptoms, which herbs you've reacted to, etc.), and if you don't mind my asking, why do you think you need to "fix" this? People with peanut allergies, for example, cannot be cured, but they simply learn how to avoid exposure and live a normal life. Please give more information.

JoeJack101 · 12-24-2004, 09:28 AM

I have reacted severely to herbs in hair products (in other words been extremely sensitive to the effects of them); also I have had specific reactions to herbs like Siberian Ginseng, Panax Ginseng, Tribulus Terrestris, Avena Sativa, Muria Puama, St. Johns Wort, and Ginkgo Biloba. Panax Ginseng made me extremely jumpy and hyper, like I couldn’t make myself shut up and stuff, it gave me rapid heart beat and/or high blood pressure, and I was unable to get any sleep two maybe three days after my exposure to it. I have also had severe chest pains when Minoxidil (Rogaine) had contact with my skin. I have tried a number of drugs to treat acne and continuously had side effects with each one. The worst experience to date has been the MINIMAL exposure (and by that I mean TOUCHING the smallest amount you could possibly imagine) to Muria Puama whose effects only went away when I would “release” but came back very quickly and wouldn’t go away. It was HORRIBLE. Also, it caused behavioral changes. I had to miss school because of it. When you “notice” an effect (like that of my experience with Muria Puama, for example) that will barely go away for a couple seconds here and there, but it stays with you for like hour after hour, you never forget it. The reason I mention that one is because it is one with a more precise reaction. You may wonder why I would let myself be exposed to an herb like that, but I never thought it would do that and I was still believing I wasn’t any different than anyone else. To this date I have not had any severe reactions to prescription drugs although I am not sure you are completely accurate on your theory on the impossibility to be sensitive to homeopathy. Any exposure to any herb is overdose to me. If you really paid attention herbs are in so many products that avoiding exposure is enough to drive someone like me insane. I can’t live my life like this. There is something different about me than everyone else, and I think that there has to be some way to make me normal, to activate whatever enzyme system or whatever or something. It’s my only hope…

Also, I have been trying to figure out if there was any relationship to the method of exposure or the brand or the type of herb, but my sensitivity applies to ALL herbs with any medicinal properties.

Marie55 · 12-25-2004, 06:14 PM

Sounds like you have a very sensitive "sympathetic nervous system".

I have a very sympathetic nervous system and have problems with many medications. Unable to tolerate "caffeine free" beverages, they have up to 3% caffeine but they do not have to put it on the ingredient list. Up to 3% is too much for me. Barq root beer has so much caffeine in it that only 2 tiny sips will cause a buzz thru my nervous system in a few seconds.

Many things will speed up my heart, cause a fast feeling and other.

My doctor told me in my next life to choose a better sympathetic nervous system, in other words some of us are born with sensitive nervous systems.
Best thing is to avoid things we find to bother us.

JoeJack101 · 12-26-2004, 04:56 PM

What is interesting to me is that I have never had a real reaction to caffeine. I am somewhat sensitive to it as well, but it is NOTHING compared to most herbal stuff. I can tolerate caffeine and the most it will ever do is keep me awake/focused and if I had a large amount keep me up at night a bit. I used to drink tons of Pepsi all day.

I will still look into the possibility of a sensitive sympathetic nervous system.

Just out of curiosity Marie, Have you had side effects or reactions to anything else in your lifetime so far and can you explain them to me specifically if you don't mind? Or do you have to avoid drugs all-together? Also, do you sweat a little more than most people? (I think the sympathetic nervous system is related to perspiration as well.)

P.S. Thanks for the feedback Marie.