I took a single drop of Samento yesterday afternoon (my first), and started feeling dizzy during the night last night. Woke up so dizzy I'm barely able to move around the house, and I have dry heaves.
Can this be from the Samento? Please tell me it will pass!
Posted by lymeinhell (Member # 4622) on :
Did you wait at least a minute before you drank it? Tinctures contain alcohol, and you need to let it sit to get rid of it.
Posted by Alisandne (Member # 27304) on :
No, I just stirred and and drank it. But I wouldn't think that small an amount of alcohol would have this much of an effect, would it?
Posted by Jane2904 (Member # 15917) on :
up
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Yep. Even just one drop. Sure did for me and many others, too.
The alcohol can do that but also the actual herbal tincture, too. Even in caplet form, this can be very strong, mostly just when first starting it, though.
The caplet form of Samento caused severe dizziness for me. It was quite a shock.
Julie suggestion to let the water and tincture sit a bit before drinking is key.
Not sure how much water you used but I'd use one drop in a 1/2 cup of WARM water (not from the tap but from the kettle, not the microwave).
Swirl it around for a bit in a shallow mug or bowl - and then add another 1/2 cup of warm water and drink slowly - as a tea over a half hour or so.
After some time, you won't have to go through all these steps so slowly.
Not HOT water, though. Just warm. Hot water can destroy some of the properties in some tinctures that have any aerial parts (above the ground).
After a few days you should be able to add one more drop but let your body's reaction guide you.
If you are still dizzy, GINGER tea or GINGER CAPSULES can help but, mostly, as with any treatment for serious illness, nourishing and nurturing helps the most. -
Posted by jblral (Member # 8836) on :
I was told that when you have that strong a reaction to one drop, it probably means you're not detoxing adequately.
Also, you can start with HALF a drop. Put one drop in a half a cup of water. Then divide it into two doses of a quarter cup each.
That stuff is powerful, and some people need to work up very slowly.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Jblral's idea is good to remember for all tincture "launches" in the future, too.
You might want to put that extra dose in a glass jar in the fridge. (No plastic.) -
Posted by Alisandne (Member # 27304) on :
Thank you for the advice. I suppose my reaction means I really need this stuff? I was hoping to hear the opposite, because I am SO not looking forward to trying it again. I still don't feel very well, although I'm better than I was this morning.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- There are other options. But it should get easier. After a while when I did Samento for 2 months, it had no effect at all on me, even with a full dropper in a little water, all at once. -
Posted by Alisandne (Member # 27304) on :
Did you feel Samento was beneficial for you, Keebler?
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Oh, this is the part I hate. I do not want to dissuade anyone from something that may help them (even if it did not help me). But I am all for learning all you can and then moving on from there.
Bottom line: No, Samento was not beneficial for me and I felt I wasted a lot of money that was/is very scarce. I had lost a string of jobs due to ill health and felt taken to the cleaners by Samento.
The cost was (and is still) just outrageous, compared to other tinctures, I felt.
However, it has been helpful for some - a few say wonderful; though certainly not for everyone.
As you will see, this happens a lot with nearly all Rx and herbal methods. Individual differences can vary widely.
When I used it, it had just come onto the market. I had no LL MD and the NDs I was seeing thought they were more aware of lyme than turned out to be true.
It was my ONLY lifeline and, no, it did not help.
However, it is intended to be used as part of a fuller protocol now.
Personally, I much prefer the regular Cat's Claw and really love the calming effect it has on my nervous system (which the TOA-free versions do not as their very nature has been altered).
I tried many times to find third-party research (not by the manufacturer or those who profit). I had spoken with the main author of the "hot" Samento article by phone and he promised - twice - to send me 3rd party citations. That never arrived. Gotta say that did not impress me.
Years later - Buhner, in his book "Healing Lyme" states the same experience, being unable to secure third-party research, even with much effort.
Leslie Taylor, ND (of Rain-Tree.com) has a very good article on the controversy between the TOA-free kind and the original kind of Cat's Claw.
Both she and Buhner - and a few other LL doctors - suggest using ONLY the original Cat's Claw. And it's less expensive by far.
However, I also have great admiration for the lyme researcher Eva Sapi, Ph.D. She has since written about Samento, although I've not studied all she's written about it, you can find that through a search at the
Townsend Letter website. Also search her name at YouTube.
Some highly respected LLMDs and LL NDs also suggest the TOA-free kind. While others clearly do not.
You can find many past threads here about Cat's Claw - just be sure in your studies to be clear about the kind.
I know this just confuses the situation, yet I hope it is helpful.
I have a set of links but they are stuck back in my old computer. Wish I could access those but they are in some past threads here.
LymeNet Archives -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- The key: an experienced ILADS-educated lyme literate doctor.
Some work with both a LLMD and a LL ND, if at all possible (though many can't afford any kind of LL doctor so it's even more important to be able to read as much as possible.
When working with any herbal supplement, I think it's best to be guided by someone with 4 years of post-graduate medical education, as the professionals in the thread below.
But they also must be tops with knowledge of all tick-borne infections.
Links to many articles and books by holistic-minded LL doctors of various degrees who all have this basic approach in common:
Understanding of the importance of addressing the infection(s) fully head-on with specific measures;
Knowing that support supplements are important, but NEVER enough alone. And knowing which supplements have direct impact, which are only support and which are both.
You can compare and contrast many approaches.
BASIC HERBAL EDUCATIONAL links, and
BODY WORK links with safety tailored to lyme patients,
RIFE links,
BIONIC 880 (& PE-1) links, and
LOW HEAT INFRARED SAUNA detail. -
Posted by lymeHerx001 (Member # 6215) on :
I had a very strong herx from any amount of samento, this is why my name is lymeHerx, cause I seem to herx on everything. In the end I couldnt take it, it was too strong, I might go back to it though. It floored me though, quite litterally. I just had to sleep on it, and it made for some frightening thoughts.
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
i was in bed for 3 days after taking a small amount in a tea. i was doing buhner. i found in the book he says if you take a feflux drug you cannot take the samento-bad reaction. i figured that is why i got sick. i am trying to get off reflux drug but still cant so i have used other herbs
just letting you know in case you take reflux drug
Posted by Alisandne (Member # 27304) on :
Thank you, Keebler. I'm sorry I got you into the part you hate, but I'm grateful that you shared your experience. It validated my decision not to attempt Samento again. I've never been so dizzy in my life--and I'm not young.
I appreciate the additional info, too. Many thanks!
Posted by Alisandne (Member # 27304) on :
Oops--I replied before seeing the most recent posts.
No, I don't take a reflux drug, but I do have a sensitive stomach. Thanks, both of you.