Terrible anxiety.... GSE herx or bad reaction to Sarsaparilla?

pmm73

Veteran Member

Joined : Apr 2016

Posts : 811

Posted 8/21/2017 8:46 AM (GMT -5)

I've read that sarsaparilla is one of the easiest herbs to tolerate and has many detoxing benefits. I started it last week and all I know is that the past two days have been horrible. I've had the most anxiety I think I've ever felt and really thought I was going to die, that my heart was literally going to just explode. (I took xanax, which helped, but I haven't had to take that in months!)

With the new moon, solar eclipse, and the start of my menstrual cycle, it probably wasn't the best time to try something new (lol) but, like I said, I hadn't really read anything negative about it. I had my BP taken yesterday when I wasn't feeling well and it was 125/85 which is REALLY high for me; I run 90/60 or, at the most, 100/70. So there was definitely something going on.

I finally took activated charcoal in the afternoon and felt so much better.

I'm convinced it was a herx....but to what? Sarsaparilla? Maybe a delayed herx to the grapefruit seed extract? (I've been on that for a few weeks now with no noticeable side effects.)

I thought I read somewhere that sarsaparilla can lower blood sugar but now I can't find the source. (I do need to follow a hypoglycemic diet, so maybe that's what happened?)

I found older threads where people questioned whether they were herxing from sarsaparilla, but there was nothing definitive. Can someone tell me more about this herb? Is it really as harmless as it's made out to be?

Traveler

Elite Member

Joined : May 2007

Posts : 36573

Posted 8/21/2017 9:05 AM (GMT -5)

First of all, I'm so sorry, PMM! Anxiety is miserable to deal with!!

Unfortunately, it could be any one of the things you mention - herxing, the eclipse (do we know how these affect us??), the new moon, the start of menses.

It may be best to stop the sarsaparilla for now, allow things to calm down and look for a better opportunity to reintroduce this herb again. I've looked around and don't see anxiety as a side effect of sarsaparilla use - but I did see that it can increase the absorption of certain medications.

pmm73

Veteran Member

Joined : Apr 2016

Posts : 811

Posted 8/21/2017 9:57 AM (GMT -5)

Thanks, Trav. I'm going to stop it for a few days and see. It's just alarming....it's supposed to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, from what I understand, and I seriously have not read any negative side effects!
I wonder if it could stir up Bart???

PS - hope you're doing well! haven't been on here too much lately

Traveler

Elite Member

Joined : May 2007

Posts : 36573

Posted 8/21/2017 12:48 PM (GMT -5)

I think stopping it, giving your body time to get past any effects and then evaluating is a good idea at this point. I didn't see much negative about it either - but that doesn't mean that it will agree with you.

You started off on a low dose, right? Sometimes I need a super low dose to start something that I need really bad to help my body. My example is cistus tea - I'm taking a very low dose of it (1/4 of the dose, and only 1 time a day, instead of the 1 tsp, 3 times a day) and I'm actually doing surprisingly well! I'm only taking the cistus tea and JK right now (as well as a ton of support and detox stuff, of course) - and even after hubby's surgery, things are doing okay!!!

Thanks for asking!!

I've been busy with school and life is all. I'll be around a bit more for a while, as some help is needed - but I won't be here necessarily daily, or for hours and hours any more. If you ever have any questions you think I may be of help with, please do feel free to email me though!!! I'm far from being out of helping others with these issues!!! It's just a temporary shift of my energies to learn more before I continue to try to help.

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