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Vasocontrictor Vs Vasodilator

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
So I am onto something, Foods and teas that make me feel better vs worse. When I check the list, I tend to feel bad on vasodilators. I find myself craving Vasocontrictors Food/tea. That explain my cravings for Coconut, Fennel, Chocolate,...... Only breaks theory w Olive leaf ( I think because of the antiviral property) but explains why I feel bad right after I take it (better after effects passes).

Vasocontrictor
Vasodilator
Antinflamatory
http://www.myspiceblends.com/glossary/herbal_properties_glossary/Anti-Inflammatory.php
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
So I am onto something, Foods and teas that make me feel better vs worse. When I check the list, I tend to feel bad on vasodilators. I find myself craving Vasocontrictors Food/tea. That explain my cravings for Coconut, Fennel, Chocolate,...... Only breaks theory w Olive leaf ( I think because of the antiviral property) but explains why I feel bad right after I take it (better after effects passes).

Vasocontrictor
Vasodilator

Antinflamatory

http://www.myspiceblends.com/glossary/herbal_properties_glossary/Anti-Inflammatory.php

You might want to double check that list. Camphor is definitely a vasodilator, not a vasoconstrictor. There might be other errors. It would be unfortunate to take a vasodilator when you need a vasoconstrictor. ;)

Eucalptus (on the anti-inflammatory list) is also a vasodilator, so you might want to watch out for that.

Vasodilators will knock me flat. Any exposure to camphor or eucalyptus will drop my BP so low it doesn't register on a BP machine. :eek: There are probably others, but those two are painfully common.

PS: Years ago, a doc told me to carry Sudafed with me everywhere and take a double dose if I get exposed to a strong vasodilator. It does help -- if I have the mental wherewithal to remember in the moment, which I usually don't with diminished blood flow to the brain. Fortunately, family and friends remind me. :D
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
For me, camphor is the worst. Eucalyptus is second. Beyond that, it's hard to say -- it seems that a number of oils from woody plants are problematic for me, but I don't know whether they are vasodilators. This all started years before the onset of obvious ME/CFS symptoms. My doc at that time thought it was I hyper-reaction to vasodilators, but we never sorted out why I would hyper-react.

As you can imagine, products like Vick's Vapo-Rub and Hall's cough drops in a room will have me wonky within a minute or two. :eek: Not fun going out in public during flu season.
 

Sherlock

Boswellia for lungs and MC stabllizing
Messages
1,287
Location
k8518704 USA
For me, camphor is the worst. Eucalyptus is second. Beyond that, it's hard to say -- it seems that a number of oils from woody plants are problematic for me, but I don't know whether they are vasodilators. This all started years before the onset of obvious ME/CFS symptoms. My doc at that time thought it was I hyper-reaction to vasodilators, but we never sorted out why I would hyper-react.

As you can imagine, products like Vick's Vapo-Rub and Hall's cough drops in a room will have me wonky within a minute or two. :eek: Not fun going out in public during flu season.
You mean just breathing the scents does that?? That must be very rare.

I suppose you know the probable mechanism: Mast cells, lungs... yet you don't get asthma from those scents? Then that could mean that you selectively degranulate some mediators, but not all.

Also, that sounds like a pre-CFS kind of thing - of which I have several myself.
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
You mean just breathing the scents does that?? That must be very rare.

I suppose you know the probable mechanism: Mast cells, lungs... yet you don't get asthma from those scents? Then that could mean that you selectively degranulate some mediators, but not all.

Also, that sounds like a pre-CFS kind of thing - of which I have several myself.

Oh yeah, just the scents. I hate to think what would happen if I ingested them. I imagine it is very rare -- I've never heard of anyone else reacting to them.

No, I don't get asthma from the scents, although I was diagnosed with asthma at the time. My BP just plummets and I get all the associated symptoms -- severe headache, nausea, dizziness, etc. I know, it's weird.

I agree that it sounds like a pre-ME/CFS thing, or maybe a very early stage that hasn't been identified yet.

On the good news side, as I get better the reaction is less severe or I can take more without reacting.