Cumin (Cuminum cyminum): Possible PEM Blocker

[Strawberry]

Too early to tell if it helps, but: it's the first flavor I've tasted since I have the tube and it's delicious. So thank you for this little moment of happiness @Wishful

Definitely hope it works for you! Also, nice to see a picture where you feel better. Assuming it’s you, looks like you, just healthy and happy.

 

[Martin aka paused||M.E.]

Definitely hope it works for you! Also, nice to see a picture where you feel better. Assuming it’s you, looks like you, just healthy and happy.

Thank you! Yes I thought/hope my mid 20ies represent me better than my current state.
I will definitely try it more often to see if I benefit too! If not, at least I have sth spicy.

 

[Strawberry]

Glad you like the taste, it makes me gag. But I do gag it down.

Thinking of trying thyme also for its benefits. And others. I need to make a soup loaded with cumin, thyme, oregano, turmeric, garlic, ginger,and anything else. Got a new job, need to do everything possible to keep me upright.

 

[Sushi]

I've joined the cumin club, at first just taking it when I knew I had pushed my limits (I didn't get PEM) and now trying little doses throughout the days to try to discover the best way to use it. I do think it makes me feel overall better. So weird that we've had something in our cupboards all along that may help after scouring the world for expensive, difficult-to-find drugs.

 

[seamyb]

I make capsules and bought a capsule maker especially. I can make 100 in about 10 to 15 minutes. Generally I'm taking about 15 a day though, because it makes me feel good for a few hours and then wears off and I'm straight back into feeling ill.

 

[Rrrr]

Glad you like the taste, it makes me gag. But I do gag it down.

Thinking of trying thyme also for its benefits. And others. I need to make a soup loaded with cumin, thyme, oregano, turmeric, garlic, ginger,and anything else. Got a new job, need to do everything possible to keep me upright.

Could you put the cumin in capsules and take it that way, thereby avoiding the taste?

 

[Rrrr]

Very interesting, @seamyb that it only lasts a few hours for you. i'm still experimenting, but i wonder if this is the case with me too. time will tell.

@Sushi, yes, you are right. this was right under our noses the whole time. hopefully it really is something and not nothing, as so many other treatments end up being (nothing). i am trying to encourage friends to try it, so we have more reports!

 

[Sushi]

@Sushi, yes, you are right. this was right under our noses the whole time. hopefully it really is something and not nothing, as so many other treatments end up being (nothing). i am trying to encourage friends to try it, so we have more reports!

it worked for me again yesterday after going out for errands that took about 4 hours—way too long for my level of stamina. I took a couple of doses of cumin afterwards and another one this morning and I seem to have escaped PEM.

 

[seamyb]

it worked for me again yesterday after going out for errands that took about 4 hours—way too long for my level of stamina. I took a couple of doses of cumin afterwards and another one this morning and I seem to have escaped PEM.

It's great to see so many stories like this coming through. Avoiding PEM to us is like writhing about on the floor in pure ecstasy to a healthy person.

 

[Judee]

because it makes me feel good for a few hours and then wears off

I wonder if something like grapefruit juice would extend the effect for you a little. Just an odd thought.

 

[hapl808]

I make capsules and bought a capsule maker especially. I can make 100 in about 10 to 15 minutes. Generally I'm taking about 15 a day though, because it makes me feel good for a few hours and then wears off and I'm straight back into feeling ill.

How many capsules do you usually take at one time, and how long until you feel the effects? I'm trying it now for a day of PEM - already had tried BCAA and skullcap and such with minimal effects, but a bit of cumin seems to be helping. But since it's encapsulated in "0" size, trying to figure out if it's maybe 2-3 to a teaspoon? Or maybe more?

 

[seamyb]

5 size 00 capsules at a time. Usually I'd do this 4 or 5 times a day... quite a lot of capsules, but the effect was very significant but short lived for me..

Haven't taken any in a few weeks though because I'm trialing something else.

 

[maddietod]

I've just found this thread, and have been testing ground cumin for a few days. I put the dose under my tongue for 15 minutes and spit it out.

Day one 1 used 1/2 tsp, no effect. Day 2 I took another 1/2 tsp, and after a few hours I got an obvious uptick in energy that lasted for about 3 days. This leans me towards the theory that I live with low-grade PEM, and that the cumin removed that issue and increased available energy.

On day 5 I took 3/4 tsp, and got increasingly fried. By 9pm my brain was on fire - my first time with this symptom - and it took me 3 hours to get to sleep. I woke up all night long, and in the morning I had a sore throat and an almost-headache. At 1pm I took 2 tylenol and a short nap, and then felt like I did on days 2 and 3, after the second 1/2 tsp dose...pretty great, for me.

Has anybody else had reactions like this?

Is the effect cumulative? Maybe my next trial could be sticking with 1/2 teaspoon every 3 days, instead of increasing.

I'm also considering taking a smaller dose daily. Is there any reason to not try this? Has anybody found that it's better to give the body a break between doses?

Thanks for this idea! And for your help.

 

[Judee]

So I had a good day yesterday and overdid it which meant PEM today.

I decided to try cumin again. Within about 5-10 minutes, I could feel it having a vasoconstricting affect about mid-upper arms down to my fingertips. Soon my hands turned pale white and nails were bluish and my arms became tingly like they do.

This happens a lot to me but I've never felt it happen so quickly. Also, it was like I could actually feel the vessels squeeze shut as it was happening.

Anyway, this made me wonder if cumin is helping those who benefit from it with hypoperfusion. ???

Edit: Unfortunately, for me I don't think it helped.

 

[Wishful]

Is the effect cumulative?

For ME, the question is: is the effect cumulative for me. It didn't have any cumulative effect on me. I tried 5 or 6 full tsps once, and all it did was extend the duration by a couple of days. For me, less than a level tsp was a bit less effective, so I stuck with a level tsp. I do prefer to use the minimum dosage of any drug, just to reduce the chance of potential problems.

Also for me, one dose lasted 3 days. Taking it more often than that didn't provide any additional noticeable benefits.

For me cumin certainly ranked as a very potent drug. I'm not overly surprised that it would have some other effects on someone else. Effects other than the 'burping it for hours' that someone reported.

Cumin's effects on PWME is unstudied. We each have to experiment to see what if any effects it has on us. Maybe you require lower doses, or maybe it will work better after you've taken it for a while. Maybe it will stop working after the first few doses, as so many ME treatments do. Maybe it will make you feel worse after a while, requiring you to stop using it. Experiment and see what happens.

 

[SnappingTurtle]

I have been drinking cumin in tea form off and on for a couple weeks. Started taking it since I was in PEM. No noticeable effects until 2nd week when my body-wide muscle soreness has gone away. Unfortunately, I cannot attribute it to cumin because it coincided with 2nd Pfizer covid shot. I am afraid to discontinue the cumin to test if was the successful factor in my improvement.

 

[Wishful]

I am afraid to discontinue the cumin to test if was the successful factor in my improvement.

Cumin gave me temporary remission back before I knew about ME ( I thought I had some rare immune disorder). I took it daily, and it stopped working after a week or two. I tested it occasionally after that, just in case it might start working again. Eventually one of those tests matched up with a day I was expecting PEM, and the PEM didn't show up. I occasionally forgot to take my cumin, or intentionally didn't take it to see what happened. Those lapses never caused it to stop working. There are no guarantees with ME, so I can't say that stopping your cumin won't cause problems, but my experience is that it's safe to miss a few doses, and useful to see whether it's still working properly or needs the dosage adjusted.

 

[christiankatz]

I finally caved and bought some cumin seed, ground it, and took 1/2 teaspoon a couple of days ago. I had a revved-up feeling all day (not in a good way, lol) until I had a major crash at night. So, now I'm apprehensive about taking it again. I might try a fraction of a teaspoon, like 1/16 or 1/8 when I get brave enough.

 

[Wishful]

Well, we all respond differently to treatments, so we have to experiment to see what they do. Some people do prefer to start their experiments with small amounts.

 

[christiankatz]

Well, we all respond differently to treatments, so we have to experiment to see what they do. Some people do prefer to start their experiments with small amounts.

@Wishful It was worth the try. I'm up for almost anything that might help. I appreciate your posting about it.