Combining Essential Oils and Rx drugs… is it safe?
One of the most common questions I get is can I take essential oils with my prescription drugs?
The standard answer most people hear is “Ask your doctor” which is a great answer and is the best answer except for one small thing. They don’t teach doctors about essential oils in medical school, much less about essential oil grades and the differences between synthetic and pure oils and the effects they might have on prescription or over the counter medications. I’ve even had more than one doctor tell me that it is simply easier for them to tell their patients not to use them because they don’t have the time or interest in researching each oil.
So I decided to take some time today and explain you how you can research a little on your own and bring it in with you when you visit the doctor. First I have to impress upon you that this post is only about the highest quality essential oils and products. While I’ve used many different brands and all of the most popular ones, I only use one brand, and like those doctors, I don’t have the time (or interest) to research every brand to give alternative instructions. The one key thing is that synthetic oils behave very differently in and on the human body as well as with pharmaceuticals. I personally don’t use synthetic oils. Our bodies are natural and they embrace natural. Synthetics are foreign and our bodies treat them as such.
Drug interaction search:
- Google www.nlm.nih.gov followed by the drug name plus interactions. It is almost always the first search result. Read all the info about the drug and interactions and other information. When you are doing your reviews don’t just focus on essential oils but look at all of it to make sure there aren’t other things in your life that might cause problems.
- Then do a search on: http://reference.medscape.com/drug-interactionchecker (You will need to set up an account to use this site.)
- Look at the food and herb interactions. If you are looking for interactions with Basil Essential Oil then look to see if Basil is listed in the food or herb interactions. If you are looking at a blend then you need to look up each ingredient individually.
- You do have to look at both sites for each drug. You can print the results and take them in with you for your next appointment or if you utilize a clinic with patient access you can screen shot and email your physician.
- If your medication is not listed on the above site http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.php is alternative.
I feel pretty strongly about the quality and grade of essential oils I’ll use whether it is aromatic, topically or internally. If you ever have a question, check the bottle. Essential Oil Grades
If you are ready to try essential oil or explore the brand I use just click the contact me button on the side and I’m happy to connect.
