Is Red Clover safe and effective?

Public Archive
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Hi everyone,

I was dx in Nov 2005, treatment included mxt, chemo, rads and now on Tamoxifen.

I have been putting up with menopause symptoms since chemo started as there seemed nothing else to do but put up with it!

This pasted month the hot sweats day and night have been unbearable but what has been the most difficult problem has been bouts of crushing fatigue. I feel so exhausted that i can’t think straight, i am physicaly unco-ordinated and am very irratable.

If I hadn’t had breast ca I would be begging my GP to put me on HRT. However that, obviously, is out of the question.

I have read reports on the safety and efficacy of Red Clover in helping with these symptoms and was wondering if anyone in the pink ribbon club has experience or further information on this subject.

Gentle

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Hi Gentle

It is always advisable to check with your medical team before considering taking any complimentary medicines, therefore, please ensure that you discuss this with your breast care nurse or oncologist prior to taking Red Clover

Kind regards

Louise
Facilitator

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Hi gentle,
If you google Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre then click on Cancer Information on left hand side of page,then on
Intergrative Medicine,then on About herbs,botanicals+other products it gives an A to Z of supplements and all the information about them.I found this very informative as they are the top cancer centre in the world.
Hope this is of help.
Alli.

P.S. I’ve been taking Agnus Castus(which balances out the hormones) since finishing my Chemo in May and after having hot flushes every 15 minutes they just suddenly stopped two weeks ago.I haven’t had one since!
Just check first before taking any supplements in case it interacts with any medication you’re on.

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Hi Allicat,
Thanks for that I will check it out.

Gentle

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Hi Gentle

I was ER+ positive and I think that Red Clover was one of the complimentary medicines that,for me was a no, no.
I was diagnosed in the April of 05 and after an oopherectomy I too have been thrown head first into the menopause. It’s funny that you have mentioned the exhaustion and irritability. I find that, perhaps after pushing myself too much I become almost as if I am functioning in a dream. My whole body aches, I go off on one and just can’t seem to stop myself, basically just feel terrible. My OH just says why don’t you ‘sit down’, but I almost feel hyper with it. My whole body just feels shattered, (but not a nice kind of tired) The hot sweats are more of a clammy experience, and when I am at work I just can’t seem to focus. I am also on Arimidex, Adcal and bi-phosphates.
Debbie x