Is it possible to take too much Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus) or Ginger Root?

Question

I’m asking because I’m taking this stuff called OOna 2 pms Herbal Supplement, to help my menstrual cramps. My menstrual cramps are so bad though I think I’ve gone over the 24 hour recommended does. It works, I just need a lot of it.
It says it has Cramp Bark Extract 5mg (verbenalin alkaloid 400mcg) per pill
It also has Ginger 75mg (gingerals, 3.75 mg) per pill
So far until now I took as directed. I took one in the morning and one in the evening for 3 days before menstruation. Yesterday was my first day and I took 3 pills 4 times that day and ended at 9:45pm. I woke up from my cramps and my Mom leaving, and felt pain so I immediately took another 3 pills at 4:30am. The directions say not to take more then 12 a day, I assumed they meant not to take more then 12 in a 24/hour time period. Oh and I took Raspberry Extract for 5 days before menstruation, and stopped taking the Raspberry Extract the day of my period.
I have also taken Chamomile, Sassafras, and Solomon’s Seal in the form of Tea and that help keep it down to the point where I was happy at. Though by bed time I had ran out. I took 600mg of ibuprofen at 9am yesterday, and 400mg of ibuprofen at 9pm yesterday. If my cramps get too bad again using just the OOna medicinal medicine then I might take another 400mg of ibuprofen, but I am trying to stay away from regular medicine, but I ran out of my TEA! The pain is coming back! PLEASE Help!

Answer 1

High doses of Ginger root can lead to stomach ulcers, and it is possible to overdose on large quantities. It can depress the central nervous system and cause heart irregularlities. And it's dangerous to take Ginger root with blood thinners...which at massive amounts could include ibuprophen. Ibuprophen is not really a blood thinner, but it has some of the same qualities.

It sounds to me like you should seek medical attention. Have you found the cause of having such severe pain during your periods? There are medications out there that can help aleve menstrual symptoms, such birth controll pills.

And FYI...sometimes it seems to make sense to take supplements rather than man made medications, but taking so many can intefere with your body's system as a whole...can cause just as severe side effects...and can interact frequently with other medications or foods.

If you prefer supplements to prescription medication, it's still wise to seek the assistance of a professional medical doctor. Just call around and find one who has experience recommending herbal supplements. They will usually be able to tell you if a natural remedy is actually more beneficial than a prescription medication.

Answer 2

Cramp Bark Side Effects

Answer 3

Sounds like the cramp bark and ginger tablets are a relatively low dose. You can take too much, but generally manufacturers make sure they "prescribe" the lowest dose possible on their packaging to help prevent accidental overdose, so you can probably take more than it says and nothing will happen to you. If you take too much ginger, you'll feel really hot. With most herbs, if you "overdose", you'll vomit before too much harm is done. Use a heat pack to help with the pain.