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CNN Live Today

'Daily Dose'

Aired June 19, 2003 - 11:39   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A lot of us try to use herbal remedies to try and stay healthy. But for people who suffer from migraine headaches, those herbal medications may do more than good.
CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen here now with our daily dose of health news.

This was very surprising to me. A migraine former sufferer, thankfully. But you hear about the herbal supplements, Ginkgobola biloba, a lot of them I can't say, and you think they're just good.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And a lot of people think it's an herb, it's natural, it must be OK. In many, many cases, herbs do a lot of great things, but what people have to be weary about is whether or not an herb interferes with a medication they're taking, and that's where you have to be careful.

Let's take a look at a list of herbs that may interfere with certain headache or migraine medications. You mentioned Ginkgobola biloba, ginseng. If you're also taking medications for migraine, then you really should think, I need to talk to my doctor about this. Also, there are several that may cause or worsen headaches, having nothing to do with the medications, just on their own, may cause or worsen headaches or migraines. And that will again by Ginkgobola biloba, ginseng, and St. John's Wort, and also another one called Valerian Root.

So the bottom line here is, that if you're taking medications for headaches or migraines, you need to say to your doctor, hey, I'm also taking Echinacea, or I'm also taking St. John's Wort. That's really something that your doctor needs to know. A lot of people don't think of that.

Again, they think of herbs as something that's natural, I don't even need to mention it to my doctor, but it's really important. Herbs and medications do not always work well together.

COLLINS: So maybe you just answered my question, but how they do you know whether or not it's OK to take a certain herb. After you talk to your doctor and you tell him what you're already on. How do you know?

COHEN: There's no easy answer, talk to your doctor, but to be honest, many people will tell you, doctors don't really learn about herbs in medical school. They don't really know. You may say Ginkgobola biloba, and he'll go what? That's a strong possibility. Another way to attack the problem is to talk to your pharmacist. Pharmacists now, when they go to school, do really learn about herbal preparation, and so they may know more, and also they may just sort of keep up with the latest reports more, and they're used to getting those questions from patients probably more often than doctors are.

COLLINS: Real quickly, any herbs that can help headaches?

COHEN: Yes, the author of this new study out of the University of Utah says there is an herb called Fever Few, which is spelled just like it sounds, Fever Few. There are actually some good studies that show that that does work for migraines. But again, tell your doctor you're taking it and make sure it doesn't interact with anything else you're taking, and talk to your pharmacist.

COLLINS: Great advice, as always, Elizabeth Cohen with our "Daily Dose." thanks so much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired June 19, 2003 - 11:39   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A lot of us try to use herbal remedies to try and stay healthy. But for people who suffer from migraine headaches, those herbal medications may do more than good.
CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen here now with our daily dose of health news.

This was very surprising to me. A migraine former sufferer, thankfully. But you hear about the herbal supplements, Ginkgobola biloba, a lot of them I can't say, and you think they're just good.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right. And a lot of people think it's an herb, it's natural, it must be OK. In many, many cases, herbs do a lot of great things, but what people have to be weary about is whether or not an herb interferes with a medication they're taking, and that's where you have to be careful.

Let's take a look at a list of herbs that may interfere with certain headache or migraine medications. You mentioned Ginkgobola biloba, ginseng. If you're also taking medications for migraine, then you really should think, I need to talk to my doctor about this. Also, there are several that may cause or worsen headaches, having nothing to do with the medications, just on their own, may cause or worsen headaches or migraines. And that will again by Ginkgobola biloba, ginseng, and St. John's Wort, and also another one called Valerian Root.

So the bottom line here is, that if you're taking medications for headaches or migraines, you need to say to your doctor, hey, I'm also taking Echinacea, or I'm also taking St. John's Wort. That's really something that your doctor needs to know. A lot of people don't think of that.

Again, they think of herbs as something that's natural, I don't even need to mention it to my doctor, but it's really important. Herbs and medications do not always work well together.

COLLINS: So maybe you just answered my question, but how they do you know whether or not it's OK to take a certain herb. After you talk to your doctor and you tell him what you're already on. How do you know?

COHEN: There's no easy answer, talk to your doctor, but to be honest, many people will tell you, doctors don't really learn about herbs in medical school. They don't really know. You may say Ginkgobola biloba, and he'll go what? That's a strong possibility. Another way to attack the problem is to talk to your pharmacist. Pharmacists now, when they go to school, do really learn about herbal preparation, and so they may know more, and also they may just sort of keep up with the latest reports more, and they're used to getting those questions from patients probably more often than doctors are.

COLLINS: Real quickly, any herbs that can help headaches?

COHEN: Yes, the author of this new study out of the University of Utah says there is an herb called Fever Few, which is spelled just like it sounds, Fever Few. There are actually some good studies that show that that does work for migraines. But again, tell your doctor you're taking it and make sure it doesn't interact with anything else you're taking, and talk to your pharmacist.

COLLINS: Great advice, as always, Elizabeth Cohen with our "Daily Dose." thanks so much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com