Information on Lavender

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Yesterday, i had a pt. who listed one of their medications as "lavender tea." She did give her reasons for drinking it, but i won't list what those are, since that's not what i'm looking for, nor am i looking to give people ideas on what to do with it.

My problem is, that i can't find any information regarding the contraindications for it or interactions with other medicines. The extent of info that i find is that people use it for aromatherapy, but i can find nothing on the ingestion of it. Anyone have any ideas?

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Specializes in LTC.

"there are no known side effects or contraindications to lavender tea or oil. in rare cases, however, lavender oil can cause an allergic skin reaction.

[color=#cc6600]cautions

given lavender's apparent sedative properties, take care when mixing the herb with known sedatives, such as tranquilizers, painkillers, or alcohol.

because lavender does work to relieve anxiety, it's possible that using an excessive amount could cause drowsiness."

taken from http://www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/substances_view/1,1525,799,00.html#possible_side_effects

so if this is for pre-op teaching, maybe advise her to avoid it for a couple of days, etc. before she is prepped for surgery? you know better than me, or nurse...:)

"although side effects are rare, some individuals may develop an allergic reaction to lavender. nausea, vomiting, headache, and chills have also been reported in some individuals following inhalation or absorption of lavender through the skin."

taken from http://www.umm.edu/altmed/consherbs/lavenderch.html

hope this helps...

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Well, that's just it, i DIDN'T know better, and wound up having to page the surgeon, AFTER the pharmacy told me they didn't have any info (i found that very odd). Needless to say i'm going to do a follow-through on it, because if the pharmacy doesn't have this info, this is recipe for disaster.

This was the first time i had seen record of anyone ingesting it. And the surgeon didn't seen that concerned about it. Luckily it was jsut a local case, but this person has a history of gyn problems and might have to have major surgery in the future.

Thank you for the links, this will help me in pursuing this matter at work. :)

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Specializes in LTC.

Awwwwe, Marie, that must have been so frustrating for you. It really steams me that just because something is labeled an "Herb" that the FDA stays away from it. Some of these so-called "Natural supplements" can be a heck of a lot more dangerous than people think and the public, for the most part, remains uneducated about them. :angryfire

FWIW, I think you're doing an awesome job of following up and looking after your patient. There are many who would see "Lavender" and just dismiss it (like your surgeon apparently did). When it comes to sedation/anesthesia, it's always best to err on the side of caution. Good catch. :)

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

I've heard of plenty of cases where someone's taking St, Johns wart and didn't know that it lessened the effect of BC pills.

You'd think the FDA would step in and investigate considering the effect that is caused by these things.

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Specializes in LTC.

OMG I know!!!! Not to mention what St. John's Wort can do to people already taking antidepressants...and do you remember the scare a couple of years ago about Kava Kava? I think it caused liver failure or something....sheesh.

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i've made cookies with lavender petals in them. this culture doesn't use lavender very often in its foodstuffs, but in other cultures, it is a commonly used flavoring for sweets, as is rose. as long as the flower hasn't had a pesticide used on it, they're perfectly harmless, like thyme or bay leaf.

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Possible Interactions with: LavenderAlso listed as: English Lavendar; French Lavendar; Lavandula angustifolia

CNS Depressants

Although there are no known scientific reports of interactions between lavender and conventional medications, this herb could potentially enhance the effects of central nervous system depressants including narcotics (such as mophine) for pain and benzodiazepines (such as lorazepam, diazepam, and alprazolam) for anxiety and sleep. People taking these medications should consult a healthcare provider before trying lavender.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/ConsHerbs/Interactions/Lavenderch.html

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lavender tea is popular in many parts of europe for treating appetite loss, stomach upset, and intestinal gas pain. it's not clear how lavender works for these ailments, but german health officials have declared it effective

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