I take evening primrose oil, a herb, to help with my period cramps. On the label, it reads, “For best results, do not take with caffienated or alcoholic beverages.” I just took an Excederine, which contains caffiene. Should I wait before taking the primrose oil?
Yes
Caffeine can actually make your cramps worse. It has effects on smooth muscle (I think), which is why it is also a laxative.
The caffeine in Exedrine is there to make it more effective on headaches, so you might be better off with a different pain reliever.
I don’t take it while getting my cramps–about a week and a half before my period, I start. They work, too, if any other ladies have this problem.
Caffeine is not a laxative it is a dieuretic. The reason it is in PMS formulas is two fold:
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It makes the asprin, et al work faster.
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It is a dieuretic and makes you urinate, thus losing some of the water retention
Fact: Evening Primrose Oil has anti-coagulating properties.
WAG: Taking it with caffeine or alcohol may exacerbate a GI bleed or other bleeding disorders. I would be more concerned about the aspirin in Exedrine.
I believe that caffiene is a diuretic AND a laxative. Perhaps you have experienced that morning, post-coffee “regularity” (I rely on it, in fact).
From personal experience, I concur. Caffeine does have laxative effects.
Why not take Ifobrufen instead of aspirin?
I took the aspirin for a headache.
It’s caffeine and ibuprofen. In case anyone wants to do any searches, it’s good to know how to spell em.