What is feverfew?
The use of feverfew in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements, consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous. Feverfew is also known as Tanacetum parthenium, featherfew, bachelor's button, flirtwort, altamisa, featherfoil, febrifuge plant, midsummer daisy, nosebleed, Santa Maria, wild chamomile, and wild quinine.
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What are the possible side effects of feverfew?
Although uncommon, allergic reactions to feverfew have been reported. Stop taking
feverfew and seek emergency medical attention if you experience symptoms of a serious allergic
reaction including difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of your lips, tongue, or face;
or hives.
Other less serious side effects have also been infrequently reported. Talk to your doctor or
pharmacist if you experience
Nervousness, tension headache, insomnia, stiffness and pain the joints,
and tiredness have been reported following the discontinuation of feverfew.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or
health care professional about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
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How should I take feverfew?
The use of feverfew in cultural and traditional settings may differ from concepts accepted by current Western medicine. When considering the use of herbal supplements, consultation with a primary health care professional is advisable. Additionally, consultation with a practitioner trained in the uses of herbal/health supplements may be beneficial, and coordination of treatment among all health care providers involved may be advantageous. If you choose to take feverfew, use it as directed on the package or as directed by your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
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What is the most important information I should know about feverfew?
Do not take feverfew without first talking to your doctor if you have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder; if you are taking a medicine to prevent blood clots; or if you are taking other medications, herbs, antioxidants, or health supplements (these may also affect blood clotting). Feverfew may affect the time it takes for your blood to clot. Feverfew has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety, effectiveness, or purity. All potential risks and/or advantages of feverfew may not be known. Additionally, there are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for these compounds. There have been instances where herbal/health supplements have been sold which were contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs. Herbal/health supplements should be purchased from a reliable source to minimize the risk of contamination.
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What happens if I miss a dose?
No information is available regarding a missed dose of feverfew. Consult your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional if you require further information.
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What other drugs will affect feverfew?
Do not take feverfew without first talking to your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: warfarin (Coumadin); aspirin; a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin, others), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Naprelan, Anaprox, others), ketoprofen (Orudis KT, Orudis), indomethacin (Indocin), etodolac (Lodine), nabumetone (Relafen), oxaprozin (Daypro), piroxicam (Feldene), sulindac (Clinoril), tolmetin (Tolectin), and others; ardeparin (Normiflo);
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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?
Do not take feverfew without first talking to your doctor if you are
pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Feverfew has been reported to have the potential to harm an
unborn baby.
Do not take feverfew without first talking to your doctor if you are
breast-feeding a baby. It is not known whether feverfew will harm a nursing infant.
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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention. Symptoms of a feverfew overdose are not known.
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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking feverfew?
Do not take feverfew if you have a known allergy or hypersensitivity to chamomile, ragweed, yarrow, or other plants in the Asteraceae family. Also, do not take feverfew if you develop a rash after touching the feverfew plant. You may be more likely to have a serious allergic reaction to feverfew. Do not take feverfew without first talking to your doctor if you have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder; if you are taking a medicine to prevent blood clots; or if you are taking other medications, herbs, antioxidants, or health supplements (these may also affect blood clotting). Feverfew may affect the time it takes for your blood to clot.
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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.
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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.
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