aromatherapy.....essential oils

a reply to: nonspecific

No.
No.
Yes.

I don't like going easy on anything, but if I must I suppose I will.
Lavender oil gives me a headache, I hate the smell. Codeine, however, rocks the house. I'll stick with that.

a reply to: beansidhe

Hello! Nollaig chridheil agus

You're fine with Patchouli. You might like to think of buying a spare bottle and laying it down like you would a good wine. It improves with age, and wont go off. I had a very old bottle many many years ago. I had not long qualified and had a sniff of my 'old bottle'. Decided because it smelt so strong that it must have 'gone off', so I binned it!!!!! Two weeks later (I had by now received my new stock) I learnt the above fact....and that there is a specific market for mature oils such as Patchouli, Frankincense, Sandalwood etc! Aaaaarrrrgh!!!

Jane

PS....It has no known contraindications. However, over use of any EO could cause a sensitization.

originally posted by: angelchemuel
a reply to: beansidhe

Hello! Nollaig chridheil agus

You're fine with Patchouli. You might like to think of buying a spare bottle and laying it down like you would a good wine. It improves with age, and wont go off. I had a very old bottle many many years ago. I had not long qualified and had a sniff of my 'old bottle'. Decided because it smelt so strong that it must have 'gone off', so I binned it!!!!! Two weeks later (I had by now received my new stock) I learnt the above fact....and that there is a specific market for mature oils such as Patchouli, Frankincense, Sandalwood etc! Aaaaarrrrgh!!!

Jane

A few years ago I dropped a 12 year old bottle of unopened frankencense oil that my partner owned.

It could never be replaced but the atmosphere in the hall was amazing for about a week...

originally posted by: beansidhe
a reply to: nonspecific

No.
No.
Yes.

I don't like going easy on anything, but if I must I suppose I will.
Lavender oil gives me a headache, I hate the smell. Codeine, however, rocks the house. I'll stick with that.

Codine is god but try rubbing lavender oil on your temples, headache gone although it reeks of hippies.

a reply to: angelchemuel

That is a great idea, that's exactly what I will do. Somebody once told me patchouli went off, so I only ever buy wee bottles now.
Who was that? Somebody evil no doubt, trying to deny me some extra strong patchouli.

Nope, never noticed any sensitivities from it. Yay! Thanks for that, good to see you, have a great Hogmanay.

a reply to: nonspecific

I once spent the night in a hotel somewhere with a lavender bag-thingy under the pillow, although I didn't know this at the time. I spent all night throwing up until I found the offending bag, lobbed it out the window and then slept like a baby. I just can't bring myself to try out your technique.
Chamomile's another herb that I can't stomach. I can manage poppies, though.

a reply to: nonspecific

Oh nooooooo!

Jane

a reply to: nonspecific

Haha! Patchouli smells more of 'old' hippies............ and bikers


Jane

a reply to: angelchemuel

Oi!!!

No, you're right actually.

a reply to: beansidhe

Now this is interesting see. If you don't like the smell of an oil, it could be, and probably is asking you to challenge yourself about some old unresolved issue/ worry/ shock/stress. I had to go through a process of smelling Cypress oil as I could not stand it. So I challenged myself. I sat in my rocking chair and took w whiff out of the bottle....yuk! Took another and started drifting back to my childhood in primary school. Took another sniff and remembered playing with that grey coloured excuse for Plasticine....hated it...no amount of carbolic soap would remove it. So I took another whiff and tried focusing on what made me happy in primary school....then bam! It hit me. One particular day whilst I had to use this offensive stuff (the plasticine) Was a short time after my grandfather had died. I was very close to him, even though I was only 6 years old and took his death very hard. I must have missbehaved in class or something and got a bit rebellious with the teacher and scratched her on the arm. I got sent out of class. My mum came to collect me from school and I remembered my mother explaining my grief to her.
I took another sniff of the oil....and it was beautiful! The irony is, Cypress is one of the best oils to help overcome grief, a grief I had obviously been harbouring for over 20 years.
However, it's worth looking at the contraindications of both the Lavender and Chamomile, and it could be your own body disliking them because you might have a issue that might be exacerbated by both these oils.


Jane

a reply to: angelchemuel

Wow.
I looked up contraindications of chamomile and lavender and couldn't find anything meaningful. I think I'm going to have to try your first idea. Sit with the smell for a while and see what comes up.
(Not literally, I hope).

Smell and memory are inextricably linked, so yes maybe's there's an old connection somewhere. Cheers Jane, that's really helpful and thanks OP for your great thread.

a reply to: beansidhe

This might help....
Chamomile: Pregnancy or if there has been a history of miscarriage or breakthrough bleeding. Not during first trimester of pregnancy. Allergies.

Lavender: Pregnancy or if there has been a history of miscarriage or breakthrough bleeding. Only after first trimester. Low blood pressure. Cancer. Allergies. Do not use if preparations using Iodine or Iron are being taken. English Lavender has higher Linalool content.


Jane

originally posted by: nonspecific

originally posted by: beansidhe
a reply to: angelchemuel

Hello, Nadolig Llawen!

I pour patchouli oil all over myself like there's no tomorrow - should I not be doing this? Eeeek.

Are you dead yet? Do you have unsightly sores all over your body?

Do you talk to potplants?

If not you should be okay but maybe go a little easy on it.

On a serious note lavender oil on the temples with a headache is far better than any pain medication.

other than codine that is. Codine is really nice.

Codeine = constipation (and potential addiction, among a large list of bad reactions).

Lavender Oil contains Estrogen like compounds which can cause breast enlargement in males when applied topically.

To be effective, things must have effects.

a reply to: angelchemuel

Hmm. Quite a few folk in my family have low blood pressure, so that's interesting. I can't have had undiagnosed cancer for over 20 yrs, surely? Hope not.
That would be a bit crap.
I'm allergic to lanolin if that's relevant or related to linalool?

a reply to: chr0naut

That is an urban myth sir.
Oh, and it's oestrogen not estrogen...which doesn't help the credibility of your link.

Jane

a reply to: beansidhe

Now you see...I have low blood pressure. I don't particularly like Lavender, although I do prefer and sort of rather like English Lavender as opposed to the French which is more popular. Lanolin (sheep wool for example) Linalool is a chemical compound found in Lavender and many other plants.
I also prefer the chamomile plant to the oil, and can't abide the herbal tea

Jane

originally posted by: chr0naut

originally posted by: nonspecific

originally posted by: beansidhe
a reply to: angelchemuel

Hello, Nadolig Llawen!

I pour patchouli oil all over myself like there's no tomorrow - should I not be doing this? Eeeek.

Are you dead yet? Do you have unsightly sores all over your body?

Do you talk to potplants?

If not you should be okay but maybe go a little easy on it.

On a serious note lavender oil on the temples with a headache is far better than any pain medication.

other than codine that is. Codine is really nice.

Codeine = constipation (and potential addiction, among a large list of bad reactions).

Lavender Oil contains Estrogen like compounds which can cause breast enlargement in males when applied topically.

To be effective, things must have effects.

Yes codine is bad for you. But when your body is as broken as mine it is a bad thing worth doing.

So many broken bones and so much pain.

Codine is the only thing that gets me though the day even though it is killing me

a reply to: angelchemuel

Aaaah. Low blood pressure then, maybe? I'll get that checked on Tuesday (it's a handy thing working with doctors!).
Jane, you are a star x

originally posted by: angelchemuel
a reply to: chr0naut

That is an urban myth sir.
Oh, and it's oestrogen not estrogen...which doesn't help the credibility of your link.

Jane

Henley DV, Korach KS (July 2010). "Physiological effects and mechanisms of action of endocrine disrupting chemicals that alter estrogen signaling"

NIH -Lavender and Tea Tree Oils May Cause Breast Growth in Boys

Wikipedia - Gynecomastia (see end of second paragraph under the subheading of "causes").

Wrong both times.

originally posted by: nonspecific

originally posted by: chr0naut

originally posted by: nonspecific

originally posted by: beansidhe
a reply to: angelchemuel

Hello, Nadolig Llawen!

I pour patchouli oil all over myself like there's no tomorrow - should I not be doing this? Eeeek.

Are you dead yet? Do you have unsightly sores all over your body?

Do you talk to potplants?

If not you should be okay but maybe go a little easy on it.

On a serious note lavender oil on the temples with a headache is far better than any pain medication.

other than codine that is. Codine is really nice.

Codeine = constipation (and potential addiction, among a large list of bad reactions).

Lavender Oil contains Estrogen like compounds which can cause breast enlargement in males when applied topically.

To be effective, things must have effects.

Yes codine is bad for you. But when your body is as broken as mine it is a bad thing worth doing.

So many broken bones and so much pain.

Codine is the only thing that gets me though the day even though it is killing me

Sorry to hear that.

If you have issues with opiate constipation, you could try Magnesium based laxatives. (My son is currently undergoing chemotherapy and is having issues from pain meds. He has found Magnesium laxatives effective, in the breaks between sessions).