I read with great interest the Mayo Clinic's study about giving Ginseng to Cancer treatment survivors to help increase their energy. It showed definite improvement after taking 2000 mg of Wisconsin Ginseng daily for 60 days.

I am one year out of chemo and radiation treatment for BOT Cancer. I estimate that my energy/stamina level was about 80 to 85% of what it was before treatment. Every afternoon I would get so tired that I couldn't keep my eyes open and would take a three to four hour nap in which I slept as if drugged. After a month of taking the Ginseng I found myself not so tired and requiring only an one half to one hour nap and my sleep was not drug-like. My energy level is much improved.

Possibly coincidentally, but I prefer to think not, two other after affects improved, as well. I have had a terrible salt taste for all these months. It has seemed as though my molars were salt blocks constantly dissolving. Along with this I had hyper-taste and hyper-smell, the combination of which made eating very distasteful (literally). I have very little salt taste left and the hyper-taste, too, is much improved.

I have also found that I do not get up the four to five times a night in order to urinate. Now it is one to three times nightly.

I take 2 1000 mg capsules daily, one in the morning and one before bedtime. I should note that Wisconsin Ginseng is a different drug from Asian Ginseng and that its only noted side affect is insomnia.

I doubt that this is a "Placebo" affect. I still have almost no saliva, so eating solids is still very difficult for me despite having tried four different protocols for acupuncture which had been clinically shown to produce saliva in radiation treated patients.

Have you had your Prostrate checked? Three times a night is way too many.

[quote=davidcpa]Have you had your Prostrate checked? Three times a night is way too many. [/quote]

I would love to only get up three times a night! I'm lucky if it's only three. Often times it's nearly every 90 minutes.

I've had my prostate checked and while there is some compromise, it was considered normal for my age and condition. I attribute it to the huge amount of water I drink. Typically, close to a gallon a day.

Have the creatine,GFR levels and glucose levels checked for impaired kidneys function, diabetes, which can cause frequent urination, dehydration. Excess protein can also cause increased urination. Yes, ginger has many healing properties. I like to make ginger tea with grated or sliced ginger steeped in hot water, add honey.

fishmanpa: Frequent urination at night can be related to sleep disorders. I have had sleep problems on and off since my initial cancer treatment in 2005. In my research to find sound sleep I learned that insomnia through the night will increase the number of times I get up to urinate. If I am able to sleep soundly through the night, maybe up once to urinate but able to return quickly to sleep, it suggests that urinary frequency at night is not the problem. I consume 80-90 ounces of liquid per day through my PEG tube. Do you have daytime sleepiness, restless legs, difficulty falling back to sleep after you get up?

Sorry to change the topic but I wanted to address fishmanpa's concerns and this may be of interest to others. Sleep disorders are a common problem for those who are being treated for cancer and for those who have NED.

Zenda,

I have none of the symptoms you described. I am awakened by the urge to urinate. I often dream I have to go and subsequently awaken to do so. I have no issue falling immediately back to sleep. I do sometimes awaken tired and could use a few more hours of sleep but that's been the case my entire life

Initially, after treatment, I had sleep issues but they resolved after I was able to sleep in my bed as opposed to a recliner. My blood work is nearly perfect (red and white counts still low) but everything else is normal.

"T"

JMO but I don't care if you drink 10 gallons of water a day, having to get up and pee that many times a night is NOT normal. If it were me I would at least start with a urologist and get their opinion.

Ah ginseng ... that brings back memories. We used to use it in our 20s after a big night out (as in drinking too much and staying out till sunrise before heading straight to work) and when recovering from colds and malaise (mostly being hangovers). We stopped using it the day after a friend of ours went "crazy". Apparently, ginseng interacts with some anti-depressants which our friend was on. I don't remember the details, but I would make sure you tell your doctor if you are taking it as it is still a drug even though it is marketed as a "natural remedy".

re the frequent urination: I second Davids suggestion that you be checked out by a urologist. Can't hurt and might be something that can be fixed. Just a question though ... is this something that has started happening since treatment or is this your pattern prior?

[quote=klo]re the frequent urination: I second Davids suggestion that you be checked out by a urologist. Can't hurt and might be something that can be fixed. Just a question though ... is this something that has started happening since treatment or is this your pattern prior?[/quote]

Perhaps a new thread would be prudent as I don't want to hijack the Ginseng subject.

I appreciate the concern and will bring this up with my GP next visit. This is a pattern I've had for the last 10+ years or so. Back in the early 2000's when I got into natural body building and started drinking water in large quantities is when it started. I would awaken a minimum of 2-3 times a night. I maintained a rather intense fitness regime until my heart attack in '07. I've maintained the water regime as it's a healthy thing to do. Both the quantity of water and frequency of urination has increased since treatment. I can put down a 16oz of water easily with a meal and I'll drink at least 7-8 bottles a day. There have been only a few times in recent memory that I've slept more than 4-5 hours without having to go. I have no other unusual symptoms concerning the prostate.

"T"

Not ginger, ginseng.