Evening Primrose Oil side effects - my story

[Soveryupset]

Hi,
I just thought I post this, as when it happened to me it was really quite scary and it was only after googling that I found other people going through similar.

In short, I had breast pain, which was found to be related to my cycle, and the breast consultant I went to see recommended high dose evening primrose oil. I never really suffered from PMT, so I never really took them. I started off with a lower dose, then went up to a higher one, taking 3 pills per day.

I started to feel really anxious all the time and every little thing set me off crying or flipping out. We went on holiday (this was last summer) and instead of relaxing immediately as I normally do, I started to feel worse and worse. It culminated with me having a massive showdown - screaming fit at DH and my DD1 as they made a tiny joke - everyone was really worried about me, including myself, as I ended up in a tiny room crying for hours for no reason whatsoever.

DH and I sat that night trying to work out what the hell was going on with me and it suddenly dawned on us - evening primrose tablets. I chucked them all in the bin and stopped taking them and after only a day I felt like a huge blanket of doom had lifted off my head. I later discovered on various forums that it can seriously affect your nervous system.

So I just wanted to warn everyone who starts to take these for the first time to monitor how they feel. Even if this only helps one person I will be glad that they don't have to go what I went through that time! I thought I was going mad.

[julesxxx]

@Gingerface90

Omg!!! This thread has just vindicated me. Recommended by my mum who swear by them, I felt dreadful almost instantly after taking them. Couldn’t find a thing on google to back up what I was experiencing. My mum said I was imagining it….i also am anaemic and take ferrograd c, and noticed my stools changed colour meaning I was no longer absorbing iron. Within 24 hours of stopping them I am absorbing iron again and feel almost normal, still a bit anxious!

I started taking them a few weeks ago, for the past few days, Iv felt spaced out, and really bad headaches, nausea, not sleeping, the only thing Iv change in my life is taking OEP. So I googled last night and they can interact with HRT which I'm on, won't be taking anymore

[Gingerface90]

@Jupiterrose77 that’s really helpful info about potentially using it at different times. I think I am estrogen dominant and have started taking probiotics instead a few weeks ago which makes me feel amazing, except the night sweats I’ve now got 🫣

[Jupiterrose77]

There seem to be mixed reviews regarding evening primrose oil which makes sense as we are not all the same.
I find Evening primrose oil to be useful but I only take it two weeks before my period. This is when I need a estrogen boost, ( I am 47 ). However after my period I seem to be estrogen dominant and it makes me feel anxious. I have noticed a difference in my hair from using it for a little while now, and it definitely makes me feel more relaxed before my period and improves my sleep. If using EPR I would recommend experimenting with it in context of your cycle and playing around with dosage. I don't think all woman benefit from a high dosage.

[Gingerface90]

Omg!!! This thread has just vindicated me. Recommended by my mum who swear by them, I felt dreadful almost instantly after taking them. Couldn’t find a thing on google to back up what I was experiencing. My mum said I was imagining it….i also am anaemic and take ferrograd c, and noticed my stools changed colour meaning I was no longer absorbing iron. Within 24 hours of stopping them I am absorbing iron again and feel almost normal, still a bit anxious!

[Frenchfry1]

Absolutely same side effects for me, uncontrollable anxiety and stress. I came across your post and others expressing similar feedback to supplementing with evening primrose oil. I'm stopping them today. Thank you x

[Shmarissa29]

Writing this to share my experience with evening prime rose oil. I took 1000mg for about 10-12 days and started feeling headaches and little strange pains but didn’t think too much of it. I started noticing some crying episodes, more anxiety than normal, feelings of doom. Yesterday I woke up and had a complete mental breakdown with paranoia and anxiety and the worst depression feelings. I haven’t taken evening prime rose for 30 hours now, my headaches are gone but I feel extremely nauseous, still some anxiety, I feel like crazy hormonal, my breasts are double the size and very tender. Hot and cold flashes. I feel like maybe my hormones are levelling out now. This was by far a horrible traumatic experience and I can’t believe a supplement can cause such horrible horrible Side effects, hopefully I feel better in the next few days.

[Safzee]

Omg I had the same symptoms. I took it when I was 26yrs for menstrual issues I was told it will help me. I dint know. It made me loose weight so much and then I was anxious and very erratic. I was crying all the time. I dint know what was happening to me. I had a nervous breakdown one day at work. I used to work with mental health patients as a support worker, I was good at my job and dealt well with stress. But this particular day I could not listen to anyones issue. I had 1.1 chat with a patient and I couldn’t not hold my tears I cried so hard that my manager sent me home.
May hone I was so anxious I just wanted to be with people and when I was with friends and family I was sad and depressed and everyone was worried about me. When I got home I will lock myself in a room and cry so loud.
I was put on sick leave by my manager as she found me at work chaotic, crying basically she told me I was acting like the patients who had borderline personality disorder and bipolar .
I stopped taking the medication and I got better within a week. When I look back I get really scared to take any medications. I gave 3 kids now and I don’t think I could have handled parenthood if it was back then. I get chills when I remember that few weeks that I took evening primrose. When I went back to work my manager sat me down and asked me alot of questions they thought I was suicidal too. I had to meet with occupation therapy twice a week for a month when I went back to work.

[KatharineofAragon]

I’ve been taking it for years and whe I run out I really notice the negative effects . Perhaps it affects different people differently.

[LarryBlackmonsCodpiece]

Years ago I started taking EPO on the advice of my doctor, I already suffer with anxiety & low mood but do recall it being particularly bad then. I also had what I thought was an horrendous stomach bug, it was a surprise as other than occasional hormonal squits it’s rare for me to suffer with stomach or sickness bugs. An ambulance had to come out to me as I lost consciousness, this happened a few times, it was terrifying, I was lucky my partner was with me. It all coincided with me taking EPO, I did think at the time that it may be them as that’s all that had changed in my diet other than going out for a meal with partner, we ate at the same places, he was fine, he didn’t catch anything from me, even though he is susceptible due to stomach issues. It went on for 3 weeks, I was camped out in the toilet, I lost count of how many times I went each day, I lost over a stone & half, the back pain was horrendous, I had no appetite, I couldn’t keep anything in, it was an absolute nightmare. The tests at the hospital came back with nothing, I researched online to see if EPO could do this, I never got any where with it, as soon as I saw this thread title I had to read, interesting to see others having similar issues. I can’t be certain it was definitely EPO but will always wonder if it was.

[Wilb89]

Has anyone experienced these side effects when using EPO topically? I have been getting what everyone here has described and am wondering if switching to topical application will treat my skin issue without messing up my body.

[icelolly12]

I had excruciating, internal pains to the point I thought I may have endometriosis or ovarian cysts or similar. Stopped the tablets, the pain stopped... will never take them again.

[chasingsunshine111]

So happy i found this site.. I started taking EPO about a week and a half ago for Psorisis...I hvnt been the same since.. Mainly headache and dizzyness... Since i stopped, a couple days ago, side effects slowly going... Anyone else experience same...Making me very anxious...

[Wallywobbles]

I'm a bit evangelical about these but they have made such a difference to my brain fog and general well being. I'm 50 and in perimenopause.

[Chasingclouds100]

Thank you so much for sharing - I was going to purchase some but not going to now as I am already a very anxious person. Hope you are ok now

[PostMenPatWithACat]

I've taken 1000mg per day for about 10 years when I developed cystic breast disease just pre and post menopause. It was on the advice of a breast consultant.

I haven't had any problems but now wondering if I would have lots more energy and joie de vivre if I stop.

[swanzay94]

My experience with evening primrose initially was hopeful. My doctor told me it’s supposed to help with PMS symptoms like mood swings and such. I started taking them last week and I’m still reeling from the side effects. I stopped taking them two days ago, but it was affecting my work, I was getting easily agitated, I felt so angry. Even now I’m super sad and just feel very angry. I’m hoping this wears off. I’m also surprised I had to look this hard to find side effects of the capsule.

[Gwenhwyfar]

Maybe a dosage thing because I have taken them on and off at various stages of my life and not had these problems, or at least not in a way that was clearly linked to the Evening Primrose.

[MDR44]

Hi ladies I can't thank you enough for these comments I started evening primrose and starflower oil combined at the beginning of December for hot sweats, with the run up to Christmas I thought my panicky feelings, heart palpitations, wanting to cry, feeling lost and useless in my job was all stress and exhaustion and after having a rest at Christmas I'd feel better but I didn't. These feeling went on through January I honestly thought I was loosing my mind I couldn't reach myself which I know sounds weird but its the only way i can explain it I've never felt so frightened. One day I decided to look back and try and pin point when these feelings started and realised it was when i started these supplements so i searched the net and found these comments which made me realise i wasn't alone. I stopped taking them and honestly the difference within days was amazing, I've been off them a couple of weeks now and me and my family can see such a difference, I can even multi task again lol. I'm not saying don't try them because we are all different and they help many women all I'm trying to get across is keep a mood diary when you start something new whether herbal or prescribed medicine so you can judge your bodies response.

[DaisyChains3]

I find if I stop taking I develop chronic insomnia. It’s the only thing that works for me.

[UnicornsReal]

This is interesting. I have been taking it for a while but wonder if they have been doing more harm than good.

[Dh0121]

Hi! I’m going through a very similar thing right now and was wondering if you ever got back to ‘normal’. I’m hoping you did as I’m rather worried :(

[Dh0121]

Hi! Something very similar is happening to me. I’ve always suffered with panic attacks and anxiety but recently it’s been getting worse and I’ve realised it has to be this! I’ve stopped taking them now and I already feel a little better but I was wondering if your symptoms ever eased after stopping taking it.

[Safzee]

It happened to me few years ago. I decided to take it due to PMS. I bought it from H&B. I started feeling anxious about everything. I was going through some stuff but normally I could handle it, everything escalated pretty much. I was anxious, I had butterflies in my tummy for no reason. I had heart palpitations which was very scared. I was crying a lot without any reasons. I was so depressed that I stayed in bed the whole day and night. Anything set me off and o couldn’t handle interaction or working. As soon as I noticed maybe was the evening primrose oil I stopped immediately. But the damage was done already I had depression and anxiety. I got better after few weeks and went back to work.
I was so scared I thought I was having a mental breakdown or something I was scared of being alone yet I couldn’t social longer every time I tried I ended up locking myself in a room crying for no reasons. I remember I felt heartbroken for no reasons.

[sabi1247]

Hi ladies,

I have been taking the EPO for the last two weeks then stopped three days ago as i was going insane, weird thoughts, suicidal thoughts.. i reached out to a psychiatric and about to take Zoloft (anti depressants).
I have hormonal imbalance, PCOS.. and was having hot flushes so starting to take this evil meds.
My question is: how long did it take for you to get back to "normal" once you stopped the meds?

Thanks!

[BlibBlobBab]

I've been taking evening primrose oil for period pain and PMS, as recommended by my pharmacist. I suffer quite badly with my period, very painful cramps that make me feel like I'm going to pass out, plus mood swings. I get very depressed, have angry rages and have suicidal thoughts (I wouldn't act on them) and sometimes self harm. I realise I don't sound particularly mentally stable but this happens only for a few days of the month and outside of those times I am usually quite a carefree, easy going person and not like that at all.

So that's why I began taking evening primrose oil, and my first period since starting it was actually better. BUT, as the days pass my mood in general is getting lower. I'm paranoid, anxious and have like a permanent low level depression. I am bursting into tears over stupid things, and the paranoia and anxiety is getting unbearable.

I had a very similar reaction when I was on the contraceptive pill, and it grew worse the longer I was on it until it became like I was in a constant state of my worse days of PMS. If it wasn't for that experience with the pill, I don't think I would have made the connection between what's happening now and EPO. This thread has made my mind up and I will stop taking it. I just wanted to add my story in case anyone else ever has the same reaction and turns to Google for answers.

I would rather put up with about 3 days of hell each month rather than constantly be feeling like this, however, if anyone else has ever been in a similar situation and found something that actually works for them, I'd love to hear it.