The SA Master Cleanse Forum » Detox Symptoms and Problems

Laxative tea (senna) causing intestinal cramps and disrupting sleep

(8 posts)

  1. emme

    Junior
    Posts: 9

    Hi all

    I'm on day 3 of MC. The night before MC started, I had a cup of Senna laxative tea. I had a normal bowel movement when I woke up. Before going to sleep on Day 1, I had another cup. 6 hours later (at 6am) I was awoken by strong intestinal cramps. Going to the loo helped but it took a while. I tried going back to sleep but was disturbed at 7am by more cramps. I was eventually able to go back to sleep at woke up at 9am. No further cramps during the day. SWF was fine.

    Yesterday was day 2. Last night just before going to bed, I had another cup of senna tea. This time I was awoken 4 hours later at 4:20am with medium cramps which got stronger, leading to being on the loo half an hour later. I went back to bed, cramps continued, back to the loo. Luckily, it's holiday time (and the weekend) so I was able to keep trying to fall asleep, though I was disturbed from time to time.

    When I eventually got up, it was 10am. Didn't feel too rested or awake or alert.

    Now I don't want to take the tea tonight because it is totally disrupting my sleep. It is also making me go to the loo way earlier than my normal morning BM happens. The SWF does its job well, so is the nightly tea still needed? I'm hardly passing anything anyway.

    Any advice would be appreciated :)

    Posted 8 years ago #

  2. Mike

    lemonHead
    Posts: 226

    HI emme.
    Unfortunately some people have this reaction to Senna. The best options are first to:
    1. try another brand of laxative tea - they can be very different in composition and the more Senna in the mix the higher the possibility of cramps
    2. don't steep it too long, i.e. make it weaker.

    The flush and the tea work very differently and play a complimentary role. However, if the actions above don't relieve your problems then just do the SWF - its not ideal but should be OK.

    "I am responsible - the creator of my own experience."
    Posted 8 years ago #

  3. emme

    Junior
    Posts: 9

    Thanks Mike. I'll look out for other laxative teas. Just not sure when I'll have time to get to a health shop. Hopefully Monday. So tonight I'll give it a skip just so that I can have a good uninterrupted sleep. My bowels generally work fine so I'm not too concerned. Maybe I'll even have a BM without the tea! Though I do doubt it.

    I actually have Senna powder, so there's no steeping. Just mixing and drinking.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  4. Mike

    lemonHead
    Posts: 226

    Just raw Senna? Wow, if so thats quite extreme! tea mixtures with 30-40% Senna are considered extremely strong!

    Posted 8 years ago #

  5. emme

    Junior
    Posts: 9

    Yip, I think it is raw Senna. What about Black Forest tea? Is that okay?

    Posted 8 years ago #

  6. Mike

    lemonHead
    Posts: 226

    OK, well that explains your cramps. Definitely not a good idea to continue with that! Black Forest tea is also quite strong but definitely a lot less than straight Senna. I thought that Black Forest Tea was removed from the market here though? Not sure. The tea we include in our kits is called 'Neutriherbal Laxa'. Its is reasonably mild, although if its steeped too long a few folks still have a problem with cramps. Has a nice licorice-y flavour too.

    Posted 8 years ago #

  7. PoppiSeed

    Senior
    Posts: 14

    I use Black Forest tea and I usually buy it at any grocery store... PnP or Spar etc. I couldn't find the original regular red box in the store - I only found a lime lemon-flavoured one. Why was it removed from the market? Could this new one be a replacement?

    *close to freaking out*

    Follow my blog on http://www.poppiseed-journal.blogspot.com
    Posted 8 years ago #

  8. emme

    Junior
    Posts: 9

    After trying a few PnP and Spar stores, I eventually found the regular Black Forest tea at Spar Norwood. Turns out the tea was off the market for a few months.

    I checked the ingredients: Senna leaf. So I didn't buy.

    At home I googled for approximate equivalent for Senna powder. I tried 1/8 teaspoon in some warm water last night just before going to sleep. (I used to put 1 teaspoon in! As it said on the box...)

    6 hours later I woke up with small rumblings, which then led to needing the loo. So I had a BM, much more than previous day (on no tea) but then again much more watery. Also quite smelly! But there were NO cramps. So I'll try it again tonight. I just don't want to only get 6 hours sleep. Hopefully, can get back to sleep tomorrow...

    Posted 8 years ago #

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