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What should I discuss with my health care provider before taking goldenseal ()?

Do not take goldenseal without first talking to your doctor if you

• have high blood pressure or take medicine to control your blood pressure, or
• have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder or if you take a medicine to control or prevent such a disorder {e.g., heparin, warfarin (Coumadin), others}.

You may not be able to take goldenseal, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions, or take any of the medicines, listed above.

Talk to your doctor before taking goldenseal if you have any other medical conditions, allergies (especially to plants), or if you take other medicines or herbal/health supplements. Goldenseal may not be recommended in some situations.

There is no information available regarding the use of goldenseal by children. Do not give any herbal/health supplement to a child without first talking to the child's doctor.

How should I take goldenseal ()?

The use of goldenseal 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 goldenseal, use it as directed on the package or as directed by your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.

Standardized extracts, tinctures, and solid formulations of herbal/health supplements may provide a more reliable dose of the product.

Do not use any formulation of goldenseal as a douche.

Do not use different formulations (e.g., tablets, topical formulations, teas, tinctures, and others) of goldenseal at the same time, unless specifically directed to do so by a health care professional. Using different formulations together increases the risk of an overdose of goldenseal.

Store goldenseal as directed on the package. In general, goldenseal should be protected from light and moisture.

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