Soror Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 My daughter woke up with a fever and all the signs of the flu. I'm making some elderberry syrup but am wondering if it is ok for me to take. I have autoimmune thyroid disease and Celiacs disease. After reading about cytokines this week I'm feeling paranoid. My son and I have just a little sore throat and the other girls seem fine (but they slept with her last night before she was sick. So, ya or na can we all take it? We have all had a flu shot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I have Hashimoto's and I take elderberry. What are the symptoms of a cytokines storm? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Where do you guys buy the elderberry syrup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Where do you guys buy the elderberry syrup? You can get it at almost any drug store. I think Target carries it now too. And natural food stores. However, the OP made hers and that's what we do too. I order dried berries on Amazon. It's much cheaper and it tastes better too IMO. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I have Hashimoto’s, Celiac, Addison’s and some other issues, mostly auto immune. I take elderberry syrup. We take it preventatively, so go for it! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 You can get it at almost any drug store. I think Target carries it now too. And natural food stores. However, the OP made hers and that's what we do too. I order dried berries on Amazon. It's much cheaper and it tastes better too IMO. I am going to order some berries on amazon....prices are all over the map...is a pound plenty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I am going to order some berries on amazon....prices are all over the map...is a pound plenty? Yes, a pound is plenty. I think I'm just finishing a pound I've kept in the freezer for a year. This is the recipe we use. https://realfoodrn.com/homemade-elderberry-syrup/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 :bigear: I have similar concerns, though not as definitive a diagnosis as you have. I also have a lot of non-allergic, allergic reactions to all kinds of things (I don't test as allergic, but the reactions are real and vary from annoying to epi-pen needed, doesn't seem to be oral allergy syndrome either). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I have hypothyroidism as well as other autoimmune problems and take elderberry syrup. Dd is celiac and takes it too. It has never caused a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 My dd has Mast cell issues and reacts to all kinds of things, but seems to do fine with elderberry (knock wood). She did, however, have an almost immediate and extreme reaction to Tamiflu recently. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Yes, a pound is plenty. I think I'm just finishing a pound I've kept in the freezer for a year. This is the recipe we use. https://realfoodrn.com/homemade-elderberry-syrup/ Did you buy organic? OP, sorry to threadjack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 (edited) Did you buy organic? OP, sorry to threadjack. I do. A pound from Amazon for about $12 I think. I have made 3 batches and still have over half the berries left. ETA. The brand I bought is currently not available🙠Edited January 23, 2018 by Lawana 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlett Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I do. A pound from Amazon for about $12 I think. I have made 3 batches and still have over half the berries left. ETA. The brand I bought is currently not available🙠Yikes, the organic pounds I am seeing are over $30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 Thanks for the reassurance guys, I went ahead and took it and gave it to them all, dd1 thought it was too sweet but the rest thought it was better than expected. I made my own syrup, I had elderberries, I ordered them online but I can't remember where. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Yikes, the organic pounds I am seeing are over $30. I wonder if the current flu season is driving prices up. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4everHis Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I am going to order some berries on amazon....prices are all over the map...is a pound plenty? A pound will make 3-4 batches of quart jar syrup. https://wellnessmama.com/1888/elderberry-syrup/ This is the recipe I use. I've done one without the honey. Pretty nasty and hard to get kids to take. Raw honey has it's own benefits. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Even at $30 it is WAY cheaper than buying the syrup in bottles. I've made at least 6 batches out of my pound of berries. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4everHis Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I wonder if the current flu season is driving prices up. It is because I've gotten them for quite a bit cheaper than I just paid. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 The raw honey is more than the amount I paid for the berries. Still way cheaper than buying the syrup. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4everHis Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 The raw honey is more than the amount I paid for the berries. Still way cheaper than buying the syrup. A pound of berries makes at least if not more than 3 quart jars of syrup. 8 oz of syrup is $13 and hard to find. Making your own is way cheaper. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freesia Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 The usual amazon price for organic is $16 a lb or so. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 My dd has Mast cell issues and reacts to all kinds of things, but seems to do fine with elderberry (knock wood). She did, however, have an almost immediate and extreme reaction to Tamiflu recently. Did you make your own or buy it? Did it have raw honey? Prior to allergy shots for my "real" pollen allergies, raw honey triggered reactions for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 The usual amazon price for organic is $16 a lb or so. I just looked up my order from September. $13.99 for organic. I wonder why I always remember paying less than I did? Wishful thinking?😅 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I take it and no issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 We have hives, so I have plenty of good local honey :) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Here's a research article on elderberrry and cytokines, but not on storms: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11399518, Basically, it says that it increases an inflammatory cytokine response which is typically helpful in an immune response. The problem with flu is that it has a tendency to overactivate the cytokine response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmith Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 I stopped taking elderberry syrup because it may stimulate the immune system, which I don't want with 2 autoimmune diseases. My neurologist advised against it and other supplements which stimulate the immune system. I was taking a large dose of elderberry syrup when I had a severe MS flare last year. I don't know if that was a factor or not, but I'm not taking any chances! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindy in FL. Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 (edited) I was trying to research cytokines storms last night to determine what to do to prevent that issue, as it is apparently connected to otherwise healthy young people dying from a serious flu. I think Vitamin D is supposed to be helpful, but I found it difficult to get a concrete answer. I am having my guys take Vit D3, Ester C, and a multi vitamin, and Sambucol for the one living at college. I would really like to understand the issue better, though. Edited January 24, 2018 by Cindy in FL. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMS83 Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 (edited) For what it's worth, and with no contextual information about this site, I found this: http://www.naturalmedicinemamas.com/nmm-blog/cytokine-storm-and-herbs-life-or-death-information I've also learned about the difference between fish oil vitamin A and beta-carotene, or at least, that there is a difference. I have another kid down. :( ETA: we were advised to give big doses of vitamin A; that's how I ended up learning that. Edited January 24, 2018 by CES2005 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemom Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 For what it's worth, and with no contextual information about this site, I found this: http://www.naturalmedicinemamas.com/nmm-blog/cytokine-storm-and-herbs-life-or-death-information I've also learned about the difference between fish oil vitamin A and beta-carotene, or at least, that there is a difference. I have another kid down. :( ETA: we were advised to give big doses of vitamin A; that's how I ended up learning that. Thanks for sharing this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMS83 Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 I'm not sure it'll help stop something like that, but instead not exacerbate it with certain things, and possibly ease it with the others. Regardless, it's definitely a medical emergency! Realistically, I think even making sure they check for this phenomenon, hospital staff may not be able to stop it. It seems really rare, though. Secondary infections are much more likely and can be just as dangerous. We just don't know it all yet, and we can't fix everything. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 We had good response with elderberry (comparable to/better than I think Tamiflu in infected and probably prevented it for me) with confirmed flu. I was going to link that article above, as someone posted it recently here and I thought it so helpful. From it I gathered it's absolutely safe to use it to prevent or treat early, if you see signs of worsening, you stop and do things to tamp down. This particular dominant flu strain is primarily affecting elderly and kids. So, unlike some strains like H1N1, it doesn't seem to be more likely to produce cytokine storms and take down healthy immune systems. I don't mean that can't or doesn't happen, but it seems less likely with this season so far. I am using Elderberry for preventative now. I would absolutely use it at treatment levels for those of you living with the child and exposed. I did that in my own situation and avoided flu while living with and caring for 3 flu positive family members. If I was worried about auto-immune, I might take it at prevention levels (lower doses), unless I began to get sick. At first sign, I would go up I think. But I don't know/haven't thought about that angle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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