Grey's Anatomy had a lady whose blood was toxic from herbal tea and chemotherapy, can this happen?

The story seems to be based on an actual event. A link to one of the articles is below. Further analysis on blood samples was done at Los Alamos Laboratories but the findings were inconclusive. No one knows why the doctors and nurses fell ill and, at first, the rather unsatisfying conclusion was that they hospital workers panicked and induced mass hysteria. Much later, a neurotoxin was possibly identified.

Given the enormous number of people who have received chemotherapy and radiation and had eaten/drank who knows what during treatment, it would seem that the likelihood of such a thing happening is vanishingly small. And in the real life case, it wasn't tea or an herbal remedy but an industrial solvent in high oxygen concentration.

The writers of the show took dramatic license to move the story along. George would have to be nearly psychic to make the connection between the patient and the symptoms. Also, there would be no way of knowing what chemical was responsible, much less identifying a reaction mechanism, without a large sample and months of testing and analysis.

Herbs and alternate treatments can often interfere with chemotherapy to the deteriment of the patient, especially if the combinations are not complementary. You should always check with your oncologist before trying to treat yourself with any product. Chemotherapy is given with strict dosages in order to be effective and their are certain over the counter products which can render the therapy ineffective. Since this could mean the difference between life and death you should always thoroughly investigate anything that you try to use to treat your cancer. Talk to a medical professional or do in depth research.

Didn't see the show BUT most drugs started as "herbs" and they can interacte with the chemos (and other durgs).

so before you take herbals, check with doc to make sure they will not interact with whatever meds you are oon.

Jewells

35 months and still here

Wasn't that episode great? I have seen other tv shows use this idea but I have never read anything as to the veracity of it.

The Toxic Lady

I don''t know but what a great show last night...it prob. is somewhat true, I think they stretch it sometimes...