Has anyone used ginseng for energy?

I was instructed by my oncologist to take Korean Ginseng in order to build up my energy while on chemotherapy. It takes a while for it to get into your system, but I can definitely feel the difference.

After more than a year of my slogging and struggling through a haze, my onc recommended ginseng from a specific country. Alas, do not recall which, but I just bought whatever was on sale, probably from the USA. A few months later, the haze lifted and my energy returned--emotional as well as physical. I do not know, of course, whether it was the ginseng or simply time, but that was probably six months go and I absolutely feel better.

Hi Karabesque. I take ginseng to manage stress (I mix it in with my green iced tea and kinda make my own version of Arizona Iced Tea, which I LOVE). I never told my onc that I was taking it, though, so I'm not sure if it's risky or not with chemo. I didn't notice any adverse effects. As a matter of fact, I never needed any anti-nausea meds during chemo. My personal opinion is that it can only be helpful in the right dose. Different ginsengs do different things, so make sure you're taking the right kind for its intended purpose. Also ginseng is costly..... If it's cheap, it's probably a junk root from a questionable source or mostly filler. Make sure the bottle indicates which one you're getting. If it doesn't specifically state American/Red/Brazilian/Indian etc., you're never really sure what's in there.