Vitamins and supplements

Subsequent to the neuro visit yesterday, I am fired up to work things out the best I can on my own.
Its clear he cant help me.
So, can I ask please I know some of you take supplements.
Are there any that you feel actually help with migraines and fibro please.
What I mean is "that" is why you take those ones, rather than just as a dietary supplement.
I would appreciate some help as I dont take anything, have limited funds and would prefer to get off to the best start I can.
As an IBS person who doesn't eat the greatest diet, I would be surprised if I cant improve things a bit.

Thanks very much, hope the sun is shining where you are, its beautiful here.

Pen

Hi,

I recently got off most of medication as well. Now, I only take my zanaflex, zoloft, and occaisional medication for breakthrough pain. It has worked pretty well so far-again knocling on wood, crossing fingers, and praying as I write this.

My roommate has done some research into some of the herabl/natural remedies. Here is what occaisionally helps me or takes the edge off.
Ginger- my favorite. It helps with some of the nausea and other things. I usually eat candied ginger or drink a ginger beer.
Peppermint tea- also good- can be useful for headaches.
Blackcurrant tea-
passionfruit juice
pomegranites
Vitamin B complex.
Witch hazel rubbed on my head or poured on a wet cloth also seems to help some.
I also had a doctor who reccommended Co-1O and feverfew.
The quiet dark room thing also works well.

Of course, these things do not get rid of the headaches, but they do take the edge off the a bit. Inaddition, none of these things can hurt me at all. I am, of course, still under the care of a neurologist as a pain dr. However, the less is more thing is working for me now. So, maybe something will help you. Again, this is just my experience-yours may be different.

I hope this information helps you. Please let me know if there is any problem.

Pain free days,
sailingm

This is wonderful and just the kind of response I hoped for thank you.
I will read an "digest" (is that humour??) and get back to you if I may.
Many thanks and glad it is helping you a bit....

Pen

my docotor recommended magnesium, B2 (riboflavin) and co-enzyme Q10 (which is expensive)-but studies have shown it promising for migriane. I also take a B-100, and melatonin (to help me sleep/recommended by a previous neurologist). Best of luck.

I get almost all of my supplements from Iherb.com. They have great prices but I don't how they would stack up against where you are buying your CQ10.

http://www.iherb.com/Coq10-Super

Hi pen i take, multi vit& mineral from health food store, magnesium, and cQ10 really not sure if it helps as havent stopped taking it for any length of time to test it and see, but started taking it this time last year when M took a turn for the worst, i do have lovely hair and nails now though, Lol.

I did high dose melatonin, magnesium, B complex, CQ10, EPA fish oils and an assortment of herbal products with no relief. But then again I had atypical migs. I still take all that for the other health benefits.

Anything that can keep you out of doctor offices, fewer or no side effects and is much cheaper then most mig RX's is always worth a try.

I take Mg. But be sure to use a chelated Mg or transdermal. Mg oxide does not absorb very well at all. Riboflavin. Melatonin, it's great! Helps me get good sleep.

Pen,

My doc has me on 1mg of Folic Acid 1xday for high C-reactive P (inflamation levels within the vessels). Folic Acid helps to reduce eleveated C-reactive P levels, which is thought to drive stroke risk.

I'm also on 50,000 IU of ergocalcifen (Vitamin D) for a Vit. D. deficiency.

Some docs have mentioned Coenzyme Q10 for muscle pain caused by statins, but evidence has been anecdotal.

Good luck.
mgb

Just in the interim, well I hope its the interim, thank you all very much.
I see Q10 seems to be quite popular. As I take nothing maybe I should start with Q10 and B vits.
I discussed the Magnesium with the neuro and said with the IBS its a hard one to take, but he didnt really comment just nodded.

Thanks all.

I took 5HTP with excellent results. I went from 2-4 migraines a week to 2-4 a month. It's supposed to also be good for treating Fibromyalgia. I stopped taking it because taking it with an SSRI or a triptan could cause serotonin syndrome. I am already taking an SSRI and a triptan which is risky enough. However it was very effective. I think I'll continue to pursue tabasco sauce.

Chris

Thanks Chris, interesting. What is the Tabsco sauce thing, I must have been in Fibro fog and missed it.
I recall some people trying ginger, but not Tabasco....

For about five months now I have been taking:

Co Q10
Feverfew
Riboflavin

Unfortunately, none of these have made a whit of difference.

Lil Bird wrote:I take Mg. But be sure to use a chelated Mg or transdermal. Mg oxide does not absorb very well at all. Riboflavin. Melatonin, it's great! Helps me get good sleep.

It's becoming more available as magnesium citrate which is very absorbable just like calcium citrate. I use the citrate minerals also, they're already acidified so our stomach doesn't have to secrete extra acid to make them usable.

hi pen i have to be careful when i take magnesium i have taken on an empty stomach a couple of times and boy did i get tummy cramps, so as with my preventatives (reducers) i always take with food, preferably my evening meal,

Pen, read the thread on capsaicin. Tabasco sauce is made from cayenne peppers. Capsaicin is present to one degree or another in all plants of the Capsicum genus except bell peppers.

Chris

Capsaicn has also been shown to de-animate prostate cancer cells. It's has blood thinning properties and is an anti-inflammatory. I use habanero powder if I get a deep cut. It's has antiseptic properties and xanthones to help efficient healing. Good stuff and even better I have been a manic pepper head for years. I grow them and make my own hot sauce.

Ok thanks for explaining that. To be honest I cant even cope with ginger. If I eat anything spicy my mouth sets on fire.
I dont know why this is. I have often wondered if it is my body protecting me because my gut cant cope with anything spicy. I have IBS. I was given peppermint capsules for the IBS (I know not the same). They burned my stomach and gut up so bad.....Dr took me off them. I guess I wont be able to try the pepper. But thanks.

Pen,

You can administer capsaicin intranasally and also topically. I find both to be very effective. I also take cayenne capsules which have helped me out greatly. They sell them in certain formulations designed not to burn your stomach. It also helps if you took with food. If you read the capsaicin thread, you'll see a product on there called Headache Buster. I find a lot of relief in using this product.

Pen,

The chemistry of Capsaicin is different from that of the plant family that ginger comes from (Zingiberaceae) or the family that peppermint comes from (Lamiaceae), so you might tolerate Capsaicin even though you can't tolerate the others. I think it's worth a try, but if you're sure it will make you miserable, I can understand your reluctance.

Chris

Yes Pen, after 25 odd years also taking matters into my own hands. Very very steep learning curve as I have no medicat background at all, but have learnt a lot in the past few months.
From what I can gather the big link to vitamins and minerals is that they allow absorbtion of hormones.
If any of your vitamin gatekeepers are in small numbers the flow of your hormones becomes restricted.
ergo you end up with problems.
What you have to determine is what hormones are not being absorbed correctly by the lack of which vitamins.
This is where I am at.
Best of Luck.
Because it isn't easy.
Last year doctor told me "eat more salt" with thryoid problem.
Have now had two doctors tell me a lot of my problems may be inner ear on top of the Hashimotos, on top of...and the first thing I read about inner ear problems is DON"T eat salt.
I was not well when I added the salt and over the last few months have been much worse, thinking it was the thyroid getting worse.
Now am wondering if it was the increase in salt.
So yes, something like B12 and D if you have an autoimmune problem may really help. But then again, they might not, and you have to keep looking for what your short on.
Adrenal fatigue sites are very informative in this area.
PS How's the volcano dust

Does anybody know if a sublingual pill taken orally (swallowed) is effective?
because dummy me, I didn't read the label properly and for two weeks I was simply popping my Vit B 12 as always before my daughter pointed out to me these are sublingual?

Also - my daughter who was tanning the entire summer and almost never uses SPF
still had a significant Vit D deficiency.
We live in West Coast, part of Canada where is often dark and rainy so we don't get enough sunshine.
I was very surprised, as the blood tests she had done wasn't even specifically to determine her Vit D levels,
just by an off chance "hey, what not". See, in such a climate a bit of tanning wasn't enough to have an adequate amount of Vit D.
A lot of BC-ans have significant Vit D deficiency I was told.

I supposed I may have it as well considering how I rarely tan, even in the tan booth.
and if ever, lately only at the tan salon. because I burn too easily. and last time I tanned was about three, maybe even four years ago.
So we both started taking supplements, and I think I regained a bit of my energy, and I think I am not as cold as I used to be anymore. I still am, but not so badly.

So all of you lacking energy, living in the parts where sun is scarce, please consider you may need Vit D more than you think. especially what with the skin cancer scare, and SPF present in most cosmetics -face, body creams and lotions, makeup even nowadays.

(so - what about sublingual, if swallowed - do they work or no?)

Risa

I have never looked at a label for that!! I have no idea.
Will look at my labels tonight.

Vitamin B-12 is very tough for us to absorb. I use methylcobolamine which is pre-processed B-12 and is a sublingual pill. Given how tough it is to absorb and being a water soluble overdosing is not very likely.

The research on vitamin D3 deficiency is coming down like and avalanche. It seems like very week they are finding a new medical condition that is either from D3 deficiency or aggravated by it. Cancer is a big one. The research is not coming from alternative health institutions, it's western medicine.

One day of full body sun exposure will give you around 10,000 units of D3. So that gives you an idea on how much we should supplement. I do 10,000 a day. Some supplement companies are even making a 10,000 IU capsule.

It's worth reading about. I got rid of all my allergies with D3 since it's not only an immune booster by also a regulator. Allergies are just an over active hyper stimulated part of your immune system.