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Originally Posted by AzHiker
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This has probably been covered by prior posts but my Mayo doctor recommended alpha lipoic acid as a supplement to help cure/forestall the progression of the PN. Has any one had success or noted a difference when they take this supplement? He also suggested vitamin E but told me the B's wouldn't help and to be careful with the B-6.
Thank you!
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Welcome to this forum. I've done very well over the years with a boatload of supplements, covered in my long post in the "Stickies" section above. Google is very useful to find out about supplements and treatments. Simply bring up
www.Google.com and type in "alpha lipoic acid peripheral neuropathy" .
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...opathy&spell=1 . Another good source is the iherb Health Encyclopedia at
http://healthlibrary.epnet.com/GetCo...7-5fe33da65dd4 .
One caution is that there is NO magic pill for PN. I feel that PN is the manifestation of many underlying weakness and lack of optimal health. If the underlying problems weren't manifested as PN, they would be manifested in some other way. The best way to cope with PN and to promote healing is to restore optimal health through diet, exercise, attitude, getting help, spiritual strength, and a support network to facilitate all of these. Anyway, that approach has helped me go from virtual incapacity to being very active and usually pretty pain free.
Supplements generally should be taken with an eye to maintaining balance in the body, and not to excess. Things work together. For example, carnitine (an amino acid) works WITH ALA (alpha lipoic acid) to help muscle function, nerve function, and nerve healing. In like fashion, calcium-magnesium complex needs vitamin D to be utilized by the body. However, being an AZ hiker, you probably get enough sun exposure to not require supplemental D. This is a complex field. My post, and posts by Rose and MrsD are a starting place for you to decide what's best for you. Whatever you choose to supplement with isn't a simple decision. Like drugs, many supplements have unintended side effects so you really should study first, come up with a supplement program for yourself, and then bounce it off of the people in this forum.
BTW, unless they've made a special study of the topics, MDs get virtually no training in non-drug supplementation or dietary changes for healing and sometimes give terrible advice based on little research or knowledge. Give careful consideration to what your doctors recommend because they understand physiology on a much deeper and wider level than most of us, but you still have to do your own research on the topic, or consult with a clinical dietitian.