I read a article on PN and in this article it said that if possible pain medicine should be avoided. I don't know how anybody with PN can avoid pain medicine. I am in pain and at least the pain medicine somewhat gives me a break from it, But it helps better to take Lycia and the pain pill together.

When I walk somewhat a distance now my feet is like burning (I don't know exactly now to describe it). It is getting hard to walk, and it is scarcy. I don't think anyone can understand unless they have been through it. It is a strange thing.

I think everyone is different in what works. But I agree that blunting sensation is the opposite of what is needed to restore nerve function.

Probably the best thing you could do unless you have acid reflux, is take R-Alpha Lipoic Acid and Acetyl-L-Carnitine.

I have reflux so I take it only with higher fat or carb meals a couple times a week.

I have found Pomegranate Extract to be the most effective polyphenol(fruit) antioxidant for pain(and arthritis).

Also Benfotiamine to stop the burning and such.

Ubiquinol and magnesium is important to support mitochondrial function

For pain I take Taurine, Fish Oil daily


then Holy Basil and or Curcumin if it really flares.


You definitely want to be taking more antioxidant supplements than pain pills. Pain pills obscure sensation and are toxic to your liver and other organs. That being said, you don't want to be in pain. You can look thru the threads above about that goes into greater detail on supplements.

Thanks aeb105: Sometimes it can be overwhelming all the things you can take especially when you tried some of them and can't take it and then money down the drain. I am sensitive to medicine and when I find something I usually stick with it.

I am taking the fish oil but the R-Alpha Lipoic I can't take. I am thinking about taking the B 12 vitaimin but read also you should take B6 and folic acid too. See why things get overwhelmed. I talked with a nurse that I run into and said B 12 is good to take, but didn't ask her about if you should be taking the other stuff too.

If I can get this down pack and know exactly what to take and what I can take maybe I can get off the pain medicine, but until then I have to have something for the pain.

I can't take any vitamin with vitamin C or potassium in it. I really have to watch out what is in the vitamins. You are definitely right about everyone is different. Appreciate you input and hope soon I will find the right thing for me.

I would steer clear of the Pomegranate cause it has vitamin C and potassium in it.

Other antioxidants that might help with pain and the disease:

Green Tea Extract
Resveratrol
Grape Seed Extract
Curcumin

GliSODin
NAC


Mrs. D has a B-12 thread above. Then you can ask her about the other stuff. If you can see an Integrative Medicine or Natural Doctor who treats this would be ideal.

Trish,

I used the Ayurvedic herb Bacopa to get off the meds. It has some similar actions to Lyrica and Cymbalta in terms of dealing with pain, however it also stimulates Acetylcholine(good for nerves) and it increases endogenous antioxidants(very good for liver and organs in general).

To do this, I cut the meds in half and took 100mg Bacopa and a gram of fish oil a day for a couple of weeks. Then I got completely off the meds and went to 200mg on Bacopa and the 1 gram of fish oil and it was more than enough.

Bacopa is hands down the best transitional herb to get off any antidepressant or anti-anxiety pharmaceutical drugs. And in my opinion(not a doctor) along with Gotu Kola the best herbs for Neuropathic pain. In fact I have recommended this combo to a woman at my office and she made the transition and is feeling better currently(1 month).

"Bacopa is a great neurotonic, immuno-modulator, adaptogen, tranquilizing, memory and learning enhancing, cerebral activator, anti-ulcer, antispasmodic, anti-asthmatic ayurvedic herb. Other benefits are anti-allergic, free radicals scavenging effect and as herbal supplement in Epilepsy, anxiety and depression.

Know its beneficial actions on brain, memory, mental deficiency, Alzheimer's disease, learning skills, anxiety, depression, stress, epilepsy and ADHD children." - holistic-herbalist.com

I am curious as to the bolded statement in this post.
Potassium is present in very small amounts in supplements. The FDA does not allow a potassium supplement beyond 99mg.
Some natural foods have whopping potassium levels in them.
The amount of potassium we require daily is 4.5 grams --that is 4500mg. If you are on a drug with a potassium restriction, that would be ACE inhibitors. Some forms of kidney disease, also have potassium restrictions. But the general public is basically low in potassium intake and it can be a serious health problem. The daily intake suggestions have been RAISED recently from 3.5grams a day to 4.5. It has been estimated that we evolved as humans consuming up to 7.5grams a day! You can check the content of your food choices here:
www.nutritiondata.com
This website will list the contents of most foods so you can see which are beneficial and which are rather empty. They also rate the inflammatory index for each food.

Vitamin C is an important antioxidant for supporting the joints and ligaments, as well as for quenching free radicals. Vit C has shown promise in preventing the sympathetic neuropathy called RSD which can occur after an injury or surgery. If regular Vit C bothers you, the Ester form is easy to take. We cannot live without Vitamin C, so I am concerned as to why you need to limit this. Some patients with the genetic disease hemochromatosis are advised to limit Vit C so as to absorb less iron from foods. That is the only restriction I can recall at the moment.

Well as for as a bold statement I don't know but it is just life for me. Because of foods are high in vit c and potassium, I have to watch my intake on that too. I tried taking a multi. vitamin with C and potassium and I was most miserable.

I am not saying that it is not great for others to take because it is probably the best thing they can do for themselves. Wish I didn't have problems with it but I do.

Didn't mean to sound like I am against this stuff because I am not Mrs. D. I just wish I could find something that will work for me, but maybe that can't happen because of other situations.