Originally Posted by mrsD

Yes, I have been thinking about you, and that arthritis.

You know I have great success for my arthritis from using SAMe for the past 10+ yrs. It in fact fixed my knee 90% (I still get twinges but no swelling) and so I avoided a knee replacement.
At that time 10 yrs ago, the MRI and xrays indicated my left would "go" in 5 yrs and it never happened as yet! I had a steroid shot in the knee after the MRI was mostly normal, and that was it. I started the SAMe then as insurance. Back then it cost $1.50 a 200mg pill and now is down to about 30 cents. A huge reduction.

I use NatureMade, and started at 200mg a day on an empty stomach in the early morning, and raised it by 200mg every other month or so until I was at 600mg daily. I used it that way for years. I stopped it 2 yrs ago, when I started some expensive things and I guess I shouldn't have. So now I am back on the SAMe at 200mg a day so far as I feel like I am relapsing some. NatureMade has buy one get one free at all 3 big pharmacies, CVS, Walgreen's and RiteAid...they rotate the sales. It is easy to save big bucks this way. Also





NatureMade has a rebate point program of $7.00 refund with 500pts. The SAMe typically gives 500pts for 3 boxes or so. So you can apply that to the next purchase, etc. Costco now has SAMe at very low prices too. SAMe is moisture sensitive and should be blister packed if you choose another brand. It must be packaged this way for best shelf life. I stick with NatureMade because they created the oral dosage form from the injectable that was used in Europe. In Italy and other countries SAMe was given typically by doctors to patients in injectable form. It is not stable orally, but NatureMade figured out how to do it...so I stick with them.

Studies have shown SAMe as effective as NSAIDs after 6weeks in patients. It is a slow but steady acting anti-inflammatory and the only side effects typically are insomnia, or hyper feelings in the beginning. SAMe also protects the liver, and enables neurotransmitter synthesis. So you can really feel better in several ways. But go slowly, as in the beginning it can be quite a blast. Younger people get that effect more than older people I have seen, as well. You can take it every other day, if needed, if you get that hypomanic effect in the beginning.

It is something to consider...and now that it is so much more affordable it is doable too. Many people avoided it because of the cost, etc back when.

Originally Posted by mrsD

SAMe does not have aspirin or NSAIDs in it.

Take the thyroid, wait 1/2 hour and then take the lipoic and SAMe. Since you are fluctuating with the levothyroxine, take it alone, for insurance. With a full glass of water it should leave the stomach in about 1/2 hour and move along.

The SAMe does not dissolve until the intestines. It has a special coating. That takes time, so the thyroid should have moved along by then. You can take the lipoic, B12 and SAMe together.

Wait another 1/2 hr or so before eating.

SAMe is made in the body from homocysteine, using the 3 vitamin cofactors and glycine (which supplies the methyl group).
Once it gives up the methyl group, it is regenerated using the 3 B vitamins over and over. Some people fail in this step with age, so taking it as a supplement repairs that.

I'd start with a small package of 200mg... a 30 pack. Take one a day for a month. See how you feel. You should notice mood effects within the first week. But the effects on joints may take a month or two and then are slowly progressive in a positive way.

This link explains the chemistry:
http://einstein-syndrome.com/biochem...#MTHFRMutation

It gets complicated. But... if you do respond well to SAMe, it might point to a DNA test for the MTHFR problem for you.
This link also shows the interlinking of the methylation chemistry to each other.

Originally Posted by mrsD

SAMe does not have any interactions that I know of.

The only warning it carries is for bipolar patients, who might get
hyped up on it and not realize. But even then it is a mild warning, not a big one.

Here is a long monograph:
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/s...ine-000324.htm

I don't think it will have any negative effect on the gabapentin, and may in fact improve your cognition which is a common side effect of gabapentin.

It is really a great supplement and just a few months ago had the price decrease, at Costco's. I joined Costco in fact over a decade ago, just to buy it---since it was lower price there. All the money I saved payed for my membership several times over in fact back then.

There is a guarantee on NatureMade's website...if you don't like it you can return it (free shipping) for a full refund, with receipt and unused portion.

The drug interactions listed are the same as for serotonin increasing drugs. But since the SAMe is not increasing it so high like drugs do, the warning is basically a "cover your butt" warning. For people taking SSRIs or SNRIs, the warning is germain and should be followed however.

I didn't find SAMe much help for my PN, so I don't bring it up here often. But it is very good for joint and tendon issues.

Originally Posted by Shezian

Read through the thread roughly, and sorry am still confused which is the better one to use?

Sue

Originally Posted by mrsD

SAMe does not have any interactions that I know of.

The only warning it carries is for bipolar patients, who might get
hyped up on it and not realize. But even then it is a mild warning, not a big one.

Here is a long monograph:
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/s...ine-000324.htm

I don't think it will have any negative effect on the gabapentin, and may in fact improve your cognition which is a common side effect of gabapentin.

It is really a great supplement and just a few months ago had the price decrease, at Costco's. I joined Costco in fact over a decade ago, just to buy it---since it was lower price there. All the money I saved payed for my membership several times over in fact back then.

There is a guarantee on NatureMade's website...if you don't like it you can return it (free shipping) for a full refund, with receipt and unused portion.

The drug interactions listed are the same as for serotonin increasing drugs. But since the SAMe is not increasing it so high like drugs do, the warning is basically a "cover your butt" warning. For people taking SSRIs or SNRIs, the warning is germain and should be followed however.

I didn't find SAMe much help for my PN, so I don't bring it up here often. But it is very good for joint and tendon issues.

Originally Posted by mrsD

SAMe does not have aspirin or NSAIDs in it.

Take the thyroid, wait 1/2 hour and then take the lipoic and SAMe. Since you are fluctuating with the levothyroxine, take it alone, for insurance. With a full glass of water it should leave the stomach in about 1/2 hour and move along.

The SAMe does not dissolve until the intestines. It has a special coating. That takes time, so the thyroid should have moved along by then. You can take the lipoic, B12 and SAMe together.

Wait another 1/2 hr or so before eating.

SAMe is made in the body from homocysteine, using the 3 vitamin cofactors and glycine (which supplies the methyl group).
Once it gives up the methyl group, it is regenerated using the 3 B vitamins over and over. Some people fail in this step with age, so taking it as a supplement repairs that.

I'd start with a small package of 200mg... a 30 pack. Take one a day for a month. See how you feel. You should notice mood effects within the first week. But the effects on joints may take a month or two and then are slowly progressive in a positive way.

This link explains the chemistry:
http://einstein-syndrome.com/biochem...#MTHFRMutation

It gets complicated. But... if you do respond well to SAMe, it might point to a DNA test for the MTHFR problem for you.
This link also shows the interlinking of the methylation chemistry to each other.