[Shezian]

Just about to make my order from iherb, and not sure if l should include Lipoic acid to this list? Are there side effects? I am going to use L Carnitin as well. Will this be too much for the body to handle? Which out of the two are more likely to help NP symptoms?

Sue

[RideOn]

Originally Posted by Shezian

Just about to make my order from iherb, and not sure if l should include Lipoic acid to this list? Are there side effects? I am going to use L Carnitin as well. Will this be too much for the body to handle? Which out of the two are more likely to help NP symptoms?

Sue

This is probably a question for one of the experts. I have been taking B1, B12, B complex, r-lipoic acid, vit c and fish oil with no obvious problems. I had a L Carnitin for the first time and haven't noticed any effects. I suspect when you take them matters.

[Sallysblooms]

I have never had any problems with either one. Both so good. at least the brands I use.

[mrsD]

Originally Posted by Shezian

Just about to make my order from iherb, and not sure if l should include Lipoic acid to this list? Are there side effects? I am going to use L Carnitin as well. Will this be too much for the body to handle? Which out of the two are more likely to help NP symptoms?

Sue

Diabetics need to be careful with lipoic acid as it can lower blood sugars...and affect the medications diabetics use. So they should test more often to see what is going on if anything.

Well, I'll say this again...since you don't know what your problem is, choosing what to do about it is more difficult.
If you are going to try things, I'd do one at a time, to see if you have any effects. Supplements can't really work well, if the PN trigger remains in your environment.

I would start with the lipoic acid, first.

[RideOn]

Originally Posted by mrsD

Diabetics need to be careful with lipoic acid as it can lower blood sugars...and affect the medications diabetics use. So they should test more often to see what is going on if anything.

Well, I'll say this again...since you don't know what your problem is, choosing what to do about it is more difficult.
If you are going to try things, I'd do one at a time, to see if you have any effects. Supplements can't really work well, if the PN trigger remains in your environment.

I would start with the lipoic acid, first.

Good advice mrsD, I'm just not sure which ones I should try and it also seems that the effects can be very slow and subtle.

I tried to find one of the B12 posts you suggested in another thread, I find that a lot of the technical references in the papers go over my head which makes them very hard to understand. I find that your interpretation is much easier to understand.

[Shezian]

Yes l agree with you Ride-on.
Some of those medical articles are hard for me to comprehend.
I try, to re-read them but it just doesn't,t register.
When you interpret what you know mrsD it's just makes it so much easier to understand.

I am just about to place my order on iherb. Could you please tell me which is the best L Acid to purchase?

Your help has been greatly appreciated.

Sue

[Idiopathic PN]

Originally Posted by RideOn

This is probably a question for one of the experts. I have been taking B1, B12, B complex, r-lipoic acid, vit c and fish oil with no obvious problems. I had a L Carnitin for the first time and haven't noticed any effects. I suspect when you take them matters.

I am not an expert on the supplements and vitamins. But, since I joined this community, I have followed the recommendations of the experts...I am taking Benfotiamine (Vitamine B1), Vit.B12 (Methylcobalamine version) , R-Lipoic Acid (stabilized) and Omega 3,6,9. I dont take B-complex because of its Vit B6 component. I get my Vit. B6 from the Multivitamin. I take the Acetyl L-Carnitine in divided doses. So far, I have not encountered any problems in taking them... Mrs. D suggests that before starting on these supplements, make sure that your kidney is fine.

I also take CoQ10. I understand that it works well with R-Lipoic and Acetyl L Carnitine if you suspect your PN is due to a mitochondria damage.

I soak my feet on warm water with magnesium daily. It stopped my burning. Now, of course, I am not saying with absolute certainty that it was because of magnesium, maybe it was because of the synergism of all the other supplements.

When you have the pain like ours, you would be willing (with caution), to try everything - just to get the relief.

[mrsD]

Originally Posted by RideOn

Good advice mrsD, I'm just not sure which ones I should try and it also seems that the effects can be very slow and subtle.

I tried to find one of the B12 posts you suggested in another thread, I find that a lot of the technical references in the papers go over my head which makes them very hard to understand. I find that your interpretation is much easier to understand.

This is post #70 from the B12 thread:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post698522-70.html

Patients with neurologic symptoms and signs and a normal complete blood cell count require a modified diagnostic approach because of several considerations. First, folate deficiency is an unlikely cause of neurologic disease. Second, the neurologic disease of Cbl deficiency may be irreversible if treatment is withheld or delayed; because Cbl therapy is nontoxic, the risk-benefit ratio favors treatment in questionable cases. ..

Five patients with normal serum Cbl levels had neurologic disease, and 1 of the 5 had a level greater than 221 pmol/L (300 pg/mL). All 5 patients had a clinical neurologic response to Cbl therapy and normalization of metabolite levels.

I posted the whole link for those who want to read the whole paper.
But I bolded these two conclusions because I feel most people including the doctors reading it, can understand the language.

I include studies for many things here to SHOW that my statements are based on research and not some fanciful idea in my own head. I choose the ones with readable conclusions, so people can skip over the technical aspects if they need to.

Keep in mind that we are all volunteers here, donating our TIME to others, to help them over a difficult medical issue. We really cannot be a personal shopper, spending our whole days, looking for past posts just for you. Sometimes I can do it a little. But when the questions are easily answered already here, a little search or effort on the reader's part, is required to accomplish what you need to do. This forum is now 6 yrs old. We began the Subforum to help consolidate information, but it really is not perfect in that task.

It is just overwhelming at times I understand. Sometimes you need to read something over a few times, with a rest inbetween, so you will eventually understand it. That is true for all of us, who have been thru college training in these medical areas. It is not easy. But it can be done, and it gets easier as you do it bit by bit. It is a learning skill like any other.

When you see how complex PN can be... with so many things as potential culprits and triggers...is it any wonder doctors don't take it on, and help patients better? They certainly won't expend the time to learn all this either! When you do start learning you will find that you will enhance YOUR life and your family's in ways you never expected. It grows and enriches your life to learn how your body works.

I have a favorite saying: If you learn one new thing every day, at the end of the year you will have learned 365 new things. I use this concept for doing ANY task that is complicated. Even cleaning the house, and working in the garden.

[Shezian]

Thanks so much for your time. I do truley mean that. I guess my brain just isn,t working at all at the present. It's a real struggle.

You have been immensly helpful.

Sue