[Stacy2012]

Ok so I thought I found my miracle.

Benfotiamine has been stopping the burning in my feet for the week I have taken it.

Down side: It makes my heart race and raises my blood pressure.

I know most everyone and everywhere says there are no side effects from Benfotiamine but I have scoured the net and found a few other people who said it cause their heart to race. I can live with the racing heart but Im on blood pressure meds, and lately my bp has been soooo good I have thought about maybe getting off it soon cuz I have lost 30 pds, and doing so good UNTIL Benfotiamine.

I just was not feeling good, I have always known when my bp gets too high cuz I get dizzy, and sure enuf every time I check it, after taking Benfotiamine it is high. Today was the highest ever for me, not a crisis, but 150/99 and for me that is very high, when lately its been 120\85

Im so sad.

This is the best my feet have felt in a year.

[Sallysblooms]

OH, sorry. Can you just cut the amount maybe? What is your dose?

[Stacy2012]

Yes, that is what I am going to try tomorrow and pray it works still.

I started out full throttle, I took 3 pills morning and 3 pills early evening to equal 480 (they are 80mg pills dr's Best but only 80 mg not the higher dose)

My blood pressure comes down as time goes by after taking them but it takes about 5 hrs now it is 127/85.

Im praying i can do less dosage and still work for my feet. I have been on cloud 9 for a week with ZERO burning. My husband and I are so amazed, literally started working the first pills I took. But I read somewhere that taking diuretics can cause B1 depletion and I have been on diuretics for 2 yrs now.

[mrsD]

Why don't you try 150mg a day?

Are you taking lipoic acid too? I find lipoic acid very stimulating over 100mg a day.

What blood pressure medication are you on?

You may be low in magnesium too. Low magnesium raises blood pressure. Some people with moderate BP can often control it with magnesium ALONE.

[Stacy2012]

Yes, I am going to try that tomorrow. (150)

I am on hydrochlorothyzide , spelled that wrong, but its basically a diuretic only. I was on stronger things and had a very difficult time with side effects, but my life was way more stressful 2 yrs ago when it started. So now I just do the diuretic and it has worked pretty well, with occasional bad days. Since losing weight and starting to exercise its been great, 117/80 and like i said, was hoping to ween off it after losing a bit more weight, if possible.

My magnesium is good. I supplement with it and in the past when my bp spiked I found an epsom salt bath would lower it by 5pts. But my levels were great last time checks, dont remember what the number is now..and I supplement daily.

No, not taking lipoic acid right now...I did take it in June for a month and after I ran out i didnt get anymore. Was thinking about trying R lipoic but have not gotten around to it, trying one thing at a time.

Hopefully less will work.

My thyroid meds felt like a diet pill too, and I could not take the prescribed dose right away, I had to slowly, very slowly, take more. I started at a very small dose cuz I got headaches with the standard dose, which I have now worked my way up to but I had to start low and stay there for weeks, then add more, then more.

Thanks ladies!

[mrsD]

I am not finding anything about raised blood pressure and benfotiamine. But there are some comments on LOWERING effects.

[Stacy2012]

I know Mrs. D, I saw that too!!

Not one person says it raises BP. But it is most definately the Benfotiamine that is doing it to me. I guess everyone is different.

I did find a couple people who said it made their heart race also.

I guess I am "special" hahaha Just my luck

I am about to take my first benfotiamine today, only taking 1 pill, which is 80 mg. I will know within 20 minutes if it raises bp and makes my heart race.....

[Sallysblooms]

It is always good to start with the lower side of most supplements to ease into it. That was a pretty high amount. I hope you feel better and can take a moderate amount.

[Stacy2012]

Yes Sally, I did dive in too fast on the amount.

My BP was 117/79 Right before I took 1 benfotiamine 80 mg.

It is now 1 hour since taking it and no heart racing and BP is 130/81 Which i can live with if it does not keep going higher.

I will check BP a few more times and plan to try and take another pill this evening.

I just hope taking only 2 pills will still keep the burning in my toes away...

If not, maybe I can work my way up to more pills.

thanks for the discussion Ladies! Nice to have somewhere to bounce stuff around.

[mrsD]

Blood pressure tends to be highest in the morning...that is when cortisol is highest.

It will also read higher after a hot bath or shower. And also if you have a full bladder (don't know why this is but I read it in a medical text once)

BP can vary quite a bit during the day too. I learned that when I was pregnant and my BP went up in the second trimester. The kidney specialist made me keep an HOURLY log.