Thanks, Sally. I think you are definitely right about how all these things work together.

By the way - how much ALA do you take daily -and what's the brand and dosage?

The reason why I never took ALA was because I thought it was for use in PN only with those that have diabetes. I don't have diabetes, so I kind of brushed it off before I heard other great things about it.

I learned it's been used for diabetic neuropathy in Germany for many years.

I just did a lot of research on ALA from sites such as Live strong, Web MD and the University of Maryland, and now I feel that it also helps with some other health issues I am starting to notice as I get older.

My main concern was if it had any bad side effects -the worst one I found so far, was it might cause some painful cramps in the beginning of its usage...and even that seems quite rare, too.

I'm still researching this, but it seems to be something I definitely want to try out, as I've heard that it helps so much with reducing Neuropathy pain whether its diabetic or caused by toxins.

I'm just trying to figure out if it will interact with the 0.5 clonazepam/klonapin I have to take daily. If not - it seems like a safe vitamin to start trying.

As always, I really appreciate any advice and insight into this.:)

Many posts are on this very forum about lipoic acid. 400+

You can type in "lipoic acid" into our search function and
read them. Some are from older members who have moved on, but it has been a growing topic here for YEARS.

There have been improvements, in solubility and lowering of cost for it as a result, just recently.

This is one long thread as an example:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...ht=lipoic+acid

Your body makes lipoic acid, and with age or illness this may fail, and supplements may help. In Japan lipoic acid is very very popular.

I cannot give you a search result string for this search because our software will not accept a link by another poster in a post here for their own search. Each person has to do there own.

(Also be aware that ALA abbreviation is also used for an omega-3 fatty acid called Alpha Linolenic Acid. If you see ALA in a topic make sure of the context so you don't hit on the wrong ALA.)

The best resource on the web IMO is Linus Pauling Institute from Univ. of Oregon. It is fairly up to date and comprehensive.
On PubMed if you search, you may have to use the alternate name for lipoic acid which is thiotic acid. The chemical papers and non-American sources use the term thiotic often.

Many of us here use the new stabilized form NaRALA, from Doctor's Best. It is very affordable and one only needs 100mg a day or so.
The old racemic mixture is 600mg -1800mg a day and is only 50% active and has poor absorption. Expect to pay alot of money for this
from most suppliers. There are papers going back 30 yrs or more, mostly from Japan and Europe on this supplement.

My integrative MD chooses each brand. He looks into all supplements and constantly goes to conferences, etc to learn the latest research, and he likes various brands.
http://www.xymogen.com/products/prod...il.aspx?pid=11

I also take Alpha Lipoic Acid Supreme (Designs for Health) later in the day.

ALA is good for so many reasons, not just for diabetes. I don't have that.

It does so many things for us. I like that it raises glutathione, and it works with other supplements for our mitochondra.

Big thanks to both of you.:) I now take 300mg a day of regular b1 thiamin, so that was kind of an issue with me concerning ALA, but basically they say if we're taking B1 supplements, the drop caused by ALA won't be very much at all. I'm hoping that's true.

My decision to start taking ALA soon is more based on the possible benefits it brings to overall health, including cancer prevention, eye, prostate, lung, and circulatory health as well.

Still, looking to see if interacts with Clonozepam, but haven't found a peep about that on the net just yet. But it's an important thing to research before I start taking it.

As it is, my PN pains are often very frequent, but largely low-level pain these last 2 months - even in a flare-up and they are no where near the pain I used to have 4 months ago.

But I'd love to feel better and anything that was actually being prescribed as a natural healing agent for PN and its symptoms is obviously very interesting to all of us.

The only thing I find disconcerting about ALA is that in Germany, when it's used for diabetic neuropathy it is mainly used in IV form and not given out much as an oral pill to take by mouth.

I would NEVER inject anything into my body. But was wondering if taking the ALA by mouth was still effective in treating PN?

I'm also glad to hear that my local Walmart has now updated a pretty sizable vitamin isle. Hopefully I can save some money now instead of dishing out so much cash at my GNC. So I'm interested in checking that out soon, too.:D

Ah...almost forgot an important question here - I was wondering about dosage. I want to try out ALA but I'm not sure what an appropriate dosage would be to start out with. I want to see if it will reduce my PN pains, but don't want to start out at a high dosage. I'm thinking maybe 100mg or 200mg maximum daily -although I hear 800mg is what's used for PN patients. Still, I don't want to start out taking such high dosages, especially since I intend to take it for a long period of time.

What is an appropriate starting dose?

100mg a day average for R-lipoic stablized improved form.

600mg to 1800mg a day for the old racemic ALA.

The doses are posted all over this forum. All you have to do is look.

I have never seen ALA suggested for prostate issues.

Go to Linus Pauling Institute .....
example:
http://search.oregonstate.edu/?q=lip...fault_frontend

To find drug /supplement interactions :

drugs. com
University of Maryland Alternative Medicine

Yep, I found them. Thanks for a clear answer, too. I'm currently reducing my clonazepam some, so I'm still looking to see if taking ALA would interact, but found nothing on it so far. That's the only thing holding me back on buying it just yet. ...Thanks again.

The info on prostate health and ALA is on the Live-Strong website. :D

What I have seen on that site you mention (and it is very watered down for laymen)...is a study on tissues in a dish--in vitro, and not living systems either animal or human (in vivo).

I am sorry I don't have the time to post in detail right now, as I have been seriously ill, and waiting for my first round of blood testing to come back. So my time on the computer is limited.

Lipoic acid is an antioxidant, and research on it is still going on.
You are going to find all sorts of things, but some are not going to be pertinent to you today.

The drug checker at drugs.com is quite good. Also you can ask your pharmacist to check their data base for interactions of supplements with clonazepam. But none of these data bases are 100% reliable as things change in the medical and biochemical world fairly quickly.

How to take alpha lipoic acid and how much is on these forums.

I hope you will be better and the blood tests come back with good results, Mrs.D.

Ditto. Hope your tests will come back O.K.

@mrsD: Hope you feel better soon. You are in my thoughts as well.

Good luck with your tests mrsD! My thoughts are with you...

Good luck on your tests. :hug:

I checked out the drug interaction on 2 sites including the one you mentioned and there's no interactions found. I'm getting fairly certain that it's alright to take together. I saw the ALA in CVS today, but it was 600mg tablets and I wasn't sure if that's what I want to start out with. I'm going to look for something less than that first.

MrsD: I really hope you will be feeling better soon. God bless.:)

Caution on the B Complex as it will usually contain B6. I had been taking B6 as well as B12 and a blood test showed an elevated B6. My neurologist said high levels of B6 can worsen PN.

Anyone taking a supplement for B6 will show some elevation in blood work. That is because the ranges were made from people NOT taking supplements.

It takes 200mg-500mg a day for a LONG time to give a few people with "toxicity". The actual numbers of those reported are very small and go back to when 500mg or more a day were given as a treatment for PMS in women.
more here:
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q...houNfuv26eKLwg

Most doctors really know very little about vitamin levels. They don't even know that pyridoxine is not the active form of B6.

question
 

I am new to this forum and was feeling really good while reading your post. I was recently diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy which is progressing fairly rapidly. The pain is being controlled by Lyrica but I held little hope that it could ever reverse. Reading your post was giving me hope until I read that having Sjogren's seems to make you an exception. Can you explain why that is so? I know that the two can be linked but was not aware that it would impede my chances for a reversal of the damage. Any information would be helpful. Thanks.

I have Ciprofloxcacin induced Peripheral Neuropathy since 7 months ago. Since then I have greatly improved, though I often have very frequent but light PN pains throughout the day.

I just started taking alpha lipoic acid yesterday at 300mg a day to start. My concern is what to take it with and when to take it? I don't want to take it close to the time I take my clonazepam 0.5. but I also take a few other vitamins and don't want them to cancel each other out. Can anyone give me some advice on this vitamin regiment? As in what to take and the best time to take them?

My current vitamin regiment:

Morning: (On an empty stomach)
I take 500mcg of B12 sublingual
Omega 3 120mg
Vitamin C 100mg
Lycopene 10mg (for prostate health and it's an Antioxidant)

Afternoon: (close to meals)
B1 Thiamin 150mg
'Slow-mag" Magnesium 143mg (it also has calcium 238mg)

Evening:
2nd Vitamin C 100mg (sometimes I skip this)
2nd B1 Thiamin 150mg
Alpa Lipoic Acid 300mg

Late night:
Clonazepam 0.5mg an hour before bed

I don't know if I had a reaction from the ALA yesterday since it was my first time taking it. But I was already in a flare-up of PN pains before I took it. Still, I had some odd sensations like some light pain in my inner ears and an increase in "needle-ish prickling" sensations on my skin, though I have felt this before during flare-ups in the past. (not the ear thing though).

Oddly, I could have bought the "R-Lipoic acid" but it was pointed out to me that ALL the studies done regarding reduction of PN pains were done with regular ALA, so I decided to try the regular ALA at 300mg as a starter to see how my body adjusts to it.

Any advice here would be helpful?:D

Yes, my integrative MD has me taking reg. Alpha Lipoic Acid and it has been wonderful along with my other supplements. She has done a lot of research and wanted me on that one instead of R. Everyone takes what they feel is right for them.

When my nerves started to heal, I had some pain, but it went away. I had not had pain before or since that time.

I like to take my Benfotiamine (best absorbed B1) in the morning. ALA in the am and afternoon. Benfotiamine is good for energy so I like it in the morning.:D

Jesse,

Omega-3, and lycopene can be taken with food.
I am confused by the 120mg Omega-3? What kind is that?
Fish oil and flax oil come in 1000mg capsules.

Alpha lipoic acid is not well absorbed with food present. It should be taken on an empty stomach ...and 300mg is really a low dose.
The studies were done with 600mg to 1800mg a day.

The reason R-lipoic does not appear in studies is that it is relatively new. The body does not recognize the S-form, which results during commercial chemical manufacture of the the racemic older form of ALA. So the thinking was to not include the S-form and so the R-only became available when it could be separated out affordably. The stabilized R-(NaRALA) which is the newest of all, is highly soluble and quickly absorbed. I prefer this type personally, based on the chemical facts about it.

I hear you. I probably should have started taking ALA a long time ago. I was suggested it by a cardiologist of all people and then even found this link here about treating PN from Dr. Weil http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02717/Neuropathy.html

He recommends starting at 100mg but increasing to 600mg a day later on. (300mg twice a day) I decided to start on just 300mg per-day and hope it won't give me any side effects.

Also even though none of my siblings or I have diabetes (been tested for it 4 times already) my parents had it near their 60's. I heard ALA is somewhat preventive for that. More so, I hope it helps lower my high blood pressure which already dropped some normally.

I know ALA has some effect on reducing intake of B1, but I take 300mg of B1 a day, so I figure it's alright to take.

The thing is, I don't know when is the best time to take the ALA during the day?:cool:

To MrsD: The Omega 3 I take are (Omega-3 soft chews 120mg) from GNC. They taste and look like star burst candy. As for taking ALA on an empty stomach, I would have to take that in the morning along whith my B1 - but worry that taking it along side my B1 would neutralize my B1 intake.

Your dose IMO of your Omega-3 is too low for therapeutic and dietary supplementation of Omega-3's.

Fish oil is not a vitamin. It is a macronutrient and considered a food. It comes from fatty fish, that are eaten as food.

The only small dose Omega supplement is Krill oil. This is because there are phospolipids in it that emulsify the Omega-3s, and enhance the absorption of them.

If you search fish oils on the net you will find they average 300mg of EPA and DHA each. The concentrated ones have more, because of the concentration.

Wiki:
This means the combined doses of both EPA and DHA (which are a fraction of the total weight of the capsules.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omega-3_fatty_acid

A macronutrient is not a vitamin. And it is used in large amounts throughout the body to build cell walls and tissue.
Vitamins on the other hand are micronutrients and are present in tiny amounts to facilitate enzymes only, and do not build tissue. Hence they are consumed in milligram or smaller doses.

Your product was very expensive at $19.99 for 50 chews providing a 10th of what you could use per day.

If you get tingling, itching or redness from ALA, that could be an allergic reaction. It might be that you will not be able to take it, if and allergy is present.

You can take ALA anytime, just not with food ... 1 hr before food, or 4 hours after. If you take with food you may reduce its absorption according to studies by up to 30%.

This thread topic was made to share stories and experiences about how neuropathy improved.
Further detailed questions about supplements should be made on the subforum supplement thread:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread121683.html

Thanks for that advice - I wasn't aware of that. I usually take 2 Omega's a day -so that is actually 240mg -which is still small I guess. And yes- it is too expensive, though I like taking the Omega for other health reasons as well. But my stomach seems sensitive to the other Omega pills for some reason.

As for the ALA, I have a cold right now, and felt fine when I took it again yesterday, so I'm kind of chalking up the odd feelings to my cold rather than the new supplement. My PN often feels quite worse when I have a cold. Does anyone else here have that problem?

But you did spark my interest in a key-word when you mentioned "Tingling" -
Please tell me that ALA "CAN'T" actually CAUSE neuropathy!!!

I avoid anything that can cause even the slightest neuropathic symptoms. As I believe anyone with PN should.:)

We have not had posters report the rash, tingling etc with ALA
here. But it appears on websites discussing ALA. Mostly it seems to be heartburn for some.

When histamine is released in the skin, there is tingling.
This is one reason Benadryl helps some people here.

I think my body is getting used to it. I've been taking it now (on an empty stomach in the morning) for a few days and all seems well. In fact, today I felt very well with a huge reduction of ALL PN pains, even in the icy rain and with a nasty flu to boot. But I don't think the betterment is from the ALA; it can't possibly have worked that fast. I'm also taking less clonazepam, spreading my doses further and further apart. I figure it must be just a better day for me than most. Still, I always appreciate a better day. I'm sure you guys know what I mean. :D

Very Hopeful
 

How old is this thread ? i am new here! i am 33 and was diagnosed this past July. i have it in my toes very badly :mad: i stumble some.

I don't hate ALL doctors
 

BUT, I hate having to WAIT for doctors. I have waited and waited and waited for hours for doctors. And some definitely not worth the wait.

Hi Brooke
 

Even if the thread is older, it does circulate. Hope your PN gets better. I take
Co Q 10 100mgs. twice a day. Walking is definate improvement after a year. Start a new thread if you want to. You can post any place you want . Glad you joined NT. ginnie:hug:

I found some chewable B12 vitamins that are 2500 mcg (more than 3 times the mcg I normally take per day. But I cut these in 2 and take 1-per-day- still a fair increase in my usual intake of B12 - as I feel they might be absorbed better in chewables than pill or sublingual.

http://www.gnc.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2166420


Also the ALA I'm taking seems to help quite a lot. Had very much improvement until yesterday, as I'm in a flareup now which seems to coincide with winter storms of ice and rain. Don't know if its coincidence or if the weather is really affecting me - it certainly seems that way.:D

I'm going to start a new PN thread solely about weather and pn flareups, as I haven't seen much about this. Hopefully we can figure out if this is psychosomatic or just a myth, or if there's some base in reality for weather related flareups.

Neuropathy
 

Dear Wing42,

Thankyou for your posting as attached, of which i read with great Interest, I have just recently after 5 years been diagnosed with Polineuropathy, and have been advised to take Gabapentin, having read articles not only by yourself but others within the group stating that defeiciancies in B Vitamines, as well as E Vitamines could help eleviate the problem.

I have been taking Multi B Vitamines, but as yet not the E Vitamins - this is something that i shall look into within the near future.

Having seen numerious nurologists they keep coming up with the same answers - here are some tablets and go away.

The only real relief that i get is putting my feet in a bowl of Ice cold water !!!

Polly (uk) :confused:

Hi polly
 

The other post was correct. The B vitamines do help. I was not a believer in them at all. I have PN and was not walking well last year. Now I am better and the pain level has gone down. My activity level has gone up. I went a further step and give myself B12 weekly by injection. Small price to pay for good results. Just know there is hope less pain. ginnie:hug:

Fish Oil
 

I want to take fish oil. It was making my muscles spasm more in my legs and more itching. I don't know what kind of nueropathy I have yet, the 'why' of it - my neurologist of six months hasn't told me or seemed to look into it. I have a second opinion coming up. But I really wish I could take fish oil, my inner guidance tells me to take it plus so many posts. Plus I have taken it before for arthitis and now only recently having troubles. I am using the walmart brand.

diabetic neuropathy and meralgia paresthetica
 

hello ! I am a 59 yr old man who had a surgery for carcinmoid cancer since the operations in 2011 i have had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and since being diagnosed i have always been dieting and it paid off i had good a1c has always ben good they have been like a 5.3 5.9 never over the 5.9 my doctor says i am prediabetic well since being diangnosed with the type 2 diabetes my neuropathy started affecting my fet the knee turned a real ugly dark color and then came my burning feet i also have those terrible shock feelings in the left leg wow the electrical feeling shocks are terribl;e my feet have felt a little better but i have ugly looking ankles they swell up often and there burning painfull on the bottom now i became disabled cause of the feet and i have been walking to move around and i started getting real pains in the left leg where i have trouble from the meralgia paresthetica I take 2 pain meds morphine and oxcycodone if i didn't take them i wouldn't be doing my chores cooking doinf my laundry cleaning and generally takin care of my self the pain meds help I was hoping that the diabetic neuropathy would go away but it does not feel like its gonna crampy achy legs i had simular pains like 11 yrs ago on my back I also have facet joint arthritus and bursitus i take 2 375 mg of naproxen to help with my bursitus in my hips i get so sick with pain in my hip i cannot do much when i flares up i had test for my meralgia paresthetica and for the neuropathy in my lower extremities the emg test was positive the emg tech said i did have meralgia paresthetica in both legs i had to have that test to allow me to get my special diabetic shoes perscribe for me I would like anyone to email me and share any good things that you do to ease the pain I find that when I get servere pain I have to rest and i mean rest shut the tv off and lower the nois and listen to music and relax myself to help the pain thats what i have to do I have found that it works to help me cause i get such a head ach and i cannot take like another 15 mg of oxcy when the pain is ats its highest I try to do the resting its safer for me this neuropathy has been such a real disableing illness myother brothers and sisters have type 2 diabetes and they have not experienced this burning feet like i do so I am just trying to learn how to live with this its been so hard especially on my children and friends cause i am a winer when it comes to pain so i wish eveyone to get well and please feel free to email me a line or two on how you cope with your neuropathy thanks for reading thjis bye from lowell mass.

Neuropathy Support Formula
 

I'm guessing that this supplement blend has probably been discussed many times on this board but I'm a newbie & am having trouble figuring out how to search for certain topics. This is the product I am referring to is called 'Neuropathy Support Formula'. On their website they also offer a free e-book which is very informative for those new to Neuropathy like myself. I am more than willing to shell out the money for these potential miracle vitamins but I was hoping for perhaps a few positive testimonials from you guys before giving them my credit card number. As a very healthy 38 year old active female I am still reeling that I have this affliction. I take a palm full of supplements already every day, take Yoga & Spin classes 3/4 times weekly & my diet has been clean for so long (with the exception of wine (I LOVE[D] WINE) and cheese (which I've been off for a month now) I am continuously disheartened that my symptoms seem to be worsening. I mean... I'm having trouble typing this reply because of numbness, tingling & pain which is identical in my feet. I'm convinced that my PN came on about a year ago due to medicine that a previous physician had me on to balance my hormones. My current MD is very holistic, but she's not a Neurologist (my Neurologist is very drug pushy) so I have been seeing her for treatment. Gosh - I'm sorry for rambling on but I appreciate any of you that read & can relate. Misery loves company I guess! But relief loves company even more so I'd very much appreciate it if any of you could give my your thoughts on the above mentioned supplement. THANK YOU!!

Neuropathy Support formula has many posts here and on
the introduction forum at NT. If you use the search engines here you can find those posts, and read the lengthy discussions about it.

It is basically a shot gun product, which has ingredients you may not need, and has inflated the prices of its ingredients from competitors to justify its own high price. I have revealed my opinion of this type of advertising many times on these forums. The herbs in it have no quantities listed and are in such small amounts as to be useless, but they "look" impressive.

We don't know much about the maker, whether they have GMP ratings etc. So that's about all I can say for now.

Please do a search here, as there are many posts.
This product has a new name too...Neuroplenish(which is a reformulation of contents to reflect what we post about here).

We discuss supplements here all the time. There is a special post
in the Subforum above:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread121683.html
We have a lengthy thread here on B12 (methylcobalamin).
And many posts on Benfotiamine. If you search them separately
you will find posters using one or more of them very successfully.

Everyone is not the same. PNs occur for many different reasons.
So not one thing is useful for everyone.

I asked the same question about the "NSF" drug too, and MrsD responded with a a good answer.

See that here: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread104096.html

Thank you Mrs.D & Icehouse :-)

Walgreens Finally sells B12 methylcobalamin
 

I finally bought the B-12 Methylcobalamin at Walmart, but Walgreen now also sells it. Previously I could not find it and in fact, this is the first time I will be using it, as I had been using the other type over the last 8 months.

The brand I bought is "Nature's Bounty" quick dissolve type. It comes in 60 micro-lozenges at 1000 mcg. I took only 500 mcg of the B-12 cyan o type per day, so I might have to split these in two to equal the dosage. (I don't want to over-take too much B-12).

Anyway, what do you all know about this brand? Is it a decent brand to take? :D
.................................................. .................................................. .................................

I also wanted to mention that I have seen two commercials pushing Cymbalta to treat Neuropathy. I do not take any drugs for pn. And I do NOT advocate Cymbalta. These two commercials feature a woman who has diabetic neuropathy, saying "her feet felt like bees and ants were stinging them" - and the other commercial endorsement came from WGN news where they advocate Cymbalta in chemo-related Peripheral Neuropathy. Any thoughts on this new, more direct media coverage on PN?

...Oh, and please answer my B12 question though, as I had not started taking it yet, and wanted to know if that brand is appropriate for treating PN, too.

There is really no such thing as "too much" B12 orally.
There is no upper limit on B12 from the FDA. (which is very strict)

Only 13mcg get absorbed out of 1000mcg if taken on an empty stomach!

The rest is eliminated thru the bowel.

I was thinking along the same line. As I had only been taking the cyano B12 for the last 8 months, I was wondering if upping my dosage with B-12 Methylcobalamin might help in better ways.

Have you heard of this brand before?

Yes, it is a common brand.

http://www.naturesbounty.com/pages/our_company.aspx

GMP is typically found on the better brands.