[stagger]

Hello,
Will provide you with the info you wanted in prescribing a basic vitamin supplement recipe. Took Zocor in '04 for high cholesterol, six weeks later was having problem with legs and feet. After advised to take Tylenol, did a puter search for burning feet and found you and Rose on the old BT. Took printed info about PN to my PCP and he put me on neurontin, built up to 3600mg per day when I heard about Lyrica. Did Lyrica for six months and added Tramadol. After 3 yrs and high dosage of Lyrica and Tramadol developed breathing problems and fell alot. Went to Methadone and Lyrica low dosages aday( ! year). B12 in blood test over 900 after using recommended type and dosage on the forum. Have tried Cymbalta (30 days) Flexeril, Vicoden, Hydrocodone. Have taken Cipro twice for a Cystoscopy and TURP surgery this year due to BPH. No longer take Proscar or Flomax. Have taken vitamins most of my life (maybe not the right kind) Have smoked for 50 years (did quit for 15 days after TURP) and six weeks after cutting off finger in the shop "07) Quit drinking over 2 years ago due too taking pain medicine plus I have consumed my fair share for a lifetime. Seen 2 neuros one says idiopathic the other polyneuropathy. Have gotten a neuroma in right foot and cyst on back of neck since taking Lyrica. Hope this is enough info for you on deciding the right vitamins to take. I speak for a great many on this board that would like to know what is the right stuff thay should be taking. There are things like Alka-Selzer and Lidoderm I have I have left out. Thank You

[mrsD]

I'll get back to you later today, Lanny. As soon as I recover from my shopping trip! Alot of pain today

[Marty SLC]

Originally Posted by mrsD

I'll get back to you later today, Lanny. As soon as I recover from my shopping trip! Alot of pain today

Sorry your in pain.... I know that feeling from shopping.

[mrsD]

Yes, getting ready to leave to a remote place involves alot of preparation.

Some foods not available up there. 3 cats-- a can of cat food up there is .59, if you can find it. It is mostly dog country.

Our solar lights, health aids, etc. It is always a big effort getting ready for 2 months away. One becomes very reliant on convenience in the city, and up there EVERYTHING is a huge effort. It is beautiful though!

Even water is a problem! We filter and buy.

[stagger]

mrsD,
Sorry about the pain your having today and with the big trip coming up don't go into stressmode. As for replying to my post it can wait. Take care
Lanny

[mrsD]

I'll be back later today...I have to rest and think about what direction you need to go. It is not a hassle for me at all...I just have to gather my thoughts etc.

[george75]

Hi Stagger. In the stickies at the top of page i have a post on what i have done and take for the last ten years. It is in Neuropathgy does improve. Lots of good information there.

George

[mrsD]

Okay Lanny....

First off, you have to have good kidney functions to take supplements. But if you tolerate Lyrica with no problems, which is excreted whole via the kidneys, I suspect your doctor is monitoring that?

Secondly, anyone on Methadone needs to be watchful for potassium and magnesium levels. Potassium can be lost suddenly if you get diarrhea, flu, etc. Magnesium can be depleted by diuretics or heavy coffee consumption, or undiagnosed diabetes. If these two electrolytes fall, then the heart may start with long QT and go into arrhythmias. So choose high potassium containing foods to get that mineral, and do a conservative 1/2 RDA magnesium supplement.
Both help with other things, so this is not just for the Methadone.

Since you were taking two drugs that damage the nerves and mitochondria, it would be a good idea to try acetyl-l-carnitine and CoQ-10. The CoQ-10 is depleted by Zocor (statins).
Start the carnitine at 500mg a day or so and increase as needed to about 2 grams. Take higher doses in divided doses because this nutrient is not absorbed well. Spacing it out gives better results than one big dose.
CoQ-10 should be at least 300mg a day, in a form that claims to have enhanced absorption. Without help this supplement is not well absorbed either.

I'd also take 100mg r-lipoic acid. This works with the carnitine in the mitochondria to help energy production and control blood sugars some. Carnitine and lipoic acid are in some anti-aging products now, but they also help with damage that is present.

Keep with the B12. Keep that level up there. NIH recommends a B12 supplement for all Americans over 50 anyway.

There are some concerns about taking high dose thiamine when cancer is present. Here is one article explaining that:
http://www.benfotiamine.org/excessthiamine.htm
At the end of the article is a note, that studies in humans have not shown this to be true.

A knowledgeable benfotiamine user has offered the following response to this article:

"I have searched through the publications of Laszlo Boros on the connection between thiamine and cancer and can report that he has developed so far no evidence that there is a link in humans. In laboratory rats, however, he showed that if they were initially deficient in thiamine, then thiamine supplementation improved the growth of advanced tumors, which are typically thiamine deficient. There was no evidence that thiamine supplementation encouraged the initial appearance of tumors or the increased growth of non-advanced tumors. Interestingly, extremely high megadoses of thiamine were found to have the opposite effect, reducing the growth of advanced tumors."

So use of benfotiamine for you would be your decision, considering the prostate issue. Dose range would be 300mg to start, which can be lowered after improvements to 150mg daily for some people. The controversy about thiamine/cancer has not been resolved, so even though there is far more evidence of benefit, since you have had that surgery, you would have to read the article and ask your doctor about it. If you only have BPH and no cancer, then that would not be an issue for you.
Benfotiamine is helpful for people with a history of alcohol consumption. I hope you are NOT drinking currently with that Cymbalta. This is dangerous for the liver.

I would wonder if your smoking has affected your peripheral arteries and is reducing the blood flow to your feet. You can have this checked at your doctors. Typically doctors will treat PAD (peripheral artery disease) and if you have this, improving the circulation to your feet may help the PN.

You can take a regular high potency multi vit with C and B's.
Choose one with zinc included. Zinc is important for males.

Also I would avoid foods with the commercial additive MSG. This really can set off burning and pain. I know when I have it, usually from some carry out or restaurant, it will flare me up for a couple of days at least. I am fairly okay when I am vigilant about it. MSG is in alot of soups, gravy mixes, boullion, etc.
Some believe that B6 intake helps with MSG, but I have not found that to work for me.

Today my feet acted up from walking too much and trying on a zillion shoes some of which squeezed them etc. So even tho I have them under control, I do have bad days still.
I ended up with a Men's New Balance athletic for the width. Right now they have recovered, but earlier today... zowie!
The new cushioned Dr. Scholl's slip ons are nice too. I am glad I checked the men's section--or I would have missed these!

Ask questions, if I have left anything out... I'll be here for one more week.

[stagger]

mrsD,
Merci beaucoup and hope you are feeling great for your vacation. Have been reading your mag. topic on the vit supplement board ( a must read IMO), will try the ionnic fizz. Since I have to get checked monthly due to taking methadone my system checks out OK. Will switch to the r-lipoic acid as the ala is to strong on the stomach and don't like taking prilosec. I have been using Earth shoe in the am and New Balance the rest of the day. Earth shoes really strengthens the legs and stomach. Not everybody can adjust to this type of walking as the pressure is taken off the balls of the feet (helps the pain of my neuroma). George75 have read some of your info and got your pm (thanks) MrsD enjoy yourself and thanks again for your help and advice over the past few years. Respectfully
Lanny

[mrsD]

Also I think the CoQ-10 you choose should NOT have Bioperine in it. Bioperine may change the absorption rate of your Methadone.
Doctor's best products typically have Bioperine in them, for example.

There are other kinds, with Q-sorb or like this one, that are safer.

http://www.epic4health.com/noname.html
If you use a gel form like the one above, you may get away with lower doses, since they work so much better.