Dr. Russsell Blaylock recommends
 

In the Blaylock Newsletter that came today, he mentions a new natural treatment for Peripheral Neuropathy. He says that "new research suggests that PN is caused by inflammation of the nerves with overactivation of glutamate receptors, leading to destruction of nerve fibers and overactivation of pain-regulating neurons in the spinal cord." One study found that "minocycline, an antibiotic that blocks microglia activation helped post-herpetic neuralgia."

Based on that, he tried a natural substance isolated from green tea, L-theanine, an amino acid, on a patient. By the second day, he showed 90 percent improvement. L-theanine is a mild stimulant for glutamate receptors and keeps glutamate from full activation. The advantage over minocycline is that it does not kill the good bacteria in the gut. It also has a good safety profile, even in very high doses .

He recommends "200 mg 3 times a day, taken 30 minutes before meals. This can be increased to 400 mg 3 times a day if needed. L-theanine stimulates restful, uninterrupted sleep, reduces anxiety/depression and improves memory."

He also recommends adding other anti-inflammatory flavonoid supplements such as curcumin, quercetin, resveratrol, luteolin, hesperidin and ellagic acid.

I checked I-Herb and they carry many brands of L-theanine. Most of the reviews were positive about its calming effects, but I didn't see anyone commenting on its use for PN--however, I think I'll try it, as the burning has been pretty bad this summer.

He went on to comment on statins being a known cause and the incidence of PN among uses of statins was 14 times higher at the lower doses, and now that doctors are recommending higher doses, he thinks we can expect higher incidences of PN.

Very interesting, thank you.

I have noticed a different burning for me as of late. On the surface of my legs, it happens when a temperature change occurs, like when I walk out of our freezing office to the outside at lunch time or after work, then again when I walk into the cold office. At least it isn't lasting a long time, still a new symptom.

This is interesting. My son uses theanine for anxiety and likes it.
He uses Sun brand. I think theanine is pretty benign and worth trying.
There is a small amount in my melatonin from Schiff that I take.

I find that Dextromethorphan can have a positive effect too. I use it in sometimes when I have sinus problems. I use a product called Mucus relief cough, to help with sinus congestion since I cannot take decongestants because of my blood pressure. The DM stops the dry cough from the sinus drip at night. But I found over the years it helps with PN too. Mucus relief cough is similar to expensive Mucinex DM, and I purchase it at WalMart. It is about $7.00 for 60 tablets and often I just use 1/2 of that so they last me a long time.

I'd think carefully about long term minocycline though...it is not harmless.
It used to be commonly used for acne control, but is less so now I guess because of the risks of intercranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minocycline

Here is a listing of side effects reported to the FDA in chart form:
http://www.drugcite.com/?q=minocycline

The precautions and side effects of minocycline can be found here:
http://www.rxlist.com/minocin-capsules-drug.htm
minocycline may cause less bowel disruption, but it is still capable of causing colitis. And the thyroid cancer implications are sobering.

Minocycline does have some anti-inflammatory actions and I've seen it and tetracycline used for carpal tunnel patients in the past.

The antioxidant suggestions are good. I think this would be the first thing to try, as it is fairly safe and effective in some cases. If you get curcumin, buy one with enhanced absorption.

I might try the Theanine when I get back from vacation. My son really likes it. He has ADHD and glutamate is a player in that condition too.

And this new information reiterates, that PNers should avoid MSG (monosodium glutamate)...which does excite neurons! This is everywhere in processed foods.

Thanks for the article...I like Dr. Blaylock very much. I've watched many of his YouTubes.

There are drugs in the pipeline called ampykines, which were supposed to target glutamate and reduce its over expression.
I wonder why we haven't heard about them lately? hmmmm?

More on dextromethorphan:

There is a new drug out there being offered for pain management, and it contains DM + quinidine to slow the metabolism of the DM...so it might be more effective. It is just being offered in some pain management programs.
Here is a link about it....
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread152732.html

Also DM is in the news for MS, and PD as well. Here is a link to that discussion:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread153405.html

I also posted years ago about my response to DM and my feet, back when they were burning up a storm:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...xtromethorphan

DM is a NMDA pain receptor blocker, and is weak in this action, but does work on glutamate actions. This pain receptor is also blocked by magnesium. So attention to that is important.

I know Nide44 tried it long ago with is doctor's supervision, but felt it wasn't working for him. High doses were used.

Now it seems that low doses, may work in a different way. It is something to think about. At high doses, there are side effects.
Sometimes I get dizzy with it for example. I crack the Mucus relief in half (it is not coated or delayed release) and it still seems to work for me, without the dizziness. The PD posters here have discussed low dose DM for quite a while. If you search there, using "dextromethorphan" you'll find many posts.
So even in small amounts it does seem to affect the nervous system.

This article was at the end of his main theme for this month which was the many benefits of magnesium, including it being a pain reliever. He started the series last month on magnesium and continued it this month. He said it's very hard to measure the amount in your body because it's in every cell; only 1% circulates in the blood.

Last month he suggested Magnesium Citrate and said if it is causing diarrhea, it isn't being absorbed. I have to watch out for that.

Some of us are using the new lotion from CVS instead of oral.

I have to really recommend it.

CVS Epsom lotion:
http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/sh...new_crumb=true

The price on this website changes from 5.99 to 9.99 depending on "sales". I get mine locally for 9.99.

I apply it to my inner arms, where the skin is the thinnest.
About a dime sized area on both arms.

It is a nice lotion...not greasy and no fragrances.

Nice to see Dr. Blaylock join in with magnesium. Dr. Jay Cohen as well...I've been posting about it for 10 yrs now.

I got some of the Epson Lotion at CVS too, but put it on my feet and legs. I thought it needed more methol, but now I'm going to try it on my arms--it's the magnesium we're trying to absorb. I paid 9.95 at the store too.

I got Dr. Jay Cohen's book a while back--he's got erythromelalgia which he is now able to control using magnesium. After trying many types he found that chelated magnesium worked for him. So I got some of that and tried it, but it gave me diarrhea. Then last month Dr. Blaylock said use Magnesium Citrate. So I'm trying that, but am still loose. There's magnesium in with the calcium pills I take, so that may be a contributor--Dr. Oz says they put magnesium in calcium pills because calcium alone is constipating. It's hard for us lay people to know what type is best to take when the doctors offer different advice.

Traditional calcium/mag supplements use the OXIDE form for the magnesium. The oxide IS a laxative. I'd dump it if it is interfering with your other mag products. The long acting types like SlowMag cause much less if any looseness.
SlowMag has a generic (called Mag64) which is less $$. But WalMart has lowered the price of the SlowMag brand to $9.99 for 60, now.

Magnesium citrate is also a laxative, so be careful with it.

Thanks so much for your comments, MrsD. I went back and read your magnesium thread again, so hopefully, I'll soon "get it."

I've been taking Doctor's Best Calcium Bone Maker Complex which includes dimagnesium malate. You have to take 6 capsules (2 3x/da) to get 600 mg calcium and 300 mg magnesium--plus a number of other things. I also take Doctor's Best Strontium, and have for about 5 years. I credit that with getting my numbers out of the osteoporosis range and back to the normal range. You can't take strontium at the same time as calcium though as they compete for the same receptors.

I will get some of the Slo Mag tomorrow when I'm out near Walmart--I took that quite a while ago when I was taking calcium, mag, boron, K, etc. all separately--then I found Jarrow's Bone-up had them all together. Recently I noticed Doctor's Best had a calcium product, and I thought it might work better with their strontium.

I'd do about anything to stop this burning--as I'm sure most of us with PN would! I got some of the L-Theanine this morning, and took 200 mg before lunch. I think it is making me quite relaxed--and maybe that's a good thing. Time will tell. Thanks for all your help, I really appreciate it.

Biofreeze is very cooling and stops burning for several hours.

You can get it now for 7-8 dollars a tube on Amazon. I think it is the best for burning than any other menthol product.

For calcium I use Maalox instant dissolve. 1000 mg/tablet.
If your Vit D is up in a good range, you'd only need one of these every other day or so. Very inexpensive.
This is the one I use, at WalMart it is under $5.00 a large jar.
http://www.maaloxus.com/index.shtml?maxChewables

New suggestions by some doctors is to keep calcium at 600mg/day if you take high dose D3. You don't need as much calcium when Vit D is optimal.

Im getting the same thing, the surface burning, could it be the heat?

i have found the epsom lotion working better as im using it. in other words its becoming more effective as i use it night after night. it helped a little at first but its taken a week to become effective enough to not wake up with burning throbbing feet. keeping my fingers crossed X

Hi Echoes...at first I thought it was the heat, but it happens in the AC too. I hope it's not the heat, I love the heat!:eek:This morning it was 64 and I had to wear a jacket for my walk. I also have very tight muscles in my thighs, like they feel like I am stretching them when I walk. All very strange new sensations!

Hi Echoes I think it may be the heat, we haven't had much summer here in Scotland and I have had the burning under control but we went on holiday to the Spanish island of Majorca last week and the burning was excruciating. I am now back home 24hrs and the burning has gone, but my feet were very swollen with the heat so that may have caused the burning. Anyways for the first time ever I was glad to be home from holiday.

Yes, I agree... heat is a big trigger. I've noticed that wearing warm bedtime PJ's makes my feet burn more than wearing a thin tank top and exposing alot of skin. Getting SUN on the feet during the day=burning at night.

Keeping feet under covers in cold weather=burning.
Outside sticking out of the covers= less burning.

I tend to walk around in summer in very scanty clothes. Hubby is wearing tons of clothing and I just can't imagine it.

I am taking a nice new tube of Biofreeze on vacation! Just in case!

I am taking a nice new tube of Biofreeze on vacation! Just in case![/QUOTE]

Biofreeze certainly saved the day for me, I even found an aerosol version and used that when we went out in the evenings.
I also took a basin in my suitcase as well as 1kg of Epsom Salts- my hubby laughed and had his fngers crossed we wouldn't get stopped at customs.

Been looking into buying some Biofreeze in this country.
Looks like you have to have to get it through a Naturapath.
Can't find any available retail.
Not available to me from Amazon.
Recommendation for use on my hands, roll-on or gel?
Not too much of a problem in the winter, they are like ice all the time anyway.
But in the Summer they are going to burn, I just know it.

numbfoot you can get it on iherb

OOOoooo... I didn't know iherb had it now! That is terrific.

It is really wonderful stuff. My PT wanted me to use it, back when I injured my tendons in my thigh/hip. I found it just excellent for the burning in my feet. I also use it on my knees if they act up.

The gel formulation is far superior to ointments or creams. The new Precise pain cream has 3 times the menthol in it and is not nearly as cooling as the Biofreeze. The Biofreeze also has Ilex extract in it...which is a very potent antioxidant. (aka Yerba Mate when used as a tea orally).

Biofreeze has changed my painful Life dramatically!

It's also on eBay.

An alternative to BioFreeze is
'Icy Hot'. I use the generic from Rite-aid Drugs, inc.
The only down side is that it thins out to almost a liquid
in higher heat. My bedroom is on the 3rd floor. I keep it there
to put on my feet before I put my socks on in the am when
getting dressed for work. Summertime makes it a bit runny, but
doesn't affect the cooling properties. I use it daily.

It's cheaper on ebay. Just checked it out on iherb.

I found my latest tube on Amazon for $7.00 and free shipping.

I am so glad it is filtering down to affordable levels. At one time it was only sold thru PTs and chiros.

I also found it at my gym's store, for $15.00.

My last purchase was from a discount place where you had to get 3 tubes for savings. That worked out to 6.99 each.

I paid $10 at the physical therapist's... years ago, for my first tube.

i am trying the L-theanine from the OP/]
thanks for posting

I've been trying the L-theanine too, since I first read about it. I have been able to sleep through the night until about 5:30 when I start stirring around because of the burning, but can usually go back to sleep for another hour. Beforehand, I usually had to get up between 2:30 and 3:00 to put some lotion with menthol on my feet and legs.

I've been using this "Lasting Touch" that I got at Whole Foods--it has menthol, camphor, capsaicin, MSM, Chondroitin, Glucosamine, and Arnica in it. It's made in Arlington, TX, so maybe it's only available in their stores in Texas, I don't really know. We live near Dallas. This one has a red cap, and they make another one with a blue cap, but it doesn't have menthol. I tried them both originally, but settled on the red cap. However, yesterday I ordered some Biofreeze from I-Herb to compare and to have another option. So many of you all endorse Biofreeze that I want to try it. Joan

I ordered the theanine too from Amazon and had it delivered upNorth. I didn't think it would get here in time for us to leave.

I'll report back when I return. The melatonin we use by Schiff company has 25mg of theanine in it. But that doesn't seem like much to me.

My son has been using it for about 6mos now, and I notice his mood is much less grumpy etc. I tend to wake up in the night having bad dreams, which I think is blood sugar (low) related. I hope the theanine helps with that.

Nide, could you keep the lotion in the refrigerator during the hot seasons?

Mrs. D,
Researching l-theanine online. I read somewhere ( i can't remember where) that it may decrease serotonin levels and cautioned against using it if you're taking anti-depressants which affect serotonin levels. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks, Liz

Here is the wiki on theanine:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theanine

No mention of antidepressants on this source:
http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supple...tName=THEANINE

Now with SNRIs --theanine might interact with the norepi reuptake functions... but that is only a maybe.
But I did not find an interaction at "drug checker" at www.drugs.com between Cymbalta and l-theanine.

So it is looking benign except for the potential lowering of blood pressure in certain people.

Mrs:D
 

Hi

I got the L-theanine. It's 100 mg each. Should I take more than one pill at 100 mg or start at 100 mg. Plus I see se take it for anxiety so is it best taken at night?

Other stuff I am taking

B12
Folic
Alpha lipoic acid 600mg
369 omega oils
Calcium/magnesium
Valerian root at bedtime occasionally

Now adding l-theanine
Is it okay to take with valerian root? Since that also has stress relief calming
effect?

Prescription:
Baclofen 20 mg (not daily)
Tramadol 50mg (not daily)

Thanksyou

Mrs D is on vacation on a remote island with no electricity.
She won't respond until she gets to do weekly (or more)
chores and can get to a wi-fi site area.

That's right, I forgot:-)

I may be wrong but I think I read somewhere 200mg was the best dose for us. I stupidly took my first few doses in the morning until I realised it made you sleepy - wonder if anyone noticed I was even more sleepy than normal lol.Could someone else maybe confirm this dose in Mrs Ds absence.
I must say I am having good results with theanine so far, I take it with my folic acid at night now.

I took 100mg and then another 100 mg four hours later. I like the calming effect. The bottle I got says on it anti stress formula.

My acupuncturist told me that multivitamins are "worthless"
I would really love Mrs. d input on that

She told me to do b12 drops with Folic and not to rely on anything good or enough from Multi vitamin.

briefly....I am using 150mg at bedtime on vacation.

I am liking it. But will have to see how it works at home.
In many ways up here with much less pollution, and stress, things tend to be better etc.

When I get back I will post more...etc.

I used theanine for 3wks, at 150mg at bedtime, and then noticed my fasting blood sugar dropped considerably!

So I stopped my Glumetza (metformin) and continued to have readings of 103-109 each morning! It was higher on the RX!

I stopped the theanine for a short while when I had my GI (possible gall bladder attack), but now am on it again at home.

I'll post if this trend continues. I did search and found that theanine lowers cortisol levels, and these are implicated in the dawn phenomenon, where blood sugars go up while fasting.

I haven't noticed much difference in my feet, but I am sleeping better most nights. I plan to increase to 200mg at bedtime, when my refill order arrives from Swanson.

I am bumping this up because I have some results comparing two different BRANDS of theanine.

The first bottle I bought this summer was Doctor's Best 150mg.
I upped to 300mg at night after the first month or so.
I used that up, and tried Swanson's Suntheanine 100mg and 3 of those at bedtime. I do not think that the Swanson's worked well. I just didn't feel as relaxed as I did on Doctor's Best Brand.

So I reordered the Doctor's Best Suntheanine, and now I am back to feeling better.

So I would caution readers here that there may be variations from company to company. I am trying now to use Doctor's Best for my major PN supplements. The Suntheanine, Benfotiamine, and R-lipoic acid (stablized). Amazon's prices are very affordable, very competitive and shipping is free over $25.

HI Mrs. D,
I was treated with very high doses of DM for pain last year. As I have said before I have a difficult time with high doses of medication. I was to out of it to tell if it even helped with the pain.
hopeful:)

This post is the first time I have read about theanine and I am wondering how people are doing with it? Are you still using it? Why? What is it specifically doing for you?

thanks

I am no longer using it. I no longer have the "anxiety" which was a fault of my thyroid medication, or the side effects from the nasty blood pressure drug, lisinopril.