Vitamin question for MrsD
 

I have just bought some vitamin B1 and Omega 3. I am currently taking B12, 5000 mcg/day. I have tried searching this forum for dosage recommendations for my two new things without success. It is probably due to my poor computer skills. Plus I am having a lot of confusion right now (I suspect Lyrica and am going to start tapering it off and am fearful of the increased pain I know I will have) and am pretty down in the dumps. So, I hate to ask it because I know I've seen it before in a thread, but could you recommend a dosage for B1 and Omega 3? Boy, I am really whiny --feeling sorry for myself tonight. Apologies. I'll feel better in the am.

okay...
 

Thiamine should be taken at least 200mg/day. Up to 300mg if necessary.
This vitamin may be depleted by certain drugs (diuretics,antibiotics)
and some people have errors of metabolism involving thiamine.
It specifically helps with burning type pain. You should know if it is working for you in about a month...but you may need it longer.

Omega-3 encompasses Alpha linolenic acid (from Flax, and some nuts) and also fish oil. Alpha Linolenic acid is converted to long chain Omega-3s called EPA and DHA in the body, from primary Alpha linolenic acid. So using the term Omega-3 can be confusing. I assume you mean fish oil, and in that case any will do.
All are carefully made and have shown no contamination by heavy metals.
We use an enteric coated double strength one from Costco and Sam's club. Two doubles or 3 regular is a good place to start dose wise.
These are very reasonably priced. If you have low intake of Omega-3 foods then using fish oil supplements is necessary. I have a thread on this in the Vitamin forum. It is listed in the stickies.
B6 and magnesium are needed to convert Flax oil to EPA and DHA.
Some people buy brand name Fish oil. Fisol is one, (enteric coated) or Nordic Naturals and Carlson's are both good. Dr. Sear's makes one too.
If you are just starting, you might like the enteric coated ones better, as beginner's often get fishy burps (repeating). This goes away with improved EFA status.

If you choose to avoid fish oil and only take flax, then some evening primrose is helpful to enhance conversion. The EPA portion of the long chain EFAs is the anti-inflammatory part. The DHA is more for the brain/depression, etc.

Take the oils with food for best absorption. Just about everyone has improvements with time. After a few months, you will be amazed.
Your skin and hair will improve, you may see a great reduction in GERD symptoms, improvements in asthma, less bronchitis, less depression, fewer colds, improved circulation, lower triglycerides, and much more. Your nervous system will be able to repair itself in general as well.

Neither need be expensive, as well.

Mrs D.

Hi, A quick question. I just looked at my bottle of B High Potency Complex with Folic Acid and Vitamin C. I admit I haven't been taking it lately, it got lost in Alan's first aid kit. I have just found it again. I just took a pill.

Here's what it says on the label.

Vitamin C -- 300 mg
Thiamin - 18 mg
Riboflavin - 10mg
Niacin - 50
Vitamin B6 - 5mg
Folic Acid - 400 mcg
Vitamin B-12 - 10 mcg (are they kidding?????)
Biotin- 50 mcg
Pantothenic Acid - 10 mg

Now on the bottle where it says Thiamin - 18 mg, it says 1,200 percent

In your previous posting, you indicate that the amount of thiamin taken should be at least 200 mg a day, possibly 300 mg, right??

Then why, in this B-complex tablet, is there only 18 mg.

Should I now go out and go to GNC and buy a bottle of Thiamin (in larger doses??).

Thanks much

some B complexes...
 

have 50mg of thiamine, Some 100mg and some just a bit more than RDA.

B-50's, B-100's... typically are considered "high"

Your product is a compromise product for people who don't want really high amounts of any of the Bs. Some people get hyper on them, or feel higher doses are not necessary. The RDA for thiamine is just over 1mg. RDA amounts for some nutrients are considered not accurate by many nutritionists.
Your 5mg of methylcobalamine is in the 83,000% range if you compare to RDA values of 2-4 mcg.

When people have PROBLEMS...that is when higher doses are more useful.
Thiamine is sold alone in 50 and 100mg strengths. For many years, the first 20 yrs of my professional life in fact, thiamine was routinely used for PN.

With the arrival of fancy drugs like Elavil and Neurontin, this changed. These drugs do not heal and only cover up symptoms. I believe the thiamine restores normal nerve functioning, and it should still be used. It does not have the side effect profile of B6, and is very well tolerated and inexpensive.

This is such an important point. I'm so glad It has come up again.

When indicated as a percentage a dose can seem very high (for example: 1000% is only 10 times). And in the case of B12 (as those who have been here for a while know), a person who malabsorbs severely could take many thousand percent and not reach the dose required to get anything at all out of the supplement.

rose

Okay, I think I got it.

I'm passing by GNC later on this afternoon.

What is the strength (in your expert opinion), that I should be taking, in addition to my Methyl B-12.

I believe I'm not supposed to take this at the same time right??

I take the Methyl B-12, as soon as I wake up and then one hour later, Alan and I eat our breakfast.

Now I take my shot of lantus 5 minutes before we leave the house.

So If I take the Methyl B-12 at 8 a.m. and the shot of Lantus at 8:55 p.m. I assume it's okay to take the Thiamine at that time too, right.

Oh, do I still take the B-complex in addition to the Thiamine that I'm going to buy today??

Thanks,

I want to get this right.

And I completely get the hi doses thing. If I took the recommended dosing of Methyl B-12, I would be burning all the time.

Mel

Melody...
 

For you specifically?

You are a diabetic and using some drugs that are depleters.
I have other recommendations for you in addition to the thiamine.

magnesium
zinc

based on your Zestoretic use.
Diabetics lose magnesium thru the urine
And Lisinopril depletes zinc
and the HCTZ portion of the Zestoretic depletes thiamine and magnesium, and potassium (the potassium you can get from wise food choices).

GNC is the most expensive place for vitamins. Isn't there another you can try?

Iherb has good prices online ..
This zinc for example:
http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails....&pid=1361&at=0
240 days supply for $10. less than 5 cents a day

this magnesium:
http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails....=1&pid=15&at=0
120 for $8.83 8 cents a day

And this thiamine:
http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails....1&pid=403&at=0
100/$2.78


I don't think you'll find this quality ..these are the best 3 to choose, at these prices at GNC. But do check it out.

Hi Mrs. D.

I'm not on zestoretic any more. They took me off of the water pill portion of it.
I'm just on Zestoril right now.

So does the same information apply?

I feel like I should pay you for your knowledgable head!!!! lol

Melody

yes...
 

Zestril depletes zinc

Diabetes depletes magnesium.

However, if you do not have burning pain, you may not need the thiamine (diuretics deplete it)..The thiamine is only 2 bucks anyway.
I've edited the link to the thiamine... I accidently put the wrong one up...it is correct now.

Thank you so much, MrsD. I did awake in a better mood and am no longer so whiny. But this info has helped me a lot!

OkeeDokee!!!! And I thank you a whole bunch.

I'll go on the thiamin as soon as I can.

I only get the burning once in a great while. If I'm stressed, then it comes, but if I'm okay, then it happens when the weather goes crazy, like when the humidity is 90%.

Lately, in Brooklyn, NY the weather is up the kazoo. One hour I'm walking around in a low cut spandex blouse and then I'm putting on a coat.

No wonder I'm on fire.

Neuropathy stinks. But I deal.

Oh, got a question about a friend of mine who is developmentally delayed. He's in his 50's has diabetes and has neuropathy (Only he doesn't know he has neuropathy). He just has burning. He doesn't understand the complexities. He is on neurontin, and oral meds. His sugar is controlled but he got neuropathy anyway.

He has had a recurring foot ulcer for 7 months. They put him in the hospital because the infection went to the bone. That was 7 months ago. They cleared up the infection with IV antibiotics and put him in the shoe boot thing. But it came back. He just called me and said "I'm not doing too good, I got the infection back, they took a piece of the ulcer and the doctor put it in a tube and he's bringing it to the lab. I said "Oh, okay, the doctor knows what he's doing, don't worry". I have to talk to him like a child and keep his spirits up. Then he said "they are sending me for an MRI on Thursday morning".

So here's my question. What are they looking for if they are taking a specimen of his ulcer and bringing it to pathology?? And what is the MRI for??

I know diabetics and foot ulcers but what are options when the guy's sugar is just fine but the ulcer doesn't want to heal.

I'm thinking that they are looking for a specific infection so they can prescribe a different antibiotic???? And what does an MRI reveal??

Thanks. Sometimes he calls me and wants answers and I want to gently tell him stuff but not go over his head (if you know what I mean).

He's a 6 foot 6 tall gentle giant of a guy who was a forceps baby and is slightly developmentally delayed. Can't read or write but he's all alone and on SSD.

Thanks, if you can give me some answers.
Melody

Mel...
 

since you don't have severe pain/burning, you probably only need 100mg of thiamine a day.

In regards to your friend:
1) they probably took a tissue sample to culture to find out what organisms (germs) are present

2) The MRI is probably to evaluate the bones/ligaments and deep structures
to see if the ulcer goes beyond what can be seen.

Thanks Mrs. D. for the information (re: vitamins, and my friend). Much appreciated.

Alan and the big guy go to the same podiatrist. He went yesterday, and Alan just now left, carrying his Cam Walker. He wouldn't put it on because he says it irritates his legs and it doesn't work anyway. (Well, it worked for 3 weeks, didn't it?). He's going to politely say to the doctor "enough already, I've had this ulcer on and off for 2 years, I need a life, do SOMETHING".

He's already been told that there's a bony thing that is causing the ulcer and there are two things that can be done. Shave the bony thing, or go in, reposition the bones (which might affect the big toe, blah blah blah).

Well, the other podiatrist didn't want to operate on Alan. That's why we went to this guy.

Hopefully he'll say "well, we've debrided this and it still came back, you've used regranex, you've stayed off your feet, etc", now we have to do more agressive measures".

Hopefully that might mean sending him for an MRI, (or maybe the x-rays he has already taken will be enough??).

Anyway, Alan is really prepared to say "PLEASE DO SOMETHING".

So we shall see.

Melody