Chemo neuropathy
 

Hi. I discovered this forum last night and spent the last 6 hours or so reading thru it till I confused myself:wink:

Thanks to the folks that run it. There is a ton of great info.

I have neuropathy in the toes and fingers from chemo that ended last December. It got worse about a month and a half after chemo ended. Minor in the fingers and after reading the forum I'm much better off than most. I didn't know anything about this before.

I've been on gabapentin since Feb. I absolutely hate it. I try to only take 300mg's a day. My prescription is that 2x's a day. I'm in a fog. I gotta get off this crap:(

I read thru the suppliment section and am wondering if I'm on the right track. Today, I bought Jarrow Methyl B12 5000, Doctors Best Benfotiamine 150 mg, Acetyl L-carnitine 250 mg and Magneseum 1250 mg.

I probably can't get tested because I'm on Medical but will ask. Reading about B-12 deficiencies, I'm a good bet

Using the Suppliment Sticky I'm looking at Methyl B12 5000 mcg once a day?
500mg Acytyl once or twice a day? 300mg Befotiamine once or twice a day?
Magnesium twice a day? I picked it all up this morning

Yup it's a newbie question:eek:

Is it better to take them all together or separate them through the day and to start with a lower dose?

I would appreciate any guidance as this is new to me. Being a regular on many forums I realize what a PIA it is sometimes to answer the same things, but I swear I read asw much as my brain could handle in my gabapentin fog;)

Thanks
Mike

Welcome to Neurotalk, Mike.

It sounds like a good start except the magnesium is high.

You should start off with 1/2 the RDA which is 200mg a day elemental.

It should be a quality magnesium chelate, or SlowMag (a chloride) and NOT magnesium oxide.

I don't know where you came up with the 1250mg? Now when some people are getting chemo there are some chemo drugs that deplete magnesium. This is usually monitored by the doctor since not all chemo drugs do this. Blood testing is done in those cases, and doses adjusted accordingly. I've seen people get huge magnesium IV during some chemos.

You are post-chemo in status. So please consult with your doctor before taking any high dose magnesium supplement.
You need good kidney functions, for all supplements, and I assume you have no impairments there? If so you need to discuss with your doctor dosing of all of them.

Thank you for the welcome and the info.

I had asked the clerk at the health food store for half RDA slomag magnesium and this was what she gave me. It's magnesium malate, but I saw your reply before I opened it, so I can return it. During chemo I received magnesium before and after the drip. I'm good to go other than this stuff and the gaba haze

One of the problems I have is that my Doctor really doesn't seem to know or isn't interested in anything other than just take the gabapentin. It's a county teaching hospital, their great but.....

I took 5000 mcg B-12 today, 2-250 mg acetyl l-carnitine and 2-150 mg Benfotiamine today on an empty stomach at once. Gave me heartburn and minor stomach discomfort. One thing I noticed was my urine wasn't yellow like with the B-100 I had tried from Dr Weil's site. Seem's like a plus;)

I hate taking anything including Advil. I'm thinking of simply starting with the B's or even just the B=12, but have to reread the b-12 info to see what starting dose is, because my bottle says to take one every 3-4 days

Thank you again

mike

My husband's PN is from drugs also. Alpha Lipoic Acid really helped his pain level. I cannot remember how much he took. I think 300 mg x2 day. They now have R-Lipoic Acid which is more potent so you can knock back the dosage. He noticed a big difference within about 2 -3 weeks. I think there's info on this on the stickys also.

The only nutrients he can take without food is the sublingual B12, Vit C and magnesium. Otherwise, he needs to take them with his meals. Especially the B complex. That will make anyones tummy turn.

Day-glo yellow urine from a B complex is expected so don't be alarmed by it.

Magnesium malate would have a total weight that is high.

This is very confusing to most people, especially doctors.

A typical magnesium malate (one that I have) is 1000mg per tablet. Only 150mg of that is the magnesium portion and the rest is the malate portion.

All dry powders of mineral chelates/salts typically are reported as total weight. Some labels will detail the elemental value of the mineral--in this case magnesium--and others will not.

I explain elemental values here:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post20739-10.html
This post is from this thread:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread1138.html
It has grown pretty long, but there are interesting questions on it, and it is a very valuable subject, so please try to read it.

I don't think you need to return your malate at this point. If it causes loosening stools for you, that would be a sign that not all is being absorbed. The SlowMag is magnesium chloride, and 2 a day of those are usually enough for most people. But one can go up to 4 a day if needed, and if you have normal kidney functions.

HI Mike!
Welcome!
Sorry you have cause to be here; yet, this is a great resource if needed!:winky:
I hear you in the gaba haze. I cannot do gaba, at all.
I hope you can find your way off of the gaba as soon as possible!:)
Hope you learn all you need to know in order to fully heal!
See you around!
~DejaVu

I kept the magnesium. Taking 1 pill a day is a tad over 100% RDA, so I'm taking 1/2 twice a day

I have normal kidney function, but they discovered in all this that I only have one kidney. CT scan. never knew and there is no concern.

My stomach was better today and I separated things better

& Marlene Thanks for the Alpha lipic info. I have some and will look into the R version

:DThank you and I'm sorry I have to be here too;) But I'm hopeful , where a few days ago I was pretty frustrated. There is a ton of info here.

"Hopeful" is a great place to be! :D
We are all here should things look down a bit at any time!
Have a great day!:D
~DejaVu

I am really curious how Lance Armstong avoided neuropathy....or how he copes with it. He was nailed with major chemo and he seems to be better for it! (Not really, but, his recovery is astounding.) I wonder if the chemo ever causes autonomic neuropathy. I have seen AN in chest radiation patients, usually those who got radiation for lymphoma.....I actually diagnosed a case in one of my clients when I had the medical fitness center....I had read outs and given his medical history and his response to exercise....I figured out that was what he had and I sent him to the doc, and yep, that was it....then....I got the idea that it was also what was going on with me.....and yep....it was.:(