R Lipoic Acid
 

Hello, I was just wondering if anyone knows what a good mg. of r lipoic acid would be good to start with. Just over the past month I have been over run by burning left foot on top, skin burning arms back, neck and stomach. And now tounge and gums and lips[which is the worse] I herd this supplement might help to take the burning down a little, Thank you,,,,

I also forgot to say I am not diabetic so wondering if this stuff is used for non diabetic P/N ?

What’s the cause of your SFN?

I don’t use Alpha Lipoic Acid. If you have amalgam fillings ALA is a chelating agent and can be dangerous.

Only thing that seems to help me is IVIG

Hi dcd2103,nI am not sure what caused my P/N I had hep c that was giving me problems 15 years ago while getting treatment I was diagnosed with P/N the neurologist said hep c caused it and the hep c doctor said he was full of beans and that they always blame hep c, so I am still not sure but I myself leaning toward the hep c causing it. I cleared the hep c 15 years ago but this P/N hung on, it was not to bad up until a year ago now it is coming on me fast almost every month a new symptom. I don't know if it is due to having it so long and being 61 years old or if something else being its driving force or all 3. This burning body stuff so far is the worse so that's why the r lipoic acid question. He did not tell me anything [my neurologist] just gave me a test, said I had sensory nerve damage and walked out, so I am not sure what type I have?

Do you have diabetes or thyroid/liver issues? These
metabolic causes can often trigger it.


Check out the pirenzipine post just before this one, I’m very interested in it as a potential treatment

Hi dcd2103, so far as my doctor says my liver function is good, I did an a1c test for diabetes back 3/2019 it was 5.2..... most likely due again soon. on 3/5/2018 i did a tsh thyroid test number was 55 mc IU/mL not sure what those number are but the doctor never had an issue with it.

probably an autoimmune thing then. Do you have a positive ANA?

Also, whats wrong w/ this site? I was pretty excited when i found it, all the issues i want to discuss, but people seem to read the posts and not chat. I want to get a lively discussion going, theres like a couple posts a day.

Hello dcd2103
We welcome you to NeuroTalk

There is nothing "wrong with this site"
Less people are currently posting as most are more focused on the everyday challenges that the covid-19 pandemic has brought into their lives.
Many are also having to homeschool and occupy children as the schools are closed.

Some forums are more active than others, and members also tend to respond more when a topic is directly relevant to their knowledge or experience.

But overall it's a time when we are just all trying to be kind and understanding of each other having had to readjust priorities.

Hi, I looked back on my medical testing section but don't see anything on ANA, is it called something in a medical term I can look up instead of ANA? don't know if they tested me on this?

Antinuclear antibody
Also Known As
ANA
Fluorescent Antinuclear Antibody
FANA
Antinuclear Antibody Screen


Our site search can help find topics (must use more than 3 letters) - https://www.neurotalk.org/search.php

Thank you.

Hi dcd2103 and Dexter

There are several threads here where R-lipoic acid has been discussed.

You can use the Search option (https://www.neurotalk.org/search.php) to find them; they may be of help to you.

Thank you. i will look at them all as I am trying to find anything to take the edge off burning up.

dexter,

you need to figure out if its autoimmune or not. get a full autoimmune workup. if it is, some prednisone may help until your dr can get your approved for IVIG. Please find a good neurologist. where are you located?

I've never noticed alpha lipoic acid to be of any help. in fact, if you have silver fillings, it can be dangerous as its a chelator.

I've had next to no success with supplements. The only things that have helped me are gabapentin, IVIG, diet and exercise. In addition, when i have a very very bad flare, i take a Xanax. Its literally the only thing that will literally "calm the nerves" and give me a nights respite.

I'm looking into spinal cord stimulation as well, this is a treatment thts just just just starting to be considered for SFN, but with some very good results.

Hi dcd2103, I don't have any fillings so that part should be o.k the big reason for the alpha lipoic acid right now is the oral burning I am having and read a few places it may help but I guess at this point desperation on my mind as it is painful. All my liver functions etc. are normal, It being autoimmune I would think hep c would have fallen into that area,but now cleared. Right now I am seeing a new neurologist so I will go over these types of full work ups with them.

Ironic, I was dx'd with Hep C around the time my PN's sudden onset. I had thought the PN was precipitated by the Hep C causing Cryoglobulinemia. Cleared the hep C in 2012, thought the PN would then clear, but remains still to this day.
I was lucky, did the INF+Ribavirin+Victrellis Tx, only got to shot #16 and had to quit due to damage to optic nerve. Missed last 8 shots but was SVR nevertheless.

Hi tnthomas, Your situation is kind of same as mine. When I first went in 2004 I was having a ton of problems I,e headaches,sore muscles.numb feet, lost a lot of weight could not eat. After test I too had dx hep c and cryoglobulinemia, I too started riv/peg and had to stop around shot 4 or 5 due to drug induced vasculitis. After stopping treatment the vasculitis went away and after my year on treatment hep c and cryoglobulinemia was gone. My P/N did not go away, but at that time I cleared till around 11/2018 I had only had sore and numb feet. Then from 11/2018 till now it has got worse.

Alpha Lipoic acid helped my husband's PN quite a bit. Jarrow is good brand to try. We also use Thorne Research and Life Extension brands.. He's not diabetic either. I don't remember what dosage he took but now he uses r-lipoic acid at about 150 mg/day.

Are you taking any B vitamins?

Hi Marlene, yes I do eat jarrows 500mg under the tounge b-12 and a folic acid 800 the burning on my body as of now is not as bad as when it started,dont know if it has calmed down, the lipoic acid is getting to it? or I am just used to the feeling? The burning I am having a hard time with is my lips,tounge and top roof of my mouth, Seems to go away at nite but starts back up tn the morning and is not real bad during the day unless I drink coffee,have fruit salad or a spicy type of food. I hope the lipoc acid I got will work. Right now all the store had was alfa lipoic acid 200mg I eat 6 a day, I am gonna look for the other stuff online I guess r lipoic acid maybe better ? maybe knock some of this burn down?

Consider adding a B compex to round out the B vitamins. B1 may be helpful for the burning if you are low in its.

It takes time to heal. You can plataeu for awhile and sometimes healing causes a temporary increase in pain and then you see a drop in pain levels. All very confusing when you're trying to figure it all out.

Check out Iherb.com They carry Jarrow and Thorne Research. Pretty fast delivery too.

Hi Marlene, the last b-12 I took was numbers at 1,712 but the doctor did not tell me to stop b-12 supplements before the test so probably why its so high, do you think I should still do a b-1 with those numbers? or b complex? just want to stop the burn, Caroline on another thread suggested Inosine so checking all, desperate Thank you.....Dex

Can you explain further please?

Not sure? Were you asking a question of my post? or someones reply to mine.

I would, at a minimum, add in a good B complex. If you have never taken a B complex, the niacin can cause a niacin flush so we take the B complex with a full meal to slow down the absorption. There are B complexes that have the no flush niacin if the flush is too uncomfortable . I would look for a B complex that has 100 MG of B1. I think the benfotiamine form is more effective. Or just buy a separate B1 at this time and see if it helps.

Thanks so much for your help Marlene, I will check into this! stay safe out there....Dex.

Dex: On the B12 and I've taken 1000mcg just about every day for years and my levels are high when I get labs done but that's no problem. What I've started doing is take 1000mcg every 2-3 days and let the B12 get used up more.

Hi Caroline, I been using the 500 micrograms of jarrows b-12 once a day, I guess the high numbers cant hurt you so I should be o.k on the #s I just want to keep consistent on absorbing it and keeping the numbers at a good level and not go low .

Hi its this bit I'd like you to explain further please.

Atty

Hello Atticus, I did not write this but what I think he was saying is that if you have old fillings from that materiel in your mouth, the lipoic acid can break them down and release toxins that can harm you. Someone on here maybe able to explain this better than I.

Is there any evidence that R-lipoic acid can remove mercury from dental fillings?

The results of a PubMed search show that there is no evidence.