Hi guys,

I'm wondering do any of you take any supplements? Most of us are on some sort of pain medication, meds for arthritis, meds of constipation, meds to help us sleep... you get the drift.

I read somewhere that taking opiods can strip you blood of potassium (sp?), and meds can exhaust us and what not, I also read that opiates can also cause depression and can strip your blood of something called l-tyrosine. L-tyrosine can also regulate body weight.

What do you think, are supplements a good idea and if so what would you consider taking.

I've been taking cod-liver oil supplements for many years but that's it, i feel like I take enough crap! On the other hand over the last 4 years my weight has ballooned and I can't lose a 1lb, i'd love to get rid of it but my Dr has basically said there's no point that i'd only upset myself more. This is one of the worst things about having so much information at out fingertips but hey.... questions are always there and i like information.

Feedback please, much appreciated.

Sinéad

great subject Sinéad!!

I would love to find out about this as i really do feel i should be taking something to help my liver!! i am back on the ketamine and i cannot think how this is effecting me as i need it to help with this major pain spike of the last few weeks.

The weight thing is a problem for me also, never had a pic on me until this accident but now unable to move to do anything. would love some suggestions on this as i think when you dont think you look good this also effects how you feel.

Really great thread sinéad and i hope some of the experts can tell us what might help!

That was my major goal and achievement. Drive morphine from my system along with the neurontin and other pain management meds. In so doing, I did notice a drop in weight, that is, along with an increase in walking and riding my bike.

Such is not an attempt for the faint of heart or those who are unwilling to experience some pain the system will not handle; however, I have not popped a pain pill since last August 2010. Nope. Withdrawal was not fun. Ugly is a good word for it. My thread speaks of it.

Supplements, you bet- Cleo hogties me, forces my mouth open with a pair of pliers, and plops them, pill by pill in my mouth [ not really, but she is both conscience of great wisdom and my life manager- just ask her ]. We use the Juice Plus brand of supplements as they tend toward the natural, adding a few fish oil capsules, topped off with a few calcium and B-12 I think. She tries to keep me on this regularly, and I do try to comply.

I have no clue what the lasting effect of the supplements may be, but making the effort does tend to satisfy my wife of almost 38 years.


Mark56

Hi guys,
I dropped into Holland & Barrett last week for a chat with their expert, I explained the meds I was taking and the problems I'm having. I think most people on here are taking something for the dreaded opiate constipation so that's covered. She then suggested some cod liver oil or omega 3 oil in capsule form to aid stiff joints etc. I partly guessed this one. I also got some Korean Ginseng for energy levels, I've taken this occasionally coming up to exams and find it good.
I dunno if they are doing me any good yet, time will tell but I'll try, the hopefully can't do any harm.

I checked out this stuff online before I decided to take it.

If anyone else has anything else I'd be grateful.

All the best,

Sophie xxx

I tended to eat copious amounts of Prunes. Thought they would be absolutely awful, but, you know, they were not all that bad, and I reckon I acquired a taste for the slimey fruits. Eating them along with some dried apricots, gave for a bit of variety and did produce the intended results. Fish Oil, yep, my wife has me on that, Calcium, B12, and these supplements branded Juice Plus [actually capsules of dried granular fruits and veggies]. She commands, I take.

Once I got away from the dreaded opiates completely through doc monitored withdrawal, the constipation went with them, but then you can read that messy saga on my thread around last August and September. Ick.

Supplements, they are Ok by me,
Mark56

My daughter works for Holland & Barrett ... will speak to her too.

Wow Saffy, your daughter works for Holland & Barrett, what a small, small world in which we live..... truly.

May all have a good weekend!
Mark56

Hi Saffy,
That would be great if she had some ideas to help us, I read somewhere that opiates can strip your body of postassium and apparently our bodies need potassium to help our nerve endings work (catch22huh?), I don't know if this is true. What else might be good for energy apart from ginseng, the opiates again love to make me sleepy and I have a full-time job (well it will be full-time again in a while)
As for the prunes Mark... seriously noooooo , it brings back awful memories of childhood, tinned prunes with custard and if we ate them my granny was give us a nice reward! I like apricots with my weetabix and porridge in the morning, but unfortunately they're not enough but i take the movical sachets.
Later alligators.... Silence of the Lambs is on tv and I haven't seen it in years, I can't believe how awful the fashion was in the 80's

Sinéad

For supplements/vitamins, I take:
Calcium
Vitamin C
Vitamin D (5,000 IUs daily)
Magnesium (250 mg daily)
Zinc (50 mg daily)
Omega 3 Krill Oil (300 mg daily)
Monthly B12 shot
Multivitamin
B-complex

I think that is it...

Hi Smae,

Thanks for your feedback, do you find calcium and magnesium helps, I suppose it would help in keeping bones strong which can't be a bad thing. Im already taking the fish liver oils, cod liver and omega 3. Not the zinc. The reason why I started this thread is because I take so much opiate meds and I wonder what they could be doing to our bodies, bones, liver etc. There are so many of us here that take the same kind of meds and I thought who else would know this kind of thing. When I ask my GP about this he says not to worry about it, he's probably right but.....

Thanks again,

Sinéad