 |
|
| Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome For traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post concussion syndrome (PCS). |
| Reply |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
08-09-2015, 07:52 PM
|
#1 | ||
|
|||
|
Member
|
I started taking niacin (500mg) maybe a month and a half ago, as I saw it was something on the vitamin sticky I've neglected. The first time I took it I didn't know what a niacin flush was and thought I was having an allergic reaction or something, but soon discovered it's a common effect. I thought it might diminish as I continued taking it, but I still get a pretty significant flush that lasts 45-60 minutes. It's not really that big of a deal, but I have sort of reddish skin to begin with, and look like an oompa loompa with the flush, so much so that I've startled some co-workers, haha.
I'm wondering what the benefit of niacin is for PCS folks, and whether taking a "no-flush" version, or taking it every few days, would be as beneficial? Thanks.
__________________
26 year-old PhD student in evolutionary biology, slipped on ice in Feb 2014 while clipping my fingernails and walking to save time (dumbest reason for PCS ever?). Initially just had headaches and didn't feel quite right, but a minor head bump 5 days later started a downward spiral of anxiety, depression, insomnia and fatigue. Had trouble concentrating on reading/looking at screens April 2014 - did exertion test, passed, started exercising and doing more, but didn't feel much better. May 2014 - Went on backpacking trip OK'd by doctor, trip itself went fine, but felt worse a few days after getting back, more difficulty concentrating, worse headaches. June 2014 - Bumped head on ceiling walking slowly down stairs, no immediate symptoms, but caused worsening headahces, more difficulty concentrating and looking at screens. Have not felt as good as I did before this since this bump. December 2014 - after feeling relatively better I went xc skiing and fell but didn't hit my head (something my psychologist who specializes in brain injuries told me he hoped would happen so I saw it was OK), felt worse Feb 2015 - back in grad school, light teaching load and some research, nowhere close to operating at my full capacity. Still have constant headaches, difficulty reading/looking at screens, mild anxiety and depression, and just not feeling like my normal sharp self. Trying, but struggling, to believe that I'll get back to my old self, or at least get close. |
||
|
 Reply With Quote
|
| "Thanks for this!" says: | DejaVu (08-09-2015) |
|
08-09-2015, 08:01 PM
|
#2 | ||
|
|||
|
Member
|
I have been taking a no-flush version for over 2 weeks now and haven't had any issues despite having sensitive skin.
__________________
March 2009: Concussion from a tree branch falling on head, all symptoms cleared up by 8-month mark. Started having head and hand tremors in 2013, which may had been caused by this concussion. February 2015: Slammed head into a heavy dining table light, another concussion. Current symptoms: Constant headaches that are mostly localized to the right side, head pressure, head sensitivity, moderate fatigue, fractured sleep, anxiety, mood swings, tremors, mild dizziness caused by head movement at times, neck pain, fullness in right ear, mild blurry vision Symptoms that went away: Light/noise sensitivity, nausea, severe fatigue, moderate blurry vision, tinnitus Current meds: Tramadol |
||
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
|
08-09-2015, 09:07 PM
|
#3 | ||
|
|||
|
Legendary
|
For the major benefits, no flush is fine. But, the cardio and cholesterol benefits are less from the no-flush. Niacin/nicotinic acid is the flush type and helps with cholesterol. Niacinamide is no-flush. Inositol Hexanicotinate is a no flush.
My wife takes the same niacin as I do. She has no flush issues. I turn red like a tomato. My skins burns. My backside burns. The back of my neck burns. My skin temp elevates to 95 degrees. For those of you who ever get a sunburn, niacin will burn like blazes but your sunburn will heal very quickly. The first time I took niacin, my doctor gave me a half tablet to chew. Whooooow. What a surprise. He also gave me a shot of B-12 and started me on the full vitamin and supplement regimen. It changed my life over the next 8 weeks. |
||
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
| "Thanks for this!" says: |
|
08-10-2015, 07:47 AM
|
#4 | ||
|
|||
|
Member
|
So is taking the flush version every other day a good a alternative to taking a no-flush version everyday? Do you know specifically how it supports healing? I'm just curious, I'm taking so many supplements I feel like a crazy person, knowing what they do makes me feel a little less crazy, haha.
__________________
26 year-old PhD student in evolutionary biology, slipped on ice in Feb 2014 while clipping my fingernails and walking to save time (dumbest reason for PCS ever?). Initially just had headaches and didn't feel quite right, but a minor head bump 5 days later started a downward spiral of anxiety, depression, insomnia and fatigue. Had trouble concentrating on reading/looking at screens April 2014 - did exertion test, passed, started exercising and doing more, but didn't feel much better. May 2014 - Went on backpacking trip OK'd by doctor, trip itself went fine, but felt worse a few days after getting back, more difficulty concentrating, worse headaches. June 2014 - Bumped head on ceiling walking slowly down stairs, no immediate symptoms, but caused worsening headahces, more difficulty concentrating and looking at screens. Have not felt as good as I did before this since this bump. December 2014 - after feeling relatively better I went xc skiing and fell but didn't hit my head (something my psychologist who specializes in brain injuries told me he hoped would happen so I saw it was OK), felt worse Feb 2015 - back in grad school, light teaching load and some research, nowhere close to operating at my full capacity. Still have constant headaches, difficulty reading/looking at screens, mild anxiety and depression, and just not feeling like my normal sharp self. Trying, but struggling, to believe that I'll get back to my old self, or at least get close. |
||
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
| "Thanks for this!" says: | DejaVu (08-10-2015) |
|
08-10-2015, 09:26 AM
|
#5 | ||
|
|||
|
Legendary
|
I know niacin is good for capillary blood flow.
|
||
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
| "Thanks for this!" says: | DejaVu (08-10-2015) |
|
08-10-2015, 05:39 PM
|
#6 | ||
|
|||
|
Legendary
|
Isn't 500mg per day a LOT of niacin?
I was just reading something that mrsD left on a thread in the Vitamins forum. Way down the bottom of the page it has info about dosage... down where it says Safety Toxicity http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/niacin >>>> just a warning... it's a difficult page to read for some I imagine. It's fllled with bright red highlighted links.... just so you know. 
|
||
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
|
08-10-2015, 08:00 PM
|
#7 | |||
|
||||
|
Co-Administrator
Community Support Team
|
I found this site , a mention of memory & depression dosages as well as other conditions.-
http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/niacin-benefits/
__________________
Search the NeuroTalk forums - . |
|||
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
|
08-10-2015, 08:11 PM
|
#8 | ||
|
|||
|
Member
|
Thanks for the info. I just picked up the only niacin bottle I saw at my local co-op, which was 500mg, so I figured that was the standard dosage.
__________________
26 year-old PhD student in evolutionary biology, slipped on ice in Feb 2014 while clipping my fingernails and walking to save time (dumbest reason for PCS ever?). Initially just had headaches and didn't feel quite right, but a minor head bump 5 days later started a downward spiral of anxiety, depression, insomnia and fatigue. Had trouble concentrating on reading/looking at screens April 2014 - did exertion test, passed, started exercising and doing more, but didn't feel much better. May 2014 - Went on backpacking trip OK'd by doctor, trip itself went fine, but felt worse a few days after getting back, more difficulty concentrating, worse headaches. June 2014 - Bumped head on ceiling walking slowly down stairs, no immediate symptoms, but caused worsening headahces, more difficulty concentrating and looking at screens. Have not felt as good as I did before this since this bump. December 2014 - after feeling relatively better I went xc skiing and fell but didn't hit my head (something my psychologist who specializes in brain injuries told me he hoped would happen so I saw it was OK), felt worse Feb 2015 - back in grad school, light teaching load and some research, nowhere close to operating at my full capacity. Still have constant headaches, difficulty reading/looking at screens, mild anxiety and depression, and just not feeling like my normal sharp self. Trying, but struggling, to believe that I'll get back to my old self, or at least get close. |
||
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
|
08-10-2015, 08:38 PM
|
#9 | ||
|
|||
|
Legendary
|
I'm not sure and that's why I posed the question.
It seemed too high to me and I was concerned. Worth investigating. Hopefully others will chime in with how much they're taking. |
||
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
| "Thanks for this!" says: | DejaVu (08-10-2015) |
|
08-11-2015, 02:33 PM
|
#10 | |||
|
||||
|
Co-Administrator
Community Support Team
|
Quote:
And a counterpoint to the higher dosages suggested on the above link - http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-su...t-guide-niacin (article Reviewed by David Kiefer, MD on May 01, 2015) So it seems it is a case of be aware , do your own checking on various sites before trying higher doses ... https://www.google.com/search?q=niac...fits+%26+risks
__________________
Search the NeuroTalk forums - . |
|||
|
|
Reply With Quote
|
| "Thanks for this!" says: | DejaVu (08-11-2015) |
| Reply |
|
|
Similar Threads
|
||||
| Thread | Forum | |||
| Vitamin question | Traumatic Brain Injury and Post Concussion Syndrome | |||
| Vitamin question | Bipolar Disorder | |||
| Question about Vitamin D - Mrs. D. | Peripheral Neuropathy | |||
| vitamin question | Vitamins, Nutrients, Herbs and Supplements | |||
| Question about different versions of Niacin | Peripheral Neuropathy | |||
Question about Niacin (vitamin B3)
Linear Mode
