Help in dealing with neuropathy

[fleurtess]

Despite having excellent control, it seems I've developed neuropathy. There is currently a shortage of Neurologists in the NHS so I have been waiting to see one since November and when I went for the appointment, the consultant was absent from work (no reason given) but I have an alternative date. I am finding the sensations I am getting unbearable as they are so intense it's hard to function. I have developed clinical depression with it all. Is there any hope of some relief?

I try to keep my glucose levels as close to pre-diabetic as possible without going hypo. I have found this has helped with the terrible pain in my feet and toes. If that means injecting more insulin than the book recommend so be it. Everyone's body reacts differently to foods.

 

[Winnie53]

Tim55, the results your getting are so encouraging and hopeful.

I'm doing some looking around this morning and need a place to park some interesting links...

http://chriskresser.com/what-causes-neuropathy-and-how-to-treat-it/

https://sites.google.com/site/jccglutenfree/theneurologicalmanifestationsofgluten

http://www.bioidenticalhormones101.com/B6_Pyridoxine_Carpal.html

http://orthomolecular.org/resources/omns/v08n19.shtml

http://www.benfotiamine.org/testimonials.htm

http://www.benfotiamine.org/Benfotiamine.htm

http://jeffreydachmd.com/thiamine-deficiency-and-diabetes/

Coronary Artery Disease, not Neuropathy... https://www.lewrockwell.com/2015/04/donald-w-miller-jr-md/my-wife-has-coronary-heart-disease/

Will post again later...

 

[Winnie53]

@Tim55 I've been really busy this past week, still am, and am coping with swollen feet and ankles from our unusually hot weather right now. Hopefully, you took a peek at the above links. Vitamin B1, specifically benfotiamine looks promising too. Hoping you continue to experience improvement.

 

[Tim55]

Hi Winnie53

Thanks for those links, just finished wading through them all.

You are right - Benfotiamine does look as though it might be worth a shot and the description of diabetes as a thiamine deficiency disease is an interesting and enlightening viewpoint.

Not sure i have seen a continued improvement over the last two days, which have been extraordinarily hot up here and I'm not sure that has helped me either, although I usually find the Spanish climate helps!

I will consider adding it to my list although my preferred supplier does not seem to list it.

Cheers

Tim

 

[Winnie53]

Tim55, got to go to work now but wanted to add this morning that alpha lipoic acid is amazing stuff. I encourage you to do a search on "alpha lipoic acid neuropathy" to see what pops up. Late last night, I read this - (see link below; the flle has been corrupted but the case studies at the beginning and also the end of the article are fascinating. My husband and I are considering adding it to our nutritional supplement regimen because we keep coming across it in our readings)...

The article begins by telling the story of how this young doctor saved the lives of two people who were dying in the hospital from eating poisonous mushrooms. At the end of the article, he shares a case history on a man who "complained of burning and painful feet and paresthesias of his toes. He said that he had purchased several different types of shoes and shoe footpads, nevertheless his foot pain continued to increase. The diabetic neuropathy pain was not only interfering with Mr. M’s recreational activities, but also conflicting with his daily life and business operations."

Here's the link to the article from 1998 - (I love finding articles like this)...

http://orthomolecular.org/library/jom/1998/articles/1998-v13n01-p044.shtml

Tim55, the heat is challenging for us healthwise in one way or another. Because it has been working for you, I encourage you to continue taking the APA and vitamin B12.

 

[tim2000s]

I take benfotiamine and Alpha Lipoic Acid as precautionary measures. I figure their antioxidant effects should reduce the impact of high sugars when the occur.

 

[Winnie53]

I take benfotiamine and Alpha Lipoic Acid as precautionary measures. I figure their antioxidant effects should reduce the impact of high sugars when the occur.

Tim2000, when Tim55 posted, I was reminded that I never got around to looking up benfotiamine after you posted about it a while back. That's the reason why quite a few of the links I posted above are on it. One member, posted earlier under this topic that she reversed her neuropathy symptoms taking it, I believe, in 12 months time. She also said that so long as she keeps her blood glucose under 8 mmol/L, she's doing well. Initially, she thought she was taking vitamin B12, but after you posted, she corrected herself and confirmed that it was actually benfotiamine, a form of vitamin B1. ALA has other benefits too. Thinking about adding it and a good quality B complex to my nutritional regimen. Not sure if I ever thanked you for that clarifying post...it was very helpful. Thank you.

 

[donnellysdogs]

I take alpha lipoic acid too.. Although my pains have also diminished signifiicantly now all artificial sweeteners have been removed from diet...

 

[Winnie53]

@donnellysdogs is Stevita one of the sweetners that you were using? (I know it's natural, not artificial, but it's used in the same way as artificial sweetners. I'm using it a bit now. If there's any problems with it, I'd like to know.

 

[donnellysdogs]

To be honest I just cleared everything out my cupboards. I had Stevia in a large tub -granulated and I had liquid nu-stevia.

My improvements I think are mainly from not chewing sugar free gum constantly...
I never had a lot of anything with the above sweeteners in as I rarely made treats. However for me personally I do not tolerate statins, do not tolerate gabapentins etc... Or painkillers so it really appears to me that I'm best off with my health being totally chemical/medicine free (except my insulin!!).

Just probably me being over cautious.

 

[Winnie53]

Well donnellysdogs, that's two of us that are overly cautious. I'm okay during berry season using stevia extract to make whipped cream, which has been a wonderful treat for me, but that's it. I don't want to risk any further complications from my diabetes.

 

[Tim55]

HI there

Benfotiamine arrived yesterday so now added to ALA and vitamin B12

While reading around the subject I came across a supplement called methyl B12, which is a more active version of B12 in the same way as Benfotiamine is of B1.

I bought some of this as well (upping the order removed the postage charge - net price difference was about £2) but not tried it yet as I have ample stocks of the B12 I have been taking.

Anyone got any experience with this?

 

[donnellysdogs]

Is the methyl b12 one that is injected?

 

[Tim55]

No mate - it's in the form of a chewable oral lozenge.

 

[donnellysdogs]

With b12 it is MEANT to be flushed out of your system. Mine wan't and went up to very high levels and remained there for 6 months after I stopped the b12 from healthspan. There's isn't methyl.
Methyl is a strong version I just wouldn't want you to get up excessively high...
Have you had your b12 tested? Is it at the lower end of target range?

 

[Tim55]

Not specifically to my knowledge.

I had a few "anomalies" in my protein levels so what was described as "a full set of blood tests" were done about 6 months ago, and again just recently.

No significant concerns were raised.

Is it possible to have too high a level of B12 in your system?

I certainly would not take both the B12 and the Methyl....

 

[donnellysdogs]

Yes it is poss to have too much b12.

 

[Winnie53]

Tim55, donnellysdogs makes a good suggestion. There's no point in taking a supplement if there's no deficiency. Also, because you're taking metformin, it's recommended to have your B12 level checked. Getting the right test is important though. See Chris Kresser's booklet on B12 deficiency to find out what test to request from your doctor - (see link below).

This is interesting...

"Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with megaloblastic anemia and neurologic consequences such as polyneuropathy that may mimic diabetic neuropathy and cognitive decline.[5,9] Patients with diabetes have a greater risk for cognitive impairment than patients without diabetes. Among patients with diabetes, patients who take metformin may be at greater risk for cognitive impairment than patients who do not receive metformin.[1,10]"

Read the article here... http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/817601

This is a website I use to review what's known about a nutritional supplement before taking... http://examine.com/supplements/Vitamin+B12

And here's a booklet on B12 deficiency by Chris Kresser that explains how to be tested for a B12 deficiency - (click on this link, then download the booklet)... http://chriskresser.com/thanks/

If interested in learning more about maintaining good health, Chris' website offers a lot of good information.

Here's a podcast by Chris on neuropathy... http://chriskresser.com/what-causes-neuropathy-and-how-to-treat-it/

To do a search for additional information on this site, look for the magnifying glass icon at the top right of your screen and click on it.

 

[Winnie53]

Well, I can't find anything that states a toxicity problem with vitamin B12, though there are some people who should not take it. Of everything I read today, this article provided the most information on unwanted effects...

http://vitamins.lovetoknow.com/Side_Effects_of_Too_Much_Vitamin_B12

It doesn't appear to cause problems for most people. However, according to this article and others I read today, high B12 levels may be a marker for a number of serious diseases, unrelated to supplementation, but I don't have a number for "high".

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14636871

@Tim55 I just stumbled onto a chiropractor's website, Michael Sullivan, DC, in a large metropolitan area to the south of where I live that gives very specific reccommendations regarding vitamins, dosages, and what to expect...

http://nervepainhelp.com/nutrition/

Dr. Sullivan recommends 5,000 mcg (5 g) of B12, which I think would be too much for some people - (I read somewhere today that amputees take B12 in similar amounts, I believe for phantom pain)...

http://nervepainhelp.com/vitamin-b12-in-peripheral-neuropathy/

 

[Winnie53]

I looked in my neuropathy books, including Defeat Neuropathy Now by chiropractors Valerie Monteiro, DC, and John Coppola, DC. They use a formulation that they developed for their patients, Neuro-gen. You'll have to search for the website to see what they use in their formulation.

[LINK REMOVED]

I also found another formulation, called Neurogen - (the similar names are confusing, I know) - developed by surgeon Michael Fitzmaurice, MD. If you do a search, and make your way to the website, click on the Shop Online tab, then click on the bottle for a list of the nutrients used in the formulation.

[LINK REMOVED]

Interesting... The second website describes the work of a surgeon in Arizona (USA) who developed a nutritional supplement formulation to improve nerve function in his surgery patients.

There are two videos. The first video shows the results of a study they did on two groups of patients: one group with surgery, the other group with surgery and the nutritional supplements. The outcomes for the two groups were different. The combination of surgery and supplementation got dramatically better results.

In the second video, we're shown up close the nerves and the mitochondria. Fascinating. Takes me back to anatomy and physiology class 30 years ago. Both videos are worth watching.

It's so encouraging to see health practitioners throughout the US and elsewhere using a combination of diet, nutritional supplements, exercise, and a variety therapies/technologies - (developed both here and in Europe) - to reverse and repair nerve damage. There's a limit of course as to what's reversible, so it's important to educate our community to prevent or seek treatment early for neuropathy. That said, I've read quite a few testimonials from people who have been living with their neuropathy for a number of years before seeking treatment, so there's hope for those folks too.