One of the discussions I had with Superhero Neurologist Dr. B was about medications. I am not a fan of loading up on a bunch of them, especially if I'm treating symptoms only. If I can manage them another way, that's what I'd rather do. One thing I am willing to take is vitamins or supplements that my doctors recommend if my labs show that I need them or if there is research that shows they will have a positive effect. Here is a list of
Non-Meds That I Take Regularly
1. Multi-vitamin formulated for women
2. Vitamin D3
3. Vitamin B12
4. Magnesium
5. Iberogast
Because I am on Topamax (generic name topiramate), my body's ability to absorb many vitamins is compromised, especially Vitamin D. I had a severe Vitamin D deficiency several years ago that made me desperately ill and set me on a search to multiple doctors to find out what was wrong with me. It took me a year to recover my health. As a result, I must supplement D3 for the rest of my life. The same thing goes for B12; my levels for that vitamin were also low, and it helps with peripheral neuropathy. I take Magnesium to help with migraines and balance. The Iberogast was not prescribed, but it's an herbal supplement (drops) that help to calm my stomach and gut. Digestive problems are another symptom of ME that I deal with. I find this supplement very helpful for that, and it's just stuff like chamomile, lemon balm, and peppermint.
Some people call vitamins and supplements the ingredients for expensive pee. I'm following doctor's orders, so I feel vindicated. How do you feel about vitamins and supplements? Do you take very many?
"Ingredients for expensive pee" Ha. A would agree with that, but I am devoted to my supplements for skin, hair, nails, joints, etc. etc. I think I want to give Iberogast a try. I've had nausea every day lately--it's an aftereffect of grief and will not benefit from actual medication, but this supplement sounds like it could provide some relief.
ReplyDeleteI really do hope your migraine has receded by now.
maya--Iberogast works for me, Rick, and Sam. Jared hasn't tried it, but he rarely has any problems in that area. I don't like the chalky tabs like Rolaids; this is something you just drip into water or whatever you drink, and that's it.
DeleteI'm sorry about your lingering nausea, and I understand it. Grief is a heartless bitch.
My migraine is gone today, thank you. XO
Oh, Nance, so sorry to hear about your migraine! I hope you’re feeling better by now. If that happens again, just put up this notice:
ReplyDeleteDEAR READERS:
I REGRET TO SAY THAT…
I AM HAVING A SHITFUL DAY.
HOPE TO WRITE AGAIN TOMORROW.
OTC Vitamins: The only ones my doctor has asked me to take right now are Vitamin D and Calcium (due to my bone density tests). I have been reading up on vitamins recently, and B12 + magnesium look like good additions. I pee all day long, so I figure that dilutes the expense, right? Lol.
Ortizzle--Thank you for not only your grace, but your excellent suggestion. I hope to never need take it, but it's a great option.
DeleteDr. B prefers a timed-release B12. And magnesium glycinate or gluconate rather than citrate so as to mitigate stomach/digestive concerns. He made sure to see me in the warmest examining room yesterday because he knows how easily chilled I get. He's the best.
Bulk up those bones! We need you strong and healthy here at the Dept.
For years I felt like we can get our nutrients through food, so just eat right and you will be fine. More recently, due to medications that I take and menopause, I’ve changed my ways and take several. I don’t always remember to take them, but often. I have a supplement that is D3, Calcium, Magnesium, and K2. I think the K2 helps with absorption, but probably I’m remembering that wrong. Just looking at the label, and each serving is 4 tablets. I’ve been taking 1. Why is life this way?
ReplyDeleteJ--You make such a great point about women's needs not only being different from men's, but being different as we age. I'd like to add that needs are different depending upon where we live as well, and obviously, our economic circumstances.
DeleteEveryone in NE Ohio should probably supplement D3 due to our lack of sunshine almost year round (we average only about 168 sunny days a year!), especially women, and especially women who are menopausal and post-menopausal. Some people cannot afford fresh fruit, vegetables, or fortified products. They benefit greatly from adding vitamins to their diet. The drawback there, of course, is the cost as well.
What the heck kind of vitamin supplement wants you to take FOUR in a day? That seems like a lot and pretty worky. Time to ask your doctor or research and find a new one.
Ugh on the migraine, Nance. I hate that for you. You've got enough on your plate.
ReplyDeleteI had stopped taking all my supplements while trying to get my thyroid medication regulated after my thyroidectomy. I was making good progress with my thyroid meds, improving greatly each month but I was having trouble sleeping and having some other issues so I decided to resume taking my D3 with K1, K2 and Stress B Complex. They seemed to be helping almost immediately but then I did my monthly thyroid blood work and it had gone completely in the wrong direction. So now I have stopped them again and will re-evaluate after new blood work on Monday. I am really hoping that my numbers have started moving in the right direction again. It's possible I can resume my supplements if that are. I honestly didn't realize that I had to take them at least 4 hours apart from the thyroid meds. I thought it was only an hour as it is with food. As someone intimated, why is it all so complicated? Pretty much everything in life seems like it should be easier than it is. Anyway, I do think there can a lot of value in taking supplements. Both my B and D levels are at the bottom of the range. I also take supplements (digestive enzymes and activated charcoal) when I've been "glutened" to recover. They help tremendously but can also affect my thyroid medication absorption so I have to be careful with those as well.
Shirley
p.s. Sorry about the deleted comment. I accidentally hit Publish prematurely.
Shirley--Thank you, my friend. It seemed really unfair to me, too.
DeleteThyroid meds do complicate things, as I found out when dealing with my mom's meds. She's been on thyroid meds forever. They are the Dictators of the pillbox, for sure.
Sometimes I think the human body, in all its astonishing complexity, is a vastly flawed thing. It takes very little to take it down and make it miserable. Why hasn't it been perfected or evolved to be more sturdy and resistant? We're really not engineered all that well after all.
I relate to this. I don't like to take many RX if I can help it. I stopped taking my anti inflammatory in June. It helped with the pain and swelling in my knuckles, but I was still in pain - so why bother. Coach heard about something called Sweetamine or something, so I just started drinking that in a small bit of protein shake. It tastes like literal garbage, so I refuse to ruin my entire shake with it. I take Miralax 2x a day - don't get me started on the issues in my gut that no GI within a 20 mile radius of my house can figure out. I have SIBO and will apparently never not have it, so in order to sleep more than 3 -4 hours a night (gut pain wakes me up and then it's over - difficult to function) I take a low dose of an antidepressant that calms down the GI trac. Swell, but I hate it. I love what it does for me, but I'd rather they figure out what's wrong and fix it. This is, the last time I checked, the year 2025, right? That med makes me gain weight, so most days I now workout close to 2 hours to keep the extra LBs away. I take magnesium, D3, B12, and folic acid too. I also take an RX that's an antacid - 30 min before I wake up. Otherwise, the acid in my gut interfered with my ability to sleep at night. Why? Again, I feel like they should be able to figure that out. I suspect it's related to SIBO. SIBO sucks. (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth). I hope you feel better!
ReplyDeleteErnie--Yep! We hate tossing med after med after med down our throats. I'm not some weirdo anti-vaxxer MAHA chick, but at some point, I get tired of just Try This And See What Happens. I know my doctor is frustrated, too, and he wants to help. He's told me. He's offered me a range of options for when the symptoms get worse, terrible, unbearable. I appreciate that. Right now, I want to be able to still do things, to function mostly normally.
DeleteAs you said, it's frustrating that we're here in almost 2026, and there is nothing that ANYBODY can do for this condition AT ALL? I realize that it's not life-threatening. I know that it's not making me lose a limb or contagious. Thank goodness it doesn't affect children.
Sigh. All that to say, I get you. And I hope you feel better, too. XO
My father's parents took supplements (in addition to actual medication) for decades and they made it to 89 (Grandpa) and 93 (Grandma), I believe. I do not take supplements because I simply do not want to live that long.
ReplyDeleteWell, truthfully, I don't really take supplements because I've been nomadic for something like 80% of the last six years, and it's a pain in the ass to try and keep any habits going when you're changing locations several times a month.
Mikey--Honestly, longevity is something I do think about. As in, I don't want to be around as long as my mother, who is 95 and the last of her family of 7 kids. And she was the second youngest in the bunch. Do I want to live almost 30 more years?
DeleteI'm sure if you needed to take any sort of pill, whether it was a med or a supplement, as you were travelling the world, you'd have found a way to do so. But adventuring unencumbred was far better and much more fun.
Oh, I'm sorry you're feeling badly and that the doctor's appointment wasn't what you hoped for.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question, I either have really expensive pee or I'm superwoman, but most likely it's somewhere in between. I take a multivitamin/ mineral supplement, plus Vitamin D (2000 IU at this time of year!), magnesium, and Nutrafol for hair loss. I take BCAA and have just started on creatine as well.
Nicole--Thank you for your kind sympathy. Honestly, I don't know what I was hoping for, but at least he's not giving up on me yet.
DeleteYou sent me to google with your mention of BCAA, a supplement I'd never heard of. Jared takes creatine; he goes to the gym every day and has a weightlifting regimen.
I think Vitamin D is increasingly important for women in cloudy climates and places where winters are tough. As we age, too, our bodies need that boost for our bones.
I take all kinds of stuff! Some was recommended by my doctor & some I just decided to take on my own. Let's see:
ReplyDelete1. Multivitamin for Elderly Women (ok - over 50).
2. Calcium with D
3. Claritin
4. Red Yeast Rice (for cholesterol - recommended by my doctor - and I think it really works!)
5. Iron supplements
6. Stool Softener (ugh)
I laughed at myself because I had to take my medication list to my nephrology appointment & I was a little embarrassed at how many things I take (in addition to the above, I was also taking 6 prescriptions), but she said I didn't actually take that many medications. And then she took two of them away!
Bug--Hooray for being able to drop two meds! I was thrilled when my mom's doctor dropped several of hers. I'm glad you got that great news.
DeleteIron supplements are no joke. Ugh. I had to take them as a kid. Since then, I've been okay. Maybe it was all that liver I used to eat. I miss it. Love that stuff!
I wonder if I should check at CVS next time for Elderly Women's vitamins. I think mine are just for women, period. Certainly I qualify for the EWV, and I don't like to miss out.
I'm team do whatever works for you! I take a multivitamin, a calcium supplement with vitamin D, and magnesium. I also am on so very many medications to manage my RA. Phil picks up my meds for me when he grocery shops and the pharmacist has really gotten to know him and greets him each time by saying something, "So what are you picking up for your wife today?"
ReplyDeleteI only get pissy about supplements when someone I don't know/trust tries to suggest supplements or sends me articles about non-pharmaceutical treatments for RA. I know it's done from a place of concern, but my RA is so complex and challenging to manage, I cannot fathom that drinking some turmeric milk is going to do the trick, considering I need IV infusions of very strong drugs and had surgery in January because a joint was so inflamed/impacted that the swelling/repeat flares in the joint ruptured a ligament... Perhaps I should be more open-minded, but I really adore my physician and trust that if there was a legit natural solution, she'd recommend it (plus she is a DO rather than an MD so is open to homeopathic solutions).
Wow, what a rant from me! ;)
Lisa--Listen, I want you to know that you can rant and vent here in my Comments any time you want to. In fact, I encourage it. No one here is going to do anything but listen and offer support and, at times, companion outrage.
DeleteI have never in my life heard of someone having to have surgery like yours because of RA. Oh my goodness, Lisa! I cannot begin to imagine the pain that made that necessary, and I am so sorry.
Like you, I get a lot of suggestions, articles, and different kinds of remedies/solutions from many people for chronic migraine. In the early years it made me a little crazy because I was so overwhelmed and at the end of my rope trying to find a way to manage them myself. Finally, I, too realized that they were almost all coming from concern and an honest desire to help. Very few were from know-it-alls who were trying to convert me to their way of thinking about medicine. So I keep that in mind and thank them all for thinking of me, because really, that's what touches me the most--that they were thinking of me!
I, too, really love and trust my neurologist (who covered me in a soft, fluffy blanket during one of my EMG tests when he felt how cold I was, and made sure to book me into the warmest exam room yesterday), and I know he's doing every single thing he can for me.
You're a superhero, Lisa, living with RA and doing everything you do. I mean it.
Hoping your migraine is now a thing of the past. And impressed that you posted anyway. Discipline, that's your signature, among other things.
ReplyDeleteYes, I take a pile of stuff. Prescription, post heart surgery, post joint replacement, equals painkillers in quantity and supplements. B, D and C, plus several others. We try to get nutrients from food, but ancient bodies do not absorb like younger ones, so our doctors lay this stuff on us. Luckily, the family's insurance plus government regulation takes the costs down to within reason. Plus 65, we get a lot of the most common prescriptions at a minimal cost, Canadian federal and provincial gov'ts paying the difference, and we have a really good insurance policy, also government. Taxes in, benefits back, I guess.
We are on a septic system, living rurally, so I guess all these nutrients are good for the grass on top of the tile bed, eh?
Mary--My migraine lifted last night, thank you. Today's weather is sunny, and I took a very short walk, escorted safely by Rick. Acorns did their best to take me down, but his arm is strong.
DeleteI am laughing at your last sentence. Sly humour is your signature.
You are so right about absorption, and I think this is a point that some people/drs overlook, the latter being sorely overworked and overextended, especially in this state (Ohio).
Oh, yeah, vitamins and supplements, do I take those! On top of we-won't-count-how-many prescriptions.
ReplyDelete1. Multivitamin
2. Calcium
3. B-12 and magnesium, for the migraines
4. Glucosamine for arthritis
5. Omega-3 for cholesterol
6. D3, doctor recommended as my levels were low
So. Many. Pills.
I hope your headache has gone, or goes away soon.
ccr--How did I miss/forget that you were a fellow migraineur? The B-12 and magnesium would have clued me in if you hadn't said so.
DeleteMy headache lifted last night, and our weather broke clear and sunny this morning. Is your migraine triggered by weather? How about your arthritis? (I have that too, in my hands and feet.)
I hope your migraine is gone by now. I never took supplements until recently. I only take a multivitamin and a calcium supplement with added magnesium, zinc, and Vitamin D3.
ReplyDeleteMartha--Thank you; it is. Yay!
DeleteThat one pill is doing a lot of work for you. Luckily, you live in a sunny place and don't need much D3.
I take vitamin B12 and D3. I have some osteopenia, but not enough to take the prescription meds evidently. But I’m leery of taking extra calcium as my readings are always normal and I have read calcium in supplemental form can have a negative effect on your heart. I don’t take a multi, but I have thought about doing so, but then you hear if you eat pretty well, and if your blood work is all always good do you really need to?
ReplyDeleteI do take four prescriptions all at a low dose. One for high blood pressure, a statin for high cholesterol, a beta blocker for a heartbeat irregularity, and a low dose of escitalopram for depression. The betablocker is the one I’ve been taking the longest (30 yrs) and it does the trick. I’m not opposed to taking prescription meds as long as they help and don’t cause any bad side effects, which none of mine do. Mary
Mary--I understand completely about not wanting to take anything unless it seems warranted. As I mentioned, my supplements were ordered by my doctors. As far as bloodwork, unless the lab measured a specific thing, it may not show up. For example, I had no idea that my D was low until it was tested specifically after I had severe symptoms for months. And I have a very healthy diet. Some meds, age, climate, and hormones (or lack thereof) can affect absorption of vitamins and minerals. Obviously, I'm not a doctor (I just play one in Comments). If you feel good and your doctor gives you a clean bill of health, then there you are! I'm glad your meds are all working for you as they should. I feel the same way you do about prescription meds. The ones I take for migraine are a lifesaver!
Delete"Expensive pee" - I died. I started taking D3 about a year or so ago - not on the advice of my doctor but because I read that it can help with skin issues (psoraisis for me - ugh) and only after the fact learned that it aids in bone health. Which I figure at my age is a good thing.
ReplyDeleteGigi--LOL. I'm surprised you haven't heard that before!
DeleteI never heard that D3 helped with psoriasis; then again, why would that be on my radar unless I had that condition? I hope it's helping!
Well, I take Calcium + Vitamin D, fish oil, B12, and magnesium. I'm also taking all of it on my doctor's recommendations, so I think it's fine. The magnesium and B12 has been helpful in reducing the number and severity of headaches I get, so I'm calling it a win!
ReplyDeleteEngie--Are you also a migraineur? Why are so many of us who blog plagued with headache? So unfair. I'm glad your supplements are helping you.
DeleteI do take quite a few prescription meds, (including migraine meds) because even if it only treats symptoms, it's hard to function if those symptoms aren't managed. My pharmacist sister recommends taking Vitamin D because it seems like the list of things it's helpful for just grows, so I take at least 2000 units and maybe more depending on the time of year. I take iron and B12 when mine runs low, which is fairly often. I don't love the fact that I take various sizes of pill handfuls morning and night, but I love the thought of what my life would be like without them much less, so...
ReplyDeleteBibliomama--Another migraineur who blogs! Honestly, what the heck!?
DeleteI hear you about treating migraine symptoms. When a headache--and what a sorely inadequate word that is to describe what we go through!--breaks through, we need relief as fast as possible. Generic maxalt works well for me. How nice to have a pharmacist sister (pharmasister?) on call for expert knowledge!
Regarding the taking of pills: I recall that my father had to take plenty of pills to control the Parkinson's Disease symptoms. He would put the amalgamation of pills in his cupped hand - sometimes as many as 10 pills, I am guessing - and then like a catapult deliver them to his mouth all at once. There were plenty of times when one or more pills would miss the mark and shoot over his shoulder and under a piece of furniture, never to be seen or thought of again. This is why I carefully swallow my pills one at a time.
ReplyDeleteCHM--I take pills and vitamins like your dear dad. All at once with a lot of water. Your point is well made, however. And I cannot imagine taking that volume of pills at one time. I hope they helped him; Parkinson's is a tough thing to live with.
DeleteAh, I am working backwards on your page, I am sorry things are progressing in the wrong direction.
ReplyDeleteI take a multivitamin and then I have to take my thyroid meds. That's it. I tried to take biotin but I keep forgetting.
Now my husband will take all kind of supplements, including apparently lead-laced protein powder, but will fight like the dickens when it comes to actual medication. He will wait until the very last moment to take Advil for a bad back, and then complain it isn't working. Well, probably because you waited too long, my dear! Except maybe I don't say my dear and use a slightly less affectionate term that might reference intelligence. Also, he has had high blood pressure for YEARS and has convinced himself that he can bring it down himself with diet and exercise. Except, yeah, he's had it for years and it hasn't worked. So I begged him to actually take the freaking medicine and he finally has. Jesus, he is lucky he has not had a stroke or something. :( Make it make sense! Sorry, I am so frustrated with him sometimes!
Again, thinking of you on this very rainy Saturday morning here in SoCal. Hugs to you!
Gina--I just sent the Consumer Reports article to my eldest son because he hits the gym daily and uses protein powder. I hope he reads it. He's very doctor-resistant as well, and I am frustrated with him. Luckily, I trained his father early on. My sympathies to you with your husband.
DeleteI thank you so much for thinking of me. It means more than you could know.
I had no idea about Topamax affecting vitamin absorption. Good thing I don't take any! LOL- well, actually, I do take Vitamin B (for migraine relief) and Magnesium (same). I'm on a few other migraine too.
ReplyDeleteHow are your migraines? I feel like I’m doing much better as I get older. I still see my migraine doctor every three months for maintenance and treatments, but my migraine anxiety is so much more manageable now than it used to be.
Kari--I am stunned at the number of bloggers who are migraineurs. I wonder what the commonality is.
DeleteMy migraines have gotten much better as I've aged. Still, my worst trigger is weather, but I don't get the horrific, unmanageable migraines that I did in the past, a couple of which sent me to the ER. Until my present condition, I was seeing Dr. B about once a year, if you can believe that.
I'm sorry you had a headache-y, crummy day. The gray weather only adds insult to injury.
ReplyDeleteI love that you are trying all sorts of natural stuff; what's the harm? If you pee it out, your body probably absorbed some of the goodness first. Especially — if your Doctor advises them, I say YES!
I'm shocked to see how many people struggle with headaches/migraines. I feel fortunate that I rarely get headaches of any kind. Which means, when I do, I firmly believe I'm at the end of my days, and I start getting my affairs in order, until it subsides.
I take magnesium at night. In the morning, I take Calcium/Vit. D, and Nutrafol for my hair, & Glucosamine for my joints. I used to take all sorts of supplements, but I've cut back to the necessities.
BB Suz--I was shocked, too. And saddened. Migraine is terrible and debilitating. I feel like it's another illness/condition that should be far less common now, or at least more controlled. I guess because it's not fatal, it's low on the list of priorities for research.
DeleteLots of users of Nutrafol--it must be the real deal. I may have to look into that pretty soon, myself.