Vitamins or nutrients you've decided have been beneficial to you?

Michael Z said:
My primary doctor suggested to stop all the vitamins except for Vitamin D. Having virtually no sun for nearly 6 months where I live creates a deficiency.

But I also take a slow release (liposomal) vitamin C daily.
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Did your doctor feel that the other vitamins you'd been taking were useless, or doing you some harm?

By the way, I definitely agree with your view that it's best to try to eat good, natural, unadulterated food.
 
I don't believe in vitamins and other supplements! I eat well and do spend lots of time outside. I am 75 and have seldom been sick! And no known health issues and yes, I do go to my doctor (an Internist, not a GP) every 12 months following my bloodwork being done.

I have outlived my parents (ages at death) and my older sister, of course they all smoked, I do not smoke, not ever!
 
As I remember, I think (maybe?) he was saying the calcium portion of the multi-vitamin could be counterproductive and the other parts ineffective. It was years ago. For sure he maintained that they were not helpful and I should instead take a Vitamin D supplement instead.
JBR said:
Did your doctor feel that the other vitamins you'd been taking were useless, or doing you some harm?

By the way, I definitely agree with your view that it's best to try to eat good, natural, unadulterated food.
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See Calcium Supplements: Should You Take Them?
 
Alizerine said:
It appears that pumpkin seeds might help prevent certain types of cancer and also help control an over active bladder.
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I had what they call an "urgency" problem and told my doctor about it. He prescribed something that stared with a T. I Googled it and was appalled at the possible side effects so I didn't take it. About a year passed and the urgency was getting a little worse so I was about to start taking it when the below video popped up on YouTube.

I followed three of these tips and the problem has completely gone away: (1)bend forward and touch the back of my knee, (2) start taking long even breaths, (3) recite the Gettysburg Address.

 
JustDave said:
Is that a prescription medication? I ask, because when I was suffering with gout and went to my doctor, even once to the emergency room, no treatment was recommended.
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You got no treatment at all?! Are you joking?! The first time it happened I went to the doctor and he gave me a prescription. I don't remember the name of the tablets. The second time (about a month or so later) it was on a week-end so I went to the emergency and he gave me a prescription. Again, I don't remember the name of the tablets.

This last time I was in Bulgaria when it happened, emergency again. The doctor wrote down the name of the tablets and I bought enough from the chemist to tide me over for a while. I don't speak Bulgarian but I got the impression that I could have bought as many as I wanted. The doctor did say that I should take them "for at least two months".

Yours is a very good question and I've been thinking about going to the chemist here in town to see if those tablets are available and if I need a perscription to get more. If I don't forget I'll do it tomorrow. (y)
 
Inept said:
You got no treatment at all?! Are you joking?!
(y)
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They drew about a half pint of fluid out of my knee, and said that might help, but it had no effect. My doctor did send me to an orthopedic surgeon who recommended a knee transplant because an old cartilage operation left me with minimal cartilage. That didn't seem right as my knee only immobilized me during gout flair ups. I walk a minimum of two miles every day on a rocky rooted mountain trail, and my knee has been fine without the gout. Actually, the condition I have is called pseudo gout, which is slightly different that the normal gout.

I have switched doctors, not because of this particularly because this is one problem he eventually identified correctly, but he's too rushed to listen to me, and he has brushed off life threatening situations that ended up in week long hospital stays (blood clots in my lungs with acute kidney and liver failure being the worst one). He told me I just "overdid some yard cleanup" when I told him about symptoms of untypical exhaustion.

But if there was any treatment for gout, he didn't seem to know about it. When I told him I was taking tart cherry extract, he said that would be OK, as if at least it wouldn't hurt.
 
JustDave said:
They drew about a half pint of fluid out of my knee, and said that might help, but it had no effect. My doctor did send me to an orthopedic surgeon who recommended a knee transplant because an old cartilage operation left me with minimal cartilage. That didn't seem right as my knee only immobilized me during gout flair ups. I walk a minimum of two miles every day on a rocky rooted mountain trail, and my knee has been fine without the gout. Actually, the condition I have is called pseudo gout, which is slightly different that the normal gout.

I have switched doctors, not because of this particularly because this is one problem he eventually identified correctly, but he's too rushed to listen to me, and he has brushed off life threatening situations that ended up in week long hospital stays (blood clots in my lungs with acute kidney and liver failure being the worst one). He told me I just "overdid some yard cleanup" when I told him about symptoms of untypical exhaustion.

But if there was any treatment for gout, he didn't seem to know about it. When I told him I was taking tart cherry extract, he said that would be OK, as if at least it wouldn't hurt.
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Oh boy, this is going to get complicated. Where should I start?

I had gout the first time just below my big toe. The second time it was also on my big toe. Again the third time on my big toe. All three times, red, pain, and slightly swollen. The tablets (both here at home and the allopurinol in Bulgaria) worked almost immediately. Gout near the big toe is the most common although I read that it can occur in other places.

But now the complicated part. I have both right and left prosthetic knees but they had nothing to do with gout. Not at all. After about three years I now walk almost completely normal.

I also have fluid in my heart and in one lung so I am taking Furix and Spironolacgine Accord to alleviate a build up of fluids, as well as Eliquis to help prevent my blood from thickening/clotting. I also have a pace maker but that’s another story.

The main point(s) is that no fluid was ever taken out of my toe for the gout. The tablets started working after only a few hours. If I were you I’d find out if it really is gout you have in your knee and if it really is, then you should find out if allopurinol (or something similar) might be the right treatment. From where I’m sitting (a gazillion miles away) I am wondering if your doctors really know what they are talking about. Big toe – knee – gout- cartilage ----------- ??? On the other hand you say that cherry extract helps you and it is claimed to help gout so maybe you are on to something and it really is gout.
 
JBR said:
I know from experience that some supplements have helped me a great deal, which I can explain. But I'm starting this thread in hopes others here have something to share from their own experiences.
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I take several vitamins and minerals, but this year I've been trying TRU Niagen, and at one a day I could not tell any difference, but once I started two a day I've had quite a significant increase in the ability to short-term-remember a string of numbers.

I'm both impressed with it while simultaneously anxious that it indicates that my brain was previously deteriorating more than I realized.
 
Inept said:
Oh boy, this is going to get complicated. Where should I start?

I had gout the first time just below my big toe. The second time it was also on my big toe. Again the third time on my big toe. All three times, red, pain, and slightly swollen. The tablets (both here at home and the allopurinol in Bulgaria) worked almost immediately. Gout near the big toe is the most common although I read that it can occur in other places.

But now the complicated part. I have both right and left prosthetic knees but they had nothing to do with gout. Not at all. After about three years I now walk almost completely normal.

I also have fluid in my heart and in one lung so I am taking Furix and Spironolacgine Accord to alleviate a build up of fluids, as well as Eliquis to help prevent my blood from thickening/clotting. I also have a pace maker but that’s another story.

The main point(s) is that no fluid was ever taken out of my toe for the gout. The tablets started working after only a few hours. If I were you I’d find out if it really is gout you have in your knee and if it really is, then you should find out if allopurinol (or something similar) might be the right treatment. From where I’m sitting (a gazillion miles away) I am wondering if your doctors really know what they are talking about. Big toe – knee – gout- cartilage ----------- ??? On the other hand you say that cherry extract helps you and it is claimed to help gout so maybe you are on to something and it really is gout.
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From my understanding pseudo gout most frequently appears in the knee, but can also happen in feet and hands. My knee would swell very fast and put me on crutches for a week and have me limping for another week after. I often refer to it as just plain gout because pseudo gout is such a weird name (sounds like "it's gout, but not real gout"), even though it's closely related, and I get the impression that it is not a rare disorder.

Pseudogout - Symptoms and causes (mayo clinic)
Pseudogout (SOO-doe-gout) is a form of arthritis characterized by sudden, painful swelling in one or more of the joints. Episodes can last for days or weeks.

Pseudogout is formally known as calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease or CPPD. But the condition is commonly called pseudogout because of its similarity to gout. In both pseudogout and gout, crystal deposits form within a joint, although the type of crystal differs for each condition.
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JustDave said:
Tart Cherry extract prevents frequent gout flair ups for me. I've been on the stuff for 4 or 5 years without one flair up. I've always been skeptical of those officially untested supplements, but when your back is against the wall you get to a point where you will try anything. This worked.
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Gout is a bummer to say the least. I swapped SO's orange juice for cherry juice years ago.
 
JustDave said:
From my understanding pseudo gout most frequently appears in the knee, but can also happen in feet and hands. My knee would swell very fast and put me on crutches for a week and have me limping for another week after. I often refer to it as just plain gout because pseudo gout is such a weird name (sounds like "it's gout, but not real gout"), even though it's closely related, and I get the impression that it is not a rare disorder.
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My knees (one at a time with about a 3 year intervall) were given a shot of cortisone before I finally got the prosthetic operatons. Worked like a charm! But it was not gout. I also agree with you about the name and every time I say the word gout or read it I think of WC Fields or Oliver Hardy or James Finlayson. Back in those days of comedy films it seemed like everyone had gout. Honestly, when I got it I was shocked. I thought it was some fantasy thing. :ROFLMAO:
 
Inept said:
every time I say the word gout or read it I think of WC Fields or Oliver Hardy or James Finlayson. Back in those days of comedy films it seemed like everyone had gout. Honestly, when I got it I was shocked. I thought it was some fantasy thing. :ROFLMAO:
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Same with me. I thought of gout as a funny joke. It's not a joke, and there is nothing funny about it.
 
I started taking lysine 1000mg twice daily several months ago to try to avoid cold sores. I have gotten reoccurring cold sores every 4 months or so my entire adult life. Will let you know in a few months if it is working. I can trigger a cold sore with many different foods…very annoying.
 
Inept said:
... I've been taking 300 mg allopurinol daily since my last gout this August. So far, so good.
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JustDave said:
Is that a prescription medication? I ask, because when I was suffering with gout and went to my doctor, even once to the emergency room, no treatment was recommended.
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Inept said:
..... I've been thinking about going to the chemist here in town to see if those tablets are available and if I need a perscription to get more. If I don't forget I'll do it tomorrow. (y)
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I didn't forget! I've just come from the chemist this minute. Unfortunately it does require a prescription. That’s not very good news because gout usually comes in the night and you wake up with some very serious pain. So ....... I have to either make an appointment when the doc opens in the morning or go to acute at the hospital. No possibility of having tablets "on hand"? That doesn't seem fair.

allopurinol.jpg
 
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Inept said:
I didn't forget! I've just come from the chemist this minute. Unfortunately it does require a prescription. That’s not very good news because gout usually comes in the night and you wake up with some very serious pain. So ....... I have to either make an appointment when the doc opens in the morning or go to acute at the hospital. No possibility of having tablets "on hand"? That doesn't seem fair.

View attachment 377907
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So then this stops an attack, but is not available to take as a preventative. Is that correct?
 
JustDave said:
So then this stops an attack, but is not available to take as a preventative. Is that correct?
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No. The tablets end the attack but if you get up in th middle of the night with great pain you're screwed until you can see a doctor, have him fill out a prescription and then get to the chemist to buy the tablets. That can be a lot of pain for a long time. Maybe one or two days. And how are you going to get to the doctor or the hosptial if you can hardly walk?
 
D3 (5,000 IUs a day); C (1,000 whatever units); none of which I physically notice if they're missing. I take a multivitamin. My doc says they're kinda useless, but whatevah.

Fiber, on the other hand. I need a spoonful in a glass of water at least once every couple of days, otherwise I'm in trouble. I get the generic stuff from Costco.

Leg cramps - bingo on the potassium. Only occasional problems with those. Also occasional cold sores/fever blisters (herpes simplex -- I've had issues with these since I was a kid). L-Lysine DEFINITELY helps with that. Knocks them out within a couple of days and since I'm a brass player and they typically form on or near my upper lip, I need immediate help with that. All that expensive, liquid crap they pimp in pharmacies is useless.
 
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I take collagen supplements among many. I have to for a congenital disorder which makes me deficient. It must be working because I get compliments on my skin from the ladies at checkout at the store because I've looked the same for over ten years and at my age that's a compliment. :giggle:
 

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