Natural Remedies for Neuropathy: Holistic & Nutritional

I've been taking a number of supplements and natural remedies for neuropathy for almost a year now, each having a range of effectivness, advantages and disadvatages. They include D3, B12 and chewing on raw ginger. I was surprised when I realized what actually helped the most. A mug of coffee works the best and gives the longest lasting relief. It took a while for me to figure this out because I generally don't drink it that much, only when I really need to stay awake for work or a long drive. I still limit my coffee consumption but not as much as I used to. Obviously, don't drink it in the evening if you want to get your sleep.

I'd be interested in learning how this works for others. All I know is I'm getting a lot of relief when I have my 12 oz. Mug of it. It lasts me through almost the entire work day.

Bernice, There are lots of different things people on Earth Clinic have tried... I would personally start with the turmeric and burdock root. They could be taken together. Also, the apple cider vinegar is good for many things, and I notice people use it for neuropathy. Burdock Root helped me with neuropathy a number of years ago. It took a couple of weeks of consistent use to see a difference. I didn't know about turmeric back then or would have used it, too.

https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/neuropathy4.html#TURMERIC

Also, peppermint and St. John's Wort are good for the nervous system. You could make a quart of this tea and drink it daily. But I would give it a good month try before deciding it doesn't work. You could put 4 tea bags (2 of each type) into a quart jar and pour boiling water over it. Let steep for 15 minutes. Strain. Sweeten. Drink hot or cold through the day.

Lots of water is important to help the body flush itself of toxins. I would also try Epsom Salt Baths twice a week. (2 cups of the salt per bath.)

I hope you find some relief soon! Please let us know what helps you.

~Mama to Many~

R-alpha lipoic acid is the best form to use. Alpha lipoic acid has both S & R. R is produced naturally in the body and S is not.

Yes, it worked out to about 3 teaspoons a day. It would be fine to just take the powder in water. It has a mild taste. It is used for food in other countries. I hope it helps you as much as it helped me. God bless you! KY Mama

Denise,

So sorry about the cramping you are having! Because Burdock is a natural diuretic, I would not expect it to have a bad effect. I am thinking it is making your system work better, thus the diuretic effect. I was breastfeeding when I took burdock and definitely had a high need for liquid. I didn't notice a diuretic effect. (But I do drink a ton of water and might not have noticed! ) However, at least one herbalist recommends starting slow with a blood cleansing herb like this so as not to overwhelm the system. I didn't know this when I tried it and started with 3 t. Per day. I had no problems. But you might want to start with 1/3 t. three times a day and build up to 1 t. three times a day over the course of a week or two.

Burdock Root might help your cramping. It has potassium and magnesium in it, which are good for cramping.

Are you doing anything else for the cramps? Have you tried Blackstrap Molasses? It works wonders for my family. We take 1 T. When we have a cramp. 1 T. twice a day will prevent them for a lot of people.

KY Mama

Ky Mama to many, Thanks you for the feedback... I don't think it's a good idea for me to take BSM as it is high in iron. I have hepatitis c as well as neuropathy... I've read iron will help the viris replicate... Maybe I should try it for just one day and see... Hmmm?... I believe the hep-c caused the neuropathy... I had stage 4 chirossis in july 2011 and at the exact same time my neuropathy surfaced... I believe the two are connected... I got rid of chirrosis in 5 months but my neuropathy is still here... I tried a product recently called Padma 28 and got severe headache ans swollen glands in my neck, which I still have.. I certainly will try burdock root and start low and increase... Interestingly enough I took Essiac tea for about a year and it didn't help my cramps. It has 4 herbs and one of them is Burdock... My guess is the burdock is a low dose in the tea.. Again thank you for the feedback and bless you muchly.....

I'm hoping someone can please help me..

14 years ago I became very sick (25 yrs old). After 2 years of struggling with severe debilitation I was diagnosed with lyme disease (and co infections). I spent years off and on antibiotic treatment with limited improvements. One of the most annoying symptoms was skin burning at night. From my knees up to my chest it felt like I was on fire. Then about 4.5 years ago I developed symmetrical burning in my feet. Pain like I simply can't described (as I'm sure most of you know). I kept having to increase Gabapentin and have spent the past 3 years at 3100 mg's. Over the past year or so I've had breakthrough pain and it's showing me that the disease has progressed far past my feet. I have it up to my knees with knife like pains in my calves, numbing all over my feet and now pricking in my fingers. I've had 4 ports an taken months of IV antobiotics to attack the lyme since lyme can cause neuropathy. It clearly isn't working (if it did, it didnt last). I am now on IVIG and am still not improving. The neuro said I should see improvement after 2 months- it's been 5 and im only getting worse. It now wakes me up at night and most nights, prevents me from falling asleep. I've never had it this bad before (where it's interrupted my sleep). I don't know if the Gabapentin isnt working and/or if it's just progressing? I have stopped and started supplements 100X but have never stayed with anything long term bc I've always been on one treatment or another AND bc the doc's assume it's from lyme (but there's no way to truly know) and blow off the power of supplements. I'm a mom of two very little girls and am terrified. Truly terrified.. I don't know where this is going or what will become of my life. ANY suggestions would be beyond appreciated-

With gratitude-

Katie

Katie: According to our leading authority on Parasite disease, Dr Hulda Clark, we all have parasites or stages. For many people this isn't a problem, for others, however, it creates chronic diseases that do not respond to treatment with any significance. Parasites excrete all sorts of bacteria, funguses, and viruses as a byproduct of their metabolism. Heavy metals, or zenobiotics are also possible with you. Look a few yrs back in your life (recapitulate) and try to find any particular moment when you got out of your element (routine) and became "suddenly" ill. Something is dragging your immune system down.

First, do an herbal parasite cleanse, as well as any methods of general detoxification (info here on E.C.)

Second, boost your immune system by supporting your Thymus Gland. Here is a previous post I made for this: The Thymus gland is like the brain of the immune system as it is involved in both production and regulation of immune or white blood cells. Thymus function decreases significantly w/ age so any method to augment it is definitely recommended especially those suffering chronic infections. To boost the Thymus do these little exercises on a daily basis and significantly boost your immune power. First, use some type negative pole magnet (the side that sticks to metal) over the Thymus, which is directly between the lower neck and heart area; a common refrigerator magnet will do just fine; do this for approx 15 minutes. Second, do the "Thymus Tap" by making a fist and gently bump the T area a few times and wait a little then bump again several times daily. Thirdly, supplement Raw Thymus Glandular as recommended on label. " Also, if I might add, Zinc Lozenges will boost the Thymus.

Here is a link for Lyme Section: https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/lyme_disease.html

Hope this helps. Come back and update us how you're doing.

Katie, Dice a whole lemon, skin and all then liquify it in a blender.. Strain if you want and put in glass... Add one tablespoon of X-virgin olive oil and one tablespoon of lecithin and drink everything either at once or spread out over the day... Also put more lecithin - up to 4 tablespoons in the drink if you want to... It is most important for nerves... Do this for one month... You will see improvement and maybe resolution.

Report back to this site if you are so inclined... God bless.

Hi Karen; The neuropathy is probably a painful result of vitamin B12 deficiency. Treatment involves high doses, even injections, and can take a long time to heal (up to a year). Treatment of B12 deficiency is life-long.

Neuropathy is one of the many symptoms of B12 deficiency, and skin pigmentation changes is another; hyperpigmentation, and/or hypopigmentation, for instance. (I bring this up because I remember a post about discoloration of the feet.)

Good Wishes

Karen: Assuming you do not know the exact cause of the Neuropathy, the nutritional trial method is your best treatment option. The R-Lipoic at maximum dose would be as close as you could get to I.V. Therapy. Also consider Magnetic Foot Pads or Insoles, they definitely help my Peripheral Neuropathy.

Have you been tested for Heavy Metals??? Maybe some detoxing would help also.

Let us know how your doing.

High serum B12 can be caused by a functional B12 deficiency. In that condition, there is enough B12 in the body, but the cells are not able to use it properly, so they export it back to the blood, and it builds up.

I had very painful neuropathy a few years ago. My doctor offered me pain meds and that was all he could offer. I read about Burdock Root being helpful for it. I took 3 capsules 3x a day. It can take a while for it to work but for me I was improving a lot in a week or two. It is recommended that you take Burdock for 3 months to maximize the effect. I took it for at least 6 months. This was several years ago and the problem did not return.

Burdock Root cleanses the blood. It is a vegetable, it is not dangerous to take this.

Hi Diane, I'd be a bit suspicious about treating neuropathy with water with salt and sugar. I have neuralgia in my face and have tried many treatments and read a lot on the subject of neuralgias/neuropathies. Sugar is not recommended for nerve pain and salt can increase blood pressure which conseqently can increase pressure on the nerves. I think if it was this easy to treat the condition there wouldn't be all the people suffering with chronic nerve pain. Still, if you give it a go and have good results with it I'd be only happy to hear your feedback and change my opinion! Take care, Oldriska

Yes work up to 20 drops. In my experience, the protocol can be done indefinitely, but if you experience detox symptoms, you can take breaks from the iodine and use the salt loading protocol to clear out toxins.

Karen: if you successfully reversed Cirrhosis, please post your methods as this could help others. I am fallowing some of the studies Professor Derik Mann is doing w/ noticeable results, unfortunately it's all undocumented and undiagnosed; but seems obvious to me and further verified by your symptoms of Neuropathy as I have many of the same but with less severity.

It seems appropriate to do some heavy metal detoxing as well as possible zenobiotics. Ionic Foot Spa, Detox Foot Pads, Steam or Sauna, increase antioxidants and Glutathione. Wear Magnetic foot soles. The very first few minutes of wearing magnetic foot soles elicited the shocking or voltage-like sensation from my feet to my liver. Clay and Mineral foot or whole-body baths will also help.

Karen: I have used two different m soles but wore them out and couldn't tell you the brand, sorry. Try to find a magnetic kit w/ various sizes, soles, and such as you would likely profit from wearing a belt over the liver, as I have. If you happen to have any extra refrigerator magnets laying around the house you could cut and fit for the soles. The side that sticks to metal is the side you want to contact the body with.

Also, I will second Mmsg's Epsom Salt bath recommendation as I have good results with. MSM is also good for detox and oxygen boosting; I get good energy boost with MSM. ALA is good for detox, Liver health, and neuropathy.

Splenda as I just discovered can cause neuropathy and blood sugar spikes. This is probably the reason why I have come down with neuropathy over the past ten years. It snuck up on me and as I think back this is when I started using splenda because my doctor told me I was excreting sugar in my urine. He told me I was borderline diabetic. I felt the need to post here about this poison splenda and if you just google the name you will find out. I never thought to check it out and only found out about it from watching DR. OZ.

Take care, art

Tom from Eu, those are very interesting links, especially the first one. As far as the second one it seems that the site is not being maintained any more and I could not post to it. My neuropathy started with numbness and loss of motor nerves, then tingling and loss of sensory nerves followed by the onset of pain which peaked about a year or so after starting the chemo. What is strange is that my fingers healed as my feet and legs got worse. By the time I started on ALA the pain and numbness had receded to just my feet but I still had motor and sensory nerve issues in my legs. I was experiencing reduced pain with grape seed extract, I believe because of its antioxidant activity, and so am still taking that. Now that the nerves are functioning better I am to the point, with my feet, where I saw my fingers at in relation to pain a few months before they became just highly sensitive. My fingers are still quite sensitive but not to the point of being painful. I expect that within a month or two my toes and the soles of my feet will be at that stage. I believe that the nerves have actually regenerated and that the sensitivity I am experiencing is from the unconditioned state of the regenerated sensory nerves similar to that experienced after a cut or burn heals.

I went back to work driving a truck hauling containers to and from the rail. It involves a lot of climbing in and out of the truck and a lot of walking as well as about 3000 km of driving per week with 12 - 14 hour days and the only thing that really bothered me was wearing steel toed shoes at one rail yard.

I have also been switched from Lyrica to Cymbalta due to the vision blurring aspect of Lyrica. I am still seeing no improvement in the tinnitus. I have increased the dosage of ALA to 500mg twice a day in an attempt to speed the healing/chelating process. I have no idea if it is helping as I have nothing to compare it to. I do notice a substantial difference in pain now when I take the ALCAR unlike when I first started using it.

Just an update for everyone. I had to switch back to Lyrica from Cymbalta due to a negative reaction. After reading the the information from the top link from Tim in Eu I considered the information about ALA being used to remove free radicals from ALCAR therapy and came to the conclusion that they might be better taken together to get the best effect and so have tried it. I have had no issues from doing so and have gone back to my original dosage to find that I have less pain now at the lower dosage. Almost all the numbness is gone now and I only have pain in my toes. It is aggravated by the job I am doing but is still improving and it is at a level that I can tolerate so I will keep at it for now. It almost seems like too much ALA & ALCAR can cause a higher level of the frozen/burning/pins and needles type of pain in the same way that pressure/activity can aggravate the sensory nerves with this condition. I have found a 5 mg sublingual B12 in the AOR brand and just started using two per day with promising results.

It is now six months since I started on ALA and four months since I went back to work. After about three months I hit a plateau where it seemed the improvement slowed down with all the supplements noted in my previous posts. I tryed the vitamin B12 at doses up to 40, 000 mcgs per day with some success and again hit a plateau. I stumbled across L-arginine, it is supposed to increase circulation, and added it to my regimen. I thought it would help by allowing more nutrients to get to my nerves but found that it actually improved things by making my feet feel warmer. I did some more research and found out that phosphorous is good for nerve health and went looking for phosphorous. I found it in a bone supplement with huge amounts of calcium included in it but tried it anyway. It is helping. I began to feel that something else was missing so I added in potassium and magnesium (at the same time) and am seeing beneficial results. The 'electric shock jolts' are now gone but I still have a small patch of numbness in the soles of my feet and a varying level of a burning sensation pain in my feet. I am not entirely healed yet but I am still improving and am working as much as 76 hours per week without issues. I have discontinued Lyrica as it no longer helps the tinnitus. I have also noticed that the timing of my medication/supplements is not critical any more. I take everything in the morning after breakfast and selected ones after supper which is usually about 15 hours later. I also find that if I move my toes around when they get painful that the pain is reduced fairly quickly now. My doctor informed me a couple of weeks ago that ALA is going to be available by prescription in Canada very soon for neuropathy.

My experience is telling me that we all need to try everything available and must utilize all of the vitamin and mineral supplements that can support nerves to promote healing in the quickest manner possible. I can now see that I will completely recover from my chemotherapy induced neuropathy in spite of being told by my neurologist that "where it is a year after chemo is as good as it will get". I am now 37 months from having started chemo and am still improving.

As I am now working full time and long hours, if anyone has specific questions for me, you may contact me directly at gustafsonal (at) hotmail {dot] com. Thank you. Al

in response to: Al from Alvena, Sk., Canada: "It is now six months since I started on ALA ......."

Your symptoms sound like a classic case vitamin B6 over-dose. Read all the labels on all your multiple vitamin bottles, and eliminate all the b6 you find. The 'electric shock jolts' are a big clue.... So is the numbness. STOP THE B6 INTAKE. Root it out.

IMPORTANT UPDATE. I missed a dose of ALA and my feet improved a bit during the associated time so I haven't taken any for three days now. It seems that the ALA resulted in a major improvement by removing the heavy metals from my system but then stopped improving things. I saw further improvement every time I added a nerve nutrient to my regimen and then would hit another plateau. I think that the ALA was consuming the B vitamins and minerals faster than my body could absorb them and now that I haven't been taking the ALA any more I am seeing more improvement. It is noticeable in only three days. Perhaps we need to realize that there comes a point that we need to discontinue supplements when they are no longer needed/have done the job they were taken for.

To Happy from WV, USA, I no longer have the sharp shooting pain and just recently added a small dose of vitamin B6 that gave a small improvement. I am sure that the B6 is not a problem. The numbness at one point was up to my mid thigh in both legs and was also in my hands and face. My hands and face are better and I recognize the same sequence of improvement in my feet and legs. I only have a very small patch of numbness on the soles of my feet that is now affecting only my big toes and part of the mid sole area. the cold sensitivity is also improving in that cold doesn't cause as much pain increase now as it did in the past.

To Lily from Kelowna, BC. I don't think gluten is an issue. We don't use flour from modern wheat as my wife has/had celiac disease. I found out about some old varieties of wheat, Red Fife and Marquis, that have a different gluten structure than the dwarf wheat that is commonly grown now and that can be consumed by people with celiac disease. In fact my wife got rid of all symptoms of celiac disease in only six months by switching from gluten free to Red Fife wheat. We now use Red Fife and Marquis flour for all of our cooking and have it locally available at a local organic grower who has a Kelowna company mill it for him.

Thanks to everyone who has replied and given me ideas of things to try. I am still open to trying more supplements in the interest of completely curing this problem. I am sure that the time frame involved is making it more difficult for me than it could have been but I am claiming my life back after what I can only describe as a brutal and demoralizing three year disability thanks to supplements, vitamins and minerals that doctors and specialists that treated me knew nothing about. Don't ever give up. Stay positive to win the battle against poor health. Thanks also to the Earth Clinic site. Awesome. Al

Dear Al.

I am so glad to hear about your success with the ALA. I have had great success with it as well with the burning sensation just above my knees and pressure aches on both wrist. I was taking 2x250mg with every meal and then I discovered I only need to take it at noon and supper. Without this my life would be hellish painful. It was your posts that got me started on the ALA. I did try the R factor ALA with little success.

Art.

Here's a heads up for you the reader...

I heard about "Frequency Specific Micro Current "therapy from my chiropractor... I looked into it and called about 10 therapists around the country... 8 told me that they could cure peripheral neuropathy in ONE treatment... I had 14 treatments lasting 2 hours (28 hours).. IT CHANGED NOTHING!

I also had 14 treatments 2 hours each (28 hours) for hepatitis-c and had my enzymes checked at the end and they went UP! By just a few point however... Maybe it will work for you...however!

Hi Al; I found that the only substance that helps my neuropathy is B12... Alot of it, every day. ( I'm now taking 10 mgs. of sublingual methylcobalamin daily.)

Also, I'm very sensitive to acidic supplements, including ALA and ALCAR, Unfortunately.

When nerves are healing, there can be increased pain for a time, so it can be difficult to determine whether healing or regression is occurring.

Since tinnitus and pain/coldness is returning, my guess is that this is a regression.

I believe that my case could be caused by some genetic defect, some problem with B12 transport throughout my body. I'm having to rely on passive diffusion to distribute it. I've found this condtion to be rather common, not so rare.

Some months ago, I posted about zinc also being helpful for neuropathy. I have also found that when I've tried higher amounts of it, it actually can interfere with B12. ( zinc can displace cobalt, and vice versa). Too much zinc can displace copper and cause neuropathy, copper deficiency type.)

I understand how painful and frustrating this can be, I hope you can find what works best for you.

The first natural product/supplement that I tried for peripheral neuropathy (caused by oxaliplatin in chemotherapy) was grapeseed oil and then grapeseed extract in a caplet form with excellent results that allowed me to reduce the amount of hydro morph contin that I was taking by about 40%.

I have told others about it and most that tried the liquid form had stomach upset from it.

I use 50-100 mg three times per day.

Amanda from Europe, I took one teaspoon of grapeseed oil three times per day to start and then switched to grapeseed extract caplets, 50 mg 3 times/day and increased to 100mg 3 times/day because of the results. I have since gone back to 50 mg 3 times/day since I started on ALA. We are now cooking exclusively with grapeseed oil. It has zero cholesterol. Al

Hi Al... I think it would benefit your condition if you also took the whole spectrum of B vitamins (either as B50 or B100 complex or as De-bittered Brewer's Yeast forms) which contain Choline, B3, B6, Folate and many other nutrients which would benefit the CNS system. Higher dose B12 is also beneficial to many body processes including the nervous system. For more on the benefits of B12 read David Brownstein's book -- Vitamin B12 for Health. Adding the Gotu Kola herb and higher dose Vitamin C to your regimen would also help to accelerate nerve repair. Adding higher dose niacin(not niacinamide) would also greatly benefit you blood transport system and make it more efficient. Niacin actually changes and thins out the blood safely and the flushing effect of niacin is evdence that the capillaries and peripheral blood vessels are opening up for better delivery of the nutrients you are taking to the body peripherals -- ie to the hands and feet regions. Take 500 mgs niacin twice a day after meals dissolved in half a glass of water for best absorption into the body.

Al, Zinc is very important for healing to occur throughout the body and also boost immunity. Another very important nutrient is the Omega 3 Fatty Acids like Fish and Krill Oil. Flax Seed Oil is converted into the EFA's that the body needs in order to reduce inflammation and promote healing. A native crop in Canada, you should find Flax Oil readily and at a good price in your grocer.

Hope this helps.

I got my dad, 75 years old, started on ALA on Sunday, 9 September 2012 and he is already seeing enough improvement that he went to town yesterday and bought enough for four months. He has had increasing levels of pain in his feet for years (cause not known) and has been using full leg air pressure massage for four hours a day for years to remain walking. He is talking about being able to discontinue that therapy and it has only been five days to get to that point. Al

Al, good to hear of you and your dad's success with ALA; and it's good for immune system, blood sugar, and liver health. Please specify how many mg dose? how many times daily? as it can help set a standard for other interested users.

Hi Al... I am 196 pounds and also 6 feet in height. My blood pressure is currently 110 (systolic) and 70 (diastolic). Since I started taking higher orthomolecular dosages of niacin, my blood pressure hasn't changed at all (I measure it myself every week). This is in line with what Abram Hoffer has said in his articles -- he maintains that particularly niacin (not niacinamide) balances high cholesterol and high blood pressure safely and I guess my experience with niacin is a confirmation of that. For blood pressure/cholesterol problems niacin is the one to supplement.

I take orthomolecular doses of niacin because it is anti-aging and helps so many other processes in the body (together with the rest of the B vits). Abram Hoffer was also sure that you would live longer if you took proper orthomolecular dosages of niacin every day. For most of his life, Hoffer also admits that he took between 0. 5 and 6 grams of niacin/niacinamide himself daily and he lived to the ripe age of 92. He has also documented that taking 0. 5 to 3 grams of niacin/niacinamide is the proper orthomolecular dose for a healthy person, depending on how good your diet is.

The current RDA recommendations for vitamin B3 is about 16 mgs a day.

Well, it is now fifty days that I have been on ALA & ALCAR plus benfotiamine, zinc and B vitamins. The only thing not improving is the tinnitus but the peripheral neuropahy is reduced by over 90% from where it was. I am starting to claim back a normal life and am working on getting back into good physical condition by catching up on projects that were left to die because of the pain and lack of mobility. It actually feels good to get sore muscles and become exhausted once in a while.

I will add another positive note here. I have been going gray since I was 29 and now at 53 the gray hair is disappearing (80% of gray gone from what was about 70% gray) due to the natural color returning. It is actually coming darker in my beard than it ever was before and about the same shade of brown in the rest of my hair as it was before. Is this combination of supplements the fabled "fountain of youth"? Is anyone else noticing a change in hair color?

Corinne, I now believe that the chill I feel when I quit taking Lyrica is a result of nerves that are still healing. I think that it was platinum from the cisplatin in chemotherapy that was causing the intense pain in my feet and that is being reduced by the chelation effect of the ALA. I think that in time I will be able to get rid of the chilled feeling/lower level of pain by continuing with the same supplement and good diet regimen that I am now using.

Good news, I am now off of all pain killers that I was using for neuropathy. I am still taking some vitamins and minerals to support the nerves but only as part of a healthy diet and not to fix a problem. I still have a bit of tingling in my feet and lower legs but I attribute that to sensitivity of newly healed nerves. I am able to walk normally and the strength is returning in my toes now which indicates that the motor nerves are all working and have been for a while. The cold sensitivity has subsided and I am looking forward to a relatively normal life. I have found that birch and/or wintergreen oils also help to reduce tingling due to neuropathy, apparently by reducing inflammation. I use a few drops topically on my arms daily. It has taken a long time to heal due to the severity of my neuropathy and the time between chemotherapy and starting ALA but it has healed the nerves. Considering I was told by a neurologist that it wouldn't improve any more after a year from the end of chemotherapy I am quite pleased.

WARNING!

Another update. I recently had surgery to remove the right lobe of my liver. This was due to matastatic colon cancer and as a result my blood pressure has gone up resulting in other problems including reduced energy and increased neuropathic pain. I noticed that when I had something sweet to eat like jam, cake, candy, etcetera that the neuropathic pain was reduced substantially so I started experimenting. When doing anything slightly strenuous my blood pressure and sugar would drop and my pulse would go way up so the first thing I tried was leaving out the diamacron and metformin. This allowed the sugar to increase and gave me back my energy without my blood pressure and pulse being significantly affected, but the sugar went too high so I added the metformin back in.

Big surprise!!!! The neuropathic pain went way down, more than eating something sweet made it go down. As a result I typed "diamacron" into google and clicked on "diamacron side effects" and found out that it causes neuropathic pain, conflicts with metformin, is not supposed to be used if you have liver problems, are having or recently had surgery. None of this was covered in the pharmacy information sheet I was provided. The warning is not about alpha lipoic acid, but rather it is about the diamacron prescription medication and what it does. Eliminating it has made a huge difference. I have not as yet tried the nicotine but will be soon. Al

WARNING!

Another update. I recently had surgery to remove the right lobe of my liver. This was due to matastatic colon cancer and as a result my blood pressure has gone up resulting in other problems including reduced energy and increased neuropathic pain. I noticed that when I had something sweet to eat like jam, cake, candy, etcetera that the neuropathic pain was reduced substantially so I started experimenting. When doing anything slightly strenuous my blood pressure and sugar would drop and my pulse would go way up so the first thing I tried was leaving out the diamacron and metformin. This allowed the sugar to increase and gave me back my energy without my blood pressure and pulse being significantly affected, but the sugar went too high so I added the metformin back in. Big surprise!!!! The neuropathic pain went way down, more than eating something sweet made it go down. As a result I typed "diamacron" into google and clicked on "diamacron side effects" and found out that it causes neuropathic pain, conflicts with metformin, is not supposed to be used if you have liver problems, are having or recently had surgery. None of this was covered in the pharmacy information sheet I was provided. The warning is not about alpha lipoic acid, but rather it is about the diamacron prescription medication and what it does. Eliminating it has made a huge difference. I have not as yet tried the nicotine but will be soon. Al

Hi Laura, just read your posting of several years ago. 1st. Gabapentine did they sell it back then? To me I would never take due to how dangerous the side effects are. Did you suffer Side Effects at all? How long did you take? Did it really help your pain? Is there an R-Lipoic Acid? Thank you, I too love this site, however, I have lots of priorities so I can't view for hours, but would love to because I pass on info to others that need it.

If I can be of assistance with anything pls contact me. Joseph

For Laura from Erie, CO: I read your post for Peripheral Neuropathy on 7/29/2012 and would like to know how you're doing as I am starting out with your protocol. Want to know if you added anything. Thanks Much and blessings

I would like to know how your husband is doing with his neuropathy? You mentioned a new treatment with a naturopath. Is it working out? Very interested as I am also in a great deal of pain with neuropathy. I've been to 2 neurologists and all they can/will do is give me drugs. I tries neurontin but it didn't do anything for my pain and made me very confused and unable to carry on a conversation. Thank you.

Each person has a different reaction when taking meds or supplements.

at best trial and error.

I was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy in November, 2011. The excrutiating burning on the bottoms of my feet had gotten progressively worse and I really thought my days were numbered. The last thing I would ever want to do would be to go on disability but it seemed like that was where I was headed. I have done everything to help myself. Mind/body 8 week course to learn to live with chronic pain, accupuncture, diet, meditation, yoga and more. Three days after I started ALA I thought my pain had started to reduce.

Now 6 weeks later except for minor discomfort now and then I don't think about my feet 24/7 anymore. I actually drove myself to the Museum of Fine Arts and walked around last week for a couple of hours forgetting that a few weeks prior I never could have done that. I feel blessed to have found ALA if this is why I have gotten better. I have also stopped all statins as I tried just about every one of them. I also discontinued amlodipine as the swelling it causes of my feet I was sure was aggravating my pain. I now take 900mg. Per day and wonder if that is too much? I have read many research articles on ALA and they seem to agree that IV ALA does help neuropathy. There don't seem to be any conclusive studies on oral ALA. I am looking to try and find whether ALA can actually cure Neuropathy or if you need to keep taking it?

David,

Have you looked into taking b-12 also? Many are b-12 deficient and the symptoms are linked to this. B-12 is best taken in methyl form (sublingual for over the counter) and/or shot or nasal prescription. Many reasons why this deficiency is very common.

Hi Mark; This doesn't look easy, but I'll put forth some guesses. Zinc may be needed. It is often times low in people who have become ill with cancer and a large variety of infections. Zinc is active throughout the body, including the nerves. The symptoms of zinc deficiency usually include problems with taste and smell, gastrological disturbance, gonadal disturbance, and growth problems, but there can be many more symptoms. Some types that are easier to find are; zinc gluconate and opti-zinc; I have found these to be effective. Also, a food derived zinc may be gentler on the stomach if sub-divided. There's a zinc-l-carnosine type that may also be easier on the stomach. If taken for long term, a small amount of copper may be needed. ( There are cases of neuropathy that were caused by zinc toxicity that then caused a copper deficiency. These cases were the result of extreme amounts of zinc used, however... in the form of denture adhesives.)

Also, some supplements can worsen neuropathy if taken in too high doses for an individual. B1, B6, ALA, Acetyl-L-Carnitine, etc, may cause irritation.

I found B12 to be most effective for my neuropathy, but it took many months to heal... About a year. But I've also found Zinc to be enormously beneficial for nerve healing. It may take a month or so to see results.

I have been suffering from peripherral neuropathy for over 2. 5 years now. Being tired of not finding relief at night, I came up with a solution that works for me. In my garden, I grow Bulbine (very prolific and similar to aloe vera). Since my feet were burning, I thought it might help putting it on my feet. The burning stopped until the gel dried. So, I place several stems of the bulbine between sulifane wrap and roll a rolling pin over until all the gel is squeezed out. Then I wrap my feet before going to bed. In the middle of the night, I have to take the wrap off, but the burning and tingling is minimized greatly for the entire night.

My ex had severe neuropathy and many more problems. He decided to go on his diet as he found out that he was a celiac at age 55 but didn't bother to follow the diet. :) He finally tried his gluten free diet at 61 and after just two days he felt much better. Now three years later he is 99% better. Doesn't have acid reflux, brain fog, out of breath, tired, pain in feet and legs.

My partner too suffered with neuropathy, that was till we discovered MSM and Lecithin from his first dose he got almost instant relief. And after only a month or so has never had it back. Hope this helps.

MSM:-(Methylsulphonylmethane. ) It's available in tablet or crystal form, the crystals are said to be quicker absorbed. Health food shops sell it or available online. It, s sold usually to supportjoint comfort and mobility. We googled what are the health benefits of MSM for diabetes, and came up with a great page explaining all about it. Usage , dosage, etc....

Hi John P. ; I do hope you're having some improvement by now with the B12. Have your symptoms changed at all? Oftentimes as nerves heal, numbness, tingling, and pain can alternately diminish and return temporarily. Temperature sensitivity can also shift. Although I've tried numerous subtances for neuropathy, the B12 has worked best far and away. But this only means that it worked for my case. (though there are many case studies to support B12's efficacy with neuropathy). Still, the folks here are offering good suggestions as these supplements also have an excellent track record for treating nerve injury. I also welcome suggestions because someone may just pop us the right answer!

I see you are trying transdermal applications. It still surprises me how powerful they are. In fact, I cringe when I recall that I've coated my hands with paints that were loaded with heavy metals. Then I would use nasty solvents to remove them. Now I use gloves. But I do use the solvent, DMSO with some transdermal applications. I've added 4 (20mg) B12 lozenges, crushed with a mortar and pestle, to a 1 oz. Dark glass dropper bottle, mostly filled with DMSO. I shake it vigorously for a few minutes until dissolved. This is an approximate recipe developed by Dr. Gregg. I've used this off and on for several years with good effects. I buy the DMSO and supplies from a chemical shop. The mixture is a bit sticky, and the flavorings make for an unusual scent, but it did help me. I would often use it on my left hand which had become frighteningly stiff and numb. I'm now trying it on the small numb spot on my heel to see if it speeds recovery. Castor oil is also a great medium to use either alone or with added essential oils, some good warming ones could be : Oil of Oregano, Cinnamon Oil, Black Pepper Oil, and Ginger Oil. Cayenne is very warm, but I have only seen it as a powder or extract. There are some ready-made salves, but some are with cooling mints. I do have one that is warm, it is called Badger sore muscle rub. It is mild. Good Wishes.

John - Have you tried Alpha Lipoic Acid capsules? It's worked wonders for me and scores of others.

Kelley, Yes I have tried Alpha Lipoic Acid, but for another issue... It did not agree with me... It made my heart race terribly... Don't know why... That was about 10 years ago.. I have recently found out that by eating raw potatoes you can get your Alpha Lipoic Acid... I don't know what the strength would be though... It is something I will certainly consider...

Thank you very much for your concern and time posting you recommendation... It is greatly appreciated...

This too will pass.......

Bless you

Kate, I have noticed that if the pain is less when you wake up in the morning that it is often an indication of too large a dosage of something and so would reduce one item at a time until I found the culprit and then put everything else back to normal dose and reduce or eliminate the one that caused the problem. When things get worse we need to experiment a bit. Al

Months ago, I added Alpha Lipoic Acid (100mg 3x per day) to my daily supplements for its antioxidant properties. After about a month, I noticed that the intense foot burning and pain I'd been experiencing for years was GONE! Yay!!

Just an FYI - the dosage I take is a low one (300mg/day). Those suffering with different types of neuropathy could go as high as 800mg/day.

Hello Monique,

A friend of mine had a crippling neuropathy in both feet and couldn't even walk. She went to get osteopathic adjustments just once or twice and now the pain is almost completely gone. You might want to find a good osteopath in your area and give it a try. Good luck!

I just wanted to comment on the B12. This is my first time on this site. My friend told me about it. I thought I would check it out. I have neuropathy. No doctor will diagnose why though. I do however have a TPO count of over 1000. TPO is the level of thyroid antibodies (which will eventually lead to Hashimotto's disease). Anyway, since my TSH level isn't high yet (which would mean hypothyroidism), they won't diagnose me with it. So, I did some research on my own. I am 29 now but the neuropathy started when I was 20. I didn't go to the doctor about it until I was 27. They put me on B12 shots. I did that weekly x 4 wks. My count went down! Eventually the number came up. Anyway, when my endocrinologist mentioned Hashimotto's, I did some research and found that Hashimotto's causes everything that wrong w/ me--neuropathy, B12 deficiency, Vitamin D deficiency. For some reason, Hashimotto's affects the lining of your stomach and you're just not able to absorb the B12. So, in my case, I can't take supplements--they won't work. I have to just keep taking the B12 shot until some brilliant doctor finds a cure for Hashimotto's disease (which I don't have, even though they didn't check my T4 count to make sure it was jiving w/ my TSH). I have found doing my own research is much cheaper & more beneficial.

It strongly sounds to me like you have Hashimoto's. Please check out Dr. Datis Kharrazian's thyroid book; it's excellent. Right up front I'll tell you that you'd need to go completely gluten-free. There are tons of resources online to aid you in doing that (seems tough at first but it's certainly manageable - I did it in April because of Hashi's and it has definitely helped me). Check out celiac sites for lots of help and advice on going gluten-free, and do read the book if you can as it's really loaded with detailed information and practical advice. Best of luck, and update us again soon!

You might want to try food grade Hydrogen Peroxide 7%. works excellent with epsom salt. you need 2 cups of 7% peroxide to 1 cup of epsom salt. soak in a hot tub of water 113degree. you can soak for a min. of 25 min will work longer 1 hour if have time. when filling tub they sell flat thermometers in hardware store best also to buy a small round fan and I hung it on th bathroom entrance door blowing towards the tub. it maks it extremely comfortable to relax longer. you best get a ground falt electrical breaker home depot. it adapts between outlet and fan cord for safety, the unit is yellow my lasy go to model buy a swim cap made out of soft material this will prevent your hair from bleaching. good luck, it works excellent.

I just finished reading the thread on "Remedies for Severe Neuropathy" where I noted the many cure/relief suggestions. My pain started in 1 foot 13 years ago before taking statins, moved to both feet, to both lower legs, to both hands, both forearms, both ears, across my face through my cheeks over the last 13 years. It is like my feet are freezing to death while they are setting in a campfire.

I asked doctors if it could come from fire ant bites, walking barefoot on new Berber (contains (formaldehyde), insecticides/herbicides, & every thing else I could think about that may had changed just before the pain started (none of them were accepted as a reason). I often do not feel other pain from cuts, insect bites & etc.

I have been through 3 neurologists & 2 nerve tests - no help. The prescribed meds (each one taken 6 weeks) either kept me awake for days, slept for days while getting no relief from the agonizing pain. I do not use caffeine, have been on meat/cheese/leafy vegetable diet for 2 years (no gluten). I have tried MANY salves, even mixed in cayenne pepper (some for race horses & other old time remedies). I take 5000 mg of daily D3 for 2 years now (started with 50, 000 mg of D-2). I take multi-vitamin, fish oil, sublingualB-12, tried the Co-Q 10 for years, etc etc.

Nothing has worked or given relief. My 120 mg of daily Oxycodone (for neuropathy & 3 year back pain) only make life bearable. I relate with all of you for your suffering. I will give Alpha Lipoic Acid & Lecithin a try. I am at my wits ends & getting desperate for anything to cover over the PAIN.

Gatordennis, experiment w/ different medicinal oils like Flax, Borage, Black Currant, Evening Primrose because they influence the body in different ways. Also try an homeopathic nerve tonic. The natural alternative to gabapentin is the amino acid GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid) is very benificial for nerves. Since many cases of PN are caused by some type of toxicity, I would definitely try some detox methods like Oil Pulling, Detox Foot Pads for starters.

Hi Hertsman... You could do no better than to research everything written on ALA by Dr Burt Berkson. He has been researching ALA since the late 1970s and is now a world authority on the use of Alpha Lipoic Acid.

Dr Berkson also makes mention of the type of ALA that he prefers to use -- and that is the RS form of ALA and not the R form. His reasons for this are simply that to manufacture the R-ALA form entails many more chemical processes and steps than it takes to make the RS-ALA form and therefore the R-ALA form will contain, for instance, more trace hexane as chemical residues which are not good for the liver. The manufactured R-ALA form is also much less stable than the RS-form. The R-ALA form is also about 10 times more expensive than the RS-form.

Dr Berkson also advises that the best and purest forms of RS-ALA are made in Europe and not in America or China -- so a good European brand of RS-ALA is what you should use.

Dr Berkson is well-known for using ALA as an anti-oxidant adjunct in his therapies to help cure cirrhosis, hepatitis and cancers. His record as an honest researcher and doctor speaks for itself.

Gatordennis, I have used grapeseed extract, curcumin (an extract of turmeric), gabapentin/Lyrica, alpha lipoic acid, acetyl-l-carnitine, hydromorphcontin and morphine. Nothing has worked as good as ALA and ALCAR although grapeseed extract reduced the need for narcotics ALA and ALCAR ELIMINATED THE NEED FOR NARCOTICS. I still use Lyrica but hope to be off of it soon and just started using benfotiamine. Just a note to those with gluten intolerance, my wife was diagnosed with celiac disease and I had just heard about an old variety of wheat that could be tolerated by celiac's. I bought some whole grain flour made from "RED FIFE" wheat and six months later she had no further indication of celiac disease. Seems the old varieties of wheat have different composition of glutens/proteins that make a difference. My supplier tells me that "MARQUIS" wheat is quite similar and is showing the same results. Al

I've been taking 300 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid daily…. Still have numbness in feet and low legs. Any suggestions?

BETTER BUT WITH SIDE EFFECTS

I just started tasking MSM for my neuropathy pain at 1 gram at night before bed. (I've seen recommendations of 6-20 grams a day.) Coincidentally I just started having diarrhea and black stools. Hard to believe it's from that low dose. However, I do have hep-c..

Any suggestions would be welcomed.. I certainly will stop MSM for several days and see what the result is.

Thank you. BTW the MSM is the FIRST thing that has helped with my neuropathy pain.

D: This is common condition called "herx" or "dieoff" reaction. The MSM is detoxing pathogens and dead tissue accumulated in your gallbladder and colon.

Advice is to continue at this small dose (when it's best to make it to the bathroom) and slowly increase the dose as you notice less discharge and lighter color.

If you can get up to 1 or 1.5 grm 3x per day that would be good progress and I don't recommend going above that, but instead take 1grm Vit-C w/ 1grm MSM 3x day which should be sufficient detox w/ only these two nutrients.

Additional remedies will be necessary to treat the hep-c or the condition will repeat unless you stay w/ the MSM/C. Here is a link to the E.C. hep-c page https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/hep_c.html