Re: Help!! I'm drowning in supplements/pills!!

[Guest guest]

Gee Jennie, you only take about 55 a day? :-)

I have taken up to 200 pills a day. Yep, gets to be a drag after a while,

only 23 yrs for me having this much fun.

I try to cut back to basics once in a while & then add new ones slowly

somedays I need a vacation & only take 1/2 of them.

[Guest guest]

HI

You may want to look into adding things one at a time but continuing with

thos supps that work at the same time.

Regards

CS

[Guest guest]

w do you a handle the sheer volume of this stuff? Sometimes I feel

so full after taking all my supplements, I don't even want to eat!!

I take maybe 20-25 pills in the morning WITH my whey

protein/Teitelbaum powder/d- ribose shake. Then 5- 10 at mid-day and

another 20 or so with dinner.

** I dont believe theres a need to take so many - there wasnt in my case. In

the end there were about a dozen supps that really made a difference in my

own recovery.

Do I wait until I'm better and then discontinue or do you try to weed

some out as you go?

***Weed out the one that dont work - if they dont work you will not notice

any difference.

I'm beginning to dread taking them, and some days I just skip them -

it seems to take too much energy just to take them out of the bottles.

** the most important thing for me was to boost Glutathion levels.

And that's not to mention the COST of all of them!

Thanks-

***Reagrds

CS

Jennie

[Guest guest]

On Apr 26, 2006, at 9:00 PM, Jennie wrote:

> How do you a handle the sheer volume of this stuff? Sometimes I feel

> so full after taking all my supplements, I don't even want to eat!!

I usually take them right when I get up, before breakfast; then lay

breakfast in on top. You're right: it does tend to make the meal

smaller.

> Do I wait until I'm better and then discontinue or do you try to weed

> some out as you go?

I try to re-evaluate a couple times a year. Why am I taking this? Is

it working? What will happen if I stop?

If I see a candidate for possible elimination, I make up a week's

pack of supplements without it. If a week goes by and I don't notice

it's gone, then I use up what I have and don't buy more. If I do

notice, it's easy enough to add it back.

> I'm beginning to dread taking them, and some days I just skip them -

> it seems to take too much energy just to take them out of the bottles.

Good lord: I'd never make it with the 90 or so pills I take each day

if I had to retrieve each one out of a bottle. Who among us has the

energy for this?

Like I said in the earlier post: pills-by-the-week boxes are your

very best friends.

> And that's not to mention the COST of all of them!

There is that. I'm a big fan of the Vitamin Shoppe - they have buy

one, get one half off deals all the time. Most of the more unusual

stuff, I get off the Web -- it's not worth wasting the energy running

around trying to find it all. Some sites offer free shipping for

orders over a certain size, so I try to take advantage of those.

Those once-every-six-weeks evenings when I make up my pill packs are

also the time when I take stock of what's low. As I open each bottle,

I see how much I've got left. I try to keep enough on hand that I'll

be ready when it's time to make up the next six weeks of packs; so if

there's not that much in the bottle, I'll add it to a shopping list I

keep at hand.

When I'm done making up the packs, I tuck the list in my wallet, so I

can shop for those items when I'm out and about, and make the

necessary web purchases. I've got six weeks to get them back in

stock, and usually make it just fine.

I estimate I spend $200/month on supplements, not counting the shots

(which are about that much again). It's not a cheap disease to have,

especially when you consider that no insurance anywhere covers any of

this.

Sara

[Guest guest]

What i do is that I give breaks for some of them from time to time.I try not

to take anything that is not a `must` continually.For example I have

pituitary support pills. I know that they help me but when I finish a bottle

I give some break of at least 3 months. Same applies to adrenal

supplementation,gingko.I also tried to minimize the supplements I am taking.

I don't do this very consciously as I am not a medical expert but I tried to

do my best as I also hate taking so many supplements. I am also thinking the

harm done by fillers,capsules,etc.I also tried to find powdered forms of

supplements. So far my vit C and magnesium is in powder form.

Nil

Help!! I'm drowning in supplements/pills!!

> How do you a handle the sheer volume of this stuff? Sometimes I feel

> so full after taking all my supplements, I don't even want to eat!!

>

>

[Guest guest]

CS and Jennie

Supplements that do not seem to work when they seem that they should work

may mean the wrong dose, not enough time on the supplement or a different brand

/form may do the trick.

THis was the case with my Magnesium odessey....... it took years to make Mg

work for me and what a huge difference Mg's made to my well being.

mjh

From: " bhammanuk@... " bhammanuk@...

Date: Wed Apr 26, 2006 10:00pm(PDT)

Subject: Re: Help!! I'm drowning in supplements/pills!!

Do I wait until I'm better and then discontinue or do you try to weed

some out as you go?

***Weed out the one that dont work - if they dont work you will not notice

any difference.

mjh

" The Basil Book "

http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/

[Guest guest]

Hi, Jennie,

I just responded to about taking so many supplements.

When I complained to my nutritionist about this she had the

compounding pharmacy mix much of the stuff in a powder in one

bottle. They determined how much of each I needed three times a day

and all I had to do was put 1 or 1/12 teaspoon of the powder on top

of some food.

For the other things I open the caps and pour them on food. This

seems to help me not be so full when I start to eat.

>

> How do you a handle the sheer volume of this stuff? Sometimes I

feel

> so full after taking all my supplements, I don't even want to eat!!

>

> I take maybe 20-25 pills in the morning WITH my whey

> protein/Teitelbaum powder/d- ribose shake. Then 5- 10 at mid-day

and

> another 20 or so with dinner.

>

> Do I wait until I'm better and then discontinue or do you try to

weed

> some out as you go?

>

> I'm beginning to dread taking them, and some days I just skip

them -

> it seems to take too much energy just to take them out of the

bottles.

>

> And that's not to mention the COST of all of them!

>

> Thanks-

>

> Jennie

>

[Guest guest]

Hi all

This thread has really made me think.

I have had ME for ten years and started taking supplements years ago,

I began with the usual high dose 1000mg vitamin c plus E200 IU

vitamin E daily; which I have taken for about nine years now.

Of course I heard a lot of theories and have done a lot of research

since then so today like most of us here I am also taking a heaped

eggcupful of supplements every day,

I always take them with a decent sized meal to try to fool my body

they are completely natural foodstuffs and to make sure I digest them

properly....although if I am feeling too nauseaous to eat I always

skip the supplements as well.

What I am wondering, given the extreme variability of ME and the high

probability that most of my set backs are more than likely only

caused by overdoing things (it is ridiculously easy to overdo things)

.....and given that we can have all kinds of improvements or set-backs

for no apparent reason;

What really puzzles me is how can you really tell for sure if a

supplement is doing anything to help you?

How could you really be certain either, if a supplement didnt suit

you, when you have an illness with so many inexplicable up and downs

it is comparable to riding a roller coaster?

I am a great believer in natural therapies myself and I THINK that my

supplements are good for me -but how can I really be certain I am not

just wasting my money?

I know that most natural therapists are 100% genuine of course, but

there are so many theoiries and protocols about and most of them

involve parting with our cash;

when you really look at it, arent we a 'quacks' dream really,

so badly wanting to find a cure that we will try anything if it is

suggested that it might help?

At the end of ten long years, although I have not lost any of my

faith in natural therapies, and I personally believe that they are

actually doing me some good;

I can't honestly say I have ever noticed any particular difference

on the days when I cant take them because of nausea;

And the fact that is as plain as the nose of my face: is that after

taking my supplements I still have ME to the same degree that I had

when I started them;

in fact I am definitely not one little bit better than I was before I

started taking all of my costly supplements;

and I am still on the roller coaster ride because I still get better

and much worse days-even weeks-for no apparent reason.

Could be food for thought maybe?

all the best

yvonne

>

>

>

> CS and Jennie

>

> Supplements that do not seem to work when they seem that they

should work

> may mean the wrong dose, not enough time on the supplement or a

different brand

> /form may do the trick.

>

> THis was the case with my Magnesium odessey....... it took years to

make Mg

> work for me and what a huge difference Mg's made to my well being.

> mjh

>

>

> From: " bhammanuk@... " bhammanuk@...

> Date: Wed Apr 26, 2006 10:00pm(PDT)

> Subject: Re: Help!! I'm drowning in supplements/pills!!

>

>

> Do I wait until I'm better and then discontinue or do you try to

weed

> some out as you go?

>

> ***Weed out the one that dont work - if they dont work you will

not notice

> any difference.

>

>

>

>

> mjh

> " The Basil Book "

> http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

When I concentrate on on area of my health - I take my supplements

continually until I have attained max benefit and then take at a maintenance

dose.

regards

Cs

[Guest guest]

Hi there Cs,

I hope you dont mind me asking you,

I am interested to understand how can you tell when you have 'attained

max benefit' from your supplements,

and how do you know what dose would be most appropriate as a

maintenance dose? What, if any, measurable benefits are you maintaining?

May I ask, no offense but how can you tell for certain if your

supplement is making any difference as opposed to the normal

fluctuations of this illness?

I am curious as to whether you take your supplements just one at a time

or do you take several each day? Would you mind if I asked which

supplements you have chosen to take and which you continue with, and

can you explain why?

I am not picking on you personally; I am only curious and questioning,

I am sorry, of course you are not obliged to answer any of my questions

if you dont want to.

its just that this thread has really made me think now; and I am

starting to ask myself what actual benefits I am getting-if any- from

the supplements that I have been taking personally.

My symptoms have always fluctuated dramatically, I liken it to a roller

coaster ride; there is no obvious reason why I feel a bit better one

day and much worse the next- apart from the obvious times when I know I

have tried to do too much.

This variation in my symptoms, means that I am completely unable to

tell, whether any of the dozen or so supplements I am taking, are

having any beneficial effect or even otherwise;

especially considering I have had ME for ten years now,

and I have been taking supplements for fully 8 years-

but I honestly dont feel any different now than I did before I started

on these supplements; I dont feel any improvement and I have definitely

not been cured.

Is this food for thought?

all the best

>

> When I concentrate on on area of my health - I take my supplements

> continually until I have attained max benefit and then take at a

maintenance dose.

>

> regards

> Cs

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi there Cs,

I hope you dont mind me asking you,

I am interested to understand how can you tell when you have 'attained

max benefit' from your supplements,

and how do you know what dose would be most appropriate as a

maintenance dose? What, if any, measurable benefits are you maintaining?

*****The only reason I am recovery stage is because I began boosting

glutathione initially.

When I took lactoferrin it worked immediately ie there was a herx and 3

weeks later the effects dropped off. I then moved onto the next area of my

health

ie killing yeast infection via coconut oil.

May I ask, no offense but how can you tell for certain if your

supplement is making any difference as opposed to the normal

fluctuations of this illness?

*****I feel that i am in the recovery stage! Im looking at the next 3 months

to lay the foundations to turn turn around all of the areas of my life which

have been neglected for so long.

I am curious as to whether you take your supplements just one at a time

or do you take several each day? Would you mind if I asked which

supplements you have chosen to take and which you continue with, and

can you explain why?

*****I did write a fairly long write up on what i did exactly. I take things

until they reach the max benefit and then move on to the next area but

certain things I will take continually ie Whey protein, turmeric, coriander,

probiotics, coconut oil, OPC's and Multivits

I am not picking on you personally; I am only curious and questioning,

I am sorry, of course you are not obliged to answer any of my questions

if you dont want to.

***** No probs - you cant believe how much I have to do now that my health

is back on track - its seems like I have another mountain to climb!

its just that this thread has really made me think now; and I am

starting to ask myself what actual benefits I am getting-if any- from

the supplements that I have been taking personally.

*** All i can say is for me building glutathione has been the most

fundamenatal thing and then its a case of adding some key supps to help other

areas -

everything else falls into place once this is in motion ie .infection,

adrenal health, digestion, nutrional status and antioxidants.

My symptoms have always fluctuated dramatically, I liken it to a roller

coaster ride; there is no obvious reason why I feel a bit better one

day and much worse the next- apart from the obvious times when I know I

have tried to do too much.

This variation in my symptoms, means that I am completely unable to

tell, whether any of the dozen or so supplements I am taking, are

having any beneficial effect or even otherwise;

especially considering I have had ME for ten years now,

and I have been taking supplements for fully 8 years-

but I honestly dont feel any different now than I did before I started

on these supplements; I dont feel any improvement and I have definitely

not been cured.

** ***I have turned around my CFS in 12 months after having CFS for 16 years!

The whole journey has been like roller coaster - I went through a mountain

of supplements - one thing i noticed was there seemed to be 5 key stages to

work on ie :

1) heavy metals & thyroid

2) parasites/ yeast/ bacteria

3)adrenals

4)digestion

5)antioxidants and nutrients

Is this food for thought?

all the best

***Kind regards

CS

[Guest guest]

I always start at the high end of the recommended dose. (For most

things, this is easy to find with a little research on the Web.) That

way, the effects are more unmistakeable. If it's clear that it's too

much, it's easy to tone it down. But if you don't take enough, you

might never discover what the true benefit might be.

** ***i do the opposite I always start at a very low dosage and then build

up.

Regards

CS

[Guest guest]

hi

Im now at a stage where i am refining my health and life and looking into a

few testing methods to see how far I still have to go to be 100 %.

I will get back to you shortly on this.

Regards

CS

p.s being a perfectionist I m still looking into more supps and methods so

that this thing never returns - ie chorella / exercise and resolving dental

issues.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 04/27/06 4:13:35 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

marypmichel@... writes:

Hi, Jennie,

I just responded to about taking so many supplements.

When I complained to my nutritionist about this she had the

compounding pharmacy mix much of the stuff in a powder in one

bottle. They determined how much of each I needed three times a day

and all I had to do was put 1 or 1/12 teaspoon of the powder on top

of some food.

For the other things I open the caps and pour them on food. This

seems to help me not be so full when I start to eat.

Ok, but what do we do about the myriad of supps we must take on an EMPTY

STOMACH? That is the real problem here.

[Guest guest]

Hi sara,

Hey thats brilliant! thanks very much for that amazingly thoughtful

reply.

It is very interesting for me to see what you are taking, now I can

judge what coincides with what I take (sometimes different things

that have the same reputed benefits); the things I take that you

dont, and the things I am not taking.

In my case I have discovered something; looked it up and researched

it thoroughly to make sure I know what it is all about; purchased it;

and, so long as it has not had a highly obvious adverse effect (which

some things do) taken it ever since in the original dose with an

almost superstitious attitude.

Most of the supplements you take look like the ordinary ones but I

would assume these other ones must

come from your doctor?:

Progesterone Cream

2tbsp X

Estrogen drops 1.5ml

X

Dessicated thyroid -- compounded, not name brand

120 X

B12/Glutathione/AMP shots (2x/week)

And off the top of my head I imagine you must be in the USA; but if I

am wrong please correct me

I agree with you that it would probably be a good idea for me to take

your advice and maybe cut out my supplements for a while, I think a

month should do it.

Perhaps then I will see if I am able to tell what benefit they are

actually having, if any,

because at the moment I am beginning to wonder if I have only been

superstitiously chucking hundreds of pounds a year down the drain.

May I also list what I am taking?

perhaps some intelligent soul could look it over and make a

constructive comment or even advise me.

" EPA FISH OIL CONCENTRATE -2 X 1000MG

VITAMIN C 1000MG WITH BIOFLAVANOIDS- X 1

EVENING PRIMROSE OIL 1000MG (90MG gla) -X 2

ST JOHNS WORT 300 MG -X 2

N-ACETYL-L-CYSTEINE 500MG- X 1 (ALWAYS WITH HIGH PROTIEN FOOD)

DHEA 25MG-x 1

NATURAL VITAMIN E- 200iu -X 1

GINGKO BILOBA LEAF 30 MG - X 1

ULTRA GINSENG (MANCHURIAN) 500MG - X 2

ODOURLESS GARLIC 500MG X 1

RADIANCE MULLTIVITAMINS + MINERALS -X1

CHELATED ZINC 25MG -X 1

SELENIUM 200 -X1 "

I TAKE ALL OF THESE TOGETHER ALONG WITH MY MAIN MEAL OF THE DAY

PLUS 3MG MELATONIN I HR BEFORE BEDTIME. "

There are some other things I have tried over the year but they

really didnt suit me, such as recuperation;

and I have been unable so far to persuade my UK NHS doctor to give

me anything for my thyroid.

thanks for being so considerate

all the best

>

> > Hi there Cs,

>

> OK if I chime in here?

>

> > I hope you dont mind me asking you,

> > I am interested to understand how can you tell when you

have 'attained

> > max benefit' from your supplements,

> > and how do you know what dose would be most appropriate as a

> > maintenance dose? What, if any, measurable benefits are you

> > maintaining?

>

> In my case, it's taken me years and years to work up to the

> supplement regimen I have now.

>

> I only EVER add one thing at a time. Most things get a 1-2 week

> trial. By then, in most cases, I know whether it's doing anything

or

> not.

>

> Somethings take longer to work (Recup might be one of these), so

for

> something like that, I'd plan to take the trial longer. The main

> thing is to decide in advance how long you plan to wait to see if

> there's a benefit.

>

> I always start at the high end of the recommended dose. (For most

> things, this is easy to find with a little research on the Web.)

That

> way, the effects are more unmistakeable. If it's clear that it's

too

> much, it's easy to tone it down. But if you don't take enough, you

> might never discover what the true benefit might be.

>

> > May I ask, no offense but how can you tell for certain if your

> > supplement is making any difference as opposed to the normal

> > fluctuations of this illness?

>

> I've never found this to be a problem. Most things don't make me

feel

> " better " a general way. More usually, the benefits are very

specific.

> When I take thyroid, my neck muscles relax and I'm more alert. When

I

> take magnesium. my muscles and bones stop hurting. If I don't get

my

> NAC, my allergies trigger more easily. These are very specific

> results, and in most cases, they were pretty evident within a

couple

> weeks of experimentation.

>

> I built up my collection very slowly over time. I heard about

this,

> and tried it. Nothing. And then I heard about that, and tried

> it...and it helped. And so on, over the years.

>

> I should probably note the thyroid, all by itself, probably

doubled

> the effect of everything else I was taking put together. It and

the

> glutathione -- both prescriptions -- are the two critical pieces.

But

> one of the things they do is enable my system to use all the other

> stuff more effectively.

>

> > I am curious as to whether you take your supplements just one at

a

> > time

> > or do you take several each day?

>

> I take a whole big handful (6-8 at a time with big swallows of

water)

> in the morning, and another half-handful at night. Every single

one

> of them does something important and useful; and I need to take

them

> each day (or twice a day) to continue getting that specific benefit.

>

> > Would you mind if I asked which

> > supplements you have chosen to take and which you continue with,

and

> > can you explain why?

>

> You asked for it:

>

>

> SUPPLEMENTS LIST

>

>

Vitamins

> Dose AM PM

> GNC Women's Ultra Gold multivitamin

X

> B-100 (100 mg each of major

> Bs) X

> Ester-

C

> 500 X

>

> Minerals

> Calcium Citrate

> 200 X

>

MSM

> 500 X

> Magnesium/p5p 450/150

X

>

> Amino Acids

> Glutathione

> 100 X

> Glucosamine Sulfate

> 1000 X X

> N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine

> 300 X X

>

CLA

> 400 X X

> 5-

HTP

> 50 X

> L-

Tyrosine

> 50 X

>

Glutamine

> 100 X

> L-

Carnitine

> 200 X X

> Folic

Acid

> 100 X X

>

>

> Antioxidants

> Masqilier's OPCs (pycnogenol)

> 100 X X

> CoEnzyme Q10

> 100 X X

> Alpha Lipoic

Acid

> 200 X X

>

DMAE

> 100 X

>

DHEA

> 37 X

>

> Oils

> Evening Primrose Oil

> 100 X X

> Salmon Oil

> 200 X

> Flaxseed Oil

> 200 X

>

> Herbs

> Colon Cleanse

> 200 X X

> Kyolic (denatured garlic)

> 100 X

> Female Well (dong quai, cohosh, etc.)

> 300 X X

> St. 's

> Wort

> 100 X X

>

> Other

> Progesterone Cream

> 2tbsp X

> Estrogen drops 1.5ml

X

> Dessicated thyroid -- compounded, not name brand

> 120 X

> B12/Glutathione/AMP shots (2x/week)

>

>

> > its just that this thread has really made me think now; and I am

> > starting to ask myself what actual benefits I am getting-if any-

from

> > the supplements that I have been taking personally.

>

> Best test: stop taking them all (or all but the ones you know are

> absolutely essential). Give your body a week to detox.

>

>

[Guest guest]

I thank you CS

for your very kind and thorough response...

I am getting a bit foggy in the old brain area right now so I havent

really taken it all in; but I am going to come back and re-read your

post another day and hopefully will be able to give you a more

sensible reply by then.

all the best

>

>

> Hi there Cs,

>

> I hope you dont mind me asking you,

> I am interested to understand how can you tell when you

have 'attained

> max benefit' from your supplements,

> and how do you know what dose would be most appropriate as a

> maintenance dose? What, if any, measurable benefits are you

maintaining?

>

>

> *****The only reason I am recovery stage is because I began

boosting

> glutathione initially.

> When I took lactoferrin it worked immediately ie there was a herx

and 3

> weeks later the effects dropped off. I then moved onto the next

area of my health

> ie killing yeast infection via coconut oil.

>

>

>

> May I ask, no offense but how can you tell for certain if your

> supplement is making any difference as opposed to the normal

> fluctuations of this illness?

>

> *****I feel that i am in the recovery stage! Im looking at the next

3 months

> to lay the foundations to turn turn around all of the areas of my

life which

> have been neglected for so long.

>

> I am curious as to whether you take your supplements just one at a

time

> or do you take several each day? Would you mind if I asked which

> supplements you have chosen to take and which you continue with,

and

> can you explain why?

>

> *****I did write a fairly long write up on what i did exactly. I

take things

> until they reach the max benefit and then move on to the next area

but

> certain things I will take continually ie Whey protein, turmeric,

coriander,

> probiotics, coconut oil, OPC's and Multivits

>

> I am not picking on you personally; I am only curious and

questioning,

> I am sorry, of course you are not obliged to answer any of my

questions

> if you dont want to.

>

> ***** No probs - you cant believe how much I have to do now that my

health

> is back on track - its seems like I have another mountain to climb!

>

> its just that this thread has really made me think now; and I am

> starting to ask myself what actual benefits I am getting-if any-

from

> the supplements that I have been taking personally.

>

> *** All i can say is for me building glutathione has been the most

> fundamenatal thing and then its a case of adding some key supps to

help other areas -

> everything else falls into place once this is in motion

ie .infection,

> adrenal health, digestion, nutrional status and antioxidants.

>

> My symptoms have always fluctuated dramatically, I liken it to a

roller

> coaster ride; there is no obvious reason why I feel a bit better

one

> day and much worse the next- apart from the obvious times when I

know I

> have tried to do too much.

> This variation in my symptoms, means that I am completely unable

to

> tell, whether any of the dozen or so supplements I am taking, are

> having any beneficial effect or even otherwise;

> especially considering I have had ME for ten years now,

> and I have been taking supplements for fully 8 years-

> but I honestly dont feel any different now than I did before I

started

> on these supplements; I dont feel any improvement and I have

definitely

> not been cured.

>

>

> ** ***I have turned around my CFS in 12 months after having CFS for

16 years!

> The whole journey has been like roller coaster - I went through a

mountain

> of supplements - one thing i noticed was there seemed to be 5 key

stages to

> work on ie :

>

> 1) heavy metals & thyroid

> 2) parasites/ yeast/ bacteria

> 3)adrenals

> 4)digestion

> 5)antioxidants and nutrients

>

>

> Is this food for thought?

> all the best

>

>

>

> ***Kind regards

> CS

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

>

>

One thing you might want to consider is to put the tabs into the

coffee

grinder and powder them. Add that powder and empty any in capsules

into some

water, juice, applesauce, yoghurt. That leaves you with only

gelcaps and

enteric coated tabs to take.

***Hi MJH - This isn't good advice. There is a reason why some

supplements are in capsule form, and others a hard tablet. You should

never crush, grind, or chew a tablet as it can sometimes be absorbed

too quickly by the body. It is best to stick with the directions

given by the manufacturer.

Take care.

Bernie

[Guest guest]

>

>

>

>

>>

> I only EVER add one thing at a time. Most things get a 1-2 week

> trial. By then, in most cases, I know whether it's doing anything or

> not.

>

> Somethings take longer to work (Recup might be one of these), so for

> something like that, I'd plan to take the trial longer. The main

> thing is to decide in advance how long you plan to wait to see if

> there's a benefit.

>

***Hi Sara - One or two weeks is not long enough to know if something

is working or not. A person does not become deficient in only a week or

two, so it stands to reason that it is going to take longer to correct

a deficiency.

Vitamin C is one of the quickest to work and get results, usually

within a week. Magnesium on the other hand can take anywhere from four

to six months to start noticing results. The B Vitamins take at least

six weeks.

Whey protein can take anywhere from four months to over a year.

Take care.

Bernie

[Guest guest]

On Apr 28, 2006, at 2:58 PM, bernieanneca wrote:

>

> ***Hi Sara - One or two weeks is not long enough to know if something

> is working or not. A person does not become deficient in only a

> week or

> two, so it stands to reason that it is going to take longer to correct

> a deficiency.

>

> Vitamin C is one of the quickest to work and get results, usually

> within a week. Magnesium on the other hand can take anywhere from four

> to six months to start noticing results. The B Vitamins take at least

> six weeks.

>

> Whey protein can take anywhere from four months to over a year.

Perhaps in YOUR experience, Bernie. This kind of absolute declarative

makes it sound like you expect everyone else's experience to be the

same.

That's an erroneous (and arrogant) assumption in most of life -- and

especially in dealing with ME. One of the things about the illness

(it's noted in the Canadian Criteria, in fact) is that we can be much

more sensitive to many drugs, often at much lower doses, than most

doctors believe is possible. Also, people's own body awareness

varies: I'm a fairly kinesthetic person -- was a dancer for 20 years

before I got sick -- so I probably pick up on subtle physical changes

faster than most people do.

When I started to take magnesium last winter, I knew within 12 hours

I was onto something very good. I don't feel Vitamin C one way or the

other, ever (perhaps because my diet is also rich in it); of all the

things I take, it's the biggest " article of faith, " because it

doesn't do squat. But my B12 shots were obviously working in six

hours. And back when I was taking oral B-complex tablets, I'd start

missing them in 3-4 days.

They told me it could take a month before I got any effects from

Zoloft. But it hit me (and rather dramatically) in just the first

half-hour.

So maybe this stuff takes time for you. For me, the results are

usually fairly swift. Either it's doing something -- usually

something very specific -- or it's not.

Sara