Guest guest Posted October 24, 2001 Report Share Posted October 24, 2001 Hi . Have a look at message #2673 in the archive, plus many more before that one, if you have the time to search them. If you do, just search for the word fish by itself. That will give you the best results. Just about everything has been covered before. Be aware that the search engine starts with the most recent messages, and you have to work your way back by clicking on next (which is counterintuitive, since clicking " next " gives you earlier messages. That having been said, and this is my opinion, I believe IgAN patients should only take fish oil on the specific recommendation of their nephrologist, not a GP. Fish oil is over-the-counter, but in the quantities that IgAN patients are told to take it, it really should be considered a drug, since it is a very concentrated form of the fatty acids EPA and DHA. Fish oil is generally considered to be safe, but again, in the quantities that IgAN patients use, I can think of two possible contraindications: any situation where it might add to the effect of existing anticoagulant drugs (like coumadin for example), and where hypertension is severe and not under good control. In any event, your nephrologist SHOULD be interested in knowing that you are taking fish oil, and should tell you how much to take. Other than that, the only side effects that people complain of are indigestion and fishy burps (and a few people have had allergic reactions to either the oil or the gelatin capsules). There is no answer I can give you with respect to whether it will lower BP. It might, or it might raise it. Different people react differently. I've never heard that it affects blood electrolytes like potassium, but it can affect cholesterol, good or bad. There are many fish oil products on the market. First of all, fish oil is NOT cod liver oil. Cod liver oil would be toxic when used in the same quantities as fish oil. Secondly, you have to know what the dosage of EPA and DHA are. Stay completely away from brands that don't clearly state this on the label. As for the amounts, the only evidence we have to go by are the Mayo Clinic fish oil clinical trials published by Dr. Donadio. You can check out the folder " Fish Oil Trials " in the Bookmarks section of our group's Yahoo home page. There are links to abstracts of the studies. The first one was published in 1994, and a later one in 99 or 2000. Be aware that while Dr. Donadio seems quite confident of his results, there are many who dispute these, because the subjects in the placebo group fared much worse than would have been expected. This suggests to some that there might be a flaw of some kind in the design of the clinical trials. There are also other clinical trials that have been conducted elsewhere in the world with conflicting results. Also, one thing that is all too easy to miss or to ignore is that some subjects in the fish oil group actually did reach end-stage kidney failure. The overall benefit is only statistical (and for a relatively short span of time, when you consider how long the course of chronic IgAN normally is). Another complication that has entered the picture in the past couple of years is just how much to take. It seems that the latest results were as good with half the 12 gram dose that was initially recommended. Plus, while initially, all the brands on the market had identical concentrations of EPA/DHA, this is no longer the case. Some have twice as much as others. I will let others say how much they are taking or were told to take, but I will no longer provide any recommendations on this, in order to be consistent with my opinion that this should really be " prescribed " by the nephrologist, since it really is a " medical " treatment, and not an alternative treatment. Personally, I think some doctors are a little too casual if they just tell a patient to try some fish oil, without being more specific about the dose. Pierre Fish Oil? > Is anyone here on this board taking fish oil? Has anyone experienced > an benefit from doing so? I was talking with my GP last time I saw > him and he reccommended I start taking fish oil. Is there any side > effects from taking it? I know it is over the counter, but how do > you know what kind to buy? Is one brand better than the other, and > also how much should you take? My DOctors are not real helpful > sometimes they just say sure go ahead and try if you want. Then they > don't give me any directions. Will fish oil raise or lower my blood > pressure or potassium or anything like that? If anyone can help me > out I would be greatly appreciative. > > Thanks > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2001 Report Share Posted October 24, 2001 I talked to a neph for second opinion, and found him less than personable, but he seemed very knowledgable. He told me that the studies they have done involved MAXEpa fish oil, so that's what he wanted me to take. He told me to take 12000 mg's/day. The gel caps are 1000 mg's, so I take 6 in the AM, 6 at night. As far as he could explain the benefits are sort of nebulous. He pretty much said that they are known to have positive benefits, but no one really knows exatly what or why. Me, being willing to try anything, have taken him up on it. I had to start slow, and work up to taking that many huge pills on top of the rest of the pills I take. The side effects are minimal, though several people in this group have reported allergic reactions to the gelcaps themselves. Pretty much it's just like as if you had tuna fish for breakfast every day, with that taste in your mouth. I had a hard time finding this brand, and finally did at Vitamin World in the mall. Who knew? Good luck! - Fish Oil? Is anyone here on this board taking fish oil? Has anyone experienced an benefit from doing so? I was talking with my GP last time I saw him and he reccommended I start taking fish oil. Is there any side effects from taking it? I know it is over the counter, but how do you know what kind to buy? Is one brand better than the other, and also how much should you take? My DOctors are not real helpful sometimes they just say sure go ahead and try if you want. Then they don't give me any directions. Will fish oil raise or lower my blood pressure or potassium or anything like that? If anyone can help me out I would be greatly appreciative.Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2001 Report Share Posted October 24, 2001 My IgAN started in 1979. I had one mild episode of macroscopic hematuria in about 1973 but was nevered followed until gross hematuria in '79. I got very sick after eating a mango for the first time and that was when the gross hematuria happened. Needless to say, I haven't touched one since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2001 Report Share Posted October 24, 2001 I was looking at some fish oil at GNC today. They were 1000mg capsuls. 180 DHA 120EHA. The directions were to take 1 or 2 pills each meal. To me that means they are reccommendning up to 6000mg's as day right on the bottle. I think that amount should be safe right? I think I am going to call the Doctor to find out, but I might try it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2001 Report Share Posted October 24, 2001 I am most definetly afraid of the taste. I hate eating fish YUCK! At any rate I was just out at Rite Aid and they had a Rite AId brand of Fish oil that DHA of 340 and EPH of 260. I wonder if these would be better, and maybe I would then only take 3 which is well within the reccommended dosage for people who just take them for Heart Care or whatever. Hmm... What do you all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2001 Report Share Posted October 24, 2001 Thanks for pointing that out Byron. The Rite Aid Ones were also much cheaper than the ones at GNC. The only difference that I could see where the ones from GNC said oder free or something like that. That must be nice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2001 Report Share Posted October 24, 2001 It's kinda like the old adage: "Pay me now or.....bbbuuuuurrrrrrp!!!!.....pay me later." : ) My experience is that cheapies will give you fishy burps for sure. Re: Fish Oil? I am most definetly afraid of the taste. I hate eating fish YUCK! At any rate I was just out at Rite Aid and they had a Rite AId brand of Fish oil that DHA of 340 and EPH of 260. I wonder if these would be better, and maybe I would then only take 3 which is well within the reccommended dosage for people who just take them for Heart Care or whatever. Hmm... What do you all think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2001 Report Share Posted October 24, 2001 Thanks for posting that . I like when you say "like as if you had tuna fish for breakfast every day". Pierre Re: Fish Oil? I talked to a neph for second opinion, and found him less than personable, but he seemed very knowledgable. He told me that the studies they have done involved MAXEpa fish oil, so that's what he wanted me to take. He told me to take 12000 mg's/day. The gel caps are 1000 mg's, so I take 6 in the AM, 6 at night. As far as he could explain the benefits are sort of nebulous. He pretty much said that they are known to have positive benefits, but no one really knows exatly what or why. Me, being willing to try anything, have taken him up on it. I had to start slow, and work up to taking that many huge pills on top of the rest of the pills I take. The side effects are minimal, though several people in this group have reported allergic reactions to the gelcaps themselves. Pretty much it's just like as if you had tuna fish for breakfast every day, with that taste in your mouth. I had a hard time finding this brand, and finally did at Vitamin World in the mall. Who knew? Good luck! - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 24, 2001 Report Share Posted October 24, 2001 you can find it at puritans pride goto www.puritan.com thats where i buy my maxepa! Fish Oil? Is anyone here on this board taking fish oil? Has anyone experienced an benefit from doing so? I was talking with my GP last time I saw him and he reccommended I start taking fish oil. Is there any side effects from taking it? I know it is over the counter, but how do you know what kind to buy? Is one brand better than the other, and also how much should you take? My DOctors are not real helpful sometimes they just say sure go ahead and try if you want. Then they don't give me any directions. Will fish oil raise or lower my blood pressure or potassium or anything like that? If anyone can help me out I would be greatly appreciative.Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 2, 2001 Report Share Posted November 2, 2001 Well fish oil tablets won't make much difference to me then.....i've eaten a fish paste on my toast every morning for the last couple of years........lol kaz Fish Oil? Is anyone here on this board taking fish oil? Has anyone experienced an benefit from doing so? I was talking with my GP last time I saw him and he reccommended I start taking fish oil. Is there any side effects from taking it? I know it is over the counter, but how do you know what kind to buy? Is one brand better than the other, and also how much should you take? My DOctors are not real helpful sometimes they just say sure go ahead and try if you want. Then they don't give me any directions. Will fish oil raise or lower my blood pressure or potassium or anything like that? If anyone can help me out I would be greatly appreciative. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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