Anyone on here know much about vitamin/immune supplements?
Basic story is this; Since just befor christmas i started getting easily tired and quickly out of energy and having to stop in the afternoons for a \'powernap\'. after a few weeks i started getting a very slight ache in my abdomen and ocasionaly feeling sick/vomiting inc passing out several times.
By feb i couldn\'t work so got two weeks off to rest and hoped to get back after that-how wrong i was! first week went to the doc he done the usual first round of blood tests,- nothing unusual billyrubin in the liver was slightly high so seen the specialist about that who after a few tests put it down to something called gilberts disease which is just where the red blood cells arnt broken down propperly leaving a yellow pigment in the blood which shows in the eyes and skin but nothing to worry about and not a contributing factor in why im always so tired and ill.
Fast forward 6 months, Im still off work, the ache in my abdomen has become a pain, which the doc cant find a cause for, he\'s done all the blood tests they can unless they find something more specific to test for, i\'ve had chest x rays, abdomen x ray, ultrasound on stomach,liver,splien etc in my abdomen. tried various tablets for diferent things \'doc hoping\' to find something with them lol.
They have basically now given up on me and hope it sorts itself out through my own body immune system and labled me as cronically fatege.
To top it all off i have to spend MY savings to carry on living/food/rent/car tax/mot etc because i have to much in savings(over £5500) was more for a house deposit, that the goverment think i should spend first befor i get any help from them!My blood boils, anyway that last bit was a bit off topic and just a rant.
So to get well again and back to work im on my own and its up to me and my body to sort it out!
So anybody know about vitamins and supplements to help boost my energy and help my bodys immune system recover?
Im already eating mostly healthy:mmmm and exercise as much as i can without pushing myself to far, mostly a walk everyday or a few hours on the fd :)
My advise to you is dont take supplements. I know people with some really adverse side effects from items you can buy in places like holland and barrett. Your best bet is too look into natural diet too help. I know a lot of people will probably disagree with that but when you actually know of side effects to people you know it soon changes your oppinion. I used to try most things but now stay away completely.
I would go to a private doctors as there worth the money when it comes to your health. And look into a balanced a mixed diet making sure you get enough calories throughout the day.
Have u had any significant weight gain or loss (without trying obviously)?
I would get a second opinion then a third opinion from different doctors, if its one thing this country harvests and thats cowboy doctors.
As for your general health i would look in to excersising more, running, cycling weight training is also good.
Cut back on your drinking and smoking too if you do that of course.
My wife had similar abdominal pains accompanied with other symptoms.
No doctors or specialist could find anything wrong, and even though the tests showed she wasnt intolerant to any foods she took it upon herself to cut out certain foods/additives.
She is now much better years later.
So i would look at your diet and try cutting certain foods that cause upset.
I tried cutting out dairy, then wheat for a while etc
dont drink or smoke
jojo been up and down a few pounds nothing exciting, im 6ft 1 just under 15 stone
As to exercise thats a tough circle at the moment, just walking for a mile becomes hard work and i\'ll start feeling sick, and out of energy which then lasts a few days...
I do eat fairly healthy with veg and fruit everyday
Start by checking your daily calorie intake and writing it down. some people don\'t realise what there consuming and if there\'s enough variety.
Supplements are only really necessary to boost something your not getting in your diet.
However taking a multiple vitamin tablet twice a day won\'t do any harm. I used to take them and it made me feel better in general. I think you get a psychological boost from them too because you are thinking you are taking something that will help you feel better. Multivitamins are cheap too. Can be bought from your supermarket.
Please just get back to the Doctors from what you are saying. Make a bit of a fuss I\'m sure they will listen once you back a second time.
I had very similar, and now just come out of Hospital with a Heart valve repair this week.
I\'m sure your ok but I had no idea, and thought I was fit apart from tiredness and being light headed.
Book yourself in tomorow, you know things are not right because you wouldn\'t come on here and say as you have. Listen to your own body its trying to tell you something.
Good luck for tomorow and fingers crossed for you its ony a minor thing:wave
Paul
Quote from: RobMatthews;792442As to exercise thats a tough circle at the moment, just walking for a mile becomes hard work and i\'ll start feeling sick, and out of energy which then lasts a few days...
Out of curiosity, do you eat meat at all? Red mean in particular?
The tiredness symptoms you\'re describing sound like lack or iron in your diet, which I get as I don\'t eat meats so can relate to how you feel.
Unless you\'re like me and you don\'t eat meat, try and introduce some more red meat into your diet to boost your levels of iron and see if that gives you a little more energy.
lacey, yes love meat i\'ll have a steak once a week, mince in a speggetti bolinase, steak pastys, roast beef on a sunday etc
paul, how did they find your problem? i\'ve been going to the docs since feb! usually once a week sometime once every two weeks i\'ve had chest xrays and that came up with nothing also the docs (seen several now) have listened on the heart but found nothing.
I did wonder in the beginning if it was my heart as I would be most relaxed/not doing anything, maybe sat watching tv or standing just talking to someone and i would get a rush like an adreniline hit come up through my body from my waist up into my head then feel queesy, and light headed also passed out several times back in feb/march time to.
Im on here cause the docs have checked all the organs and said they cant find nothing wrong so its now up to me to find something wrong wether in my diet or somewhere else
Quote from: RobMatthews;792548lacey, yes love meat i\'ll have a steak once a week, mince in a speggetti bolinase, steak pastys, roast beef on a sunday etc
paul, how did they find your problem? i\'ve been going to the docs since feb! usually once a week sometime once every two weeks i\'ve had chest xrays and that came up with nothing also the docs (seen several now) have listened on the heart but found nothing.
I did wonder in the beginning if it was my heart as I would be most relaxed/not doing anything, maybe sat watching tv or standing just talking to someone and i would get a rush like an adreniline hit come up through my body from my waist up into my head then feel queesy, and light headed also passed out several times back in feb/march time to.
Im on here cause the docs have checked all the organs and said they cant find nothing wrong so its now up to me to find something wrong wether in my diet or somewhere else
Sounds a little more than just diet if I\'m honest Rob.
The tiredness etc could be down to diet, the sudden rushes of adrenaline and feeling sick could possibly be your blood sugar level, or even your blood pressure, but I would hope that when you went for a physical, your blood pressure is one of the first things they would have checked over.
Honestly given what you said in your last post I really would urge you to go back to your doctor and express your concerns. Either that, or get a second opinion (most surgeries have more than one doctor), in my whole life of being in/out of doctors/hospitals with my cacked knees etc I\'ve only ever had 2 doctors I didn\'t dislike who would actually listen to me properly, out of the maybe 30+ I\'ve seen over the past 14 odd years.
So my advise would be go back to the doctors, maybe see a new / different doctor, and get another opinion. Professionals will usually be better than forum posts (I say usually as you never know who on MRC is actually in the medical profession)
I don\'t want to scare you but..... Over the last 12 months my sister inlaw has not been well at all. Several attempts with the doctor until 3 weeks ago. The symptoms and what is wrong is nothing like yours, worse infact. We are now preparing for the worst and trying to get things in place for her 3 kids to have the best of what time they have left with their mum.
Once again her symptoms were nothing like and totally different to yours but we in my house now have a lot to deal with.
Please get it seen too and give the doc a jolly good thrashing basil fawlty style if they won\'t do anything.
Brian
Quote from: Lacey;792458Out of curiosity, do you eat meat at all? Red mean in particular?
The tiredness symptoms you\'re describing sound like lack or iron in your diet, which I get as I don\'t eat meats so can relate to how you feel.
Unless you\'re like me and you don\'t eat meat, try and introduce some more red meat into your diet to boost your levels of iron and see if that gives you a little more energy.
So how do you get iron in your diet Lacey without eating red meat? Go and lick the rust off your FC? hehehehe
Spinach. It\'s full of it. I can feel it when I eat it. All the little iron filings. Either that or I haven\'t washed it properly.
Quote from: Grant Monkhouse;792665So how do you get iron in your diet Lacey without eating red meat? Go and lick the rust off your FC? hehehehe
Quote from: kiwimazda;792668Spinach. It\'s full of it. I can feel it when I eat it. All the little iron filings. Either that or I haven\'t washed it properly.
Haha pretty much that, you\'d be surprised how many vegetables have iron in if you google :)
A family member had the tiredness/dizzyness thing, no pains however, she had an over active thyroid gland, the docs missed it, but fortunately my sister in law is a nurse practitioner and she had already seen the blood test results and noticed a small increase in the readings. The doc thought it was nothing to be concerned about as it was only slightly over norm. Went on some tablets and the problem was resolved.
I hope its that simple for you buddy.
Also had a friend a couple of years ago and she was getting pains in her abdomen so bad it would take her to her knees in tears, they wouldnt last long but she always felt fragile after an attack! They never found what was wrong after every test/scan possible and eventually it cleared up a good few months later, it was put down to stress!
I do wonder wether i have just over done it with work, but even after 6 months my body would have hopefully recovered by now.
I\'ve seen 3 different docs all have come to the same conclusion, im waiting on the last blood test - hepatitus but dont see that being a problem as i\'ve already seen a liver specialist.
jetpilot, i\'ve had the thyroid checked i might ask to do it again.
Brian sorry to hear about the sister in law, the last doc i saw did say that with the scans and blood tests they done they\'ve ruled out anything nasty, including the big c so hopefully they are right about that!
Quote from: RobMatthews;792689Brian sorry to hear about the sister in law, the last doc i saw did say that with the scans and blood tests they done they\'ve ruled out anything nasty, including the big c so hopefully they are right about that!
:god:god:god:god:god:god:god
brian when you gonna get some pics up of the rx3?
As soon as I figure out how to upload pics from the camera. Its a new digital one I got and I dont know how it all works yet
Quote from: RobMatthews;792689I do wonder wether i have just over done it with work, but even after 6 months my body would have hopefully recovered by now.
jetpilot, i\'ve had the thyroid checked i might ask to do it again.
I would check with it, i know the results this end were almost ignored at first!
Stress can often be a powerful mistress, its not worth discounting!
Bit of a monster post this one.
Hi Rob, ill probably provoke some counter arguments here but I am all for Vitamin Supplements and many studies have shown that they work, I have done several training courses on them and its surprising how much people are lacking in their diets these days, even those that think they are getting all they need.
One of the routs of the problem is that out food is so intensively farmed these days to cope with demand that its desperately deficient in the essential goodness that out bodies rely on like Vitamins, Minerals, Antioxidants and Phytonutriants. The levels are dramatically low compared to equivalent amounts of the fame foods tested say in the 50\' and 60\'s.
Now while I am all for Supplementation (I obviously do it myself) I will agree with RyanT in part... see you will find that taking cheap supplements can produce bad side effect, and in some cases even be detrimental to your healt. RyanT mentions Holland and Barrett as an example. not these can be used as a prime example they want you to believe they are Natural products as their packaging contains the phrase "naturally Inspired" the truth of the matter is that to get the price cheap nearly all the stuff available in the high street is mass produced in a lab from chemical equivalents (synthetics)
here is where i will put forward an example of synthetic supplements being detrimental to your health. In this case we are talking about beta carotene.
now its been a while since i reviewed the specific information on this but it has been proven with research that there is actually a receptor on certain typed on cancer cells that will accept synthetic beta carotene (this if your fighting cancer is obviously a bad thing) however that same receptor will not accept natural beta carotene derived from natural plant matter/foods. there are many other examples but thats really the one that sticks in my mind.
See the problem with many supplements on the market is that they are not made from Natural ORGANIC food. remember out bodies where designed and evolved living on food not stuff produced in a laboratory.
Secondly Many supplement companies work off of the old style RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) to set out a balanced supplement the problem here is that the RDA was set out as the minimum levels of Vitamins and Minerals required so people do not contract Vitamin Deficiency Diseases (Scurvy and Beriberi for examples) now this was fine way back when the RDA was set up but in the modern world this does not happen. There are Upper levels that are required for Optimal health and these in some cases far exceed that of the old RDA levels.
So what does this all mean? Well if you want to supplement effectively you need to look for a supplement that made from 100% Organically grown plant matter, thats been sustainibly farmed (means your getting good amounts of the good stuff Vitamins, Minerals, Phytonutriants and Antioxidants) The foods that your supplements are made from really need to be those super foods whe are hearing about these days like Alfalfa, Broccoli, Acerola Cherries and Watercress to name just a few.
Another advantages in food based supplements is that only food based supplements contain those all important phytonutriants, These are Micro nutrients that are essential to the body however the confusing part is that science still does not fully understand how they work :S
By choosing the correct kind your going to give your body the best possible boost in energy and health levels possible. The bad news is that to get good quality stuff its not as cheap as you would like, I would not say its expensive (what price can you put on health) but its not Tesco or Holland and Barrett price.
Another overlooked is the lack of Omega 3 in out diets, Omega 3 does so much for our bodies but most of us never get enough on a daily basis, you would think the answer would be to simply increase your daily intake of Oily fish that are rich in Omega 3... normally this would be a good idea, If you could eat that much each day every day and the other problem if you would eat that much would then be the about of toxic heavy metals you would be ingesting (Mercury for one) our waters are polluted with this stuff.
The answer here again is choosing the right source for your Omega 3 supplement. you need to look for a source thats Farmed from a sustainable source of deep sea arctic salmon farmed in a way that the end product if free from pollutants like mercury (this specific type of salmon produce the best type of Omega 3) Omega 3 from deep water arctic salmon had longer DHA strands that are highly beneficial to the body.
Advantages of good Omega 3 can be better skin quality, more supple joints, more flexible and stretchier arteries and veins, the cells in your body are healthier and work better, plus many more.
So if your really looking to Supplement than make sure you get the right stuff, Don\'t get the cheap stuff you really do get what you pay for.
now while all the above information is a lot to take in, please do not think that if your supplementing then its OK to eat badly. you still want to eat as healthy as possible and supplement as well.
SUPPLEMENTS ARE NOT A REPLACMENT FOR A HEALTHY AND VARIED DIET !
All that said there is no promising that taking the right supplements will fix your problems dude but getting the right ones certainly wont have a negative effect.
There is also another option that may be worth a shot, and i apreciate it sounds a bit mumbo jumbo, but both my parents where suffering from various problems and have done for years, I dad was told he had IBS and the doctors would not put a finger on what my mums problems where, but she had been having serious stomach pains randomly for a while, on top of other things. They Finally went to a nutritionist in Horley Sussex a few months ago, who put them on this weird machine to check what was going on in their bodies (allergies, general healty ect) i dont have the full details as i did not go with them. however she told mum about things that even she herself had forgotten about (as weird as that sounds) she eventually put them both on their own course of tablets and suppliments to fix the problem and in a period of a couple of months its sorted both of them right out. mum no longer suffers from any of the problem she has had for years (that a long list of doctors and specialists could not sort out) and dad\'s "IBS" turned out just to be allergies that the doctors could not pick up on for some strange reason. the price for these consultations was not in any way expensive and after seeing how its changed both my parents lived for the better i would highly recommend giving it a try. sorry i cant give you specifics about this machine but i was not there to ask questions lol.
though my parents where old that most of the doctors in Germany use them to great effect, they just dont seem to have caught on here, I believe there are not many people in the UK using these machines however if you want any contact details for the woman (i appreciate its a bit of a drive from where you are) then drop me a PM. I am sure she would be most happy to answer any questions or may even be able to point you in the direction of someone more local to you. The same goes for any specific question on the above topics of Supplements and Omega 3\'s drop me a PM.
Some say its all rubbish however i have personally been witness to some remarkable things that can only be put down to the above principles put in to action with regard to supplementation.
Hope all the above information helps and you get sorted whatever road you choose to take.
Rob, my first thought was thyroid as has already been mentioned. Usually with an underactive one u would get the lethargy and light headed symptoms but u would also, in the vast majority of cases, get noticable weight gain. An overactive thyroid would also result in the tiredness etc but would, again in nearly all cases, be accompanied by weight loss if left untreated. To be honest, even a first year med student would test for this though and it is just a very basic blood test needed to diagnose it.
If u have had fainting spells then, if it were me, I would be to the point of demanding a 24hour blood pressure test (usually just a quick appointment at ur local hospital for the nurse to fit the cuff then get on with ur day as usual and the machine will just go off at random intervals and log ur BP in it\'s memory). Also, I do think it is remiss of ur GP not to request a 24hr ECG just to be on the safe side (don\'t panic-this is more a case of ruling things out than finding anything now-the heart is one organ the medical profession knows how to treat!! Most problems, if found, can be sorted).
None of these things would explain the abdo pain though :3Confused I presume they have done the usual endoscopy and colonoscopy to rule out diverticulitus and chrones (although u would have other symptoms realistically if it were either of these). The scans would have ruled out any aneurysm type problems.
Jeez...I\'ve been rambling!! :o Basically, go back to ur doctor (again, I know!) and tell him u r not happy and that u wish to be referred on. I hope they get u sorted and ur feeling better soon :)
Arnie O - can you recommend a brand of supplement you do consider good?
Quote from: Jojo;792744If u have had fainting spells then, if it were me, I would be to the point of demanding a 24hour blood pressure test (usually just a quick appointment at ur local hospital for the nurse to fit the cuff then get on with ur day as usual and the machine will just go off at random intervals and log ur BP in it\'s memory). Also, I do think it is remiss of ur GP not to request a 24hr ECG just to be on the safe side (don\'t panic-this is more a case of ruling things out than finding anything now-the heart is one organ the medical profession knows how to treat!! Most problems, if found, can be sorted).
None of these things would explain the abdo pain though :3Confused I presume they have done the usual endoscopy and colonoscopy to rule out diverticulitus and chrones (although u would have other symptoms realistically if it were either of these). The scans would have ruled out any aneurysm type problems.
Jeez...I\'ve been rambling!! :o Basically, go back to ur doctor (again, I know!) and tell him u r not happy and that u wish to be referred on. I hope they get u sorted and ur feeling better soon :)
Dont mind you rambling on i can make a list when i see the doc and ask him these questions!
The\'ve not done an endoscopy and colonoscopy pehaps i should ask to be on the safe side?
Arnie, what supplements would you recommend and where from?
Thanks for all the replys so far.
Try www.zipvit.co.uk (http://www.zipvit.co.uk) they do every type of supplement you can think of, cheap too.:Thumbs-up
I dont currently have the time t answer the couple of questions but i promise i will one a have some time, I am just dashing out but thought i would check this thread.
As i mentioned Cheap supplements are not the answer, what kind of quality do you really think your getting from a multivitamin thats costing £7.99 for 360 captules/tablets that works out at just over 2p each, do you really think they are going to meet all the criteria i set out above? (example taken from zipvit website)