Hi I would ask my Dr. before trying any thing. I spent over 300.00 on vitamins and yes I felt a little better and my blood test results came back good. However when I told the Dr. what I was doing I was told I did not want to speed up my immune system, I was also told be careful mixing anything with the medication I was already taking. My lupus cause a lot of pain and I take vitamin D everyday and calcium also and I just added magnesium to the list. I have had a little more energy since I started taking this. Im going on walks and praying that I stay well. I know lupus is different for each of us so always remember what works for me may not work for you, but one thing I know that can help us all is prayer, so know that Im praying for us all be blessed Godsgirl.
Hi Dizzylynn,
The first thing you must understand is that with Autoimmune it is the opposite of Immune Deficiency. With autoimmune, you are already in 'hyper over-drive' to quote my General Practioner. So 'boosting the immune system' is not something you want further complicate, though you do want to make sure you have proper nutrition and vitamin/supplement intake.
I suggest you speak to your Doctor before purchasing any, and when you do purchase, only choose top quality Pharmaceutical grade vitamins. Most of my vitamins are made by Douglas Labs, this is the brand that my Chiropractor uses the most of, and they are the vitamin gurus.
Tez_20 said:
Hello Roni,
Your right with people who clot it's not so bad for us but yourself where you can bleed easily with ITP it's a high risk more.
Roni i used to take ibuprofen regular and when i had my monthly i used to pop as many as 16 in a day to ease the pain but thank goodness that lark was stopped and the first rheumo soon had me off them onto paracetamol, then when i had my TIA when i joined the site, the TIA unit said paracetamol carried to many high risks and i'd be better off taking ibuprofen...so it's no win position with some.
Well how they say Aspell cider vinegar is good for we, sure to god garlic would be the same, that's another issue i can't get my head around.lol
Love Terri xxx
Roni said:Well omega 3 would be good for people who clot like you. Someone like me with ITP shouldn't take it though. I also can't take aspirin or ibuprofen. I always check supplements with my doctor because some can have side effects which in an ordinary person would be fine, but can cause an issue with my blood counts. I mean, who would think garlic & omega 3 would be bad for you? But the combo would drop my counts for sure! LOL
That makes it tough Terri! The other thing to keep in mind is some drugs are filtered through your kidneys, while others are filtered through your liver. If you have a problem with either of those organs, that can make things worse too. It's such a balancing act.
I always go back to my mom, who ended up on blood pressure meds permanently after taking Cold FX to prevent a cold. They jacked her pressure through the roof and she never had an issue before taking them.
When I started dieting I asked my doctor if I should take vitamins or supplements. He recommended (after doing blood work) one multivitamin twice a week. He also told me about omega 3 and advised not to take it or any other supplements. He also strongly opposes any “energy” supplements because most contain things that are bad for your heart. These, of course, were instructions specific to me though and everyone is different. I’m not opposed to vitamins & supplements, they can be extremely helpful if you have a deficiency. I just really think it’s something your doctor should decide. And why bother with the expense if you really don’t need them.
I hope you are getting relief on your new drug regimen =)
Thank you godsgirl for the imput on vitamins this information helps a great deal.
Terri :)
godsgirl66 said:
Hi I would ask my Dr. before trying any thing. I spent over 300.00 on vitamins and yes I felt a little better and my blood test results came back good. However when I told the Dr. what I was doing I was told I did not want to speed up my immune system, I was also told be careful mixing anything with the medication I was already taking. My lupus cause a lot of pain and I take vitamin D everyday and calcium also and I just added magnesium to the list. I have had a little more energy since I started taking this. Im going on walks and praying that I stay well. I know lupus is different for each of us so always remember what works for me may not work for you, but one thing I know that can help us all is prayer, so know that Im praying for us all be blessed Godsgirl.
Hello Roni,
What doing me is the sjogren's as over rode the lupus and as took good control of my body and it's drying out my organs, so i know whatever painkiller i take won't help my kidneys or liver, then my liver is on over ride trying to keep up and filter the tegretol i take for my epilepsy besides...as the neuro had bloods done to see how my liver was responding with those.
I do need pain killers though...although the plaquenil helps my skin to a certain extent and is now easy the spasms as they was driving me mad...pain otherwise daily i just can't explain besides my lungs aching all the time mainly my right but as you know and other's i do smoke 15 fags daily and those fags help me and doctors besides my GP have let the matter drop...it may sound a poor excuse but when you've got nothing for manuic depression that kicks in when it feels and takes you rock bottom...lighting that fag relieves me although it sounds soft.
I am pleased though that you got good advice before doing your diet and what you need properly concerning the lupus and your diet...you've done so well with that but i was always concerned hoping you was'nt over doing issues but you've set me right on that score.lol
Love to you Roni xxx
Roni said:
Tez_20 said:Hello Roni,
Your right with people who clot it's not so bad for us but yourself where you can bleed easily with ITP it's a high risk more.
Roni i used to take ibuprofen regular and when i had my monthly i used to pop as many as 16 in a day to ease the pain but thank goodness that lark was stopped and the first rheumo soon had me off them onto paracetamol, then when i had my TIA when i joined the site, the TIA unit said paracetamol carried to many high risks and i'd be better off taking ibuprofen...so it's no win position with some.
Well how they say Aspell cider vinegar is good for we, sure to god garlic would be the same, that's another issue i can't get my head around.lol
Love Terri xxx
Roni said:Well omega 3 would be good for people who clot like you. Someone like me with ITP shouldn't take it though. I also can't take aspirin or ibuprofen. I always check supplements with my doctor because some can have side effects which in an ordinary person would be fine, but can cause an issue with my blood counts. I mean, who would think garlic & omega 3 would be bad for you? But the combo would drop my counts for sure! LOL
That makes it tough Terri! The other thing to keep in mind is some drugs are filtered through your kidneys, while others are filtered through your liver. If you have a problem with either of those organs, that can make things worse too. It's such a balancing act.
I always go back to my mom, who ended up on blood pressure meds permanently after taking Cold FX to prevent a cold. They jacked her pressure through the roof and she never had an issue before taking them.
When I started dieting I asked my doctor if I should take vitamins or supplements. He recommended (after doing blood work) one multivitamin twice a week. He also told me about omega 3 and advised not to take it or any other supplements. He also strongly opposes any "energy" supplements because most contain things that are bad for your heart. These, of course, were instructions specific to me though and everyone is different. I'm not opposed to vitamins & supplements, they can be extremely helpful if you have a deficiency. I just really think it's something your doctor should decide. And why bother with the expense if you really don't need them.
I hope you are getting relief on your new drug regimen =)
Hi Deenie,
A really good place to start is with an endocrinologist. They can run a panel to see if you are low on anything ( like Vitamin D or potassium) and help you create a meal plan that addresses your needs or recommend supplements. Here is what I know to avoid, zinc it aggravates the inflammation, red dyes in food, alfalfa beans and sprouts, and echinacea. Heres what I know helps flaxseed, omega-3s, any anti-oxidant like vit a, c or e. However, in order to know what you really need a panel should be run. Hope that helped. :)
XXOO Julie
.
flaxseed helps to reduce inflammation
Hi Julie,
Thank you for the extra info about what can harm we...as all extra info helps members.
Terri :)
Julie said:
Hi Deenie,
A really good place to start is with an endocrinologist. They can run a panel to see if you are low on anything ( like Vitamin D or potassium) and help you create a meal plan that addresses your needs or recommend supplements. Here is what I know to avoid, zinc it aggravates the inflammation, red dyes in food, alfalfa beans and sprouts, and echinacea. Heres what I know helps flaxseed, omega-3s, any anti-oxidant like vit a, c or e. However, in order to know what you really need a panel should be run. Hope that helped. :)
XXOO Julie
.
flaxseed helps to reduce inflammation
Hay Dizzylynn, taking vitamins helps me . Exspecially vitamin E - it really has been helping along with Biotin. Vitamins help the body in all ways and thats why an trying toget back into taking them (which i should not have stop in the first place ) !!!smile Well hope things work out for you!!!! talk with you later .... Beverly L.
Vitamin D is essential for strong bones because it helps the body use calcium from the diet. Traditionally, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with rickets, a disease in which the bone tissue doesn't properly mineralize, leading to soft bones and skeletal deformities. But increasingly, research is revealing the importance of vitamin D in protecting against a host of health problems.
Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. However, for many people, the symptoms are subtle. Yet even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following:
- Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
- Cognitive impairment in older adults
- Severe asthma in children
- Cancer
Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes,hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis.
Julie,
Thanks for posting this, my GP told me that most people are low in Vit D when I told him my concerns about being low. I'll know when the labs come back : ) Trisha
Hello Trisha,
This is one issue that's never been mentioned to me Vit D...so when i see the rheumo the end of next month i will ask him about this and see what he says. :)
sunrisetrisha said:
Julie,
Thanks for posting this, my GP told me that most people are low in Vit D when I told him my concerns about being low. I'll know when the labs come back : ) Trisha
You definitely don’t want to boost your immune system when you have an autoimmune disease. The word is derived from Latin auto meaning “self” , immune system attack the self. So if you have an immune system that is programmed incorrectly, it isn’t only fighting disease and infection but it also thinks your tissues and systems are foreign and need to be destroyed…since it can’t reboot or get a new program stay away from things like echinacea. It is only gonna increase the activity of your army of white blood cells and those guys are just gonna be released and attack you while actively searching for disease. Vitamins and minerals are a much different story. You need those in order to survive, especially when you got a chronic illness. 2 yrs after I was diagnosed I decided to go to nursing school (about half way done in 8 yrs yay) most of these nutrients our bodies can synthesize on their own the rest we have to get from the foods we eat. Now sometimes with lupus it can be challenging to eat all the right foods and the recommended servings heck it is challenging to eat right in this country even if you don’t have a chronic illness,so go ahead and take your vitamins. Ask your pharmacist to help you figure out when and how far apart you should take Rx and supplements, they are also required to know how many of the most common supplements will react with the Rx you already take.
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melnel272 said:
I take prednisone (amoung other things) and my doctor has me on calcium. She always does when I have to have prednisone treatments because she says the drug does damage to bones like fractures and they’re weakened (creates little holes? sounds osteoporosis-ish, no? hmm). But yeah she said bones need help to stay strong so I take calcium and usually a bit of vitamin D too, but calcium is the most important.
Dr’ always tell me to check with my pharmacist
Tez_20 said:
Hello dizzylynn,
Before taking an supplement which our bodies may need it’s always best to check with your doctor because of other meds which you may be on because counter reation can still be caused.
Our immune system is lowered because Lupus does’nt recognize infections so when they enter the body lupus reverts back on our immune system and lowers we even less.
I hope these links help you besides the advise other members have given besides.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2248542_eat-exercise-lupus.html
http://www.hopkinslupus.org/lupus-info/lifestyle-additional-informa…
http://www.livestrong.com/build-immune-system/
Hugs Terri xxx
Maybe if you ate 2-3 bulbs a day for 2 months or took a high dose of garlic supplement for 1-2 months.
Roni said:
The Hopkins article Terri provided is the same info that the hematologist told me when I was dx with ITP. Immune boosting foods (garlic is a major one) should be avoided in autoimmune disease. Our immune systems attack the wrong things and food/supplements that are known to “rev up” the immune system, don’t change what it attacks. I would ask your rheumatologist if there are any supplements you should take. As others have mentioned, calcium, vit d, b12 and iron are sometimes what we are lacking and can contribute to your symptoms. Blood tests will determine exactly what you need.
It's all down to your own Dr individually because i've come across some pharamcy's in the past that don't know everything...i'd rather trust my doctor than a pharmacist.
Cannabearrx said:
Dr' always tell me to check with my pharmacist
Tez_20 said:Hello dizzylynn,
Before taking an supplement which our bodies may need it's always best to check with your doctor because of other meds which you may be on because counter reation can still be caused.
Our immune system is lowered because Lupus does'nt recognize infections so when they enter the body lupus reverts back on our immune system and lowers we even less.
I hope these links help you besides the advise other members have given besides.
http://www.ehow.com/how_2248542_eat-exercise-lupus.html
http://www.hopkinslupus.org/lupus-info/lifestyle-additional-informa...
http://www.livestrong.com/build-immune-system/
Hugs Terri xxx
Get the happy herbivore it is a really easy to learn from kinda read it has recipes and you don’t have to live near a fancy grocery store to eat right, and it doesn’t have to be organic, at first just focus on detoxing and replenishing once you are through that phase, being vegan or vegetarian is a lot easier
Tez_20 said:
Hello Kathy,
Being a vegetarian is alright because it helps problems such as candida, IBS and also coeliac disease besides your lupus, regarding herbs some can cause counter reactions with the body and also other meds if you take any…this link may help regarding herbs which help but it’s still always wise to ask your GP about what you want to take to make sure.
http://www.healthy.net/Health/Article/Lupus/1349
B12 and folic acid is what the body depends on also and your doing no harm regarding DHEA either.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/331.html
Y ou seem to be taking all the correct supplements on helping yourself Kathy.
Kathy said:This brings up a very interesting question. I was diagnosed with Lupus a year ago and although I enjoy a vegetarian diet loaded with many fruits, vegetables and herbs (all known to help boost the immune system) I’m wondering if this is not a good path to stay on. I do include B-12, folic acid, Vit D-3 and DHEA supplements as well. Perhaps I’m only compouding my problems?
Good advice Cannabearrx, my doctor says does the same thing also !!! And since May/ June i've started taking Biotin and vitamin E once again , and boy it has really helped me with the energy level and the LUPUS rash that comes in my face ( it hasn't flared since taking the two ) , it really makes a big diferences..... Beverly L.
Cannabearrx said:
You definitely don't want to boost your immune system when you have an autoimmune disease. The word is derived from Latin auto meaning "self" , immune system attack the self. So if you have an immune system that is programmed incorrectly, it isn't only fighting disease and infection but it also thinks your tissues and systems are foreign and need to be destroyed...since it can't reboot or get a new program stay away from things like echinacea. It is only gonna increase the activity of your army of white blood cells and those guys are just gonna be released and attack you while actively searching for disease. Vitamins and minerals are a much different story. You need those in order to survive, especially when you got a chronic illness. 2 yrs after I was diagnosed I decided to go to nursing school (about half way done in 8 yrs yay) most of these nutrients our bodies can synthesize on their own the rest we have to get from the foods we eat. Now sometimes with lupus it can be challenging to eat all the right foods and the recommended servings heck it is challenging to eat right in this country even if you don't have a chronic illness,so go ahead and take your vitamins. Ask your pharmacist to help you figure out when and how far apart you should take Rx and supplements, they are also required to know how many of the most common supplements will react with the Rx you already take.