What supplements do people take if they have any (or all) of IBS, CFS, FM, HM and menopause?

[KatyMac]

End of a troubled year and I am review my supplements

I take (diagnosed by GP & prescribed):
Zinc (mouth ulcers)
Iron (run down tired plus pernicious aneamia)
B12 (PA)
Methyl Folate (to help process the B12)
D (run down tired)

I also take Calcium (have been dairy free and on a resctricted diet for up to 20 yrs), Magnesium, Potassium & K2 - but I can't for the life of me remember why (menopause causing memory loss? just being a it thick? who knows)

I think I want to add a really good probiotic as my IBS seems to have been helped/reduced and although I am increasing and widening my diet I guess it might need a bit of a hand - any suggestions?

Anything else useful I could add or anything I should consider reducing or cutting out? I will do research but I need a starting place

Don't have a clue about supplements for menopause - main sympoms: hot flushes and insomnia

TIA

I have started taking in the last month
D-Ribose
L-Carnitine
Amino acids
I am finding I now don’t need to nap every afternoon so maybe it’s helping my CFS/FM. I just hope it lasts. Have you tried the Fodmap diet for IBS? I have a friend under a hospital dietician for IBS and reports good results on the diet.

I was already on thyroxine, prescription vit D, B12 injections, prescription iron, thyroxine & liothyronine.

Two lots of thyroxine

I have been on fodmap hence the restricted diet but since I have surgery for an ovarian cyst and they removed adhesions & scarring on my bowel my IBS has been amazing

Which brands of D-Ribose, L-Carnitine, Amino acids and what doses (if you don't mind me asking) and does your GP know?

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004417E2I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B010FKR9VM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforum-21&ie=UTF8

www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/precision-engineered-amino-1500mg-tablets-60005091

One a day for everything. I think the D ribose does say 3 x scoops a day but I actually just have one scoop on my breakfast yogurt and then just totally forget because my memory is appalling

This CFS thread was busy a couple of weeks ago.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/3433952-CFS-is-taking-over-my-life?noti=1#83032989

I didn’t notice the 2 thyroxine, see what I mean about my memory

Glad after the surgery the IBS has improved.

Thanks for that I'll have a look

Someone has suggested Boron - but I can't for the life of me remember why!

Vsl3 is a good but expensive probiotic

Do you take prebiotic "forever" or for a certain amount of time?

Wow! That is expensive

I googled boron & it took me here. Interesting re paleo diet. I did it religiously for a couple of years and wasn’t half this bad. Looks like I will have to re try it.

www.thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/related_conditions/CFS-Sarah-Myhill.html

I think she is fairly contraversial - which doesn't mean her advise is necessarily bad

Do you eat white fish?

Well I haven't post op but pre op I had quite a bad reaction to it occasionally - but this could possibly have been to a parasite in the fish rather than the fish it's self as the reaction wasn't consistent; why?

It's just that with no dairy or white fish your sources of iodine are very low to support thyroid function. A really basic multivitamin with the rda In would suffice. And selenium, you already take iron. I know of some research into thyroid status of vegans in the uk who don't supplement and it's becoming a bit of a problem, especially if they're child baring age and don't supplement (you need more in pregnancy to support early baby development). I don't know if it helps your main symptoms though but might help generally if you're lacking. (And it's not really tested!) too much is bad too so only the RDA is needed. Uk doesn't supplement.

Fact sheet to give idea of amounts needs from food:

www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts/Iodine.pdf

I stated taking ubiquinol pre pregnancy to help with conception and I think it helped with mild cfs symptoms. Pregnancy has really sorted those out but I'm going to carry on taking it now too as I'm old and knackered. And have a very heavy baby.

Ps iodine not such an issue if you're on thyroxine. But good to have it as they don't really know all the ins and outs of what it does in the body.

Interesting - I am slowly increasing dairy but to be fair I have a tiny amount maybe 2 fluid oz milk or 1oz of cheese or a fruit corner yogurt (which is the only way I can stomach yogurt - I am not a dairy fan but feel I should eat some) each day plus a tiny amount of butter

I do eat red meat in enthusiastic quantities

Yes, there is an ongoing clinical trial right now regarding ubiquinol and CFS. It may be something to look out for and even check with your doctor on. In addition, for ubiquinol, a water and fat-soluble form absorbs better.

That's interesting ck.

I take the one I saw my local boots prescribe (I think for statins? Something to do with the heart.) no idea of that's both fat and water soluble.

The bloody expensive one, nord or something.

(We figured it was cheaper than ivf.)

I have fibromyalgia and I'm going through the menopause.

I take 5HTP, sage tablets and CBD oil along with prescribed medications.

What is 5htp and what's it good for? I've seen it mentioned a lot,

5HTP is an amino acid, it raises serotonin levels. It was the thing that helped me the most with fibromyalgia symptoms until I tried CBD oil. That has changed my life!

That's interesting, I'll bare it in mind if things flare again.

When I had CFS, I took a lot of oil supplements - fish, primrose, starfish, - you name it, I took it. Took others as well, but you’re already taking similar.

I got excited at the thought something could help so googled boots ubiquinol thinking it would take me to a page so I could see how much this was going to cost me and it brought up this

www.dcscience.net/2008/03/13/boots-reaches-new-level-of-dishonesty-with-coq10-promotion/

However as I’m having a total flare up at the moment I will be sending DH off to buy some Q10, primrose and starfish.

thestaronthechristmastree could you post a link for your CBD oil please? I did try some but it did nothing, I thought the stuff we got over here wasn’t the proper beneficial stuff (or it would be illegal) so just didn’t want to waste yet more money but if you’ve found one that works I would love to try it-tia.