Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA)

Permit me to preface my sharing about the wondrous benefits

of Alpha Lipoic Acid with this related tidbit that I'll tie in:

As a result of my spinal/shoulder injuries and all that followed,

I was diagnosed with clinical depression. 

I had anti-depressants recommended,

which I declined for the first two years. 

Then in 2007, I had a young, caring doctor, Dr. Crystal Campos, who said:

"There is a new anti-depressant called "Cymbalta" and one of

its great qualities is that it helps to reduce neuropathic pains

caused by diabetic neuropathy; and although your nerve damage

is not diabetes based, the pill can't discern the difference

between nerve pain from injury vs. diabetes. 

Thus, if I took it, it wouldn't just help my depression,

but would also relieve my nerve damage pain.

Given how poorly managed my nerve pain was even though

I took Neurontin (Neurotten!), I finally conceded to going on Cymbalta

because of its potential for nerve damage pain relief. 

 http://www.spinaltrapb2g.com/sciatica_neuropathy_neuritis__neurontin

In early 2012 when I went herbal, I got off of Cymbalta entirely

thanks to Holy Basil Extract managing my depression

SO WELL FROM DAY ONE! 

AND, not only has it allowed me to successfully stay off of it since then,

it also vastly and consistently reduced my anxiety which means

that I rarely ever take Alprazolam anymore! 

(Generic Xanax)

AND, I went back to its lowest dose! 

What does that tell you about the efficacy of Holy Basil Extract

for these terrible spiritual health conditions that have physical ramifications;

and, are often secondary to disabling injuries, chronic pain

and other health conditions?

ONE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE HERB = A DOUBLE HEALTH VICTORY!

http://www.spinaltrapb2g.com/herbs_getting_started_turmbrom__holy_basil

In 2012, I was blessed to replace the nerve pain benefits

of Cymbalta with Valerian root because it is an anti-spasmodic!

http://www.spinaltrapb2g.com/herbs_getting_started_turmbrom__holy_basil/valerian_root_vs_rxs

In 2015, I began to have a band of severe nerve pain in right upper arm about

the size of a blood pressure cuff. 

It got to the point where my right arm felt heavy and dead. 

The pain became severe without movement

but when I had no choice but to use it,

this simple act was breathtakingly painful.

I was back to no relief again with horrid nerve pain. 

My Valerian supplement didn't relieve it.

My pain pill Nucynta didn't do anything to relieve it.

I'd get Toradol injections which would reduce it but not relieve it.

http://www.spinaltrapb2g.com/rxs/toradol_injections

I got out one of my "health bibles"

"The Pill Book Guide to Natural Medicines"

by Dr. Michael Murray.

Found on this page:

http://www.spinaltrapb2g.com/recommended_reading

His book is the first thing I grab when I have a health challenge

that I want to manage naturally. 

I looked up "nerve pain", nothing. 

Then, "neuropathy", nothing. 

Remembering what Dr. Campos said about how Cymbalta couldn't tell the

difference between nerve damage and pain from injury vs. diabetes, I then

looked up "Diabetes" et voila!, success!

A found a LONG list of supplements and a line that says

"Lipoic Acid and Neuropathy".

Now mind you, I was already on Puritan's Pride brand of Alpha Lipoic Acid

in a lower dose for use as an antioxidant. 

What I read about it under neuropathy, was most informative! 

ALA is an approved drug in Germany

for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy! 

I just needed to up my dose, so I went from a lose dose

to a 300mg soft gel BID (BID = twice a day); and FINALLY,

I enjoyed a great reduction in this gnawing pain that was

so awful I couldn't even sleep on my right side anymore

because excruciating pain, tingling, and numbness would wake me.

If you suffer neuropathic pain whether from diabetes,

injury or something else, do your due diligence and talk

with your dr. and pharmacist to see if this dose of ALA is safe for you.

If your doctor is untrained in natural supplements,

or worse, close-minded, find a new doctor.

Please note that the copy of Dr. Murray's book I have

was printed in 2002.  I have not yet bought his latest edition;

if you do, you may find the dose of ALA to be different than

what I wrote above.  Do what I do, trust your God-given, God-driven instincts!

After all, God gave them to us for self-preservation and protection.

 Here is just some of what WebMD has to say about Alpha Lipoic Acid:

Alpha-lipoic acid is a vitamin-like chemical called an antioxidant. Yeast, liver, kidney, spinach, broccoli, and potatoes are good sources of alpha-lipoic acid. It is also made in the laboratory for use as medicine.

Alpha-lipoic acid is used for diabetes and nerve-related symptoms of diabetes including burning, pain, and numbness in the legs and arms. High doses of alpha-lipoic acid are approved in Germany for the treatment of these symptoms.

Some people use alpha-lipoic acid for memory loss, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), HIV/AIDS, cancer, liver disease, diseases of the heart and blood vessels (including a disorder called cardiac autonomic neuropathy) and Lyme disease.

Alpha-lipoic acid is also used to treat eye-related disorders, such as damage to the retina, cataracts, glaucoma, and an eye disease called Wilson’s disease.

How does it work?

Alpha-lipoic acid seems to help prevent certain kinds of cell damage in the body, and also restores vitamin levels such as vitamin E and vitamin C.

There is also evidence that alpha-lipoic acid can improve the function and conduction of neurons in diabetes.

Alpha-lipoic acid is used in the body to break down carbohydrates and to make energy for the other organs in the body.

Alpha-lipoic acid seems to work as an antioxidant, which means that it might provide protection to the brain under conditions of damage or injury. The antioxidant effects might also be helpful in certain liver diseases.

Holistic Health Note

from Grace:

If your doctor is close-minded on the topic of natural supplements for managing painful chronic health challenges such as neuropathy, you REALLY need to consider finding an open-minded doctor, knowledgeable on this topic; because your best health does not come in a prescription bottle and it never will. 

Additionally, when WebMD, a site by doctors supports something as beneficial and benign as ALA, you REALLY need to ask yourself why your doctor and EVERY doctor isn't offering this FAR SAFER THAN Rx's option to EVERY neuropathy patient when the hideous side effects of Neurontin such as lethargy and dizziness are so quality of life DEPLETING.

And for people whose neuropathy is diabetes based! 

The side effects of insulin that I've read are horrendous!

Doctors know more about the human body than lay people but you are the one who needs to decide what you want your quality of life to be and how to get there.

Be Grateful, Be Well

Grace Kelly, CHLC, CPLC