one of those subtle suggestions that started me off on a new path of discovery.
It was this new year and old family friend asked the usual "how are doing ?" to which I replied "not to bad, feeling a bit run down" "What you need is a good tonic" was the reply.
That got me thinking exactly what is in a "Tonic" ? and not the type that hangs around with gin !.
After a period of surfing various websites wading through the miraculous claims, comparing products, ingredients etc. I found the common ingredient in a lot of these products is Iron.
It is quite common pregnancy for ladies to feel fatigued and doctors to diagnose iron deficiency but as 56 year old bloke with a "bit of a belly" it would be hard to put it down to pregnancy. Although getting my figure back after 9 months would be nice.
So I started looking up "iron and fatigue and then optimistically "Iron and brain injury" and wow there is a lot of articles about that last one.
We all know that our brain is (was) a clever little thing. In normal life the brain realises that iron is toxic and filters out how much is allowed to enter the brain. However, at the time of injury the brain decides to jettison iron to prevent this toxix substance doing more damage. Hence, why MRI's can pick up where brain damage is because of the iron deposits.
There are some really interesting pieces of work out there on how iron works with the brain. Some are quite an easy read some are very, very technical. What a lot of them are suggesting is that iron deficiency could be one of the underlying factors in the "fog" we get after an injury indeed one went on to say " recent animal studies suggest that iron may serve as a therapeutic target in mitigating the effects of mTBI."
So always keen to try something, I have been taking an iron supplement from a well known website for the last 3 weeks. It is just 30mls of liquid twice a day. Do I feel better ? a little, I do feel a bit sharper. It could be the iron or the placebo effect.
But will let you know how the tests go.
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sospan
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I did laugh when you mentioned getting figure back after 9 months! Thanks for the interesting heads up on the iron brain injury link. Your theory fits my experience. Had doc confirmed anaemia in the early years right around the chronic fatigue phase. (Falling asleep every 20 mins!) I took ferritin prescribed from doc and it took 15 months to test good.
I still take Spatone sachet (5mg of iron - Snowdonia water in a packet basically) every 4th day in my morning lemon pint of water.
Iron absorption is increased with vitamin C (they work together) so either a chewable vit C, a dissolvable vit C, or a time release vit C (big to swallow) or just a few squeezed oranges in the morning will enhance the iron impact on the body.
I will see your iron and raise you collagen. Over the last month, I have been taking a teaspoon of collagen twice per day in water. It is a special form of collagen that is pre-treated to make it water soluble and easy to absorb in the gut.
LINEAVI Collagen Protein Powder | 100% collagen hydrolysate from hormone and antibiotic free cattle | 410g
Brain injury makes it harder for the gut to absorb nutrients from food we eat. I can honestly say, the progress I've made in the last month has been unbelievable and beyond my wildest dreams. I am literally reversing reactive arthritis from my joints. Each day is a pleasure to discover which joint is going to adjust (makes a loud cracking sound) and make me more upright and more relaxed. Of note is the right foot which pointed outwards after my BI is now straight along with right knee pointing forwards. Incredible body. I am in awe.
I hope the iron continues to help your sharp thinking Sospan and again thanks for doing some useful research. Any links you have on research would be well received.
I have this random falling asleep but only when I am sat in an armchair and relax. I can be holding a cup of tea, tv remote, using a laptop and then I am gone. Had numerous tests but of course they are so intrusive you can't reproduce real life and thus real symptoms. Interesting that ferritin is a iron supplement, so may be I am on the right track.
I had so many injuries before my H.I. that walking and coordination afterwards was a real challenge. Of course the advice from the GP was completely incorrect - sit in a chair for ever and don't do anything. After 9 months of doing this, I was like the tin man after a shower of rain, everything was seized up. Took about 2 years to get mobile and get my co-ordination back.
I presume from your avatar, that your a lady ? My wife is type 2 diabetes and when we were looking around for something natural to help her. We came across collagen and once women reach 25 they lose 1% of body collagen per year. Which affects hair, nails, lips etc. At the time my wife had just turned 50 and the change in her skin and hair (which used to fall out) has been dramatic.
It is like my daughter was dropping hints that she may be starting a family. I mentioned to her that she should start taking Folic acid. She was puzzled until she googled it, then alternated between shocked and angry that a simple dose of folic acid can prevent a large percentage of birth defects. she (nor her female friends) knew any thing about it. It is really frustrating that GP's don't tell people about these subtle changes that can be made that can have quite good results.
Have u ever had hba1c level done-cos what u explained about falling asleep when with laptop was me at start of Diabetes 8 yrs ago,just before i was diagnosed.
Tho knowing most GP's all they ever check is hba1c,yet leave thyroid-think more drug companies selling their wares for Diabetes at GP practices,than anything!
If what u do works for u,can only be good thing-we all know how behind NHS is with antibiotics,think most of NHS's drugs have findings from 50's,time NHS had an overhaul,starting with antidepressants!
With me,most was writ in notes,when it got too much to even hold down a part time job,quit it,claimed benefits,DWP wanted evidence,i was then allowed to see notes! Can't get referrals for anything-they give me diagnosis after another,but no ways to deal with it. NHS,particular at GP level is just a pharmacy.
Hi so span, my daughter (22) has an ABI and how I explain it to people is “Alzheimer’s in reverse” Her memory is still improving and I am a huge advocate of supplements. For brain injury recovery and to aid fatigue, she takes 2,700mg of DHA (an Omega-3 fatty acid), as well as Magnesium Malate and Vit B12 in a spray for better absorption. I will add the Vit C, Spa tone and collagen somehow and report next month! I hear that iron supplements may cause constipation, is this true?
Sounds good i have Omega 3 oil(Paradox-beats any amount of DHA H&B offer in capsules!),and have magnesium(tho not the one was told as too expensive,lasts gradual over day,is it 'cholated' or something!),also take Neurozan multivits/minerals. Tho after over a year,not sure if i/fiance notice any difference! Tho so much crap NHS give me fore physical stuff-probably hard to fight thru their junk!
I know! It’s impossible to know what helps more or what doesn’t, but we are seeing progress, I think probably due to a large number of factors! I’d rather we try than do nothing Ah and we have also bought a SAD light, let’s see how we get on with this... Good luck Homer48! 👍🏼
The one I take is a Floradix, which has added "herbal extract" to prevent constipation. It is available in big bottles on Amazon. if you google it, Floradix is recommended by Midwives for ladies during pregnancy because it is quite mild and doesn't cause constipation.
Vitamin B12, is a very sore point. My wife has type 2 diabetes and like most people with that condition suffers fatigue. I can't recall where or how I found out but one of the most common drugs given to diabetics is Metformin causes vitamin B12 to be depleted from the body. She started taking B12 suppliments and the fatigue reduced. She mentioned this in passing to her GP. Initially dismissive, he looked up the drug in the BNF (medication bible) and was surprised that we were correct. When the wife asked if the GP would now be giving the same advice to other diabetics - NO ! was the firm answer because it isn't part of the approved treatment for diabetes - bangs head on wall again.
I can't take Omega 3 even in capsule as I have an aversion to fish. Although my wife takes it and also Fenugreek which also helps blood sugar levels.
Hi sospan indeed, I have found a lot of the medical professionals’ mindsets are in such funnels in detriment of patients’ recovery and advancement of science!
Anyway... B12 all the way to aid fatigue and in May cases, depression. We take one called Better You as it’s sublingual it’s absorbed more quickly. Regarding Omega 3, there are plenty of Vegan DHA supplements and therefore no fish....
I have just started taking an iron supplement, from lamberts in Tunbridge Wells, called floricine, because I have recent hair loss.
I am interested in taking a collagen supplement but not sure where to get it?
I also have a brain injury and daily headaches with a migraine overlay, the last nerologist I saw said. The migraines area triggered by exertion and are light induced from bright lights and screens.
I had a blood test for stored iron recommended by Lamberts, and I was 30 mgc, the threshold to grow hair according to lamberts clinical trials is 70mgc. I am feeling better less fatigued since taking the iron, so maybe hoping with brain injury too.
The blood test for the iron was done by the gp, on the request of lamberts, however it was in the normal NHS range, contrary to the clinical trial that lamberts quoted -of needing to have stored iron above 70 mgc, sorry if this is not well explained.
Can relate to the headaches and exertion, the worst thing for me was using a vacuum cleaner - the movement and effort would get me sitting in a chair for 30 mins.
Photo sensitivity is very, very common. In my early days my eyes would water going into an building with bright lights. You may also find the reverse at night were you go from a bright area to one that is dark and can't see a thing. The good news is that it is one of the things that does seem to subside after a few years.
What seems to appear in a lot of research is "what is normal" doesn't seem to apply to people whom have survived a head injury. A lot of us are taking supplements which are just that they supplement what we have and give us the extra boost to promote the "recovery" process. Normal seems to keep the system ticking over, It is a bit like athletes burning 5,000 calories a day to push their system to perform.
Collagen is widely available and it comes from lots of different sources from animal to plankton. My wife had lots of problem with her hair being fragile and snapping and when she pulled the skin on the back of her hand, it took ages to reform. After taking it, her skin is much better and now has to go to the hair dresser every 6 weeks! It isn't a miracle cure but with a good diet does seem to help
I'd like to offer a little caution with regards to supplementation, particularly iron. In most cases it'll do no harm, on occasion it might help. It's not toxic, but too much is. I've a genetic condition called Haemachromatosis or 'iron overload'. My liver lacks the gene which tells my body it has enough iron and to excrete, not continue storing. Without draining a pint of blood every few weeks for life I'd die. This let's my body use up stored iron to make new blood.
I'd be at 200x liver cancer and cirrhosis risk, have arthritis and massively increase my risk of a whole host of horrible diseases. It's not uncommon but under-diagnosed; many people only present with symptoms when it's too late and damage is done. If caught early people can live as normal. It'd be a shame if iron was beneficial to BI as I avoid iron rich foods so I need to drain blood less often. GP's can do blood and serum iron very easily so it'd be best to get them done first. Then if those are high they can do genetic test and save a life after a simple blood test.
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Ah and we have also bought a SAD light, let’s see how we get on with this... Good luck Homer48! 👍🏼
What's it Like to Have a Brain Injury?
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