My Fear of Failure

[Zoe]

Hi Robin,
Drs don't routinely test for homocysteine levels, so you'd have to ask. Try a google search on "Homocysteine" "anticonvulsants" and "homocysteine" "seizure threshold" and you may be up reading all night!

[RobinN]

I have begun and am overwhelmed by the info. I am blown away that I was not warned of this prior. Is it all in the pharmacists hands and not the medical doctor?
I am curious too how B12 plays a part in this. I am attempting to understand and it is beyond me at this time. This is what is being given to kids with ADHD and Autism and seizures, with fantastic results with cognitive learning. It is mB12. Some where in one of the articles I saw that B12 was needed to lower homocysteine levels.

[Zoe]

Hi Robin,
B12 is one of the vitamins needed to lower homocysteine. The information in this abstract may give us a better picture of what is going on with high homocysteine. If someone's small blood vessels in the brain are inflamed, the vessels will be damaged, can't do their job and the areas of the brain affected won't be getting the oxygen and nutrients needed to function and will also be injured. No wonder so many children labeled developmentally disordered recover when given the nutrients needed for their nervous systems to function and heal.
Zoe
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Title: Homocysteine in cerebrovascular disease: an independent risk factor for subcortical vascular encephalopathy.
Author: Bertsch, T : Mielke, O : Holy, S : Zimmer, W : Casarin, W : Aufenanger, J : Walter, S : Muehlhauser, F : Kuehl, S : Ragoschke, A : Fassbender, K
Citation: Clin-Chem-Lab-Med. 2001 Aug; 39(: 721-4
Abstract: Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for obstructive large-vessel disease. Here, we studied plasma concentrations of homocysteine and vitamins in patients suffering from subcortical vascular encephalopathy (SVE), a cerebral small-vessel disease leading to dementia. These results were compared to the homocysteine and vitamin plasma concentrations from patients with cerebral large vessel disease and healthy control subjects. Plasma concentrations of homocysteine, vascular risk factors and vitamin status (B6, B12, folate) were determined in 82 patients with subcortical vascular encephalopathy, in 144 patients with cerebral large-vessel disease and in 102 control subjects. Patients with SVE, but not those with cerebral large-vessel disease, exhibited pathologically increased homocysteine concentrations in comparison with control subjects without cerebrovascular disease. Patients with SVE also showed lower vitamin B6 values in comparison to subjects without cerebrovascular disease. Logistic regression analysis showed that homocysteine is associated with the highest risk for SVE (odds ratio 5.7; CI 2.5-12.9) in comparison to other vascular risk factors such as hypertension, age and smoking. These observations indicate that hyperhomocysteinemia is a strong independent risk factor for SVE.
http://grande.nal.usda.gov/ibids/ind...&therow=456342

[RobinN]

I have been giving Rebecca Spectra B for a year now. It lists 100mcg of Vit B12

[execwife2002]

Can I give my son B12 or do I need to check with his Dr. first? I'm not sure how his dr. feels about it but will check in Nov. when we go for the next appointment.
Marian

[Bernard]

Vitamin B12 is not contraindicated with any anti-epileptic drugs as far as I know.

[Zoe]

Marian,
Why not check with your pharmacist too, to be sure there are no contraindications with his meds?

[Zara]

Never be afraid to fail, be afraid to not suceeed at learning anything from your experience good or bad.

[execwife2002]

I will check with my pharmicist today. I think that's the best place to go to so I don't upset my sons doctor. I will however let the dr. know that he's taking it too just for the record. How many milligrams would you suggest he start out with? Just looking for an opinion here.
Marian

[RobinN]

I think you should ask the pharmacist that too. They should know what would be appropriate for your sons height and weight. I posted what is in the B complex I give Rebecca, and she is 110 lbs. @15 yrs

[Meetz1064]

Connie,

Brain is right! The greatest fear is fear itself!

My memory, too, is not the greatest, which is scary (I'm only 43....why I am putting my keys in the refrigerator?) Part of that is from the meds, part of that is from the damage that my lovely tonic clonics have done to my brain. And for a long time, I let it get to me.

Then one day, about 15 years ago, as I was holding my youngest son, after one of his many surgeries, I realized just how lucky I was. All I had to do was change my focus. There are many other people that are far worse off than I am.

It took me 16 years to finally finish college, because I had sooooooo many hurdles in front of me.....a very sick special needs child, my ep as well as other health problems, but I changed my focus, and got over my fear. You can do that, too, I promise.

Good luck!

Meetz

[Shelley]

Wow, I am blown away by the fact that they let you keep your sons. They took mine away cuz I'm an incompetent mother. (I now have sporadic contact with them.)