vitamin B5

[Emee]

Anyone had problems taking vitamin B5/pentathenic acid? I have had problems with vitamins before & thought I would check here before I try anything new & get in trouble again. Thanks.

 

[cadsgj]

Having problems with vitamins in the past would get me to look into certain foods containing the vitamins I was interested in naturally. A quick link where you could see top nutritional items with B5: "www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/foods-high-in-pantothenic-acid-vitamin-B5.php"

 

[valeriedl]

I can't remember what vitamin it is but it was supposed to help with the side effect of Keppra. When I started taking it I began to have more seizures than usual. I stopped taking it and went back to normal.

I'd ask your neuro before you start taking any type of vitamin, or any other type of med in general. Some things react with different meds and it might cause problems. Your regular dr might not know how epilepsy meds and other meds will interact with each other.

I was taking steroids a few years ago for back problems and began having a lot of seizures. I told my neuro about all the seizures I was having and that I was taking steroids. He said that steroids can cause seizures.

About a month ago I got poison ivy very bad all over. I went to a dermatologist because I didn't know what it was. He told me that it was poison ivy. He said the quickest way to get rid of it was with steroids. If I didn't take them he'd give me cream to help but I'd have to deal with the itching for a few months.

I decided that I'd rather deal with the seizures than the itching. He put me on a low dose of steroids but I did have a good bit of seizures while taking it. When I was done with the steroids then my seizures went back to how often I regularly had them.

 

[Emee]

You have the same problem I do with steroids & vitamins. As much as I've needed steroids I still refuse to take them because the treatment is worse than the illness. When I got a bad case of poison ivy I scrubbed the area with a soft brush & soap & applied a cream made from baking soda & water. It is messy but it does help the itching. Thanks for your reply.

 

[valeriedl]

You can deal with things better than I can Emee!

I had the poison ivy all over my body. My eyes were half swelled shut, I had it on my nose and other places on my face. I had it all over my legs, ankles and one of my thighs was completely covered. I had it all over my arms and my hands were so bad that there were blisters in between my fingers, it hurt to move them and pick things up. I have no clue how I got it so bad?

I decided that I could deal with the seizures better than I could scratching the skin off of most of my body.

 

[Janus]

Valeriedl, OW! I have had issues with some B-vitamins, sometimes. Mostly it does not effect my seizure activity but I am concerned when taking them. B-5 has not given me any issues at all to-date. But that is me.

 

[jyearta]

I'm sensitive to vitamins also.

I found about compounding Pharmacies on the forum.

I now my Vit. B6 B12, Folic acid, Vit. D, calicum and Prozac compounded now.

When I would tell my Neur, about the increase in seiz. when I took over the counter of any of the ones I mention about, he said no way.

 

[Janus]

Me too. My docs don't believe me that some B-complex vitamins and some foods trigger my seizing when I have been watching this closely for decades to see what does it. One epileptologist told me it must be coincidence because he never saw any study to show that.

 

[jyearta]

It has to be something to this, each time I took one of the Vit. the seizures increased, I stopped the Vit. the seizure stopped.

 

[Janus]

I found that careful examination of ALL the ingredients and all of my diet showed me that it is not the vitamin/s themselves that caused me problems but certain, common ingredienit , in my case, lecithin which is a common emulsifier but also a neurotransmitter that can increase seizure activity. It is used in vitamins often, and almost everywhere else too.

 

[jyearta]

Thanks, I didn't know this.

I did research on anti acids and found that the aluminum in them (if taken close to meds. time) which lowers meds.

 

[Janus]

Good point Jyearta, I read numerous warnings about antacids being harmful and that they decrease calcium from the body, despite claims to be calcium replenishing. ugh! There is so much crap out there, it seems we need to do the research ourselves.