Vitamins & Supplements

My life doesn't exactly revolve around vitamins, but it's pretty close to that.  I'd call life revolving around vitamins owning a GNC or a Vitamin World franchise or something like that.  But ever since being diagnosed with lupus at 19 I've taken a lot of pills.  Twice a day - just like the sunrise and sunset - so you could call that revolving!

Vitamins and supplements seem to help me just as much, if not more than, prescription drugs.  Right now I take:

• A multivitamin because I don't like to eat veggies
• Calcium because I was on predisone for so long
• Vitamin D to help absorb the calcium
• Vitamin B complex for energy
• Quercetin for allergies
• Fish oil for Raynauds  

I just finished up a month on milk thistle to help clean up my unhappy liver.

That Seems Like a Lot!

It sure does.  Between that laundry list and my prescription meds, I'm popping a lot of pills each day.  Still, every time the seasons change, I experience nausea and fatigue (along with headaches) that make everyday tasks just about impossible.  So I set out to see if there is anything out there that could help me get through these few months of the year without resorting to a prescription pad or over-the-counter drug.

Herbs & Supplements for Nausea

• Ginger showed up first on the list.  I've tried ginger root capsules before; hoping they'd help reduce the amount of migraine headaches I get per week.  All I got for my trouble was heartburn, despite taking the capsules with food.  
• Feverfew is another one that works for nausea, upset stomachs, and migraines.  But according to the Supplements and Health website, "Less common side effects may include nausea, digestive problems, and bloating."  Um... I'm trying to avoid all of those things!  Next, please.
• Teas, chamomile, ginger, and peppermint, are all touted as being great nausea cures.  I'm not a fan of hot beverages, so these are out for me.
• Ignoring nausea also showed up as a way to fight the sick-to-your-stomach feeling.  Seriously?  If I could ignore it for two weeks straight, I probably wouldn't be looking for a remedy.

Herbs & Supplements for Headaches

• Magnesium is useful for innumerable problems including menstrual-related migraines.  Sharon Moore recommends it in her book Lupus: Alternative Therapies That Work.  In fact, Moore says, "If you take no other supplement, start taking magnesium, because it has a strong potential for helping you feel better over the long term." (Moore 71).
• Butterbur is "The most effective 'natural medicine,'" according to an article called "11 Home Remedies for Migraine Headaches" on FoxNews.com.  It also helps with nausea.  These two remedies may be worth trying...

When All Else Fails... Stick With What You Know

For me, that means plenty of water and sleep.  Ice packs keep my headache pain down and a dramamine/ginger ale combo helps with the worst of the nausea.  In another six months I'm sure I'll be searching for the perfect cure yet again!


Resources:

"11 Home Remedies for Migraine Headaches." Health - Headaches and Migraines. FoxNews.com, 7 July 2009. Web. 11 June 2010. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,530388,00.html

"Ginger." University of Maryland Medical Center. N.p., 17 Nov. 2008. Web. 11 June 2010. http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ginger-000246.htm 

"How to Evaluate Vitamins and Supplements." WebMD. N.p., 2010. Web. 19 June 2010. http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-lifestyle-guide/how-to-evaluate-vitamins-supplements

Moore, Sharon. Lupus: Alternative Therapies That Work. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 2000. 70-71. Print. 

"Nausea." Supplements and Health. N.p., 27 Mar. 2010. Web. 11 June 2010. http://www.supplementsandhealth.net/articles/tag/nausea/

Note:  I'm not a doctor and the purpose of this blog is not to dispense medical advice.  You should consult your own medical professional before beginning any vitamin regimen.