Does fish oil protect mylen sheath fm diabetic neuropathy destruction?

@nemo1 ,

I will relay what I have experienced, but I’m not sure how relevant it is. I had several things that led me to believe I had neuropathy, such as a recurring burning spot in one foot….lasted for years. Then after covid I had tingling and burning in my feet and hands (intermittent), with constant slight numbness in both feet. My primary thought it was neuropathy based on symptoms, but the neurologist, after tests said I did not have it. My podiatrists differ in their opinions too, so I really don’t know for sure. So, now months later, most of the symptoms are gone with slight residual numbness, but not the burning or tingling.

I take 2000 units of fish oil daily and have for probably 8 years. I do this for my eye health per direction of my ophthalmologist, as I have type I diabetes. I have no damage to my eyes, though I’ve been type 1 for almost 25 years. My blood sugar control hasn’t always been perfect, so I’m really surprised my eyes are getting better. I do have dry eye. Fish oil is supposed to help with that.

I can hypothesize that either I didn’t have neuropathy and the fish oil helped prevent it or I did have it and it’s almost gone with no stabbing pain, due to fish oil consumption. Lol.

Is there some reason you stopped taking it or that you don’t want to take it? Are you in a lot of pain?

Hi @nemo1, I think fish oil is good but flaxseed oil may be better but I'm definitely not an expert on the topic. Last year when the new version of the protocol I take came out, they dropped the fish oil for flaxseed oil. Here's some research that provides some in depth information.
--- A comprehensive review of the health benefits of flaxseed oil in relation to its chemical composition and comparison with other omega-3-rich oils: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40001-023-01203-6

@johnbishop ,

Thanks for that link on flaxseed oil! I wonder why my doctors haven’t mentioned this. I just met with a nutritionist too! Oh well, I’m going to ask my primary about it later this week when I see him.

How much do you take?

@celia16, I take 2000 mg daily (1000 mg morning and evening) along with the other vitamins and supplements in the protocol I take (https://theprotocolworks.com/faq/).

Thank you Celia! 😊

The entire neuropathy befuddles me. I have undeniable neuropathy symptoms, intermittent numbness, stabbing pains, shooting pains, horrible tingling some prickly feelings, feels like bugs or worms wiggling under my skin. It is in the feet for sure, the arm yes. I get stabs of pain in different areas of my body.

The neuromuscular doctor who I don’t see anymore (have a new one I’m seeing in June) said I don’t have it, long fiber per EMG. Neurologist and podiatrist concur neuropathy. The oldest neuromuscular doctor per EMG said I have demyelination thought to be diabetic related.

I have polyradiculopathy severe and chronic in lumbar and neck. I have degenerative disc disease (moderate per 2023 mri of lumbar) some stenosis and neuropathy. My neurologist yesterday said she thought I had single fiber neuropathy as well (with a cherry on top of that cone of ridiculousness). But I would not conclude that unless I had a biopsy. I would not doubt it.

So, diabetes, age, nerves that are angry. the neuro told me yesterday, the sugar is eating the mylen. That jarred me a bit. Understand it. Got me to thinking. She said too that i need to test my blood sugar after meals 2 hours checking for high spikes. So I am doing that and recording my findings.

The odd thing I discovered when looking over my blood sugar readings, that was when I choked on a fish oil pill (the pills the size of a submarine), that was exactly when I went to SHORT ACTING Metformin so that I could crush it and take it with applesauce (can’t crush Long Acting). Side note, I developed a swallowing issue in 11/2021. the reason for me taking the short acting Metformin.

Metformin at least the short acting one has not been doing too great a job at controlling my blood sugar. So, I would like to try something else and give my body a chance to heal.

I also have liver problems. So, I’m not sure if the metformin is not properly processed because of that problem. Thereby having the potential of making the medication ineffective. I would need to ask the liver doctor i guess? I suppose. Unless someone knows?

I have been in the kind of pain that has me crying out. There was no way to thwart it except apply the topical lidocaine ointment. And when lightning strikes, just have to bear it until all the meds and med adjustments take affect.

I am on the max dose of the muscle relaxer, so this is it in my mind. It is helping. I was more comfortable last night. I still had to hang feet off bed to make the feet not trigger worse spasm than I already have. We shall see what cymbalta will do when we pick that up at the pharmacy. We are waiting for all meds to come in and be ready for pick up. I look forward to feeling relief! Amen!

I’m sorry I’m rambling. In answering your question I gave you the long answer.

Thank you Celia for sharing your experiences. I appreciate you and the time!

💜

Thank you so much John. Great suggestion. I will keep this on list to ask the neurologist when the patient portal stops acting up!

Thank you for the link. I will take a look at it and learn. I am glad to know it has anti-inflammatory properties and so much more!!

🙏🏻

Those fish oil capsules are huge, but I guess I’m used to them. It’s the zinc tablets that get me. Hard, large and course. Ugh….

I sure hate ypu have all that pain….omg,..have you tried Gabapentin? A lot of people have luck with that. Good luck. I’ll look forward to seeing what you find out.

Hi Celia.

Thank you. I was on Gabapentin for a very short time a couple of years ago and my current neurologist switched me to pregabalin (Lyrica’s generic). Yesterday she made the increase the on call doctor instructed permanent. I was on 75 twice a day, so now it’s 150mg 2x daily, adding Cymbalta for nerve pain, and increasing the baclofen (for spasms) to 20 mg a day (the max dose). She suggested I try Theraworks foam for muscle cramps along with the lidocaine ointment/prescription for the bottoms of feet. So I’m hoping all of this together with Tylenol helps.

Just until I figure out what to do regarding with flax seed oil vs. fish oil, we just picked up fish oil in chewable form! It’s better than nothing for now. I have to make sure I can take it with all my other prescription drugs.

Thank you Celia! I appreciate it.

🤗

@celia16 Try zinc chewables. They taste much better (flavored) too. SwansonsVitamins.com has them.

There is a fair amount of peer reviewed literature of small studies that have demonstrated some efficacy of various vitamins and supplements in improving diabetic, idiopathic, chemo induced and MS related neuro inflammation and peripheral neuropathies. These include Vitamins B-1, B-6, B- 12 and C, as well as several supplements such as Alpha-lipoic acid, L-acetyl carnitine, NAC (n-acetyl cystine).

Evening primrose and fish oil have both demonstrated some benefit in diabetic peripheral and MS related neuropathy.

Zinc supplements may be of help in diabetic neuropathy as well as many diabetics are Zn deficient.

More recently, several studies have that shown that 2.68 mg/day of the anti-histamine clemastine has demonstrated some benefit in re-myelination in MS by its stimulating oligodendrocyte's myelin production.

CBDs, circumin and ginger supplements have also demonstrated modest benefits in reducing neuroinflammation.

Before you take any of these these supplements you should check to see if any of them have potential interactions with any prescriptions you may be taking for any other of your health issues. Also be sure to inform your health care provider that you are taking them.

I hope this helps.