I am wondering if anyone has any thoughts/experience of taking supplements after stroke. I already take Vitamin D everyday but have been wondering about vitamin B and if it would help with fatigue. I am a vegetarian with a very good diet. Im probably clutching a straws here in my desperate attempt to improve the awful fatigue.
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Hi @Ktrean60 i donāt have any experience of it but read that B12 complex was good for brain recovery. Eldest daughter when she was vegetarian used to take vits D&B so it may be beneficial.
Steve
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Hi,
I take Vit D in the morning, and Vit B in Liquid form before sleep.
My list of supplements is as follows:
(but I can spot a couple that are missing)
ā¢ Acidophilus Extra 4 Natureās Best (probiotic)
ā¢ B Complex Liquid Holland & Barrett (Immune system)
ā¢ Vit D3 +K2 Liquid Sachets Zooki (Sunshine Vitamin)
ā¢ Vitamin C Liposomal (fast absorption)
ā¢ Ubiquinol (energy levels)
ā¢ Chromium Natureās best (blood glucose levels)
ā¢ Turmeric (against inflammation & immune system)
ā¢ Zinc Liquid Organic Vimergy
ā¢ Magnesium Liquid Liposomal
ā¢ Vitamin B complex Holland & Barrett
ā¢ CBD Oil (neuropathy & peripheral nerves)
ā¢ Fish Oil Peak Omega 3 Wileyās Finest
ā¢ Glutathione Liposomal Quicksilver Scientific
ā¢ Serotonin Bedtime Gummies Yumi (thus Melatonin)
ā¢ Quercetin Now (flavonoid antioxidant)
ā¢ Fighter Shots Ginger Turmeric Ā£2.50 each
I hope this provides a starting pointā¦ good luck, Roland
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I also take Chinese herbs twice a day. It would take me all day to explain what each one does. Some, I only take for a few days, then I have an interval before the next intake, like Glutathione, not something one should take all the time.
Iāve left some out that I take for my eyes (I alternate Lutein and Zeaxanthin)
If one looks up Zinc, or Magnesium, it soon becomes clear what role they have. Zinc in the Winter, Mg relaxes muscles.
I think we do need a large amount of supplements after a stroke. Itās clear to me that the folks who are suffering from fatigue should start looking into this list, especially if they are not taking supplements. It is an expensive practice to keep this regime in place, and itās quite possible your/my gut cannot absorb the whole shebangā¦ in which case, select the most important ones & prioritize
This is my personal list. Iām not here to debate the validity or not of these supplements. I provide the list as a springboard for anyone who wishes to research this. Minerals are depleted from soil and food is depleted of quality ingredients. After a stroke you need to give your body every chance of success, since it is so busy with brain repair.
Probiotics will attempt to recolonize your gut, which contains 10 to the power of 14 bacteriaā¦ most of which we have not discovered yet. But if your gut/tummy/bowel movement feels fine then carry on without .
Good luck, Roland
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You may want to check with your dr before adding lots of supplements to your diet. The reason I say this is i was advised to take Vit D but I have another condition which Vit D can make worse so I was taken off it again as my calcium levels, which were already high, increased further.
Thatās just my experience others will have had different experiences.
Might be worth getting checked to see if there is another cause for your fatigue that can be treated.
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Aside from being the best brain food, all B vitamins help the body convert food (carbohydrates) into fuel (glucose), which is used to produce energy.
A few months after my stroke I had a blood test to check my nutrient levels and they found I was very low on Folic Acid or B9 vitamin.
I was put on a high course daily for 2 weeks and then was to continue with the over the counter strength from there on.
At the time, I was tired and fatigued the same as every other new stroke survivor. That all went for me once I was on this, including the heavy leg syndrome I also experienced.
Personally I feel a good healthy diet is not enough when you are recovering from any major trauma as stroke is. It takes a lot of energy to heal, which is far more than a person can consume each day when in that condition. And thatās even despite how little you can physically do in the early stages post stroke.
Seeing as you are also vegetarian, it might be worth having your blood checked for any deficiencies to see exactly where you might be lacking first. Although it would hurt to try out an over the counter vitamin B complex either, to see if it would help. One thing to bear in mind when taking certain vitamins, some may cause constipation.
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Thank you everyone, its a minefield isnt it!! I saw my GP last week (another fruitless trip). My bloods appear to be ok, he said my fatigue is likely due to the stroke and the decompensations I have been having, but no help or answers really. Told me more or less this is how its going to be. Think I will continue taking vitamin D but leave the rest until I have seen Neurologyā¦ only another 5 months to wait 
if Im lucky!
Does anyone else feel unsupported after their stroke? I was discharged quickly and apart from my co ordinator at my local Stroke Association there is no where to go. GPs dont seem to know much about strokes.
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Thank you, I will take a look at these.
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Hi Roland @pando
Noticed that you have Turmeric in your daily list of suplements. When I looked into this (as of course it is listed in many places as being good for stroke victims) I found that whilst it is recommended by many if youāve had a clot/blockage it is stongly discouraged if youāve had a bleed (except in the very early stages where it can help disperse the ābruiseā) as it has many of the same effects as asprin and can actively promute more bleeds (some sources suggest that it can actually cause hemorrhagic strokes). I therefore discounted it from my regime.
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Good to know, Rich @llareggub
I have actually stopped turmeric because of the heat to my eye (Chinese medicine), but it has amazing properties. Iād better look into it if I ever resume because I did have a bleed. I used to take it before my stroke to alleviate tinnitus, which is greatly reduced anyway.
Ciao, Roland
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I have asked my Biomechanic (yes, I employed a professional to compile my list of supplements; it wasnāt made on a whim) about Turmeric, so be assured a professional reply will emerge soon. The two supplements I omitted are Psyllium Husk (my Chinese herbs used instead to help with bowel movement) and Plant sterol vs cholesterol.
Disclaimer: Remember I am supplying my personal list, only for the purposes of information and wellbeing. I am not responsible for the consequences of using it, and certainly not suggesting anyone take a supplement just because I do.
Ciao, Roland
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Taking supplements is a minefield ā¦ and I wouldnāt take any based on what someone else takes ā¦ as someone else pointed out, the supplements industry is a huge moneymaking thing and not checked the way actual medications are ā¦ also some of these supplements will react against any actual meds you are taking ā¦ you could also get a blood test to show if you are deficient in anything ā¦ but always get advice from your own doctor first ā¦
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I regularly take vitamin D and high strength Omega 3 fish oil. I have a well balanced diet, so donāt generally bother with anything else. Acidophilus is great stuff. I always take it away on holidays, to deal with the dreaded āDelhi Bellyā. It has the added bonus of being the perfect ingredient for making yoghurt!
None of the above are of benefit for postpost-stroke fatigue though. Mine is slowly decreasing, but when I hit that wall, I accept it and have a quick nap. Drugs (Gabapentin etc) can drastically increase fatigue as well.
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I just restarted a very low dose of Gabapentin, just to see if I can handle that small amount. Day 2, struggling to walk, talk, stay aware. This stuff is not for me! I promised to give it another month, so I will but I already suspect it will be gone for good after that unless this Zombie feeling goes away.
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Gabapentin takes a long time to get used to. I built up to the maximum dose over several months, but still had enormous problems with fatigue, so came off them over several months. It has taken me nearly a year to shake off the āhangoverā and the side effects overshadowed any benefit. Iām on low dose Pregabalin at the moment, but not really sure whether itās helping.
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I take 100 mg of coenzymee Q10 it helps with the fatigue. My stroke was in 2019 once I had adjusted the statins as I was intolerant to 80 mg but managed to stick with clopidogrel & blood pressure medication.
I have recovered mostly, outwardly most people dont realise I am a 72 old stroke survivor
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Hi everyone, I have been feeling very tired and mentioned to the neurologist I saw last week. My blood results from then came back with my B12 very low. I have to start having B12 injections which will hopefully help with my fatigue
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Hi @15Velvet do keep us posted if it improves your fatigue. Iām certainly curious to know whether it was just a fluke for me when I started taking Folic Acid (B9) that relieved the fatigue or if it just part of general recovery.
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Whatās the serotonin gummies like I wanted to try those but wasnāt sure if I could but seeing as you do they are obviously ok I take vit c zinc vit d and e and bought magnesium too always was s herbalist before stroke and the docs donāt want to know about them as they donāt make money on them so poo poo them
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They are excellent, Micky
The idea is that I donāt want to take Melatonin (to help with sleep) outright, but the body can convert the serotonin into melatonin quite readily. I love the gummies and sleep very wellā¦ Obviously please do your own research, but Good luck !!
ciao, Roland
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