Re: Anti-oxidant therapy-to Jim

[Guest guest]

Jim wrote:

> Recently I have been reading about formal trials in the United Kingdom of

anti-oxidant therapy for ideopathic chronic pancreatitis.

Does anybody on this site, particurlarly those of you from the EU countries,

have any personal experience with treatment of pancreatitis with

anti-oxidants?

Jim,

I've been on the Manchester Royal Infirmary antioxidant therapy for

pancreatitis for well over two years now, and would definitely say that they've

had a positive effect on me. I take the antioxidants every day and have

written about it many times on the MB. If you type in " Antioxidants " or

" Antioxidant Therapy " in the archives box, you'll come up with several

messages about them. Debs, one of our other members from New Zealand,

also is a strict believer in their effectiveness.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep.

PAI, Intl.

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and should never be

substituted for consultation with a medical professional.

[Guest guest]

Jim wrote:

1. Is your doctor involved in your antioxidant treatment or is it outside of

official medical channels. 2. What are the details of your treatment? Doses

etc.? 3. You say that it helps. In what sense? Reduced pain? Fewer acute

attacks? Less violent and shorter attacks? Etc.

Jim,

My Gastroenterologist is involved only in the sense that he has read the

literature about the therapy, researched it in some fashion, and approves of

my taking the antioxidants. I had been taking them before I went to him, and

was pleased that he felt it was beneficial for me to continue, because my first

doctor didn't. First doctor hadn't even heard of the study, or using

antioxidants for help with reducing pancreatic pain, and said he didn't think it

made any difference. Since he hadn't bothered to learn about it, I didn't see

how he reached that conclusion. So I continued taking them anyway.

I follow the dosing schedule as recommended by the Manchester Royal

Infirmary, which is a daily dose of:

9,000 IU Beta Carotene

..54 gms. Vitamin C

600 mcg Selenium

270 IU Vitamin E

2 grams Methionine

I take them all in pill or capsule form, except only 220 mcg of Selenium. My

diet is so high in fresh fish, (4-5 servings each week), that I get more than I

need of this in natural form. The diabetes antioxidants that I take already

have 220 mcgs Selenium, 400 IU Vitamin E and 560 mg. of Vitamin C, (more

than what's required by the Manchester program), so the only ones that I

purchase individually are the Beta Carotene and Methionine, which are both

manufactured by Solgar. My local heath food store carries the Beta Carotene

and Methionine. My total monthly cost for all is about $34.00.

For a long time after I initiated the antioxidants (the first year), I was on

minimal pain meds and would go weeks between one pain episode and the

next. A 30 day supply of Percocet 7 mgs. would last me over 3 months.

Then I had a CT-scan done 1-1/2 yrs. after my first attack that I had a very

bad reaction to, resulting in an acute attack that I stayed at home and

toughed out because my husband was on a four day trip and I had no one

here that could take care of Austin. After that attack, things starting going

downhill very fast, with pain increasing to nearly weekly episodes, 30 pounds

loss of weight and within three months of that, diabetic ketoacidosis and

pancreas burnout. I came out of that and was pain free and off all meds for

three months. Then my pseudocysts enlarged again and the pain returned,

worse than ever before. Now I'm on a 72 hour duragesic on a full time basis,

with morphine for breakthrough, so I don't really know how much effect the

antioxidants have, but I do continue to take them.

Prior to the 24/7 pain medication, my attacks were few and lasted 2-3 days.

I've only been hospitalized for acute attacks 3 times in 3 years, two of those

were within the last 12 months, and the first was when I was diagnosed.

I believe the antioxidants have worked for me, both to reduce the pain and

lessen the amount of severe attacks. They also seem to have a lot of effect

on my depression levels, I know that when I was off them for two weeks last

year my depression seemed to intensify. It may be all in my mind....hahaha!!

I did quite a bit of research on it at the time and found some relationship to

the Methionine and depression.

All I can say is that it's worth a try. Discuss it with your doctor and see

what

he says. The more enlighted professionals who do a lot of research and

keep current with developing medical theory usually have an opinion about

antioxidants, one way or another. A month's trial isn't that expensive, they

won't harm you, and if you notice an improvement, that's great. If not, then

you'll know they aren't for you. I noticed an improvement in my pain levels

within the first week that I started them.

If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask. I also take grapeseed

every day, too - for the same purpose!

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

SC & SE Regional Rep.

PAI, Intl.

Note: All comments or advice are personal opinion only, and should never be

substituted for consultation with a medical professional.