View Single Post
Old 06-29-2012, 07:35 AM   #4
rhondalea
Senior Member
 
rhondalea's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Somerset, NJ
Posts: 487
Re: Drug for chemo brain

When you wrote "folic acid", I was sceptical. No one should take folic acid. Too many people have difficulty metabolizing it, and while we end up with a high blood level (because it just keeps circulating), it doesn't do a blessed thing. Methylfolate, on the other hand, is a wonder supplement, so I was glad to find it is the form you're taking.

Still, 2 milligrams of methylfolate is a very high dose (although not even close to what's in Deplin). I was taking 800 *micrograms*/day, and all I did was sleep, so I cut it back to 400. I may increase over time, but I don't ever expect to go over 800.

I do not take any supplements as combinations, because I prefer the freedom of choosing my own doses. For example, I take 600 mg of NAC twice a day (sometimes 3x/day) and 2500 micrograms of B12* (the methyl form) every other day. (I used to take more B12, but my blood level went way over range, so it is clear I don't need megadoses.)

Nonetheless, I suspect you will see good results. All the constituents of Cerefolin NAC are known to improve memory problems, so the three together should be a slam dunk.

Here's a little more information about possible reactions to methylfolate and what to do about them:

http://mthfr.net/methylfolate-side-effects/2012/03/01/

You might also want to look into vinpocetine.

*Edit: I do not take 2500 micrograms of Vitamin B12. I used to take 5 mg of Vitamin B12, but when my blood level went over the 1000 mark, I cut back. A lot. I now take 500 micrograms every other day. Sheesh.
__________________

2/6/09 Core needle biopsy: negative; Mammos through 2010: no change
3/30/11 Pea-sized lump in left breast at site of prior biopsy; mammo negative, sonogram not so much
4/14/11 Core needle biopsy: negative for cancer
5/18/11 Excisional biopsy 1.2 cm tumor, LVI, positive margin; ER+60%,PR+20%,HER2/CEP17 5
6/15/11 BMX: Left DCIS & LH; Right ADH; SNB: 2/3 nodes: 1.4 cm and 1 mm; ALND L1&2: 0/10; Stage IIa, Grade 3
7/14/11 CT/Bone scans NED; MUGA 66%
7/19/11 Biweekly dd AC w/Neulasta; done 8/30/11
9/13/11 Transfusion (Hemoglobin 8.6); MUGA 64%
9/20/11 Start Taxol + Herceptin; Taxol done 12/6/2011; continue Herceptin until 9/4/2012
12/27/11 Radiation - 6 weeks; 2/27/2012 - DONE! Yayyyy!
2/29/12 Start Tamoxifen 20 mg/day; continue until 2/28/17
5/16/12 Start five-years Metformin trial
6/19/12 MUGA 61%
8/21/12 Brain MRI NED (head still hurts, brain still fogged)
9/4/12 Herceptin done!
9/6/12 Port out!
7/11/13 Aricept 5mg for cognitive impairment; increased to 10mg as of 8/23/13; back to 5mg 12/2013
5/2014 Add Namenda 7mg
9/2014 Stop Aricept and Namenda; Neuropsychological evaluation
10/24/14 Start cognitive rehabilitation therapy

Last edited by rhondalea; 07-03-2012 at 07:10 PM.. Reason: Insane typographical error
rhondalea is offline   Reply With Quote