I had one of those yesterday. I have been itching like crazy for the past week or two, and it's about to drive me crazy. My collarbone is red and even has broken skin where I've scratched so much. It's everywhere - arms, legs, torso, face, and you name it. I tried some cream I bought which doesn't do a thing for it, and recently started thinking it might be an allergic reaction to something I've eaten or taken. My diet is pretty simple, mostly fruits and vegetables, including a lot of green leafy vegetables. I thought about the vitamins and supplements I take, and the only one I've added recently was a high potency product combining Lutein and Zeaxanthine(sp?), which I mentioned in a blog a few weeks back.
I looked up Lutein side effects, and sure enough it can cause severe itching in high doses. I'm heartbroken because I thought I had found the magic treatment for macular degeneration. I felt about the same way as I did when I discovered the supplements I ordered from Andrew Lessman on HSN contained certain substances that had a blood-thinning effect, and I was getting huge bruises all over my hands and arms.
So I removed the Lutein from the shelf with the other stuff I take daily and added it to Andrew's product. I had to make a quick trip to Costco to get PreserVision, which is what my eye doctor has been prescribing for my eye condition all along. What a bummer - I guess there will be no magical cure for me even though I've heard of miraculous cures of other folks. Such is life.
I'm glad I went to Costco today, however, and just before lunch. The woman ahead of me in line ordered a brisket sandwich, which you pay for inside, then take the receipt and pick up your order outside at a special window. You don't have to stand in the long line of people ordering outside. It sounded good to me for $4.99, so I ordered one for myself. I restrained myself for the ride home but ate that sandwich as soon as I got inside and sat down at the table. Mmmmm - delectable!
Before I went to Costco I dropped off my sandals at the shoe repair, and they will be ready on Saturday. I think it will be like having a new pair of Birkenstocks!
Today is a beautiful day here - my little widget says we've reached 70, but it might be a few degrees one way or another. I'm on the east side of Sacramento and our weather often varies a couple of degrees from that of Sac.
Jeannie and Ara have been in Connecticut for a day and night, and headed west this morning. Mike set it up for me that I can send and receive text messages, but only to those he listed when he created the account. I need to find out how to update it and add a few more people. It's all Greek to me although sending and receiving messages is a piece of cake. I'm glad I have it as it is the only way I'm keeping up with Jeannie and where they are.
I'm getting the travel bug, but the travel season for me is a long way off from now.
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Hi, Gypsy. I laughed when I read yesterday's post regarding youth vs older folks.
ReplyDeleteOur knitting/crochet group meets at my house every Monday night. About 15 of us. The youngest is 34; ages range up to my 73 and my friend, also 73, but she is older by 4 months. Last night we had a new member. Early 30's. She really lessened the quality of our Meet-up. Loud, persistent; she had the floor most of our two hour time. The rest of us have been friends for a good while. Lots of "talking" was done with our eyes. The Memorable moment:
We were sharing pictures of projects on our phones. I asked for a lady to please text me a picture she had. The new girl's remark---"How neat! You know about texting and sending pictures!" (Interpreted to mean that at my age that was surprising!)
What?? The group knew how I would feel about that. They have heard how I hate being catered to because of my age. When I was 30 or 40, strangers didn't call me "Sweetie!" Anyway, the new girl went into a story about an 83 year old grandmother she knows is learning to text. All I had to say to her was that I have had a computer, and used it, since computers were first put on the market. I wonder how old she thinks I am. Today you mentioned texting to keep up with Jeannie and Ara. I did the same with my daughter & grandaughter on their recent trip from TX to Banff National Park. We have IPhones. There is an app that let me track them the entire trip through Montana, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, NM. Fun and a feeling of security, knowing where they were.
I am excited to know that Ara is going to be sharing your company pretty soon. A good thing!
I love the description of your group. I don't know where I'd fit in because I don't use an iPhone, just a plain old Jitterbug! It's nnice to be able to send a short msg to my daughter and receive answers ack from her. That 30-something woman will probably still be obnoxious when she reaches her 60's.
DeleteWow! You certainly gave me 'heads up' regarding our supplements.
ReplyDeleteTo check side effects of our vitamins and herbs just makes sense.
Probiotics always increase my appetite..... which I do not need.
I know that's not exactly the kind of side effect you were talking about......
I'm just saying...... Lol
I started taking a probiotic every day because I was having problems with digestion after gallbladder surgery. It really has worked well. Most products give a long list of possible side effects that maybe would happen with 1 person in 1000, so I usually don't pay any attention. When something is different in my health though I start looking at what I've been eating as well as any new vitamins or supplements. The makers of these products are beginning to sell them in every-higher doses, which may not be as good as it sounds. I've noticed they've changed my Vit. D-3, but now it's counted in mcg rather than mg, and I have a heckuva time converting, so I just ignore it.
DeleteI'll be so glad when this itching starts to wane. I first noticed that the inside of my ears were itching constantly! How's that for an impossible situation? I even thought about seeing a doctor but I'm so glad I didn't. He would have prescribed a powerful medicated cream that I don't need, and wouldn't have ever tried to determine the cause.
Benadryl is very helpful for itching,I've found.
DeleteHope you can get some supplements that don't make you itch. Or at least figure out for sure what is causing it.
ReplyDeleteI'm going back to the eye meds originally recommended by the eye doctor. They never gave me any problem but I wanted something stronger that would improve my vision. I should know in a couple of days of quitting the high powered stuff if the itching eases up. I'm sure it was caused by the higher doses of lutein as I read the possible side effects (too late to catch it at the start) and the itching only started when I began taking the new stuff.
DeleteI take that same thing for macular degeneration and have for over a year. Really glad I don't have the itching. I just went to my retina specialist today and he said the little dot hasn't changed. He laughingly said I had 30 good years. Not sure what that meant or how old he thinks I am. My letein is 25mg and the zeaxanthin is 5. Is that the same as yours??
ReplyDeleteYes, mine was exactly the same strength. I am super sensitive to all meds, Rx and OTC, and I guess the same holds for vitamins & supplements. I had such high hopes for the lutein but I'd better stick to what doesn't cause me problems - the Preservision has about 5 mg of lutein.
DeleteI take a 2-a-day vitamin with Lutein called ICAPS because my mom had macular degeneration and I'm trying not to get it, too. My ophthalmologist recommended them, and you can get them at Walmart. There's a pill that has vitamins and one that doesn't. I get the one with the vitamins - it's blue - same price. So far, so good, and I feel like I'm doing something good that's preventive for my eyes. If you want to see them, here's a link to the Walmart page that has info and price. (They are pricey.)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.walmart.com/ip/ALCON-ICAPS-Lutein-Zeaxanthin-Eye-Vitamin-Supplement-120-tablets/10309586
My eye doctor prescribed ICAPS for me for a couple of years and then had me switch to PreserVision (also pricey). I don't see that anything makes much of a difference, but my mac degeneration progressed fairly rapidly once it was diagnosed.
DeleteBeen thinking, can you break your Lutein/Zeaxanthin in half? Do they have a 'score' in the middle? Or maybe take it every two or three days instead of every day.
ReplyDeleteAfter what I've just been through I don't think I want anything more to do with them. I hate to waste what is left, but I'm just going back to the PreserVision which never gave me any problems. It's ironic that two separate products I've tried that were supposed to be so good, have both given me terrible side effects. The pills from Andrew Lessman caused bruising all over my arms and hands (they contain natural blood thinning ingredients in high amounts), and then the itching with the Lutein.
Delete