Supplements

Hello.

Does anyone know of any supplements that may help with the healing of the brain after surgery.

Greg

Hey Greg. I don’t know much about supplements, so I did a search for you. As always, it’s best to ask a doctor who’s got experience with AVM’s prior to taking anything. All the best!

http://www.avmsurvivors.org/main/search/search?q=Supplements

Greg, I have read a couple of articles suggesting that Omega 3s are important for restoring brain health. Check with your doctor, of course.

Hello Greg! Some other moderators already responded to your question. I wanted to add something besides supplements: please ensure you are getting good enough rest! Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor (a neuroscientist from Harvard who had an AVM-caused stroke) writes in her book that rest and sleep are important for the brain's recovery. Ask your doctor about this and about what supplements to take. All the best!

Greg,

You've seen some of this in the other comments but I wanted to share what my neurosurgeon told me. Omega 3 definitely, so I have supplements but I also make sure to eat fresh wild caught fish. Lots of rest, listening to your body for what you need. But also he told me that keeping my brain engaged will help it reroute processes. So I do online jigsaw puzzles, crosswords, numbers challenges and games, hidden object games on Facebook etc. I'm also a writer so that's a challenge in itself with daily writing, deadlines, and edits. But I think keeping my brain engaged really did help it build those new pathways that used to go through the part of my brain that's no longer there. (Because of the size of my AVM and the extent of the rupture and bleed they had to remove a large part of the right side of my brain. I'm amazed at the healing power of the brain. It took time but I'm so blessed that I only have a few deficits. Be patient with yourself and try to eat healthy and get some exercise. I find that if I walk regularly it also helps me with mental tasks and processes.

Blessings and healing...

Tina

Tina,

Thanks for the reply. It seems that Omega 3 is the supplement to take. I will see a neuralogist next month to see what he recommends.

As for the games, and puzzles that you engage in, I too do these things. Have you tried Lumosity? It has many challanging games. While I am not a writer, I enjoy the vocabulary excercises, and do well on them. The math ones, while only basic math, give me trouble. I may get the answer right, but don't know why, really. Or sometimes, I know what the answer is, but can't come up with it. Very frustrating. I used to be an airline pilot, so these things really rub me the wrong way.

Be well.

Greg

Thanks Greg.

Back when I was in rehab (I'm coming up on 4 years post op now) I used luminosity, but to get in deeper into the site I found you had to pay and I was able to find plenty of stuff in other places. I have to admit I'm pretty addicted to several hidden object games on Facebook and elsewhere and crossword games etc. I've always been more of a language person. Math isn't my thing. I remember in the hospital on the rehab floor they asked me if the rupture and surgeries had made my handwriting, directional skills and math skills worse. Both my husband and my son laughed. I had to honestly tell them that, no, I had always sucked at those... :) I continue to hear good things about luminosity though, and they had me playing some of those during vision therapy sessions as well. :)

I hear you on the 'can't come up with the answer' thing. It's frustrating!! Sometimes I'm just not sure if it's the brain or the pre menopause...snicker :) This getting older crap isn't for sissies! And neither are AVM's!!

Blessings,

Tina

Hi Tina, I enjoyed your response to Greg, and I have found there are plenty of puzzles and games available on the internet so I work on them every day. I enjoyed your peri menopause comment and I have stated that aging sucks but I guess you stated it in a more P.C. fashion ... lol. I will continue to watch for your postings.

mmmmm I have wondered the same on this topic .. anyone know anything about nootropic's ? like .. eh alphabrain ? and those types of supplements. Comments welcome, Take care all.

coconut oil and tumeric for me worked great
good luck

Member heidi just mentioned that Omega 3s have a blood thinner effect so could be dangerous to some. I was unaware of this risk, but looking at research on the internet, it looks like she is correct.

Ran the truBrain supplements by both my GP, and neurologist. Neither said anything about Omega 3 having negative affects. I have not experienced any. Perhaps at larger doses.

Good point, Greg. Noticing any further improvements these days? How are you feeling?

Try not to think about how I feel. Anti-depressant helps. As for improvements, things seem to have leveled off. Improvements come slower.

Hi all
My nephew has avm bleed one week ago… Done craniotomy… Doc ask us to buy neuroaid for him… Do you think the supplement is good?

Look forward for some advice

Ellie low, Malaysia

Ellie,

I am not aware of that supplement. My neurologist has not said anything about it. However, from what I’ve read, it can’t hurt.

Something that I do have experience with, is the supplement, TruBrain. This, while isn’t something endorsed by the FDA, as all supplements won’t be, has, I think, helped. I take it, and also play the Lumosity brain games. This has helped with memory, basic math skills, and other mental issues that have been degraded because of the craniotomy.

Hope this helps.

Greg

Thank you gred I appreciate your help