United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hello Everyone...

hope each of you is doing fine...
Just wanted to know if there is any diet restrictions for TBPI patients...
also..will smoking(active/passive) or drinking affect the progress??
do respond..

thanks
binoj

Our diets effect are over all health no matter what injuries or injuries we don't have.. so i try to eat pretty healthly...Now having a few beers on friday night i'm sure is fine.. keeping it limited but alcohol robbs our body of important nutrients such as vitamin b1 that our nerves need in great demand for nerve regeneration..

Binoj,
My diet has nothing special, sometimes i Jsut eat too much! haha That was before the arm too so I guess that is nothing new. Drinking is a great pain reliever, but I will warn you, the nest day can be HELL on wheels! I hate the next day! Hung over or not the damn arm kills me!!!! I have finally quit smoking!! YEAH!! I have heard from many different doctors that it is horrible, I am not sure why but that is what they say. I am sure that someone can help with they why.......

COurt xx

i used to be quite a heavy smoker. it was strongly reccommended by my doctors that i quite. smoking dilutes your blood and constricts your blood vessels. it can also damage tissue. and seeing as i've had 2 surgeries and needed 2 nerves to regenerate, i decided it was time to quit. i haven't had a cig in over a year and a half.

i make sure that i eat a lot of protein, mostly soy as i'm vegetarian, and lots of vitamin b12. b12 is VERY good for your nerves.

Gillian
I am glad you mentioned b-12. I have had b-12 injections on and off since I was in my early teens.

I am birth injured so the doctors insisted I take B complex early in life. I was given a daily dose of B-1 most of my early childhood. In my teens as my arm began to get more and more electrical shocks and shooting pain my family physician began to give me b-12 injections. After a while b-12 injections were out of favor and my new doctors said it was silly and a waste... so I put up with the shocks... until about 5 years ago ... I began to insist and push for b-12 because my arm was non-stop electric impulses again...
The doctor gave in to shut me up and I began the b-12 shots again and the shocks stopped for me...
I don't get the fuss about giving the shots - stress deplets Vit B and B Vit are essential for the nervous system... Funny I was offered every drug you could think of for the pain and they did not believe that the b-12 would work but it did for me! I am not pain free due to b-12 just shock and shooting pains stopped for me on obpi side.

Hi Binoj,

My only bit of advice is to not overdo anything, either food or drinkwise.

Alcohol without doubt seems to set of the neuropathic pain in just about everyone with a TBPI. Also, some excess of certain foods can trigger it too; in some people (sadly, me included)chocolate or eating too much fat and carbohydrates in general can make the pain flare up.

Vit. B complex is said to be very good for nerves that are regenerating, but again, don't overdo these because there can be side effects in some people.

Best thing to do is eat and drink as healthily as possible. Bit boring, but best in the long run!

Lizzy B

peopel with BPIs have to be informed about smoking (other than the normal warnings that it's bad for your health); smoking constricts the blood vessels/muscles and nerve supply and you pretty much want all you can get!
Of course, that being said, being an adult, you can make your own informed choice.

what kinds of food is Vit B complex in? and why does chocolate and carbohydrates flare up pain? I've always tried to eat healthy, i'm just wonding if there is any more i can do. thanks
-sierra

Here's a link to help with V B:
http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/ ... tamin.html

I would think because chocolate has caffine it may be bothersome, but not sure why carbs???

Peggy

thank you that link was great!