Help please - so confused about prescribed supplements.

I would google daily amounts of someone your age. Also, should say on the bottle daily amounts.
Be careful with fat soluble vitamins, like A, D & E
C & B vitamins are usually expelled if you have too
much, although I think too much B6 can cause pins & needles.
I take a good time released B complex that compliment each other.
Also check with your pharmacy if you are on other prescription meds, as some vitamins might interfere with those meds.

You appear to take quite a lot? Why not try not taking any and put more emphasis into healthy eating giving you all the vitamins you need naturally.

i would make an appointment with your local pharmacist to talk it through. I suspect that they will actually know more about it than your doctor.

A quick search shows that higher doses of B2 are needed when treating migraine.

I agree with M0nica. If there is a pharmacist attached to your surgery he/she will be better informed than your GP. I find pharmacists working in dispensing pharmacies are too busy to deal with this sort of advice.

Your GP is the probably the last person in th medical hierarchy to discuss nutrition and supplements with. The average medical student has about 2 hours nutrition trainingin a six year medical training.

I would ask your doctor for referral to a dietician or nutritionist to have a really informed discussion on this topic.

M0nica

i would make an appointment with your local pharmacist to talk it through. I suspect that they will actually know more about it than your doctor.

This was going to be my suggestion - unless your surgery has a clinical pharmacist (as they will have access to your blood tests etc).

Our Clinical Pharmacist is lovely - and so informative and useful.

M0nica

Your GP is the probably the last person in th medical hierarchy to discuss nutrition and supplements with. The average medical student has about 2 hours nutrition trainingin a six year medical training.

I would ask your doctor for referral to a dietician or nutritionist to have a really informed discussion on this topic.

I agree with everything Monica is saying. I would not.listen to that doctors recommendations. Supplements do not cure migraines. Prescription medicine for migraines is ideal.or acupuncture or botox. How does this doctor even know how much B2 is in your system? He really should not give such poor advice. Supplements are barely rated or measured. Your multivit is fine. Food is better than supplements.

(Rated? I was trying to say "regulated")

You might want to look at The Migraine Trust, for advice on supplements.

Supplements for migraine - The Migraine Trust share.google/XwWLaQcgOgSOzIoQk

My doctor has suggested several over the counter supplements to help with my migraines

Given this, I'd stop over thinking it and ask him directly for details of what exactly to take, when, and maybe ask for a blood test too if you haven't had one...
fancyflowers link is interesting though...

I would think more about your diet and the foods that provide most vitamins naturally. For my migraine I found chocolate bad for me so ditched it, also biscuits as I eat the lot but the main thing was stress and looking at this screen, so now I am one hour a day ir just over and better for it, Got a really bad arthritis flare up at the moment and I long for chocolate. Not a believer in all these supplements though.

There's lots of evidence that migraines can be treated by using certain vitamin supplements and quite a few GPs, these days, are very knowledgeable. If my GP had taken the time and trouble to recommend something that might reduce the migraine episodes, I'd give them a try. If you already eat a decent well balanced diet I'd drop the multivitamins and just take what the GP has recommended. Give it several months and monitor if there is any improvement in your symptoms.

Although medical training at uni gives little time to nutrition, GPs do a minimum of three years specialist training and also there are lots of further opportunities for them to continue training via CPD. At my GP surgery at least one of the doctors has specialised in diet, nutrition and general lifestyle.

ug is micrograms and mg is milligrams. There are 1000 ug in a mg so this may be what’s confusing you. Take everything to a pharmacy and they can check it.

Also a lot of health food staff are knowledgeable. There may be a private herbalist or nutritionist in your area. I agree that most doctors don’t know and most don’t advise vitamin supplements.

Do you nave an accredited dietician in your area? They should be able to advise you on amounts and also on foods that may contain the vitamins you need. Go down the professional route. It will be worth it.

Be very careful is my advice I had a hospital appointment with a consultant a few years ago about my migraines. He didn’t have much advice but scribbled the name of two vitamins to take.
I spent ages googling and like you worrying about the correct dose as I already took a multivitamin.
Long story short, the zinc he advised was way two high a dose, confirmed by my GP so pleased I double checked.

I’d also advise a word with your local pharmacist. They are well qualified to advise on the compatibilities or otherwise of drugs/medications and safe quantities to take.

THANK YOU SO MUCH everyone, So many thoughtful and informative replies. Particular thanks to M0nica, fancyflowers and nannytopsy. There is a clinical pharmacist at the practice, so I will call tomorrow and make an appointment. If I get any new or particularly sound advice, I'll post it here on GN.

Betony

My doctor has suggested several over the counter supplements to help with my migraines, which are becoming more frequent as I get older. I ordered about £40 pounds' worth from a reputable source, but am confused about the amounts I should be taking.

I told my doctor I already take a multivitamin every day, and have done for years. I'm worried that now I may be taking too much of certain supplements by adding those she has recommended to what I am already taking.

For instance, the vitamin B2 she recommends already has 7mg (the sign that looks like 'ug') in my daily multivitamin. The separate vitamin B2 I have bought contains 50 mg., so I am in fact taking 57mg daily. Likewise, the B12 she recommends already has 50 mg in my multivitamin, but the separate tablets contain 100 mg., so I am taking 150 mg. daily, and therefore seem to be taking too much. (the B12 says on the container 'do not exceed recommended daily dose, so I have now stopped taking the separate tablet).

I really don't want to stop my daily multivitamin, as it contains other supplements which (I hope!) are doing me good. On the other hand, I want to follow my doctor's advice on relieving my migraines.

As I can't get a doctor's appointment for some weeks, should I ask a physician assistant or even the pharmacist about this?

Would appreciate any help from Grans who have been in a similar situation. Many thanks in advance.

The ug is a lot less than a mg though so you'd need to convert

mg = milligram
ug = microgram

IIRC you need to divide the ug amount by 1,000 to convert to milligrams
so 1,000 ug = 1 mg