Turmeric/Curcumin and sulfa-anyone?

Misfit Toy

Misfit Toy

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Has anyone tried turmeric? I have read online that it is great for joint and arthritic pain. I have decided to try it. However, my doctor is just a little bit concerned because it has sulfa in it.

Has anyone had a sulfa allergy and yet been able to take turmeric?

I would love to be able to tolerate it since I've heard so many wonderful things about it for pain and inflammation. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
 
Woolie

Woolie

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Hi @Misfit Toy , I did try curcumin for quite a while, which is just the active ingredient (a lot more palatable than tumeric, and you can take bigger doses). Not sure if sulphur still a problem for the pure curcumin, but could be.

I tried, various brands, including Jarrow curcumin with phytosome and pure curcumin extract in powdered form (from purebulk.com). Following recommendations here and in the literature, I took it in generous amounts: 400mg per day to 1g. It gave me diarrhea, which was a surprise: I normally tolerate all foods and medications fine.

Having said that, for the period I was taking it, I did seem to have fewer symptoms than in a usual period, so perhaps its really doing something? I think with antiinflammatory things like this, you don't expect total remission of symptoms, that's not reasonable, what you're going for is a reduction in their frequency or intensity.

So I'd recommend if you try the curcumin, start low and slow, just in case.
 
helen1

helen1

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I had a remarkable experience with curcumin last week @Misfit Toy. I had my third gout attack in ten years last week. The previous two took about 5 days of dreadful pain to resolve. This time I took curcumin orally the first day and evening plus rubbed another half cap mixed in oil onto that part of my foot and put a sock on it. I didn't think I'd be able to sleep, I was so nauseous from the pain. I couldn't put any weight on it nor bed sheets.

I lay awake for several hours just trying to breathe calmly but then before I knew it, it was 7 a.m. and my foot was about 80% recovered! I got out of bed and walked on it. It was back to 100% the next day. I am now a curcumin believer...

(For any gout sufferers, I'm pretty sure it was taking inosine for 3 weeks that brought on this attack. I knew that it raises uric acid levels but the study I read said over 5 grams were needed to cause problems. I took 1 g a day for 3 weeks. So beware of inosine if you've ever had gout.)
 
Misfit Toy

Misfit Toy

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Glad you all chimed in. My CFS doc had me buy a high grade Curcumin and started me on 450 mg. One pill. I asked a lot of people on the fibromyalgia website and they said that they had sulfa allergies and had no problems with it so I was really glad to hear that.

I had diarrhea this am, but not sure if that was it. Fingers crossed.

Helen, what a great experience you had! That's encouraging.
 
zzz

zzz

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I'd like to try to clear up a few misconceptions here. Sulfur is an element, and is essential for the proper functioning of the human body. No one is allergic to sulfur. Sulfur is needed for the cytochrome P450 detoxification pathways in the liver (one of the main pathways), and to bind toxic metals, and for other purposes in the liver as well. Sulfur makes up 0.05% of the human body.

Sulfa drugs are man-made antibiotics, and are technically known as sulfonamides. Allergies to sulfa drugs are not uncommon.

Turmeric and curcumin both contain sulfur (which gives them their yellow color), but neither contains sulfa antibiotics.

Sulfites are a sulfur compound that is sometimes used as a preservative. Some people are hypersensitive to sulfites. However, sulfites are not typically used with turmeric or curcumin, as sulfur itself is a natural preservative.
Misfit Toy said:
I had diarrhea this am, but not sure if that was it. Fingers crossed.
Click to expand...

Diarrhea can sometimes be a side effect of curcumin, especially at higher doses. If this is a chronic problem, reducing the dose fixes it. This may be why your doctor was concerned.

The best form of curcumin I know of is Curamin. I find it excellent for relieving pain and inflammation. Curamin also contains boswellia, another potent anti-inflammatory, and it contains nattokinase as well. I take Curamin daily; it makes a really big difference for me. I have a friend with rheumatoid arthritis; Curamin really helped her a lot too.
 
justy

justy

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I can't take Epsom salt baths or ferrous sulphate iron tablets as they both cause problems. I tried curcumin 500mg and had really severe stomach pain and diarrhoea from it. would love to be able to take it though.
 
Gondwanaland

Gondwanaland

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helen1 said:
I had a remarkable experience with curcumin last week @Misfit Toy. I had my third gout attack in ten years last week. The previous two took about 5 days of dreadful pain to resolve. This time I took curcumin orally the first day and evening plus rubbed another half cap mixed in oil onto that part of my foot and put a sock on it. I didn't think I'd be able to sleep, I was so nauseous from the pain. I couldn't put any weight on it nor bed sheets.

I lay awake for several hours just trying to breathe calmly but then before I knew it, it was 7 a.m. and my foot was about 80% recovered! I got out of bed and walked on it. It was back to 100% the next day. I am now a curcumin believer...

(For any gout sufferers, I'm pretty sure it was taking inosine for 3 weeks that brought on this attack. I knew that it raises uric acid levels but the study I read said over 5 grams were needed to cause problems. I took 1 g a day for 3 weeks. So beware of inosine if you've ever had gout.)
Click to expand...
@Sidereal
 
Gondwanaland

Gondwanaland

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justy said:
I can't take Epsom salt baths or ferrous sulphate iron tablets as they both cause problems. I tried curcumin 500mg and had really severe stomach pain and diarrhoea from it. would love to be able to take it though.
Click to expand...
500mg is very high. Why don't you try 1/10 of it?
 
justy

justy

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Gondwanaland said:
500mg is very high. Why don't you try 1/10 of it?
Click to expand...
I understand that 500mg is a normal dose - people with cancer take 8g a day! I need to try splitting the capsules but cant work with powders at the moment as my asthma and breathing problems are so easily triggered right now - but would like to try a lower dose.
 
Seven7

Seven7

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I am allergic to sulfa too. Sulfur is ok for me.
Sulfa Drugs (Sulfonamides)
Allergies to sulfa containing drugs are not unusual. Sulfa drugs actually contain a molecule called sulfonamide. Sulfonamides contain Sulfur, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Hydrogen. The sulfonamide drugs were the first antimicrobial drugs (antibiotics) These molecules plug up the bacteria’s ability to reproduce. The allergic reactions occur due to the actions of the molecule, not the sulfur. So, Sulfonamides (Sulfa drugs) contain Sulfur but the Sulfur is not the problem.

https://www.zimmernutrition.com/lea.../allergic-to-sulfa-drugs-can-you-take-sulfur/
 
perchance dreamer

perchance dreamer

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The Meriva form really helps take the edge off my pain. I take a sustained release form when I wake up and a regular release form at 5:00 p.m.

Meriva is compounded with choline. I tried taking the sustained release in the late afternoon, but it kept me awake. I assume a sustained release of choline is what did that.

These are the 2 Meriva products I take:

http://www.amazon.com/Thorne-Resear...&qid=1459530786&sr=1-1&keywords=meriva+thorne

http://www.amazon.com/Thorne-Resear...&qid=1459530818&sr=1-2&keywords=meriva+thorne
 
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