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Post by kc4braves on Mar 13, 2005 23:57:07 GMT -5
Hey. Just wondering if the fish oil makes any of your kids wreak?! My daughter, the non-adhder, has smelled strongly of fish all weekend. Even after brushing her teeth twice and bathing in bubble bath......she smelled. It seemed like if she sweated, it got even worse. Is this normal? Will it go away? She is taking less than my adhder is but I haven't noticed such a strong smell on him.
Kathy
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Post by catatonic on Mar 14, 2005 1:22:17 GMT -5
Mayleng, my Challenege Boy takes a great deal more fish oil than the rest of us. The older children and I all take two capsules daily of the Rx-Omega-3, which is a total of 400mg DHA and 800mg EPA. The little one just turned 4 and she takes a baby dose, either a single DHA-250 capsule or liquid fish oil with 300mg DHA and 475mg EPA. Challenge Boy takes a LOT...800mg DHA and 1600mg EPA daily. We've tried quite a variety of products and dosages and this one works well for him, although I'm hoping to cut back to 3 capsules daily instead of 4 in the near future. He just seems to need more and when he doesn't get it, I can see the effects in his ability to pay attention...never great, worse without the fish oil. Kathy, we haven't experienced the fishy odor you mention. Have you added any other supplements recently? The reason I ask is that too-high levels of choline can cause a fishy body odor, so if you've recently begun supplementation with something like lecithin, it's possible you are overdoing it. (here's a reference to use as a starting point if you'd like to read more about this www.nap.edu/openbook/0309065542/html/390.html ) Since fish itself is relatively high in choline, it's possible the fish oil could cause this. Perhaps if you switched brands, to use a more highly refined product that eliminates much of the additional fish oil that is not DHA or EPA? There are, of course, several other medical conditions that could cause a fishy smell, but since this seems to be a new thing, I would think that something like an enzyme deficiency is unlikely. Interestingly, treatment focuses on a low protein diet in order to restrict choline intake.
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Post by Mayleng on Mar 14, 2005 7:35:42 GMT -5
Thanks Cat, it did not occur to me to increase my son's Omega 3 dose to see if his attention will improve on a higher dose. I will try it this summer, when I can take him off the meds to see if the Omega 3 can help his attention. I have been giving my 12 yr old 2 capsule of the RX-Omega 3 but he is fighting me all the time (his little brother takes more pills ie 03s, vit E, 1 Evening Primrose, 2 Cal/Mag, 1 multivit plus his Metadate CD and he never complains. But older non ADHD child has 4 capsules (O3s + Vit E + Evening Primrose) and he is fighting me. So I was thinking of giving 12 yr old 1 capsule of RX-Omega 3 instead. Do You think 1 capsule of the Rx Omega 3 is beneficial for a 12 yr old normal child? It is just a maintenance dose I am giving him, and hoping it will help his "teenage hormonal Moods".
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Post by kc4braves on Mar 14, 2005 9:31:21 GMT -5
I really am not giving the kids anything else that should cause the fish smell. My daughter (non-ADHD) is almost 6 and I have been giving her 2 of the RX-Omega 3 soft gels in juice with vit E and C. That is all she takes besides a multivitamin when I can get her to take it. My 8 yr old ( with ADHD) has been taking the same except he takes 3 of the gel pills. As long as he brushes his teeth and doesn't spill any anywhere, he seems ok. Hmmmm.
Thanks, Kathy
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Post by brazos on Mar 29, 2005 18:42:56 GMT -5
Okay so we are doing Omega 3. I use the DHA 1 for hard head, 2 for TD. I think the two are 700 total. They both think they are working.
I have used other supplements before with no results, so to be honest we were tanking and I decided why not bite the bullet. They couldn't get worse, unless it had coloring in it.
TD is highly allergic to many drugs so he is only on the DHA. Hard head tried the melatonin because he had a night he couldn't go to sleep. He loved it, so he is doing both.
So far so good. I hope the effects will last, for now both have stopped thier miniscual doses of ritilan and are doing great. We had a four day holiday so I could watch and see. We are still taking Stattera for now.
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Post by Mayleng on Mar 29, 2005 19:40:59 GMT -5
brazos, I am glad to hear the EFAs are working.
I had to stop my son's Omega 3s again, as he started getting nosebleeds again. This time on the other nostril which he never bled from before. He had the left one cauterized, but now the right one has started. It started after I put him back on the Omega 3s. Really bumped me out.
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Post by brazos on Mar 30, 2005 7:06:26 GMT -5
Mayleng that is so sad. Poor baby!
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Post by swmom on Apr 19, 2005 8:12:50 GMT -5
Did anyone notice that a few weeks into omega 3 their child was sort of spacey, just la-la-la-la? We're experiencing that and I was just wondering if that's part of the process? That's normally not my child. She's usually pretty intense and serious about things.
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Post by VaMom on Apr 19, 2005 8:20:11 GMT -5
I would like to know this too. My ds is kind of spacey and I don't want him to be more so!! I was hoping Omega 3s would *improve* concentration!
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DenverMom
Full Member
Science is only as good as the questions we ask of it.
Posts: 81
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Post by DenverMom on Apr 19, 2005 13:13:06 GMT -5
Are the kids on any meds? If they are and the Omegas started just recently then the lalala-ness could be an indication that the Omegas are working and the dosage of meds may need to be adjusted.
Just a thought.
If they aren't on any meds then I haven't got a clue why they would do that. My DS just became much more polite all of a sudden LOL!
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Post by swmom on Apr 21, 2005 13:11:45 GMT -5
This is a Natural Factors RX Omega-3 question. On the label it states:
Fish Oil Concentrate 1,065 mg. Omega 3 Fatty Acids 630 mg. EPA 400 mg. DHA
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Post by swmom on Apr 21, 2005 13:17:35 GMT -5
My computer is doing weird things today...
As I was saying, on the label it states:
Fish Oil 1,065mg. Omega 3 Fatty Acids 630 mg. EPA 400 mg. DHA 200 mg.
I am giving my dd 3 gelcaps a day. I know that exceeds the 480 of the DHA, which is what I want. But how much omega 3 am I giving her in total? None of these numbers seem to add up. We have an appt. coming up with my dd's doctor and I know he'll ask how much are you giving her.
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Post by catatonic on Apr 22, 2005 8:28:28 GMT -5
You are giving her 3 grams of fish oil per day which is providing 1.8 grams of Omega-3 fatty acids. You are also providing a negligible amount (100mg) of "other" Omega-3 fatty acids (short-chain). The remainding 1.2 grams are other fats that are not Omega-3.
The doctor probably will want to know that you're giving 3 grams total, supplying 1.8 grams of Omega-3.
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Post by swmom on Apr 22, 2005 9:11:04 GMT -5
Thanks, cat. What is the benefit from all the other stuff that's in these gelcaps? Seems like only half is the omega 3.
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Post by catatonic on Apr 22, 2005 23:18:37 GMT -5
Not much real benefit, they're just part of the fish oil. It is possible to buy more highly refined Omega-3 supplements. I don't know that it matters either way, as long as you have a high quality product and take enough of it.
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Post by swmom on Apr 24, 2005 8:51:12 GMT -5
We're still seeing good things with the omega 3, especially better mood. A few months ago, we did some bloodwork to see if my dd was deficient in any of the minerals or vitamins and fatty acids. She wasn't. So I wonder why we're seeing good things with the omega 3. Could it be that kids with ADHD have higher daily requirements for these things? I wonder what would happen if we increased all the vitamins and minerals. We've started with protein and we're seeing a noticeable change there, too. I find this very, very interesting.
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Post by Mayleng on Apr 24, 2005 10:20:31 GMT -5
swmom, it is great that you are seeing positive results. It looks like you are on the threshold of solving the puzzle of your dd.
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Post by swmom on Apr 25, 2005 8:37:29 GMT -5
Anything you can do to eliminate the fish burps? My dd complained this morning about that and I was wondering if there is anything you can do. Hope so.
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Post by rocco on Apr 25, 2005 11:39:10 GMT -5
We had luck changing brands. Nordic Naturals have been the best for us. My ds can take Rx Omega, but I can't.
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Post by swmom on Apr 25, 2005 12:19:52 GMT -5
Unfortunately, my dd cannot handle the lemon oil in the Nordic Naturals, so that's why we switched to Natural Factors.
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Post by G on Apr 25, 2005 17:35:20 GMT -5
the fish burps seem to be less when the fish oil is taken with food and if it is refrigerated. hope that helps. nat
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Post by swmom on Apr 27, 2005 5:07:28 GMT -5
How long did it take for you to start seeing results from omega 3? Were the changes sporadic for awhile before you saw any consistently in behavior?
About a week after we started, things were going so well, lots of positive changes, and this lasted for about 3 weeks. Then, Monday, she was back to her old self. Perhaps she was feeling anxious about school? I don't know. But we started seeing the moodiness, smart alecky, every little thing bothers her, licking her hands a little - all over again. I checked her weight and she has gained a few pounds. So, I think increase the Strattera a little, 5 mgs, and see what happens. Then , part of me thinks, is this the omega 3? Do we need to back down on the Strattera? What do I do?
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DenverMom
Full Member
Science is only as good as the questions we ask of it.
Posts: 81
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Post by DenverMom on Apr 27, 2005 13:30:52 GMT -5
I'm not an expert on meds and supplements...but I think the best course from what I do know would be to go ahead and lower the dose because the problems may be more of an indication that the Omegas are working and there is less need for med. Of course you would want to check with the doc first.
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Post by catatonic on Apr 27, 2005 22:38:35 GMT -5
We didn't see much change at all with the Omega-3 until about 6 weeks. I'm not particularly knowledgeable about the meds, but I tend to agree with denvermom, try backing down them down a little and see what happens. How much of the Omega-3 are you giving her at this point?
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Post by swmom on Apr 28, 2005 4:55:53 GMT -5
Cat -
I'm giving her 3 gelcaps a day of the Natural Factors RX Omega, one with breakfast, one with her snack around 4 and one with dinner. Yesterday, since her weight has increased about 4 lbs.(maybe due to the omega?), I increased her Strattera to 60 mgs. In the past, 60 mgs. at 79 lbs. works nicely. I'll give this a few days and see what happens. If it doesn't help, I'll back it down. She metabolizes things pretty quickly and that's why I wouldn't be surprised if the omega is working already. Her doctor, while saying that it was OK to try the omega 3, didn't encourage us to add the vitamin E or change the medication dosage or anything. I wonder if he'll know to back the medication down. Wish we could go to a doc who understood all this.
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Post by Dimples on Apr 28, 2005 8:34:36 GMT -5
Okay, I am amazed by what all I'm reading on this thread about Omega 3. I had researched this supplement quite some time ago but never tried it on my son. My husband takes fish oil and believes in it's power (he keeps his in the freezer BTW). My son is having unbelievable success right now with 10 mg of Adderall XR once a day. I hate to mess with what is working for him but if I could get him totally off the Adderall at some point, I would love it. How much Omega 3 should a person start out with and is it weight dependant? He's 120 lbs. and an 11 year old.
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Post by swmom on Apr 28, 2005 8:40:43 GMT -5
This morning my dd just could not focus at all. I had to tell her to comb her hair about 6 times. Ugh. Maybe it's time to back down the Strattera. This is so difficult.
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Post by catatonic on Apr 28, 2005 22:53:20 GMT -5
I've found that this is a difficult time of year to realistically evaluate the success of any treatment. My son is always "off" for a good month when the weeds start blooming and the winds kick up. Very frustrating...and at this point I'm ready to tear my hair out! So I can sympathize and hope you'll be able to get her back on track.
Dimples, generally you want to give a child approximately 480mg DHA and 720mg EPA per day. You may want to go higher during the initial 12 weeks (that's about how long it takes to correct an Omega-3 deficiency). But the above dose is what clinical research has found to be the minimum effective dose.
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Post by Dimples on Apr 29, 2005 20:21:52 GMT -5
Thanks Cat. This might be a stupid question but how does one know if they have an Omega 3 deficiency? I am afraid now to give him Omega 3 as we just found a medication and dosage that is REALLY working. Appetite is back, focus is right on target, grades are climbing up, etc. I would just hate to have to start over on the medication journey to find the one that works. Any thoughts on that?
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Post by catatonic on Apr 30, 2005 8:25:24 GMT -5
You can determine Omega-3 deficiency using a blood test. The most common symptoms would be excessive thirst, excessive urination, dry skin (esp. "goosebumps" on upper arms and thighs), dry hair, poor fingernail growth. Here's Dr. Udo Erasmus's list: You can read Dr. Erasmus's article on Omega-3 deficiency here: www.udoerasmus.com/articles/udo/fthftk4_pv.htm
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