Anyone taking B-2 supplement (or B multivitamins) that help?

My neurologist-doctor who specializes in migraines has suggested that along with my medication (Topamax), I should also take magnesium (1000 mg a day) and B-2 (riboflavin) (400 mg) a day. I was wondering if anyone out there takes B-2 (or any B multi-vitamins that include B-2) that they think help them with headaches? Interested in details/stories/experiences. (B-2 is NOT cheap so I wondered if I could get use from a lower dosage.)

PS. Please note WHY you are taking it - meaning, is it helping you specifically for headaches or more for another symptom or for everything in general?

Thanks, Bonnie

Hi Bonnie

I take a Vitamin B Complex tablet daily. There is only 50mg of B2 in it though. I started taking it to help with headaches, along with magnesium and zinc. My B12 levels got to be very high so I dropped the tablet off for a few weeks, maybe more, but I didn’t feel so good, so reintroduced it. I didn’t realise how much it was helping til I left it off, although I have to say I had changed my diet around the same time so hard to say specifically how much the B vits helped. It seemed to be a synergistic thing.

Brenda

My neurologist suggested I take 200 mg a day of B2. I know it helps me with the intensity of my pain, but does nothing for the motion intolerance. I “think” it’s helping ramp down the number of severe vertigo attacks based on the fact since I started it about a month ago, I have used much less Meclizine and Valium for attacks, but that might just be I’m going through a better spell. Sometimes the attacks (meaning bad vertigo) are spread out a bit more, but I do have mild vertigo and all the motion issues 24/7.

I got some burning tingling numb nerve like pains, so she said to try to come off it to see if that was the culprit (it ended up being from Cipro we think…) and I made it 3 days off and my head pain was THROUGH THE ROOF. So back on the B2 I went.

I will never come off it again if I can help it. My pain levels even during a bad migraine are about a 5/6 instead of off the charts. And some days they are a 2/3 which for me is GREAT! She suspects I have been in the same migraine attack for years as it’s chronic so I’ll take anything I can get for help, and this definitely helps.

Another thing I found that is GREAT is that it reduces my computer eye strain somehow and the headaches related to that. I work on the computer hours a day, so this is very important to me.

:slight_smile: I was advised by my neuro to take b2, at first l took 400mg per day for 2 weeks then cut back over the course of 4 weeks. I can tell you they really helped me recover from my last bout of floatiness. I would highly recomend taking them as needed.

Cheers sue

Just following up on this to say I’ve been on the B2 at 200-300 mg. per day and 400 mg. per day when I’m in a really sick cycle for about 5 to 6 months, and it absolutely helps with eye strain, the level and intensity of my attacks. I’ve played around with stopping it and there definitely is a correlation. It’s not a cure and it doesn’t stop my chronic attacks, but I use much less medicine now than I did before I started taking it. I just made it 4 weeks with no Valium or Meclizine. I’ve had some doozies where I’m really sick and I still can’t really go out in the car much at all, but if I can suffer through with no meds then I consider that a small victory.

You can get B2 really cheap at Walgreens, even delivered. I combine my order with other items I need to reach the $25 free shipping minimum and save alot of money. I get magnesium, 5htp, etc from them as well. Great if you live in the US!

From reading this thread I’m wondering …

How long does it take before you notice improvement from taking high dose vitamin B2?

…

I noticed a difference in a few weeks or a month.

I have been out of my B2 supplement for a couple of weeks and guess what? Severe vertigo attacks have returned. Just made the connection this morning.

I take a B50 supplement 2x a day, so was adding 100mg B2 2x a day to that , plus my multi etc.

Before I say for sure about the B2-vertigo connection I am of course going to start up on it again. And I know that is not conclusive proof but it’s an indication that the B2 helps at least me. We all experience migraines differently, and that includes vestibular migraines.

After 3 years of constant dizzy attacks every 75-80 (exactly)days my son has skipped an attack
that was scheduled 3 weeks ago.
On the night of the 80th day he felt the symptoms but woke up in the morning
feeling well.
How this came about I can not be positive.
Lately we added 200 mg Magnesium citrate and 50 mg of CO Q-10 to the 400 mg of B2.
The magnesium was suggested to us by a neurologist and the Q10 I took from the recommendations of Johns Hopkins hospital.

My daughter gets attacks evry 65-7- days: headache and dizziness. This has been going on for 6 years. (she is 17)
She didn’t take these supplements because we were trying other medications since her attacks are harsher than my son’s.
all the medications failed: Toprimate and Lopresor.
The toprimate we stopped after she got blurred vision and the Lopresor seemed at first to help but she finally got an attack with a big headache.
It’s hard to try out these medications during the school year. The Lopresor caused her blood pressure to be lowered immensely and she felt very bad.
So we are trying once more a diet with no wheat, oranges, tomatoes, milk, etc’.

Some day we will find an answer,