There are several mouthwashes that contain NO alcohol. Ask if you don't see
it. How about a good sloshing with salty water?
Bev

Bill, can you find out what exactly she died of?
Might be helpful.
I'm concerned about you.
J

Thanks!  I'll look.

No.

Usually it's cramps and diarrhea.  That includes most pain killers
(aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen), large doses of vitamins (niacin
gave me a seizure in addition to the digestive upset) and No-Doz.
Ginko bilboa gave me the worst headache I've ever had.  I tried
Alka-Seltzer PM once, when a bad cold kept me from getting to sleep;
something in it made me hallucinate. Most decongestants make me sleepy.

Some of my relatives have trouble with medications as well, which
complicates the picture.  My father, both of my brothers and I all
throw up when we take Immodium A-D.

Usually when I have to take something cold from the freezer I do
a little finger-dancing, shifting it between fingertips before I
put it down.  I don't smoke, so I'm finally doing something right!
I've learned not to grab anything ice-cold with my bare hands
or in thin gloves.

My hands usually go numb when the fatigue gets heavy enough to
make me pass out; I usually wake up when that happens.  The trouble
is that when I lie down I turn off the lights and take off my
glasses, so when I wake up I can't check for any color changes.
A few times I've seen my hands turn a dark, dull red when they're
going numb.  My feet will get cold, but they seldom go numb.

Lately I've had trouble after using sunblock with octisalate
and homosalate in them, as well as liniments with aspirin in
them.

Thanks again.

My blood pressure has always been normal or a bit below normal
when it's tested.  My pulse is normal as well.

Fifty.

Well, there are a couple of weird things.  When I started avoiding
the sun, I stopped chewing my fingernails, a habit I'd never managed
to break.  Plus, the smell of cooking beef always made me feel
like I was being gassed; now that only happens after I've had some
light.  (These were things like pot roasts and stews; I don't know
why steaks or hamburger didn't have the same effect.  I very definitely
do not miss that smell!)

Same here, and thanks for the clues you've given me!

--Bill Thompson

Hi Bill,
The only negative effect I have ever heard about niacin is sudden flushig of
the skin.
BJ-Sk. Canada

How do you know you had a seizure? vs some other type of event?
like a mild stroke or stress or fell asleep or symptoms of low blood sugar or some
type of event from too much carbon dioxide (I forget what's called) ?  Did you cough?
Hold your breath?  Subconsciously stop breathing?
What were the manifestations?

Geez that's weird or it could be coincidental or see below..
Here's what I've gathered about niacin

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002409.htm
Niacin (also known as vitamin B-3) is found in dairy products, poultry, fish, lean
meats, nuts, and eggs. Legumes and enriched breads and cereals also supply some
niacin.
A deficiency of niacin causes pellagra. The symptoms include inflamed skin, digestive
problems, and mental impairment.

Large doses of niacin can cause liver damage, peptic ulcers, and skin rashes. Even
normal doses can be associated with skin flushing. It can be prescribed as a treatment
for elevated total cholesterol and other types of lipid disorders, but it should only
be used with medical supervision due to its potential for severe side effects.

I checked my porphyria book and there's nothing mentioned there for niacin nor
nicotinic acid

I don't know who this person is and if she knows what she's talking about.
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_2003_June/ai_102372167
The correct balance and availability of adrenal hormones and also of eicosanoids
control the flow of nutrients (including oxygen) into the cells. (3) Perhaps even more
important, heme is needed for the production of red blood cells. (2) The consequent
increase in the oxygen, and nutrient-carrying capacity of the blood, as well as the
cell's renewed ability to receive the required nutrients, along with niacin's effect
on the central nervous system and the parietal cells, fully restored the production of
stomach acid in the 39 year-old patient.

Very high doses of niacin (3,000 mg or more daily) can cause liver damage, diabetes,
an inflamed stomach, eye damage and elevated levels of uric acid which can cause gout.
The inositol hexaniacinate form of niacin is not known to cause any side effects, but
nutritionally knowledgeable doctors advise that neither form of niacin be taken in
large amounts without a nutritionally-oriented doctor's counsel. (4)

In addition, high doses of niacin can cause an acute attack in someone with porphyria,
simply because niacin stimulates the production of heme. (5) The latter is produced by
the pophyrin enzymes. Mutations or defects in the eight precursors of porphyrin
enzymes cause the various inherited or acquired errors of metabolism in porphyria
patients. Because heme can be produced in every cell, anything that triggers the
production of heme to a larger extent can initiate a highly damaging, and often
extremely painful, free-radical chain reaction that affects many organs and systems
throughout the porphyria patient's body. (2) Not only the patient, but also all of his
or her physicians need to know what to avoid, it is sometimes difficult and it can be
impossible to avoid a porphyria attack, but every effort must be made; an acute
hepatic porphyria attack may cause paralysis or can even kill the patient. (6,7)

The body responds differently to the various mutations. Different porphyrias (or
mutations that lead to the tendency for porphyrins to accumulate throughout the body)
need different treatments. It is essential that patients who may have porphyria
receive the proper testing and interpretation of the tests, as well as the correct
treatment, in as timely a manner as possible. (7) For more information please contact
the American Porphyria Foundation, P.O. Box 22712, Houston, Texas 77227 USA. Their
website is www.enterprise.net/apf. The website password <HOUSTON> ensures ready access
for physicians.

More food for thought (I can't copy it all here)- maybe print it up and discuss with
your doctor?
http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/section2/chapter15/15c.jsp
SECONDARY ELEVATIONS OF LDL

In North America and Europe, dietary cholesterol and saturated fats are the most
common causes of mild to moderate elevations of LDL.

Hypercholesterolemia is common in biliary cirrhosis, as is a marked increase in the
serum phospholipids and an elevated free cholesterol/cholesterol ester ratio (> 0.2).
The plasma is not lactescent because the overabundant lipoproteins (lipoprotein X) are
small and do not scatter light. Planar xanthomas (see Plate 15-2) and xanthelasma (see
Plate 15-3) are common with prolonged and severe lipemia.

Hypercholesterolemia due to increased LDL levels may be associated with
endocrinopathies (hypothyroidism, hypopituitarism, diabetes mellitus) and is usually
reversed by hormone therapy. Hypoproteinemias as in the nephrotic syndrome, metabolic
aberrations such as acute porphyria, or dietary excesses with cholesterol-rich foods
may also produce elevated LDL levels. LDL levels rise at menopause and fall in
response to estrogen replacement therapy. TC levels may be elevated secondary to
increased HDL levels in postmenopausal women or in younger women taking oral
contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy, which contains primarily estrogen.

Treatment of Elevated LDL

The major reason for therapy is to prevent premature development of atherosclerosis
and to lessen the likelihood of CAD and MI. In addition, with lowered cholesterol,
unsightly xanthomas will cease growing and regress or disappear.

In general, for mild or moderate elevations of LDL cholesterol, an altered diet is
usually sufficient and is the initial step in treatment. Dietary changes usually
should be tried for at least 6 mo before determining that a drug is also needed. For
severe hypercholesterolemia (LDL > 220 mg/dL [> 5.70 mmol/L] or clinical evidence of
CAD, peripheral vascular disease, or cerebrovascular disease), a drug should be added
sooner. For familial hypercholesterolemia, drug therapy is almost always indicated,
often in childhood. Depending on the lipoprotein excess present, familial combined
hyperlipidemia responds well to weight reduction and restriction of saturated fat and
cholesterol, followed when necessary by niacin 3 g/day, a statin (see below), or a
combination of cholestyramine with niacin or gemfibrozil. Some patients with polygenic
hypercholesterolemia are sensitive to dietary restriction of saturated fat and
cholesterol. When this fails, therapy with a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A
(HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor (a statin), cholestyramine, or niacin will usually lower
the elevated LDL to normal levels.

Niacin (nicotinic acid) may be useful for elevated LDL levels, but the high dosage
required (2 to 9 g/day po in divided doses with meals) coupled with its side effects
(eg, gastric irritability, hyperuricemia, hyperglycemia, flushing, and pruritus) often
restricts its use. Niacin is most effective when combined with cholestyramine in the
severe heterozygote with familial hypercholesterolemia.

Thyroid analogs like D-thyroxine effectively lower LDL levels but are contraindicated
in patients with suspected or proven heart disease.[]

So it seems to be saying that it's only effective in high doses and both Medline and
Merck say that high doses can cause problems.  Not sure where I'm going with this, but
since the above mentions hormones, you might want to look at Lupus in men (I'll see if
I can find and post it - it might be in the FAQ or Andy might have it handy).. I
beleive it also mentions hormones; many of the women here also relate problems with
hormone fluctuations.
J