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Magnesium!

Posted , 5 users are following.

noninoni
noninoni

Yea, I read on this great site a few days ago a comment by Eileen that lack of magnesium can cause muscle cramps.  Made me stand up and think.  I also read this week that Proton Pump Inhibitors like Nexium can cause low magnesium in addition to diuretics, and I take both.  For the past  couple of days I had also been suffering severe cramps in my upper left arm (heart attack? but no other symptoms) and in my right thumb.  And recently my  diet had been rather poor and I had been eating peanuts which have no magnesium rather than almonds which have loads of magnesium.  So I sat down and made myself split  pea soup, a pretty good source, and had 2 large bowls, and the cramps have not returned!  I am just about to go shopping for almonds!!  And maybe some magnesium tablets.  Since low magnesium can cause heart attacks, it is at least conceivable that the left arm pain was one.  So thank you all!  Yes, California farmers, keep watering those almond trees!

p.s. I accidentally posted this first in RA rather than here.

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Jersey_Royal
    Jersey_Royal noninoni

    Posted

    I have started taking magnesium for cramps, but as I take statins which can cause leg & muscle cramps, so trying magnesium, hope it helps.

    But my request is when decreasing my steroids, (I am down to 4 mgs a day now) and feel fine no aches or pains, (I have had GCA since early November 2012), except my tiredness in the afternoon, I know that the adrenalin gland has to work extra hard, so I wondered if anyone has tried any vitamins, or special diets, or exercise?

    Or is it best to just go with it and rest, but if you don't help to get your adrenalin back, by resting, how can you get back to more energy.

    bit confused......

    Jan 

    ...

     

  • phyllis10549
    phyllis10549 noninoni

    Posted

    So what all does magnesium help with? I am wondering thinking I may need to add this. Does it hurt your digstive tract? how about constipation? sorry about so many questions but though i needed it a long time ago.
    • EileenH
      EileenH phyllis10549

      Posted

      Noninoni said it all - normal amounts are good, too much will act as a laxative. The amounts you get in food won't hurt but if you use supplements and are silly you will get a good clear out - no fear of constipation!

      It is essential for good muscle function and building bones. 

      Noninoni - I am on an anticoagulant, a relation of coumarin. No one ever says not to eat x, y or z here - you are told not to to have binges on the dark green veg and so on. I eat dark green leafy salad stuff all the time and new have a problem - except when I am on holiday and eating less because I have less control of my diet. If you are well adjusted on a normal mixed diet, you will be well adjusted whether you include things in your diet or not. I get my INR checked every month - it wanders up and down a bit but rarely badly though 3 months ago it was 1.8, increased amount of sintrom, went to 2.2 in 2 weeks. It was 3.2 4 weeks later - so now back on the original dose. Had she just left it it would have been fine...

    • noninoni
      noninoni EileenH

      Posted

      My trouble with coumadin is trying to eat a consistent amount of greens.  I love cooked spinach, my favorite leafy green,  but one good serving is a binge in itself! 

      If coumadin "interferes with the production of vitamen k", how much gets through?  How does this relate to calcium, vit D and magnesium since all 4 are needed together.  It is all a puzzlement.

          Thanks for adding the bit about too much Mg leads to too much of a laxative effect.

  • noninoni
    noninoni

    Posted

    Magnesium is a mild laxative and is found in things like antacids.  Think "milk of magnesia". 

         I learned on another site to avoid magnesium oxide however, since so little of it is absorbed (4%).  This was an annoying thing to learn- right after I had bought some!  But I also bought a lot of almonds so I will be OK.  

         It is found in green vegetables, chlorophyll, cocoa derivatives, nuts, wheat, seafood, and meat.  As it happens, proton pump inhibitors, common diuretics and prednisone all contrive to eliminate it.  It is essential for vitamen D and calcium absorbtion. But as I said, my diet was unusually bad for a couple of weeks before I got these severe cramps; I can't eat too many green veggies because I am on coumadin.  Also I had just replaced my supply of almonds with peanuts for a change.  So it is entirely logical that I should get severe cramps-- had I only known!

        Magnesium deficiency also causes heart arrythmia, which I certainly have had!!!  Two years ago my heart was too slow and I had to have a cardiac ablation, and this last Xmas it was much too fast and I had to have a paddle shock to get the rythm back to normal.

          How to get everything in the right balance- the nexium, prednisone, diuretics versus calcium, vitamen D, vit. k2, and magnesium-  I don't know if I will figure it all out! But I can happily munch on some almonds.

       

     

    • phyllis10549
      phyllis10549 noninoni

      Posted

      ThanKs so much for the information. I have had a bout with mild case of Pneumonia...whoopee. and had to take Zithromax. Another prednisone preditor. same symptoms with it. shaky , nervous, bloating, fluid retention, heart pounding... shish. seems you just cant win sometimes. I never had pneumonis in my life until I got PMR and Preds.
  • margaret22251
    margaret22251 noninoni

    Posted

    since my doctor put me on magnesium tablets a week ago my cramps are less, so i think thats another one sorted.
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