Posted , 10 users are following.
I asked my local pharmacist if I could take a magnesium supplement as I am on Pred. for suspected GCA. She said I should ask the Dr. I then asked the Cardiologist, and she said I should ask my G.P. to test me, I then asked the G.P.and he said he wasn't sure if they were allowed to test for lack of magnesium, today I asked a Nurse Practitioner annd he said the same, I'm amazed!
0 likes, 19 replies
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Anhaga catherine34621
Posted
It's not a bad idea to get a bit of extra magnesium if you are already taking calcium supplements. Apparently extra calcium can upset the calcium/magnesium balance, which is why some calcium supplements include magnesium as well. To absorb it better as a separate supplement, however, you should take it at a different time of day than calcium. I solved this problem (can't take pred with calcium, can't take iron with calcium, can't take magnesium with calcium) by giving up on the pills altogether and having the occasional soak in a tub with epsom salts. There are also products which you can apply to the skin to obtain magnesium. You can also absorb magnesium from a footbath if you are a shower only person. As magnesium can cause loose bowels it sometimes takes a while to find the best form of the supplement. Lots of foods are also good sources.
I can't actually find whether magnesium and pred can be taken at the same time, but given that calcium shouldn't be I'd err on the side of caution and have it, whatever format you choose, at a different time.
Looking up info to answer your question I found statements that pred depletes minerals in the body so it may not just be calcium we should be getting advice about. Too bad the medics' education is so lacking in this area.
rose55750 catherine34621
Posted
Hi Catherine, I've done a bit of research on the best magnesium supplement to take and magnesium malate might be worth looking at. There are lots of magnesium combinations but that was the one that struck me as being most potentially useful. Tablets can, though, be hard on the tummy and as Anhaga rightly points out, it's often better to absotb magnesium through the skin in an Epsom salts bath / foot soak. If you do go for the bath / foot soak method, chuck in some fresh or dried rosemary, lavender, bay, or whatever you have to hand and make it a really uplifting and relaxing experience!
phillip11645 catherine34621
Posted
And it seems that almonds and dark green vegetables are a good source for magnesium.
EileenH phillip11645
Posted
phillip11645 EileenH
Posted
What's wrong with raw potatoe for potassium other than the starch?
Anhaga phillip11645
Posted
rose55750 phillip11645
Posted
EileenH phillip11645
Posted
The clue is in the "RAW"! Yuk!
But beyond that:
"Cooking the potatoes destroys the bacteria. Eating the potato raw may cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever and an upset stomach. Two toxic chemicals (steroidal glycoalkaloids) solanine and chaconine are naturally present in potatoes and are important components of their resistance against pests and pathogens."
Anhaga EileenH
Posted
We have become very partial to sweet potatoes lately (not yams, our American cousins sometimes confuse the two) and they are full of good things like A and potassium. And I wouldn't eat them raw either.
EileenH catherine34621
Posted
Dear lord! I have never asked - except when I asked my GP about cramp the firs thing she wasked was had I tried magnesium. I took that as permission.
Anyway - having your blood tested does NOT tell you if you are deficient. The blood level will remain OK after the muscles are depleted. If you take too much you will not absorb it and you won't need any laxatives...
ptolemy catherine34621
Posted
EileenH ptolemy
Posted
Given your stories about your GPs - why doesn't that surprise me?
priscilla23271 catherine34621
Posted
I take Magnesium every morning with my Pred and I don't get the leg cramp that used to wake me at 4 in the morning any more.
amkoffee catherine34621
Posted
amkoffee catherine34621
Posted
With all this talk of not taking this vitamin with that vitamin etc what about multi-vitamins? I mean they mix vitamins so how do they get away with it. When you take a multi-vitamin you're taking calcium, magnesium, vitamin D all these things mixed together at the same time so why is that okay but it's not OK for you to take calcium and magnesium at the same time? I'm just trying to understand this whole thing.
Eileen on the potato thing I always eat a couple bites of raw potato when I'm slicing potatoes. I think they taste kind of good and it doesn't make me sick. Now I wouldn't eat the whole potato. I wonder where jicama stands in all that?
EileenH amkoffee
Posted
No idea - but probably something I don't have to worry about living in Italy...
I find the taste of raw potato really unpleasant - I will eat most things though!
Anhaga amkoffee
Posted
You know, I've heard that multivitamins are now considered a waste of money. Probably because we can't absorb all the different things properly!
EileenH Anhaga
Posted
And with a half decent diet with colourful veg we get all we need! It is partly to do with the bioavailabilty too - the amount the body can absorb of artificial isn't as much as natural.
Anhaga EileenH
Posted
We try to "eat a rainbow" at dinner