It's official- magnesium DOES make my pain worse. So odd! Why!

Normally My body rejects everything too, but not magnesium. Magnesium has done great for me. This is why we tell new ones that we all react different to treatments and meds. I know Dr's look at me funny because I usually have all the weird side effects that rarely happen in a drug. Lol

I have read of magnesium causing a so-called paradoxical effect for some people, and making them too awake at night, if they take it later in the day. So I guess as with everything else, we're all different.

I might suspect fillers in the magnesium. Hard to be sure tho. Hopefully you tried a reputable company's version. Magnesium does come in different forms. One person said it never did anything for her---until she tried magn. taurate, which prolly is not what most people reach for. Some forms of magn are useful, but some are not.

What I read on a forum, but never verified, is that magnesium malate is actually malic acid with just one magnesium ion attached to the side of each malic acid molecule, if I am remembering this right. (The suffix -ate means something technically is a salt, which magnesium is.)

I think that same someone said that the magnesium helps to transport the malic acid. A couple of malic acid studies have been done in fibro, so you might like it as others here have. (Not strictly a form of magnesium---more a form of malic acid, but it does have some Mg.)

Some take both a magn and magn malate, but if you do decide to do both, I would suggest starting with the Mg malate. Then later gradually add some magnesium, doing any dose increases only on an every other day basis, until you figure out the uppermost dose range for yourself. And I wouldn't ever take a whole Mg pill right off the bat, if also on Mg malate, cuz it might be too much with the two together, and give you GI distress. Loose bowels, or even the runs, maybe even burning in the gut?

I have seen another fibro patient say he thought he had a negative reaction to magnesium. But he doesn't tolerate much of anything. Plus some of us have gut problems, &/or absorption issues. Some people prefer to use magnesium oil sprays, which from what I've read aren't really an oil. Some people make their own. i think one lady uses magnesium chloride flakes to make hers. And some like epsom salt baths---again, a magnesium "salt".

There are patients who just have to have IV magnesium. Some (and prolly not all) of the ME/CFS specialists seem more willing to do that. In one article I read the CFS dr said her patients really need it IV (an ME/CFS doctor).

Post Edited (Rockon) : 3/17/2014 7:09:36 AM (GMT-6)

I take magnesium malate - helped at first but no longer seems to do anything - i had a blood test in hospital recently and my levels were within normal range..i must absorb things quite well as my vit d levels were high after supplementing for a bit, calcium high, etc etc

I am actually considering stopping it - as i feel it might be contributing to my insomnia - in fact I am on a lot of supplements and am wondering if i need to stop most of them now xx

Thanks, everyone! I usually use the NatureMade brand. A massage therapist I was seeing for a while agreed that this is usually a good brand.

Well, I have a lot of stomach and gut issues. Some very severe. A chiropractor suggested leaky gut syndrome to me (which I suspected yrs ago-- but did not know how to go about "fixing" it)... but also lots of bleeding from the bowels for about 3 yrs now ... not DX... history of Ulcerative Colitis in my family... anyway, it's very possible I don't absorb things well. And I am very sensitive to everything I take... vitamins, supplements, medications, foods, etc.

Acheybody, I get the burning and bloating, too... but these problems are daily for me... but vitamins and supplements seem to make it even worse!

Ak angel, I don't take any medications whatsoever, but back when I did, I would always get the rare side effects... ha... it's very scary. Not to mention, I get allergic reactions from a majority of them (many food allergies too). While taking psych meds especially, I would get life-threatening, rare side effects!!! Hence why I don't like medications. I wish I could just legally use medical marijuana, honestly!

But it seems to run in the family... I forget what med it was, but when my mom's lung cancer was gradually killing her, the doctor prescribed her a "last resort" med... but she said it was not even that dangerous of a drug, there is a *very* rare chance of it destroying all red blood cells!! But the doc said she's never actually seen it in anyone the whole time she has been an oncology doc; it is VERY rare. She said she has seen the drug save a majority of patients and allow them about a year longer to live. Well, since it was last resort anyway and all other options exhausted, mom went on it. Wouldn't you know, she got the extremely rare side effect, and it started killing off her red blood cells. It was actually what killed her in the end. She and I have always seemed to get those *rare* side effects rarely ever seen!!

Not to mention my gestational trophoblastic disease a few yrs ago... an extremely rare pregnancy complication that resulted in no baby, surgery, more gynecological problems, and a higher risk of uterine cancer now. Yuup, I just seem to come from a good gene pool! We have lots of *rare* problems!

Anyway, as the chiro suggested, I started taking Oil of Oregano 3x a day now- diluted in water- + a probiotic once a day. I have had problems with yeast, bacteria, viruses for as long as I remember... and he said parasites could always play a part too, but we can't know for sure... and with my stomach and gut issues too, Oil of oregano is supposed to really help. So I'm going to try to stick to this and see if I feel any relief.

I have read a long time ago about malic acid & magnesium in combination. Wouldn't you believe it... I asked a pharmacist once about the malic acid, and he said he's "never heard of it"!!!! How could a pharm never have heard of malic acid?! It's in freaking apples!! Haha

Perhaps I need to take the actual magnesium malate into consideration...

Eden

I'm sorry you have all these issues. I get weird things but am able to take most supplements.

Do see a gastroenterologist, though, if you are bleeding from the bowel. That is really bad. I did that for years with Crohn's and ended up having to have my colon removed...after needing four blood transfusions. There are things they can do to help you. Also, don't eat fresh veggies unless they are cooked soft. No salad, only canned fruit, no hot and spicy things, etc. A doctor can tell you how to adjust your diet so it will help ease the inflammation going on with UC or possible Crohn's.

Sherrine

Thanks for all your help and suggestions always, Rockon.

Sherrine,
While always struggling with getting assistance in my state, I'm starting to think that I'm never going to be able to see a gastroenterologist again! I really need to get a colonoscopy, I know, Sherrine I have a family history of IBD, and I'm sick of how the bleeding makes me feel. I get soo worn-out and fatigued from it.

I'm almost tempted to just go somewhere anyway, regardless of whether I get insurance or not.

Ak angel, I'm sorry to hear about your past situation, but I promise you that you CANNOT get addicted to marijuana. Marijuana is much more natural and safe than any other stuff out there! My BF is a HUGE marijuana advocate and he could talk and talk about it to you extensively, telling you everything. I don't know as much about it-- but I know it's completely safe, and the reasons why many people are hesitant about it are (1) it is highly stigmatized and people make it out to look like it's something "bad" when it's not at all (2) people assume that it will get them "high"- when really, only one chemical component in it gets you high-- you can get that extracted (3) people assume that you even have to smoke it- but you do not! you can use the oil, vaporize it, etc.

Believe me- alcohol, hard drugs, any types of pills- THOSE are the enemies... those are the ones that create chemical dependency in people. Marijuana cannot. I think if your state has it legally, you are soo lucky, and if you're also in a lot of pain and curious about medical MJ, just try it out! Don't listen to people if they're telling you it's bad. Marijuana isn't the big bad enemy as people make it out to be!

Eden

There are no vitamins or minerals that are produced by man that have the exact same chemical structure as those found in food...even the basic chemical bonds are reversed. These supplements are produced in a chemical lab as a result of using many other chemicals that are not required to be listed on the label.

Many peoples bodies are sensitive enough ( or smart enough) to know that these supplements are not food and either react to them or immediately process them out as a toxin.

Almost all vitamin/mineral raw materials are now produced in China without any controls as to the quality or quantity. If the company claims that their product is made in the USA it simply means they processed the Chinese raw materials into caps or tablets and put them into bottles.

I would never touch any supplement without a USP label and even then I would question them. We are meant to eat food not laboratory produced chemicals.

I know this thread is a little old, but I've been searching for information about magnesium making pain flare up and I haven't found much other than this.

I have fibromyalgia and arthritis in my jaw and I have constant strong pain. My jaw is very very sensitive and little knocks and too much chewing can make the jaw pain and headaches flare up a lot.

I've had many blood tests over the years and I have never had any magnesium deficiency identified. I have tried magnesium supplements a few times but always found that these would cause the pain to flare up significantly.

I'm considering trying magnesium again to combat increased pain due to clenching my jaw while asleep. So I'm doing some research about it. I'll try some of the suggestions here about types of supplements and so forth.

For now I hope this post acts as some confirmation for others with this experience of magnesium.