It’s been a while since I posted on here. But I have a question regarding sleep. I have ET, Jak2, had it 7 years, and at the moment take aspirin and hydroxy.
Had my telephone consultation yesterday and was pleased to hear my platelets are the lowest they’ve ever been at 355. Even though I suffer with fatigue on a daily basis, when it comes to bedtime I really struggle with lack of sleep, I’m shattered.
I take HRT, patches and Progesterone and at first I think they did act a bit like a sleeping tablet as I usually had a fairly good nights sleep. But now I’m looking at taking Magnesium, read a lot about the benefits of it, so thought I’d give it a go. But on asking my Haematologist he advised me not to take any over the counter alternative medicines and to see my gp for prescribed medication, which I don’t want to go down the route of sleeping tablets.
Anyone tried Magnesium supplements, prescribed or over the counter?
I will go my GP for advice, but just wondered if anyone had the same issues regards sleep.
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Grumpyfairy
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I do take a magnesium supplement on the advice of my Integrative Medicine doctor due to a measures magnesium deficiency. This is likely due to my long-term use of Nexium to treat GERD. I was experiencing severe leg cramps at night, which is s symptom of magnesium deficiency. The cramps are gone now.
Suggest having your care team order a magnesium lab to see what your levels are. There is really no point to taking a supplement if your magnesium levels are not low. If you do need magnesium, it is best to use a reliable source. Many OTC supplements are worthless. A knowledgeable provider can make recommendations about sources.
If the sleep problems persist, then it needs follow up. Long-term sleep deprivation can have serious adverse effects. Insomnia can also be the result of various underlying medical issues that may need investigation. There are various non-medication interventions that can be helpful, including CBT for insomnia, breathing-meditative practices, and simply ensuring good sleep hygiene. Following up with your care team would be a good idea.
It really depends where you live, as sometimes asking a doctor to write prescription for an OTC is seen as unnecessary. And ordering tests for magnesium deficit are usually done when one either has a condition leading to it, or symptoms linked to magnesium deficit. You can do this privately, if you can afford it. For example, I am vitamin D deficient often, tests paid privately showed. So I take vitamin D supplements. One of my GPs in the past told me to take it and take it together with magnesium for better absorption. When I asked for prescription, most GPs prescribe what is already available as OTC.
I get it that the hematologist might not be interested in checking your vitamin and minerals deficiencies, many of them delegate this to GPs, and unless one is unwell, the funds for testing are limited.
For those living in Northern Europe, especially if they have darker skin, vitamin D deficit is a staple and people do tend to supplement especially during the 5-6 months of winter. And it helps to take magnesium to metabolise vitamin D better.
I did take magnesium also for the leg cramps, it was a nightmare on the stomach, and it took trial and error to find the one that helped with the cramps without giving me stomach pain.
Strange that your Haem is closed to non pharm solutions, sounds old fashioned.
I take Mg some nights on advice of my neurologist to help neuropathies. I don't find an obvious sleep benefit. I had Mg test before taking any supplement, it was high end so likely as Hunter says, minimal benefit. The body normally controls these levels well.
If you can identify what changed to cause sleep troubles, fixing that is the best solution. But that is not always possible, I know exactly what caused mine (see my Last Dose post) and it is not fixable.
So I must rely on meds. You note "sleeping pills", and you're right these are typically ambien, lunesta etc and these are not a good long term solution, and leave one droopy next day.
If other options aren't working, and you remain shattered, and you do discuss meds with your Dr, one worth asking about is Mirtazapine. In very low doses (7mg or less) it's a good sleeping aid for many pts and usually ok for long term use. At higher doses (15-45) it is an antidepressant. I take a tiny ~3.5mg and it is effective without next day troubles. I tried a lot of options before settling on Mitrz. Of course it doesn't mean it's right for you.
I take other stuff, but if you don't have separate anxiety it mostly doesn't apply.
An antiinflamatory life (diet, exercise, time to go to the bed early, microbiote, test of vitamine D, B12, A, E, minerals in the body), etc helps to find the point where you must take action. Melatonina is a good solutions too but you need a doctor to control it.
I started on a carnivore diet 4 months and one of the first things noticed was a solid 7-8 hrs sleep per night. Even just cutting out all sugars ( as they definitely are inflammatory) and if need be all grains and see if that helps.
Yes like you I have been on hydroxy and aspirin for 7 years. I take a magnesium supplement which I buy over the counter. Checked with my doctor and my haemo nurse. I took mine originally on the advice of my daughter who is a consultant anaesthetist for constipation. I take citrate my doctor takes glycinate.
I started magnesium a good while before being diagnosed with PV and it lessened my visual migraine episodes. Now that my PV treatment got the blood numbers in a good zone, I have even many fewer episodes. (Although the two I've had during this period have been completely different from previous type.)
Insomnia has been my enemy for many years. Most recent improvement has likely been due to my acupuncturist's prescription of a Huberman* formula for sleep: L Theanine 100 mg, Magnesium L-Threonate 96 mg and Apigenin 50 mg. I guess we have sleep problems stemming from all different causes, and mine seemed to be a mind that wouldn't turn off. Not worried, just free flowing images, conversations and ideas--for hours. These supplements have helped with that, though the spring weather has perhaps brought back a too early waking. Oh well, it is an ongoing endeavor to meet my sleep needs.
*About Dr. Andrew Huberman
Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and tenured professor in the Department of Neurobiology and by courtesy, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford School of Medicine.
Dr. Huberman is also the host of the Huberman Lab podcast — the #1 Health & Fitness podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
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