magnesium citrate

[ellarowan]

I have had PMR for 4 years. I’m down to 3mgs. My question is I have taken magnesium citrate off and on for excruciating leg night cramps but it doesn’t agree with my digestive system. What would you suggest as an alternative?

Many thanks

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Others have suggested - Magnesium glycinate or I've seen magnesium malate suggested on some forums. Or why not try a spray or cream rather than a supplement

[ellarowan in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks will do. I do rub my calves with magnesium oil too!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to ellarowan]

Well maybe you don't need both... I use the spray some nights...

I did try supplements when on Pred, but never really got on with them, and only had occasional cramp anyway - so ditched them

[random901 in reply to DorsetLady]

Thanks for this, DL. I shall investigate the cream/spray as my IBS flares with certain oral meds.

[piglette]

I managed to get my GP to prescribe Quinine Sulfate. Brilliant result.

[piglette in reply to piglette]

I hope it works as well for you as it does for me.

[ellarowan]

thanks I will look at not that.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Some people take footbaths with Epsom salts in the water which seems to work for them.

[Grammy80]

I keep a bottle of Tonic water with quinine by my bed. Read the ingredients and make sure it has quinine. I take 3-4 good gulps of that and in a few minutes I'm fine. They aren't as bad as they were when I was at a higher dosage....but I'm keeping it handy.💞

[ellarowan in reply to Grammy80]

Many thanks I will give that a try!

[HeronNS]

A bath (or footbath as PMRpro suggests) with Epsom salts does seem to work for some. In fact this post has reminded me that I used to do this regularly and I certainly didn't get the constant cramps I do now, despite taking a magnesium supplement. I'm going to soak right now!

[Blearyeyed]

Magnesium Citrate and Magnesium Sulphate can cause painful digestive and bowel symptoms, it's often used as a laxative and so if you are using Magnesium for Pain , Nerve issues, Sleep or Mood or Circulation problems its better to find an active supplement which does not contain large doses of Magnesium Citrate ( over 500mg) or Magnesium Sulphate.

Magnesium Glycinate and Malate are better forms as Dorset Lady says and Nutrition Geeks Magnesium Glycinate 3 in 1 supplements are a quality product at a good price. You can buy them from Amazon or their own website.

Some people do need to be careful with taking Magnesium orally because it can lower the heart rate and blood pressure. So if you have Hypotension or Bradycardia ( low heart rate) oral supplements aren't recommended. If you have low blood pressure at night but it is normal in the daytime a lie dose can be ok in the mornings but it's important to check with your GP. Some kidney and bladder problems can mean oral Magnesium isn't recommended too.

If you have no issues that mean you shouldn't take Magnesium and your main reason to take them is for sleep or night time nerve pain it's better to take it after your evening meal , or with a warm milk with honey and a little snack an hour before bed.

People whom can't take oral Magnesium because of cardiac , blood pressure or kidney issues can still benefit from using it in a topical cream or lotion.

Apply before bed after a bath or shower or after warming the area with a damp cloth for better absorption.

It's worth noting that Magnesium can cause a reduction in your Sodium and Potassium levels so it's often better to take it with a meal or drink which can make sure your total salt levels remain balanced , and if you find you start to suffer from dizziness or lightheadedness, especially after exercise you may need to have something to eat or drink with some salt content.

BetterYou Magnesium Butter or Lotions are the best tested quality products available . They have been tested by a British University and each product tells you how many Mg of Magnesium you will absorb per application.

[Blackcat1M in reply to Blearyeyed]

Oh I wish I had read this before buying Magnesium Citrate.

I have not started it yet as I need to speak with my gp, but after reading your post I think it’s best if I do not take it.

Last May I had a HA so that seems to be one of the reasons not to take it.

A cardiac nurse came to see me and said not to take Vitamin K1 but never anything about K2 when I asked her

Will wait till Wednesday when I see my GP who by the way is new to me, but is very thorough.

Thank you for a interesting read

🌼❤️

[Blearyeyed in reply to Blackcat1M]

It really depends on the dose and whether it's Magnesium Sulphate or Magnesium Citrate alone , as these cause the digestive side effects people can experience.It also depends on which other medications you are on and choosing the right time to take the Magnesium supplements if it's still suitable for you.

Hopefully the GP will know but many have little knowledge about supplements or herbal preparations I'm afraid .

If you want to message me with more information if you aren't getting anywhere or you are still concerned please do I'll help if I can. Take care , Bee

[Blackcat1M in reply to Blearyeyed]

Many thanks that’s really kind of you 🌼

[ellarowan]

many thanks for your detailed reply. I took magnesium maleate last night and a glass of coconut water and had no cramps!

[HeronNS in reply to ellarowan]

Fwiw I did have a 20 minute soak in a tub with Epson salts last night and had no foot or calf cramps this morning!

[Pippah45]

I used to have cramps from hell running into my neck and diaphragm. I tried quite a few supplements several upset my tum and ended up with one from Healthspan which is fine. It's the citrate that causes problems.

[Wheelygood99]

I know it sounds daft but have you tried putting a bar of soap in your bed? Some people get relief from that.

[arvine]

how much magnesium citrate do you take daily?

[ellarowan in reply to arvine]

2 x of 40mgs before bed but gave me lots of pain in my tummy

[bbugsyyy]

Theraworx is a spray. It helps with leg cramps. I have frequent leg Cramps / spasms after cycling, and it works.

I also take a low dose magnesium citrate.

I was on a high dose when I started Prednisone and constipation was bad, until I switched to a high prebiotic diet, which really helped with my gut health.

[Trisha22]

It sounds really strange, but taking just a bite of mustard worked for me.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Trisha22]

You mean you eat mustard and it helps cramps ? I've heard of mustard plasters and mustard foot baths used in the past to reduce lower leg pain but I'd not heard of it helping by eating it , I'll have to look it up and see how it works , I'm curious now....

[Blearyeyed in reply to Trisha22]

Turns out that it could be the electrolytes and turmeric in yellow mustard that could help with the cramps if taken orally.Although , I couldn't use it myself as a couple of teaspoons of mustard late at night would probably cause me such heart burn I'd still be up all night, might just try a mustard bath though to see if that works as it's an experiment that won't repeat on me !😆😆😆

[Motida in reply to Blearyeyed]

I have had bad cramps at night in feet, shins and groins for years. If I have salt on my evening food it helps but I use deep heat sprays and the pain goes in about 5 minutes when the circulation goes to that area. My hands cramp a lot in the day time so I use half gloves and heat sprays and squeezing a soft ball helps. I cannot lie on a couch either without getting leg cramps. Nobody knows why my cramps are so bad.

Hoping to have a cataract done on 19 March after three cancellations and I have warned them about cramps. They said I cannot bring in a cushion as it wont be sterile so am a bit anxious. I am down to 7.5mg pred for past 22 days and hoping there is no flare. Fingers crossed.

Female 81 uk

[ellarowan in reply to Motida]

Thanks for your reply and good luck with your op.!

[Blearyeyed in reply to Motida]

If they won't allow you to bring in your own cushion call them and ask that they provide something which is sterile and supportive for you to use during your surgery.They don't want you to suddenly need to move or fidget so they should have things available to help you to be more comfortable whilst they do the procedure. Often you might need to ask a few people or get to speak to the nurse or send a message to the surgeon to sort this out as often you get people over the phone whom don't know what is available and just try to rush out an answer.

It is always worth getting your Vitamin B 12, Folates. Vitamin D , Ferritin and Kidney Function (Electrolytes) serum blood tests done if you haven't had them checked in the last 12 months and begin to suffer with bad cramps, fatigue , pain and general symptoms. You can request to have these checked at your GP surgery if they have not found a cause for your symptoms.

Deficiency, Insufficiency or very low normal levels of these essential body nutrients can often be the cause of these symptoms , and your levels can drop if you are on certain medications like Steroids or PPIs for some time because they can affect how well you absorb these nutrients from food and supplements.

It might be worth requesting the tests.

[Motida in reply to Blearyeyed]

Thank you very much for your advice. I did tell the nurse who offered the appt. but realise that has not been passed on. They warned I could wait for 5 hours for my turn as they herd everyone in one room for the afternoon. This will give me time to sort things out.

I will ask for a blood test with those things you suggest. They do normally include those things and have sent me to a consultant years back. He said if we knew why people get cramps and how to cure them we would be millionaires. What do you answer to that?

------

I checked back on the link to flares etc and was interested to see that inflammation starts to appear from about 4 a.m. I wake up every day at that time and wonder if it would be a good time to take the Pred in yoghurt? If one does would the pain from the inflammation be kept in check all day if it is taken so early?

Thanks

[Blearyeyed in reply to Motida]

If you are going to be stuck in a waiting room for a long time you can definitely take your cushions to keep comfy in there , and maybe have some way to raise your legs so that cramp doesn't set in. Take care and I hope all goes well , Bee

[Blearyeyed in reply to Motida]

I used to take my Pred between 5.30-6 with probiotic natural yoghurt, a teaspoon of local or Manuka honey and a few berries. I used to call it my First Breakfast.Many people I have read replies from on the forum do seem to take it as early as 4am and it seems to do the job, some take it in the middle of the night , although they may also use enteric coated tablets as well as the yoghurt to protect their stomachs if they go back to bed afterwards.

It's always worth trying out what works best for you as an individual as long as you take care doing it. You might want to request an enteric coated Pred if you are planning to take it early and stay in bed as well as using the yoghurt.

[Trisha22]

I heard the idea from Dr. David Westman, who does a lot of work with low carb. I got some tiny packets of mustard and kept them by my bed (no refrigeration needed). When I had a bad cramp, I just opened one and took a small taste and amazingly the cramp just stopped. I really don't like the taste of mustard, but it was worth it!

[Blearyeyed in reply to Trisha22]

Can't seem to find anything about this Doctor , there is a Dr. David Unwin whom does a lot of work with low carb , did you mean them? From studies I've read since you put this up it appears that most research concluded that taking the mustard orally works in a psychological way , causing the perception of heat in the brain which tricks the rest of the body to feel warm and possibly begin to relax because of that perception of heat.

That would explain the sudden autonomic nerve relaxation reaction , as it would take more than hour after a larger portion of mustard and it's potentially active antiinflammatory ingredients for them to circulate in the body and possibly begin to ease pain or cramps in the legs or joints and it usually takes a week or more of accumulated effects for them to start to cause a significant change.

A pinch of mustard is unlikely to have enough electrolytes within it to help cure a salt Imbalance caused cramp even if you took it every day which also makes an autonomic nerve response is more likely.

[Trisha22 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Hi and sorry, it is dr. Eric Westman.

[Blearyeyed in reply to Trisha22]

Thanks , not a fan I'm afraid.