Magnesium chloride - dosing

[ScribblerCLT]

I started using magnesium chloride gel two weeks ago, every night, along with my meds; it works great and sleep has improved to 5-6 hours. But I need up to 8 hours. How soon can you reapply the gel? Is it risky to “overdose on magnesium”?

[Hidden]

Unless you're swallowing the gel then "overdose" isn't probably applicable.

If you're applying it to your skin it depends how much magnesium is in the gel, how much of it you apply and how much of that is absorbed through the skin.

I imagine it won't be much and of that which is absorbed it won't necessarily get into the blood stream. The idea of "topically" applied medicines is that they generally only affect the area they're applied to.

I imagine the instructions that come with the gel might indicate how often you should apply it. Perhaps the main limitation is that it can irritate the skin.

Just a thought but since the magnesium isn't really going to get into your blood stream, I can only think that any effect it has is local. Hence if it controls your RLS symptoms, it's only doing it locally.

This would help, I guess if you have trouble falling asleep due to symptoms. If you wake up after 5 to 6 hours because of symptoms, then it is a good idea to re-apply the gel so you can get back to sleep. If you just wake up, I can't see how reapplying the gel will really help. It should be safe enough to try it however

As an aside, it reminds me of stories I hear about night nurses in hospital waking patients up to give them their sleeping tablet

[YodaDog in reply to Hidden]

Those night nurses!!!!!!!!!! lol

[ScribblerCLT]

Directions are to massage up to 5mL or 1tsp containing 300mg elemental magnesium as often as needed. It seems more effective at bedtime than at 4:30 - possibly because I’ve woken myself in the early morning or my Sinemet CR is wearing off by then? At its worst, I only slept two hours, but now I’m wondering if my RLS is that bad because a pharmacist told me that magnesium isn’t very effective for Parkies already taking levodopa but the gel is working, albeit not long enough.

[Hidden in reply to ScribblerCLT]

"As often as needed" fits in with what I thought.

Are you taking the Sinemet for Parkinsons?

Controlled Release suggests it should last longer than immediate release so I'm not sure just how fast it wears off.

[ScribblerCLT in reply to Hidden]

Yes, Sinemet for Parkinsons. A common complaint is that CR doesn't last through the night. I'm likely due for a major prescription overhaul since it hasn't changed in nearly 2 years and there is noticeable progression since September. I'm quite happy to keep it simple and use non-oral treatments for RLS.

[sudokufan]

I'm using a Magnesium oil spray on my knees recently - my GP changed and my new one advised me to "massage my knees with oil" frequently. Didn't know what kind of oil to use. Tried olive oil from the kitchen cabinet. Also some cypress oil a little Greek man up a mountain sold me some years ago saying it was good for arthritis (I needed his help with directions). Then I bought the Magnesium Chloride stuff from Boots. It was expensive but I'd read it could be good for RLS. To be honest, I think it's the massage that helps, more then the type of oil I use. Perhaps I'll try testing them out one at a time and record how much sleep I get afterwards. (I also use Rotigotine (Neupro) patches at night.) If anyone has any suggestions on any other kind of oil that might be beneficial, please let me know !! (WD 40?)

[ScribblerCLT]

It might be hocus pocus, but the combination of 200mg Sinemet CR, 0.125mg pramipexole, 5mg Webber's melatonin, magnesium chloride gel on legs inc. soles of feet and tummy/diaphragm at 9:30pm, followed by 50mg Sinemet at 10:00-10:30, and immediately to bed, is making my sleeps from 4.5 to 7.5 hours. I'll take it.