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Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Vanessa, keep us posted. I'm so glad you have good doctors and hope you'll take every advantage of every test and ways to safeguard your heart and health. I've also gone off meds similar to Klonipin, plus morphine, hydrocordone, Diazepam, and more. And I've had the heart palps also, but have just thought of them as part of my overall "anxiety" and "panic attacks". I so hope you take good care of yourself! I believe Dr. Dean says that the therapeutic dose for ReMag is 2-4 tsp/day, and to stay at that dose for 8-12 weeks? It is such a challenge and such an individual one to find that right dose! Maybe if this doctor that you like so much isn't up to speed on the hormonal aspect, he may be able to refer you to another practitioner who could help you figure out that piece?
Tex, I've only had my magnesium blood levels tested 3 times. The results were always below the recommended limit of 1.8-2.4; 1) 1.4; 2) 1.6 (after being infused IV at the ER), and 3) 1.4 again (5 months after a second infusion, and several months into taking high doses of mag oil). So I know my levels are chronically low, and the doctors treating me at the time were concerned about possible heart complications (which the testing they did showed apparently I haven't had so far).
~ Holly
Tex, I've only had my magnesium blood levels tested 3 times. The results were always below the recommended limit of 1.8-2.4; 1) 1.4; 2) 1.6 (after being infused IV at the ER), and 3) 1.4 again (5 months after a second infusion, and several months into taking high doses of mag oil). So I know my levels are chronically low, and the doctors treating me at the time were concerned about possible heart complications (which the testing they did showed apparently I haven't had so far).
~ Holly
2015 Hashimoto's, MTHFR
2016 LMC, Malabsorption
2017 Lymphocytic Dermatologic Vasculitis
"I strive to live in my heart, not in my head!"
2016 LMC, Malabsorption
2017 Lymphocytic Dermatologic Vasculitis
"I strive to live in my heart, not in my head!"
Vanessa,
Hmmmmmmmmm. It never dawned on me that ReMag is magnesium chloride. Magnesium chloride only contains 25.53 % magnesium. Therefore 600 mg (2 teaspoons) only contains 153 mg of elemental magnesium. But because only 20–50 % of conventional oral magnesium is absorbed, this would be equivalent to taking between 306 and 765 mg of conventional oral magnesium. And of course this is assuming that 100 % of the magnesium in the ReMag is absorbed (which we don't actually know).
Anyway, that should give you some idea of where you actually stand on magnesium dosing, compared with conventional treatments.
FWIW, some authorities suggest never exceeding 490 mg of elemental magnesium in order to avoid D. But this is based on the 20–50 % absorption rate, which leaves a huge percentage of magnesium in the gut to cause D. That limit may be different for ReMag.
Tex
Hmmmmmmmmm. It never dawned on me that ReMag is magnesium chloride. Magnesium chloride only contains 25.53 % magnesium. Therefore 600 mg (2 teaspoons) only contains 153 mg of elemental magnesium. But because only 20–50 % of conventional oral magnesium is absorbed, this would be equivalent to taking between 306 and 765 mg of conventional oral magnesium. And of course this is assuming that 100 % of the magnesium in the ReMag is absorbed (which we don't actually know).
Anyway, that should give you some idea of where you actually stand on magnesium dosing, compared with conventional treatments.
FWIW, some authorities suggest never exceeding 490 mg of elemental magnesium in order to avoid D. But this is based on the 20–50 % absorption rate, which leaves a huge percentage of magnesium in the gut to cause D. That limit may be different for ReMag.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Holly,
If you test low that consistently, you truly have a serious magnesium deficiency. I hope this treatment gets your level back in range.
Tex
If you test low that consistently, you truly have a serious magnesium deficiency. I hope this treatment gets your level back in range.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
While I know it's not possible for people (at least in this country) to get enough magnesium from their food, it is another kind of irony that the foods typically containing more magnesium are almost all ones that my MC will not tolerate!! I wonder if that might change when my body becomes used to magnesium again? Just kind of a weird thought I had ...
~ Holly
~ Holly
2015 Hashimoto's, MTHFR
2016 LMC, Malabsorption
2017 Lymphocytic Dermatologic Vasculitis
"I strive to live in my heart, not in my head!"
2016 LMC, Malabsorption
2017 Lymphocytic Dermatologic Vasculitis
"I strive to live in my heart, not in my head!"
Good points Tex,
It is mag chloride but the dosage reads 1/2 teaspoon is 150 mg magnesium ( elemental). But your right, how do we know what's actually being absorbed.....I'll have to test it out. I would think I would be able to pull back a little since it's been six months.....Thank You for the inputs.
It is mag chloride but the dosage reads 1/2 teaspoon is 150 mg magnesium ( elemental). But your right, how do we know what's actually being absorbed.....I'll have to test it out. I would think I would be able to pull back a little since it's been six months.....Thank You for the inputs.
Vanessa
Okay, I'm thoroughly confused.
I'm taking 9 mg of Budesonide, 10,000 IU VD, and 2t of ReMag which I drink in the evening because I'm not able to drink it all day long. I also occasionally use the Ancient Minerals Mag lotion.
Somewhere on this thread I read that Budesonide depletes mag? Is that correct? And because we don't really know how much ReMag the body absorbs, I'm wondering what to do.
Today while driving, I felt a cramp beginning in my right leg. Not the calf, but where the foot and the leg meet. Fortunately it didn't go into a full blown cramp and I applied the lotion when I arrived home. I now think I should have the lotion with me at all times; this happened last week, I was home and immediately applied the lotion and it calmed the leg.
Anyway, I'm going to finish the ReMag but wondering what other option there are.
Thanks!
I'm taking 9 mg of Budesonide, 10,000 IU VD, and 2t of ReMag which I drink in the evening because I'm not able to drink it all day long. I also occasionally use the Ancient Minerals Mag lotion.
Somewhere on this thread I read that Budesonide depletes mag? Is that correct? And because we don't really know how much ReMag the body absorbs, I'm wondering what to do.
Today while driving, I felt a cramp beginning in my right leg. Not the calf, but where the foot and the leg meet. Fortunately it didn't go into a full blown cramp and I applied the lotion when I arrived home. I now think I should have the lotion with me at all times; this happened last week, I was home and immediately applied the lotion and it calmed the leg.
Anyway, I'm going to finish the ReMag but wondering what other option there are.
Thanks!
Diana
Hey Diana,
No need to be confused. You are still having mag deficiency symptoms. It can take a very long time to correct. ReMag is a very good product and Dr.s Best brand chelated mag Glycinate is what most of us have tried. It didn't work for me as well as the ReMag because of the absorption issue. Remember mag is a food not a drug, so healing takes longer and is not necessarily linear. But the Dr.s Best would be another option to try..... I'm just trying to figure out if I need more or less ReMag at this time, but it is still a very well absorbed product. And yes, steroids deplete vit D and mag. You are on the right track.
No need to be confused. You are still having mag deficiency symptoms. It can take a very long time to correct. ReMag is a very good product and Dr.s Best brand chelated mag Glycinate is what most of us have tried. It didn't work for me as well as the ReMag because of the absorption issue. Remember mag is a food not a drug, so healing takes longer and is not necessarily linear. But the Dr.s Best would be another option to try..... I'm just trying to figure out if I need more or less ReMag at this time, but it is still a very well absorbed product. And yes, steroids deplete vit D and mag. You are on the right track.
Vanessa
Hi, Diana!
It IS confusing, and I'm sure Tex and others will address your concerns. Just to clarify, what Vanessa and I are dealing with is primarily finding that right amount of magnesium to take to reverse a serious deficiency (and she is 8 months or more ahead of me on this with the ReMag) without having extra mag that we can't absorb stay in the gut and cause loose stools or D. It's a balancing act, and it's been recommended here that it can be helpful to include more than one type of magnesium supplementation to help ensure your body is absorbing at least one form.
Example: using the mag oil/lotion for transdermal application; using ReMag for absorption at the cellular level; and taking Dr's Best (or other) form of magnesium glycinate which seems to be one of the best forms tolerated by those with MC.
In Vanessa's case (correct me anyone if I'm wrong), she's likely been at a "therapeutic" dose on ReMag for 6 months or so, so it could definitely be a good idea for her to back off a bit on the amount she's taking and see if that helps to stabilize her bowels. If she does that and finds her mag deficiency symptoms returning, perhaps she might want to try using more transdermal versions, including putting the ReMag on the backs of her hands ... to bypass taking all the mag she needs orally. Or, if she hasn't tried it yet, perhaps she could back down on the ReMag and try taking some magnesium glycinate in the pill form to bring her total mag dosage to its optimum level, where she doesn't have those deficiency symptoms plus she doesn't have any unwanted laxative effect.
In my case, I've just been on the ReMag for about 2 weeks. Prior to that, I had worked up to large amounts of mag oil; however, the oil alone did not appear to be very effective in my case with a long-term stubborn mag deficiency (per my symptoms and the blood work I had done). I had apparently gone up in the dosage of ReMag a little too quickly, and while I felt fantastic with the way the ReMag was really helping my deficiency symptoms, I had developed that "flare" with soft stools. After I backed down on the ReMag for just a day, my bowels have stabilized, yet I also have more of my deficiency symptoms back. Because I've been severely deficient for likely several decades, plus have complications such as type 2 diabetes, thyroid and blood pressure/metabolic issues ... it's going to take me a longer time to reverse my deficiency.
It's quite the balancing act (or "dance") for some of us to reverse a mag deficiency without taking too much and having a laxative effect, or too little/wrong kind, which isn't effectively reversing the deficiency. Each person has to figure this out for themselves, usually by trial and error, and by paying close attention to your deficiency symptoms and how you react to different doses of the various sources of magnesium.
And you are right! When we're on various medications that deplete magnesium reserves, it usually means we need to up the amount of mag we're taking while on those meds. I hear what you're saying and that's scary to think of a full blown cramp coming on while driving or at work, etc. If it were me, I'd keep some ReMag in the water bottle with the sea salt with me at all times, but that's because it is the only magnesium version I've tried to date that I KNOW is decreasing my symptoms. And while we don't know for sure how much is being absorbed, from this and other discussions, I don't think we know for sure how much of ANY form of magnesium is being absorbed. Plus, I appreciate the fact that the ReMag appears to be going into the cellular level, which seems to be where my stressed body can actually grab on to and use it!
For YOU, I'm so glad the lotion works for you so well, and that being the case, perhaps keeping some with you and in the car may well be the ticket if you ever need it.
PS ... at my last GI doctor visit (and he was indeed right about everything, thanks so much, Tex!), my doctor did tell me that if I felt I needed it, he'd write the orders and I could go into the hospital to get magnesium through an IV. (I've had that done twice already; it's painful and not something I want to do again, but it's good info for people to know and it is another type of magnesium therapy that is available for those with severe deficiencies. It bypasses the issues of transdermal application as well as oral supplementation.)
~ Holly
It IS confusing, and I'm sure Tex and others will address your concerns. Just to clarify, what Vanessa and I are dealing with is primarily finding that right amount of magnesium to take to reverse a serious deficiency (and she is 8 months or more ahead of me on this with the ReMag) without having extra mag that we can't absorb stay in the gut and cause loose stools or D. It's a balancing act, and it's been recommended here that it can be helpful to include more than one type of magnesium supplementation to help ensure your body is absorbing at least one form.
Example: using the mag oil/lotion for transdermal application; using ReMag for absorption at the cellular level; and taking Dr's Best (or other) form of magnesium glycinate which seems to be one of the best forms tolerated by those with MC.
In Vanessa's case (correct me anyone if I'm wrong), she's likely been at a "therapeutic" dose on ReMag for 6 months or so, so it could definitely be a good idea for her to back off a bit on the amount she's taking and see if that helps to stabilize her bowels. If she does that and finds her mag deficiency symptoms returning, perhaps she might want to try using more transdermal versions, including putting the ReMag on the backs of her hands ... to bypass taking all the mag she needs orally. Or, if she hasn't tried it yet, perhaps she could back down on the ReMag and try taking some magnesium glycinate in the pill form to bring her total mag dosage to its optimum level, where she doesn't have those deficiency symptoms plus she doesn't have any unwanted laxative effect.
In my case, I've just been on the ReMag for about 2 weeks. Prior to that, I had worked up to large amounts of mag oil; however, the oil alone did not appear to be very effective in my case with a long-term stubborn mag deficiency (per my symptoms and the blood work I had done). I had apparently gone up in the dosage of ReMag a little too quickly, and while I felt fantastic with the way the ReMag was really helping my deficiency symptoms, I had developed that "flare" with soft stools. After I backed down on the ReMag for just a day, my bowels have stabilized, yet I also have more of my deficiency symptoms back. Because I've been severely deficient for likely several decades, plus have complications such as type 2 diabetes, thyroid and blood pressure/metabolic issues ... it's going to take me a longer time to reverse my deficiency.
It's quite the balancing act (or "dance") for some of us to reverse a mag deficiency without taking too much and having a laxative effect, or too little/wrong kind, which isn't effectively reversing the deficiency. Each person has to figure this out for themselves, usually by trial and error, and by paying close attention to your deficiency symptoms and how you react to different doses of the various sources of magnesium.
And you are right! When we're on various medications that deplete magnesium reserves, it usually means we need to up the amount of mag we're taking while on those meds. I hear what you're saying and that's scary to think of a full blown cramp coming on while driving or at work, etc. If it were me, I'd keep some ReMag in the water bottle with the sea salt with me at all times, but that's because it is the only magnesium version I've tried to date that I KNOW is decreasing my symptoms. And while we don't know for sure how much is being absorbed, from this and other discussions, I don't think we know for sure how much of ANY form of magnesium is being absorbed. Plus, I appreciate the fact that the ReMag appears to be going into the cellular level, which seems to be where my stressed body can actually grab on to and use it!
For YOU, I'm so glad the lotion works for you so well, and that being the case, perhaps keeping some with you and in the car may well be the ticket if you ever need it.
PS ... at my last GI doctor visit (and he was indeed right about everything, thanks so much, Tex!), my doctor did tell me that if I felt I needed it, he'd write the orders and I could go into the hospital to get magnesium through an IV. (I've had that done twice already; it's painful and not something I want to do again, but it's good info for people to know and it is another type of magnesium therapy that is available for those with severe deficiencies. It bypasses the issues of transdermal application as well as oral supplementation.)
~ Holly
2015 Hashimoto's, MTHFR
2016 LMC, Malabsorption
2017 Lymphocytic Dermatologic Vasculitis
"I strive to live in my heart, not in my head!"
2016 LMC, Malabsorption
2017 Lymphocytic Dermatologic Vasculitis
"I strive to live in my heart, not in my head!"
this emoji just felt right.....so frustrating sometimes trying to balance it all!Thanks Holly and Vanessa...you both helped a lot.
A little story to share:
My eye exam last year, which was at the Berkeley school of Optometry and the most thorough exam I have ever had, I asked about two thing; first, the constant twitching of my right eye, and, what to do about my dry eye situation. There are times when it appears that I am crying but really, it is my eyes just pouring out. So, the answer to the twitching was: Don't worry about it, it's just stress and the answer to the dry eyes was: you don't have dry eyes, the pores are blocked and you need to apply a warm towel towel to your eyes twice a day.
Here, I discovered, it is most likely a mag deficiency. Once I started on mag, and what little I have absorbed, the twitching went away, although returned a little bit last night, and the watering of the eyes has significantly decreased. I also used to get a cramp in my right thigh and left calf every night but that is now gone, as well. At my next eye exam I think I will mention magnesium, only to educate so that they can pass it on.
Thanks again for the clarification and I will continue with the ReMag.
A little story to share:
My eye exam last year, which was at the Berkeley school of Optometry and the most thorough exam I have ever had, I asked about two thing; first, the constant twitching of my right eye, and, what to do about my dry eye situation. There are times when it appears that I am crying but really, it is my eyes just pouring out. So, the answer to the twitching was: Don't worry about it, it's just stress and the answer to the dry eyes was: you don't have dry eyes, the pores are blocked and you need to apply a warm towel towel to your eyes twice a day.
Here, I discovered, it is most likely a mag deficiency. Once I started on mag, and what little I have absorbed, the twitching went away, although returned a little bit last night, and the watering of the eyes has significantly decreased. I also used to get a cramp in my right thigh and left calf every night but that is now gone, as well. At my next eye exam I think I will mention magnesium, only to educate so that they can pass it on.
Thanks again for the clarification and I will continue with the ReMag.
Diana
I'm sure curious about her math. Unfortunately, physicians are not known for their competency with mathematics. The chemical formula for magnesium chloride is MgCl2. The percent of magnesium in the compound can be found by dividing the atomic mass of magnesium by the atomic mass of the compound.Vanessa wrote:It is mag chloride but the dosage reads 1/2 teaspoon is 150 mg magnesium ( elemental).
The atomic mass of magnesium is 24.305
The atomic mass of chloride is 35.453
But according to the chemical formula for magnesium chloride, there are 2 chloride atoms for each magnesium atom.
Therefore the atomic mass of the compound (MgCL2) is 24.305 + 2 x 35.453 = 95.211
Dividing 24.305 by 95.211 gives 25.528 % magnesium in magnesium chloride.
Therefore 600 mg (2 tsp) of magnesium chloride contains 153.168 mg of elemental magnesium. 1 tablespoon would contain 76.584 mg of elemental magnesium. But Dr. Dean claims that it contains 4 times as much magnesium as what my calculations show. How can that be? Obviously, if her claims about the magnesium content of ReMag are correct, then ReMag cannot possibly be magnesium chloride.
In fact, in order to contain 150 mg of elemental magnesium in 1/2 teaspoon (1/2 teaspoon would be 150 mg of ReMag), the product would obviously have to be 100 % magnesium.
If anyone sees anything wrong with my math, please feel free to correct me.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Tex,
I definitely did not make it to calculus in highschool but I wonder if the size of the mag makes a difference? Ingredient lists Ionic Picometer-size Magnesium from Ionized Magnesium Chloride. Like I say I'm no mathematician so I hope I'm not embarrassing myself. Can you derive pure mag from mag chloride?
I need to find an outside lab to test it! Although I do have a lot of trust in what she says.
On side note, I hope we can leave you alone long enough for you to finish your pancreatic cancer book....
I definitely did not make it to calculus in highschool but I wonder if the size of the mag makes a difference? Ingredient lists Ionic Picometer-size Magnesium from Ionized Magnesium Chloride. Like I say I'm no mathematician so I hope I'm not embarrassing myself. Can you derive pure mag from mag chloride?
I need to find an outside lab to test it! Although I do have a lot of trust in what she says.On side note, I hope we can leave you alone long enough for you to finish your pancreatic cancer book....
Vanessa
Hey Diana,
Good plan on trying to spread the word....I definitely felt the difference with the ReMag, so it's doing something good! We are all snowflakes, so feel free to try different stuff and keep us posted! And I'm sure glad we have smarties like Tex helping us figure out what we are actually getting. My motto is question everything....but do what works for you.
Good plan on trying to spread the word....I definitely felt the difference with the ReMag, so it's doing something good! We are all snowflakes, so feel free to try different stuff and keep us posted! And I'm sure glad we have smarties like Tex helping us figure out what we are actually getting. My motto is question everything....but do what works for you.
Vanessa