Concerned about excessive sleepiness

hollyweb · Post by **hollyweb** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 3:58 pm

It certainly seems strange to be writing about this, as I've had insomnia for most of my adult life. However, the past week or so, I've noticed that whenever I sit down, my head falls over and I fall deeply asleep (feels like I'm barely breathing)! It can last from a few seconds if I catch myself, to hours. It's to the point where it's preventing me from doing even simple tasks and it's worrisome as it feels almost like a drugged type of stupor. It is every day, and I don't wake up refreshed. Since I've been sleeping so much during the day, it takes me about 10-15 minutes to fall asleep at night, but I do, and sleep well.

My first thoughts were either it was the antihistamines or the magnesium that I'm taking. However, I've not taken Benadryl in several weeks and alternate taking a Zyrtec or an Allegra only every other day, so am taking fewer antihistamines than before this "sleeping sickness" started. I've been backing off on the magnesium, and so far, a little more anxiety has crept in, but fortunately no more severe foot/calf muscle cramping like I had when starting the ReMag.

There's nothing else that's changed in my diet or supplements, except for the fact that as of around this time-frame, I've stopped the probiotic VSL3 and the l-Glutamine I was taking, and I'm taking fewer digestive enzymes. My mc is pretty controlled, and I'm grateful. But I'm worried about what could be causing this amount and level of falling asleep! Has anyone else experienced this? Could the ReMag I've been taking be causing such a detoxification that it's exhausting me so completely? Or should I be worried and see a doctor (which I really don't want to do as I've no idea what they might want to do)?

Thank you for any of your thoughts! This is just so strange, and I'm starting to get a bit scared.

~ Holly

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 4:05 pm

There are loads of inputs that would/can contribute to fatigue

- healing takes energy
-clearing toxins takes energy
- deficiencies in mag, VIt D3, B group, iodine etc etc all contribute to fatigue

sleep wise - for my combo of health issues I need at least 8 hours sleep/rest a night to feel good, ideal is about 9-10 (yes i do get up 1-2 times a night to wee)
if I am feeling poorly or had stressful day, it takes me 12 hours of rest/sleep to recover.

with the diet changes, the supplement changes etc that you have made, it is a big adjustment for your body. listen to your body, it is encouraging you to rest and nuture yourself.

if you are worried about the fatigue then things like active B12, CoQ10 are very good for helping to increase energy.

hollyweb · Post by **hollyweb** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 4:19 pm

Thank you, Gabes! My B12 levels are extremely high, as are my B and D levels, and they have been for months. I feel I'm getting enough rest at night (9-10 hours) and if it were only a nap during the day, I wouldn't be so concerned. This truly feels like I'm almost drugged. My instinct says it's not a time to push further through my mag deficiency; at my recent ND appointment, we muscle tested plus she did my foot bath and told me I was taking a bit too much mag and to stop the transdermal form(s) and go down to 1 1/2 tsp of ReMag per day. My bowels agree with that.

While I hate the thought of yet another supplement, perhaps the CoQ10 might be good for me, thank you for that suggestion. I definitely need some energy! It would seem that it must be something related to the fact that my body finally has some magnesium, and perhaps this excessive sleepiness is a result of something my body is trying to do (or is doing) that it hasn't been doing in a very long time? And this sleeping stuff is EVERY day, now, with days in a row of my not doing anything to recover from!

But perhaps I shouldn't be so quick to think it's the magnesium, or a magnesium interaction; it could be something else. The timing just suggests it has to do with the mag supplementation / possible interaction changes, and especially since I was feeling so much better after being on ReMag for about 6 weeks. Normally, antihistamines don't make me sleepy, and I've taken them as needed for decades.

~ Holly

hollyweb · Post by **hollyweb** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 5:08 pm

Just did a bit more research and this subject comes up a lot on celiac forums. Perhaps I'm at a particular juncture in the elimination process? Or perhaps I'm being unknowingly "glutened"? Or perhaps I'm now producing antibodies to something new after being on such a selective diet for several months?

Does this sound familiar to anyone? I'm concerned about driving on the freeway! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

~ Holly

Gabes-Apg · Post by **Gabes-Apg** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 5:12 pm

Holly
having a high B12 level in blood test can also be an indicator that you are actually LOW on active/bioavailable/usable B12.

Its something that has occurred to a few people here,
some previous discussions

http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... t=high+b12
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... t=high+b12
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... t=high+b12
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... t=high+b12

things like fatigue, headaches etc is the bodies way to make us slow down, rest, nurture, maybe that is what you body needs right now
like many of us since joining the board and reading and learning, you have been doing lots of thinking and focus on 'getting better'
you are 3 months into the healing journey..

Post by **tex** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 5:48 pm

Side Effect - Drowsiness

Drowsiness is a common side effect to experience if you are taking a magnesium supplement. Side effects of magnesium should be mild and disappear as usage continues. It is possible for magnesium to interact with medications and other supplements, so be sure to review your current medications before you begin a magnesium supplement.

Severe Drowsiness

Initial drowsiness is thought to be a side effect of taking a magnesium supplement, but if the drowsiness becomes severe this could be a sign of an overdose, according to the Mayo Clinic. An overdose of magnesium is rare, but can happen to you if you do not experience normal kidney function. The rarity of severe drowsiness is what makes this side effect particularly alarming. If you are experiencing persistent drowsiness while taking a magnesium supplement it could be a sign of a more dangerous medical situation.

Magnesium Supplements & Drowsiness

FWIW I had that problem a couple of months ago, especially in the afternoons (but it sometimes happened in the mornings, also).

I cut a 100 mgs off my daily magnesium supplement and the problem seems to have pretty much faded away.

This can happen if the kidneys are unable to handle the volume of magnesium being removed from the bloodstream because of excessively high magnesium absorption. As quoted above, this can also happen due to interactions with medications or other supplements.

Tex

hollyweb · Post by **hollyweb** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 5:52 pm

Gabes, thank you so much for your consistent care and all that you do for each of us! We'd sure be lost without you!

My journey began with the discovery of my MTHFR gene mutations, so I've been on methylated B's since November 2015, including high dose methylated B12. Remember, it took me awhile to find this forum! Truly, what's happening to me now feels more like narcolepsy. You're absolutely right, all the diet changes (which also began in November 2015, albeit with some mistakes along the way from conflicting research done re Paleo diet, etc., but not mc-related, plus prior to EnteroLab) and supplement changes are huge for the body to go through, and of course the emotional aspect on top of all else too.

This is not a regular type of fatigue. This is a reaction of some sort. And it's scary, I really feel drugged!

~ Holly

hollyweb · Post by **hollyweb** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 6:04 pm

Thank you, Tex! This was kind of along the lines I was thinking, and hoping that someone else with mc and who'd had a severe mag deficiency might have had a similar experience. I've cut out the topical magnesium and was only taking 2 Dr's Best Chelated Mag Glycinate a week, but will stop those completely and make sure I don't take more than 1 1/2 tsp a day of the ReMag and see how that goes.

With all the changes and adjustments to life with mc, it's easy to get overwhelmed when that next thing shows up! And having so much brain fog anyway, well, it's just really scary.

~ Holly

Post by **tex** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:10 pm

Holly,

Magnesium in the gut does not cause drowsiness, nor does it overload the kidneys. Those symptoms are caused by too much magnesium in the blood. The ReMag is the most likely problem, because it's so highly absorbable. One and a half tsp is equivalent to at least 450 mg of magnesium glycinate. The RDA for women is 320 mg.

Are you by any chance taking L-Lysine or methionine? They make me feel drugged.

Tex

crervin · Post by **crervin** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:41 pm

holly,

I would reduce the remag to see what happens. In Dr deans book, she says to increase if you're still not sleeping so I'd do the opposite. Anytime I add additional mag in the oral form (remag or nonbuffered), I get a strange symptom. I have decided for now, I must have enough. While my kids are at school, I'm covering myself in oil and having foot soaks.

Request a test has an RBC mag test for $49. You just go to a lab near you.

I take zyrtec at night too. I've noticed it makes me sleepy after 3 or 4 hours.

Its very overwhelming when something else shows up, just when you think you have figured this out.....

Take care!!

Post by **tex** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:44 pm

Of course if it's actually narcolepsy, then you probably need more magnesium:

What therapies does Dr. Weil recommend for narcolepsy?
According to Rubin Naiman, Ph.D., author and sleep specialist at the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, medications such as Provigil help people with sleep disorders to function more normally by masking symptoms of sleepiness. They do not treat the underlying cause of the disorders. Nor do they address the mental-emotional- spiritual aspects of the basic human need to sleep and dream.

While he agrees that medications may be necessary in the treatment of acute cases of narcolepsy, Dr. Naiman suggests those with the condition can learn to sleep more healthily by optimizing general nutrition; eliminating alcohol, caffeine and nicotine, exercising regularly and napping routinely for 15-20 minutes as needed. Nutrients that can help manage narcolepsy include calcium and magnesium, choline, chromium picolinate, coenzyme Q10, omega-3 fatty acids, B vitamins, vitamin C complex (including bioflavonoids) and vitamins D and E. Some research suggests that the supplement 5-HTP may help those with narcolepsy by reducing the duration of cataplexy and improving nighttime sleep.

In addition, food intolerances may be linked to narcolepsy. Ask your physician (or a nutritionist) about an elimination diet. Wheat, dairy products, corn and chocolate are the foods most commonly implicated. Dr. Naiman further recommends breathing exercises to manage stress, and encourages the recording of dreams in a journal to better understand them and to explore the psychological and spiritual impact of sleep disorders.

Narcolepsy

Tex

hollyweb · Post by **hollyweb** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:57 pm

Thank you Martha and Tex!

That's a great reminder about the blood test; I've never had the RBC Magnesium blood test, only the serum version, and I've always been flagged low for those. And maybe I too should try taking the antihistamine at night. Having mc plus all the lifestyle changes definitely affects many things, I've found, and can be like a domino effect. So how things have been in the past is just that ... in the past. Thank you all for your insights!

Tex, while I've taken l-Lysine in the past, I've not taken it for many years, nor have I ever taken the other.

I did notice in researching the tie-in with narcolepsy and auto-immune disorders plus food intolerances. Yikes! I sure hope this is not what's going on.

I hear what you're saying about the ReMag. You understand it seems to be the only form of mag that has worked for me, plus I'm trying to fix a long-term deficiency. In order to fix a deficiency, it's been my understanding that one needs to be at a therapeutic dose of mag for a couple of months before tapering down to an amount closer to the RDA.

But with symptoms like these, perhaps my therapeutic level will need to be lower than most, and I may need to stay there longer. Or, it may be totally different! Either way, my naturopathic doctor muscle tested me (and my test was the same) for 1 1/2 tsp of ReMag per day. However, maybe I should go down to 1 1/4 tsp per day and see how things go. If I start getting cramps etc. again (my anxiety is already raised on the reduced amount I'm on now) perhaps adding back a Dr's Best Chelated would be better than upping the ReMag initially.

And while it could be that if I were to reduce certain supplements or not eat turkey (tryptophan?) etc., the magnesium wouldn't be causing an interaction (if, in fact, it is doing that). However, it seems reducing the mag amount might be the first thing to try.

Thank you again!

~ Holly

hollyweb · Post by **hollyweb** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:09 pm

I just had another thought ... maybe the magnesium I've been taking is starting to work on my insulin resistance. Maybe I'm having some blood sugar changes as some of these systems are getting "revived" after being stuck so long? Blood sugar changes could certainly cause these sorts of symptoms. In my reading I also came across the fact that magnesium tends to lower blood pressure, and a change in blood pressure of even 10 degrees can cause similar symptoms.

Regardless, think taking less ReMag is where I should start! Symptoms are definitely there to help us and warn us, and hopefully, this weird sleepiness is not something major but just a guide for how to navigate this portion of fixing my magnesium deficiency in the best way for my individual overall health.

~ Holly

crervin · Post by **crervin** » Mon Sep 12, 2016 8:09 pm

Dr Dean says to shoot between 6.0 - 6.5 on the RBC mag test. Just don't use any mag for 24 hours prior to the test. Please keep us updated. You will be in my thoughts and prayers!

hollyweb · Post by **hollyweb** » Tue Sep 13, 2016 10:25 am

Thank you, Martha! This is quite an experience. The foot/calf cramps started early this morning after reducing my magnesium and ReMag, along with panic attack-like symptoms of anxiety. So, I've increased my magnesium intake of ReMag and adding a Dr's Best back in. This feels like a very delicate balance of feeling incredibly sleepy, wanting to nod off each waking minute, vs having a heart-pounding panic attack!

Believe it or not, there is a weird similarity to the two states of being. I'm wondering if the magnesium is affecting the anti-anxiety meds I've taken for 20 years. This is really scary stuff. I actually need to drive 1 1/4 hours each way to my psychiatrist today and I'm scared to death! Times like this it would be lovely to have someone who could drive me!

~ Holly