Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Here you can share your experiences with substances that are ingested, inhaled, or otherwise consumed for the purpose of relieving RLS, other than prescription medications. For example, herbal remedies, nutritional supplements, diet, kratom, and marijuana (for now) should be discussed here. Tell others of successes, failures, side effects, and any known research on these substances. [Posts on these subjects created prior to 2009 are in the Physical Treatments forum.]

Important: Posts and information in this section are based on personal experiences and recommendations; they should not be considered a substitute for the advice of a healthcare provider.
doety
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Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by doety »

The man who teaches my Iyengar yoga class told me about this. His co-owner used it when she was pregnant, and supposedly it completely took care of her RLS. Anyone who watches these boards probably has seen my posts, and all the things I've tried. This is just another one of those things. I like what ViewsAskew says about trying something for two months before heralding a miracle cure. This is only one night!!! And I think we all know that ANYTHING (probably including the silly soap under your bed) WORKS FOR ONE NIGHt. Mostly, I'm posting to ask if anyone has heard of this or used it. I had one good night's sleep and we'll see what happens.

It's a homeopathic. Brand name: Hylands. The label is hard to read...I asked for magnesium salts. What I can read is: #8 Mag. Phos 6X Muscle Cramps and Pains. They are small white tablets, tasteless, put four under your tongue, three times a day and let dissolve.

Anyone? I'll let you know in a while, even if it doesn't work.

Polar Bear
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Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by Polar Bear »

I googled this and muscular twitching is one of the things it is supposed to help.

The formula in it is:
Magnesia Phosphorica 6X HPUS in a base of Lactose, N.F.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

badnights
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Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by badnights »

There was a guy on another board who swore his RLS relapsed completely due to his taking Mg. I tried it in the same dosage he had used without any effect, and I ended up wondering if perhaps he had something that was misdiagnosed as RLS (though I never mentioned that to him). So I'm interested to see how this experiment goes, doety.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
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I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

doety
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Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:25 pm

Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by doety »

Hi Beth: I'll certainly keep everyone posted. This site has been my lifeline to sanity and I've been on it for years. I've had RLS for about 15 years and have taken every awful drug any doctor gave me. I went through Sinemet and all the Parkinson drugs, then through all three of the categories. I took clonazepam for so long and just got off that (an incredibly hard process for me). I did it myself (a mistake), but will be getting help from a Kaiser group to get off Methadone. I know that's the latest thing to take, but I'm so tired of being controlled by these heavy drugs. It would be one thing if they worked, but they never have. If I took a lot more Methadone, I'm sure it would feel good, but I hate not being able to follow a conversation or drive without falling asleep, etc. etc.

So -- I promise you I have RLS. I'm sorry this stuff didn't work for you. The directions say to take it three times a day, unless your condition is acute, then you take it more. I can't remember what I said, but I took four of those tablets when I got to the parking lot and they dissolved immediately. I took them on schedule. The next day an hour or so after breakfast (when I had taken four of the tablets) I thought maybe I'd better take some more. The tablets just sat in my mouth and wouldn't dissolve. With no info to go on, I decided that meant I had enough in my system.

I'm flying blind. How long should I take them?? I don't know. But I plan to just take them 3 times a day, unless I feel like I'm about to get RLS, then I'll probably take them right then.

I'm sort of giddy, trying not to get too excited, but thinking of how I've shaped my life around having RLS and dreaming of what I can do if this is really true. I probably need to calm down. I like what Anne put on the discussion board about not really saying much until you've taken it for two months. That makes sense to me. I remember I got some of those magnetic things -- and they worked great for one night. I spent a lot of money and it lasted one night. By the way, the bottle of 500 tablets only costs about $6.

Did you take the exact brand, dosage, etc. that I did? I'm so sorry it didn't work for you, that's such a disappointment. I'll keep in touch.

badnights
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Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by badnights »

I chuckled as I read your post, not because anything about your (our) situation is funny but because I felt like I knew how you were feeling, and you put it so well. I sure do hope that stuff works for more than one night, and you can bet your butt I'll be taking them too, if they work for you!

I know what you're saying about the meds; I'm beginning to feel that myself. I don't know if it's just because I'm fogetting how horrible it was to have nothing to treat it with, but I'm starting to wonder if I should just clear all the drugs out of my system and try living on a free-wheeling timetable, sleeping if ever my body would let me and ...... well, that's absolutely nuts and wouldn't work, but I start to feel that way sometimes because I'm ruled by the meds now.

I only tried plain Mg pills, not this homeopathic phosphatic stuff you're trying, so no, I didn't try the same thing.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
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I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

doety
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Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by doety »

Beth, it's been three nights. (of course, I'm afraid to go to bed at night...the RLS might come back). Little more info: If my body likes Magneseum, one would think I'm deficient. I looked at a recent test and the magnesium number is within the limits. All this time, I've been corresponding with a former high school classmate, who's bored and loves to research stuff and he's been studying my "case" for several years...he found several places on the web that say those tests aren't reliable. I know that's vague.

I just got a horrid cold...usually that means my RLS goes crazy. Now, it seems to be interfering a little.

I should say this: It's not like after 15 years, I've gone back to some "normal" way of sleeping. I don't think I ever had that -- my mother said I walked in my sleep when I was little. The RLS kicked in horribly when I was in menopause. Before that, my husband remembers that I got up frequently. Most recently, I would go to bed (medicated) and after a few hours, RLS "threw" me out of bed. It would be quite a while before I could go back to bed. I might get up 6 or 7 times before I finally got up about 5. I could only make the RLS stop by running around, sometimes going outside for a fast walk, etc. I'd have coffee, then usually go back to bed and have a nice sleep and get up about 9. Weird, hmmm? Now, I get up but it doesn't feel bad. I've asked doctors, and I've posted on the board, about the awful feeling I would have in my feet, but nobody seems to relate. So far now, that hasn't happened. What a relief.

Now, of course, I'm hoping this will happen to someone else! I'd like a little reinforcement about what's going on with me. (and I have to say that I'm never sure why anything happens -- I've just come through withdrawal and I'm still on Methadone. Who knows what all that causes.) AND, it's only been a few days. Cross your fingers.

doety
Posts: 486
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:25 pm

Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by doety »

After three days of peace, etc., that dream is over. Beth, I'm so sorry, for myself and all of us. I hoped of course that this could be a huge answer, but I should have known better. I'm furious right now. Carelessly I slammed into my bookcase a few minutes ago, my lip is bleeding, and I expect some bruises. I don't know why I'm angry at myself, but I am. I kept telling myself not to get too excited, so I just tried to enjoy it and God knows I did. But the fall to earth is damn hard.

Just at three complete days, I was sitting in front of the fireplace, contemplating how wonderful it would be to go to my yoga class and tell my teacher about this miracle, when "it" grabbed me. (I think of RLS as an "it" and I hate it). I had a pain in my upper thigh and I thought it might stop there, but it was the whole thing, including the way I feel when I wake up.

I'm trying to prop myself back up, thinking if it could happen for three days, there must be a way for that to be longer. It still seems like some deficiency plays a part (I'm basing this on the way the pills would disappear in my mouth at times, and just sit there at other times, oh, I don't know. My researching friend has sent me four websites and I'll put these on here later. One is from the National Institutes of Health and says that magnesium found in urine is not indicative of magnesium deficiency. That makes me wonder about all the results we get.

Anyway, I'll save that for a while. I hate to start the new year feeling like this.

badnights
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Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by badnights »

Oh doety!!! But when I look at your story from the outside, I see something very positive. You had three days without being tortured! Maybe the Mg salts are not a cure-all, but either they or something else is helping. Maybe it's them, or maybe your body is re-adjusting in a positive way to having no clonazepam, or maybe it's something else. But whatever it is, it's a good thing! There will more such days to look forward too, too bad we can't predict them.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
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I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

doety
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Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by doety »

Hi Beth: I'm sure I don't have to tell you how far down I fell...the idea of being able to live my life without this was so thrilling. For a few days I slammed things around and hurt myself, being so angry. What struck me in the middle of not having it was that it could be "cured" by something so simple. And I wonder if that won't be the case, when we finally figure it out. At my craziest, I could see myself heralding this new thing, making everyone so happy!!! So, now I step back, don't reject anything new, be SO SO careful with drugs, and get back on the track of living my life the best I can. My daughter got so excited, too. She's watching me closely, because although she denies it, she'll probably get it in a few years. My prayer has always been there'd be a solution before then.

I just talked to my cousin, whose husband is having chemo. When he goes in for treatments, they give him something and they tell him it will cause Restless Legs. Imagine, having to sit there for a long time with this mess, not moving. He'd never experienced it, of course, but now he's MUCH more sympathetic when my cousin gets it. That situation is what truly terrifies me about getting old, possibly incapacitated in some way. I'm 68 now, trying to take care of myself, but I will be wielding my cane in a vicious way if that happens and anyone who's close better beware.

Polar Bear
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Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by Polar Bear »

Doety, I am so sorry for your disappointment.

I wholeheartedly feel for you when you speak of the possibility of being incapacitated
and coping with rls/wed because this also is one of my greatest fears.

It makes me wonder perhaps how many elderly folks in care homes are sitting all
day in a chair looking into space, drugged to the hilt with sedatives,
just because perhaps their rls/wed is not being given the proper
recognition, treatment and medication.
Betty
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 0/fulltext
Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation

badnights
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Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by badnights »

I laughed out loud. It's NOT funny, it's one of my horrors too, but the image of an old lady lashing about with a cane was very funny.

Hope is delicious, isn't it? I'm not surprised you grasped at the hope. It's tricky to find a reasonable balance somewhere inbetween not daring to hope and wild hope. I must say, despite the uplift and subsequent crash, you're sounding good.

I wish I could inflict RLS/WED on some people I know. Boyoboy, then they would understand!!
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

doety
Posts: 486
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:25 pm

Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by doety »

Well, I'm still going to take the magic little tablets just for the hell of it. I want to leave myself open for another miracle. And if I do, believe me I'll let everyone know.

jstep
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Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by jstep »

Doety,
I'm new to this site, but after reading your experience I have to say how sorry I am that you had such a disappointment. But as far as trying for the "miracle", how many of us haven't done just that and will continue to reach and dream of the day we are "cured". I see myself in so many of these posts, and it somehow 'verifies' that maybe I am not crazy after all. And even better than that, I am not alone. I have bought all the vitamins recommended and am also taking magnesium. My brother researched my condition and sent me 2 large bottles of magnesium that is mixed in water or juice. He also sent me a spray that is used twice daily. I will have to say that I have sprayed my legs when they were hurting to the point that I thought I would scream and I have at times had temporary relief. There must be something to maagnesium because I have read it so many times. But how much and how to take it? Thank you for sharing your experience with the rest of us. I hope to log on someday and see a post from you sharing your "miracle".

jstep (Jamie)

ViewsAskew
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Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by ViewsAskew »

I can't promise this is accurate because memory fails me more and more, but I do believe magnesium has been studied and found to not be effective. Why so many references to it? Maybe because it can help cramping and people get cramps and WED confused. Or maybe because many people had a similar reaction to Doety - it was effective for a short time, but they'd already said it worked. Or, maybe it was better because we felt it would be - as with pain, WED is highly subject to our perceptions about it. We can think it away....sometimes. Now, if only we could control that!

Then there's always my second favorite reason - the WED just coincidentally was better. Humans have a strong need to attach reasons to things. But, we're rarely conducting a double blind study when we do it, lol...the result? We're sure something is responsible for something else, when it's not.

And, my top favorite problem: people can write anything they want to and we believe them. Why? Because they wrote it. If someone writes it - particularly a book or article, but that includes a web article - it must be true. People write things all the time that aren't true. From marketing stretches of the truth to lies to people falsely believing something, we're inundated with lot of things that are not true, cannot be proven, and have often already been disproved.

Part of the problem - and probably a large part - is that there are many contributing factors and several genes associated with WED. That means that what works for some of us won't work for others. There are also so many levels of it, from the version my husband has - it bothers him for 10-30 minutes about once every 3-4 months - to the 24/7 that some of our members have. Some have pain - something I can't comprehend as mine doesn't hurt at all. And that complicated it further - some people have actual painful WED, yet others have non-painful and have a different pain issue happening, such as neuropathy or leg cramps. So, this person might try something and the pain goes away and they think they solved the painful RLS.

And, think about it. Some people really find that soap in their bed helps! I don't know how long it helps most people - 1 night? 2? 5? - but just last week someone told me they know a person who has used soap for months and it still works. The irony of this is that the doctor who originally suggested it recanted it and said he only meant it for leg cramps, not WED, and that it wouldn't work for WED. So, it's not supposed to work, but some people say it does.

Talk about complicated!

And, to me, that's what makes it one of the nastiest diseases to have from a psychological perspective. You hear of other people's successes and you try to mimic it...but it doesn't work. or only works for a short period. And you are hopeful, then excited, then let-down. But, you don't know if it every worked for them in the first place, if you have what they have, if they really had RLS or if they did have it if they had it like you had it or....yeesh.

I wish I were immune to all the happy stories. I wish I were Dr Spock of Star Trek fame and could separate my emotions out of this and look at everything with calm, cool detachment.

So far, though, I haven't managed that. But, I'll keep trying.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

doety
Posts: 486
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:25 pm

Re: Magnesium Salts...your experience??

Post by doety »

thanks, Anne. There's a big article in the recent Nightwalkers about magnesium. I believe the gist is that mag has little effect and if it does, you don't have RLS. I'd be fine with saying I don't have RLS! But still, I'm a person with legs that are restless and I have to deal with that. So I plod along, trying various things. At this point, I'm very suspicious about the drugs I've been taking, wondering whether they're a big part of the problem. But, who knows. Okay, clonazepam down. I know some people think I'm crazy for trying to get off Methadone -- even Dr. B questioned that. Some said why don't I just take it the rest of my life. But it presents many problems for me, even though it helps my symptoms for a few hours. And I think my body wants more and more of it. So I'll try to get off that and see what happens. I'm assured by all docs that the RLS will of course still be there and it will be bad. If that's true, I hope to try something else that doesn't give me so many problems.

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