Cathie do you take the klonopin for twitching? Also is slowmag better than normal mag.

your magnesium supplement is mostly oxide form. This is not appreciably absorbed from the GI tract. I'd suggest using another that is only a chelate,
with NO oxide.

If magnesium is over balanced by calcium you can have twitching. This may be happening to you...too much calcium in relation to mag.

I'd quit both, and see what happens. Then start a new mag and then later add the calcium. If you do one at a time, you can see the effects more clearly.

Twitching (fasciculations) can also be spasms.
Uncontrolled spasmodic episodes can be controlled
by the use of Baclofen.
Many spinal cord injury patients (who also suffer from all types
of neuropathies) are Rx'd Baclofen as an anti-spasmodic.

from my vitamin regime. I'll do anything to stop the twitching. I will be going to see neuro a month erlier than expected. My appointment was for December but I called them and basically told them that I really need to come sooner(a bit of pleading too).So she is seeing me end October. I need to last until then without these muscle meds,as I know my GP won't give me anything.

Thank goodness for MrsD... I don't know what we would do without her and a few others in the know on this board. I take Klonopin mainly for pain, though it also helps me rest better at night. I just noticed the twitching was better.

I don't know if SloMag is better or not, but it seems to me that MrsD had posted something about using that, so this is what I got...

Hope you can get this under control. It nearly drove me crazy...

Cathie

I will stop the calcium/magnesium for 2 weeks or so. To see if that will improve matters,but you are right about the crazy bit.Last night my anxiety was at a record record high.I could have gone out of my mind with stress over the twitching.As I lay there in bed,I knew only a miracle would let me fall asleep.

Calcium and magnesium work opposite of each other in the muscles.

Basically calcium enhances contraction, and magnesium relaxes.
The occurance of severe twitching suggests to me this balance is out of whack for you Aussie.

So stopping both (you probably get calcium in the diet already), will reduce the calcium at least. Some twitching may remain unless you eat magnesium rich foods for the stopping period. For example. 3 oz unsalted almonds have 270mg of mag... almost a whole RDA in fact. I have other food examples on that thread.
So try to eat wisely and get your mag that way.

Then after a couple or so weeks, bring in a good mag supplement (one without oxide in it) and see what happens. The Linus Pauling Institute has monographs on both calcium and magnesium to give you ideas about food choices.
Just Google them, and click on their website and put each one separately into the search box and it will bring up lots of info.

If nothing changes then when you stop both minerals, and you are eating wisely, then you have that information in hand for any neuro visit.
Also it might be useful to keep a diary... journal....containing what you eat all day at what times, and when the twitching is worse or better. This will show if you have blood sugar problems, or food intolerances.

I really hope you are right.This twitching can drive a person mad. I was so uncomfortable last night,and you know how my anxiety takes a hold of me. It's like a crule punishment.

Thank you for all your help.

When I was on narcotics for pain I had myoclonus. Sudden noises or surprises would make my entire body jump, one giant jackknifing twitch. But on a lesser scale, it was evident brief movements of large muscles groups where there'd be a big "contract" and then a slower "relax". Like, my ankle might suddenly twitch up, then gradually go down. Then an arm, a finger, my head. They fit the description myoclonus, which is associated with opioid painkillers.

Are you one pain meds?

I wish I was on painkillers...but I am not. I take Alka Seltzer, or panadol,or an anti-inflammatory for pain and depending upon which type of pain. These are all over the counter. In OZ they allow codeine over the counter,it is mixed with panadol.When in tremendous need I may take that but it's quite isolated as all it does is make me feel dizzy.

The twitching has eased up some though. But I just had an ankle twitch as I typed this.

I remember along time ago when I was hospitalised they put me on morphine.I had myoclonus on that and just as I was going to sleep I'd pop up in terror. As you say LJ, narcotics do cause some of these issues.