Magnesium?
 

What is the correct type (brand) and amount of magnesium one should take as a daily supplement?

Thank you,

Cliffman:)

Any Chelate = glycinate, citrate, gluconate, malate, taurate etc.

Magnesium in chloride form used in delayed release also works.
This is called SlowMag (generic =Mag64) It needs smaller doses because it works better for most people,

Topical forms applied to the target area, work well too.
There is Morton Epsom Lotion, Kirkman's cream, Epsom-It etc.
The Morton is what many of us use here.

Go for 1/2 the RDA to start. That is about 200mg elemental (except for SlowMag which is one tablet twice a day).

This is our Magnesium thread:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread1138.html

Magnesium blocks the NMDA pain receptors, and is helpful for pain control. Most people do not get enough magnesium thru the diet, and therefore are not functioning optimumly.

It's a personal preferece, however..
 

I had tried both glycinate and malate without noticing a difference in my symptoms. I then tried slow mag and for me it has helped the most. I take 1 with breakfast and one with dinner.

Not sure if you are still using gabapentin...

FYI - DO NOT take Magnesium in any form if you are on Gabapentin. It is counterintuitive. it will more than likely worsen your pain.

I take gabapentin and magnesium
 

together sometimes and I have not had any problems. However, since magnesium may decrease the amount of gabapentin your body absorbs it is suggested magnesium be taken 2 hours before gabapentin.

The Mayo Clinic website listed only these specific forms of magnesium in relation to gabapentin absorption:

Magnesium Carbonate
Magnesium Hydroxide
Magnesium Oxide
Magnesium Trisilicate

So, if you're worried you could take another chelate like glycinate, citrate, gluconate, malate, taurate etc.

The lotion would be a better alternative for some people
using gabapentin.

But spacing the oral would work too as long as no
gastroparesis is present.

Interesting, i have tried it with spacing and it didn't go well even then. The worst experience I ever had with it was the Magnesium Oil. (chloride Brine). it was extremely painful even in small amount. My neuro said that it was becuase of Gabapentin. Said, if taking gabapentin you really dont need any supplementation of magnesium.

Yes, still trying to work my way up to a level that will help with the pain. So far I can tolerate 100 mg in the morning and 200 mg at night, which does help but it is not enough. I'm trying to make the Gaba work because the other option is Lyrica. The Gaba effects my eyesight and makes me tired but I heard Lyrica does that too.

Thanks for the warning about the Magnesium!

Cliffman :)

Sorry Patrick that you have that severe a reaction to magnesium! I will be more mindful about the spacing because for me magnesium has been a game changer and I would hate to have to give it up!

I also use the magnesium lotion (Morton's Epsom Lotion) when needed at night and it has been a help especially for muscle pulling and/or twitching.

There is very little to be found on the net...about this potential interaction except for the absorption issue at the stomach level.

I did find this very high tech article on rats, involving injecting
directly into the spine...
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12766660

I have not found any studies yet on humans.

This drug has been used now for many years, with still vague expanations or no explanations on how it works.

The new theories involve calcium channels... and if this proves to be true, magnesium is a player in regards to the NMDA pain receptors which are calcium driven.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11966555

One would think Big Pharma could provide the needed evidence by now about mechanisms of action?

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9551785
This link contains a flurry of possible scenarios.

Magnesium as such is a NMDA antagonist and as such is valuable for pain relief. It might even be BETTER than gabapentin which shows only efficacy for about 30% of the people who use it.

I think at this point documentation of magnesium hindering gabapentin, once absorbed into the blood stream, is not compelling yet.

I'll keep looking later today.