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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Magnesium
        
(Message started by: findjoshua on Jan 7^th, 2007, 6:00pm)

Title: Magnesium
Post by findjoshua on Jan 7^th, 2007, 6:00pm

Has anyone heard that Magnesium helps prevent CH's? I went to a neurologiest once who wanted to actually give me an injection of Mangesium during one of my cycles. I didn't do it because the doctor kinda weirded me out. I only ask b/c I see some CH suffers get relief from night attacks from Melatonin, and I was just reading my bottle of Melatonin and it contains Magnesium. So..just thought I'd ask.

Thanks,
Joshua

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by michellepaul on Jan 7^th, 2007, 6:44pm

Absolutely. According to "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" by Phyllis A. Balch and James Balch M. D. people who get Migraine type headaches usually have a dificiency in Magnesium. Although Migraines and Clusters are different, some of the symptoms are the same. According to the book, a recommended daily amount would be up to 1000 mg/day. Usually, a dosage of Calcium is also recommended to balance out the Magnesium. Refer to a local herbalogist or naturalist for more info.

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by Barry_T_Coles on Jan 7^th, 2007, 8:00pm

Hi Josh

I’ve been taking Magnesium & Taurine since April 06 & it is certainly helping me, I’m chronic but am currently 98 days pain free with no shadows above a KIP 3.

It took some time for it to take effect (about 3 months) but my periods of being PF have gradually increased to where I am at now.

My dosage is 1 X 500ml three times a day of the Taurine & the Magnesium

It’s certainly worth a try.

Cheers
Barry

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by findjoshua on Jan 7^th, 2007, 8:07pm

Hi Barry,

Thanks! Is that 100 % over the counter? I will pick up the necessary supplies if it is.

Off to bed, hoping that I'll sleep through the night for the first time in a week.

I keep rubbing and pressing my head hoping I'll find that magic "off switch" for the clusters... :) It's like the 'holy grail' for me. I know it doesn't exist, but it's still my little game, gets me through the pain.

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by michellepaul on Jan 7^th, 2007, 8:09pm

That's promising. My husband had gone off of the magnesium because it seemed to stop working. He was taking 1000 mg/day but only for about a month. 3 months, that's interesting. I think we'll give it another try.

Taurine? Could you tell me a little more about that?

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by Shedz on Jan 7^th, 2007, 8:23pm

Taurine is found in most energy drinks like Red Bull. I'm not sure of the science bit but i've found that downing a couple of cans at the first sign of a hit helps to abort it.

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by michellepaul on Jan 7^th, 2007, 8:41pm

Thanks, I found some info. on Taurine. Looks like (I copied this from "Prescriptions for Nutritional Healing") high concentrations of Taurine are found in the heart muscle, white blood cells, skeletal muscle, and central nervous system. It is a building block of all the other amino acids as well as a key component of bile, which is needed for the digestion of fats, the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, and the control of serum cholesterol levels.

Taurine has a protective effect on the brain, particularly if the brain is dehydrated. The section goes on and on in the book but basically one can find it naturally in the following foods:

eggs, fish, meat, and milk

I would imagine that the Red Bull would be the fastest way to get it into your system though.

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by Guiseppi on Jan 7^th, 2007, 10:34pm

About 4 years ago, my neuro put me on magnesium, calcium and vitamin B-2. (Not B-12 as I've read on several other posts but B-2) I've been taking it religously, had the longest remission ever, 2.5 years, followed by the longest cycle ever, 8.5 months. I'm still not sure about the cause and effect but I'll stay on the supplements and hope it's helping!

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by michellepaul on Jan 7^th, 2007, 10:58pm

Would you tell what your dosage amounts are on the suppliments you're taking?

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by Guiseppi on Jan 7^th, 2007, 11:11pm

I take 400 mg of Magnesium, 100 mg of Vitamin B-2, (makes your pee look like Tang, don't panic!!!!) 500 mg of calcium with 200 IU of Vitamin D(?? don't know what an IU is!) Like I said, I had a 2.5 year remission longest ever. My subsequent cycle was the longest ever too but I am currently blaming it on my first usage of trex jabs.

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by michellepaul on Jan 8^th, 2007, 1:31am

I'm thrilled to hear about your remission. Even thinking about a holiday for my hub would be quite a happy event.

oh, I get it. Trex jabs, so you think you were rebounding? My hub takes 100mg ULtram up to 3x/day and then alternates (when the pain gets bad enough) it with no more than 100mg (max dose 200 mg/per day) imitrex tabs. Injections are way too expensive. Used to be able to get them in Mexico, but now they're even getting too expensive.

Rock on with your remission.

michelle

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by Barry_T_Coles on Jan 8^th, 2007, 2:07am

Here’s a link to a piece I wrote the about a month ago about my trial with Taurine.
http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi?board=chspecific;action=display;num=1162005663

There’s some other interesting things that I have come across while I have been reading up on it; Taurine levels are higher in pregnancy & lactating mothers & is important in the brain development of the unborn child, what is interesting about this is that some women report that they don’t go into CH cycles while pregnant.
Another interesting thing and this is my opinion only is that if you look at the chemical reaction of taurine once it hits the bile acids it turns into H²O²hydrogen peroxide, it appears that this happens very quickly & has a lasting effect.
Effectively as I see it you are getting an extra molecule of oxygen from the reaction & as H²O² is self oxygen generating it therefore doesn’t scavenge oxygen from the rest of your system.

Here’s a link to the Blog I have been keeping about the trial; there’s one thing that I have to change in the Blog and that’s the KIP levels I posted, they are wrong as I was reading the KIP scale wrong, where I have said that I had a KIP 3 it really was a 8 therefore add 5 to any of the Kip’s stated in the Blog.
http://au.blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-oT2JJXMzerQyQBygCRv3YiMCJuzW

This link will give you an idea about Taurine.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurine

Hope this helps
Regards
Barry

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by floridian on Jan 8^th, 2007, 6:28am

Magnesium is worth a try - some evidence that it helps half of people with clusters.

http://www.med-owl.com/clusterheadaches/tiki-index.php?page=Magnesium

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by Ob1kanobee on Jan 8^th, 2007, 11:55am

Hi all. I was taking 400mg of liquid Magnesium 1x daily. One of the side effects of magnesium is increased bowell movement (diareah) from what I understand. I had no problem with that until I would drink a red Bull as an abort and man did my stomach go haywire.

I was on the toilet every 10 minutes sometimes 3 to 5 times consecutively. My stomach was making so much noise it sounded like a volcano erupting.

I stoped the magnesium and went to a lower dose. I'm now using something called MigraHealth that I found at the checkout at Wallgreens. It contains B2 200mg, Magnesium 150mg, Feverfew 50mg.

I suspect the Taurine in the Red Bull was magnifying the intensity of the Magnesium. It was also liquid Magnesium vs. the non liquid Magnesium in the Migrahealth.

Was curious if there is any substance to my theory and has anyone else had this experience?

I am also taking Kudzu, and I honestly feel it is putting some time in between my attacks and making them less severe.

I also bought a twist tube of that Head On, and it did seam to help with the residual pain. Thing is, it only works twice, then you must completely was your forehead to get a fresh base to start with. Applying layers upon old layers will give you no effect. if you don't feel like walking around with ice on your head for residual, I would suggest to try it. It is also oderless.

There is also a shampoo on the market called Ice Cap from Grahm Webb hair products. It is also nice for residual pain as it provides a cool tingleling effect all over your scalp. You can only use it two to three times a week though, as i have found its effect isn't as refreshing if used more than that. I'm sure there are others that have the same ingredients, just check around, but I know that one works well.

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by Ob1kanobee on Jan 8^th, 2007, 11:59am

Title: Re: Magnesium
Post by sandie99 on Jan 10^th, 2007, 4:33am

Joshua,
I take every day magnesium tablet, which has 350mg of it. I have been taking it ever since 2003. In the beginning actually taking one of them just as a hit begun it did help.

PF days,
Sanna