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Letters about migraine and treatment with magnesium

blue check If you have used magnesium to treat migraine headaches or other medical conditions, we would like to hear from you. Email on this subject will be passed on to interested researchers. Send email to Email: paulmason@mgwater.com

If you have QUESTIONS, please contact us.

35. An Offhand Remark…

On July 3, 2000 Anne wrote:

For about 3 years, I have suffered from migraines about every two weeks. If I stayed away from fatty foods and sweets, sometimes I could go as long as 4 - 5 weeks.

My last migraine was exactly two weeks ago. I do not have one today. I have been taking magnesium supplements for about 10 days. I take one 250 mg in the morning and one 250 mg at night. Could this actually be the answer to the end of migraines? I'm almost afraid to hope. It's too soon to tell, since it has only been two weeks.

An off-hand remark from an acquaintance about how magnesium was helping her feet problems (I'm not sure why her feet hurt her so much) was the reason I decided to try it. It never occurred to me that it might help prevent migraines.

34. Thanks For A Simple And Elegant Cure

On May 18, 2000 Shelley wrote:

After a migraine that lasted nearly a week, I looked to the web for info on how to manage the situation, and found the [mgwater] website. Very impressive!

Impressed enough to supplement my diet with the mineral. After finding that magnesium oxide supplements did not agree with me, I now take magnesium glycinate on a daily basis, and have cut migraine frequency to a quarter of what I had suffered before. Thanks for a simple and elegant cure.

I would have liked to say that I had stopped a migraine in its tracks with supplementation, which I had tried, and almost managed to do so, but I was too far gone by that time.

I would like commentary from you and my fellow readers regarding the current craze to feed Americans calcium supplements, not only as a cure for osteoporosis, but now as a way to ease PMS symptoms.

33. Magnesium For Migraines

On April 30, 2000 Martha wrote:

My neurologist prescribed magnesium for migraines. It has helped.

32. Lucky Me

On April 28, 2000 Sharon wrote:

I had my first migraine headache at age 8, and suffered with them all my life. After menopause they became less frequent, but I still occasionally would get them. At that time they were usually associated with changing atmospheric pressure.

I never associated them with mineral deficiency, but since I've been taking calcium/magnesium/zinc combination morning and night, I rarely have a headache at all. I can distinguish oncoming migraine from other headaches, and when I feel one coming on, usually I know if it's going to develop into a headbanger or not. Rarely do I have to take any medication anymore, and now I use naproxen sodium only...no more prescriptions. Lucky me.

31. Migraine Treatment with Magnesium

On April 28, 2000 Catherine wrote:

I am a 26-year-old woman living in Canada. I live an average lifestyle and work in a climate controlled office. I have no real food allergies yet I have been a long time sufferer of migraines. Many people attribute the attacks to something that I have eaten but there has never been any kind of correlation.

Last year I experienced an extreme migraine that lasted in varying degrees from August until October. Within that time I had tried many different drugs to try and alleviate the pain of the migraines. Few pain relievers could even touch this pain. Many days I would try to go to sleep but the pain was so severe that I needed to surround my head with ice packs to gain even a modicum of relief.

After being put on short-term disability at work due to the intensity of the attacks, I visited a neurologist who prescribed Amitryptoline. It is an awful drug with many side affects that can be worse than the migraines themselves. I experienced a loss of hearing in one ear and rapidly changing mood swings. I completely lost my appetite for a month and a half. I also sank into a deep depression. This was all induced by the medication to treat my migraines.

I was told never to tell my life insurance company that I was taking this medication as they would surely cancel my policy. They would not believe that the drug was for migraines and not to treat depression.

In order to be able to get up in the morning for work and be able to function without falling asleep I had to take this drug at 6:00 PM every night and was out like a light by 8:30 PM at the very latest.

I endured the side effects of the Amitryptoline for 3 months and much of my life suffered worse than during the migraine attacks. The same neurologist decided to try a different approach. He prescribed to me 600 mg of magnesium and 400 mg of riboflavin (B2). I was to take this dosage daily.

Believe it or not it helped. I went from suffering from a migraine on a daily basis to twice a week initially. After being on the regime for 12 weeks, I was only suffering attacks during pressure changes in the atmosphere. These attacks were minimal compared to the suffering I had experienced before.

30. Fewer Migraines!

On April 12, 2000 Allen wrote:

Magnesium supplementation seems to works for me. I have neck and back problems (oesteoarthritis) which normally turn into migraines. The back pain turns to neck pain which somehow causes what feels like sinus pain which turns into a migraine. Imitrex normally fixes it, so I'm assuming that it is a migraine. I haven't had any problems lately and I've been supplementing magnesium each day for 3-4 weeks. I'm currently supplementing 383 mg from Life Extension Mix (www.lef.org), and taking another 400 mg before bed.

Also, my wife is a type I diabetic. She also has sprue and although she avoids wheat, she sometimes still has what seems like digestion/absorption problems as reflected in her blood sugars. She has had a couple DKA episodes and her magnesium has always been low. She is taking supplements now and has had fewer migraines and has had no serious episodes.

29. If This Will Help One Person…

On March 10, 2000 Shirley wrote:

I went looking for a migraine message board online for the purpose of passing on my experience. I hope I'm not speaking too soon, but I think it could be that magnesium has helped prevent migraines for me.

I have chronic constipation, and am totally laxative dependent. In searching for help for this, I began taking the standard calcium/mag/zinc supplement (2) morning and evening. Then I added magnesium (400mg) morning and evening.

Usually, when the seasons/weather is changing, I have migraines, but I haven't so far. Also, I have eaten things that usually trigger migraines, i.e., peanut butter and chocolate. I will say that it is possible something else that has been a help to me is that I've been dieting/trying to eat right......leaving off sugar. But I certainly hope the magnesium has something to do with it.

It's become a cliche these days, but "if this will help one person...."

28. I Made It Through The Month

On January 30, 2000 Catherine wrote:

I am a 42-year-old female who has suffered from migraines for years. I attempted to treat them with magnesium, but quit after two days due to side effects. A year later I attempted again, but this time spread the dose throughout the day and lowered it slightly. I am also using 400 mg of B-2 along with herbs and for the first time in years I made it through the month without a migraine. I have had some weakness and dizziness, but no pain, nausea or cold hands that usually accompany my attacks.

27. I Am A New Person

On January 20, 2000 Cynthia wrote:

I have a very long history of severely debilitating migraines for about 24 years. I did everything. Tried every new drug. Tested for allergies. Have every massage machine and pain destroying apparatus known to man. Invested in extensive massage therapy programs, hypnosis, medical testing, aromatherapy, yada yada yada. Everything failed.

Just last year I went to a homeopath. He tested my biological terrain, live blood exam on dark field microscope, dental mercury, allergies, nutrient levels, and much more. He discovered that I fit into a category for having the "big 4" deficiency. If I remember correctly, those nutrients are calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium. I received an extensive report of many problems I am likely to experience due to this combination deficiency. Migraines was on that mega list.

I have put myself on an extensive nutrient-rich program, and after 24 years of almost daily, devastating headaches, I have NO headaches! Mine were nutrient deficiency related, as are most all ailments. I am a new person. I hope this helps your data files.

Feel free to contact me anytime. I am very involved in nutrition and health issues now, and glad to communicate with you on this or any related subjects.

26. A Miracle To Me

On January 14, 2000 Jenny wrote:

I have been taking a magnesium supplement for 6 months now and the frequency of my migraines has reduced dramatically. I was getting 3 or 4 migraines each week - I now get perhaps one every two weeks. A miracle to me.

25. This Regimen Works

On January 8, 2000 Sandy wrote:

I use magnesium supplements to help prevent migraine attacks. Every morning, I take a 400 mg soft gel-cap of magnesium from Twinlab. My multivitamin, a soft gel-cap from Nature's Life, gives me another 100 mg. So I get 500 mg of magnesium in the morning.

Then late at night, I chew a mixture of calcium and magnesium, called Calsnack. Two chewable tablets provide 1000 mg of calcium and 500 mg of magnesium. I also drink a mug of hot milk before going to bed. So I get both minerals at night.

I know I am supposed to have twice as much calcium as magnesium, but the way I do it, keeping them more or less equal, and giving a big magnesium boost in the morning, seems to work better. I wonder if it has anything to do with an extra need for magnesium, or maybe the absorption rate is not high, or maybe it is because the kind of migraine condition I have is called Familial Hemiplegic Migraine, which involves genetically damaged calcium channels in the brain. I do not know. But this regimen works.

Since the nature of my attacks includes an hour of blindness, hemiplegia, and loss of speech, followed by a 5-day excruciating headache, I have a strong need to stay symptom-free. I credit magnesium with playing a large role in prevention. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions at all. Thanks.

24. I Have Not Had A Single Migraine…

On December 2, 1999 Joyce wrote:

A couple of months ago I read an article from Real Age on the net and it said that some people who suffer from migraines are deficient in magnesium.

Since I suffer from migraines and the medication the doctor had prescribed didn't help the headache (just made me sick to my stomach), I thought I'd give magnesium a try.

Well, since I started taking the magnesium I have not had a single migraine headache (I have had headaches, but not migraines).

23. Magnesium Therapy Is Still Helpful…

On November 16, 1999 W.C. wrote:

I've had migraine headaches since I was 14. I am now 37 and my headaches seemed to have gotten worse (more frequent/intense) over the last several years. I have been treating my chronic migraines with calcium and magnesium for a little over a year now. At first my migraines completely disappeared for about 6 months. Now I have them back, but I do think the calcium/magnesium therapy is still helpful in reducing the frequency of the attacks. If I miss a day I find I will absolutely get a headache. I take 100% of the USRDA of both minerals faithfully; 1/2 of the USRDA in the morning and 1/2 in the evening. I hope this information is helpful to you.

22. Magnesium Has Been The Only Thing To Help Me

On November 2, 1999 Susan wrote:

I suffer from ocular migraines. They began about a year ago and started with a frequency of 1-2 per week. I kept records of what I was doing prior to and during the attacks. I get the scintillating scotoma which originated as a blind spot in my central vision and moves out to the peripheral and lasts for approximately 45 minutes.

I sought the attention of an ophthalmologist who passed it off as nothing. I then had various tests under the advice of a neurologist. He ordered an MRI, Doppler, and EEG. All negative. His advice was to take a baby aspirin a day. I tried this regimen for a month or so with no results. The attacks seemed to lessen slightly but then came back strong (1 a week again). I stopped the aspirin as it didn’t help and researched the matter myself.

I read a lot about magnesium supplementation and its calming ability on muscles and nerves. Believing the theory that ocular migraine is caused by spasms of the blood vessels leading the eyes, magnesium would seem to help. I began taking Calcium Citrate (calcium 1000 mg, magnesium 500). After a few weeks, my ocular migraines lessened to once a month. They seem to occur right around menstruation. So far magnesium has been the only thing to help me.

21. VIVA LA MAGNESIUM!

On September 7, 1999 Bev wrote:

Your web-site indicated that you would like to hear from anyone who had used magnesium to treat migraine headaches. That's me. However, I have just discovered that magnesium is the REASON why I no longer get migraines.

Before menopause (which indicates I'm female, right?) -- probably 10 years ago, I suffered horribly with migraines -- to the point sometimes that I just couldn't function. After menopause, my OB-GYN suggested I take a calcium-magnesium supplement as I was getting older and it was good for my body. I'm now 62 and have been using magnesium for several years (5 at least) and have NOT HAD ONE MIGRAINE in that period of time. I never could figure out if it was because I had gone through menopause or if it was because I was taking magnesium. I take 400-450 mg per day.

During this past weekend, I was talking to a female cousin who was complaining that she gets frequent migraines. She's older than I am and went through "the change" earlier than I did, but is still having the migraines. I asked her if she was taking magnesium -- she said only what was in her multi-vitamin supplement (well ... that's a piddly amount), so I suggested she increase her intake and try my method and see if her headaches would go away. She's going to try it. That convinced me that it was BECAUSE I was taking magnesium (where I didn't during my child-bearing years) that I don't get the terrible headaches now. I still get headaches, but not migraines, and they are easily cured, once I get out of bed in the morning.

Hope this helps your study.

I'm happy about it. VIVA LA MAGNESIUM!

20. I’m Still In Shock That Something So Simple Could Help Me…

On August 17, 1999 Judy wrote:

I have had chronic migraines, sometimes every 12 hours for about a year. Prior to that I was having them once or twice a month. I am 58 and have been in menopause for about 2 years. I thought maybe it was connected to this. I am working with a neurologist now and she is trying different drugs to regulate my sleep pattern as she thinks somehow there is connection here.

Last week my neighbor came over with some magnesium tablets and said she heard they may help some people with migraines. I started taking them 7 days ago and have had only one headache since. I take 250 mg once a day. I'm still in shock that something so simple could help me after all the doctoring I've done. Why don't doctors recommend this treatment?

When I told my neurologist about this she said she had heard that it helped and to "knock on wood," that I could be so easily relieved of these monsters. I pray to God that it will continue to give me some relief.

19. I Have Used Magnesium To Control Migraine Headaches…

On July 25, 1999 Robert wrote:

I have used magnesium to control migraine headaches. I find the type of magnesium important, as aspartate or a chelate works better than oxide. Citrate is good also. I use about 700 mgs per day, and find it's better still if I use grape seed extract also specifically for the migraine, and limit or eliminate dairy products. I can still suffer a few migraines, but most are eradicated with this protocol.

I hope this is of some interest.

18. I Just Hope It Stays This Way…

On July 15, 1999 Tom wrote:

I have suffered from migraine headaches for 15 years and the situation was complicated by acoustic neuroma surgery five years ago. The surgery produced more triggers and of course more headaches. Most of my headaches accrued during the early morning but could start any time of the day. I have been on different preventive medications with some success in reducing numbers of headaches but finally gave up on them because of side effects.

Because of my age of 63 have stayed away from the new abort type of drugs. Mostly I found total and/or partial relief in Fiorinal and sometimes added an anti-nausea drug. Always hated the next day washed out feeling.

I purchased a book written by a neurologist on alternative treatments about a year ago and read about magnesium helping some headache sufferers. I pretty much ignored it as being too simple to help my complicated situation.

About three months later while in a grocery store I bought some 250 mg pills and started taking one pill a day as I am very cautious. Few weeks later I doubled the dosage and continued to take for weeks.

One day I was thinking to myself "been a while since a headache". Just came back from a week in Florida and did not have a serious headache involving Fiorinal. Only had one mild headache and took one Excedrin and an aspirin. Usually the auto driving will give me a serious headache.

It has been four weeks since I have taken any Fiorinal and I just hope it stays this way. For about two years I have been on 80 mg Diovan for blood pressure and 20 mg of Lipitor for high cholesterol and now on the magnesium. I don't know what else except the magnesium could be improving my headache situation and I sure hope it continues.

17. Low Magnesium Swing (from a letter about PVC's)

On July 7, 1999 Toni wrote:

Also - migraines run very heavily in my family, and I did notice that when I was in a low magnesium swing, I experienced more migraine auras. I hope this information helps!

16. I’m Convinced It Works…

On July 1, 1999 Bonnie wrote:

I have used magnesium for my migraines for the past 3 years. I had read about it in several magazines and decided to try it. I was very skeptical and was pleasantly surprised to see the change. My migraines were much less severe and after awhile they were just minor headaches. I skipped my magnesium for a month just to see if it was really helping. I had a terrible migraine for 2 days and was unable to work. I'm convinced it works.

15. The Results Were Sensational

On June 17, 1999 Wally wrote:

I found your page on migraine and magnesium deficiency of interest.

Approximately 15 to 20 years go I suddenly (I mean over night while I was on a field trip) began to have headaches. They were very severe such that Demerol wouldn't cut one. Well, over the next few years I saw this physician and that physician. They tried this test and that medication with no appreciable relief. Upon describing my condition to a surgeon friend of our as my head being pressurized, he prescribed Bumex along with a K supplement which helped some (along with Excedrin without asprin. This helped me along for a number of years.

About a year ago I read an article describing the intervenious administration of a gram of MgSO4 which reportedly stopped a migraine headache in about 15 minutes. Thus, I reasoned, why not try an oral administration of Mg to build up my own blood level. So, I put myself on 750 mg of Magnesium supplelment (MgO) per day, 500 in the am and 250 in the pm. Within a week or so, the results were sensational, I was a new person.

Yes, I still can feel some of the perpetual headache I have had for years, but the level is greatly reduced. Also, the episodes of real bad attacks which used to be about weekly, and lasting for 36 to 48 hours, are now about once every 2 to 3 weeks lasting much shorter times and of much less severity.

Magnesium sulfate will also do, but like magnesium citrate, the laxative effect would be much greater, not to say that you body doesn't have to adjust to 750 mg of MgO per day. (My body weight is about 75 kg thus making the intake about 10 mg/day per Kg of body weight).

I have also read that calcium decreases the effectiveness of the magnesium, is this correct.? I know that I got one bottle of calcium + magnesium, and I am not sure it did as well.

Hope this information will be of value - will be happy to discuss further.

14. Nothing Had Helped Before…

On April 23, 1999 L wrote:

After a traffic accident I began seeing a chiropractor who gave me 1000 mg. of magnesium after I told her about headaches that sometimes lasted 3 days.

Nothing had helped before but within 45 minutes this headache was gone. I have experienced fatigue and mood swings in the past and pretty severe PMS. Magnesium seems to have helped these problems as well.

I love it and take it along with vitamin C to combat muscular tension and inflammation.

Good Site!!

13. A Soft, Cottony Relief

On April 19, 1999 Martha wrote:

I found 500 mg took my headache away and gave me a soft cottony relief (better than aspirin which sometimes gave me a rebound headache).

Magnesium loss due to caffeine consumption is the trigger to some migraines. When getting off coffee in order to avoid the big headache magnesium helped.

Also discovered after hysterectomy that the estrogen patch caused the water retention at an intracellular level by retaining water and sodium and pushing out magnesium and potassium; so I quit the estrogen and took magnesium and potassium to equalize me and I am getting rid of that big bloated stomach. Wish I had known this for PMS.

Look at Rejuvex for menopause women. It is high in magnesium too.

12. I Am A Firm Believer

On April 17, 1999 Joanne wrote:

I went to several doctors over a period of years to try and get relief for my terrible headaches---in desperation, I went into a health food store at our local mall-- the clerk recommended "calcium plus" which has zinc and magnesium in it-- My headache was gone by the time the weekend was over!!!

I took 3 tablets a day and never suffered from the headaches again--my druggist suggested that I needed the zinc and magnesium--my doctor scoffed at the idea--but I continued with the pills!!

Several of my friends, who also suffered from headaches also received almost immediate relief.

I am a firm believer in this form of prevention and treatment.

11. Sweet, Warm Honey…

On April 17, 1999 Barbara wrote:

Although, I am still afflicted by the body pain and exhaustion associated with fibromyalgia, my migraine headaches are reduced in frequency, and I am sleeping more restfully. In fact, no other action has helped me as dramatically as the simple addition of magnesium supplements to my diet.

(I was shown by a blood test to be magnesium-deficient. By that time, I was so crippled by muscle cramps, hyper-irritability, and other unpleasant symptoms that I was debilitated).

My first mega-dose of magnesium was so soothing, that I remember feeling as though a pitcher of sweet, warm honey was being poured over my tattered nerve endings.

Good luck with your research.

 

10. I Have Been Doing So Much Better…

On April 14, 1999 Donna wrote:

I suffer from severe cluster/migraine headaches and a friend of mine told me I should try magnesium tablets because he had seen a special report on how they might help me- So I ran out and bought a bottle of magnesium tablets 250 mg.

I truly think that it is helping me because I have been doing so much better since I started them. Just thought I would share this with you!!!!! Thanks!!!!

9. My Life Has Been On Hold…

On April 9, 1999 M. wrote:

For the past 11 years I have been experiencing migraine headaches every two weeks which have necessitated in me being hospitalized for vertigo and sickness, these last between 2 and days.

My medical practitioner could find no trigger for these attacks. It can be another two days before I really recover. My life has been on hold ever since.

I avoided MSG and Chinese food because I thought it was an allergy, and although the attacks were not as severe for a few weeks they did not stop. Gradually they returned with a vengeance.

Recently a friend read an article on magnesium deficiency and gave it to me. Six weeks ago I started to take magnesium supplement tablets. It is now five weeks since my last attack and I am keeping my fingers crossed that I have at last cracked it.

8. My Headache Was Gone!

On March 31, 1999 Gerry wrote:

I suffer from severe headaches -- at least once a week. I had heard recently that magnesium might help cure them so tried something called "AlkaLime" produced by Young Living Essential Oils. One rounded teaspoon contains:

calcium carbonate 1550 mg
sodium bicarbonate 1250 mg
magnesium citrate 775 mg
citric acid 475 mg
potassium bicarbonate 324 mg
schuesser cell salts(6x) 75 mg
sea salt 25 mg
proprietary blend of 100% pure grade A Essential Oils which include lemon & lime 25 mg.

Since this was the only thing I had with magnesium in it when I got a terrible headache this past Monday, I took it. Within 10 minutes, my headache was gone! This was rather remarkable because I had heretofore relied on pain killers that would sometimes take up to an hour to work -- and then didn't alleviate the entire ache. I know the other ingredients confuse the issue, but I had never done this before and had such a wonderful result, I thought I'd pass it on.

7. Saliva Magnesium

On March 29, 1999 Carol wrote:

I have used magnesium "briefly" for the treatment of my migraines... I came across some literature on magnesium and migraines a few years ago while surfing the Internet. I didn't keep up the treatment for long.

Interesting how "saliva magnesium" was mentioned in the brief report I skimmed migraine.shtml

When I have a migraine, my saliva seems watery somehow... and has a different taste to it.

6. Had the Headaches for Years

On March 28, 1999 V.B. wrote:

I am a 45 year old male. I live in Cornwall, Ontario. Although I can not be sure, I do believe that magnesium has improved my migraine headaches very significantly.

I have had the headaches for years, however over the last 12 to 18 months they have become more frequent and have strongly intensified. Certain foods or strenuous physical exercise would bring about the headache every time. I would fight them off with enormous amount of water and aspirin taken before any signs of headache would occur. Imitrex became a blessing from the sky for me (I could not say enough about it).

About 6 weeks ago I started taking magnesium (252 g twice a day). It took a couple of weeks to see any effects, but after that period the frequency and intensity of my headaches subsided significantly. I may be crediting magnesium prematurely, however, 2 weeks ago I went skiing for a week and stopped taking it. Sure enough I ended up with a strong headache. Imitrex to the rescue! (skiing, or doing anything for that matter, after taking the Imitrex is extremely tiring).

I am back to my 252's twice a day. I am not experiencing any side effects and I remain impressed by the results. I also take aspirin (325 g 4 to 5 times a week).

None of the doctors I visited has ever suggested taking magnesium. I tried it on my own after browsing through several health related web sites. If there is something I should know about taking 500 g of magnesium every day, please say (write) so. Thank you.

5. The Headache Did Not Come

On March 25, 1999 Carolyn wrote:

I have been using a vitamin program on my 9 year old Tourette Syndrome daughter/ 55lbs. She has been on Bonnie Grimaldi's vitamin program and with Bonnie's advice, I have added additional magnesium in a chelated 100mg Solgar tab to her morning routine. The break through tics stopped immediately.

In researching the Mg connection with TS I happened upon this web site and was astounded to note the info on Mg and migraines since both myself and my non-TS daughter age 12 suffer from them.

I have added a cal/mag supplement to my 12 year olds diet. yesterday, I had the aura which always leads to a migraine. I popped 100 mg of Mg and waited. The headache did not come although I was wiped out and nauseous.

4. Terrific Results

On March 23, 1999 Marianne wrote:

I read about the relationship between magnesium and migraines several months ago and have used 250 mg every day for the two weeks before my period and have had terrific results.

3. It Really Changed My Life!

On March 15, 1999 Michael wrote:

I was a chronic cluster headache individual for the last three years. They first appeared in the fall after I turned the age of 24. The headaches started out occurring only about once a week. But after about a year and a half, they would occur like clockwork about once a day. There haven't been too many days in the last year and a half when I didn't get at least one headache per day.

The headaches almost always occurred between meals. I had to adjust my eating habits to eat a fairly substantial meal or a large snack every four hours. I could not drink alcohol - especially on an empty stomach. If I drank alcohol (even one normal drink), or didn't eat for over four hours, the pain would set in over my right eye.

I could feel the demons build up for about twenty minutes then the intense throbbing behind my eye began and the right eye would tear -- sometimes profusely. My right eye became extremely sensitive to light to the point were I had to be in a dark room or cover it to shield any light from it. The right nostril became immediate congested. The throbbing and pain would continue for about twenty to forty minutes, then faded away rather quickly in about 15 to thirty minutes, depending on the severity of the headache.

The headaches would sometimes be tolerable but I looked horrible. Most of the time the headaches on (on the 1-10 cluster force scale) they would rank in the 4 to 6 range. The right eye was entirely bloodshot. The right eyelid was puffy and droopy. The right temple swollen and puffy. I felt irritable and would shift, rock and cradle my head in various positions to lessen the pain.

Sometimes if I was able to eat a bagel, drink a milkshake, drink 1 or 2 quarts of water, or fill my stomach with almost anything just when I detected a headache, the pain would subside. I started using aspirin, Tylenol or ibuprofen in the last three months and it would work sometimes, but I didn't like to take any pills or drugs. I found that they would only sometimes work, and sometimes cause even a more severe cluster later on.

I tried sleeping 8 to 10 hours a night and that helped lessen the severity, but they would occur almost every day at ten in the morning between breakfast and lunch, at four o'clock between lunch at dinner. And around nine or ten at night. Alcohol, MSG, meat tenderizers, and a few other chemicals (suprisingly not caffeine or nicotine) could trigger them at just about any time.

I never once consulted a doctor after I initially did research on clusters. I found that the drugs given to cluster suffers are powerful, toxic and only relieve symptoms, not cure them. I first thought it might be a form of CPH (chronic paroxysmal hemicranina) but I rarely got more than one a day (every day, though). CPH sufferers usually get five or more a day. I wasn't a typical cluster type because of the daily occurrences and normal cluster types usually get them off and on during the year.

I then thought it was hypoglycemia because of them occurring between meals, when my blood sugar was supposedly lower than normal.

Just recently I was talking with another person I knew who is a typical cluster type who gets them once a year for about a month. He mentioned something about calcium and magnesium and how it regulates your blood vessels and circulatory system.

I knew I got enough calcium because I drink milk every day and eat dairy products. But I tried to think of what I ate regularly that was rich in magnesium and couldn't think of too many things.

I knew peanuts had magnesium in them and because I was eating them for the last week and a half as a good source of slow carboes for my supposed "hypoglycemic" condition. During that week I had headaches, but they were not as severe as normal. Then I did some research on magnesium and clusters on the Internet and found out some very interesting things.

A magnesium deficiency can cause hypoglycemia, clusters, fatigue, depression, and muscle spasms (which I get sometimes).

I immediately ran to the health food store and bought a magnesium supplement (chelated by Albion) and cashews, broccoli, spinach, peanuts, brown rice, whole grain breads and other magnesium rich foods.

The first day I took the supplements (four 100 mg tablets four times a day) I had no headache and no warning signs. No symptoms, no pain, no anything. I felt like a new person. Energized. Full of life. I think that I will never, ever, ever have one of those demonic, tortuous, suicidal, debilitating headaches ever again.

Alcohol doesn't trigger them. Sleep deprivation doesn't trigger them. I can go 8 to 10 hours between a meal and not get a headache. It was an amazing day when I learned about the importance of magnesium. It was like a miracle, too good to be true. It really changed my life. I’m not afraid to do something for fear of getting a headache.

I know that this email is long but magnesium changed my life. Seriously.

I would like to provide any and all information that you may need for your research. I would like to share this knowledge with anyone who can be saved from those damn headaches.

2. Didn’t Know What to Try Next

On March 7, 1999 Cathy wrote:

I started taking magnesium about 10 days ago for my migraine headaches. I was feeling terrible and didn't know what to try next. I started with magnesium, Feverfew and Vitamin B2 and have felt GREAT for a week. I don't know what, but something is working. I searched the web for what to take figuring it couldn't hurt at this point. Something is working...but I don't know which. If you have any more info, please get back to me.

Thanks!

1. Days with No Pain

On February 28, 1999 Frank wrote:

Researching on the net about Mg deficiencies a few months ago I read an article about the relationship between magnesium deficiencies and muscular pain. The cause was namely depletion of magnesium by ingredients in sodas.

For the past 5 years I have been suffering of symptoms very similar to fibromyalgia, aching muscles, and very intense migraine-like headaches. I have tried many over the counter and prescription pain killers and anti-inflammatories. Until a few months ago; I started taking multivitamins, 250 mg. Vitamin C, and supplemental magnesium-calcium-zinc; and quit drinking sodas. I still daily do moderate exercise, 3 lb. dumbbells with repetition to increase the blood circulation of my muscles.

After the first 2 agonizing weeks, I noticed something; I have some days with no pain. I increased the amount of water and juices I drink. I have found that I am feeling better from allergic rhinitis, and get less congested at night time. Whenever headaches come by they are less severe and last for hours, not days like before.

I am still trying to find out about aura, whenever the barometric pressure drops I feel an onset of pain starting to occur. Is this common with other people? I can predict stormy weather by about 16 hours!!! But it hurts like hell.

Good luck on your work.


This page was first uploaded to The Magnesium Web Site on May22, 2002



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