I haven't been here in awhile.......I go off exploring from time to time, and then I slack off and when my pain gets bad enough.......I start looking for something REAL again. What I can say about this place is that it's the least offensive and expensive, yet most informative of all the online forums, and the low-carb diet is the only one that has ever made me feel appreciably different. But I digress--I am fascinated with peoples' remarks about the FM/CFS syndrome(s)....I've never gotten a firm label for mine, but the pain in my legs has me nearly immobilized, as I recently realized when I stopped taking the pain pills that controlled it. I intend to try potassium and magnesium, as I had never thought of this possibility....would like to hear more!

Hi Cimorene! I agree with you...this forum is very informative. The more we share, the more we will all get better.

Regarding magnesium, after lots of research, I started taking
magnesium & malic acid. It is sold already combined in capsules. In Canada, I buy a brand call Swiss Naturals, but I don't know what brands are available in USA. You will be able to find it at health food stores. Each capsule should contain 300 mg magnesium and 1200 mg malic acid.
I have been taking this product for at least 10 months now and I am convinced that it works. To start you take
3 capsules in the morning on an empty stomache, and 3 capsules at bedtime.
I now take 2 capsules in the morning, and 2 capsules at night, and that seems to work.
The biggest benefit for me was no more fatigue. I still have some flareups (see my post from Monday below), and always some pain(I am working on that one), but I no longer need to sleep for 12 hours at night, and nap during the day.
I learned about mag/malic in a book called "From Fatigued to Fantastic" written by a dcotor who specializes in CFS & Fibro.
He says you have to stay on the mag/malic for life.
Give it a try! It will take a couple of days (or weeks) to become effective, but I am sure you will notice a difference.
Good luck, Gail

What's the malic acid connection? I did buy a Magnesium tonic today.....oh, damn, I just noticed it has ten grams of carbs per dose.....something called Floradix Magnesium, a tonic. I'll check out the book you mention. I just had the awful realization that I've been maintaining myself on pain pills, and when I stopped, realized just how much pain I'm in. I do hope this works!!!

paxil helps me very much with fibro and arthritis
since I started atkins and because I was tired all the time I cut downon the paxil and am hurting pretty bad, I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT i

Hi Here is a link with some information on the malic acid/ mag connection. I haven't tried it yet but it does seem to make sense. Note the cautious endorsement by Dr Goldstein. I have also read a less than enthusiastic result in a double blind study. So it seems that this is not a miracle cure, but one more brick in the wall.

http://www.prohealthnetwork.com/lib...id/1423/T/Both/

Good Luck All!

Colin

This is sounding promising!
Now I'm wondering - for those of you trying this, have you noticed any effect on mood? Depression can be a very big issue with me and I am NOT going to live on anti-depressants for the rest of my life. Still - I Would like my kids to grow up believing that Mommy actually IS a nice person from time to time

~Tracy

While I don't have fibromyalgia, I do have chronic fatigue syndrome and I find that potassium and magnesium aspartate combination works pretty well.

The importance of magensium is something the Eades discuss in their book, Protein Power Lifeplan, and frankly, it was something I'd forgoten about until I stumbled across an article last week about the mineral. The thing I found the most interesting was that in order for potassium to work you need to have adequate levels of magnesium. You might find it interesting:

The Magnesium Lottery

-N

Thank you - I'm going to check that out right away!
~Tracy

Ditto about the CFS. I also have it and did start taking magnesium, potassium, and L-carnitine. Also NADH for about two straight months.

Now I take nothing except olive leaf extract to combat the flareup of EBV. So far so good.

I would highly recommend trying both supplements.

Almost CFS free....

I found pain killers made the pain in my legs infinitely worse. This seems to be quite common with ME/CFS sufferers, many of whom also have a fairly high level of chemical intolerance.

Magnesium (best taken in a calcium and boron mix to aid absorbtion) worked minor miracles... as did cutting coffee right down (preferably out) and sticking to Lavazza; the one brand which seemed to use a different freeze drying process as I was obviously allergic to the chemical otherwise used. Just before bed a warm/hot bath with two mugs of sea salt and one mug of bicarbonate of soda not only eased the pain immeasurably, it also helped me sleep.

I know some ME/CFS sufferers find hot baths make them feel ill... I only learnt the hard way that this seems to be due to the muscles relaxing and releasing a lot of toxins which otherwise remain trapped, so it was worth persevering.

I also found sticking religiously to the low carb way of eating has utterly transformed my condition... wouldn't recommend keeping wandering off it each time you feel a bit better.

Interesting - I didn't realize that others with these conditions had discomfort in a hot bath. There supposed to be so soothing right? I've also noticed that frequently (though not always and I haven't figured a pattern to it yet) painkillers may take a certain "edge" off, and leave me with a whole mess of other pains/aches that I hadn't even been aware of til then. Forums like this make me feel a bit more like maybe I'm not si crazy after all ; )

I'm beggining to work more magnesium into my daily regimen (to add to all the other supplements! ) Thanks for all the tips everyone!!

~Tracy

I always have a cramping in my upper left back area and it will get worse. Then I take more magnesium/potassium and it will go away for awhile.

I have added the malic acid two days ago and the pain is almost gone now with no cramping. Also the muscular cramping in my legs is disappearing now also.

Wish I had know three years ago!!

Thanks to all of you. I am suffering from fibro. I started to supplement with magnesium about a month ago, the pain has disappeared. I also get very uncomfortable with hot baths but if it will help me relax and sleep.

Thanks to all of you. I am suffering from fibro. I started to supplement with magnesium about a month ago, the pain has disappeared. I also get very uncomfortable with hot baths but if it will help me relax and sleep.