The Magnesium Problem
If you read my health posts, you might have heard me complaining about 'crazy side-effects of taking magnesium', and I have found a resolution to this issue! But first, let me tell the story.
So my knee hurts whenever I sit for more than 10 minutes; I couldn't straighten my leg afterwards and it would be stiff and painful all day until I fell asleep. I said this to my doctor and she replied: It's cramps! Buy the 3-magnesium at the pharmacy, it's great for this.
The 3-magnesium was expensive, and I reluctantly got it, but the pain was so bad. So I took it. And then the side effects came. First was the constant rage, which I found out others experienced too. But then it started messing with my menstrual cycle, inducing period way before it was due. I figured that was concerning, so I talked to a pharmacist about it. She reassured me this could not possibly be magnesium, and I was probably just stressed. I went home unconvinced. I would continue to get my period induced early 5 more times, each time I started taking magnesium again.
Next side effect was a calcificate in my shoulder breaking, causing so much pain I had to visit the ER. Then something went wrong with my other knee, despite no injury or incident, it hurt as if on fire, and I was in pain and limping for two months.
Even after all that, my original knee pain still persisted and I just quit sitting at all to avoid it.
At this point I talked to a friend who studied nutrition and she was surprised at the side effects, and suggested I try halving the dose. And I thought, what a great idea.
Upon starting again, I fell into depression. I had to force myself to make any movement, felt nothing, stopped talking to everyone, and would spiral into the darkest thoughts I ever had, every single day. And I didn't know why. Day 6 I wondered if it was magnesium and stopped taking it. Day 7 depression cleared. Hmmmm.
I had a history of overreacting to supplements; one time the doctor prescribed me the strongest vitamin D and it made me so tired I thought I was dying. I couldn't keep my eyes open even in traffic. But when I asked for a gentler dose, it was all good, and my vitamin D levels were fixed. So I was sure I was overreacting just because I was taking this lethal dose of magnesium and I needed something gentler, a little dose that would help my leg.
So I went to the store and got the gentlest magnesium; it was only the 100% of recommended daily intake, and like a candy that dissolves into the water, lemon flavoured. I was sure this would be harmless and started drinking that for a week.
Two days in I had a mental health decline, followed with a first actual headache I had in 8 years. I could no longer excercise and my body started going weak and numb. Then one morning I woke up and the right side of my body had fallen asleep, and kept going numb and tingly during the day. Later on I had wild spikes of pain all over my head, making me dizzy and disoriented at work.
I didn't catch on until my mood dissolved into another magnesium-induced rage. I knew then what was up. And something clicked in my head. Being vegan, I kept some track of my nutrition and even though my vitamin D and calcium were always low, magnesium was fine. My doctor diagnosed me with magnesium deficiency without ever measuring my levels. I was never magnesium deficient.
I looked up 'symptoms of magnesium overdose'. I had half of them. Headaches. Muscle weakness. Low blood pressure. Dizzyness and confusion.
I overdosed myself for months. I was taking the strongest dose.
It had messed with my menstrual cycle, head, muscles, calcificates, and mental health and I was never deficient in magnesium! I didn't know this could happen! I did what my doctor said! And my left knee still hurts if I sit. We haven't even started to figure it out.
I am NEVER taking magnesium again, I'm taking the pills back to the pharmacy so they can be donated. I'm glad I at least figured it out, my head is slowly returning to normal and I am calming down. I'm not sure if I can do something to get the extra magnesium out of my blood faster, it's probably 50% magnesium by now. Ahh this would not have happened if they didn't burn the witches and we had competent doctors! My overdose is patriatchy's fault and also the church. Maybe a lil bit my doctor's too. But mostly the prior.
I feel like I'm making a case here for 'don't listen to your doctor', and I'm not saying that, just that maybe the healthcare sucks right now. And if you start to get symptoms like this and a pharmacist gaslights you, believe in yourself. Don't take the magnesium. You'll have a headache like I do right now.
