Magnesium setback, did you experience that?

[[cu...]]

Hi.

I’m a short term user of Zopicline (3 months). Got prescribed because of stress related problems to fall asleep, but slept 8-10 hours prior that. I noticed my sleep got progressively worse, so I decided to stop. I was in acute for about 4 months, things started getting better after 8 months. Had horrible insomnia and other symptoms, but it started to improve after 8 months. I’m now a year off. For a couple of weeks ago I started having some muscle aches and decided to try magnesium. I’ve done that prior to Zopiclone and it helped. 
 

I noticed magnesium helped me with sleep initially, although my sleep was kinda good compared to 8 months after my last Zopiclone. So I took magnesium for a couple of nights these past two weeks. Suddenly I stopped sleeping again and it feels like I’ve been thrown back into acute. Almost no sleep 0-3 hours a night. 
 

Has anyone experienced a setback from magnesium and please tell me how long it lasted. Im scared I damaged myself even more and have to start over again. 
 

Thank you! 

[[Co...]]

Hello @[cu...]. Welcome to BenzoBuddies.

I suffered terrible insomnia as a withdrawal effect. But my pattern was quite different to yours. For me, I found short term use of Atatax helped to end my worst bouts (where I'd sleep just 1-2 hours per night). Atarax is imperfect, because we quickly adjust to it. I would take it for just a few days, or 1-2 weeks at the most - and then not use it again for months. My sleep would not return to normal, but to a pattern which was a bit more manageable (about 4 hours per night). Sleep did eventually return to near normal for me.

I'd also recommend totally avoiding alcohol for 6+ months to see if this helps - many members (including me) found that (even moderate and infrequent use of) alcohol is a trigger. It might not affect you similarly, but it is worth trying. As is keeping a diary of changes to medication and your habits to help you determine any triggers.

[[cu...]]

Thank you for your reply. My sleep improved massively prior to this setback. But now I have not been able to sleep for 4 days and it feels like acute again. I don’t feel tired at all. Before magnesium I would get tired after a bad nights of sleep and sleep better the next night. 
 

Has anyone had a setback from magnesium? I hope someone has gone through this. 

[[Ha...]]

7 hours ago, [[c...] said:

Thank you for your reply. My sleep improved massively prior to this setback. But now I have not been able to sleep for 4 days and it feels like acute again. I don’t feel tired at all. Before magnesium I would get tired after a bad nights of sleep and sleep better the next night. 
 

Has anyone had a setback from magnesium? I hope someone has gone through this. 

Yes there's been many people that have had a bad reaction to magnesium. It's 1 of those supplements that can be really helpful for some, but cause reactions in others. Generally speaking though such reactions/setbacks are fairly shirt lived ranging from a few hours to a couple of weeks. Try not to worry about starting over again, it's just a little blip in your recovery and you'll return to baseline soon enough.

It's always worth being cautious with supplements or meds whilst in recovery. People can react to normally harmless things, so it's best to test the water with a small dose initially to see how you react. 

[[al...]]

Magnesium attaches to gaba receptors and should be avoided

[[Ha...]]

5 hours ago, [[a...] said:

Magnesium attaches to gaba receptors and should be avoided

There's no evidence that everything that effects GABA should be avoided. Caution is advised, but many people find things like magnesium very helpful and heal perfectly fine. 

[[Co...]]

2 hours ago, [[H...] said:

There's no evidence that everything that effects GABA should be avoided. Caution is advised, but many people find things like magnesium very helpful and heal perfectly fine. 

Exactly. Further, some people are magnesium deficient, and might be prescribed the supplement by their doctor. On the other hand, too many people people take supplements willy-nilly - I am not suggesting that anyone take anything without talking with their doctor. But many supplements have potential legitimate uses.

As ever, there is a Wiki page:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_deficiency

[[AL...]]

Cur020, I posted regarding what I thought was a tolerance addiction to Magnesium Citrate a while back.  I started taking it because of the 3am adrenal surge wake-ups with Taurine and Vitamin C and it worked for about 9 to 12 months, (this was during my first-year post-jump from Diazepam) I stopped taking it and my anxiety and blood pressure blew THE HELL up and my muscles stiffened. I contacted my PCP and he said yes it can happen when taken at high doses, but not to stop taking it because it was helping to control my blood pressure.  I still take magnesium powder from bulk supplements but less and twice weekly, that does not have any additional additives like magnesium stearate etc., because I have a sensitivity to them.

What I have learned is, magnesium as with all supplements, is based on an individual deficiency tolerance level. Go REALLY low and slow, and also know my state of mind.  If I am afraid of a supplement or in the deep throws of anxiety when I take it, it either will give me a paradoxal affect, or not work at all.  I also had ALOT of grief and stress at the time, so that contributed to my reaction.

I tapered down on the magnesium and it took about two to four months for my system to settle.  If I take the magnesium powder more than once or twice a week, it makes me lightheaded and slightly dizzier.  When I researched "can magnesium cause dizziness" it was sooo confusing.  

If you have been taking a high dose for a long period lower dose slowly and try the purest powder form of magnesium WITHOUT any additives.  I buy on Amazon in small packs for about $10-12.

Hopefully this helps

Allwayshope

[[cu...]]

Thank you for your responses. 

Edited October 5, 2023 by [cu...]