Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Red cell magnesium levels

Hi All,

If anyone's taking Omeprazole or similar drug to counteract the sides of NSAIDs. You might consider getting your "red cell magnesium" levels checked. Especially if you're experiencing any of these symptoms; anxiety, insomnia, muscle stiffness (hard to discern from AS related muscle stiffness/tenderness), stomach/GI problems, headaches/migraines, muscle twitching/cramps, twitches around the eyes, tremors, disorientation.

There are more symptoms related to magnesium deficiency, these are just the ones that I experienced to some degree. I've only just now after 6-7 months of investigating had pathology results that show my red blood magnesium levels are below the reference range. That's 5-6 months after having stopped taking any AS medication, so i can only imagine how low my red cell magnesium levels were at their lowest (when i felt the worst).

The most common magnesium lab test is "serum magnesium" levels. This doesn't tell you anything, because if serum levels drop below the narrow healthy range, your heart stops, therefore the body does everything it can to make sure those levels are kept within the reference range.

All my magnesium tests prior to the latest one were serum. I've read you can also get a sweat mineral analysis.

thank you. i was getting calf cramps and am getting them much less since starting 200 mg Mg at bedtime. i've been on daily prilosec since 1993, wonder if that explains a lot? but don't know how to be without it - don't want to die from an ulcer either (like my relatives have done in the past).

what's the solution if one needs to stay on the prilosec, Mg supplements? or is that not good enough?

thanks again, will bring this to my doctors' attentions.