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Does no one read the big sheet of paper that comes with your Rx?
What do you want? They write it down for you and it still is not good enough?
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My doctor was not aware that a serum blood panel will not show low magnesium and wasn't familiar with the test that does show it (which is expensive and not covered by most insurance). She was monitoring my potassium and sodium, though -- which test normal.
And yes, I feel I'm a partner with my physician in monitoring my own health -- I have more time than she does--and am interested and care about staying healthy. And enjoy research.
Doctors receive very little training in nutrition but do know which medicines to prescribe. My orientation is more natural and nutrition-related.
I like to know what I'm putting in my body. I've had some severe reactions to drugs in the past and try to avoid them as much as possible. Your mileage may vary.
My doctor was not aware that a serum blood panel will not show low magnesium and wasn't familiar with the test that does show it (which is expensive and not covered by most insurance). She was monitoring my potassium and sodium, though -- which test normal.
And yes, I feel I'm a partner with my physician in monitoring my own health -- I have more time than she does--and am interested and care about staying healthy. And enjoy research.
Doctors receive very little training in nutrition but do know which medicines to prescribe. My orientation is more natural and nutrition-related.
I like to know what I'm putting in my body. I've had some severe reactions to drugs in the past and try to avoid them as much as possible. Your mileage may vary.
1. Find it completely implausible that your doctor didn't know what was or was not included in a panel ordered
2. Serum magnesium level is NOT expensive, IS covered by insurance
1. Find it completely implausible that your doctor didn't know what was or was not included in a panel ordered
2. Serum magnesium level is NOT expensive, IS covered by insurance
My chronic magnesium deficiency was discovered many years ago. The doctor specifically ordered it to be tested within the CELL. The blood levels will usually show up as normal so it has to be tested within the cell. That's how it was explained to me. My doctor said that serum magnesium testing is nearly useless.
The thing the doctors can't explain is why I am so deficient no matter how much magnesium I take. Even with the better forms such as glycinate. Even with magnesium injections. Now I use magnesium "oil" that can be absorbed through the skin. It works but may not be working any better than the capsules I have always taken. Apparently magnesium is hard to absorb and some of us can hardly absorb it at all. I am called a "magnesium waster" and the doctors still don't know what to do.
That's probably what I have. Anyway, magnesium is hard to absorb and deficiencies are very common. It's hard to get enough even if you eat greens and nuts and whatever else all day long. There are threads about magnesium in the Supplements area.
1. Find it completely implausible that your doctor didn't know what was or was not included in a panel ordered
2. Serum magnesium level is NOT expensive, IS covered by insurance
1. I'm not talking about serum magnesium from a standard blood panel. Serum blood panels only reveal mag levels in the blood. However, most mag is in our cells/bones. A blood panel does not show what's in the cells.
2. There are expensive tests to discover cellular magnesium. My doctor was not aware of this.
From the book The Magnesium Factor (page 220):
"Total magnesium values in blood fluids have been shown to be the least sensitive of all magnesium values...if it falls within the normal range, this total magnesium blood value cannot tell your doctor much, if anything, about your overall magnesium status. Most of the body's magnesium is found either in the bones (about 60%) or inside muscle and other cells (about 40%)"
The books goes on discussing this in a more technical manner which I will not quote here..
The book is written by Mildred S. Seelig, M.D, MPH & Andrea Rosanoff, Ph.D.
And this from The Health System University of Michigan:
"Folic acid
One study showed that people taking diuretics for more than six months had dramatically lower blood levels of folic acid and higher levels of homocysteine compared with individuals not taking diuretics.2 Homocysteine, a toxic amino acid byproduct, has been associated with atherosclerosis. Until further information is available, people taking diuretics for longer than six months should probably supplement with folic acid.
Magnesium and Potassium
Potassium-depleting diuretics, including thiazide diuretics, cause the body to lose potassium; they may also cause cellular magnesium depletion,3 although this deficiency may not be reflected by a low blood level of magnesium.4 Magnesium loss induced by potassium-depleting diuretics can cause additional potassium loss. Until more is known, it has been suggested that people taking potassium-depleting diuretics, including thiazide diuretics, should supplement both potassium and magnesium."
After reading the book and the U of M info above and further research from studies is that my side effects were likely caused by low magnesium (and possibly low folic acid, so I'm supplementing with a B100 combo) even though my blood panel showed a normal range. Side effects have ceased since starting supplementation.
My physician did not tell me any of this about the cellular/bone magnesium or about the possible folic acid shortage caused by long-term diuretic use...
My chronic magnesium deficiency was discovered many years ago. The doctor specifically ordered it to be tested within the CELL. The blood levels will usually show up as normal so it has to be tested within the cell. That's how it was explained to me. My doctor said that serum magnesium testing is nearly useless.
The thing the doctors can't explain is why I am so deficient no matter how much magnesium I take. Even with the better forms such as glycinate. Even with magnesium injections. Now I use magnesium "oil" that can be absorbed through the skin. It works but may not be working any better than the capsules I have always taken. Apparently magnesium is hard to absorb and some of us can hardly absorb it at all. I am called a "magnesium waster" and the doctors still don't know what to do.
That's probably what I have. Anyway, magnesium is hard to absorb and deficiencies are very common. It's hard to get enough even if you eat greens and nuts and whatever else all day long. There are threads about magnesium in the Supplements area.
^Yes, this!^ Your doctor is better than mine. Mine wasn't aware of any tests for magnesium other than the serum blood panel -- and my serum mag was normal despite all the side effects I was experiencing.
Could it help to switch from a diuretic to a calcium channel blocker?
If a calcium channel blocker lowers blood pressure, does it imply having too much calcium could do the opposite, raise blood pressure?
Do magnesium and calcium interact with each other or are their effects completely independent of each other?
You're asking interesting but complicated questions!
Google "Magnesium deficiency symptoms" for the first question.
For the subsequent questions, personally, I don't feel qualified to answer them. I have thoughts on this from my research, but I'm not a medical expert. Ask your physician or seek a nutritionist...or an integrative health professional.
From what I've read, there is a complex relationship between calcium and magnesium. Calcium contacts the arteries, magnesium relaxes them. Too much calcium with too little magnesium to balance can certainly impact HBP.
Maybe Blue Devilz can answer more fully?
Reading one of the books about magnesium such as The Magnesium Factor will shed some light, too.
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