Posted by avid abulia on July 10, 2003, at 11:59:14
In reply to vitamin recommendations? » McPac, posted by bookgurl99 on July 10, 2003, at 8:53:08
> > Taking a very good form of magnesium, such as magnesium glycinate, may help. I would seriously try the glycinate form, highly absorbable.
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> Did you suggest this as a form of migraine prevention?
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> When I remember to, I'm currently taking 5 cal-mag citrate (1875 mgs) daily. .)
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> Is the citrate form not as absorbable, I wonder?
>
Hey, i have migraines and epilepsy, both. He is probably concerned about epilepsy as a possible cause because it is not uncommon to see persisting neurological deficits in epilepsy (it can happen in migraine, but is less frequent). The sleep apnea would be an issue, because some evidence suggests that migraine is at least partially related to poor oxygen metabolism in the mitochondria (which is why riboflavin is often recommended--it improves oxygen utilization there). Magnesium citrate and magnesium glycinate are roughly the same so far as bioavailability is concerned--but magnesium glycinate, as well as magnesium taurinate, may be superior because the glycine and taurine derived from these forms are both inhibitory amino acid neurotransmitters.Additionally, researchers at the university of colorado have found through MRI studies that the lower brain centers of migraineurs have crystalline iron deposits in them--so iron restiction may help, or may not. Curcuminoids, found in turmeric, chelate free iron and lead to kidney excretion, so in theory putting more turmeric (preferably in the form of curry, because the black pepper in curry dramatically increases absorption) *might* help, all though i know of no studies backing this.
You mention that your neurological changes have gotten worse, the more you experience migraines--perhaps (if you have good insurance!) Keppra may be useful in that case, because it (more so than other AEDs used for migraine prophylaxis) has been shown to have a specific anti-kindling effect (i.e. it prevents and reverses the phenomenon of more attacks leading to increased frequency and severity in a vicious cycle).
There is very little support for use of triptans as prophylactic drugs, and there is quite a bit of evidence for adverse vascular effects such as stroke and hypertension. They also exacerbate pre-existing seizure disorders. You may want to discuss risk/benefit ratio with your doc.
I currently am using a combo of Lamictal and Keppra, for prophylaxis of seizures and migraine, as well as for "bipolar disorder due to a general medical condition" and when i experience the prodromal symptoms (the symptoms in the day(s) before the aura and actual attack) i take diltiazem CD (a calcium-channel blocker) to make sure my arteries stay dilated (the symptoms of migraine are due to spasm of arteries and a resulting dilation of arterioles in an effort to force greater blood flow by creating a vacuum effect)... i only take the diltiazem during the prodromal period to make sure my body doesn't build a tolerance to it, because it most annoyingly does that quite easily to most drugs, more so than the average person.
A rescue drug that has received relatively little attention, but has fairly good support, is an intravenous bolus of magnesium sulfate, 500-1000mg. You might wish to discuss that with your doc.
Additionally, fish oils are sometimes useful, because of their anti-inflammatory and neurotrophic (nerve-nourishing) effects.
Hope that helps some.
~AA
poster:avid abulia
thread:240098
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030708/msgs/240578.html