It is National ME month in May so I thought I would share this lovely success story of a lady beating her chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia with transdermal magnesium therapy (ie. through the skin).
Not my patient, but useful nevertheless for you. I use the magnesium spray she uses myself. It is a good choice if you don’t absorb well, prefer something other than capsules and is fab, we have found in patients, especially for leg cramps, muscle tension in the neck and restless legs:
Lynn Palfreyman, aged 42, was diagnosed with fibromyalgia six years ago, after a complicated pregnancy, birth and stressful job took its toll on her health.
Fibromyalgia causes symptoms including incapacitating fatigue, muscle and joint pain, neuralgia, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, cognitive function, and digestive function.
“Fibromyalgia has impacted on all elements of my life in far too many ways to mention. My diagnosis came in 2006. I had been complaining of aches and pains for the previous six years, ever since my son had been born. I had a difficult pregnancy, suffering from hyperemesis (being sick) throughout, followed by a complicated birth and a series of post-natal operations. But through it all, I maintained my stressful lifestyle.
“I sincerely believe that I got adrenaline burn out and my system just ‘fell over’. I was working 12 hour days and looking after a child who didn’t sleep through the night until he was four years old.
“Fibromyalgia isn’t diagnosed with a simple blood test, so I had questioned myself constantly whether it was all in my head. I felt like I was going crazy and I was sick and tired of feeling so ill. I felt that no-one understood, and how could they, because I didn’t.
“The symptoms got worse and worse, year after year, and no matter what logic and research I applied, I was getting nowhere. It was then that the reality of fibromyalgia really hit home, I realised I was never going to get back to my ‘old self’ and the life I once had.
“It was only a year later that I realised the life I have now with fibromyalgia is going to be what I make it. There are good and bad days, I ‘manage’ my condition and respect what my body is telling me. I know I run on 50 per cent of the fuel others run on and that’s on a good day. No doubt this double life is led by a lot of people with Fibromyalgia.
“About six months ago I watched a TV show about arthritis . I was immediately struck by a nutritionist talking about a UK study finding that fibromyalgia suffers have lower red blood cell magnesium levels than healthy people.
“Suddenly everything made sense.”
Magnesium deficiency is known to exacerbate all the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Carolyn Dean, author of The Magnesium Miracle, claims that, like Lynn, a sufferer of fibromyalgia, can diminish his or her symptoms by 50 per cent by taking the right amount of magnesium. The mineral has the ability to increase the body’s production of DHEA, a hormone which has beneficial effects on memory, stress, sleep and depression.
A clinical trial by Cardiff University showed how well magnesium is absorbed through the skin, feeding every cell. Watkins & Josling showed the dramatic increase in magnesium levels that can be achieved with transdermal magnesium oil compared to oral supplements.
You can test your red blood cell magnesium levels quite easily via the Mineral Screen where I have requested rbc magnesium as an extra. I have found serum magnesium looks fine much of the time where rbc magnesium is low, so it gives a better picture.
Lyn uses Better You Magnesium spray and bath flakes, both of which I use myself and recommend regularly for patients. She explains the difference she feels with it:
“I sleep better, therefore feel better and am able to do more. I can now happily stay up until 10pm instead of falling to sleep in the early evening,”
“This is the first winter in 11 years where I have not either suffered from clinical depression or SAD and not been prescribed drugs to control it. I’m not saying it’s all down to magnesium, I use a Lumie light which has done its bit, but my ability to adapt and recover is now immense.
“My knees no longer need support from a triangular pillow at night and I now lie on my side happily with minimal pain. I rub the oil all over my hands every night and in the morning I can now stretch my fingers out, without searing pain or having to wear support gloves.
“I’ve tested the theory, but I can’t live without magnesium oil. When I stopped, my nails deteriorated quickly and my joints began to get sore again and kept me awake. I generally feel unwell on a daily basis, but I’d forgotten what it was like to have all the debilitating symptoms until the magnesium reduced in my system and then I felt awful.
A lovely story – hope it helps you! Nice to hear someone pull out of it, even though she clearly has a way to go. Fibromyalgia is never just about one factor but there is no doubt that magnesium – and other nutrient deficiencies – play a huge part. I would urge her to check out her gluten genes for non-coeliac gluten sensitivity next, test her fatty acid levels which do a lot to control inflammation and use a product like Kapparest to turn off the inflammatory cytokines.
You can get the Better You range of magnesium oils and flakes, and others, via Natural Dispensary as usual. Better You also has a comprehensive website where you can read up more about it and how to use the products.
Good luck!
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