Continuation of Glutamate Toxicity

I apologize, Hans. I think I overwhelmed the Glutamate Again post, by copying all the info direct. Next time I'll just post the link w/ a brief summary, but I'm always afraid someone will miss it. Anyway I wanted to make sure Jackie and Fran get my message, and once again urge all to read the info at the Glutamate Again post.

Thank you Fran and Jackie for your support and words of wisdom. Yes, I am blown away by all of this, and even more blown away, that it didn't click. After reading my second post above, I was speechless. You can believe, that I will be emailing this to Dr. Gersten. I have two full containers of whey protein sitting on my counter, that are jars of poison. I know this is against my better judgement, but I'm going to continue on the supps. for a few days, and see what happens. I'm very curious now to see how sensitive I am. I don't think a little bit more of experimenting will hurt, and it may prove further, of what I now know. This way I can further substantiate my argument to the doctor. I won't be taking anything with the aminos glutamate or glutamine, however, only what is in the vitamins from the process. I'll keep you all posted. I'm also going to go back to the conf. room and study your dialogue, Fran. Even though I kept up with all that info., as if unfolded, it didn't really sink in. Thank you Fran, for being such an advocate for NO MSG!!!!!! Jackie, did you ever think that the supplements could be part of your problem? Turns out, it was a problem for Sadja. I haven't seen any post from her. I wonder how she's faring.

Richard

Richard - I often thought that supplements - and I took so many - could be the problem..... with Fran's urging, I eliminated many and yes - the whey protein - and I even went so far as to be tested by kinesiology for sensitivity to the gelatin in the capsules.... I'm very selective now as to what I ingest and often do as Sadja does - dump the contents from the capsules.

A few years ago, I stopped all supplements including my HRT and thyroid
Rx. for a little over two months. I had no positive results - the afib kept on going. That's not to say it wasn't the supplements - perhaps two months wasn't enough time to notice a difference.

I'll tell you though, without the supportive supplements - called functional medicine - I wouldn't have strengthened my adrenals nor would I have reversed the insulin resistance... and last of all, without the magnesium, I still would be having breakthrough arrhythmia.

I wish you luck in your reserach. I feel you are close to finding an answer for yourself and I do appreciate the information you share with us.

Thanks again and again.

Best regards, Jackie

Jackie,
How much magnesium are you now taking? I am reducing the amount that I have been taking. I was at 800 mg. I think that I may have reached a saturation point.

I find that when I go to bed, after about 20 minutes there is a tremor- like sensation in my abdomin - not heart - that triggers off extra beats. No afib, but still a struggle to keep it from happening. The sensation is as if my diaphragm and the connection to the vagus nerve are highly sensitized.

Curiously, I haven't read much of anything about the effects of too much magnesium, (Seelig doesn't mention negative effects from excessive mg.either). My kidneys are just fine, so I don't think that that could be a problem. However, Jane Brody, the nutritionist for the NYTimes, mentions in one of her books that nervous system sensitivity from excessive magnesium.

Carol

Carol - I'm down to either 500 or 600 mg/day of the mag glycinate.
Dr. Seelig says that when the body reaches saturation, it will eliminate the excess via kidney or bowel. I became a bit bowel intolerant and decided that was my sign. So I backed off from between 800 and 900.

Going to bed and getting some tremors could be the postural thing we've talked about here from time to time. This could be your transition time between sympathetic and parasympathetic tone. Mine was disturbed by the displaced diaphragm with vagal nerve involvement. It's sense been eliminated with chiropractic adjustments of the diaphragm. Have you considered having yours checked out?

I have totally eliminated my postural trigger of afib. I can bend from the waist for a duration with no afib, I can sleep on my left side with no afib.
And my transition seems to be in harmony.

I'd rely on Dr. Seeling as the ultimate authority on magnesium. Jane Brody has been incorrect from time to time.
Jackie

Jackie,
Please tell me who (a chiropractor or what kind of specialist?) fixed your diaphragm and what the procedure was like?

Can it slide out of position again?

Is the misalignment connected with previous surgery in the lower abdomin perhaps?

I am wondering if high doses of magnesium could relax the hiatal sphincter muscle between the stomach and esophagus, increasing acid reflux and/or hiatal hernia. What I am saying is that the increased sensitivity of the diaphragm that I have been experiencing recently may be from acid washing up through a relaxed muscle?? Just conjecture.

Thank you.
Carol

I've been experiencing palpatations that sometimes lead to (but always worries me) afib whenever I initially lay down for bedtime. Could taking mg for so long (about 500 mg for the last six months or so) cause this?

Gregg,

Don't worry bro. I get 'em too when I lie down for bed - usually just a couple of ectopics - and I don't take any mag at the moment (well, not supplements anyway - tho I do eat 100g of sunflower seeds or almonds most days). I think loads of folks here get a few skips when they lay down in bed. I also get 'em when I lie down in the bath (head underwater) too.

Mike F.

Hi Carol - I see a D. C. - Chiropractic Physician. He also does energy work and kinesiology testing.

However, the physical manipulation of the diaphragm is strictly chiropractic.
It amounts to having him or his assistant press into the diaphragm area in three places... right, left and middle of where one could visualize the upper border of the diaphragm... like just below the rib cage. He presses in and downward and holds it while I breathe in deeply and exhale - three times in each area. Then he presses very hard with a downward motion right on the midline. He also has an instrument that delivers some energy.

I assume it can slide out of position again. I'll try to remember to ask him why this is so... and what causes it to begin with.


As far as the magnesium relaxing the sphincter, I assume anything is possible, but it is not the case for me. In fact the alkalinizing effect of the magnesium seems to have taken care of any reflux I may have had...but it was very minor, if any....so I'm not really the one to comment... I just don't know. Does Dr. Seeling address adverse muscle relalxing in the book... I haven't read every part - just flitting around as the need seemed to come up.

I would be more inclined to think that the displaced diaphragm that you may have is responsible for pushing up and creating the reflux and not the magnesium. I only say that because about 8 months ago, I was having alot of reflux. That disappeared and I don't know why. I've only been on elevated doses of magnesium since July of this year, so for me, I see no personal connection.....as I mentioned previously...it was the hiccoughs that sent me to the DC for the hiatal hernia possibility.....when the diagnosis was positive, then, I increased the Mg because the hiccoughs are a symptom of magnesium deficiency.

Do you take pancreatic and other digestive enzymes? I found that increasing those really helped with reflux. In fact, I never consume a meal or a snack without enzymes.

Good luck. Jackie

Mike,

How often do those ectopics turn into afib?

Why aren't you taking magnesium? Isn't that standard for afibbers?

Gregg,

>How often do those ectopics turn into afib?

Never to date thankfully! It's (presumably) when I get strong runs of them whilst asleep around 3-6 am that I can run into AF - as I have done 3 out of my 4 AF episodes that I've had in the last 4 years. I have several times awoken into lots of ectopics and flutter in the early hours further to nightmares/highly anxious dreams - I've pondered that I maight have gone to AF if I hadn't of awoken when I did...........

>Why aren't you taking magnesium? Isn't that standard for afibbers?

I've got a cupboard full of top quality mag glycinate, but whenever I've taken it for a few days it seems to increase my ectopics and runs of the same rather than decrease the same. I plan to try it again shortly by buliding up slowly rather than just dropping 400mg twice a day. However, I think some folks here - such as Fran - find any form of supplements irritate their hearts.

Mike F.