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IV magnesium for asthma attack

11 replies

giraffesCantGoFirstFooting · 26/01/2013 11:15

Was admitted on Tuesday via A&E after struggling since Thursday with asthma. Walking a very short distance (slowly) in the cold on Tuesday set things off and ended up in A&E. Was already on 40mg pred, doxycycline, monteloukast, seretide and ventolin when admitted.

Was given nebulised ventolin and atrovent twice and then a bag of IV magnesium.

Never had the magnesium before, or heard of it. It seemed to help! Any experiences of it?

Was discharged yesterday afternoon - hooray!

OP posts:

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digerd · 26/01/2013 12:22

I had an injection in my arm of magnesium at GPs in Germany, to relax me. Magnesium is known as a muscle relaxant. I was told that I would feel something very warm racing through me and I did - very unusal- but liked it.

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giraffesCantEatNHSPotatoes · 26/01/2013 13:01

I was put on a heart monitor and 15min blood pressure monitor as was told would get hot flushes and could affect heart, but it didn;t!

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amillionyears · 26/01/2013 13:15

I have never heard of it, but thought I would bump for you.
Did the doctors say anything much about it to you?

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digerd · 26/01/2013 13:35

Giraffes
Did you have an injection too? I was alarmed that I had wet myself, as that is what I noticed most - a real very warm GUSH between my legs. GP said no but can feel like that. But my high pulse rate that he knew I had, was not checked .Unless I didn't notice him checking it. It gave me quite a high after the shock of thinking I had wet myself.
Had it once a week for a month.

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magso · 26/01/2013 15:09

I cannot remember exactly what I read but I have about magnesium somewhere will try to locate (obviously not helped my memory then). I know they can use IV magnesium safely in raised BP in pregnancy- its an old treatment.
Hope you are feeling better.

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Domesticsloven · 26/01/2013 15:15

Its given for acute severe asthma if not responding to the usual meds. Very effective and pretty safe too.

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giraffesCantEatNHSPotatoes · 26/01/2013 15:24

No it wasn't an injection, was a big bag of clear liquid in a drip took about half an hour to go in.

Only injection was given was a blood thinner in to my tummy

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magso · 26/01/2013 15:26

Right I have found the book. It ( amongst much other research) is what started me on supplementation (and the beginning of a long slow recovery from pneumonia which for a while left my formorlly mild asthma, brittle. I was allowed to stay on it for surgery so got the strong feeling it was a good idea. The book is called The Magnesium Miracle by Carolyn Dean.
To quote a few passages re asthma - magnesium is an excellent treatment for asthma because it is a broncho dilator and an antihistamine...It has a calming effect on the muscles of the bronchial tubes and the whole body....many of the drug treatments for asthma consist of magnesuim wasters such as beta blockers, corticosteroids and ventolin. HTH

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Domesticsloven · 26/01/2013 15:35

It is given as an infusion in about 100 to 250 ml into a cannula [drip].

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digerd · 26/01/2013 15:43

I don't know the dosage my german GP gave me, but it was fast acting with the heat rushing through my body. He gave it to me as I was very tense and had lost my appetitie and said it would help to relax me and get my appetite back. It certainly made me feel good.
Magnesium tablets are often recommended for muscle cramps
I had this in 1995.