how I got rid of my muscle pain / fibromyalgia

For many years, I had slowly increasing muscle pain, especially in my legs and shoulders (from 2001 to 2010 to be exact). It was diagnosed as fibromyalgia in 2005.
In the autumn of 2007 it got so bad I couldn't walk down the stairs without gripping the handrail on both sides, which made carrying a full bin bag really difficult. Shopping in big supermarkets where I had to walk a lot was a painful hell and the only help the trolley. I felt like 105 year old lady needing a walking frame.

In January 2010 I changed three things:

- I upped the amount of magnesium I was taking to 800mg/day
- I went gluten free
- I went low carb

One of these actions must have done something special to my muscles - and I suspect
the magnesium, as it is the most likely candidate - because 90% of  the muscle pain
went away. Now, three years later I am still 90% muscle pain free.

I cannot exclude the other two factors as playing a role in it but I don't feel like experimenting
to find out. I am just glad it worked so well.

I know it sounds so easy and I am myself confused about it and sometimes I doubt the diagnosis and all that, but I do remember the pain and how disabled I felt on a daily basis. Maybe muscle pain can have lots of differnt causes like CFS. But trying the magnesium is quick and easy and cheap.

For everyone who is tempted to try the magnesium:

- start increasing slowly because it can cause loose bowels
- give it 3-4 weeks to see if it works
- go up to at least 800 mg a day because 200 or 400 are not going to cut it
- and make sure to balance it out with the other 3 big electrolytes:
       * calcium (apparently a 1:2  ratio  mag:calc  is good but I don't think so much calcium is
          necessary I only take 1000mg calcium daily with the 800 mag and that's ok for me.
       * potassium (green juice is ideal) taking potassium supps can be dangerous
       * sodium (use liberal amounts of high quality salt like celtic sea salt or pink himalaya salt)
- and of course ask a doctor or somebody else who is qualified.

Good luck

(Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I am only searching for solutions and trying out things to improve my quality of life. Do not try anything I didjust on a whim. Always ask a qualified doctor for advice before trying something. All I am writing about are my personal experiences as my very own guinea pig. Everybody is different and I cannot be held responsible for anything anybody tries out.)