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Mild, Moderate or Severe M.E.?

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
Joan, I have been able to buy epsom salts here, but I use them in the bath. I am not sure if it is the type to be ingested through , perhaps that is what is no longer available.

The injestable ones will always say food grade or have instructions on them for taking by mouth.
........

Anyone after this in Australia. Seek out the Gold Cross brand of Epsom Salts. http://www.trustgoldcross.com.au/products/digestive-aids/product-line?id=1177 (Ive no idea if that is the cheapest place thou).
 
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JoanDublin

Senior Member
Messages
369
Location
Dublin, Ireland
@taniaaust1 Well I spoke to his hospital consultant and he's happy to try that bowel protocol. He gave me a prescription for the Epsom Salts. I dont think I need a prescription but the principle of getting one was important to demonstrate his support. I will start trying to source them online as the food grade one is no longer available here in Ireland.

I am going to wait a couple of weeks to start it with him as we have holidays coming up from this weekend and I'm hoping to be able to get away here and there for short breaks and I don't want anything interfering with that.

I will let you know how he gets on with it. Thanks again.
 

TigerLilea

Senior Member
Messages
1,147
Location
Vancouver, British Columbia
@taniaaust1 Well I spoke to his hospital consultant and he's happy to try that bowel protocol. He gave me a prescription for the Epsom Salts. I dont think I need a prescription but the principle of getting one was important to demonstrate his support. I will start trying to source them online as the food grade one is no longer available here in Ireland.

@JoanDublin - Is it because of the abortion issue in Ireland that you can't purchase food grade Epsom Salts?
 

Gingergrrl

Senior Member
Messages
16,171
@JoanDublin I just read in your prior posts that you are coping with Lupus and COPD in addition to caring for your son and did not know that was the case?! Are you able to get the care you need for yourself while arranging all your son's care?
 

JoanDublin

Senior Member
Messages
369
Location
Dublin, Ireland
@JoanDublin I just read in your prior posts that you are coping with Lupus and COPD in addition to caring for your son and did not know that was the case?! Are you able to get the care you need for yourself while arranging all your son's care?

That's a good question! There is just him and me living here so it all falls to me I'm afraid. I do my best to keep as well as I can but it's damn hard sometimes. Truthfully, I have to factor in my own limitations when it comes to how far I can go with helping him, i..e. going abroad, etc
 

xchocoholic

Senior Member
Messages
2,947
Location
Florida
Hi @JoanDublin

In my experience Epsom salt was harder on the digestive tract than magnesium citrate. Es caused severe cramping where mc, Natural Calm brand, never has.

Es worked well for baths tho. In my early years I always needed
About 2 cups per bath.

Tc .. x
 

JoanDublin

Senior Member
Messages
369
Location
Dublin, Ireland
Well its been a while since I posted on this thread. Thanks to @taniaaust1 for her experience on the Epsom Salt Protocol, we finally got to start it today. I had to order the stuff online and the smallest quantity the company could supply was a 25kg sack! I won't be running out of it any time soon, thats for sure!

So far he is taking the Epsom Salts but it is vile and makes him want to puke so I'm hoping that he has a result before he throws in the towel with it. I started off with 2.5mg and we are now up to 8mg. Im just increasing by 1mg each hour for the moment.

I will let you know if it works for him.

Also I mentioned on this thread that one of his symptoms was blurred vision and, sure enough, his recent hospital appointment showed a deterioration in his eyesight so he now has to wear glasses. I just know its all ME related. His hearing was tested as well and his left ear (the one that has the tinnitus) is borderline,i.e. its just on the cusp of being acceptable hearing. They said they will do a scan on him in three months if the tinnitus is still there. Im not sure what thats about though.
 

JoanDublin

Senior Member
Messages
369
Location
Dublin, Ireland
@Valentijn That's too funny! I love the thought of the Happy Turd Dance! He was certainly doing that last night. He had about 10 bowel movements throughout the night! He's sore as hell but absolutely delighted with the result. Said he feels so much lighter, lol! God the relief must be amazing. He's already taken today's first dose without so much as a squawk of complaint so that tells me how thrilled he is with the outcome. Fingers crossed for onwards and upwards. I'm beside myself with the need to shout it from the rooftops....but in the interests of protecting the bit that's left of his dignity at this stage, I will refrain :) :)
 

Little Bluestem

All Good Things Must Come to an End
Messages
4,930
I had to order the stuff online and the smallest quantity the company could supply was a 25kg sack! I won't be running out of it any time soon, thats for sure!

So far he is taking the Epsom Salts but it is vile and makes him want to puke so I'm hoping that he has a result before he throws in the towel with it.
Are you sure this Epsom Salt is meant for consumption. My carton of Epsom Salt mentions only using is for soaks and baths. It does not actually say "do not use internally". I think you may need "food grade/pharmaceutical grade" Epsom Salt. You might contact the company from which you order it and ask if it is safe to consume, if you are not sure.
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
@Valentijn That's too funny! I love the thought of the Happy Turd Dance! He was certainly doing that last night. He had about 10 bowel movements throughout the night! He's sore as hell but absolutely delighted with the result. Said he feels so much lighter, lol! God the relief must be amazing. He's already taken today's first dose without so much as a squawk of complaint so that tells me how thrilled he is with the outcome. Fingers crossed for onwards and upwards. I'm beside myself with the need to shout it from the rooftops....but in the interests of protecting the bit that's left of his dignity at this stage, I will refrain :) :)


Yeah I thought it would work as his bowel did sound just like mine was and I completely sympathise with him in just how discusting this stuff takes, I used to gag when trying to take it its so discusting but it came down to be the only thing which worked for me if I didnt want to be doing daily enemas for possibly the rest of my life. I do hope his bowel ends up fixing itself with it after months (4-6mths?) of taking it regularly like mine did, this stuff makes the bowel work.

I are quite concerned thou in the possibility that you could have non food grade epsom salts seeing you had to buy it in such a HUGE quantity (It should of been able to be found in 250g or 500g container or box).. If you asked company on the phone about it, its quite possible the person who took the call may of given the wrong reply.

Does it say "food grade" or have instructions for taking orally on your container? (thou I doubt if oral instructions would be on such a big container of it but would still expect that to have a food grade label on it. Please write to the company if nothing is written on it and get in writing that it is food grade (unless they advertised it as such). Most Epsom salts out there are not food grade ones and hence have impurities in it.

May I ask what brand you brought?
 
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taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
Also I mentioned on this thread that one of his symptoms was blurred vision and, sure enough, his recent hospital appointment showed a deterioration in his eyesight so he now has to wear glasses. I just know its all ME related. His hearing was tested as well and his left ear (the one that has the tinnitus) is borderline,i.e. its just on the cusp of being acceptable hearing. They said they will do a scan on him in three months if the tinnitus is still there. Im not sure what thats about though.

I still think your son has probably an actual mitochrondrial disorder from his eye and ear symptoms (I also suspect I do too. My family history and my own childhood one indicates it a bit, my dad had a hearing aid as a child but had good hearing as an adult. One day hopefully find a specialist in that and find out). That type of bowel issue can be caused by mito issues too.

Maybe at one point you could look into mitochondrial protocols to try with him.