Magnesium Sulphate

Magnesium sulphate is a mineral supplement that helps to treat and prevent low levels of magnesium in the blood. This drug also helps you relax your muscles.

Magnesium sulphate is useful in the treatment of different conditions. They include:

• Your doctor may recommend magnesium sulphate to help you soften your stool or treat too much acid in your stomach.
• It may be recommended to treat low levels of magnesium in your blood, which may lead to irregular heartbeats.
• If you have high blood pressure during pregnancy, your healthcare provider may prescribe magnesium sulphate to prevent you from having convulsive attacks or to control seizures if you have them.
• Your doctor may also recommend that you use magnesium sulphate dissolved in water to relieve pain and discomfort by soaking minor bruises, sprain, muscle aches and stiff joints.

Magnesium Sulphate is a type of mineral supplement that prevents and treats low levels of magnesium in the blood, which may cause effects such as muscle weakness and irregular heartbeats.
Some forms of this Magnesium Sulphate are available over the counter. Other forms are only available to you when your healthcare provider prescribes them.

• Magnesium sulphate is available in capsule, liquid, injection and powder forms.
• If you are taking capsules, you need to swallow them whole without chewing except if your healthcare provider tells you to do otherwise.
• If you need to take magnesium sulphate as an injection, your healthcare provider may inject it in your blood, muscle or bone.
• The powdered salts should be dissolved in warm water for soaking.
• Do not increase your dose by yourself. Doing so may put you at risk of serious side-effects of this medicine.
• If you mistakenly take more than your prescribed dose, report to the nearest healthcare provider with the remains of the drug immediately.

Side-effects usually resolve on their own within two to three days, and may include:

• Sweating a lot more than you normally do.
• Feeling weak, tired or sleepy.
• Your mouth may feel dry.
• You may experience headaches.
• You may notice your skin grow warm.

This is not a complete list of side-effects. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience these or other unpleasant effects of this medicine. Especially if the unpleasant effects last for a week or more.

Before you start taking magnesium sulphate, inform your healthcare provider if you have any of the following. This is to help minimise your risk of having unpleasant effects of this medicine.

• If you have had any previous allergic reaction to magnesium sulphate. For instance, a rash or body itching that stopped when you stopped taking this supplement.
• If you have diabetes or have a heart condition that affects your heart muscle or slows your heartbeats.
• Do not take this supplement if you have been told that you already have high levels of magnesium or calcium in your blood.