# Magnesium + vitamin C causing pain in 'pancreas'?



## Dooby (Aug 21, 2009)

Hi all, has anyone experienced anything like this? I started off with 1000 mg each of magnesium and vitamin C and I developed semi-sharp pain in the area labeled in diagrams as the pancreas - on the left under the bottom of my ribcage. (I'd been making other dietary changes at the same time so it took me a week or so to work out the cause). I stopped taking them and the pain stopped. Months later I tried 500mg of each without any problem and some good results. Tonight I thought I'd try increasing the dose slightly - I took 700 mg magnesium and 750mg vitamin C but within minutes the pain is back in my pancreas area.I've read that excess magnesium and vitamin C should not cause any problems so I'm wondering what this reaction could mean. Any ideas?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Are you sure it isn't near the bend in the colon on the left that is right under the ribs. That is usually more the spleen area, pancreas is a bit more central with the spleen to the left of it.Anyway, the splenic flexure (by the spleen bend) in the colon is a pretty common trouble spot for IBSers and usually isn't the pancreas hurting but the colon.


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## Dooby (Aug 21, 2009)

Thanks, Kathleen, you're a great fount of knowledge. I've googled around and I've read that pancreas pain can be confused with IBS pain so you may well be right. However I've studied the diagrams again and I'm not sure - the area is left of centre but not as far to the left as the bend or spleen. Also if the bend is the source of the pain I've been wondering why magnesium would trigger it. My constipation doesn't usually cause stomach pain, certainly never such a precise focus point. I'm thinking it's still most _probably _the spleen but I'm not sure...


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

No idea why either mag. or C would set it off. Usually things that loosen the stools if anything help.I can't see how either of them would cause pancreas pain.Now a lot of people get stomach pain from vitamins and I don't know if you could tell the stomach from the pancreas as there really isn't a fine net of pain nerves. Basically pain in the abdomen tends to be generalized into regions and each region has several things that can go wrong.Now if the combination of two osmotic laxatives was loosening you up too much that could increase colon pain if you tend to get that with looser stools. However colon pain often continues even if you normalize stool consistency. Unless you are just getting more activity with stools easier to pass, but it is kind of a mystery.


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## Dooby (Aug 21, 2009)

Thanks, Kathleen, I'll see if I can find anything on the internet and mention it to my doctor


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