Magnesium Oxide Risks, Warnings, and Complications

Precautions Before Starting Magnesium oxide

Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had an allergic reaction to magnesium oxide, other antacids, or any other medications. Your pharmacy can give you a list of ingredients in magnesium oxide supplements.

Give your doctor and pharmacist a full list of your medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal products. This can help avoid possible drug interactions.

Give your doctor a complete medical history. Magnesium oxide may not be right for people with certain medical conditions such as heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, intestinal diseases, and high blood pressure. 

Tell your doctor if you are on a special diet, such as a low-salt or low-sugar diet.

Also, tell your doctor if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, plan to get pregnant, or are breast feeding (this medicine may pass into breast milk and affect a nursing baby).

Precautions During Use of Magnesium Oxide

Tell all your healthcare professionals you are taking magnesium oxide. 

Stop using magnesium oxide and call your healthcare provider immediately if you have bloody or tarry stools, vomit that looks like coffee-grounds, or you are coughing up blood. 

Call your doctor if you become pregnant while on magnesium oxide.

Magnesium Oxide Drug Interactions

Certain other drugs can affect how magnesium oxide works. Possible interactions between magnesium oxide and other medicines can increase the risk of severe adverse reactions.

The following medications may have interactions with magnesium oxide:

• Other antacids
• Medicines used to treat stomach ulcers, such as cimetidine (Tagamet)
• Other laxatives
• Aspirin
• Diuretics or water pills
• Certain antibiotics like ciprofloxacin and doxycycline
• Bisphosphonates like alendronate (Fosamax)
• Anticoagulants or blood thinners like warfarin (Coumadin) 
• Vitamins

The above list may not describe all possible interactions of magnesium oxide. Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, OTC (non-prescription) medications, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your healthcare professionals if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with medications and supplements.