leg cramps

[berylc]

I've always had leg cramps on and off for years, long before I was diabetic. Now they are far worse, last night I lost count of the number of times I was woken by cramp, I know twice I had to get out of bed and try to stretch my foot on the floor to straighten it, sore didn't come into it! I wondered if cramp could be linked to my sugar levels. I don't get testing equipment from Dr, so have no idea what my levels are (although I was bad last night and had a chocolate covered ice cream, it was wonderful!). I'm on metaformin 500mg, one with breakfast and two with my main meal, whether it's lunchtime or tea time. I don't have a high salt intake, does that make cramp worse?
My husband has got used to me jumping out of bed and screaming now! Doesn't frighten him anymore, he just turns over and goes back to sleep :lol:
I'm type 2 diabetic.

 

[noblehead]

Quinine tablets are supposed to help with leg cramps at night, go see your gp and they may prescribe them or an alternative.

 

[IanD]

Hi Beryl, you've come to the place where you get advice from people who have learnt from experience - in my case I was diagnosed 12 years ago, with a numbness in my thighs that I knew wasn't right but didn't actually bother me.

I was given the usual advice - keep active, eat low sugar/fat/salt & plenty of unrefined carbs - which I followed carefully as I was warned against the complications of diabetes.

Diabetes progressed & I was started on statins - and leg pains like yours resulted. Lying on my back, the weight of my legs trying to straighten out hurt my knees. I tried sleeping with a pillow under my knees. Giving up statins eased that problem. But the diabetes progressed until I was becoming crippled. I'd wake up and stretch (like Bagpuss) and cramp pains would be intense.

Then, 5 years ago, I discovered this forum, and the benefits of a low carb diet. At first I simply cut out bread, potatoes, cereal, etc, while increasing vegetables & protein foods. Blood sugar levels improved immediately, and the the leg problems reduced so that with 3 months I was out of pain & playing tennis again. 5 years on I am well & active, with no diabetic symptoms.

I recommend a LOW CARBOHYDRATE, INCREASED FAT DIET.

 

[catherinecherub]

Hi Beryl,

Leg cramps have a number of causes and it may or may not be related to your diabetes. Your GP is the best person to help you through this.

This article explains some of the things you can do for relief.

http://www.acu-cell.com/dis-mus.html

You can get a cheap meter and strips but I do not know if this is financially possible for you. This one is reasonable as are the strips.

http://www.homehealth-uk.com/medical/bl ... esting.htm

 

[Osidge]

Many thanks for, as usual, such wise advice, Catherine. Self-diagnosis or blaming every problem you have on your diabetes or carbohydrates can be a dangerous pastime.

Regards

Doug


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[philfatkid]

I started getting leg cramps a few months ago, my dad told me to drink tonic water, so now when i attend my locals quiz night i drink low cal tonic water, and it seems to be working

 

[spaceman]

S A L T stop using it on food and your cramp will disapear.

 

[amberzak]

S A L T stop using it on food and your cramp will disapear.

I'm the complete opposite. I get cramps when I don't have enough salt in my body. I don't like the taste of salt so I never add it to cooking or to my food.


Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[borderter]

When taking metformin I have cramp too as did my brother and my sister in law who both stopped it down to cramp

 

[StephenM]

I started getting leg cramps a few months ago, my dad told me to drink tonic water, so now when i attend my locals quiz night i drink low cal tonic water, and it seems to be working

This is the quinine in the tonic water – doctors sometimes prescribe it for cramp. Because of potential circulation problems any diabetic suffering frequent cramps should request a Doppler test.

 

[SAH154]

I tried the Quinine tablets but they did nothing - I now do stretching exercises before I go to bed and as a rule they are better. Mine are worse after work as I sit on my bum most of the day :sick:

I also have quite stiff ankles and just squeezing the ankle nerves/muscles can set of horrid cramping of the calf muscle. Sometimes I wake up in the night and my calf muscle is inverted and can hurt next day.

I have (according to the foot clinic) good circulation in my feet so I think mine is down to nerve damage, a bit like sweating when you eat the nerve misfires and causes a response that isn't normal

 

[isleworth]

Is it possible that Diabetes 2 causes more long-term seizures in the leg, as opposed to ordinary cramps?

I ask because I experienced cramp-like symptoms in my left calf which remained with me for over a week. There was no obvious incident which triggered the seizure, although I am a postman and do place a lot of strain on my leg muscles, particular when climbing stairs.

 

[IanD]

Hi, I live in Norwood Green, play tennis in Osterley (Thistleworth Club) & my baby grandson lives with his parents in Isleworth.

See my post on P. 1. We might meet up. Are you aware of the Hounslow Cardio/Diabetes Support Group which meets in the Montague Hall last Tuesday every month? Search this forum for Hounslow to find info.

 

[wyresoft]

Both myself and wife suffered from leg cramps. Mine got much worse when they put me on metformin. Now we both take magnesium sulphate supplements and both of us have much less problems. (I'm type 2 whereas my wife isn't diabetic)

 

[debz48]

Hi I started with leg cramps years ago. However, I was put onto Quinine Sulphate Tablets at night, I never add SALT anyway, so the quinine does help. I only get the slightest of twinges now. Which is a great improvement.

 

[miss_lady_pink]

not sure if my opinion will help but i started get chronic leg cramps during the night especially around my knee area the pain was so severe id wake up crying not knowing what to do, diabetic type 1 on insulin, i thought it could be arthritis or something else considering am only 25 ! what i will suggest is what type of mattress do you sleep on, i was sleeping on a rock solid memory foam mattress, (this was the cause) after going on holiday and sleeping on a springged mattress me and my husband realised how uncomfy are bed at home was so as soon as we got home, we went out and bought a new mattress this time we went for a pocket sprung mattress - the results...... not once have i woken up with any leg, shoulder, neck or back problems ! it might be worth the change it certainly helped for me, and sleep is the most important part of day life. now i can sleep comofortably and without any problems it goes to show what certain mattresses can do to you without you realising.

 

[viviennem]

Is it possible that Diabetes 2 causes more long-term seizures in the leg, as opposed to ordinary cramps?

I ask because I experienced cramp-like symptoms in my left calf which remained with me for over a week. There was no obvious incident which triggered the seizure, although I am a postman and do place a lot of strain on my leg muscles, particular when climbing stairs.

I have a condition called lumbar spinal stenosis, which is an arthritic overgrowth of the facet joints in the lower spine. This causes the nerve canals to narrow, and can trap or pinch the nerves leading to the legs. One symptom can be a mild "pins-&-needles" tingling. Or it can cause sciatica-like pains. I had been complaining of increasing lower back pain for over 25 years without any help except anti-inflammatories. I was also finding that my leg muscles would not respond quickly enough to (eg) stop me from falling.

Two years ago the large muscle on the front of my right thigh went into cramp and stayed that way for seven weeks. I had to go around bent double, had to sit up in bed to turn over, and was taking 8 Tramadol plus Paracetamol every day without any effect whatsoever on the pain. The scene I raised in the surgery got me referred to the Spinal Rehab Unit at our local hospital, where I was finally diagnosed. A light weight-training session had trapped the nerve. Eventually it went off. I now take a low dose opiod to keep things subdued.

It's possible that something similar could have affected your calf muscle. Keep an eye on things, and if you get anything like it again, go to your GP. Exercise can sometimes have adverse effects, and I would think that climbing stairs with a postbag would put some strain on your spine, long-term.

Viv 8)

 

[iHs]

Leg cramp can also be caused by vitamin D deficiency.

I mentioned to my doctor about it as it was becoming more frequent and disturbed my sleep. I had a blood test done and it reveals that I am deficient so will have an injection done. Tablets wont do the trick as my levels are bit too low.

 

[susy23]

Hi, i used to suffer cramps the same as you're describing until i got advice on this forum to start taking a magnesium supplement. I took one every day for a couple of weeks & the cramps stopped so to ensure they dont return i now take a magnesium supplement 3 times a week & have had no cramps for months now. Good luck in finding what works for you as it certainly isnt a nice thing to suffer from x

 

[badcat]

Magnesium deficiency is also strongly indicated as a causative factor in nocturnal cramping