Are cramps in the legs and foot part of the diabetes effects?

mysorian said:

I have been feeling especially in the foot. Is this normal? The bones in the foot seem to bunch up, especially the toes minus the big one.

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I have only been diagnosed for four months, but I have suffered what feels like cramp in my calf muscles , especially at night.
I have read on a number of forums that one of the side effects of Metformin, the goto T2 medication, is cramping or leg pain sensation. I am on 2 Metformin per day. As everyone always says , if you have any concerns , speak to a doctor/ nurse from your GPS practice.

I find that I need to add salt to my diet, particularly in hot weather, as there is none in the foods I chose to eat to control my blood glucose levels. If I get cramps at night I am usually dehydrated and water is required to stop them.
I did wonder if the salt in the food means I retain more water, somehow, but after quite a bit of experimentation when eating a consistently low carb diet, I keep a bottle of water by the bed and a tub of salt where I put the plates for dishing up.

mysorian said:

I have been feeling especially in the foot. Is this normal? The bones in the foot seem to bunch up, especially the toes minus the big one.

Click to expand...

A common cause of overnight cramp is dehydration. We tend to underestimate the fluid lost through perspiration, especially in warm weather, so make sure you have plenty to drink during the day. You can't beat water out of the tap, but almost any sugar-free beverage will help. Unfortunately, alcohol tends to exacerbate the problem.

Diabetics are known to be more susceptible to cramps than the general population. It can occur with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, but appears to be more prevalent with type 2, possibly because patients with insulin resistance tend to lose magnesium in their urine, contributing to lower levels. Some forum users find a magnesium supplement helps.

Should you be unfortunate enough to experience another bout of cramps in your legs, whatever you do, don't point your feet! It's a natural reaction, but prolongs the agony. Instead grab your toes and pull upwards towards your knees. You may want to support your feet in bed with a pillow. I find that simple precaution prevents me from flexing my feet in my sleep.

Try making your own isotonic drinks

1 liter spring water
1 teaspoon bicarb.
1 tsp magnesium powder.
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Juice of a Lemon
1 tsp honey.

I woke up with cramp this morning, up the outside of my lower leg, ankle to knee. Resolved in 1/2 a minute after drinking a mug of water.
Probably a bit of dehydration brought on by several hours out in the sun and wind yesterday and forgetting the jug of lemon water in the fridge.

Possibly.

I used to get very bad cramps in my calves years before I ever had T2. They were due to the diuretics I was taking causing me to wee out vital minerals - mainly potassium. My solution was to eat a potassium rich banana a day.

But I also had similar issues early on with my low carb diet,. Excessive wee was not only disposing of surplus sugar but vital electrolytes too - again potassium, and magnesium, & salt as well. Since high carb bananas are now off limits for me, I make sure that I include potassium & magnesium rich foods (e.g. leafy green veg, avocados), drink enough water - and don't stint on the salt.!

Google helped provide me with suitable low carb food lists.