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Cramps

Karwa26

Member
Messages
5
Location
Tobermory
Type of diabetes
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Does anybody else suffer from extreme cramping? I am T2 and constantly cramp in my ankles, shins, calves, thighs (inner and outer) buttocks ...... you get the picture! Was worse when I was on statins, improved slightly when I came off them and is now worse than ever.
 
I have done in the past and if I don't drink enough and get dehydrated it can still happen at night... That inner thigh one is sooo painful !!
The pharmacist said that a magnesium supplement might help.. and so far it seems to have done so.. you can just buy these, they are with all the vitamins in most chemists.
 
@Karwa26 Hello and welcome.. I have cramps occasionally.. usually in my calves and especially if I haven't had many fluids. I have heard that drinks that have quinine in them can help... certain brands of tonic water have this in them. It may be an old wives tale or it may actually work.. I never did try it.. but it could be worth investigating if you suffer regularly.
 
 
Thanks. Used to be on quinine that worked intermittently but doc won't prescribe it any more. Taking magnesium and horse chestnut/red vine leaf complex too but not making much of a difference.
 

I've suffered with foot and leg cramps my entire life. When I started the low carb diet, I began having cramps in my chest too if I bent down to tie my shoes. I take 450 mg magnesium citrate. I don't remember how long it took, perhaps weeks or a month, but once the magnesium began working, it worked great. For the first time in my life, I don't have cramps.

I also upped my intake of magnesium plant based foods.

Hope you get relief soon.

By the way, are you taking a CoQ10 supplement to rebuild your CoQ10 levels? (Statins block the pathway that create CoQ10. Your cells use CoQ10 "to produce energy your body needs for cell growth and maintenance. It also functions as an antioxidant, which protects the body from damage caused by harmful molecules.").
 
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daisyduck said:
I have done in the past ...
The pharmacist said that a magnesium supplement might help...
Click to expand...

I also used to suffer from cramps, and my go-to remedy is also magnesium. It appears that a magnesium spray is the best method of having your body best absorb the mineral (transdermally rather than through the stomach).
Given that magnesium is also EXCELLENT for heart health
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/07/25/magnesium-for-heart-health.aspx
it's a win-win : )))))
Geoff
 
I take magnesium and potassium supplements.
For me, I think the potassium is the most important to prevent cramps.
Nowadays I only tend to get them if it is hot weather for several days, and I have forgotten to take a tablet. I will wake up in the middle of the night with cramp, reach out, take a tablet, and the problem is sorted until I forget my next tablet.
 
I occasionally use CRAMPEX tablets....this is what they are sold for:

"Crampex Tablets are developed with a triple-action formula to help correct any calcium deficiency, aid in calcium absorption, and improve poor peripheral circulation. It helps to treat and prevent muscle spasms that occur in the legs or feet during the night, so you can get a good night's sleep.

Ingredients: 20mg nicotinic acid, 200mg calcium gluconate and 0.02mg colecalciferol. Also contains magnesium stearate, povidone, sodium lauryl sulphate, starch maize, talc (E553b), and pre-gelatinized starch."

Most pharmacies will stock them. I Only need them a couple of times a year, but they really help.

Tony
 
No2D said:
Recently I started taking more calcium and magnesium. The foot cramps were really bad in the middle of the night. They seem to have settled down for about the last week. Also I'm trying potassium.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I'll give calcium a try.
 
A magnesium supplement works for me. A while back I was going through my meds deciding which I needed to carry on taking and couldn't remember exactly why I was taking the magnesium so I stopped taking it. Two days later I remembered when, in the middle of the night, I started getting cramps in my feet and calves again. It took a couple of days to kick back in but I haven't had one since.

I think its something to do with low carbing because my husband joined me on my way of eating (to just keep me company I think) and after a couple of months he started getting the cramps as well...... so we are both taking magnesium.
 

Thank you for bringing up the point that statins block the production of CoQ10 and that a CoQ10 supplement can help rebuild your levels. As a consulting pharmacist for Qunol CoQ10, I’ve spent a lot of time educating people about this topic. When considering a CoQ10 supplement, you should choose one that is both water and fat-soluble which is better absorbed by the body than regular CoQ10.

Please note that my comment is provided for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
 

Any relief yet? I neglected to mention that when I researched this, I came across information that sometimes the body needs magnesium, sometimes calcium. The reason I tried magnesium first is because supplementing with calcium can be problematic. If I took calcium, I'd take a calcium and magnesium formulation, and keep the calcium as low as possible. (Calcium can find it's way to the artery walls if you don't have adequate levels of vitamin A, D3, K2 (MK-7) and magnesium to move the calcium to your bones).
 
Before I was diagnosed 18 months ago and started a LCHF diet I used to have cramps regularly, particularly in my calves. Reading this thread has made me realize that I haven't had any cramps since I started the diet, may just be a co-incidence of course.
 
@Mr_Pot I'm curious, do you eat a lot of plant based foods (which are likely rich in magnesium and calcium)? I've always had toe, foot, and leg cramps, and the LCKD made the problem more severe. I didn't get relief until I added magnesium supplementation to my daily regimen. It's so interesting to me that not everyone on the LCKD needs to supplement with magnesium. Lucky you!
 
I just looked up magnesium rich foods and I certainly eat many of them including green leafy veg, pulses and mackerel on a regular basis. I eat a lot of dairy, particularly cheese, so I guess that covers calcium.
 

Same here. I used to get cramps - especially in my calves and feet - almost daily. They've vanished since I switched to a low carb diet.
 
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