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leg cramps

richarddale

Newbie
Messages
1
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I am type 1 diabetic and get the most dreadful leg cramps especially in the night. I maintain good sugar levels mostly and have good results from my podiatry check. What is the best way to deal with the cramps ?
 
I find a magnesium supplement stops me getting cramps. Others on this site use potassium instead. Is it possible to get your levels of these checked?

Oh and welcome to the forum
 
Two thoughts -

Cramps are often a symptom of low salt.
When it has been hot, our body needs more salt because we sweat it out.

If I wake in the night with cramps, it is usually a symptom of high BG. They may have been fine during the day but for some reason they occasionally rise during the night. Whenever I wake, I try to push myself out of the fog enough to take a BG reading and treat the number. This usually resolves the leg cramps.
 
I use a magnesium spray, as I believe it's better absorbed by the body transdermally. I used to get cramps.
Geoff
 
I'm with @zand on this - I also take a magnesium supplement for leg cramps.
 
It's not a reply it's a query. I suffer badly from night cramps. I've cut down salt because of high blood pressure, I've tried quinnine in drink and tablet, no effect, what can I do. I have T2 diabetes and on tablets.
 
I tried various things for cramps. When I get one it is usually in the middle of the night and I take a drink of water, as it seems that I need water at night - but I do put a tiny pinch of salt into my coffee in hot weather as I do not use salt in cooking or on food and seem to need it It is only a tiny amount but it makes the difference.
 
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