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Leg Cramps

I am delighted that I am not being a hypochondriac.I also take Atorvastin and suffer horrendous pains in my legs, which is quite debilitating, I may have to look at stopping the statins.
 
Hi,
I have been diabetic for 14 years. I had two SVT attacks in 2011 and 2012(Google it) - not related to my diabetes - but in the process I found out why and alsofound out why I've been getting leg cramps.
The leg vramps may be related to methformin in you rcase but for me I had an electrolyte imbalance (sodium, magnesium, pottasium, calcium etc).
For me it seemed to be a lack of magnesium.
I used to suffer leg cramps at least 3 or 4 times a week especially when in bed. Since taking a magnesium tablet every day I haven't had the cramps. I also have half a banana with porridge every day for breakfast for soidum and pottasium etc.

It worked for me and I haven't had a single cramp in over 2 years. Worth a try, 30 magnesium tablets are around £2, or less, in supermarkets.
BTW when people say take salt when you've been sweating to stop cramps it's because soidum is an electrolyte and the sweating causes your body to lose electrolytes. There are many ways yor body cal lose electrolytes abd you don' have to sweat to lose them.

Hope this helps - Paul
 
Had a really bad night with leg pain. Have been looking on forum as I have already been changed to Atorvastin. But this morning my GP has organised another blood test and told me not to take any more Atorvastin (I've not taken any for a few days because of the pains). I've read that Metformin can do this too by depleting Vit B12. But while the GP checks out the statins I'm going to get some tonic water. My Type 2 was only diagnosed when I went to the surgery about something else and I was pain free before I started on the meds. I'm only in my early 60s and I feel like 90!
 
Being 46 posts long I am sure there are lots of great responses, but i just came in to post my experience..

Before i was diagnosed T1D I was experiencing leg cramps, that lasted 2-3 months prior diagnoses. At the time i was a vegetarian, i was very active, in the gym, or out cycling almost every day. I was eating well and in fact training for some races coming up, but the leg cramps persisted.

When i was hospitalized i was diagnosed and told i also had DKA, and was immediately put on iv fluids to clear it up. I was told the leg cramps were a symptom of high sugars, ketones, and imbalanced electrolytes.

It may be possible that your high sugars are generating ketones and they are messing with your electrolyte balance. You would think just drinking Gatorade or something would fix this, but it wont unless you bring your sugars down as well.
 



My sugars are down. I was 17.7 at my first visit to the Diabetic Nurse (no wonder they wanted me back at the surgery). But now I'm averaging mid 7s sometimes up in the 8s or down to 6s while I test which foods spike my blood sugar levels. Porridge cooked in water results in 14.
 
I've recently started supplementing magnesium.
Only a few days, but I'm sure my muscles are feeling easier.

I'll be very interested to see what happens during the next month...
 
I'm so very pleased to have found this thread. I too suffer from chronic sciatica and frozen shoulders. Very, very painful and debilitating. I'm type 2 diet controlled. My BS, BP & cholesterol are under control. If only I could cure this pain!
Thanks for all your suggestions and I will try them all. It's reassuring to know that you are out there withall your experience.
 
Brunneria said:
I've recently started supplementing magnesium.
Only a few days, but I'm sure my muscles are feeling easier.

I'll be very interested to see what happens during the next month...
Click to expand...
I have also recently started taking magnesium as an extra supplement - and never had a leg cramp since then.

- In addition - since my salt balance seems somewhat out of whack, i.e. on the very low side bordering on lack of salt, I have been freely salting my foods (low salt levels can be another causator of leg cramps, I have read). Anyhow, there is no common agreement in the medical/scientific circles as to whether there is a correlation or causation between salt intake and high blood pressure.

annelise
 
Thanks annelise i have just taken my first magnesium tablet so we star on a journey together. I'm about to have my lunch so I will add extra salt.
Also I have ordered some Celtic Sea salt from Amazon as I am told that table salt has had most of the vitamins removed. I'll try anything to get rid of these pains.
 

Bouncer, I think that what is removed in refined table salt are not vitamins, but rather minerals. I do, in fact, myself buy Maldon Sea Salt, English! (and somewhat expensive in my neck of the woods - being Denmark).

Mind you, I use 'ordinary' salt when cooking (otherwise too expensive with e.g. veggies where you will mostly discard the water anyway)., and then use the Maldon Sea Salt as a 'finger salt ' - great taste and flaky.

Please keep us posted, Bouncer, as to whether you will find relief from your leg cramps.

annelise
 
Thanks for the correction, Annelise and I will take you advice regarding salt.
I've just realised that my GP has perscribed with Naproxen which contains Magnesium so I do not have a Magnesium deficiency issue.
I must give my GP a hard time to find an answer.
 
Went to see the top man at my local surgery this morning.
Firstly he reviewed my BS scores that I had taken at home.
He stated that a score under 10 was fine. This will upset many of the contributers to this Foram, but that is honestly what he said!!!!
BTW my own fasting BS this AM was 5.8.
As to my aching problems he was very dimissive that there was any connection with Sciatica or Diabetes.
I have too see a nurse tomorrow for yet more blood tests. They have more of my blood up there than I do!!!!
I believe that he suspects that I have some form of arthritis.
I have to go back to him next week to review the results
Wish me well.
 
Just back from seeing my GP and was told that my blood test showed no sign of arthritis or any of it's derivatives. In a way I should be pleased but I wish they would find something so that by the prescribing a pill I would be able to run a four minute mile.
He said at my age (69) I must expect a few aches and pains and prescribed Co-codamol.
.
 
I used to get calf cramps almost weekly. I also had bad knee pain and lower back pain. For the knees and back I was on Naproxen and Co codamol daily. I started low carbing and gradually the knee and back pain went along with some weight. And now I rarely get cramp. If I feel the muscles tightening I eat some extra bacon.
 
Thanks for the advice Lenny. I'll give that a try, in fact I'll try anything to get rid of this pain.
 
Magnesium and extra sea salt appear to have worked for my occasional leg cramps in the middle of the night.
There was one occasion where I felt a cramp coming on, and dabbed some salt straight on my tongue. The oncoming pain subsided! I don't know what to think of that, but would like to hear if anyone else tries the experiment, how it goes.
 
My leg cramps come and go but when I get them-whew! Wrap your leg LOOSELY in kitchen type plastic wrap. It acts just like a heating pad but no electricity. Stops the really horrid cramps in under a minute and I can go back to sleep. My favorite wrap is the thicker one. I fold the edge back so I can pull it off easily in the morning.
 
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