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Severe leg cramps

Zeptra86

Member
Messages
22
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi I'm a type 2 diabetic I started taking metformin for a month now as only recently diagnosed, I've developed severe leg cramps whilst exercising if feels like my legs are locking and is so painful my docs did bloods which came back okay apart from I have an underactive thyroid he know wants to stop metformin in case it's causing my leg pains any one know why this has suddenly started x
 
From the book, Drug Muggers: Which Medications Are Robbing Your Body of Essential Nutrients--And Natural Ways to Restore Them by Suzy Cohen, RPh...

"Leg cramps, muscle spasms, memory loss, and fatigue: An of these conditions may develop from a deficiency of CoQ10 (ubiquinone). This life sustaining antioxidant gets demolished by hundreds of medications, including statin cholesterol drugs, metformin, antidepressants, beta blockers, and diuretics." (page 9)

From this website - ( http://nutritionreview.org/2013/04/practical-guide-avoiding-drug-induced-nutrient-depletion/ )...

"Oral Hypoglycemics
Metformin (Glucophage, Glucophage XR and Glucovance) enhances the action of insulin in cases of insulin resistance, allowing glucose to enter the cells. This reduces elevated blood sugar. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that diabetics on metformin had B12 levels that were less than half those of control subjects. The longer the drug had been used and the higher the dose, the greater the drop in B12. (16)

In people with Type 2 diabetes who take metformin therapy, serum folic acid levels decrease 7 percent and vitamin B12 levels decrease by 14 percent. (17) B12 and folic acid depletion also increases homocysteine levels. In addition, metformin may deplete CoQ10, thereby increasing heart disease risk. To reduce these effects, patients should take vitamin B12 (800 mcg), folic acid (400 mcg) and CoQ10 (100 mg daily)."

And here's something else to think about, "What vitamins and minerals are depleted by diabetes?"

This online article by an orthopedic surgeon says, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin E, and magnesium which is what I use for leg cramps, magnesium citrate 450-600 mg/day, but I'd start at 200-300 mg/day; ("Other forms of magnesium, such as magnesium glycinate or taurate, tend to be milder on your intestines and may be more appropriate for people who are not suffering for constipation." - Alissa Segerstein and Tom Malterre, MS, CN, The Elimination Diet, 2015)...

Vitamin Deficiencies in People with Diabetes: The Supplements You Need by Mark S. Stevens
April 28, 2012

Click on this link to read Dr. Steven's article on supplements he uses with patients https://www.diabeteshealth.com/vita...eople-with-diabetes-the-supplements-you-need/

Read what others here posted about Metformin and leg cramps a few years ago... http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/leg-cramps-metformin.32630/

I'm assuming your doctor checked your lactic acid levels to rule that out. While looking around the internet I saw lots of complaints about metformin and muscle cramps. You're not alone. Hope this helps.
 
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Hi. Two questions...Are you on any other meds (eg. statins)?. How much fluid are you drinking?
 
I had the same experience together with constipation when I first started an LCHF lifestyle diet. My improvement which was dramatic came from more water in take (now 2 ltr per day based on my 75kg weight) and adding salt as leaching this


Diagnosed 13/4/16: T2, no meds, HbA1c 53, FBG 12.6, Trigs 3.6, HDL .75, LDL 4.0, BP 169/95, 13st 8lbs, waist 34" (2012 - 17st 7lbs, w 42").

6/6/16: FBG AV 4.6, Trigs 1.5, HDL 2.0, LDL 3.0, BP 112/68, BPM 66, 11st 11lbs, waist 30". Lifelong migraines and hay fever gone.

Regime: 20g LCHF, run 1 mile daily, weekly fasting.
 
I have had horrific leg cramps to the extent that I have stopped statins and this has really helped. I now take magnesium as well to alleviate the pain that I am still getting. Will certainly consider COQ10 as I think I need the metformin and won't stop that.
 
If stopping the metformin helped, then taking some Q10 may get you back to full health more quickly.

Well done for spotting it quickly and reacting quickly. We sometimes hear awful stories of people who have endured leg cramps and similar for years, without knowing that it was the metformin/statin (or whatever) that had been causing the problem.

Your doc may suggest an alternate version, and it is entirely up to you whether you take it, but you may find it interesting to read up on the effectiveness/contraindications of whatever they suggest before you take it. then you can spot any issues if they arise.

My view is that while metformin has some well publicised benefits, you can get the same benefits with diet adjustment - and skip any potential side effects.
 
Thanks for your answers I have stopped taking metformin for a week now and no improvement do you reckon it will take a while to improve if so,I have docs on Wednesday
 
I do drink fluids but not really water and I'm on candersartan for high blood pressure and citolapram which is an anti depressant and codeine for back pain x
 
My doc was going to prescribe me quinine for the cramps but decided against as it interacts with my other meds x
 
@Zeptra86 I encourage you to find an hour of time to read the "Leg Cramps and Metformin" thread located here on this forum from 2012... http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/leg-cramps-metformin.32630/ I'm not sure but I think citolapram was mentioned as contributing to the leg cramping problem - (a quick online read just now of anecdotal reports revealed that it makes restless leg syndrome worse in some people) - and quinine was repeatedly advised against by forum members because it can damage the kidneys.

Anytime you're considering adding a new medication, a good place to start is to ask if the symptom is due to a medication you're already on or possibly due to a specific vitamin or mineral deficiency - (vitamin D3 and magnesium are probably the most common deficiencies, particularly for diabetes). You can also do an online search with the drug name and the words "side effects" then "benefits". Your doctor only has 5 to 10 minutes to make life changing decisions regarding your health. You hopefully have more time. Wishing for you improving health.
 
Silly question but is there a particular vitamin brand that has (how can I put it) the Anti-Statin ingredients to counter their bad affects?
 
Oh and sorry I also meant to say that I Was getting leg cramps and switched to the slow release (SR) version of meformin and hat sorted my cramps out... It worked for me, but we are all different.
 
I was reading The Art and Science Of Low Carb Performance last night. This is Phinney & Volek's excellent book for athletes and in their chapter on mins and vits, they point out that Magnesium deficiency is one of the most unrecognised deficiencies triggering leg cramps. They recommend a 30 day course of slow release Mag pro... Or similar and not the stuff with glucanate which is pretty ineffective.

They also talk a lot about the need to cook food containing magnesium correctly, not boiling, but steaming/grilling etc.

I can see that wookie101 found a separate resolution, but thought the observation re cramps was interesting enough to summarise and include in this post


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They reckon it's pad peripheral artery disease causing my leg pains I have to have a doppler and all sorts of tests done today as it's just getting worse and I'm having unexplained bruising on my calfs x
 
Zeptra86 said:
They reckon it's pad peripheral artery disease causing my leg pains I have to have a doppler and all sorts of tests done today as it's just getting worse and I'm having unexplained bruising on my calfs x
Click to expand...

Ahh...bad news... My thoughts are with you!


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Deep breath, chin up and let us know what they say and we'll be here for you.


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@Zeptra86 - you have my sympathy as I know that leg cramps can be excruciatingly painful.

I used to get really severe legs cramps mainly in my calves many years ago when I was in diuretics and well before I was diabetic. I was told that all the extra fluid I was losing was also flushing out extra minerals including potassium, and my solution was to eat a regular "dose" of a banana a day, which solved the problem for me. Now on my low carb diet if have I have spells when I'm losing a lot of extra fluid, I'll sometimes get the occasional excruciating cramps, and since high sugar bananas are on my personal "banned" list, I'll eat extra veggies that are very high in potassium, e.g spinach, brown mushrooms, fennel, brussels sprouts, broccoli, avocados... those together with more water and salt usually do the trick. Many of the leafy greens that we should be eating on an LCHF diet are high in potassium and magnesium.

I've never had issues with either type of metformin, but before I refused to take statins any longer I was certainly getting many otherwise unexplained cramps - this was before I'd become diabetic and started on metformin.

Robbity
 
Zeptra86 said:
They reckon it's pad peripheral artery disease causing my leg pains I have to have a doppler and all sorts of tests done today as it's just getting worse and I'm having unexplained bruising on my calfs x
Click to expand...

Zeptra86 sorry to hear you're going through this. Hopefully, you'll soon have enough information to develop a plan of action. I've suffered with leg cramps my entire life. Fortunately, less and less as I've gotten older, for which I'm grateful. Fingers and toes crossed you'll be able to turn this around soon.
 
Try taking magnesium supplements. Very high chances that your cramps will go in a few days time!
 
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