Foot and leg cramps

Okay, three years out with RNY and been getting foot and leg cramps for a few weeks now. My labs are okay, anyone have any idea what this might be caused by?

Thanks in advance!

Deb366

Have you SEEN a copy of your labs? Sometimes surgeons only look at todays labs and not looking backward at the labs to see if you are trending down on anythung,

That said,magnesium 400 mg a day helps with my leg cramps. ggo luck and what was your magnesium and potassium on your most recent labs?
Holly

I did add some thoughts of my own in
among his.

But I thought I'd excerpt this in simple to read list form so we'd know WHY
it's so critical.

Article was written by Mark Hyman, MD
Putting Magnesium Back in Your Life

from Organic Connections Mar-Apr 2008

1. how do I know? Where is the clue?

* magnesium is not well measured in blood. Most will test normal, but
it only indicates what is in the blood, not what is available for the body
to use

* the testing, he says, is a good medical history. Anything that
twitches, camps, spasms or is tight in any way is a sign of magnesium
deficiency

2. naturally occurring in these foods:

* kelp

* wheat bran

* wheat germ

* almonds

* cashews

* buckwheat

* brazil nuts

* filberts

* millet

* pecans

* walnuts

* rye

* tofu

* soybeans

* brown rice

* figs

* dates

* collard greens

* avocados

* parsley

* beans

* barley

* dandelion greens

* garlic

we all eat some of these, but how much?

3. but how did I lose it?

* high doses of:

* coffee

* colas

* high salt

* sugar

* alcohol

* water pills (diuretics)

* some medications

4. what are some signs?

* muscle cramps or twitches or spasms

* insomnia

* irritability

* sensitivity to loud noises

* anxiety

* autism

* ADHD

* heat palpitations

* angina (spasm of arteries)

* constipation

* spasms in the muscles

* headaches

* migraine

* fibromyalgia

* chronic fatigue

* asthma

* kidney stones (cal-mag imbalance)

* high blood pressure

* irritable bladder

* irritable bowel

* acid reflux

* PMS

* depression

ALSO, obesity and diabetes are related to magnesium deficiency!

I could go on with the details of HOW it works, but I'm condensing for easy
reading

5. So, can I just grab some at the drug store?

* these forms will not help with muscles:

* magnesium carbonate

* magnesium sulfate

* magnesium gluconate

* magnesium OXIDE (and my own adder to this is that this CAN help
alleviate constipation!)

These are not absorbed into the system.

6. Fine, then how DO I fix it?

* While he does not specifically say WHICH one, we know that magnesium
CITRATE does help with leg and foot spasms.

* Personally, I can check off about 50% of the symptoms list and will
now eat them like candy throughout the day.

As usual, I am not a medical person, and am only passing along to you this
very simple article for your own use. MD's are more likely to use magnesium
as a last resort for heart or pregnancy issues. ND's are more likely to
treat this right away, going with the assumption that most people are
deficient, by default.

Excellent Excellent Info!  I was just about to type in a "bandaid" fix that I use to make them go away fast, but it's not the permanent solution like you just indicated.  Thank you for sharing so I can get the right kind of magnesium and get rid of mine for good too!

(Quick fix Bandaid suggestion: was Hyland's homeopathic Leg Cramp medicine.)

I also carry those and keep them handy in my purse, even. When my feet get cold, sometimes they cramp when I'm in the car, of all places.

I also have the Hyland leg cramp ointment. One tube lasts a life time, pretty much. You only use a little, but you're rubbing the cramp anyway. Had to use some last night, but I've had this same tube since 2005!!!

LOL   2005??  Now THAT was an economical purchase!  haha

I either have cramps while I'm driving, or they'll wake me out of a sound sleep.  The Hyland's tablets dissolve under your tongue and I've figured out I need to do 5 to begin with if I want them gone fast... within a minute usually... so I can keep on driving or fall back asleep.

I can see that the tube would be a good backup if getting to your foot to rub it is not an issue.  ;-)

I checked my Magnesium and it is Oxide... even though they seemed to help some, I'll be switching to Citrate!

Don't toss your mag ox. It's good for poopin!

Actually, a friend gave me about 3/4 tube to try. I do have one in my RV, one in my overnight and one in my home. The one in my RV is the one she gave me and it is just about ready to retire. Had to work it a bit to get some. LOL You use less than what you put on your toothbrush in paste.

PS My AKA is Queen of Cheap.

Aha!  Is that why I've not had any poopin problems?  I'll keep it in the line-up then! 

Used to be I couldn't reach my feet to rub anything on them... maybe it's time to get a tube of Leg Cramp schtuff!

Thanks for visiting the forum, Miz Queen of Cheap!  Tis nice to have Da Vitalady on board!

:-)

Wow! Thanks Michelle, very good information! I think I have some of that magnesium citrate in my frig from the last time I was constipated....I do think my diet and vits are pretty good, but I do sometimes have salt/sodium foods (nuts usually) and that could be part of the problem...thank you for the info. Isn't there a balance with the calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium in the body? One of my calciums has magnesium citrate and oxide in it, not sure about my other one which is the Bariactric Advantage chews.

Thank you again!

Deb366

Sorry to butt in, just a little anecdotal testimony...You want the dry capsuled variety of mag cit, not the liquid. I even give my hubby and extra capsule of mag cit and potassium to take half way through 18 holes of golf. It keeps him from cramping up once he starts cooling off at home. (His labs indicate he's in the low middle range for potassium and he's not on blood thinners.) His PCP said that what he's doing for the cramping is a good idea and to keep doing it)

--gina