Night cramps

[straighttalking]

Does anyone know if there is a link with night cramps in the feet and legs and levrothyroxine? I've had it on and off for some time but it's got much worse recently and keeps me up most of the night. I'm exhausted. I've tried stretching exercises, drinking lots of water and cutting out salt in my diet (not easy) but nothing seems to work.

[Caroline888]

Have you tried magnesium? Years ago I was told by my Pilates teacher to take magnesium for cramps. I take magnesium citrate and can’t remember the last time I suffered from cramps.

Hope you get a good night’s sleep very soon.

Best wishes

Caroline

[straighttalking in reply to Caroline888]

Thank you for your advice Caroline. I'm off to the chemist.

[straighttalking in reply to Caroline888]

Caroline, how much magnesium did you take and did you have to take it for a while for it to work? I really thought it had worked for a few days but now the cramps have come back despite the continued use of magnesium.

[Caroline888 in reply to straighttalking]

straighttalking

I take 200 mg an hour or so before bed to help me sleep but I also take 100 mg in my multivitamin. I also love nuts and seeds which are rich in magnesium.

I can’t remember if my cramps went away immediately as it was so long ago. Perhaps it takes a little while for them to go completely. I would persevere; it might just take a while to work it’s magic!

Hope you find the cramps ease soon.

Best wishes

Caroline

[straighttalking in reply to Caroline888]

Ah! That makes sense. Trouble is that I take Levo at bed time to avoid my meds in the morning. Oh why is life so complicated? Thanks so much for responding.

[Caroline888 in reply to straighttalking]

If you're only taking your magnesium for the cramps, you can take it at a different time well away from your levo. I only take mine at bedtime to help me sleep. I take my levo in the small hours as I always wake up about 3 a.m. Magnesium citrate is apparently best taken with food (though I don't) so you could perhaps take it with breakfast or lunch or even dinner. Whatever suits you best. As you say it's all very complicated, keeping all the medications and supplements apart. Hope you manage to fit it into your particular schedule without too much difficulty and that the night cramps are soon a thing of the past.

All the best

Caroline

[greygoose]

Do not cut out salt! You will trash your adrenals. I agree with Caroline, get some magnesium, but add the salt back into your diet.

[straighttalking in reply to greygoose]

Oh great. Salt-free is a bit bland. Thanks so much for all this advice. I so hope this gets rid of it and I get a decent nights sleep. I even get cramp across the front of my ankles would you believe. I also hope this helps anyone else with the same problem.

[greygoose in reply to straighttalking]

Actually, you know, the cramps might mean you need more salt, not less. Perhaps a bit of experimenting is called for, here.

[straighttalking]

I can try that too. Thanks again.

[ohdearherewegoagain]

Taking potassium and magnesium works, sometimes our potassium and magnesium levels go right down due to illness or medication and need to be replaced. You need to take a fair bit regularly then.

[straighttalking]

Good advice. Do you have any idea just how much I should be taking then? I would certainly take it regularly.

[Elisabeth41]

straighttalking I started with really bad night bad night cramps and when I entered cramp in the search box at the top of the page I came across a tip that has worked brilliantly for me. It was in a reply to a post by Sue777 and the reply stated that they had been advised by their GP that 'low' salt which is more than 50+ potassium is good for cramp. I take it when needed in a glass of juice and no more cramps for me. Normally I rarely use salt but I believe this really hot weather might be the cause for the need for me at least to increase my uptake. Hope you find something that works for you and you can get a good nights sleep.