[LizaJane]

I'm getting godawful nightcramps, which have been so bad that both my calves are painful in their aftermath, with one calf just going into a big knot.

I'm finding that I can anticipate the cramps because they are preceded and followed by diffuse muscle twitches. I'm not sure they'd be visible (I'm always in bed), but as I lie there, one muscle after another gives a tiny twitch somewhere, and then I can feel my legs start to tighten, and the cramps begin. They involved the entire leg: calf, ankle muscles, sole of my feet. I get up and walk around the house, mostly, until they calm down. But when I get back in bed, I have the twitches, and some jerky movements, say of a finger, or ankle, or shoulder.

Anybody have all this at once?

I know magnesium is recommended, but in what dose? Because so far it hasn't helped, but maybe I'm not using enough.

Any ideas?

I'm concerned this is related to nerve death to muscles, and wonder if anyone else has this.

PS. My sinuses are a wreck, defying all treatment, and that's caused by a combination of bacteria and fungi which, the doctors believe, are growing as an independent organism, a "biofilm". Anyone interested in the "biofilm" theory of chonic infections, I urge to google and read about it. As it turns out that with many chronic infections organisms join up and sense nutrients and each other, and stack in orderly ways, like a brick wall, with channels to deliver nutrients and remove debris. And this is done as a community working together. They secrete a thick viscous substance, a polysaccharide, which surrounds the layer with a glue, making it impervious to antibiotics. It is the only explanation about why I have organisms growing in me which are sensitive to the antibiotics I am taking. This is why people with cystic fibrosis die of pneumonia, despite antibiotics--the bacteria are unreachable.

http://www.erc.montana.edu/CBEssenti...ol/default.htm or

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biofilm

But this post is about the cramps--how much magnesium, in what form? I need ideas; my calves really hurt and are knotted from the cramping.

[Brian]

Hi Liza, i think it is 2 parts calcium to one part magnesium, i never had the twitches like you but that worked for my calf muscle cramps i used to get at night, Valium done a good job to but i don't like taken that drug if i can help it.
Cramps are terrible, i hope you can sort it out soon.

Brian

[DejaVu]

you are experiencing this!

This is very similar to many of the symptoms I am having.

I had initially experienced some relief with Slow-Mag. I'd experienced more relief with Zanaflex, added to the slow Mag (not taken at the same time.)

My doctor now wants me to try more Zanaflex, as I was using this only at night. (Zanaflex can be used up to three time daily, according to your doctor's recommendations.)

I do not know the cause, specifically, in my case. We are still in the midst of testing. However, I do have a significant amount of peripheral neuropathy, showing slowing of nerve conduction in all limbs.

In my own experience, this gets worse...the twitches and cramps (along with incredible muscle weakness), when I am exposed to heat. I get much worse once ambient air temp goes over 67 degrees farenheit and remains there for any period of time.

I wish I could be of more help!

MrsD has a really good thread on magnesium in the vitamins/supplements forum. I do not feel qualified to comment on magnesium dosages. I will tell you that I have had excellent luck with the "Slow Mag" formulation (magnesium chloride)... when considering the various formulations I have tried over the years and more recently.

I am feeling pretty useless when it comes to be helpful to you at the moment!

I hope someone with more knowledge will come along!

Please take exceptional care!

[watsonsh]

Hey Liza,

Not sure if its applicable here. I had cramps and twitchng and vibrations. I think it was related to multiple things.

I did find out that some of my muscle cramps were due to iron deficient anemia. I take Repliva for it and once my iron levels improved so did the muscle cramps.

I also add in magnesium since my insulsin resistacne meds deplete it. I use mag glycinate which is supposed to be highly absorbable.

Hope that helps.

[LizaJane]

I bought "Doctor's BEST HIgh absorption magnesium" which has 200 mg of magnesium glycinate/lysinate chelate. Normally, it's two tablets twice a day. Is it the same to prevent cramps?

[mrsD]

There are many things going on with you...your spinal issues and the drugs you take are major factors.

Do you still take the benzos?
I'd look at those first. Long term benzo use, results in tolerance and when that happens and you need a dose increase, cramping may be a signal.

When mag is low there are other muscles besides the calves
which cramp. Back, hamstrings, ribs, neck, toes. (I've had all of these at one time or other.)

The calves only?

Magnesium only works in those depleted. It will not work if
you have other issues (erratic benzo consumption), stressing the muscles with shoe changes, foot issues, low potassium,
pinched nerves in spine, low iron (as Shelley points out),
smoking, low O2 from apnea, dehydration/heat intolerance, elevated thyroid, many other things too.

I've posted before...and will say this again, Liza...you are a very complex medical case. I don't think there is a simple answer for you. I have links about magnesium on the Vitamin forum.

[savannah]

Liza
I am using Lidocaine patches for the muscle cramps that I get in my calves and bottom of one foot. IT is working great but takes about a hour for full effect to hit and then the cramp is gone. I'm cutting the patches up as they are so expensive. Only problem I have is my shoulder joints were hurting so I got a cortisone shot and the first few days after that it really hurt. Again the patch right on the joint worked great but after a few days I'm waking up with itchy rash on my chest. I'm using patches mostly at night.
I look pretty funny some times with small patches on feet,calves and shoulders, they should come in pretty colors!

[Junie]

I have been waking up at all times of the night (mainly when I forget to take my valium) and I have found that it was because I can no longer lie flat so as long as I use the right pillows in the right way I am fine, otherwise I have to break by legs apart when they draw up in balls! I have PN over most of my body so if I sleep halfway in sitting position and then tilt my back halfway I do much better?? HTH!

[DejaVu]

Dear Liza,

Again, I am sorry management of your conditions(s) are so very difficult.

I am glad to see people have responded with ideas!

My condition(s) are multiple. I have the sensory peripheral neuropathies, some motor involvement, degenerative disk disease, etc. I mention this now because I, too , have to look at multiple factors in trying to problem solve.

As Mrsd had more clearly pointed out, often the causes are multifactorial.

Magnesium has helped me...with magnesium deficiency. Iron has helped me with mild iron deficiency. Potassium has helped me when I have been low on potassium. Yet, none of these would be especially helpful if I did not first have a deficiency. (And supplementation might well be harmful if there is no true deficiency.)

I try to stay as stabilized as possbile on all nutrients and then "troubleshoot" from there.

I know this can be a daunting task, especially when not feeling well!

This is why it is so importnat to have a community of compassionate people to help us to "troubleshoot " during difficult times.

I hope you are feeling up to reading the thread on magnesium. I think it is very enlightening on magnesium. Is it the answer for you? I do not know.

I certainly hope it is something as simple as that!

Please continue to let us know how you are doing?

(I will be away some..in a couple of days, as I will be having some surgery. I will be returning as soon as I am able to do so.)

You have been on my mind!

I hope you are feeling much better very soon, if not already!

[LizaJane]

Well, yesterday I took the full dose of Mg as on the label, and last night I was okay through the night. Maybe that will help.

Mrs D. I no longer take any short-acting benzos. I take Klonopin, as needed. It helps tremendously when the nerves start my limbs and face "buzzing" and vibrating. I feel lucky that I don't require anything stronger for neuropathy symptoms than Klonopin. It's only this past week, when the neuropathy symptoms flaring with the sinus infection that I am taking one pill most days.