Diabetes Talking

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There are lots of causes. One of the most common is too little salt in the diet. This can be either sodium or potassium or the ratio between. To test this, increase your salt intake. Potassium can be had from a fair number of foods. But, to insure that I get enough, I have switched from regular salt to Morton’s Lite Salt. It’s a mixture of sodium and potassium salt in the ideal proportions. I seem to recall being told not to use Lo-Salt (i.e Potassium chloride salt) because potassium levels affect insulin absorbtion.  Too little and too much are both bad. Anyone else heard this? Peter Phelan Before I was dianosed with diabetes, my doctor prescribed Quinine Sulfate, hard to find because the FDA had it removed.  But I did use it to good advantage.  It worked for me for a while but the cramps do come back and you discontinue the Quinine for a while and then resume.  They don’t know why or how it works.   This was before I was diagnosed with diabetes.  When they found I was diabetic I was started on Glucotrol XL and my leg cramps immediately stopped.  So we think they were diabetes related but mechanism is not clear. George I too started having terrible leg cramps about a year ago.  I was just diagnosed type 2 about a month ago and also am taking Glucoltrol. Sure enough – no more leg cramps – I had wondered about this and am glad to see George mention it as I’m new at this and doing a lot of reading! <G  I also seem to be a "tad" gassy which I’m certainly not too thrilled about – saw someone mention another pill that can cause this – does this also happen with the Glucoltrol? Jackie

At the risk of getting off on a tangent,  I thought the gas was caused the all the additional vegetables in the recommended diet.  Less fat and more vegetables and fruit.  I know my diet changed dramatically.  No more hamburgers and frys every day. George

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<some stuff removed When they found I was diabetic I was started on Glucotrol XL and my leg cramps immediately stopped.  So we think they were diabetes related but mechanism is not clear. George

Jackie and George, I take Glucotrol but still have leg cramps.  I’ve been taking Tylenol for them when they get really bad (mostly at night).  Just ate a banana for the potassium, but I don’t like to do that anymore because they’re higher in carbs than I realized.   Oh, well, at least bg readings have come down.  Took a long time–I was afraid the Glucotrol wasn’t working.  (Jackie–I haven’t had "that problem" with Glucotrol; I had to quit Glucophage because of it!) Pat

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My leg cramps were caused by out of control blood sugar.  Once I was referred to a specialist and he realized I was type 1 and needed insulin, BINGO. No more waking up 3-4 times a night with leg cramps.

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There are lots of causes. One of the most common is too little salt in the diet. This can be either sodium or potassium or the ratio between. To test this, increase your salt intake. Potassium can be had from a fair number of foods. But, to insure that I get enough, I have switched from regular salt to Morton’s Lite Salt. It’s a mixture of sodium and potassium salt in the ideal proportions. I seem to recall being told not to use Lo-Salt (i.e Potassium chloride salt) because potassium levels affect insulin absorbtion.  Too little and too much are both bad. Anyone else heard this? Peter Phelan Before I was dianosed with diabetes, my doctor prescribed Quinine Sulfate, hard to find because the FDA had it removed.  But I did use it to good advantage.  It worked for me for a while but the cramps do come back and you discontinue the Quinine for a while and then resume.  They don’t know why or how it works.   This was before I was diagnosed with diabetes.  When they found I was diabetic I was started on Glucotrol XL and my leg cramps immediately stopped.  So we think they were diabetes related but mechanism is not clear. George I too started having terrible leg cramps about a year ago.  I was just diagnosed type 2 about a month ago and also am taking Glucoltrol. Sure enough – no more leg cramps – I had wondered about this and am glad to see George mention it as I’m new at this and doing a lot of reading! <G  I also seem to be a "tad" gassy which I’m certainly not too thrilled about – saw someone mention another pill that can cause this – does this also happen with the Glucoltrol? Jackie At the risk of getting off on a tangent,  I thought the gas was caused the all the additional vegetables in the recommended diet.  Less fat and more vegetables and fruit.  I know my diet changed dramatically.  No more hamburgers and frys every day. George

George: Yes, I can see getting more gas from more veggies and fruit but I’m talking about getting gas after having one bowl of cheerios with skim milk. I think I did read about another pill that did do that to people and I think they mentioned that it eventually went away.  Just wondering if I should mention this to my doctor or kinda wait this out.  Just been diagnosed with type 2 about a month ago and am doing just fine – hate to switch pills when I’ve been doing so well on this (Glucotrol) by taking 2 a day – 5 mg/pill. Jackie

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I HAVE SAME PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD BY ORTHPRDIC DOCTOR THAT QUNINE WOULD RELEAVE IT – I DRINK DIET TONIC WATER WHICH HELPS SOMEWHAT.

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Qunine  does help, even if cramps have already started.  Another med is Benadryl.  

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(MARTPRTNG) writes: Qunine  does help, even if cramps have already started.  Another med is Benadryl.  

I have been having leg cramps and it was my belief that they were caused by riding a bicycle.  Dr. found from  blood tests that my sodium level had become much too low and we are now in the process hopefully of correcting the problem. In the meantime I tip my biking helmet to the concept of finding the cause before dispensing with a cure. R Price

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There are lots of causes. One of the most common is too little salt in the diet. This can be either sodium or potassium or the ratio between. To test this, increase your salt intake. Potassium can be had from a fair number of foods. But, to insure that I get enough, I have switched from regular salt to Morton’s Lite Salt. It’s a mixture of sodium and potassium salt in the ideal proportions. I seem to recall being told not to use Lo-Salt (i.e Potassium chloride salt) because potassium levels affect insulin absorbtion.  Too little and too much are both bad. Anyone else heard this? Peter Phelan

Before I was dianosed with diabetes, my doctor prescribed Quinine Sulfate, hard to find because the FDA had it removed.  But I did use it to good advantage.  It worked for me for a while but the cramps do come back and you discontinue the Quinine for a while and then resume.  They don’t know why or how it works.   This was before I was diagnosed with diabetes.  When they found I was diabetic I was started on Glucotrol XL and my leg cramps immediately stopped.  So we think they were diabetes related but mechanism is not clear. George

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There are lots of causes. One of the most common is too little salt in the diet. This can be either sodium or potassium or the ratio between. To test this, increase your salt intake. Potassium can be had from a fair number of foods. But, to insure that I get enough, I have switched from regular salt to Morton’s Lite Salt. It’s a mixture of sodium and potassium salt in the ideal proportions. I seem to recall being told not to use Lo-Salt (i.e Potassium chloride salt) because potassium levels affect insulin absorbtion.  Too little and too much are both bad. Anyone else heard this? Peter Phelan Before I was dianosed with diabetes, my doctor prescribed Quinine Sulfate, hard to find because the FDA had it removed.  But I did use it to good advantage.  It worked for me for a while but the cramps do come back and you discontinue the Quinine for a while and then resume.  They don’t know why or how it works.   This was before I was diagnosed with diabetes.  When they found I was diabetic I was started on Glucotrol XL and my leg cramps immediately stopped.  So we think they were diabetes related but mechanism is not clear. George

I too started having terrible leg cramps about a year ago.  I was just diagnosed type 2 about a month ago and also am taking Glucoltrol. Sure enough – no more leg cramps – I had wondered about this and am glad to see George mention it as I’m new at this and doing a lot of reading! <G  I also seem to be a "tad" gassy which I’m certainly not too thrilled about – saw someone mention another pill that can cause this – does this also happen with the Glucoltrol? Jackie

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There are lots of causes. One of the most common is too little salt in the diet. This can be either sodium or potassium or the ratio between. To test this, increase your salt intake. Potassium can be had from a fair number of foods. But, to insure that I get enough, I have switched from regular salt to Morton’s Lite Salt. It’s a mixture of sodium and potassium salt in the ideal proportions. I seem to recall being told not to use Lo-Salt (i.e Potassium chloride salt) because potassium levels affect insulin absorbtion.  Too little and too much are both bad. Anyone else heard this? Peter Phelan Before I was dianosed with diabetes, my doctor prescribed Quinine Sulfate, hard to find because the FDA had it removed.  But I did use it to good advantage.  It worked for me for a while but the cramps do come back and you discontinue the Quinine for a while and then resume.  They don’t know why or how it works.   This was before I was diagnosed with diabetes.  When they found I was diabetic I was started on Glucotrol XL and my leg cramps immediately stopped.  So we think they were diabetes related but mechanism is not clear. George I too started having terrible leg cramps about a year ago.  I was just diagnosed type 2 about a month ago and also am taking Glucoltrol. Sure enough – no more leg cramps – I had wondered about this and am glad to see George mention it as I’m new at this and doing a lot of reading! <G  I also seem to be a "tad" gassy which I’m certainly not too thrilled about – saw someone mention another pill that can cause this – does this also happen with the Glucoltrol? Jackie

Just a mention, Tonic water and Diet Tonic water both contain Quinine.

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Can anyone tell me what causes leg cramps? I get them in the early morning hours, about an hour before I get up.  Thanks, Sandy

I was also bothered by them for quite some time.  I do not know what causes them but I always thought they had something to do with my neuropathy.  Taking 500 mg of Pantothenic Acid each day gave me  complete relief.  

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Can anyone tell me what causes leg cramps? I get them in the early morning hours, about an hour before I get up.  Thanks, Sandy

Could be potassium level.  If you work out in the heat it is good to have this checked out. Be healthy, M.H. Moman — When counting my blessings I hardly know where to begin!   Give me a thankful heart this day.

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Could be many different reasons. I sometimes get them when I take diuretics such as HTCZ.  Beleived to be caused by lower potassium level in body. Doc says potassium is water soluable and is excreted with urine.  Try eating a banana or two for a few days. If that doesn’t work see doc. Jerry

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Can anyone tell me what causes leg cramps? I get them in the early morning hours, about an hour before I get up.  Thanks, Sandy

They tell me it is a lack of magnesium.

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Can anyone tell me what causes leg cramps? I get them in the early morning hours, about an hour before I get up.  Thanks, Sandy I was also bothered by them for quite some time.  I do not know what causes them but I always thought they had something to do with my neuropathy.  Taking 500 mg of Pantothenic Acid each day gave me  complete relief.

I posed this problem several months back and received several excellent responses. The simplest solution (sans ingesting supplements or drugs) that someone suggested was to massage my calves and to drink plenty of water (about 2 glasses) just before bed.  Invariably, I have to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, but it sure beats CRAWLING to the bathroom when I couldn’t walk due to horrendous leg cramps.  Occasionally get leg cramps, but it’s usually because I’ve forgotten to drink water before bed.

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Could be many different reasons. I sometimes get them when I take diuretics such as HTCZ.  Beleived to be caused by lower potassium level in body. Doc says potassium is water soluable and is excreted with urine.  Try eating a banana or two for a few days. If that doesn’t work see doc.

There are other good sources.  A commercial 8 ounce container of orange juice has much more potassium than a banana.  Some salt substitutes, likewise. The OTC potassium pills, however, are sufficiently low that they should not be considered.  They are below 3% of the RDA. — This address is for information only.  I do not claim that these views are those of the Statistics Department or of Purdue University. Herman Rubin, Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907-1399

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Can anyone tell me what causes leg cramps? I get them in the early morning hours, about an hour before I get up.  Thanks, Sandy

Lots of things can factor into causing leg cramps, potassium deficiency, to poor circulation.  I have hade extreemly severe cramps nightly for about 8 years, as do my mother and father, (heredity? don’t know…)  I take 260mg of Quinnine Sulfate at bedtime and haven’t had a cramp since I started it.  If I forget to take it, invaribly I wake up cramping, but within 30 minutes of taking it, the cramp leaves.  It’s got to be perscribed by your doctor, (didn’t used to be, but new ruling about two years ago), but it’s fairly inexpensive, around 8 bucks for 45 days supply.   Hope this helps David

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Yeah, watch your BG after that 8oz glass of OJ!

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Sometimes is simply dehydration.  Try to up your intake of water — all diabetecs should be drinking lots anyway . Sometimes is a need for potassium or calcium.

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With high Bg’s, I can’t help but drink lots of water! <grin ..I can usually tell when things are not good because I start getting pre-dawn calf cramps – sometimes shin cramps, too (OOOWWWWEEEE!).  I generally start taking an off-the-shelf potassium supplement and in a day or two it eases off and life is better.  Of course, I also start working on the diet and exercise again and that can’t hurt. When I was in college and undiagnosed as Type II, I would wake up in the morning sometimes with calf and shin cramps in both legs – on the top bunk!   Man, those were painful days… -CM – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Sometimes is simply dehydration.  Try to up your intake of water — all diabetecs should be drinking lots anyway . Sometimes is a need for potassium or calcium.

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Can anyone tell me what causes leg cramps? I get them in the early morning hours, about an hour before I get up.  Thanks, Sandy

There are lots of causes. One of the most common is too little salt in the diet. This can be either sodium or potassium or the ratio between. To test this, increase your salt intake. Potassium can be had from a fair number of foods. But, to insure that I get enough, I have switched from regular salt to Morton’s Lite Salt. It’s a mixture of sodium and potassium salt in the ideal proportions. And, I salt heavier in the summer or if exercising a lot. I use a pretty minimal amount of added salt in the winter. A fair amount more in the summer. The other one I can think of associated with sleep could be a circulation problem caused by the position you use in bed. Don’t know how adjustable that is for you, but experiment if you can. Walt

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There are lots of causes. One of the most common is too little salt in the diet. This can be either sodium or potassium or the ratio between. To test this, increase your salt intake. Potassium can be had from a fair number of foods. But, to insure that I get enough, I have switched from regular salt to Morton’s Lite Salt. It’s a mixture of sodium and potassium salt in the ideal proportions.

I seem to recall being told not to use Lo-Salt (i.e Potassium chloride salt) because potassium levels affect insulin absorbtion.  Too little and too much are both bad. Anyone else heard this? Peter Phelan

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – There are lots of causes. One of the most common is too little salt in the diet. This can be either sodium or potassium or the ratio between. To test this, increase your salt intake. Potassium can be had from a fair number of foods. But, to insure that I get enough, I have switched from regular salt to Morton’s Lite Salt. It’s a mixture of sodium and potassium salt in the ideal proportions. I seem to recall being told not to use Lo-Salt (i.e Potassium chloride salt) because potassium levels affect insulin absorbtion.  Too little and too much are both bad. Anyone else heard this?

I agree, too little and too much are both to be avoided. But, I’d not fear Lite-Salt. Your body works best with a fixed ratio of Potassium and Sodium. For most, their diet includes too high a proportion of Sodium. Substituting Lite-Salt in your normal usage would help to restore the balance. Note that I’m not advocating eating large quantities. Just use it like you use regular salt. If in hot conditons or with exercise you find that you are prone to cramps, then the experiment is at most a quarter tsp of Lite-Salt right away, and if that helps, use a little more on your food, because you are on the too little side. The studies I’ve seen over the past several years have been finding that, frequently, the bad effects attributed to Sodium were actually an effect of a Sodium/Potassium imbalance. Apparently, you can eat fairly high sodium if it’s balanced with potassium. If you are a heavy handed salter, then the chances of a sodium deficit are slim, but you could still be potassium short. I’ve always been of the opinion that the salt intake standards are about right for someone who lives most of their life at room temperature and exercises very little. Move away from these conditions, and the standards need modification, sometimes by quite a bit. Both Sodium and Potassium are easily passed out in the urine. So, it’s not all that easy to build up an excess. Lots of things effect insulin usage, but remember, the first thing that does is being otherwise healthy. It’s bad management to focus only on the diabetes. I, for one would rather adjust the insulin slightly if necessary and avoid deficit cramps. I doubt that you would find a adjustment necessary. I have seen no warnings to avoid potassium and would regard such warnings as suspect and possably highly dangerous. Walt

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Can anyone tell me what causes leg cramps? I get them in the early morning hours, about an hour before I get up.  Thanks, Sandy

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