Will the foot cramps EVER stop?
Options
Replies
-
auntstephie321 wrote: »How many carbs are you getting? Try upping gradually till the cramps stop. Its possible you are so depleted on sodium and mag that you need more than you are getting. Also I wouldn't worry as much about potassium in my experience adding supplements for that does nothing for cramps you get much more than you think in your diet
Also, if you don't need the potassium, adding in extra potassium will make you dump magnesium like crazy. I know it does me. i can't take potassium outside of food unless I'm sweating buckets or I'll end up with horrible cramps from dumping magnesium...and supplementing it won't help in that volume, because I'll get digestive response and still not have enough.0 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »If 3500 isn't enough to keep cramps away, I would drink a small shot of pickle juice when they woke me up in the night.
Maybe you're dosing is too much too fast? As severe as you were describing and just going from 3000/3500 ish to 5000 and swelling like that seems extreme for such a small increase. But idk...
just makes me wonder about concentration being too much over too short of time.
Hmmmm
You drank a lot of boullion to get the sodium. ... (those are thinking dots lol)
I wonder if MSG could be a problem for you? Just a thought. I don't recall what the reaction was but I think I remember @KnitOrMiss discovering a problem with MSG from boullion cubes once upon a time. I think a couple others mentioned similar problems at the time that was being discussed too.
I don't know if I'm remembering correctly. Hopefully she will help us out here
@Sunny_Bunny_ I thought it was MSG, and still can't rule it out as a complicating factor, but it has been deduced through experimentation that it was more of a histamine/tannin reaction (present in the cubes, too)...than one solely of MSG, as I eliminated the broth and other sources and the migraines did not resolve. It took stopping tea, kombucha, all fermented products, and being SUPER careful with leftovers (still cause the flush that precedes the migraines) and the combinations of foods and such that amplify each other.0 -
auntstephie321 wrote: »Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »You can't buy sodium tablets here -- perhaps not in Canada at all, but definitely not here in B.C. I asked at every drug store, and got blank looks, except for the compounding pharmacist who gave me a lecture on the evils of sodium and said his sodium was for prescriptions only.
Local vitamin and sports stores like GNC don't sell it, either.
Can't get it here.
And I'm maxed out on magnesium. On 400 mg bisglycinate (plus the mag gel) I get diarrhea now.
How are you dosing the 400mg? That's so incredibly little magnesium that I think it's just not the right kind for you or are you taking all 400mg in one dose? Is it possible to take 100 or 200mg doses every 4 hours?
I just got my bulk supplements mag powder, it doesn't mix with water well, how much do you take at a time? I took a quarter tsp, seemed too much
@auntstephie321 - I have to do 1/2 of 1/8 tsp at a time, and only if I reduce my pill mag. So I use it only for ketoade...and only of heavy sweat days, and drop off one other pill to compensate. Anything more than that and the loo and I become best friends.1 -
So, I had an appointment today with my naturopath to discuss the results of my 24-hour urine test. It appears I have disastrously low cortisol (virtually non-existent), estrogen and androgens, and my T3 is still in the basement.
I've been given a long list of new supplements and prescription to add, but I have to start supplementing calcium in a big way to see if that will stop the cramps. My sodium and potassium levels would appear to be good; these numbers were fine 6 weeks ago, but I was already supplementing so they should reflect what's still happening overall.
I'm still committed to the low carb lifestyle, so hopefully we can get the cramps under control and I can drop my carbs back down gradually. However, I have been cautioned that weight loss may be difficult with the estrogen supplementation. Still, health before vanity -- much as I hate the way I look.
@LauraCoth I just got caught up, and frankly, this post right here scared the living fire out of me. If you're megasupplementing Calcium, please tell me you're upping your D3/K2, your magnesium, your A (12 hours apart from the D3), and fish oil all over the place to prevent toxicity. Sorry, these responses were all so delayed, but from every single bit of research I've done on this, calcium is the opposite of what you need. If you aren't absorbing it already (Dr. Berg recommends taking any supplements at night, alone from everything else), megadosing will just create more arterial clutter.... *SCARED* Blood showing low calcium levels when your electrolytes are all wacky doesn't mean you need more calcium necessarily.
Hoping your doc has a way logical explanation....2 -
Thanks for all your comments, KnitOrMiss. I do trust my naturopath. She's helped me when no doctor had a clue.
The urinalysis was very revealing. My cortisol level is way below the low end of the range, almost non-existent. I'll be interested to see what my GP has to say; he and I had a conversation about adrenal fatigue recently and he mentioned that the medical profession doesn't recognise adrenal fatigue. I think my test result is startling enough that he might actually see reason. If below the bottom end of the range isn't abnormal, then what is it?
Yes, I am going to increase A (in liquid form), K, continue with B5, B6, and a few other things. I take enough D3 and Magnesium to work with calcium. I do hear bad things about it, but these are largely about supplementing calcium without the needed co factors. If it doesn't stop the cramps within a month or so, we'll discontinue it.1 -
All I want to say is that my good thoughts and prayers are with you. I cannot imagine dealing with so many health issues. I truly hope that you are able to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible (((hugs))))
0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »So, I had an appointment today with my naturopath to discuss the results of my 24-hour urine test. It appears I have disastrously low cortisol (virtually non-existent), estrogen and androgens, and my T3 is still in the basement.
I've been given a long list of new supplements and prescription to add, but I have to start supplementing calcium in a big way to see if that will stop the cramps. My sodium and potassium levels would appear to be good; these numbers were fine 6 weeks ago, but I was already supplementing so they should reflect what's still happening overall.
I'm still committed to the low carb lifestyle, so hopefully we can get the cramps under control and I can drop my carbs back down gradually. However, I have been cautioned that weight loss may be difficult with the estrogen supplementation. Still, health before vanity -- much as I hate the way I look.
@LauraCoth I just got caught up, and frankly, this post right here scared the living fire out of me. If you're megasupplementing Calcium, please tell me you're upping your D3/K2, your magnesium, your A (12 hours apart from the D3), and fish oil all over the place to prevent toxicity. Sorry, these responses were all so delayed, but from every single bit of research I've done on this, calcium is the opposite of what you need. If you aren't absorbing it already (Dr. Berg recommends taking any supplements at night, alone from everything else), megadosing will just create more arterial clutter.... *SCARED* Blood showing low calcium levels when your electrolytes are all wacky doesn't mean you need more calcium necessarily.
Hoping your doc has a way logical explanation....
So.... she has low calcium (possibly related to low thyroid output?), but you think she should consider not taking calcium supplements. ??
As far as I recall, calcium is an electrolyte, and electrolytes are supposed to be in balance..... Is there any scenario where you'd recognize low calcium as a problem?0 -
I am so glad you got testing done to help figure this out! I've felt for you through this process! Your perseverance is inspiring!
You will never know how many others you have helped with this thread!
I'm sure @KnitOrMiss will chime back in on the calcium, but it's my understanding that calcium supplementation has been shown to cause cardiac issues (I think I'm correct on this) because of the limited absorption without D3, and K2 to aid absorption. It remains in the bloodstream, instead of being taken up by our cells, which is worse than not supplementing in some cases. I believe that's the rub on this one!1 -
I am so glad you got testing done to help figure this out! I've felt for you through this process! Your perseverance is inspiring!
You will never know how many others you have helped with this thread!
I'm sure @KnitOrMiss will chime back in on the calcium, but it's my understanding that calcium supplementation has been shown to cause cardiac issues (I think I'm correct on this) because of the limited absorption without D3, and K2 to aid absorption. It remains in the bloodstream, instead of being taken up by our cells, which is worse than not supplementing in some cases. I believe that's the rub on this one!
Hmmm. Even for someone with low calcium (and taking D3/K2) who's possibly having severe symptoms of electrolyte imbalance? You may be right, but I haven't gotten my head around the idea that dietary calcium is always bad.
I understand that taking horse pills of calcium is probably not protective of bones, etc., and that there's no reason to recommend it to all seniors, all women, all diabetics, etc., but it's still an essential critter in your body, and it seems intuitive that if you're symptomatic and your level is low, etc., it's better to add some to your diet and see if it works than to go without. (People have supplemented with calcium for decades and to my knowledge not keeled over within a few months...)0 -
Yes, low calcium *can* be a thing, @RalfLott, but remember blood levels of any electrolyte are wonky. It generally is more about not properly absorbing it than actual deficiencies. That's why so many old folks end up on a calcium channel blockers for blood pressure control! To get a real handle on true calcium deficiency, @LauraCoth would probably need bone density scans and a whole panel of blood and saliva test. Not questioning her naturopath at all, as that doc has a clear look at all her numbers. Just as a fellow thyroid patient and someone with various other issues, I know that so many issue hide behind other issues. And yeah, I remember adrenal fatigue not being considered to be real when they said I had it, and that was a decade ago! My hormone levels were damned near inconsistent back when, too, though I remember the natural doc I saw then saying that blood tests of cortisol were pointless, and my endo agreed on needing urine test (24 hours) and a suppression test (at least 4 days before/after the urine test)...as well as saliva and other tests were needed. My levels are still on the low end, too, so I look forward to where this goes... Super happy to know you're taking all the balancing stuff. Wishing you luck.2
-
I am so glad you got testing done to help figure this out! I've felt for you through this process! Your perseverance is inspiring!
You will never know how many others you have helped with this thread!
I'm sure @KnitOrMiss will chime back in on the calcium, but it's my understanding that calcium supplementation has been shown to cause cardiac issues (I think I'm correct on this) because of the limited absorption without D3, and K2 to aid absorption. It remains in the bloodstream, instead of being taken up by our cells, which is worse than not supplementing in some cases. I believe that's the rub on this one!
Hmmm. Even for someone with low calcium (and taking D3/K2) who's possibly having severe symptoms of electrolyte imbalance? You may be right, but I haven't gotten my head around the idea that dietary calcium is always bad.
I understand that taking horse pills of calcium is probably not protective of bones, etc., and that there's no reason to recommend it to all seniors, all women, all diabetics, etc., but it's still an essential critter in your body, and it seems intuitive that if you're symptomatic and your level is low, etc., it's better to add some to your diet and see if it works than to go without. (People have supplemented with calcium for decades and to my knowledge not keeled over within a few months...)
@RalfLott - the reason people don't keel over in months is because it takes a while to block otherwise healthy arteries. My understanding is that with the co-factors, consumed either from food or supplements, normal dietary calcium is easily absorbed from a diet of whole foods, unless other underlying conditions prevail. Actual calcium supplementation is said to be needed only in very rare situations - but it's only recently coming to light how much K2 specifically is a co-factor for proper absorption and PLACEMENT of absorbed calcium and vitamin D...so how much damage has been done over the years with good intentions??? Really makes you wonder.
That being said, "better safe than sorry" approach with 99% of meds/supplements just isn't going to cut it for me, personally, anymore. I'd rather research and be safe rather than sorry.3 -
I have heard widely divergent opininions of calcium supplementation over the past few years. Until four years ago I used to take calcium as a matter of course because my doctor at the time told me I should. But this was the same doctor who prescribed quinine sulphate for foot cramps instead of reviewing my medications to see if there might be an issue there (there was: Synthroid can cause dangerous chronic foot cramps).
As an aside, a few years later I now trust nobody in the medical establishment. Too many wrong guesses and assumptions (and downright laziness), and not enough blood tests, expertise and diagnostic skill. I've been kept ill for decades because of outdated practices and patriarchal BS about women (which is why I was given a mental illness diagnosis for two decades before somebody thought it might be an idea to have my thyroid checked).
I do have a lot more respect for licensed naturopaths. They haven't had their brains screwed down tight, they don't follow the party line, and they tend to be up on recent research. The way I see it, at a certain point, you gotta trust someone. She's it.
Unfortunately, I've fallen victim to my own poor research methods. I took some calcium yesterday, along with some buffered (with calcium) Ester-C. And had no cramps last night. But I also didn't take my T3 yesterday. Too eager for a result, I guess. So now I have to tease out which one is the real culprit. Or maybe it's both. I've had the T3 in my sights on and off all summer.
I hope it isn't the T3. Included in the urinalysis was my Free T3 and Free T4. The FT4 is fine, but the FT3 is disastrously low, and that was WITH the supplementation. It's no wonder I stagger through my days, what with that and the low cortisol.
The upshot of all of this, however, is that I should be able to resume my LC diet in a couple of days if the cramps stay away, supplementing with the salt and the calcium. I'll lay off the potassium for now. I'm also adding in some VEGA hydrator, which is an electrolyte powder sweetened with stevia.
But wow, is this going to be expensive. Adding in the Ashwaghanda, the chromium, the withania complex, the B Vitamins...the list goes on.
3 -
As an aside, a few years later I now trust nobody in the medical establishment. Too many wrong guesses and assumptions (and downright laziness), and not enough blood tests, expertise and diagnostic skill. I've been kept ill for decades because of outdated practices and patriarchal BS about women (which is why I was given a mental illness diagnosis for two decades before somebody thought it might be an idea to have my thyroid checked).
I do have a lot more respect for licensed naturopaths. They haven't had their brains screwed down tight, they don't follow the party line, and they tend to be up on recent research. The way I see it, at a certain point, you gotta trust someone. She's it.
@LauraCoth - That just about nails the whole enchilada. (Sorry, sloppy metaphor, I know...)
Really, it all comes down to the individual practitioner - the right combination of knowledge, intellect, diligence, and attitude in anyone can make for a winning relationship, regardless of the letters that follow the name.
Frankly, there are at least a couple dozen of y'all here I'd turn to before I'd walk in cold to a first visit with any health-care provider (including a vet!)........
!
3 -
@LauraCoth - That just about nails the whole enchilada. (Sorry, sloppy metaphor, I know...)
Really, it all comes down to the individual practitioner - the right combination of knowledge, intellect, diligence, and attitude in anyone can make for a winning relationship, regardless of the letters that follow the name.
Frankly, there are at least a couple dozen of y'all here I'd turn to before I'd walk in cold to a first visit with any health-care provider (including a vet!)........
!
My very new allopathic doctor is an interesting find, though. He says that medical schools don't teach much about thyroid disease, and that as a consequence many if not most doctors think that Synthroid is the gold standard for care -- and he says this while he is writing out my prescription for dessicated thyroid. He also tells me that with respect to female hormone replacement therapy, he only knows what he was taught in medical school, so he feels I should see a licensed naturopath for help with this. In short, a rare bird. I have hope.
3 -
You only spot the rare bird if you know where to look and have your eyes open! Nice going - hope it pans out.
@LauraCoth - That just about nails the whole enchilada. (Sorry, sloppy metaphor, I know...)
Really, it all comes down to the individual practitioner - the right combination of knowledge, intellect, diligence, and attitude in anyone can make for a winning relationship, regardless of the letters that follow the name.
Frankly, there are at least a couple dozen of y'all here I'd turn to before I'd walk in cold to a first visit with any health-care provider (including a vet!)........
!
My very new allopathic doctor is an interesting find, though. He says that medical schools don't teach much about thyroid disease, and that as a consequence many if not most doctors think that Synthroid is the gold standard for care -- and he says this while he is writing out my prescription for dessicated thyroid. He also tells me that with respect to female hormone replacement therapy, he only knows what he was taught in medical school, so he feels I should see a licensed naturopath for help with this. In short, a rare bird. I have hope.2 -
SO:
My naturopath believes I have had a severe reaction to the T3 medication itself OR the fillers used in the compounding process.
Stopping the medication has stopped the feeling of slow suffocation I was experiencing. At one point last week this symptom was so severe and terrifying I almost went to the hospital.
Stopping the medication hasn't stopped the cramps, unfortunately (and I've been through this before, earlier on this thread).
We think that the reaction has triggered something latent, and hopefully as time passes the cramps will stop. Electrolytes don't seem to play any role here at all. Small consolation when I repeatedly wake from my already-fitful sleep, but at least there's an answer.1 -
Seems as if you have taken a step forward in the diagnosis. Hang in there.0
-
So glad to know that you're making progress, and it s absolutely awesome that your doctor is on top of it!!! I hope you solove the camps, too, and as much as it royally bites, I will definitely be treading carefully when looking into compounded T3 if my doc agrees in October. @LauraCoth I'm so beyond happy that you have such an involved professional on your side now!!!1
-
Thanks for the good wishes.
Unfortunately, my feet are like ice all the time now, which is worrying, and I had some twinges in my hands this afternoon. I've been keeping my feet busy to try to improve circulation.
I guess the medication triggered a vascular issue. I should have known when the cramps didn't stop, because of my experience with Synthroid, but in those days the cramps were more severe but far, far less frequent. This didn't seem at all the same.
I really, really hope this clears up soon, but my suspicion is I'm in for a bit of trouble. I even bought some diet tonic water , since the solution for my cramps in the past was quinine sulphate, which I tolerate very well (yeah, I know, aspartame, but that's never really given me any trouble). I'm seeing my family doctor next week to ask for a prescription for the quinine.
The good news is that I can resume low carb eating. And although I was sure I'd somehow messed up, I do think I've lost some weight, which is nice.2 -
Bump for @pitbullmamaliz (it's not just about foot cramps!).1
