posted
Cramping may be a sign that you are not getting enough magnesium. What amt and when are you taking this? It can also occur during herxes.
I found that magnesium taken about four times a day (away from certain abx), including a slow release type at bedtime, and reducing calcium did away with cramps, except when a herx occurred.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
Lou, is right.Sometimes they get so bad in your calves, you can see the muscles moving all around.And you almost wanna get your legs hacked off.
Posts: 510 | From NEVERLAND.USA | Registered: Jul 2005
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
I am taking magnesium, 3 x daily at 97mg a dose.
I only weigh 105 lbs (or less now).
My LLMD said 3 a day.
I believe he thinks the leg cramping is associated with rifampin,
so that is why I am pulsing it.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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Jellybelly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7142
posted
I get a very similar cramp. It is across the top of my foot through my ankle and up to the ouside of my chin bone. One of the worst cramps I have every gotten. Most difficult to get to stop. No position to stretch it out and I have had to put ice on it several times to get it to stop.
It is the one that shots me out of bed the fastest. I've had them for about 7 years and I have learned a few things. They were definetly worse on the nights that I consumed to much calcium or stuff with a lot of vitamin D like eggs, or salmom.
I still eat all of that stuff but am careful not to consume a lot in one day. And as already suggested, MAGNESIUM, MAGNESIUM and more magnesium. I take all that my intestines will tolerate, which seems to vary from time to time. Just doing those things helps enourmously.
There is scientific reasoning I found out that causes the flair up when consuming the calcium and vitmain D. I knew it was happening, but had no idea why. I have posted the explanation a couple of times here.
My leg cramps are nearly gone these days. A side thought, is that if I remember right the same things that causes the leg crammps can cause similar problems in the heart which is just another muscle which needs to stay soft and well hydrate in ordered to function properly, not stiff like our other muscles.
Posts: 1251 | From california | Registered: Apr 2005
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Dear Jellybelly,
(Love your post name by the way)
I am not currently taking any calcium or vitamin D supplements....
My diet consists mostly of meat, salads and vegatables (no starchy ones).
Weird thing is that these cramps are usually worse on the nights that I didn't take the rifampin.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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Jellybelly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7142
posted
I don't take supplements of these either, just consuming lots of foods which are high in either of these makes a big difference for me.....more cramps.
Actually taking calcium supplements was one of my first real clues. Every time I took them the cramps would start up literally within a few hours and the night time was horrible.
I stopped calcium supplements years ago.
Posts: 1251 | From california | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I would not want to contradict your lyme doc, and don't know the relationship between weight and Mg dose. However, I am taking somewhere between 800 and 1000mg a day, and some types of Mg are better than others. You can research this in the archives as it has been discussed a lot. I am using magtab at bedtime and magnesium chelate and magnesium malate, just to cover all the bases.
Don't think it will hurt you to experiment with dose, increase it to see the effect. Think the worst that can happen is loose bowels. If that happens, just back off on the dose a little. You are probably getting plenty of calcium if you are eating yogurt. Ca and Mg oppose each other and you have to have the right balance. Lyme seems to cause Mg depletion in some way. Marnie is our Mg expert.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Thanks Lou,
I always appreciate and respect your opinion.
I will up my magnesium supplement today.
I actually buy mine at my LLMD's office.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Sometimes you can get an electrolyte imbalance and potassium is needed. If you do not want to eat bananas because of the sugar. Take 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar in a glass of water.
Be careful and do no do this for more than a week as too much potassium is not good for the heart. It did help me with the cramps. Hiker
-------------------- Hiker53
"God is light. In Him there is no darkness." 1John 1:5 Posts: 10177 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2004
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posted
Several months ago I kept having hand and foot cramps. I finally decided to try a mineral supplement as I was already taking plenty of magnesium and calcium.
The cramping stopped in just a day or two. I use Solaray's Mega Multi Mineral.
Hope you find something that helps!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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luvs2ride
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8090
posted
Well, I'm always the odd one.
What worked for me was the detox foot pads. I use the ones from Healthmarvel because they are the cheapest.
I get the most benefit from the blue ones that are for heavy metal detox. All the cramping stopped.
Luvs
-------------------- When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power, there will be Peace. Posts: 3038 | From america | Registered: Oct 2005
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Cobweb
Unregistered
posted
Hey Geneal-Waking up at night with painful(to put it mildly) calf cramping was a problem for me in early treatment. I was already taking 500mg once a day of Magnesium Malate Chelate.
LLMD increased it to 1000mg per day. And told me to do stretcing exercises before going to bed-I never really did the stretching exercises-but I did think about them
Leg cramping is no longer a serious issue for me and I am back down to 500mg per day. I weigh more than 100 and less than 200. Pick a number.
I still have painful right leg pain at night-but it's not cramping. I don't know what it is, but I look forward to it subsiding,too.
Jill E.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9121
posted
Geneal,
I think you might be right about the Rifampin - or Bart herx - connection.
I developed kind of a restless legs kind of symptom when all my other Bart symptoms first appeared - myoclonus, tremors, etc.
I bombed out on Levaquin because I developed Achilles Tendon pain/weakness that lasted long after.
Anyway, I've been on Rifampin for months, and mentioned to my LLMD that my tendons feel tight behind my knees, on one foot, etc. Even my internist said my tendons in my legs felt tight when he was examining me recently.
My LLMD theorizes that Bartonella can affect the tendons.
So perhaps you and I are having similar issues - mine started before Rifampin, but the Rifampin is certainly making things worse. Plus my myoclonus and twitching are worse on Rifampin - even with taking the same amount of magnesium as before.
I keep thinking this is some kind of Bart herx or the Bart is becoming more apparent because of the Rifampin.
Hey, I'm usually awake at 2 or 3 in the morning - I think most of us are. We should all call each other!
Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
I think the "night owl club" would be a good name for us, or the "night Yowl club."
Can you remember the days when you were awake at this time because you wanted to be?
My, how things have changed.
I upped my magesium yesterday (400mg) and took a tepid epson salt bath last night.
Don't know which one worked or if they both worked, but guess what?
No cramps last night! Yeah!!!
I do have increased muscle twitching and tightness-I thought bart herx as well.
I just want to get through rifampin....and not do this one again.
I've felt worse on a doxy herx or babs herx,
But gosh darn, that rifampin is hard to take.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
I suffered from tight tendons/muscles all over my body, but especially bad in my legs (restless legs) until I started rifampin.
Posts: 925 | From California | Registered: Sep 2004
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liz28
Unregistered
posted
I had a six-week herx on rifampin. The symptoms were severe, as you described.
For some reason, diflucan never seemed to work. Nystatin, kefir, probiotics, and herbal extracts that contained berberine all seemed to help.
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I agree with hiker.. you need potassium. Potassium is very high in plain nonfat yogurt (higher than bananas) so eat that. It will all help with yeast issues.
-------------------- "One day at a time"
Current: -1.2 IM bicillin three times a week -1.25 IV Vancomycin every day -IV glutathione and IM B12 -Byron White since Jan. 2011 -ALA, Yasko protocal, Adapten-All, thyrosol, Pekano, phosphalipid exchange, probiotics, oregano... Posts: 390 | From FLORIDA | Registered: Jun 2007
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posted
Geneal, I found if I was taking increased calcium+D (Citrical) without taking much more magnesium, I also got those awful cramps. I think we lyme patients really do need more magnesium than typically suggested, especially if taking any extra calcium. Get the magnesium in capsules or liquid for better absorption.
Posts: 193 | From Virginia | Registered: Oct 2002
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