posted
Having terrible leg cramps concurrent with tygacil therapy. In the past, leg cramping due to inadequate Mg, and increasing it helped.
BUT....the package insert for this drug says in some people these side effects can occur:
--hypocalcemia (not enuf Ca or too much Mg, since they oppose each other)
--hyponatremia (not enuf salt or too much water)
--hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
--increased creatinine
And others.
So, now what do I do? Decrease Mg? Increase Ca? Am getting some supplemental Ca in multi-vitamin but none beyond that and not eating much dairy these days.
Got to find a solution. My nights are miserable with these painful leg cramps.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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dmc
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5102
posted
I never got those on the Tigecyl. Would a muscle relaxer work?
Posts: 2675 | From ct, usa | Registered: Jan 2004
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sammy
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 13952
posted
Sorry lou, I don't know either. My legs do get really weak and strained feeling like I've exercised past the point of exhaustion. But I have not noticed cramping.
Maybe you should try a multimineral supplement to see if that helps. That might be better absorbed than a bunch taken individually.
And maybe you are dehydrated too. That will surely cause muscle cramps and overall bad feeling.
Hopefully you will find relief soon.
Posts: 5237 | From here | Registered: Nov 2007
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posted
If you are doing routine bloodwork then that should list both sodium and calcium. Hubby currently has both low blood sodium and calcium -- the sodium is an old issue and the calcium is a new problem. But he doesn't have any muscle cramps. He has tendon pain and is overall achey but no muscle cramps.
I would try an epsom salts bath -- your body will only absorb the amount of magnesim you need. You can add baking soda as well if you think sodium is an issue.
And hubby has done milk baths before under a docs orders, but I think that was supposedly to increase protein absorption as he was having G.I. issues at the time. I did try adding powdered milk to his bath recently to see if it would help with his aches and pains. Helped the first time but not any more after that so maybe it was a fluke. I am just not sure how well calcium is absorbed thru the skin.
Sorry you are feeling so bad.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Rumigirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15091
posted
Maybe it is needing more magnesium? I assume you've tried upping the magnesium (I know you said that wasn't a side-effect). You could get an rx for IV magnesium and do it through your line.
And/or you could do IV calcium. Or increase oral calcium. Probably do the calcium and magnesium separately for best absorbtion (sp?). Also, as someone said, more water?
Ask your LLMD! Good for you that you are doing Tygacil! I hope that you can get past this problem. Let us know what happens.
I assume that you've also tried upping the salt, and making sure that you eat frequently enough for any hypoglycemia.
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Since the possible problem was hypocalcemia, I was questioning whether more Mg might make it worse.
Don't have my latest blood test results back yet, will be interesting to see if they show anything.
But last night, I ate some dairy for calcium, took more Mg, and went out and bought bottle of potassium, took a pill. Ate a banana. Covering all the bases! No cramps last night. What a relief.
Thanks for your replies.
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