Leg cramps at night got worse after pacemaker implant

Yes

by Lavender - 2024-05-04 10:42:10

I complained to my cardiologist about leg cramps. She said to eat more bananas, drink tonic water and hydrate more all day. I no longer drink the tonic water but I eat half of a banana every morning. I make sure to drink water often all day. Sometimes I have a little leg cramps but it no longer wakes me. 

Maybe It's the Gabapentin

by IrishToast - 2024-05-04 16:29:07

I developed a heart block after a couple of years on Gabapentin. I never had "jimmy legs" before taking it, but did during withdrawal from it, and still occasionally do. Leg cramps and heart block and a slew of other things can be adverse effects. Here's the list from the original drug trials. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=0936a88f-b569-49c4-951b-14e8f6273b53 

Leg cramps

by AgentX86 - 2024-05-04 20:32:31

I can tell you exactly what got rid of mine. I was looking for something to tone down my flutter and, after some reading, tried a magnesium supplement.  I was getting leg cramps two to three times a day, while watching TV, sleeping, whatever. These weren't minor cramps.  They were toe-curling (backwards) class-5, jump in the air screaming cramps. The day after starting the magnesium, no cramps.  Never since.

Sodium, potassium, and magnesium are trace metals that the body needs to regulate the nervous system.  Without any of these, the nerves, hence the muscles go haywire. Since the heart is a muscle...

The normal Western diet has so much sodium in it that it's rarely a problem. It's usually the opposte.  Some need to cut way down on it. Potassium and magnesium aren't so easy.

"But yes, we have no bananas We have no bananas today."

While essential, and easy to be deficient, it's also the easiest to OD on. Supplements should be taken under the direction of a doctor. However, Bananas are a good source and it's almost impossible to eat enough to cause any problems, well, not potassium problems anyway. One banana, two banana, not a bunch.

Magnesium is easy to deplete, too. Diet play a big part but sometime it's not enough.  In the good side, dark chocolate is rich in it. 1/2-3/4lb. per day will work, but it has other problems. Even though I take ~400mg/day (about the recommended daily allowance, my magnesium as at the bottom of the scale.

Magnesium is also self-limiting.  If too much is taken, there are noticable side-effects (magnesium oxide = Milk of Magnesia).  Magnesium oxide isn't very useful because the body doesn't absorb the magnesium very well. One of the organic magnesium suppliments is far better (magnesium -glyconate, -orate, -malate,...). Always tell your doctors what you're taking, though.  I have it on my charts and no one has batted an eyelash. They've commented about the multi-vitamin, but never the magnesium.

Interesting note on Magnesium

by Good Dog - 2024-05-05 07:50:55

I don't claim to know much about Mg supplements, but this is just a bit of info from my experience.

I participated in a forum on the uses and benefits of Mg. I did so, because my Mg levels were low and I wanted to increase them. Also, there is a lot of anecdotal info that among other benefits, it can help you sleep better and reduce anxiety. So after trying several diferent forms at relatively low doses, I found the side-effects after several days pretty awful. I was getting severe anxiety. Didn't seem to matter which form I used either. There were other folks that were taking many times the dose I was andthey were receiving great benefits from it with no negative side-effects. I have since found others like myself having a similar experience. I suppose that potentially there could be many reasons for it, but like so many things; not everthing works the same for everyone.

Also, as I studied absorption of the different compunds (there are many) to be very interesting and a bit controversial. No question that the absorption of Magnesium Oxide is much less than any of the other forms, but that is not the end of the story. Magnesium Oxide (MgO) is simply bonded to oxygen, which is obviously also something your body needs so there is nothing unnecessary in the product. The oxygen is useable by your body but will not strongly affect the way you feel taking the Mg. This is the least absorbed form, but also has one of the highest percentages of elemental magnesium per dose so it still may be the  highest absorbed dose per mg. It is a great general purpose magnesium if really Mg is all you need.  It makes a simple muscle relaxer, nerve tonic and laxative if you take a high dose.

In any case, I just found all of this interesting! 

Gabapentin

by Penguin - 2024-05-06 06:34:21

I’ve never taken this drug and therefore I’m not able to offer a patient led opinion, but have discovered that it’s a painkiller and that it has the potential to cause dependency.  A quick non-expert look online also suggested a potential side effect on muscles.  You’re complaining about increased muscle cramps and that a previously effective dose is no longer effective. You also mention peripheral neuropathy. 

The side effect profile that I looked at suggested that Gabapentin and kidney issues may need special consideration. I wondered if this might be relevant to you? 

1) You don’t mention whether you are diagnosed with any other conditions that could explain the leg cramps and which may affect how your body filters / digests food and extracts both toxins and vital nutrients / minerals. 

2) Do you have a condition which may affect your kidneys - diabetes for example or CKD - which can cause peripheral neuropathy?  

3) Are you taking any drugs - including over the counter drugs - that can speed up the transit of food / waste through your gut?

4) You also don’t say what has been done since you discovered that Gabapentin has stopped working. 

When a previously effective dose of a drug stops working, this can be a clue that you may be developing dependency on the drug.  I’d ask about that if I was you, particularly if you’ve been taking the drug for a long time.  You will probably have read about pain killers and their potential to cause dependency.  If affected, please take professional advice re: coming off the drug safely and slowly.