Uh oh....help please

For the past few weeks (going on three) I've been having chronic diahrea......I've tried cutting the whey protein, half and half out of my shakes and using soy (yuck) and that hasn't seemed to help.  I've also been having horrible leg/foot cramps at night (so severe that I'm still limping from one I had a few nights back)  My stomach seems to be making these horrible noises that are freaking out the dog! I am really worried  that it's starting to effect my vitamin/mineral intake (drinking water seems to run right though me) I've started on a probiotic within the last couple of days and still keeping my vitamin regime.   I seem to be staying hydrated but I'm starting to get a bit worried, and I wanted to make sure that I've done all that I can to try and clear it up myself before I call my surgeon (or should I call my PCP)  I have no idea what to do....any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  I'm eating bananas thinking I was low on potassium, and I HATE BANANAS    lol

Thanks so much

The cramps mean you have may be an electrolyte imbalance probably caused from dehydration even if it is mild.  Adding potassium and magnesium and fluids help me when I get cramps.

Have you tried immodium?

I don't have anything else sorry.

~Becky

I agree that the cramps are probably an electrolyte imbalance. I would also suggest trying immodium. And keep up with the probiotic. If it persists, then I think going to the doctor is a good idea. You may have something else going on that might need to be treated.

I have tried Immodium and it does help to a point......but it says that you can't take it more than 4 times a day but most of the times I go more that that, lol....

It strange too cuz usually with the runny poops, it can burn, but this is just like I'm peeing....but I'm pooping....and it doesn't burn....I just don't get it

Cut back on fats and that should help with the diahrea. When I eat to many fats I go broke buying toilet paper, LOL 

About the cramps...are you taking any diuretics?

Yes I have cut back on the fats and as for the waterpills, I used to take them before my surgery and they hepled with the cramps.  Tomorrow I'm stopping by Vitalady and picking up some potassium tablets and see if that work..

Wait a minute....don't just be taking potassium and if you do, make sure you're taking the right amount, okay?!?


I asked about the diuretics because some are "potassium sparing" but others REQUIRE that you take potassium with them.  Water pills--diuretics--as far as I know wouldn't help with the leg cramps...they would CAUSE them by cutting short the amount of potassium in your system.  And my potassium is prescription strength.

Be careful with this stuff.  Potassium issues cause heart issues.

Addressing leg cramps only, magnesium works with potassium and calcium to form the triad that is your lytes.
***

As if we don't hear enough about this! I did add some thoughts of my own in
among his.

But I thought I'd excerpt this in simple to read list form so we'd know WHY
it's so critical.

Article was written by Mark Hyman, MD
Putting Magnesium Back in Your Life

from Organic Connections Mar-Apr 2008

1. how do I know? Where is the clue?

* magnesium is not well measured in blood. Most will test normal, but
it only indicates what is in the blood, not what is available for the body
to use

* the testing, he says, is a good medical history. Anything that
twitches, camps, spasms or is tight in any way is a sign of magnesium
deficiency

2. naturally occurring in these foods:

* kelp

* wheat bran

* wheat germ

* almonds

* cashews

* buckwheat

* brazil nuts

* filberts

* millet

* pecans

* walnuts

* rye

* tofu

* soybeans

* brown rice

* figs

* dates

* collard greens

* avocados

* parsley

* beans

* barley

* dandelion greens

* garlic

we all eat some of these, but how much?

3. but how did I lose it?

* high doses of:

* coffee

* colas

* high salt

* sugar

* alcohol

* water pills (diuretics)

* some medications

4. what are some signs?

* muscle cramps or twitches or spasms

* insomnia

* irritability

* sensitivity to loud noises

* anxiety

* autism

* ADHD

* heat palpitations

* angina (spasm of arteries)

* constipation

* spasms in the muscles

* headaches

* migraine

* fibromyalgia

* chronic fatigue

* asthma

* kidney stones (cal-mag imbalance)

* high blood pressure

* irritable bladder

* irritable bowel

* acid reflux

* PMS

* depression

ALSO, obesity and diabetes are related to magnesium deficiency!

I could go on with the details of HOW it works, but I'm condensing for easy
reading

5. So, can I just grab some at the drug store?

* these forms will not help with muscles:

* magnesium carbonate

* magnesium sulfate

* magnesium gluconate

* magnesium OXIDE (and my own adder to this is that this CAN help
alleviate constipation!)

These are not absorbed into the system.

6. Fine, then how DO I fix it?

* While he does not specifically say WHICH one, we know that magnesium
CITRATE does help with leg and foot spasms.

* Personally, I can check off about 50% of the symptoms list and will
now eat them like candy throughout the day.

As usual, I am not a medical person, and am only passing along to you this
very simple article for your own use. MD's are more likely to use magnesium
as a last resort for heart or pregnancy issues. ND's are more likely to
treat this right away, going with the assumption that most people are
deficient, by default.