Muscle Cramps and/or Nerve Pain

 

 

 

 

We took the "sponge" everywhere.   We took the “sponge” everywhere. 

 

Before reading this page please know that I am not a medical doctor nor medically trained in any way.  This information is here so that you have printable data that you can bring to your doctor for consultation.  None of this replaces a doctor or what instructions a doctor gives you. Your doctor will need to see these studies to decide whether or not you can take these supplements.   

There is one main chemotherapy drug, known as Vincristine, which is the primary chemo to cause a side effect called Neuropathy. (I verified this information with a 20 year-veteran-cancer-nurse.) With Kayla she had muscle cramps after one week of chemo. The doctors stated she had muscle cramps due to atrophy from being bed ridden. The cramps and pain worsened and we had no answers. A cancer patient told us about Neuropathy. Which is nerve pain that can appear in any part of the body. Some people have it in the jaw, or just their hands. Kayla’s was in one heel of her foot and only when she put pressure on it. They started as muscle cramps and developed into nerve pain in her feet. Over time these worsened.

WHAT IS PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY?

“Peripheral Neuropathy is one of the most common diseases most people have never heard of…and yet, upwards of 20 million Americans have it. Peripheral neuropathy is caused by damage to your body’s peripheral nerves. This damage disrupts the body’s ability to communicate with its muscles, skin, joints, or internal organs. It is like the body’s wiring system breaking down. If ignored, neuropathy can lead to numbness, pain, weakness and incoordination. However, diagnosed and treated early, peripheral neuropathy can often be controlled, slowing the disease’s progression.” Definition taken from www.neuropathy.org

Please note that Neuropathy is a temporary condition caused by chemotherapy and will go away after treatment is done. Two books I read about cancer patients described in detail the feeling that Neuropathy caused in their feet. Both described burning pain. One author said it felt like his socks were bunched up in his shoes, he would check and they were not. This feeling progressed until he was limping with pain. Kayla’s progressively worsened to the point of not being able to apply any pressure on her feet. Neuropathy can effect the hands, jaw, and other areas of the body. 

Neurontin is a medication that alleviates the pain of Neuropathy and is prescribed by your physician.

There are specific nutrients that may help muscle cramps and/or neuropathy. This page is composed of reference materials on these nutrients that we found helpful for nerve pain. Unfortunately these written materials are a bit boring. Sorry, I do not know how to make vitamins entertaining reading. Read on, and maybe this information can be printed out and brought to your doctor. Best of all, I hope something here is helpful to any patient who is experiencing pain from side effects.

Magnesium: What is it?

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is essential to good health. Approximately 50% of total body magnesium is found in bone. The other half is found predominantly inside cells of body tissues and organs. Only 1% of magnesium is found in blood, but the body works very hard to keep blood levels of magnesium constant [1].

Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis [2-3]. There is an increased interest in the role of magnesium in preventing and managing disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Dietary magnesium is absorbed in the small intestines. Magnesium is excreted through the kidneys [1-3,4].

When can magnesium deficiency occur?

Even though dietary surveys suggest that many Americans do not consume recommended amounts of magnesium, symptoms of magnesium deficiency are rarely seen in the US. However, there is concern about the prevalence of sub-optimal magnesium stores in the body. For many people, dietary intake may not be high enough to promote an optimal magnesium status, which may be protective against disorders such as cardiovascular disease and immune dysfunction [7-8].

The health status of the digestive system and the kidneys significantly influence magnesium status. Magnesium is absorbed in the intestines and then transported through the blood to cells and tissues. Approximately one-third to one-half of dietary magnesium is absorbed into the body [9-10]. Gastrointestinal disorders that impair absorption such as Crohn’s disease can limit the body’s ability to absorb magnesium. These disorders can deplete the body’s stores of magnesium and in extreme cases may result in magnesium deficiency. Chronic or excessive vomiting and diarrhea may also result in magnesium depletion [1,10].

Healthy kidneys are able to limit urinary excretion of magnesium to compensate for low dietary intake. However, excessive loss of magnesium in urine can be a side effect of some medications and can also occur in cases of poorly controlled diabetes and alcohol abuse [11-18].

Early signs of magnesium deficiency include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness. As magnesium deficiency worsens, numbness, tingling, muscle contractions and cramps, seizures, personality changes, abnormal heart rhythms, and coronary spasms can occur [1,3-4]. Severe magnesium deficiency can result in low levels of calcium in the blood (hypocalcemia). Magnesium deficiency is also associated with low levels of potassium in the blood (hypokalemia) [1,19-20].

Many of these symptoms are general and can result from a variety of medical conditions other than magnesium deficiency. It is important to have a physician evaluate health complaints and problems so that appropriate care can be given.

Who may need extra magnesium?

Magnesium supplementation may be indicated when a specific health problem or condition causes an excessive loss of magnesium or limits magnesium absorption [2,7,9-11].

Some medicines may result in magnesium deficiency, including certain diuretics, antibiotics, and medications used to treat

cancer (anti-neoplastic medication) [12,14,19]. Examples of these medications are: Diuretics: Lasix, Bumex, Edecrin, and

hydrochlorothiazide Antibiotics: Gentamicin, and Amphotericin Anti-neoplastic medication: Cisplatin

Individuals with poorly controlled diabetes may benefit from magnesium supplements because of increased magnesium loss in

urine associated with hyperglycemia [21].

 Magnesium supplementation may be indicated for persons with alcoholism. Low blood levels of magnesium occur in 30% to 60%

of alcoholics, and in nearly 90% of patients experiencing alcohol withdrawal [17-18]. Anyone who substitutes alcohol for food

will usually have significantly lower magnesium intakes.

Individuals with chronic malabsorptive problems such as Crohn’s disease, gluten sensitive enteropathy, regional enteritis, and

intestinal surgery may lose magnesium through diarrhea and fat malabsorption [22]. Individuals with these conditions may need

supplemental magnesium. Individuals with chronically low blood levels of potassium and calcium may have an underlying

problem with magnesium deficiency. Magnesium supplements may help correct the potassium and calcium deficiencies [19].

Older adults are at increased risk for magnesium deficiency. The 1999-2000 and 1998-94 National Health and Nutrition

Examination Surveys suggest that older adults have lower dietary intakes of magnesium than younger adults [6,23]. In addition,

magnesium absorption decreases and renal excretion of magnesium increases in older adults [4]. Seniors are also more likely to

be taking drugs that interact with magnesium. This combination of factors places older adults at risk for magnesium deficiency

[4]. It is very important for older adults to consume recommended amounts of dietary magnesium. Doctors can evaluate

magnesium status when above-mentioned medical problems occur, and determine the need for magnesium supplementation.

 

B12

What is vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells [1-4]. It is also needed to help make DNA, the genetic material in all cells. Vitamin B12 is also called cobalamin because it contains the metal cobalt [1-4].

Vitamin B12 is bound to the protein in food. Hydrochloric acid in the stomach releases vitamin B12 from proteins in foods during digestion. Once released, vitamin B12 combines with a substance called intrinsic factor (IF). This complex can then be absorbed by the intestinal tract.

What foods provide vitamin B12?

Vitamin B12 is naturally found in foods that come from animals, including fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and milk products. Fortified breakfast cereals are a particularly valuable source of vitamin B12 for vegetarians. [5-7]

When is a deficiency of vitamin B12 likely to occur?

Results of two national surveys, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III-1988-94) [8] and the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII 1994-96) found that most children and adults in the United States (US) consume recommended amounts of vitamin B12 [6-8]. A deficiency may still occur as a result of an inability to absorb vitamin B12 from food and in strict vegetarians who do not consume any foods that come from animals [9]. As a general rule, most individuals who develop a vitamin B12 deficiency have an underlying stomach or intestinal disorder that limits the absorption of vitamin B12 [10]. Sometimes the only symptom of these intestinal disorders is subtly reduced cognitive function resulting from early vitamin B12 deficiency. Anemia and dementia follow later [1,11]. (Emphasis mine.)

Signs, symptoms, and health problems associated with vitamin B12 deficiency: Characteristic signs, symptoms, and health problems associated with vitamin B12 deficiency include anemia, fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite, and weight loss [1,3,12].

Deficiency also can lead to neurological changes such as numbness and tingling in the hands and feet [7,13]. (Emphasis mine.) Additional symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency are difficulty in maintaining balance, depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory, and soreness of the mouth or tongue [14].

Signs of vitamin B12 deficiency in infancy include failure to thrive, movement disorders, delayed development, and megaloblastic anemia [15]. Many of these symptoms are very general and can result from a variety of medical conditions other than vitamin B12 deficiency. It is important to have a physician evaluate these symptoms so that appropriate medical care can be given.

I added the highlighted emphasis above (bolded words) because the symptoms highlighted are particular to patients receiving chemotherapy, which may cause deficiencies because of its strength and inherent toxicity.

Workable Tips

Our physical Therapist is married to a Chinese doctor. He gave us the following tip and it helped immensely. We had to find a large dry sponge. Then we were instructed to take this sponge and run the dry sponge over the area of pain. In Kayla’s case this was the bottom of her foot and up the calf. We were told to do this several times and hour. This remedy is thousands of years old from Ancient Chinese Medicine and is a means of trying to train the nerves to follow the correct path and function. Since our medication was not working we decided to try it. The sponge produced results in the first week, with less pain and the ability to apply small amounts of pressure. Kayla did this for a couple of minutes many times a day.

Our program for Neuropathy is as follows;

PSST – This information is not here to replace the advice of your doctor!  This is not a prescription and just because this worked for Kayla, this does not mean that this is safe for you.  Print off these pages and consult with your healthcare practitioner.  All of this data is here for educational purposes only. 

Neurontin as prescribed by your doctor

Sponge massage many, many, times a day

B12 lozenge 500 mcg in the morning

Peter Gillham’s CALM magnesium powder every night,

1 tsp, before bed.

(Start with a low dose like 1/4 teaspoon, to ensure this does not upset your stomach!) 

 

There has been no sign of Neuropathy in Kayla for two months. She is now walking and we have been able to reduce the Neurontin from three doses a day, to two doses a day. This makes us both very happy. I think we see a light at the end of the tunnel : ) I hope you do too. 

Update: Kayla has been off Neurontin for 8 months now.   While getting off the Neurontin and for a while afterwards Kayla was taking a high dose of B12.  This has worked to stop the pain and the only time the pain comes back is if I try to get her off of the B12.  We slowly lowered the dose of B12 and now she only takes it the day before chemo and a couple of days after.  Here feet are now returning to normal with no pain at all!    

Kayla has four months of treatment left. We are now in the treatment countdown, this has been a very long two years.  WOO-HOO!

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B12

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