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advice for dehydration/cramps at night please?

C

coltaz

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hi, got diagnosed type2 4 months ago after crossing over the threshold. i'm suddenly having problems waking up in the night with painful cramps all over. my wife says i'm sweaty and clammy. i'm drinking fluids all day and have starting drinking coconut water for the electrolytes. not sure what else I can do to stay hydrated through the night. i am peeing a little more than normal and maybe once at night. has anyone had this and have any advice? thanks.
 
I get calf cramps a lot. Magnesium gel is pretty effective, but you do end up with gel on hand and legs which transfers onto bedding. I also take a magnesium tablet, before I go to bed if I've had cramp indicators during the evening, otherwise I take one in response to cramp during the night.

Magnesium tablets can be got over the counter at a pharmacy. Magnesium gel is considered a "health" product and not sold in my regular pharmacy; I got mine from Holland & Barrett.
 
thanks for all the replies and tips. i don't think i'm drinking too much, maybe 2.5 litres a day? my last blood sugar test done at home was 12.1 mmol 2 hours after eating. i'm putting magnesium gel on the back of my thigh at night which is the most common site but the night cramps are all over: abdomen, chest, back, jaw so it's hard to know where to put it. i always take a quality magnesium tablet before bed to help with insomnia. i'm probably peeing 6 times a day and once at night on average. like i said having only been diagnosed recently and just over the threshold (50 mmol hba1c) i'm not expecting too much in the way of symptoms so soon. i'll start taking another magnesium tablet if i wake up with cramp. maybe i should drink different fluids for hydration? it's mostly tea, a little coffee, water, coconut water and i've just started with tonic water with quinine. what are you guys drinking for hydration and electrolytes?
 
Those are quite extensive cramps @coltaz When I had bad cramps one Summer (but all in my calves) I found a sachet of Dioralyte helped balance my salt/electrolyte levels. Could you try this for a few days to see if it helps? You could also cut down on the tea and coffee.

Also, do you test your blood sugar when you have the cramps? If not, do this as soon as you’re able so you can check that’s not involved.

If the cramps continue, I think you should see your GP and see what they say. Jaw and back cramps, for example, can, on rare occasions, be linked to angina. Worth ruling out anything serious IMO.

If you’re using the magnesium gel, I’d stop the magnesium tablets. Too much magnesium can cause issues too.
 
With cramps that extensive and the night sweats you need to speak to your doctor and have some blood tests. Especially as you already have the obvious things like magnesium covered.
 
Another thing to get checked is your Vitamin B12.
A blood glucose of 12mmol/l 2 hours after eating is quite high, it would be worth testing before you eat as well to see the difference as that will tell you if your meal is too carb heavy if the increase is more than 2-3mmol/l.
If your HbA1C is 50mmol/mol then before meal readings I would expect not to be much higher than about 7-8mmol/l.
 
I get terrible cramps too. I have to stand up quick! I drink four pints of water a day so dunno. :( Getting cold feet makes it more likely to come on.
 
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