This article was originally published in Conquer, November 2008. At recent support group meetings and our educational meetings, MG patients have asked about muscle cramps, so we are publishing the article again with additional information about potassium and calcium.
Muscle cramps seem to be a common problem among MG patients. Muscles require calcium, po- tassium and sodium to work properly. For relief of muscle cramps you might try the follow solutions, but check with your doctor first.
Calcium- Dictum dicalcium phosphate tablets crushed between your teeth before swallowing usu- ally works in 10 to 15 minutes. Calcium carbonate aka Tums also helps prevent cramps. It is ab- sorbed much slower than dicalcuim phosphate and is more useful as preventative. It is also a very good antacid and does not contain magnesium which many antacids contain.
Potassium – It is important to have adequate potassium to prevent muscle problems. Too much can also cause muscles cramps. That is why most potassium tablets, capsules and liquids require a prescription. Potassium can also irritate the stomach. It
is much better to get this mineral from potassium rich foods
such as white beans, dark leafy greens, potates, dried apri-
cots, acorn squash, yogurt (plain skim non-fat), fish, avoca-
dos, mushrooms and bananas.
Salt – An adequate amount of salt (sodium chloride) is needed to prevent muscle cramps as well. An MG patient shouldn’t go on a low-salt diet unless specifically recom- mended by his or her doctor. Of course, most canned and prepared foods have a high sodium content, so it is better to use the salt shaker sparingly. MG patients who are certain they do not have high blood pressure (or other prohibitive conditions) can usually relieve muscle cramps by eating a salty snack, such as pretzels.
It is particularly important for MG patients to have the prop- er amount of calcium, potassium and sodium in their blood. Anytime you have a blood test done, ask your doctor for a copy of the lab report. It will show the amount of calcium, potassium and sodium as well as other things in your blood. It also shows the normal range for each.
Do not use over the counter preparations for muscle cramps, as these may contain quinine which can cause myasthenic muscles to stop working. Overuse of weak muscles will cause muscle cramps. Levels of activity you can tolerate reasonably will help keep your muscles in good condition.
Note: In a Q&A article from the website, http://www.netwellness.org. Vitamin deficiency or hypothyroid- ism are also listed as possible causes of muscle cramps and should be considered if you have MG. Dehydration and low magnesium are also listed as possible causes of muscular cramping.
Myasthenia Gravis Association of British Columbia 