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Undiagnosed Muscle Cramps, twitches, and spasms. Need relief...

Hello,

I am a 22 year old female. My illness started just under a year ago. I woke up in the middle of the night with a severe "charlie horse" cramp in my right calf. It lasted 15 mins, and returned again for a second time half an hour later. The next morning i had sever bruising where the cramp was from what appeared to be torn muscles. I was fine for a few days, but then began experiencing a shooting pain whenever i stepped on the outer pad of my right foot. This lasted a week, and from then on my symptoms began to expand.

I started feeling a constant twitching in my right calf muscle, like when you're tired and your eye twitches. It was not visible to the naked eye as it was far enough under the skin to not be seen. I began to notice that any strain on the muscle at all would cause it to seize into a charlie horse cramp. I slowly over the next month began to notice this up my entire right side. A yawn would cause my neck to seize up. Bending over would cause my side to seize up. Writing too long would seize my hand up. And even the slightest movement of my foot would send my leg into the most severe of cramps. When my calves cramp up it looks as though there is water boiling under my skin. It bubbles, pops, ripples, and spasms in an utterly painful and disturbing display.

I had bloodwork done which revealed everything was normal and I was sent to a neurologist. My neurologist preformed an EMG and NCS, which came back normal. I was then sent to have a c-spine MRI done. It revealed that my spine was begining to curve in the wrong direction which i'm told is common for people presenting with muscle cramps. I had an MRI done, with and without contrast, revealing nothing. I had an angiogram done which also revealed nothing.

I was sent to physical therapy which only proved to make my condition worse. By this time the sypmtoms had progressed through my entire body, not just my right side. they tried several medications, none of which helped. I also began to notice rapidly decreasing vision, incontinence, abnormal hair growth, difficulty swallowing, inability to concentrate, ringing in my ears, exhaustion, inability to fall asleep, and stiffness in my joints.

I saw a neuro-muscular specialist at a large presitigous medical college who suggested i inject botox into my legs to stop them from cramping. I have seen so many neurologists now that i'm beginning to feel its hopeless. This illness has comepletely taken over my life and I am so tired from fighting it 24/7. It affects every decision i make and follows me everywhere relentlessly. I am currently on a trial of baclophen which seems to be making things worse, as did most the muscle relaxants i was put on. My new neurologist told me that my best bet is to simply try medications untill i find one that treats the symptoms well enough to make it from one day to the next. This was the most devistating blow yet. I cannot accept that i may suffer from this for the next 60 years of my life with no answers. It cant be normal for a 22 year old to pray to god every night that they find something in her blood work or MRIs... so that the mystery can be solved.

Please, if you have any notion as to what may be causing these ailments, or if there is another doctor i should be seeing, please let me know. I am so despirate for answers.

-Adriane
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Avatar universal
Certain muscle cramps are caused by acidity. That's why calcium & magnesium help. Do you have rectal itch or burning eyes or ears? If so, you are overly acidic. Take plant based calcium & magnesium malate. Excess Sun exposure produces excess D3 . The D3 strips calcium from muscles and that's why you wake up with severe cramps.  Shower right after being in the sun. Take extra calcium if in the sun and throughout the day and before bed. Cut back on phosphates.
If you have oily skin you are acidic, take extra magnesium & calcium and oily skin will go away in hours.  I judge my  acidity & mineral needs by how oily my skin is.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Certain muscle cramps are caused by acidity. That's why calcium & magnesium help. Do you have rectal itch or burning eyes or ears? If so, you are overly acidic. Take plant based calcium & magnesium malete. Excess Sun exposure produces excess D3 . The D3 strips calcium from muscles and that's why you wake up with severe cramps.  Shower right after being in the sun. Take extra calcium if in the sun and throughout the day and before bed. Cut back on phosphates.
If you have oily skin you are acidic, take extra magnesium & calcium and oily skin will go away in hours.  I just my  acidity & mineral needs by how oily my skin is.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Certain muscle cramps are caused by acidity. That's why calcium & magnesium help. Do you have rectal itch or burning eyes or ears? If so, you are overly acidic. Take plant based calcium & magnesium malete. Excess Sun exposure produces excess D3 . The D3 strips calcium from muscles and that's why you wake up with severe cramps.  Shower right after being in the sun. Take extra calcium if in the sun and throughout the day and before bed. Cut back on phosphates.
If you have oily skin you are acidic, take extra magnesium & calcium and oily skin will go away in hours.  I just my  acidity & mineral needs by how oily my skin is.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Certain muscle cramps are caused by acidity. That's why calcium & magnesium help. Do you have rectal itch or burning eyes or ears? If so, you are overly acidic. Take plant based calcium & magnesium malete. Excess Sun exposure produces excess D3 . The D3 strips calcium from muscles and that's why you wake up with severe cramps.  Shower right after being in the sun. Take extra calcium if in the sun and throughout the day and before bed. Cut back on phosphates.
If you have oily skin you are acidic, take extra magnesium & calcium and oily skin will go away in hours.  I just my  acidity & mineral needs by how oily my skin is.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Im afraid to drive, workout, walk or sleep. This muscle soasm issue has destroyed my life. Ive had all the tests and medication trial I can handle, vitamin mineral supplements done it all. Doctors don' have a single clue or diagnosis. I have just resigned myself to live this way until I die. Trust me no Doctor on this earth has a clue. I have had undiagnosed body spasms and cramps for the past 40 years. I was hoping that by the time I was 60 technology would have had enough resources to find the source and a cure. I am sad for all of you out there suffering with the same.God help us all.
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Certain muscle cramps are caused by acidity. That's why calcium & magnesium help. Do you have rectal itch or burning eyes or ears? If so, you are overly acidic. Take plant based calcium & magnesium malate. Excess Sun exposure produces excess D3 . The D3 strips calcium from muscles and that's why you wake up with severe cramps.  Shower right after being in the sun. Take extra calcium if in the sun and throughout the day and before bed. Cut back on phosphates.
If you have oily skin you are acidic, take extra magnesium & calcium and oily skin will go away in hours.  I judge my  acidity & mineral needs by how oily my skin is.  
Avatar universal
I sure would like to know how the initial poster, queenlian, is doing.

Calcium makes muscles contract, and magnesium makes them relax. You have other things going on--like the PCOS--but a high intake of magnesium, along with vitamin D3, would be the first thing I'd do to help alleviate your muscle cramps.  I wouldn't stop searching for a larger issue, but, having this issue myself, I know that those two things are immediately needed.  (I also have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and probable hypoparathyroidism.)  I really like Biotics Research Bio-D-Mulsion Forte.  It's a sublingual D3.  I use two giant drops under my tongue daily.  (Sublingual ensures the best absorption.)  I also like Dr. Mercola's Magnesium L-Threonate.  I take the recommended 4 per day, divided into two doses, and more if I need it. Cheaper magnesium is fine, too, but don't consume any supplement with the additional ingredient "magnesium stearate" as this is NOT good for you. (Read up on drrons.com or mercola.com)

The big underlying problem for *everybody* today is our food and how WRONG it's gone.  Mainstream doctors (and even many naturopaths) are so far from the latest information, or they simply choose to stay with the Treat-The-Symptoms medical model, rather than actually curing their patients.  Glyphosate in genetically modified foods has destroyed our guts for the last 20 years.  The amount of this carcinogen that is used today is off the charts, and if you lay a chart showing disease escalation over a chart showing increased glyphosate usage, the charts are nearly identical.  Even though it's expensive, it's imperative to buy only organic foods, and try to eat out at non-organic restaurants as little as humanely possible.  Look into the Autoimmune Protocol, and things like it, for healing your gut.  Good probiotics every day are imperative (I take Mercola's), but your gut is full of holes and that needs to be healed.  I'm working at that now for myself.  

You need to be gluten-free, all the time.  And this takes realizing all the places gluten is hiding.  Look into Dr. Perlmutter's info on gluten.  He has great PBS shows, and he's got a Facebook page and a web site (and books).  Grains, like corn in particular (which is almost 100% GMO in the U.S.), can wreak the same kind of havoc as gluten.  I think a large reason that people are finding grains harm their health is due to the glyphosate used to desiccate (kill) the crops before harvesting.  This is why it's not safe to buy even non-GMO conventional produce as glyphosate can be used in this manner.  Glyphosate was patented as an antibiotic in 2010; it destroys your gut flora like a napalm bomb, opening the way for disease, and people are eating it all day, every day, and the animals they eat have eaten it, too!

I definitely would seek out a doctor who demonstrates that he/she is not simply a Merk drone (writing out prescriptions as a "cure"), and keep after the bigger picture.  There is a link between PCOS and autoimmune disorders.  I haven't read up on that link, in specific, but I do know that one autoimmune disorder will most often be accompanied by a second, and possibly a third.  A leaky gut (intestinal permeability) is the precursor to all autoimmune disease. The holes in the gut lining allow the contents of the intestines to get loosed into your body where they don't belong, and your body goes into an unnatural attack mode.  This is the underlying cause of most food allergies, as well.

I'm really wondering how you are doing, and hope you post an update soon.
Helpful - 0
15235198 tn?1439300047
It wouldn't hurt to try a chiropractor as they have more education in the area of muscle, joint and tendons. It is really hard to find a real good one though.
I was convinced when I was 50ish and had lower back pain so bad I eventually couldn't get out of bed except painful trips to the bathroom.  My daughter suggested I go to her friends father, a chiropractor which I did.  My husband carried into his office and I walked out after an adjustment.  He said it wouldn't last and I had to go 3 times a week, then 2, then 1, then every other week, etc.  I am 81 now and my chiropractor says my back is better than most 40 year olds.  I am very active, Love to do gardening, landscaping, and refurbish houses, to date.  Just got my new dirty house and in the middle of a complete restoration.  It's horrible right now.  No one can believe how active I am.  Thanks to Dr Brinkley, probably now deceased.      Carolee
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Avatar universal
Ive been experiencing EVERY symptom like this for months!! And im also adding memory issues and on ocassion im told im slurring my words. Ive had an mri in the past that revealed 3 nonspecific lesions on my brain which im told can appear after a bad headache or mild bump to the head...I suffer from migraines and was a martial artist..I havent been able to go to class much these days. So I was told its not MS. I still think this is untrue..I sometimes freeze for a couple of seconds ...my mind has told my body to take a step, but movement is delayed...so I am also thinking PD..im only 45...im in nursjng school and it has been very difficult because im havjng such a hard time with memory. I may have to quit school. I'm glad I found this thread because now I know I'm not crazy. My current neurologist is very obtuse as most are, so I have a new appg with a new one in 4 months. Thats the soonest appt  lol thank you
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Avatar universal
I am so unbelievably surprised that not one person has mentioned hypothyroidism. All of these symptoms, down to a T fit the description I have fought with. A VERY long story short, the first time my full panel blood work came back everything was "normal" then 6 ,on this later, same tests, different doctor, my TSH was abnormally high at a 97.13H on a range of 0.4-4.0, and my TPO AB antibodies were a staggering 569H on a range that is supposed to be under 35. Test. Test. And test again. I am very strongly adamant that many doctors do not realize how unbelievably strong our thyroid impacts our body. It is literally as if it is another brain. Some people were thought to be scicotic and out in insane asylums long ago, only to find out in a examination of there deceased body that they in fact had a goiter and an abnormally scared over thyroid. I have had an ultra sound of my thyroid and my endocrinologist tells me that me thryroid has been beat up by my own immun system for years. I will also tell you that any and all auto immune diseases can cause hypothyroidism, as well as pregnancy and many other causes. Look it up. Stand up for your life and find a doctor who is will to help and keep helping.
-Rachel RockHardAngel Thyroid Fighter!
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Avatar universal
wow, your description of symptoms are so like my own!  I was put on a gluten, dairy and sugar free diet in January of 2013.  I never cheated.   By March, the cramps started.  I had NEVER had leg cramps in my life.  Now, the toes bend down by themselves and if I don't stand up, it moves up the leg even to my thigh!  Had problems start in my left eye in July, floaters, dry eye, then pain and it just didn't feel right.  It is June 2014, my retina detached May 14 and had emergency surgery -- had to warn the surgeon that the toes might start cramping during surgery.  I have tried Magnesium Malate (take it every day), take potasium powder, calcium and now vitamin B complex -- drink at least 64 oz of water a day ... the cramps are now worse.  Glueten must have a mineral or affect body chemistry a postive way even with all the bad . . . I am 55, exercise regulary, but cramping gets worse if I get tired.
Helpful - 0
7192126 tn?1389066047
i have the same thing. the doctors have done an MRI and 2 EMG's and blood tests. all come back with nothing abnormal. "the good news is we found nothing wrong, the bad news we still don't know why you are having these nerve and muscle cramp issues." that news is just blaaa. flat. i don't know what to call it. it basically tells me that i am going to be on muscle relaxers forever and one day i think i'll have so many cramps at one time i wont be able to speak (my throat cramped up like yours...it was scary!!!!) i've tried more potassium, more magnesium, more calcium.... nothing works. braggs vinegar, leg cramp pills my dad bought for me from a health store, liquid supplements..... nothing ever helps. it's getting worse. when i put on my socks my left upper ab cramps up. my feet cramps, calf cramps, side calves, a toe moved on its own and went sideways. i have been getting cramps on my under belly and it feels like with that cramp my body wants to close in half like a clam shell. i think it has something to do with my blood not delivering the nutrients and oxygen to my muscles. but i don't know how to fix it. i have recently started taking Laminine. it's only been a few days so i am not sure. but check them out. i just wanted to reach out and just tell you i have the same issues and if it makes you feel crazy, nutty, and heart ache because you can't find a curse AND it ***** having these interruptions all the time! we just want to live but not with this electrical nerve storm going on in out body wondering when these nerve twitches will turn into a pulling of the muscles otherwise known as a cramp. Oh, i hate having to JUMP out of bed in the middle of the night to stretch out the cramps when all i want to do is SLEEP. Errrrr, right!? Good luck my friend. Shell from so cal.
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
Did the Laminine help?
Did the Laminine help?
7192126 tn?1389066047
i have the same thing. the doctors have done an MRI and 2 EMG's and blood tests. all come back with nothing abnormal. "the good news is we found nothing wrong, the bad news we still don't know why you are having these nerve and muscle cramp issues." that news is just blaaa. flat. i don't know what to call it. it basically tells me that i am going to be on muscle relaxers forever and one day i think i'll have so many cramps at one time i wont be able to speak (my throat cramped up like yours...it was scary!!!!) i've tried more potassium, more magnesium, more calcium.... nothing works. braggs vinegar, leg cramp pills my dad bought for me from a health store, liquid supplements..... nothing ever helps. it's getting worse. when i put on my socks my left upper ab cramps up. my feet cramps, calf cramps, side calves, a toe moved on its own and went sideways. i have been getting cramps on my under belly and it feels like with that cramp my body wants to close in half like a clam shell. i think it has something to do with my blood not delivering the nutrients and oxygen to my muscles. but i don't know how to fix it. i have recently started taking Laminine. it's only been a few days so i am not sure. but check them out. i just wanted to reach out and just tell you i have the same issues and if it makes you feel crazy, nutty, and heart ache because you can't find a curse AND it ***** having these interruptions all the time! we just want to live but not with this electrical nerve storm going on in out body wondering when these nerve twitches will turn into a pulling of the muscles otherwise known as a cramp. Oh, i hate having to JUMP out of bed in the middle of the night to stretch out the cramps when all i want to do is SLEEP. Errrrr, right!? Good luck my friend. Shell from so cal.
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
I've had all of this for 15 years. Blood work was always negative. I've needed called crazy, all in my head and just looking for pain killers. I finally found a rheumatologist to work with me. Even though my blood was negative for RA he put me on Plaquinel, an RA medication. Within 4 days all of my symptoms were cured. I bet so many people are suffering this odd form of RA because their blood is clean and the doctor is dismissing it for something else.
I have the exact same thing.  They even gave me nitro pills for the esophageal spasms that feel like a heart attack! I now for sure have peripheral neuropathy, but I'm not a diabetic and they can't give me a reason whyou I have it.  Every test they have done, I have prayed they found something wrong with me.  Everytime I was disappointed and told everything turned out normal.  I know something is wrong and I don't know if they will ever figure it out, so in the mean time I just have to take a different pill to treat every symptom.  Just wanted yall to know that ur not alone.
Avatar universal
Hi Queenlian,

About two years ago I started having the exact same issues with my legs. Woke up one night while on vacation with a "charley horse" cramp in my calf. I've never been the same since. Constant twitching in my muscles, not visible to the eye. Not being able to hardly walk come evening, scared to sleep for fear of waking up with another "charley horse." I've had every blood test known to man done, MRI's of my spine and brain, everything normal. Doctor after doctor, medication after medication, ER visit after ER visit, and nothing. My neurologist has me on Gabapentin and Baclofen, which I have found relief from...they are the only medications that get me through the day. I too, found myself on the floor of stores not being able to move from a full body seize up, scared to drive because I am scared to cause an accident, scared to do anything. It has taken over my entire life. People say I just need to exercise, that only makes it worse. At around the same time the muscle cramps started, my bladder was having issues too. They diagnosed me with IC (Interstitial Cystitis) but I feel like I was wrongly diagnosed. My grandpa has MS and I know that MS usually tends to skip a generation so I figured it was that. They ruled that out after all of my neurological tests came back normal. The doctors thought it was all in my head too, and when they told me I may live with this for the rest of my life, it was the most horrifying day of my life. I balled my eyes out for hours. I too, am beginning to hate doctors. I am 24 (22 when this started) and I live a life of a 90 year old because I cannot move around. My grandpa who has MS, was diagnosed at my age, with the exact same symptoms, we are on the exact same medications, except mine are STRONGER. Some days I feel like maybe I do have MS and it was just too pre mature to detect through MRI's etc...as stupid as it sounds, some days I wish they would find that I have MS so I can at least have a diagnosis. I quit following up with doctors because it was becoming so overwhelming getting normal results over and over again when I knew something just wasn't right. Please, if you get any leads or any diagnosis, let me know. I am also glad to know that  I am not alone with this in the world, although I would not wish this on my worst enemy. If you get any updates, please email me personally at  ***@****

Thanks
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Avatar universal
For myself, all these issues were caused by eating grains. Weakness, pain, cramps, muscle wasting, skin rashes, twitching, dizziness, balance, sinus problems, low energy, depression, bowel issues....the list goes on and on. Eliminate ALL GRAINS from your diet for 4 weeks, drink enough water and take a pro biotic to get you gut working properly again.
This is not easy at first, no corn, rice, wheat, oats, barley, soy.......there is plenty of info out there once you get past the whole "grains are good for you" mentality.
Within a few days, I began healing and feel better then I have in 25yrs.
Our model of fast, cheap and preserved food is poison, you should also eliminate all oils except for virgin cold pressed olive and coconut oils and soak any beans or nuts you eat.  
Good Luck!
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Avatar universal
I know these posts are many years old but if anyone is reading this, please give me an update. I have been going through the same problems with the muscle twitching and spasms which occur all of the time. Sugar definitely increases this problem but its not always the cause as I have checked my sugar during these attacts and almost always my sugar is normal. I CAN tell you how to stop them instantly which will make you all cringe but it works for all people who have tried it......here goes....Salt. I do not suffer from high blood pressure and to back up this issue, I went to a Natural Practitioner who told me within five minutes that I suffered from low sodium. She recommended 3 tsps of sea salt per day and yukkkk, I can't get that much in me. Ergo the salt shaker near me all the time which I shake onto my hand a lick it off...then I take a drink of something..Anybody who has had those spasms, would agree...they would swallow anything to stop the pain so fast....I almost throw up from pain. Spasms in my toes or fingers don't even faze me next to the pain i feel when my inner thighs, entire fibula area start. Recently I began getting the same problem as queenlian posted above. If I turn or even slightly twist, I get a terrible spasm and I am getting a breathtaking spasm type pain in my upper abdomen which goes through to my mid back. I have hypothyroidism (med dose was increased a couple mons ago and I'm due for repeat labs) Was clinically borderline low on sodium which made me feel confident with the holistic practitioner and I had vita d deficiency twice but ok now) My father was diagnosed with ALS but went on to live until in his 80s so I'm just not sure. He claims the process was slowed by his daily "potion" of herbs and vitamins which he drank every single day including while on vacation. Eventually he was coughing and choking a lot and in a wheelchair but wish I knew. Always wondering about that. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis by U of M, Henry Ford Hospital docs and three family docs....all felt it wasn't real aggressive in my case but it completely disappeared in approx 9 yrs....only took Naprosyn. Nobody knows why but it did. Those thought are in my head on my bad days .....wish I knew what to do. Living in pain. Angellgirl3
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Avatar universal
Hello love, my name is catrina ,I'm 32 year-old and I've had the same happening to me since I was 24 after I had my son . So for 8 years I have been living with the same thing you are describing . For the 1st 5 years doctor's keep taking tests and find nothing,they thought I was lying but just giving me pain meds to get me through the day ,I moved states and brought my empty med bottles to my new doctor and she got these big eyes and said why do you take these . I honestly told her I didn't know but I'm in pain in my back all the time and get major flare ups that migrate to different parts of my body ,my leg cramps for months move to my neck and shoulder then my toes and so on , doctor took all same tests as all the others and everything negative results finally got a MRI done and she tells me "I'm so sorry,this is something you're going to have to live with for the rest of your life " she said that I had degenerate disc disease where the discs in my spine are deteriorating so the vertebrae are almost bone on bone and you're spine is connected to all you're nerves causing pain constantly inflammation cramps muscle spasms not able to move when inflamed every body part hurts ,the chiropractor just makes it worse everything pops ,can't stand or sit to long I feel bruised all over I take muscle relaxant pain meds to get me throughout the day ... I do yoga ,that seems to help a little and nobody took right test cause they all thought I was to young ,once I had inflammation in my wrists and ankles at the same Time n had to crawl on my elbows n knees to get to the bathroom ... so all my symptoms sound just like yours,the doctor wants me to do surgery and everyone that I know that has done this tells me they still hurt n still have to take meds also she suggested cortisone shots in my back every 3 months but I would still have to take pain meds and if the doctor that does the shot mess up at all they can paralyze me permanently,so I just live with the pain and cramps n everything making sure I have my meds and every so often when it becomes really inflamed I have to call in to work like today.I have also asthma,alleges and a few other conditions that just add to my misery but at least I know what's going on now even though I have to live with this forever..I hope this helps!!! Forever feeling you're pain ,catrina
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Avatar universal
I'm an RN (Registered Nurse) that also has MS. And I'm here to tell you, it sounds like MS. It also sounds like you may have to find a good doctor that will actually Listen to you.

Also, you can have MS without the lesions showing up on a scan on your brain or spine. Do not agree with your physician just because he/she says you don't know what you're talking about. This is Your Body and Your Health. Being as such, only you know when there is something wrong with you.
Good luck and God Bless.
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Avatar universal
You need to get a Western Blot through iGenX lab to test for Lyme Disease.  It is a hidden epidemic & you have every symptom.
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Avatar universal
TO all on forum...
I stopped taking the lemictal as it did bad things to me.  The cramps came back almost immediately.  I've since been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and put on neurotin.  This didn't help.  I went to store and got a compound with Potassium Gluconate 595 mg it is sold for "nerve health".  Finest Natural is the brand which I think is the Walgreen brand.  I have also been taking 6000IU D3 vitamin and my cramps have significantly reduced with these two things!
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681148 tn?1437661591
You should take between 5,000 iu and 8,000 iu vitamin D3 daily.  5,000 iu is only a maintenance dose, so it will not make your D levels go up at all.  You will find this information on Mercola's site and on the Vitamin D Council's website.

Three glasses of milk everyday will NOT give you enough vitamin D or the right kind.  Plus, many people can't drink milk, including people with IBS/GERD.  Many with fibromyalgia have one or both of these conditions.  The amount of vitamin D2 in fortified milk is pitifully small.  The "new" FDA's RDA was based ONLY on bone health and NOT on over all immune function or on optimal health.  You need to be taking vitamin D3.  And, you need to take magnesium with your vitamin D supplements, even when you are taking the prescription form of vitamin D, which is also vitamin D2.

I agree that others in the personal life of someone with fibromyalgia do not understand.  Only someone else with fibromyalgia can understand.  Yet, some are worse off than others, so someone with milder symptoms will still not really truly understand.
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Avatar universal
I also have fibromyalgia. I went from dr to dr and test to test and nothing. I an on cymbalta and it does help alot with muscle spasms and the floaty feeling in my head and vision my sholders still hurt alot and hips and low back and knees but it helps to survive I could take other meds but I dont want to be doped up it is very frustrating. I was disgnosed by a reumotoligist. hope it helps and yes people dont understand what you go through it is very differcult but stay stong
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Avatar universal
how much D do you take daily?
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Avatar universal
I have been suffering from cramps from fingers to toes for over 14 years.  I was diagnosed bipolar a couple months ago and put on generic lemictal.  When I started taking it, with a day or two I realized that my cramps had STOPPED.  I do not have any idea why.  I have just been taken off of it as the side effects have been severely affecting my ability to do my job, and I am waiting to see if the cramps come back.  I was researching also and from what I can tell, people with bipolar frequently have comorbid epilepsy and I am wondering if I am not having localized seizures.  Muscle cramping caused from misfiring or over firing or something like that is what causes an epileptic "fit" and you can have "localized" ones that would only affect one muscle group.  Since lemictal is an anti-seizure drug this is making sense if in only a layperson's manner.  I will post back if I find out anything helpful.
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Avatar universal
One of the most common & overlooked causes of muscle cramping is vitamin D deficiency.  If you have cramps & haven't had a lab test for your serum vit. D level, by all means ask your doctor for it.  If low, you'll need to take either a) commercially available supplements, b) if your doctor writes you a prescription, a special dose you only have to take once a week, or c) drink 3 tall glasses of nonfat milk per day.  It will take about 2 weeks on this therapy to make the cramps go totally away.  After you get your level up to normal, try to spend 15 minutes in the sun without sunscreen 3 times a week on your arms & legs (wearing shorts) from March thru October & you'll never have low vitamin D again.  I used to have these severe cramps & my doctor finally stumbled onto it.  Now I'm a free man.
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Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease