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leg cramps

i have been taking synthroid at .075 for about a month or so it was just incresased from .050. I have been having leg cramps the higher the dose the worse the leg cramps. My doctor said just to increase my intake of potassium. He did not say how much and I have read about potassium having effects on my thyroid. I thought potassium made hypothyroid worse. What would you suggust?
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Avatar universal
I've had leg and hand cramping since my surgery two months ago.  I complained about it and finally two weeks ago they did blood and my potassium levels were low.  I was put on 10 meq 2 times a day and it seems worse now.  It hasn't been long but its worrying me a bit.
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Avatar universal
I just had my thyroid removed and have just started with meds but even before I have always taken magnesium for leg cramps and the results are immediate.I take a powdered formula that mixes in water.Take too much and you will have diarrhoea so be careful.I have overdone it several times.I had terrible cramps last night took the mag and I was good to go.
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361979 tn?1199303850
I just posted a coment, I too havew leg cramps, this is twice now I heard of magnesium, is this some kind of vitimin or is it a persription? I've heard it in the headache section and now here. Evidently it does not effect your synthroid level? Also I too eat a banna every day for my pas dose
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Avatar universal
My own bout with leg cramps was due to low magnesium, so I take a supplement every day, even though I also take a Calcium supplement that contains magnesium.  When I don't do this, I get severe leg cramps at night...my toes will curl up tight and I have to leap out of bed and try to get it relaxed.  If I take the magnesium, I am always good to go.  As for getting back to normal.....my thyroid issues (including a goiter that just wouldn't die!) lasted a good five years, before I finally had it removed.  Since then, it took at least a year of testing out various strengths of synthroid to get me to the level my doctor wants me at......right now, I take .150 three days a week and .175 four days a week......I was hyper....then hypo....then hyper and so on, etc. Currently, I seem to be right on target, so will probably have to take two different dosages from here on out.  You'll get through it...just keep getting that tsh checked!  Jo
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Avatar universal
I go this next week to get my tsh checked again. I feel at times that I go back and forth between hyper and hypo. Some times I have all those symptoms then at times i have all the oppisite cold, tired and depressed. But all these symptoms never last long maybe just a few days or a week then I seem to go back to normaI. I just want to try to get back to even. Does this happen?
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158939 tn?1274915197
Have you had your levels checked lately and your BP?  

Leg cramps *could* be an indicator that you are on too high a level (going very hyper) but it is usually not the first symptom.  Usually heart palpitations, insomnia, high BP, tightness in chest, intolerance of heat, sweating, shortness of breath, etc. would be the first symptoms.

http://www.drugs.com/Synthroid/index.html
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Avatar universal
So the leg cramps are not unusal to get with this medication? I was diagnosed about 6 months ago and still trying to figure out what is going on with me.
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158939 tn?1274915197
Calcium (2 hours apart from your Synthroid) and lots of bananas.  Bananas have natural potassium which is easier to absorb.  Worked like a charm on my kids when they had leg cramps too.
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