Nexium, as well as the over the counter Prilosec, reduce stomach acid production which inhibits the absorption of certain electrolytes, minerals, and vitamins. They can work so well on stomach acid that you may end up with a slightly different problem. In particular, magnesium is not absorbed well in a low acid environment. If you don't get enough dietary magnesium, then your body will pull it from your muscles and bones. Sometimes, supplementing with calcium can actually further upset the balance because your body has a ratio of calcium to magnesium in the blood (I want to say it's 8:1, but can't remember for sure), so, if you add a bunch of calcium, you essentially further "decrease" the amount of magnesium available. One way to help differentiate the type of imbalance is with the type of cramp - if your toes point in, your ankle locks, and the muscle on the top, outside of your shin hardens, then it is may be an extensor plantar reflex, associated with low magnesium. You may be describing tetany - usually caused by low magnesium or calcium. You can ask your doc about it, but they are generally not very familiar - try looking online some more. Also, it is uncommon for doctors to test for low magnesium as the test is not standard, expensive for the proper one, etc. You can try wikipedia too, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypomagnesia. I fought that problem for a long time, in part because of a copper IUD (copper inhibits magnesium absorption too). Hope that helps!

I'll put this succinctly: Gluciosamine-plumps up the cartiledge that is there Chondroitin--builds new cartiledge Celadrin--Lubricates the joint These are all available at your pharmacy. I was diagnosed with arthritis of the knee, but had to wait 6 months for my plan to cover physio. I made the appointment for then. I had heard about Glucosamine so I headed for the pharmacy--sceptical but willing to try anything to stop the pain. The pharmacist recommended Glucosamine with Chondroitin. I started taking the recommended 3 pills a day. By the time my physio appointment rolled around I was completely pain free. I told my friend who has bad arthritis about it and she started taking it too--the full dosage. She can now move joints she hasn't been able to move in years. I told a lady on this site and she tried Glucosamine and celedrin. She posted back a week later that it was helping. You will see lots of things on the internet that says things like it is only a placebo affect. All I know is that I started taking these pills with an attitude that it probably wouldn't work but I was willing to try it and it did work for me and others.

Hello All..... I sure appreciate all the input regarding the bar of soap. I tried it last night & still got the cramps. I was so hoping that it would work. I finally called my onc. doc which is what I probably should have done in the first place but I was really hoping to find a solution that didn't involve taking pills. I had just finished up a course of prednisone & he said that sometimes "in the elderly" (I'm 68) after coming off the prednisone that nighttime leg cramps develop. So that explains that! I guess to the doc I am elderly.....he's about 20/25 or looks to be anyhow....lol. He said if I wanted to try the tonic water that he didn't think it would hurt but has now put me on a med. he feels will stop them. I do take 1000 of calcium w/vit.D every day because I am very fearful of falling & breaking any of my limbs. While I was having medical problems the onc. doc took me off every vitamim that I had been taking including Evista. That was one med. that I really felt did me a lot of good because over a 4 year span I didn't lose any bone density. I am very tired of taking pills! I had to take a lot of them when having DVT, chemo, radiation & surgery. But considering the alternative to having these things & the meds. I won't complain! Again, thanks for all the input......Creekgirl

Well, I have to question the placebo effect. My DH has terrible restless leg syndrome, and often leg cramps at night. I didn't tell him, but I put the bar of soap -Irish Spring- under the fitted sheet. It had no effect at all. I tested this, as we were keeping a journal for the doctor, for two months. We were keeping track of the cramps and symptoms nightly. Soap or no soap, no difference. Bars of soap in the sheets can't hurt you in any way, but belief is a powerful medication, so if you believe, maybe it will help. It didn't help my DH at all. And that's why I didn't tell him to start with. I wanted to know without the placebo effect. Potassium has worked wonders, in the form of a banana a day.