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Q. I started getting muscle movements in my legs in the mornings while lying in bed. It wasn't "restless leg syndrome" because I did not feel like I had to move my legs. I just had an unusual feeling of muscles moving under the skin.
I heard a discussion on the radio about this that suggested using magnesium. I’ve started taking 1000 mg before bed, and although it doesn't stop it completely, it does minimize the discomfort somewhat. Is 1000 mg of magnesium a day too much?
A. Your body will let you know if you are taking too much magnesium. In excess, this mineral causes diarrhea. For most people, 300 mg a day or so is tolerable, but 1000 mg would not be. People with kidney problems should avoid any supplemental magnesium, as it could put too much strain on the kidneys.
We are sending you our Guide to Leg Pain, which contains many other suggestions for coping with leg cramps or restless legs.
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Just a short note regarding diarrhea. Had diarrhea for several years until your column mentioned macaroons as helpful for it. Two in the morning worked great for a while, then I had to eat 3 to help with it. Then that wasn't working so well. So I started taking Dannon's Activia (a yougart).
If you take it for 2 weeks daily, and it doesn't work they will refund your money. Well it works for me just great. Not only that my husband who has had a problem with constipation for as long as I've known him (we've been married 57 yrs) started taking it and so far so good. It's solved a lot of problems in this household.
The muscle movement beneath the skin may be ET or EBT (essential tremors). I had that sensation of muscle movement beneath the skin (legs) and it progressed to severe, deep muscle spasms, excrutiatingly painful and so deep massage didn't touch it. Later I was diagnosed with heart arrythmia and the meds for that caused the muscle spasms/movement to calm down considerably.
At night, when I lie down, I can sometimes still feel muscle tremors throughout my body, but the agonizing pain is gone. Sen. Robert Byrd recently said he had ETs--his appear to affect his handwriting so I assume one could be more affected in one part of the body than the other.