Potassium/magnesium

I have had a very rough few weeks. I have posted before about muscle soreness (as if I ran 10 miles after just brushing my teeth), anxiety, need to take deep breaths but no pain breathing, and an overall "bad feeling". I have just a little swelling in my hands and feet. Years ago an OB told me to eat bananas to avoid leg cramps. I eat a banana a day especially since I entered my 3rd trimester. I'm 35 weeks now. Despite the banana fix, I got a massive leg cramp yesterday morning. Instead of people telling me I look great all day I got "you look exhausted/pale". DH has high blood pressure so we own a bp monitor. I run low, but my pulse has been high. Yesterday sitting on the couch feeling yucky I was 110/70 pulse of 106. I have mentioned this to my OB and the MFM OB, I get kind of a blow off "your pregnant" response. Baby's fluid level was perfect so they blew off my dehydration concerns too. So after feeling like I'm going to die for 4 weeks I got to googling. I am reading that low potassium and magnesium can cause these symptoms. I'm on blood thinners and a high risk for blood clots so I avoid spinach and all other leafy greens which are rich in those nutrients. I noticed my prenatal vitamins do not have either of these minerals. I am starting to eat a small banana twice a day (morning and night). No leg cramp yesterday and I pretty much slept decently last night . I will add avocado and a few other non vitamin k containing items. Just curious if anyone takes supplements with these minerals in addition to the prescribed prenatal vitamin. How much is too much?

Re: Potassium/magnesium

I'm sorry you're having a rough time. I am also 35 weeks and the past few months have had restless leg syndrome like crazy. I have it while unpregnant but when prego, it flares up worse the closer to my due date. This is my second pregnancy.

I mentioned the RLS to my OB a few weeks ago. He suggested I take Calcium (1000mg) Magnesium (500mg) combo supliment. He said that was given to women to stop labor contractions and thought maybe it would have a similar effect on my legs. It has helped. I still get it, but not every night and not as severe.

Thinking back to my first pregnancy I would on occasion get really bad charlie horse cramps in my legs and so far, I've gotten zero with this one. Maybe the Cal/Mag is helping with that too.

GL! You're almost to the finish line. You can do it!!!

Re: Potassium/magnesium

Lol. Thank you. I will ask my OB at my next appointment about the suppliments. I'm also looking into home made electrolyte drinks. I avoid food coloring and chemical additives but from what I'm reading I don't think they should have dismissed my dehydration concerns. I'm eating and drinking in a way right now as if I was told I was seriously dehydrated and lacking the nutrients i asked about and I can type this without feeling like I ran a marathon on my hands. I'm also feeling a ton of fetal movement so while their fluid measurement was so helpful it seems we are both benefiting from the change. I'm still not ready to walk around the block but it's a start.

I laugh because part of my concern is that I'm delivering via c section and I want and need my body as strong as possible to get through the recovery. So the way I have been feeling left me hardly believing I was going to get through it. I'm hoping to find ways to feel at least tolerable the rest of the pregnancy and more importantly during and after surgery.