[redheadtoo]

And what, pray tell us, is the over-the-counter food supplement for us who have chronic pain to deal with?

I have suffered from mild joint pain for at least ten years. Over the last year it became much worse. For six months I could not sleep at night due to the joint pain and I began to also suffer from muscle pain and cramping. I was beginning to have difficulty walking. My sister mentioned to me that potassium was useful for my muscle cramps.

Although I am a skeptic when it comes to food suppliments, I decided to try it. I hoped that it might provide me with a little relief from my secondary symptoms. The results were incredible.

In a week and a half I found that about 95% of my pain was gone. I still suffer from pain but now I can handle it. When I need a little more relief I use Ibuprofen. I don't know were I would be now if I had not tried potassium.

I hope this is useful to you. Perhaps you could post a vanity thread and ask other freepers how they have dealt with chronic pain.

[Spunky]

"My sister mentioned to me that potassium was useful for my muscle cramps."

Be careful that you don't take to much and make sure you have your blood tested at least once a year.

Although I asked a pharmacist if taking some over the counter potassium would hurt as I am doing Atkins diet and not sure if I am getting enough potassium he said there is such a small amount in the over the counter potassium he didn't think it would matter.

Here is a quote from an article I just read. Sorry I forgot to get the URL in order to post my source for you.

Is potassium as important as sodium even though there is no dietary guideline for potassium as there is for sodium? Many nutritionists would argue that it is. In the body, potassium works hand in glove with sodium in several ways including fluid and acid-base balances and in controlling nerves and muscles. The difference is that there is no major chronic disease such as hypertension that is associated with too much potassium as there is with sodium and salt.

That doesn't mean that a person should ignore potassium because some people clearly get too much. The main risk is not getting enough. Those who are diagnosed with too much potassium in their blood have gotten that way from some health problem such as kidney failure, uncontrolled diabetes, certain drugs, and the like. Excess potassium can lead to cardiac arrest and death.