YANMD, but should I see one?
June 11, 2015 12:13 PM Subscribe
For the past several (six or so) months, roughly since turning 49, I've been experiencing two pretty troubling conditions, and I don't know if they are related and/or things I should be concerned about to the point of seeing my PCP - muscle cramping and a dramatically changed libido.
First, a little personal info. I eat a 99.9% vegan diet with an occasional sin to share cheese pizza with my six-year old girl. I have maintained a pretty active approach to exercise, though I did fall off the wagon for about a year due to some depression; in the past month I've gotten back in my five day a week cardio/weights routine (hoping the libido issue may be related to my activity level and self-image). I'm a drinker, and can sometimes drink to excess but typically keep it to a few drinks a day. Sigh, I'm a closet smoker, and really trying to quit, but that's not what this question is about. While not every day, I take a vegan D3 supplement, B12, vegan iron, plant based EFAs, and a vegan glucosamine supplement.
So - over the winter here I started having sudden and often intense muscle cramping out of nowhere, mostly in my hands, toes, and calves. It happens most often at night, but occasionally during the day. There are nights I have to get up and walk around to ease the cramping three or four times. Getting back into working out seems to have helped some, but the cramps continue, and yesterday I was getting out of the car and one of my hamstrings cramped so hard and suddenly it about brought me down. I'm sure it's not a hydration issue - I drink water from the moment I wake up to go to the gym and throughout the day. Even if I'm boozing a little, I'll sip on water. I started taking magnesium, and maybe it's helped but it hasn't cured.
And - I've always had an active sexual drive, but it seems my libido has dropped dramatically as of late. I'm still attracted to my wife, I still think about sex, but I rarely get erections. I haven't masturbated in probably a month or more, and it used to be several times a week. I also noticed that, last time I did, my ejaculate was, like, nothing, just a little spurt - and it had been a few weeks since the last time I ejaculated. In the past it would have been, ummmm, much more explosive, but it was just week.
Could these two things be related? Are they things I should talk to my doc about? Could either (or both) be something serious (just so I can prepare myself mentally for what might lie ahead)? TIA for any responses!
First, a little personal info. I eat a 99.9% vegan diet with an occasional sin to share cheese pizza with my six-year old girl. I have maintained a pretty active approach to exercise, though I did fall off the wagon for about a year due to some depression; in the past month I've gotten back in my five day a week cardio/weights routine (hoping the libido issue may be related to my activity level and self-image). I'm a drinker, and can sometimes drink to excess but typically keep it to a few drinks a day. Sigh, I'm a closet smoker, and really trying to quit, but that's not what this question is about. While not every day, I take a vegan D3 supplement, B12, vegan iron, plant based EFAs, and a vegan glucosamine supplement.
So - over the winter here I started having sudden and often intense muscle cramping out of nowhere, mostly in my hands, toes, and calves. It happens most often at night, but occasionally during the day. There are nights I have to get up and walk around to ease the cramping three or four times. Getting back into working out seems to have helped some, but the cramps continue, and yesterday I was getting out of the car and one of my hamstrings cramped so hard and suddenly it about brought me down. I'm sure it's not a hydration issue - I drink water from the moment I wake up to go to the gym and throughout the day. Even if I'm boozing a little, I'll sip on water. I started taking magnesium, and maybe it's helped but it hasn't cured.
And - I've always had an active sexual drive, but it seems my libido has dropped dramatically as of late. I'm still attracted to my wife, I still think about sex, but I rarely get erections. I haven't masturbated in probably a month or more, and it used to be several times a week. I also noticed that, last time I did, my ejaculate was, like, nothing, just a little spurt - and it had been a few weeks since the last time I ejaculated. In the past it would have been, ummmm, much more explosive, but it was just week.
Could these two things be related? Are they things I should talk to my doc about? Could either (or both) be something serious (just so I can prepare myself mentally for what might lie ahead)? TIA for any responses!
That's exactly what your doctor is for. When your body starts (or stops) doing things it shouldn't (or should), go see your doctor and make sure it's not something that can be harmful or could be fixed.
posted by xingcat at 12:20 PM on June 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by xingcat at 12:20 PM on June 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
You should be talking to your doctor at least yearly. The point of going to the doctor yearly is partially to talk about the mundane things to get a professional opinion on whether they're serious or not, because that is your doctor's job. Is there literally any up side to not asking your doctor about this? Can you think of a single advantage to not bringing it up? I didn't think so. Go to the doctor, ask about it.
posted by brainmouse at 12:21 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by brainmouse at 12:21 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Even with careful eating and supplementation, a vegan diet can still be deficient in many things. When I was vegan I had my doctor run vitamin levels every time I was in her office. At the very least I would do that right away - it may be an easy fix.
posted by something something at 12:22 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by something something at 12:22 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I'm "one of those guys" who avoids talking about these sorts of things because I fear the worst. But I know you're all right. I'll make an appointment . . .
posted by tr33hggr at 12:23 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by tr33hggr at 12:23 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm "one of those guys" who avoids talking about these sorts of things because I fear the worst.
If the worst is going to happen it's going to happen whether or not you see a doctor. Seeing the doctor has the best possible outcome if it is the worst.
Be "one of those guys" who sees a doctor. If not for you, then for your family. They want you around. I assume.
posted by bondcliff at 12:29 PM on June 11, 2015 [7 favorites]
If the worst is going to happen it's going to happen whether or not you see a doctor. Seeing the doctor has the best possible outcome if it is the worst.
Be "one of those guys" who sees a doctor. If not for you, then for your family. They want you around. I assume.
posted by bondcliff at 12:29 PM on June 11, 2015 [7 favorites]
Your symptoms fit hypothyroid, which is usually easily fixed with a daily pill.
posted by bq at 12:58 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by bq at 12:58 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
This is maybe too obvious, but do you already take B12 supplements? If you're vegan you really can't get it any other way.
posted by Violet Hour at 1:02 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Violet Hour at 1:02 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yes, Doctor. Yes, B-12. I find a lot of Doc's don't really know what deficiencies a vegan diet may cause so ask to get all your level's checked. I was low in iodine of all things!
posted by stormygrey at 1:07 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by stormygrey at 1:07 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
You should be talking to your doctor at least yearly.
I usually totally disagree. There is overwhelming evidence that annual checkups are useless. However, some doctors point out that patients who have a relationship with a trusted provider are more likely to come in when something is wrong. Given your reluctance to see a doctor when you have persistent and disturbing symptoms suggests that not only should go now, you should also start (or continue) getting annual checkups, if only to make it more likely that you'll feel comfortable enough to check in when something does appear wrong. (And if you don't feel comfortable with your doctor, get another doctor. Having a doctor you won't see isn't particularly helpful.)
And since you're almost 50 and a reluctant medical consumer, I'll add: Make sure you get a colonoscopy. Unlike many other tests, it actually does what it says on the box: Saves lives.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 1:26 PM on June 11, 2015
I usually totally disagree. There is overwhelming evidence that annual checkups are useless. However, some doctors point out that patients who have a relationship with a trusted provider are more likely to come in when something is wrong. Given your reluctance to see a doctor when you have persistent and disturbing symptoms suggests that not only should go now, you should also start (or continue) getting annual checkups, if only to make it more likely that you'll feel comfortable enough to check in when something does appear wrong. (And if you don't feel comfortable with your doctor, get another doctor. Having a doctor you won't see isn't particularly helpful.)
And since you're almost 50 and a reluctant medical consumer, I'll add: Make sure you get a colonoscopy. Unlike many other tests, it actually does what it says on the box: Saves lives.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 1:26 PM on June 11, 2015
Nthing B-12 getting checked, also, get the D checked (you have to ask for both, as they are not normally part of a blood panel, at least at my doctor's office), along with the standard blood panel, which should check things like potassium and thyroid. My husband was low on both at D and B-12 the same time, some fun (not, at first they thought he had depression, but nope, vitamin deficiencies). Cramping in the winter could possibly mean you are not taking enough OTC D3 to get your levels up to par. I think his were around 11 on a scale of 30-100. After taking the prescription D3 for weeks, then 5,000 a day in the warm months and 10,000 a day in the dark months (Jan-March), he recently tested at a good level of 45. So if you are taking 1,000 IU of D3 (for instance), it may not be enough, depending on where you live and your level of sun exposure.
My husband is also not a doctor person, but after landing in the hospital twice in February and March on two different years, he takes the D3 and B12 supplementation seriously. And yes, colonoscopy: he delayed his until 54 and had to go through surgery for a polyp that had turned cancerous. Now cancer free since 2007. I did not hesitate to get mine done after going through that with him. They give you such good drugs during the procedure that you don't remember it at all (and I did have polyps, but non-cancerous).
My D level was 30 and I noticed that when I went to taking 5,000 a day in the Fall, then upping to 10,000 a day in Jan-March, I didn't get the cramps (as I was having them also). It could be something else, but at least rule that out while you're at the doctor.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 1:44 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
My husband is also not a doctor person, but after landing in the hospital twice in February and March on two different years, he takes the D3 and B12 supplementation seriously. And yes, colonoscopy: he delayed his until 54 and had to go through surgery for a polyp that had turned cancerous. Now cancer free since 2007. I did not hesitate to get mine done after going through that with him. They give you such good drugs during the procedure that you don't remember it at all (and I did have polyps, but non-cancerous).
My D level was 30 and I noticed that when I went to taking 5,000 a day in the Fall, then upping to 10,000 a day in Jan-March, I didn't get the cramps (as I was having them also). It could be something else, but at least rule that out while you're at the doctor.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 1:44 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
A vegetarian man I know takes omega-3 and b-12 to keep getting it up, and his doctor told him this needs to be a lifelong regimen if he plans to keep getting erections.
posted by Riverine at 1:55 PM on June 11, 2015
posted by Riverine at 1:55 PM on June 11, 2015
i believe both of those symptoms can be tied to issues with your potassium levels.
posted by TestamentToGrace at 2:04 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by TestamentToGrace at 2:04 PM on June 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
A vegetarian man I know takes omega-3 and b-12 to keep getting it up, and his doctor told him this needs to be a lifelong regimen if he plans to keep getting erections.
Regulatory toxicologist / medical researcher / epidemiologist chiming in to say that this is inaccurate. B12 supplementation for strict vegans is a must, and a genuine deficiency may be related to ED, but "omega-3" is a very pop-nutrition buzzword that's aggressively meaningless, especially in the context of a vegetarian (not vegan) diet. In fact, all speculation on this front is meaningless without seeing your bloodwork. You can very easily ask for a full blood panel and insights on any areas where you may be significantly deficient. Taking supplements of any variety (other than B12) can demonstrably do more harm than good when there is no need to take them.
Sigh, I'm a closet smoker, and really trying to quit, but that's not what this question is about.
Sorry buddy, it's got to be part of what this question's about. Through various mechanisms, smoking can come startlingly close to what might be considered pharmacological erection inhibition. Keep that in mind, because no amount of exercise or vitamins will negate the downregulation of nitric oxide that tobacco triggers in your bloodstream (and I'm saying this not just with my Science Hats, but with my Former Smoker Hat).
Cramping, libido changes, and erectile dysfunction are sometimes associated with changes in testosterone levels, and that's another thing a doctor can check for very easily. Changes in testosterone are very common with age, and can have (mostly) benign causes or (rarely) serious ones. The same can be said of your other hormonal systems, all of which your doc will probably want to check.
But yes, step one is visiting your doctor. It's a wise thing to do.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:32 PM on June 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
Regulatory toxicologist / medical researcher / epidemiologist chiming in to say that this is inaccurate. B12 supplementation for strict vegans is a must, and a genuine deficiency may be related to ED, but "omega-3" is a very pop-nutrition buzzword that's aggressively meaningless, especially in the context of a vegetarian (not vegan) diet. In fact, all speculation on this front is meaningless without seeing your bloodwork. You can very easily ask for a full blood panel and insights on any areas where you may be significantly deficient. Taking supplements of any variety (other than B12) can demonstrably do more harm than good when there is no need to take them.
Sigh, I'm a closet smoker, and really trying to quit, but that's not what this question is about.
Sorry buddy, it's got to be part of what this question's about. Through various mechanisms, smoking can come startlingly close to what might be considered pharmacological erection inhibition. Keep that in mind, because no amount of exercise or vitamins will negate the downregulation of nitric oxide that tobacco triggers in your bloodstream (and I'm saying this not just with my Science Hats, but with my Former Smoker Hat).
Cramping, libido changes, and erectile dysfunction are sometimes associated with changes in testosterone levels, and that's another thing a doctor can check for very easily. Changes in testosterone are very common with age, and can have (mostly) benign causes or (rarely) serious ones. The same can be said of your other hormonal systems, all of which your doc will probably want to check.
But yes, step one is visiting your doctor. It's a wise thing to do.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:32 PM on June 11, 2015 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Go! Go go go! There is literally nothing to lose.
posted by phunniemee at 12:18 PM on June 11, 2015 [8 favorites]