Expert: Dr. Ravindra Bhaskar Ghooi - 10/25/2009

Question
Dear Doctor,

My mother is 54 yrs old(We are in Bangalore). She has BP, Back pain, Spondilitis and Thyroid. She takes medicines for all this regularly every day. Since last 6-7 months she is having "Muscle cramps" and it is so severe some times that she is not able to sleep in the night.
            Doctor suggested to take "Evion LC". When she takes it in the night, she says that she gets very good and sound sleep and there is no cramps at all.... She now takes this medicine alternate days when she is not able to control the muscle cramps. I want to know if this is Vatamin E combined with some pain killer components and If it is Pain killer.... then will it harm the kidney in long?
      Is there any side effects of taking Evion LC with regards to her?

Thanks !!!

Answer
Hi Mathew,
Evion in a dose of 400 mg or so is used to treat nocturnal cramps. Your doctor has rightly prescribed it and your mother is getting benefit of the drug. Evion does not contain any analgesic or skeletal muscle relaxant. LC refers to L carnitine, a nutritional supplement which in my opinion has no effect all.
However since your mother is benefiting from the therapy, let us be happy about it. There is nothing to worry about side effects, there are virtually no side effects of Evion LC.
Ravi Ghooi