Wellness

[vicki is ok]

I have started having terrible leg cramps about 3:30 every morning. They started about two weeks ago and weren't too bad to begin with, but have become severe. Yesterdays was the worse. I woke up with a charley horse in my right calf, one in the arch of my left foot and one around my left ankle. The pain was incredible and yes I did call dr. and was seen. They took blood and also prescribed flexeril until blood work is back. Dr. said it was not restless leg as sometimes my symptons are confused with that, but are not the same.

I had been looking on my own into causes and eliminated all of the ones I knew it couldn't be, such as not excercising, not stretching before walking etc. I also make sure and drink plenty of water each day. I know a low magnesium can cause cramps, but until I get blood work back I don't want to be taking any supplements that I might not need. I do have neuropathy, not diabetic, but not sure if it might be from that. My neuro appt. is next week. Yesterday afternoon the cramping started in my hands which it had never done before!

I took the felxeril last night and for the first time in over two weeks woke up without cramping. I know this is just a temporary fix, but it sure was nice to not have that pain. I was just wondering if anyone here has had the same issues. Thank you in advance for your replies.

Vicki

[foundinlv]

Vicki...bananas are high in potassium and this helps me avoid having leg and foot cramps. Here's some other foods high in potassium.

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20721159,00.html

[qualitygal]

My husband had to drink more water, but also found out a medication he was on was too high. Once medication was adjusted, it helped. He used to have some really bad ones. He has a banana with his lunch or in the evening every day. Bananas are always in our shopping cart.

[Jeanhelen57]

Hey there, Vicki! Let's see--it's 6am, and I was up at 3:30 with my bout of leg cramps too! I take magnesium...eat bananas...exercise.. I had mentioned it to my neurologist (I have fibomyalgia for many years--never had leg cramp problems till maybe the last 3 years) I can go for weeks without these but when they hit--OH MAN!! Sometimes all my toes clamp down and even my DH cannot "unclamp" them...and yes, it can effect my whole leg. I do take a muscle relaxer for head/neck problems..I don't think it helps this..If it's going to happen, it will happen.

I just had my yearly physical and I told this to my primary doc. I really respect her. One of the last bouts of cramps was so severe, I jumped out of bed, broke out in a cold sweat and thought I would faint!! Had that been in my arm, I would have called 911 thinking it was my heart! She is doing bloodwork, but she feels it is mechanical..meaning--perhaps the way I walk, after all these years (I am 56) if I put on shoes with little support or not the right support...it sounds silly but I do wear slippers all the time at home...I just got a new pair of very nice slippers but I could actually feel slight cramps during the day and yup, I got cramps at night! She may be on to something! She said that most of her patients with severe cramps are not deficient in anything or physically ill..they just may need to even see a foot doc for orthotics..I almost brushed this off as "no way could it be THIS simple" but now I am reconsidering...just something to think about! Sorry for the long post--but I hear you!!! These are not simple charley horses..if they were--they would be bad enough--these are torture!! BTW---I keep a heating pad available on my bed--it works wonders and is the ONLY thing that relaxes a cramped up leg! God bless!

[lolakimono]

I have had them before for two reasons: wearing heels on a cobblestone walkway for a job interview and when I don't have enough potassium.

For OTC, you can also try magnesium supplements like Natural Calm, drinking tonic water (need the quinine) or using the old bar of soap under the sheets. I have not tried the last two, but my aunt swears by the tonic water.

[I am still oxox]

Low potassium clevels an cause cramping

[vicki is ok]

Thank you all for your quick replies. I see others here have had the same issue at one time or another. I don't wear high heels at all, but it still could have to do with my shoes, I guess. Will wait for the labwork and go from there. I'm hoping to hear something today so that I can maybe get some answers. I doubt though that it will be that easy.

Again thank you all

Vicki

[vicki is ok]

On 3/5/2014 vicki is ok said:

Thank you all for your quick replies. I see others here have had the same issue at one time or another. I don't wear high heels at all, but it still could have to do with my shoes, I guess. Will wait for the labwork and go from there. I'm hoping to hear something today so that I can maybe get some answers. I doubt though that it will be that easy.

Again thank you all

Vicki

Meant to add the tonic water pertaining to the quinine makes sense. When I was very young I had leg cramps and my mom took me to the dr. At that time, he put me on a low dose of quinine pills. I had forgotten all about that until mentioned here. Will pick up some tonic today!!!

[sgraham30]

I used to get cramps in my lower legs & feet that were so severe they'd wake me out of a sound sleep. I'd been told to "walk it off" when that happened but I couldn't even stand they were so painful, I just massaged the area cramping until the cramp(s) went away. I tested low in magnesium so I take 400 mg of Metagenics MagGlycinate. I've been doing this for several years & no longer get cramps, unless I've been walking a lot that day in shoes that didn't offer enough support.

[vicki is ok]

On 3/5/2014 sgraham30 said:

I used to get cramps in my lower legs & feet that were so severe they'd wake me out of a sound sleep. I'd been told to "walk it off" when that happened but I couldn't even stand they were so painful, I just massaged the area cramping until the cramp(s) went away. I tested low in magnesium so I take 400 mg of Metagenics MagGlycinate. I've been doing this for several years & no longer get cramps, unless I've been walking a lot that day in shoes that didn't offer enough support.

I've read about low magnesium as being a problem and once I get my test results back I will ask my dr. about that. One question. Does the magnesium have any sort of ill effects on your stomach? Some have said it does, but I think it matters what kind of magnesium you take.

Meant to add that my cramps also wake me up out of a sound sleep!!!

Thank you for your input on this

Vicki