Anyone suffer from leg cramps?

[GrammaStamper]

I was sound asleep about 1:30 am, when all of a sudden both my legs started to cramp up, from the knee down. Usually, when this happens, I just stand up for a minute and they go away, but last night I was literally crying with the pain. And it lasted easily a half hour. At one point, I went to move and nearly fell over because my legs had 'seized up'. Anyone else ever had this and, if so, what did you do about them? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[loobylou]

I used to get them. My doctor told me I was probably dehydrated, and lacking salt. I try to drink more water, I haven't had cramps in my legs for ages now. Don't really know if the water helps or if it's coincidence to be honest. Sorry I don't have any earth shattering cures. Hope you get some relief by trying this anyway. (and that it doesn't have you waking up to use the bathroom all night instead!)

[Jadyeebugsaunt]

I get them all the time, I try to strech the muscle out by grabbing my toes and pulling them back towards me, for a cramp for the knee down, and hold it there till the muscle cramp subsides. For one from the thigh down I try to bring my leg up behind me bending at the knee. Both of these im laying in bed at the time or sitting down .
it works for mine
HTH

[ccstampin12]

I ALMOST had one the other night. I felt it coming and pulled my toes up to stretch the muscles in the back of my leg.
I got a couple of bananas and ate those in a couple of days, and haven't had another problem.
You may have low potassium levels and the bananas will help.
Hoping this doesn't happen to you again, but if it does, try a hot washcloth or other source of warmth...hairdryer, shower, etc.
Good luck!
Hugs!

[GrammaStamper]

Thanks, ladies. While waiting for responses to this post, I did a search and I'm most likely dehydrated. I hardly drink water at all, so I'm going to try that, and the stretching before bed too. Man, I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital, I was literally crying out loud and got DH out of bed to rub my legs. He was beside himself with worry, and did what he could, but honestly, it hurt more than having my babies.

[loobylou]

Yes Joanie, that reminds me. My doctor said I could be low on potassium. Bananas are FULL of potassium

[ellie]

i have heard about the bananas too. i have another kind of wierd cure but it's free and it has worked for me and for my sister (patty). just place an ordinary bar of soap (not dove) under the sheet by your legs. i try to keep mine so that my legs are just touching it. it also works for restless leg syndrome. now i know you must be thinking that i am crazy but i can tell you it works and there are articles by doctors online that you can google. my dr. said that he thinks when your legs touch the soap, it stimulates the nerves. go figure. anyway, give it a try and see what happens.

[limeyscrapper]

I stand by the water remedy. I used to get cramps all the time - would wake in the night in agony. since i made an effort to drink more water I haven't had the problem at all.

[mahodgman]

Poor thing, I know they hurt like heck! My mom has that problem, and she takes some kind of medication for it. If the water and bananas don't help, you may want to see a doc.

[hutchink]

I have always just used a heating pad and rubbed them. Putting a bar of soap under sheets is interesting. I have bars of soap out in my garden to keep the bunnies away why not for leg cramps!

~K

[Swanie78]

i have heard about the bananas too. i have another kind of wierd cure but it's free and it has worked for me and for my sister (patty). just place an ordinary bar of soap (not dove) under the sheet by your legs. i try to keep mine so that my legs are just touching it. it also works for restless leg syndrome. now i know you must be thinking that i am crazy but i can tell you it works and there are articles by doctors online that you can google. my dr. said that he thinks when your legs touch the soap, it stimulates the nerves. go figure. anyway, give it a try and see what happens.

I just emailed this to my aunt. She has RLS and is on medication that they give to Parkinsons patients. She has to take it every 4 hours and her legs remind her when she gets close. It would be AWESOME if this worked for her!! TFS :)

[Christie]

get those too. My dbf usually fixes it for me, he pulls my toes up toward my leg to stretch the muscle. I wonder why this seems to only happen when your dead asleep!

[ctmhgirl]

I got them when I was pregnant. The doctor told me to take calcium and that took them away. Bananas have calcium.

[cindi]

I fix mine the same way Mindy does, if you don't get it fast enough it can pull a muscle.
I have found as long as I drink a lot of water & eat at least 2 bananas a week, I don't get them, vey often.
Good luck, they hurt!
:)

[Nancy]

and it was a large strength, and drink water and they have stopped for me. 1600mg of calcium and 400mg of Vitamin D. the rest in the pills is Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc, Copper, Manganese, and Boron (Amino Acid).

If I ate a whole banana, I would get so nauseous (spelling) and my stomach would hurt like unbelievable and it would come up. I was trying all kinds and finally got them at Curves, which had the most I could get for my money and only had to take 2 pills, Instead of 3 or 4 a day, as recommended on many bottles. Being older requires a different balance of what goes in our system. I have been on them a month and not had any problems. And remember you still haven't caught up to my age!! - Nancy

[directmailscrapper]

My DH is 6'4" and used to play football. I swear he probably could play with a broken leg and a concussion -- but you should hear him when he wakes up with leg cramps! He is in agony. He usually wakes me up :skeptical: but there isn't much I can do to help him. He puts heat on his cramp and tries to walk it off. Sometimes it goes away quickly, other times, not.

I am going to suggest a glass of water before bed and a banana a day -- wouldn't that be great if it worked?

So sorry to hear that you had such a rough nite. Since you don't sound like you have a history of leg cramps, you may want to mention it to your doctor.

Good luck and I hope you don't get any more!

Nancy

[Kreative Dryve]

really bad when I was pregnant. (so long ago)
I would stretch them out, bringing my toes up towards my nose, this stretches your muscle, and relaxes the cramp. Don't point your toe, it make the cramp worse. After the cramp subsides, then you can stretch your leg both ways.
I agree with the others, water for hydration and have always been told it is a sign of low potassium levels. So bananas, or dried apricots help.

Hope that helps! -MJ

[GrammaStamper]

You ladies are absolutely awesome. Thanks for all the advice, I may try them all! I'm at work, boss is out, but left me stuff to do, so better get back to it. Thanks again.

[toao]

Barb, I used to get them like that too....to the point where I would cry. For the longest time I would have to soak in a tub of hot water to get rid of them. And that was MISERABLE in FL in the summertime, believe me. My FIL told me to drink pickle juice, and I did, and it did NOT work. Finally I discovered for fast relief an Advil worked. Not tylenol or anything else, but Advil. If you can catch it when you first feel it coming on, an Advil will cut it right off. But if you forget to eat bananas and vitamins for some reason and it happens again, try the Advil. Usually for a bad leg cramp it takes about 15 minutes to kick in.

Mary