Leg cramps at night.

[Stryder50]

Vitamin D3 has worked for me. Need to keep it up in high level in the body so if deffecient may need to mega dose several days to couple of weeks until up in a healthier range.

 

[danielpalos]

Lemon balm may work. Especially if you can find someone to give you a full body massage with lemon balm infused massage oil. Drinking lemon balm tea may also work.

5 natural solutions for common leg problems that keep you awake - Wellness - Sleep Junkies

[toc] Muscle cramps, squirmy legs, and achy joints. There’s all sorts of leg issues that keep us awake at night. You can find all sorts of pills that attempt to address the issue, but the effects tend to be short-term and troublesome. Natural remedies used to be quackery, but now they’re being...

sleepjunkies.com

 

[Rigby5]

All good replies so far.
But regardless of bananas or other dietary things, what to do when the cramp happens?
Do not try to relax the muscle.
That won't work.
What you have to do instead, is to move the thigh or calf back and forth, rapidly.
This will automatically not only relax the muscle, but increase the circulation in order to stop the cause.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Every fucking night, I get awakened by EXCRUCIATING leg cramps. And I mean EXCRUCIATING. I can feel my calf muscle in one long hard knot, and when I wake up to bend over to rub it or kick it back where it belongs, I get a damn cramp in my side. Blood tests show I am not lacking in magnesium or calcium, but I ordered some anyway from amazon. ACK! That shit is EXPENSIVE! But I did it anyway. This has GOT to stop. As you can see, it is a bit after 5am. I've been up since 3:35am due to that damn cramp and now my leg is sore. So I took a flexirel and an advil, so although no pain, its sore if I massage my leg.

Did some leg exercise to stretch the muscle and now I am browsing for an exercise bike. Stationary. Foldable. I read at the Mayo Clinin website that a bike will help relieve cramps, and it mostly comes from age if other problems are not suspect.

Anyone here get these damn cramps too? Do you think a bike would help? What do you do to get a restful night and not wake up from pain that makes you want to hobble to your roof and throw yourself off? LOL

Anyway..I have this in my cart on Amazon. Havent ordered it yet. Not sure if the damn thing will work for what I want it for.


XTERRA Fitness FB150 Folding Exercise Bike, Silver, 31.5L x 18W x 45.3H in.
Visit the XTERRA Fitness Store
4.6 out of 5 stars 10,746 ratings

| 421 answered questions

Amazon'sChoicefor Exercise Bikes by XTERRA Fitness

Price:

$131.07 FREE One-Day & FREE Returns

Brand	XTERRA Fitness
Color	Silver
Item Dimensions LxWxH	31.89 x 18.1 x 43.3 inches
Item Weight	32 Pounds
Number of Resistance Levels	8

About this item

• Solid X-Frame Design with Thick Steal Tubing | 3-piece pedal crank for added durability
• Product dimensions – 31.89” L x 18.1” W x 43.3” H | Folded dimensions – 18.1” L x 18.1” W x 50.79” H | Weight – 32 lbs. | Weight limit – 225 lbs. | Flywheel weight system – 3.3 lbs. | Resistance levels – 8 | Comfortably fits most users from 4’10” to 5’10” tall"
• Large anatomically designed seat and multi-grip padded handlebars are designed for long lasting comfort and support
• 8 levels of manual resistance are easily controlled through the large Dial tension knob for users of all fitness levels
• 2" x 1" LCD window is easy to read with all the necessary information - clearly displays speed, distance, time, calories, and pulse

Amazon product

Yes, I get excruciating charley horses in my calves and feet. It only happens if I haven't taken my multi-vitamins for a few days (such as when we were moving, because we couldn't remember which box we packed them in). As soon as I start taking them again, the cramps stop happening. Nothing else has ever really eliminated them except for taking a multivitamin every day.

The problem with taking a supplement of just one vitamin is that it might not be the vitamin whose deficiency is causing it. Several things can, such as magnesium and calcium as you mentioned, but lack of potassium can also cause it.

You might also have a pinched nerve that's causing it, or poor circulation, or a side effect from a medication you're taking. I would advise talking to your doctor to rule some of the more serious potential causes out.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Melatonin helps regulate your sleeping patterns. Stay hydrated. Take about 250mg magnesium every other day. Don't overdo it. Too much magnesium is not good. When cramps return drink more water.

eta, yeah eat bananas, and wifey (the expert) says the exercise bike can't hurt.

Even if the exercise bike doesn't help with the cramps, she'll still be healthier and sleep better (from exhaustion).

 

[Cecilie1200]

Cholesterol-lowering drugs are often the culprit. .

Anti-depressants can also cause nerve damage in the legs that can produce cramps or Restless Leg Syndrome (yes, it actually is a thing). There are all kinds of things that can make the legs cramp.

 

[marvin martian]

Gracie , usually cramps like you describe are caused by an electrolyte imbalance.

Be aware that over the counter dietary supplement pills are often a scam. They are not tested for potency. Sure, they may be tested for safety by the FDA, but they are not tested for potency.

You are better off eating some salted french fries. Potatoes are a great source of potassium and table salt is sodium and chloride.

Agree with this. You can also drink Gatorade, because dehydration is a major factor in leg cramps..

 

[Cecilie1200]

Give this a try.....
Might not work for you but......
Nearly 3,000 positive reviews on Amazon

I use that, and their restless leg stuff too. It's the only thing I've found that works.

Diet and exercise do work as well but I don't care about that when I wake up in the middle of the night with knotted up muscles.

Once a charley horse has set in, the only thing I can do is have my husband hold my leg and foot so that the muscle is stretched as far as I can get it, then grit my teeth and wait for it to give up.

 

[Papageorgio]

Every fucking night, I get awakened by EXCRUCIATING leg cramps. And I mean EXCRUCIATING. I can feel my calf muscle in one long hard knot, and when I wake up to bend over to rub it or kick it back where it belongs, I get a damn cramp in my side. Blood tests show I am not lacking in magnesium or calcium, but I ordered some anyway from amazon. ACK! That shit is EXPENSIVE! But I did it anyway. This has GOT to stop. As you can see, it is a bit after 5am. I've been up since 3:35am due to that damn cramp and now my leg is sore. So I took a flexirel and an advil, so although no pain, its sore if I massage my leg.

Did some leg exercise to stretch the muscle and now I am browsing for an exercise bike. Stationary. Foldable. I read at the Mayo Clinin website that a bike will help relieve cramps, and it mostly comes from age if other problems are not suspect.

Anyone here get these damn cramps too? Do you think a bike would help? What do you do to get a restful night and not wake up from pain that makes you want to hobble to your roof and throw yourself off? LOL

Anyway..I have this in my cart on Amazon. Havent ordered it yet. Not sure if the damn thing will work for what I want it for.


XTERRA Fitness FB150 Folding Exercise Bike, Silver, 31.5L x 18W x 45.3H in.
Visit the XTERRA Fitness Store
4.6 out of 5 stars 10,746 ratings

| 421 answered questions

Amazon'sChoicefor Exercise Bikes by XTERRA Fitness

Price:

$131.07 FREE One-Day & FREE Returns

Brand	XTERRA Fitness
Color	Silver
Item Dimensions LxWxH	31.89 x 18.1 x 43.3 inches
Item Weight	32 Pounds
Number of Resistance Levels	8

About this item

• Solid X-Frame Design with Thick Steal Tubing | 3-piece pedal crank for added durability
• Product dimensions – 31.89” L x 18.1” W x 43.3” H | Folded dimensions – 18.1” L x 18.1” W x 50.79” H | Weight – 32 lbs. | Weight limit – 225 lbs. | Flywheel weight system – 3.3 lbs. | Resistance levels – 8 | Comfortably fits most users from 4’10” to 5’10” tall"
• Large anatomically designed seat and multi-grip padded handlebars are designed for long lasting comfort and support
• 8 levels of manual resistance are easily controlled through the large Dial tension knob for users of all fitness levels
• 2" x 1" LCD window is easy to read with all the necessary information - clearly displays speed, distance, time, calories, and pulse

Amazon product

If you are taking Metformin they can cause cramps. So drink lots of water, find a good source of magnesium and calcium, usually liquid is easier to take in to the system.

 

[Cecilie1200]

Got 3 hours rest...almost 4 hours, but I slept in the recliner. Woke up with...you guessed it. Not as bad though. Still....it greeted me a rainy good morning.

I drink lots of water. Bottle is sitting righ'chere by my pc alla time. And taters? Every day. Hashbrowns or fries. Love avacado's but rarely eat them. Can't eat nanners..they give me fierce heartburn. BUT..I will go to the store today and get some gatorade or something with electrolytes in it.

I take ropinerole for my restless legs. Found on google last night from Mayo Clinic or WebMD that restless leg syndrome is not related to leg cramps, but if it works better than the Arnicare I slather on my feet and calves every night, I'm willing to give it a try.

I'm doing ok on the magnesium and calcium according to my blood test, but it doesn't hurt to be better than just OK, right? So I have some of that ordered from Amazon too.

They say the two aren't related; all I know is if I'm getting one I'm getting the other, and if I can stop one the other stops, too.

 

[Gracie]

I got some suppliments..calcium, magnesiun, potassium. I also take the stairs now instead of the elevator. And...I have a pillow under my feet when I sleep. So far...not too many leg cramps any more.

 

[Cecilie1200]

I got some suppliments..calcium, magnesiun, potassium. I also take the stairs now instead of the elevator. And...I have a pillow under my feet when I sleep. So far...not too many leg cramps any more.

Apparently, my new thing now is inflammation of my Achilles tendon. *sigh*

I tell you, getting old is not for sissies.

 

[Dusty]

Gracie , usually cramps like you describe are caused by an electrolyte imbalance.

Be aware that over the counter dietary supplement pills are often a scam. They are not tested for potency. Sure, they may be tested for safety by the FDA, but they are not tested for potency.

You are better off eating some salted french fries. Potatoes are a great source of potassium and table salt is sodium and chloride.

Table salt kills more people than cigarettes

 

[Muhammed]

Gracie , usually cramps like you describe are caused by an electrolyte imbalance.

with low potassium being one of the main culprits.

And a magnesium deficiency is also a major culprit that can cause bad muscle cramps.

The best protection against muscle cramps is to eat a well balanced diet.

 

[Muhammed]

Gracie , usually cramps like you describe are caused by an electrolyte imbalance.

Be aware that over the counter dietary supplement pills are often a scam. They are not tested for potency. Sure, they may be tested for safety by the FDA, but they are not tested for potency.

You are better off eating some salted french fries. Potatoes are a great source of potassium and table salt is sodium and chloride.

Table salt kills more people than cigarettes

^
That's complete bullshit.

A very common misconception is that table salt is killing people before their time. Sure, a meal with a high sodium content may make your blood pressure go up slightly, very temporarily, but so will a bit of exercise.

A temporary spike in blood pressure is not what is killing people, it's chronic hypertension that's a killer, and table salt does not cause chronic hypertension.

And a sodium deficiency can cause brain damage because your sodium-potassium ion pumps in the cell membranes of your neurons will cease to function properly.

If you get a little too much sodium in your diet, you'll just piss it out.

 

[Dusty]

Gracie , usually cramps like you describe are caused by an electrolyte imbalance.

Be aware that over the counter dietary supplement pills are often a scam. They are not tested for potency. Sure, they may be tested for safety by the FDA, but they are not tested for potency.

You are better off eating some salted french fries. Potatoes are a great source of potassium and table salt is sodium and chloride.

Table salt kills more people than cigarettes

^
That's complete bullshit.

Says the moron who puts salt on his fries and calls it health food. You need a good slab of bacon in the face

 

[Oddball]

Every fucking night, I get awakened by EXCRUCIATING leg cramps. And I mean EXCRUCIATING. I can feel my calf muscle in one long hard knot, and when I wake up to bend over to rub it or kick it back where it belongs, I get a damn cramp in my side. Blood tests show I am not lacking in magnesium or calcium, but I ordered some anyway from amazon. ACK! That shit is EXPENSIVE! But I did it anyway. This has GOT to stop. As you can see, it is a bit after 5am. I've been up since 3:35am due to that damn cramp and now my leg is sore. So I took a flexirel and an advil, so although no pain, its sore if I massage my leg.

Did some leg exercise to stretch the muscle and now I am browsing for an exercise bike. Stationary. Foldable. I read at the Mayo Clinin website that a bike will help relieve cramps, and it mostly comes from age if other problems are not suspect.

Anyone here get these damn cramps too? Do you think a bike would help? What do you do to get a restful night and not wake up from pain that makes you want to hobble to your roof and throw yourself off? LOL

Anyway..I have this in my cart on Amazon. Havent ordered it yet. Not sure if the damn thing will work for what I want it for.


XTERRA Fitness FB150 Folding Exercise Bike, Silver, 31.5L x 18W x 45.3H in.
Visit the XTERRA Fitness Store
4.6 out of 5 stars 10,746 ratings

| 421 answered questions

Amazon'sChoicefor Exercise Bikes by XTERRA Fitness

Price:

$131.07 FREE One-Day & FREE Returns

Brand	XTERRA Fitness
Color	Silver
Item Dimensions LxWxH	31.89 x 18.1 x 43.3 inches
Item Weight	32 Pounds
Number of Resistance Levels	8

About this item

• Solid X-Frame Design with Thick Steal Tubing | 3-piece pedal crank for added durability
• Product dimensions – 31.89” L x 18.1” W x 43.3” H | Folded dimensions – 18.1” L x 18.1” W x 50.79” H | Weight – 32 lbs. | Weight limit – 225 lbs. | Flywheel weight system – 3.3 lbs. | Resistance levels – 8 | Comfortably fits most users from 4’10” to 5’10” tall"
• Large anatomically designed seat and multi-grip padded handlebars are designed for long lasting comfort and support
• 8 levels of manual resistance are easily controlled through the large Dial tension knob for users of all fitness levels
• 2" x 1" LCD window is easy to read with all the necessary information - clearly displays speed, distance, time, calories, and pulse

Amazon product

Potassium deficiency...Eat a banana or take potassium pills.

 

[Baron Von Murderpaws]

Have you been to your doctor? What did he/she say?

If not, you need to go. This could be a sign of something more severe going on.

I have Restless Leg Syndrome, and sometimes it keeps me from sleeping.

I've also found that CVS has pretty good quality vitamins. I buy them when they have "buy one, get one" sales, and stock up.

Like everything else, vitamins have doubled in price since Babbling Biden got into the White House. I've had to stop buying half of what I was taking before, because I simply can't afford them anymore.
I do still buy Magnesium, because my Dr told me to. It helps a bit, and I take Gabapentin as well, which is for nerve pain in my legs and feet.

I would also suggest having your legs up at the end of the day, possibly sitting on the couch with your legs across it, and heating pads on low under your legs.

I would check with your Dr though........if it's really bad, I would also suggest going to a specialist.

 

[Baron Von Murderpaws]

Table salt kills more people than cigarettes

^
That's complete bullshit.

Says the moron who puts salt on his fries and calls it health food. You need a good slab of bacon in the face

 

[Likkmee]

You like avocado ?
1/2 per day/
3 days no cramps