Leg cramps

[savingdogs]

My mom is on a lot of meds, including water pill. She gets leg cramps in bed and even during the day a lot. Could be dehydration or low potassium, but some meds say that leg cramps are a side effect. Quinine helped her a lot, but it is getting harder to find.

I can vouch for the fact that water pills and lack of potassium can cause leg cramps. BAD ones. Lots of natural foods provide potassium however it sounds like a general multi vitamin might not be a bad idea for you to rule out that you are low on one of the minerals/potassium/magnesium, etc. And I certainly had leg cramps during pregnancy and was told to take my multi-vitamins for the "calcium" so my advice is to try a multi-vitamin, eat more fruits and veggies and drink a glass of milk before bed time. If that doesn't make it go away, I'd go to the doctor and ask for a specific blood test because you are having leg cramps and want to find out why.

 

[garden pixy]

I've found that when I do have leg cramps at night if I put my toes on the foot board and press down into my heal it does help relax the leg so i can get back to sleep. I have found that days I forget to take my multivitamin I am more likely to have the cramps.

 

[Marianne]

My DH gets leg cramps when he's not drinking enough water, so I echo the hydration. When I was pregnant and got them, my doc first asked if I was taking the vitamins like I was supposed to and then told me to take some extra B and eat more green beans.

 

[piecemaker]

DH getts leg cramps so bad he has passed out. One thing we have learned to help relieve them is to get a hand towel wet then microwave it until it is hot, then put it on the cramp, then start a second towel heating I rotate them until the cramp is gone. They are usually gone in a few minutes. I get alot of exercise when this happens we have a tri level house and you guessed it our room is on the top level. If your water is real hot that may be all the heat you need, DH does better with them hotter.

Also for the hot flashes and stuff try soy isoflavens. You can get it at Wally world in the vit. section

piecemaker

 

[deb4o]

I have had terrible leg cramps my whole life, not to the point of passing out, not that at times that would of been perferable. 20 years of so ago I took quine pills, so last year I ask my doctor is I could get a prescription for some and she told me that you can't get pills any more but you can get it in tonic water. Which I think taste crappy, so I have learned to mix with juice or flavored water to make it more palitable. This also gets me to drink more fluids which is good for me. Hope this helps.

The hot towels work also!

 

[Holachicka]

I have also heard that quinine can help! When I was preggers, my boss told me to drink tonic water to keep the leg cramps away, so I had to explain that quinine is a prego no-no nowadays. So enjoy those vodka tonics!!

 

[Rhettsgreygal]

I'll have to try some tonic water. I think I have about 30lbs of black raspberries in the freezer. I'll pulverize the berries in the blender, add some tonic water, and if I need a sleep aid, I'll add some brandy. I haven't had any cramps since then. They usually come in spurts, but I have been drinking more water and also getting up and walking around at work when I have the chance.

 

[piecemaker]

Somethimg else that helps DH is pickel juice. He just laughed when he was told to try it. At work one day he had cramps so bad he gave up and tried it in a few seconds the cramp was gone. Now he keeps pickel juice in the car, truck, next to the bed, every where he goes there will be pj close by. You can get the just the juice in the section that sells sports drinks. He gets his at Acadamey. It's like 99 cents a bottle just takes a couple oz.

 

[Icu4dzs]

A good calcium complex can help....a GOOD one. Also, I've recently heard from reliable sources (mom's friend told her, she tried it, and told me it worked ) that a tsp of any type of mustard will stop a cramp immediately.

Any recommendations on a good calcium complex?

OK, I just couldn't stand it any longer.
Here's the deal.
Calcium is probably the best option and the cheapest, most bioavailable source is TUMS OTHER THAN MILK. Two of them about 3 times daily will replace the lost calcium. Dates are the absolute highest food source of potassium so you can throw a couple of them in for good measure along with a banana (10 MeQ of K per inch of banana)
Fluids are essential. Be sure to consume adequate water.
after all that, add some magnesium. Surprisingly that will also help but stretching can abate them immediately if they wake you up. Won't last long in some cases but will help. Pull your toes to your nose.
Hope this helps...I hate them too! Us old folks have to stick together.

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