Night Leg Cramps

L

Lilly Bea

Member
Does anyone have any advice on how to prevent nighttime leg cramps? Once in a while (last night was the latest attack) I wake up with the excruciating pain in my leg (my calf muscle is as hard as a brick and the pain makes me scream to the ceiling). Sometimes it lasts several minutes, and afterward I am so nervous of it coming back that I can't sleep. Any advice? Can I do anything to shorten the duration of the cramps?
 
I have also been suffering from nighttime leg cramps. Last week I suffered 4 out of 7 nights. I have made it a point to make sure that I eat a banana every day, and this week I haven't had any nightime leg cramps...
 
I get leg cramps if I don't do two things - eat a banana and take a calcium/magnesium pill once a day. If I do those two things, I'm fine.
 
Oh man, last night it was foot and calf cramps for me. Think the foot thing is just old age and the fact that I don't like wearing shoes ! :p

The calf doesn't happen often. I like the banana and magnesium/calcium ideas. Take daily vits but maybe I'll add just a small extra dose.

I kinda layed off the bananas for a while - I like adding them to frozen berries for an AM snack.

Will get nanas at the store tomorrow !

Thanks ladies ! :7
 
This is going to sound weird, but there was an item in the People's Pharmacy column in the newspaper a little while ago about using Ivory Soap to relieve leg cramps and restless legs. The idea is that you put it under the sheet and touch your leg to it while sleeping. Sounds bizarre, but it's cheap and safe, so maybe worth a try? My MIL tried it and felt that it helped her. And if it doesn't work, you can always use the soap to get clean with.

More info:

http://www.peoplespharmacy.org/archives/home_remedies/soap_under_the_sheets_for_rls_leg_cramps.asp
 
My grandmother always had to sleep on flannel sheets or anything other than regular sheets. She said if she slept on regular sheets they gave her legs cramps.

Tami
 
I've had leg and foot cramps all my life and the only thing that works for me is GNC Calcimate Plus 800. 2 or 3 tablets after dinner and I'm fine. You might do just as well if you took plain magnesium tablets, or ate a banana (which is rich in magnesium and potassium), but the combination of calcium citrate malate, magnesium, potassium and vitamin D works best for me.
 
Angela, a snack like that has about 35 grams of sugar. Fruit juice in particular adds unnecessary sugar to your diet, in my opinion. Of course, if that's the only thing that works, it's worth it, but I think mineral supplements are just as good, if not better.
 
Try drinking aloe juice after every workout.I use to get wickard calve cramps in my legs.They use to wake me up out of dead sleep.Since,I've been drinking 2oz of aloe juice after every workout.My muscles don't cramp any more.
 
Nancy, I agree that (pure)oj & a banana is high in sugar, but it is also natural sugar in which the body knows how to absorb and digest. When someone has inflammation in their body, their enzymes might not absorb the supplements correctly, therefore they just end up urinating out their supplements. I personally just try to heal from the inside out, with everything being as close to its natural form as possible. But every now and then you need something more then a banana or a supplement:)

I have never heard of the aloe juice, but I will be checking that out.
 
Leg cramps = mineral deficiency.

Calcium, magnesium, potassium really help. When you sweat, your body loses those minerals. Ditto all the banana, mag/calcium comments, not to mention iron loss.
 
I SUFFERED WITH THIS FOR YEARS. IT'S CALLED RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME. FINALLY TOOK DOCTORS ADVICE AND STARTED TAKING REQUIP(PERSCRIPTION NEEDED). MY HUSBAND NO LONGER WAKES ME UP TO TELL ME THAT MY LEGS ARE JERKING. I DO NOT HAVE IT ANYMORE AND SLEEP ALL NIGHT.
 
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