Nocturnal leg cramps -- suggestions?

[Anonymous]

When it’s happening, do a calf stretch, like PP said pull toe up. I had them when I was pregnant.

To prevent, electrolytes and calcium. Potassium, salt, magnesium.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a bad charlie horse and it was a dvt

Did it come and go?

[Anonymous]

Gatorade before bed helps me.

[Anonymous]

My DH had this for years and would get a slight fix from eating bananas, staying hydrated and doing minor stretches before bed (standing position - going up on your toes and back down, slowly a few times)

But he started running and now never has it at all.

[Anonymous]

Stretching helped me.

[Anonymous]

Go to ER to make sure it’s not a blood clot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know it sounds crazy, but I used to get terrible middle of the night leg cramps as a competitive gymnast. My dad started taking some medication (I forget for what) and he would get leg cramps also. His doctor told him that he should quickly eat mustard and it tricks the brain into releasing the muscle. He tried it and it worked, so I tried it and it works. We both kept little packets of mustard next our bed for years. I don't get them very often anymore. I do and have always hated mustard, but it does work.

Tonic water or lemon juice works also. It turns off a leg cramp.

To prevent them in the first place, electrolytes/potassium.

Pickle juice and vinegar are also effective to turn off the cramps, in my experience. I keep apple cider vinegar by the sink in our bathroom. To prevent them, good sleep and hydration are key. I well know the sleep part is not so easy when your calves are cramping—it can definitely be a vicious cycle.

[Anonymous]

Do you take any medications? Leg cramps/nerve damage which presents as cramps can be a side effect of some medications and/or result from vitamin deficiencies (which sometimes can result from medications.)

I would ask your doctor for their thoughts and request that they run blood tests to be sure you do not have any vitamin deficiencies and to check whether this can be from a medication. If not, then they should help you figure out another cause.

[Anonymous]

HRT and possibly thyroid medication.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know it sounds crazy, but I used to get terrible middle of the night leg cramps as a competitive gymnast. My dad started taking some medication (I forget for what) and he would get leg cramps also. His doctor told him that he should quickly eat mustard and it tricks the brain into releasing the muscle. He tried it and it worked, so I tried it and it works. We both kept little packets of mustard next our bed for years. I don't get them very often anymore. I do and have always hated mustard, but it does work.

Tonic water or lemon juice works also. It turns off a leg cramp.

To prevent them in the first place, electrolytes/potassium.

Pickle juice and vinegar are also effective to turn off the cramps, in my experience. I keep apple cider vinegar by the sink in our bathroom. To prevent them, good sleep and hydration are key. I well know the sleep part is not so easy when your calves are cramping—it can definitely be a vicious cycle.

I tried pickle juice and it didn’t help at all. What helps is taking magnesium. If I skip a couple of days, the cramps come back.

[Anonymous]

It is a tight muscle and compressed nerve. Dry needling and massage. Fixed me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know it sounds crazy, but I used to get terrible middle of the night leg cramps as a competitive gymnast. My dad started taking some medication (I forget for what) and he would get leg cramps also. His doctor told him that he should quickly eat mustard and it tricks the brain into releasing the muscle. He tried it and it worked, so I tried it and it works. We both kept little packets of mustard next our bed for years. I don't get them very often anymore. I do and have always hated mustard, but it does work.

Tonic water or lemon juice works also. It turns off a leg cramp.

To prevent them in the first place, electrolytes/potassium.

Pickle juice and vinegar are also effective to turn off the cramps, in my experience. I keep apple cider vinegar by the sink in our bathroom. To prevent them, good sleep and hydration are key. I well know the sleep part is not so easy when your calves are cramping—it can definitely be a vicious cycle.

I tried pickle juice and it didn’t help at all. What helps is taking magnesium. If I skip a couple of days, the cramps come back.

Neither magnesium nor potassium helped me at all. Vinegar hasn’t failed me. I think the causes of the cramps vary among us, so it makes sense that the solutions do as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know it sounds crazy, but I used to get terrible middle of the night leg cramps as a competitive gymnast. My dad started taking some medication (I forget for what) and he would get leg cramps also. His doctor told him that he should quickly eat mustard and it tricks the brain into releasing the muscle. He tried it and it worked, so I tried it and it works. We both kept little packets of mustard next our bed for years. I don't get them very often anymore. I do and have always hated mustard, but it does work.

Tonic water or lemon juice works also. It turns off a leg cramp.

To prevent them in the first place, electrolytes/potassium.

Pickle juice and vinegar are also effective to turn off the cramps, in my experience. I keep apple cider vinegar by the sink in our bathroom. To prevent them, good sleep and hydration are key. I well know the sleep part is not so easy when your calves are cramping—it can definitely be a vicious cycle.

I tried pickle juice and it didn’t help at all. What helps is taking magnesium. If I skip a couple of days, the cramps come back.

Neither magnesium nor potassium helped me at all. Vinegar hasn’t failed me. I think the causes of the cramps vary among us, so it makes sense that the solutions do as well.

Good call.

[Anonymous]

Bananas and stretching help me. Now that I think about it, mine have been better since I started taking magnesium.

My mom had an old wives' cure: She put a bar of soap under her fitted sheet. I don't think it worked, though.

[Anonymous]

Have you gone to the doctor for your leg cramps? If not, please go; leg cramps can be a sign of more serious conditions.