Help with Leg Cramps

K.; when i had leg cramps i was told to drink milk and have more calcium, not potassium, try milk see if that helps it helped me, either way hang in there and keep going , if they continue , as with anything seek a drs advice, have a good day , D. s

I would take magnesium supplements. Your muscles need this and cramp when you are low. I use to suffer all the time until I started taking Ultra Bionic Plus :)

Lack of calcium can also cause the cramps. Try taking a calcium pill.

You might try getting more calcium into your diet. Calcium is a natural relaxer. Whether it comes in a supplement or by eating more calcium rich foods...it worked for me!

mmm, milk, it does a body good. :-)

HI K.,
I agree with some of the other responses- you need some more calcium and magnesium, too. Don't just take any calcium, or something like Tums- that contains artificial colors and fillers. A great calcium is made by Shaklee- it is guaranteed to be pure and effective. If you would like more information, let me know and I can help you out.
Also, the bar of soap under the sheets- that sounds wacky, but it does help, too.
Good luck,
M.

Drink plenty of water. You might want to think about talking to your doctor because somtimes leg cramps too bad and too often can be associated with a blood clot, and that can be very dangerous!

Good luck and take care!
A.

Yes, could be a calcium deficiency. Try a supplement and/or increase your intake of milk, calcium fortified orange juice, etc. Good luck!

Have your magnesium levels checked by your dr. I found out mine were very low. Now I take 2 magnesium capsules at bed time. It worked. Dr. said it relaxes your muscles too. Good luck.

Increase your water intake.

Just like everyone else said - these are most often caused by dehydration and/or an electrolyte imbalance. Stay hydrated, keep on with the potassium, consider the calcium supplement. Good luck, I have had trouble with them myself.

R.

This is going to sound crazy, but my mom swears it works! She would put a bar of soap at the foot of her bed (under top sheet & comforter). She claims her nightly leg cramps ceased after she started doing that. I started getting them too when I was younger and I tried it and it may have worked! They went away but I can't say for sure why.

I hope you find relief!

Over the years, I've heard of several things to try for severe leg cramps including more potassium or calcium which you have already tried, more hydration (water or gatorade), apple cider vinegar, massage techniques, quinine (which helps my mom quite a bit but doesn't work for everyone), heat patches and presciption medications. Ultimately though, it is best to go to the doctor and find out the underlying cause as there can be many including such things as poor ciculation, diabetes, side effects of many types of medications, abnormal mineral or hormone levels, etc). Hope you find some answers soon to alleviate the miserable pain and sleep disturbances. Take care :-)

Hi K.,

I've had issues with leg cramps when pregnant, too. Calcium does it for me. I buy a supplement, either just calcium or calcium with magnesium and zinc and take them every few hours throughout the day, until the cramps are better - then I go to a maintenance dose - maybe 2 or 3x/day. I've found I need a lot of calcium when pregnant. Hope that helps!

I had horrible leg cramps during pregnancy.

The dr recommended calcium and potassium.. it was important to take the calcium in the evening.

I had severe leg cramps (not daily- more like a couple times a month) when I was on birth control, and later during one of my pregnancies I had them on occassion also. Maybe a hormonal thing???? I also ate lots of bananas once they started. Also, maybe try higher magnesium foods.

when i was pregnant i got them really bad! i ended up taking something called caltrate? it is for leg cramps they worked. it has a yellow label on it if that helps.

Bananas are good source of potassium but cantaloupe and orange juice are even better. There are other things, too. Try the water and calcium, too.

Are you taking any medications? Statin drugs for cholesterol as well as some other cholesterol lowing drugs can cause muscle cramps. If you are on these types of drugs, your doctor can always switch the class of drugs to help eliminate the cramping!

I used to drink 32 oz of water before bed. Mine always occurred due to not being hydrated.

Hello K., Since I was in my early 40's I have been a health nut, believing in living as close to nature as possible. Bananas are great source of potassium but leg cramps are a symptom of calcium deficiency. Find a good natural source supplement (NOW company is good and you can get it at Walmart) Make sure it is balanced with Vitamin D and magnesium for best absorption take before bedtime. This should help very quickly.

30 years Leader and trainer for Health & Beauty company Avalla I do educational health calls once a month Sat June 13th 1pm EST is next one. Not a sales pitch just good knowledge for my consultants, customers, friends, etc 1-800-211-9360 passcode 463432# - Questions, testimonials, comments at end of half hour educational call. God Bless, Gladys

I would go tto the dr and have it checked out. It could be alot of different things.

Try drinking orange juice as well, it has lot's of potassium too.

Good luck.