nocturnal leg cramps

[Dave Cullen]

I figure there's a lot of folks my age around here, and somebody has some experience with this. I get leg cramps in bed at night that can bring tears to my eyes. Some nights I'll get up 2 or 3 times, with one leg or the other or both cramped and in pain. It's usually the calf, but can also be an ankle or even the ball of my foot that's cramped. The only relief is to walk around until the cramp goes away.

Does anybody out there know of something that will stop the cramps from happening? Or, some relief other than "walking it off"?

Ouch.

[Erik Loza]

You staying hydrated enough? What color is your urine if you take a leak at night? Light yellow/clear or dark/orange?

Erik

[julian abram]

My wife suffers from these night leg cramps, she has been taking clonazepam for years, it works. A prescription medication for anxiety but in very small doses it stops muscle cramps without other effects, an inexpensive medication ($3 or $4/month) but your doc has to prescribe it.

[ALAN HOLLAR]

Have your potassium levels checked. Also regular stretching knocked mine out, but only after I learned to briskly walk for 5 or 10 minutes before stretching. Stretching cold muscles does more harm than help. If that doesn't work, medicate.

[Mike Ontko]

Proper hydration and potassium (bananas and kiwis are good sources) have already been mentioned. Magnesium is also helpful for muscle cramps. I had similar issues on a recent trip to Germany and was able to find an off-the-shelf magnesium supplement (500mg) at a convenience store that was specifically for muscle cramps.

[charlie knighton]

if you are on any medication, the cramps may be a warning sign.......call your doctor.......leave message with a live attendant.......my doctor does not mind me letting him know of stuff between my 2 regular checkups each year, he will return my call or have assistant call with instructions........hopefully symptoms or conditions do not change often.......I would definetly call him about leg cramps......cramps are a warning sign if you are taking metformin

[Larry Frank]

See a doctor please

[Allan Ferguson]

A little shot of tonic water and juice in the evening works for me. Allan

[Matt Day]

You say "my age" but I don't see anything in your profile and you didn't state it.

I've had calf cramps at night on and off since high school (I'm 35). Usually it's after a grueling workout and I didn't hydrate enough. I'm willing to bet you're not drinking enough water. I'd try hydration and bananas for potassium before you try a doctor.

[Prashun Patel]

Can't offer help, only sympathy. My wife suffers from the same thing. She can almost feel it coming on.

Stretching before bed seems to help a little.

[Bob Vavricka]

Allan mentioned tonic water. I had a podiatrist recommend that to me for foot cramps. Check to see that it has quinine in it. It is the quinine that is supposed to help.

[Dave Cullen]

You staying hydrated enough? What color is your urine if you take a leak at night? Light yellow/clear or dark/orange?

Erik

Yellow and smelly. I drink water during the day, but also some coffee, wine with dinner, and a couple cocktails before bed. I get up 2-3 times at night typically, as I have mild prostate issues.

The cramps are not new, I've had them for years. Doctor's only advice was to stay hydrated. I get a blood test a couple times a year (watching cholesterol and prostate numbers), but I don't know if they look for potassium levels. I'll inquire at my next visit.

I also have circulation issues in the left leg (the one that cramps most often), which someday may need vein bypass.

I have met lots of people who experience this and nobody really has an answer.

[Dave Cullen]

Allan mentioned tonic water. I had a podiatrist recommend that to me for foot cramps. Check to see that it has quinine in it. It is the quinine that is supposed to help.

Thanks, I looked that up. It seems that quinine can be fatal in doses that are suitable for treating leg cramps. The FDA has banned marketing it for that purpose:
http://www.forthepeople.com/class-action-lawyers/quinine-side-effects/

I already have cardiac issues, so I think I'll pass on the tonic.

Sux to get old.

[Pat Barry]

I started getting nighttime leg cramps 10 years ago when I started Lipitor. The recommendation was to take it at night before bed. I tried and experiment on my own and started taking it in the morning and most all my leg cramps went away. I do still get them from time to time and it is attributable to hydration. Lipitor affects your hydration. If you are taking a statin (crestor, lipitor, etc). talk to your doctor about switching the time you take the med.

[Dave Cullen]

Yes, I take a statin - a generic one. I was on Crestor and the incidence of cramps was no different. I take my meds in the morning.

[Brett Luna]

Stretching before bed seems to help a little.

No idea if this applies to the OP situation but stretching "wrong" has caused my worst calf cramps. If I stretch with my toes pointed down, it can trigger a killer cramp as the calf tightens instead of stretching. Stretching with toes pulled up does the trick for me. I've tried to train myself to keep the toes up and I only have a problem when I forget to do it that way...like when I'm half-asleep.

[Justin Koenen]

Dave, Temporarily, till you find the cause, you can can get relief within seconds from two or three swallows of dill pickle juice. Works for my wife and me. NO JOKE.. Justin

[Bruce Page]

I will sometimes get calf cramps if I don't drink a minimum of 24oz of water each afternoon. When I forget to drink the H2O and start to cramp in bed, a simple calf muscle squeeze massage of 75-100 reps per leg usually does the trick for me.

[William Whitfield]

Try drinking some tonic water.

[Chris Parks]

Magnesium for me, if I take it regularly then I never have cramps. Apparently there are issues with the body absorbing Magnesium and these need to be known before you start using it. It is no good taking it if the type you are taking has a low absorption rate, it then does not alleviate the problem.

[Dave Cullen]

No idea if this applies to the OP situation but stretching "wrong" has caused my worst calf cramps. If I stretch with my toes pointed down, it can trigger a killer cramp as the calf tightens instead of stretching. Stretching with toes pulled up does the trick for me. I've tried to train myself to keep the toes up and I only have a problem when I forget to do it that way...like when I'm half-asleep.

Stretching, half asleep, will almost always bring on a cramp for me. It's like, "Dave you idiot! Why did I do that?" Never experimented with toes up or down -


Dave, Temporarily, till you find the cause, you can can get relief within seconds from two or three swallows of dill pickle juice. Works for my wife and me. NO JOKE.. Justin

I've heard that before, and I do have some dills in the fridge. Thanks for the reminder.

I was strolling down an isle in my local pharmacy one day and saw a remedy that said for night time leg cramps. It was vitamin E. I have some (400 usp) and will take one when a cramp comes, but sometimes it works and sometimes not.

[Andrew DiLorenzo]

Magnesium for me, if I take it regularly then I never have cramps. Apparently there are issues with the body absorbing Magnesium and these need to be known before you start using it. It is no good taking it if the type you are taking has a low absorption rate, it then does not alleviate the problem.

This above. Magnesium pills are very inexpensive and widely available. Start with maybe half of one pill to check for any negative reaction. Give it a few weeks.

Has your thyroid levels been checked? Low thyroid can cause cramps in the calf.

[Justin Ludwig]

Dave, Temporarily, till you find the cause, you can can get relief within seconds from two or three swallows of dill pickle juice. Works for my wife and me. NO JOKE.. Justin

90% of participants saw relief within 85secs of swallow 2oz of dill pickle juice. Yup. Pickle juice. Proven in multiple studies. Inhibits neuro... blah blah blah technical mumbo jumbo. It works. Don't like pickles or pickle juice? Enjoy the cramps.

I take PJ with me to Tough Mudder and Spartan events.

[Al Launier]

I experienced similar symptoms:foot/calf/toe cramps - had to walk them off & they still returned. My doctor recommended Magnesium 500mg tablets (non-prescriptive & available at any pharmacy) at bedtime. Started using them a couple years ago & have had almost total freedom from cramping since - only a couple of minor episodes.

[Kent Adams]

Dave, you mentioned your night time pee is yellow and smelly. This is because you aren't hydrated enough and the yellow includes a high amount of minerals in it, including potassium. Eat a couple of bananas during the day and drink some more water before you go to bed and you should be fine, unless there is a more serious problem going on which you should check out. Potassium should be included in your normal blood work every year. Make sure you're doctor is checking for it. I'd go ahead and make an appointment for that blood test.

[Alan Rutherford]

Been there. For me, the problem is usually created or avoided between dinner and bedtime.

I agree about staying hydrated but of course that means you'll be up more often at night. For potassium, get some no-sodium salt substitute (100% potassium chloride). Try replacing your salt shaker with it at the dinner table and skip salty snacks later. It's not just the potassium - it's the ratio of potassium to sodium (as in table salt). If you have to get up, a half-teaspoon or so of non-salt in water (or orange juice - tastes better) might work wonders. Same as a banana but more like a couple of them.

If you (or anyone else reading this) are taking a diuretic, then you need to know if it's potassium-depleting or -sparing. You can really mess yourself up taking extra potassium with the latter. With the former - maybe that's part of the problem as well as a reason for dehydration.