Nocturnal Leg Cramps
earlnabby
Posts: 8,171 Member
I am not looking for diagnosis OR medical advice, per se but I AM looking for anecdotal advice.
For those who have a tendency towards nocturnal leg cramps, is there anything you do to either prevent them or make them go away more quickly? The last couple of weeks has been really bad where I get cramps 1 in 3 nights instead of a few times a year. These are more than the basic charley horse that I can stretch out without even waking up, these are full leg deep muscle cramps where stretching one out in the calf causes the shin and top of the foot to cramp. The worst are the ones in the upper, inner thigh where the only thing I can do is stand bent at a 90° angle with my feet apart and rock side to side (good thing I have a tall bed with extra thick mattress).
Yes, I have consulted my PCP and have been tested for the usual suspects
Yes, I stay hydrated even though it means getting up once or twice in the night
Yes, I am T2Dm and know I am likely to get them if I eat more than my usual number of carbs (150g per day is my target)
I am looking for practical ideas to prevent or stave them off. Things that have been suggested are a hot bath before bed, drink tonic water in the evening, weighted blankets over the lower half of my body when sleeping. Has anyone had success with these or other things?
For those who have a tendency towards nocturnal leg cramps, is there anything you do to either prevent them or make them go away more quickly? The last couple of weeks has been really bad where I get cramps 1 in 3 nights instead of a few times a year. These are more than the basic charley horse that I can stretch out without even waking up, these are full leg deep muscle cramps where stretching one out in the calf causes the shin and top of the foot to cramp. The worst are the ones in the upper, inner thigh where the only thing I can do is stand bent at a 90° angle with my feet apart and rock side to side (good thing I have a tall bed with extra thick mattress).
Yes, I have consulted my PCP and have been tested for the usual suspects
Yes, I stay hydrated even though it means getting up once or twice in the night
Yes, I am T2Dm and know I am likely to get them if I eat more than my usual number of carbs (150g per day is my target)
I am looking for practical ideas to prevent or stave them off. Things that have been suggested are a hot bath before bed, drink tonic water in the evening, weighted blankets over the lower half of my body when sleeping. Has anyone had success with these or other things?
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Replies
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Supposedly magnesium helps although I tried it when pregnant and am not sure if it helps. You can give it a try and also stretch before bedtime and use heat on your muscles at bedtime.2
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People have reported relief from leg cramps at night by putting a bar of soap under the bottom sheet at the end of the bed. Even if doctors consider it placebo effect, if it helps, it helps! You could try that, or at least look up some articles about it.1
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Anytime I get nightly leg cramps or restless legs it means that I need potassium. I take a tablet and it goes away within 15 min.7
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My mother and I both have this. My mother's doctor suggested Calcium+D3 and it's helped us both.
I use Citracal Petites and take one pill (half a dose) mid-morning and one pill mid-afternoon. If I skip the second dose or take it too many hours before bedtime, I'm prone to have at least mild cramping that night.2 -
Supposedly magnesium helps although I tried it when pregnant and am not sure if it helps. You can give it a try and also stretch before bedtime and use heat on your muscles at bedtime.snowflake954 wrote: »Anytime I get nightly leg cramps or restless legs it means that I need potassium. I take a tablet and it goes away within 15 min.
I'm not sure which mineral it is, but I don't get night time leg cramps anymore now that I take a magnesium and potassium combo.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000168HV25 -
I guess I should have elaborated when I said I have been tested for the "usual subjects". Yes, I do take potassium and magnesium per my Dr's recommendation.2
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I get them often when doing Keto diets if my sodium drops below 5000mg a day. So i salt everything, but also take an electrolyte drink.
Keeping in mind that dehydration comes from loss of electrolytes. So if you drink a lot of water and don't consume adequate sodium, you can become more dehydrated or you can over flush electrolytes.
This happens with my wife and her POTS. She is limited to 8 oz of water a day. She drinks electrolyte drinks most of the time. And we salt everything, even bacon 😂6 -
vivmom2014 wrote: »People have reported relief from leg cramps at night by putting a bar of soap under the bottom sheet at the end of the bed. Even if doctors consider it placebo effect, if it helps, it helps! You could try that, or at least look up some articles about it.
The SO's dad swears by that trick.
My grandmother, who was hypothyroid, drank tonic water for her leg cramps. Apparently the quinine is the magic ingredient.4 -
vivmom2014 wrote: »People have reported relief from leg cramps at night by putting a bar of soap under the bottom sheet at the end of the bed. Even if doctors consider it placebo effect, if it helps, it helps! You could try that, or at least look up some articles about it.
The SO's dad swears by that trick.
My grandmother, who was hypothyroid, drank tonic water for her leg cramps. Apparently the quinine is the magic ingredient.
My SIL swears by tonic water for her restless leg syndrome, which is similar to nocturnal cramps. In both, the nerves send signals to the muscles to do something not normal.0 -
My mother and I both have this. My mother's doctor suggested Calcium+D3 and it's helped us both.
I use Citracal Petites and take one pill (half a dose) mid-morning and one pill mid-afternoon. If I skip the second dose or take it too many hours before bedtime, I'm prone to have at least mild cramping that night.
My mom swears by this.0 -
I zero'd in on this subject! OP, yes, they can be so painful!!!! You were writing my experience, ugh. I tend to run low on Magnesium so have that covered with supplements and diet. My lower legs now have a slight tendency to swell if I stand for long periods of time, so I've bought new socks that are "diabetic" socks, they are looser around the ankles and don't constrict/leave indentations. My pants are getting looser (yay) and not so tight around the waist so they don't press on nerves in my back. I have noticed when I am way more active than usual I will get more frequent and worse cramps. They've cramped up so bad they look deformed, and I can see them ripple as they cramp. I don't have any magic bullets, but I mostly hope that eating healthy foods with lots of natural vitamins and minerals, keeping hydrated, and exercising regularly to keep my muscles toned are helping to keep them at minimum. I'm interested in what everyone else has to say, thanks for posting this.
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Sorry to hear that you are trying everything and it’s still happening. I know how painful it is. I know for myself, the usual suspects are the cause, not enough hydration, or potassium. As long as I eat a banana every day and drink enough water, I don’t get the deep muscle cramps, which I agree are quite painful and can last for several minutes. The only thing I can do is sit in a straight backed chair and let it run its course. I’ve noticed too, that I get them sometimes on days where I spend more time than usual standing and walking, and I’ve been overly tired that day. It’s not very helpful, I know, but sometimes it helps just knowing others have similar issues.1
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Another thing to try is to roll a tennis ball under each foot everyday. I was getting foot cramps while swimming and started doing this. It hurts like the devil at first, but after a week much better. This stretches out and massages all those micro foot muscles, tendons and veins that we need for walking. Getting older is a real pain.6
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Last night is the first time in about a week that I got no cramps when sleeping (I did get a quick charley horse when stretching before getting out of bed). What was different compared to the night before which was one of the worst I have ever had? I put my heated blanket on the bed and turned it on high while I was laying in bed reading. Maybe the warmth relaxed the muscles (similar to one suggestion to take a warm bath before going to bed). I will try it again tonight.
It is time for the heated blanket anyway. I live in the US Great Lakes region where we have cold, snowy winters and we are close to getting our first freeze (a few weeks after normal, which is keeping the tomatoes and eggplant growing
).missysippy930 wrote: ». I’ve noticed too, that I get them sometimes on days where I spend more time than usual standing and walking, and I’ve been overly tired that day.
That could be why Saturday night was so horrible. I spent the day winterizing my vegetable and perennial gardens and organizing the garage. I haven't been moving much at all since last winter because of major pain in the knee. I got a cortizone shot a week ago which has increased my mobility significantly, which has also increased my activity.
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When I first started losing weight and became more active I would get terrible cramps: mostly toes, top of foot, calf, and shin. So painful! And they happened several times a week. I tried all the usual things too and nothing helped. But then I tried stretching before bed. I unrolled my mat and did 30 minutes of static stretching (basically yoga....without the mental relaxation part) while watching tv. Every night. That did the trick for me and I rarely get cramps anymore, only when I've been more active than usual.2
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Try applying traction to relieve it. A friend told me this trick which she was told by her daughter who is a physiotherapist.
My husband gets let cramps often and this works a charm. The second one starts i grab onto his foot and pull. I suspect if you are alone you can try this yourself. My son recently had a leg crap from sitting in an awkward position and the traction worked on him
That's my two cents...traction to relieve leg muscles cramps....it works!1 -
I’ve been getting leg cramps on and off since childhood. Salt is my remedy!! Small amount of salt on the tongue (1/2 tsp) chased by a glass of water and they are gone the rest of the night.2
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Alinouveau2 wrote: »Try applying traction to relieve it. A friend told me this trick which she was told by her daughter who is a physiotherapist.
My husband gets let cramps often and this works a charm. The second one starts i grab onto his foot and pull. I suspect if you are alone you can try this yourself. My son recently had a leg crap from sitting in an awkward position and the traction worked on him
That's my two cents...traction to relieve leg muscles cramps....it works!
Traction works wonders but only when one muscle group is cramping. My problem is multiple muscle groups cramping at the same time so stretching one causes worse cramps in their opposite group. Pull the foot to relieve cramps in the back of the leg and the front of the leg (as well as the inner thigh) go into spasms.
I have had 2 nights in a row now without them so either they were caused by increased activity or the heat therapy before falling asleep is helping. The residual pain and stiffness caused by Saturday night's major episode is almost gone now too.5 -
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Yes! Sucks, doesn't it?1
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Yes, I am T2Dm and know I am likely to get them if I eat more than my usual number of carbs (150g per day is my target)
I too get them from a sudden spike in carbs.. which makes sense, since carbs tie up water in the body (in the form of glycogen). Try increasing your water intake a lot when eating more carbs than usual. Also avoid sleeping on your side on those days, since it's much easier for the hamstrings & calves to contract in that position. Sleeping on your back lengthens the hams & calves, making it harder for them to seize up.3 -
Cherimoose wrote: »Yes, I am T2Dm and know I am likely to get them if I eat more than my usual number of carbs (150g per day is my target)
I too get them from a sudden spike in carbs.. which makes sense, since carbs tie up water in the body (in the form of glycogen). Try increasing your water intake a lot when eating more carbs than usual. Also avoid sleeping on your side on those days, since it's much easier for the hamstrings & calves to contract in that position. Sleeping on your back lengthens the hams & calves, making it harder for them to seize up.
I usually sleep on my stomach but I hang my toes off the end of the bed (pointing to the floor) for that exact reason. It also makes it easier to press the foot against the footboard if I do get a charley horse.1 -
Cherimoose wrote: »Yes, I am T2Dm and know I am likely to get them if I eat more than my usual number of carbs (150g per day is my target)
I too get them from a sudden spike in carbs.. which makes sense, since carbs tie up water in the body (in the form of glycogen). Try increasing your water intake a lot when eating more carbs than usual. Also avoid sleeping on your side on those days, since it's much easier for the hamstrings & calves to contract in that position. Sleeping on your back lengthens the hams & calves, making it harder for them to seize up.
Talk about timely information! I haven't had a nocturnal cramp in months (see earlier post about a regular stretching routine). But yesterday I bought a tub of Breyers chocolate truffle ice cream because a family member is temporarily staying at our house who has a real sweet tooth. Does anyone know that scene in the movie Christmas Story where Ralphie is eating mashed potatoes? That was me with the ice cream last night. I fell off the wagon and I fell hard. I wallowed in that tub of chocolate truffle ice cream. And guess who woke up with a cramp last night? So I'd say that for me, there is definitely a connection between a sudden spike in carbs and a muscle cramp. I've been at this weight-loss game for several years but it just goes to show that there's always something new to learn.4 -
I do not know how to keep them at bay or prevent them. My feet and lower legs have a tendency to cramp at night. I've tried supplements, etc. Nothing prevents them for me.
What does relax the spasm VERY quickly for me is heat. If it's a bad cramp, I immediately take my rice heating pad to the microwave and, when it's hot, I try to wrap it around the cramped muscle and hold it tight. It's usually 100% relaxed within 2-3 minutes.
If it's a mild cramp, I turn on the electric heating pad next to my bed and wrap the muscle in that. Takes longer to heat up and by the time it's hot, the cramp is completely relaxed.1 -
I used to get them a lot when I was trying to do a very low sodium diet for hypertension. It was too low for my activity level and sweating while exercising in the desert heat. Upped my sodium and that helped but I would still get them occasionally. Started taking a magnesium citrate supplement about an hour before bed and I rarely get them anymore...actually can't remember the last time. I also eat a lot of high potassium foods.4
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I do have them too, very often, as often as 10-13 times per night. What helps?.. Make sure you have all micros in good supply: iron 40-65 mg a day, Potassium 5000mg, Magnesium (not what doctor recommends, they afraid to give you more than average. Try 1000mg a day, Sodium ( just chewing few salt crystals before bed). Calcium 1000mg
About carbs? It sounds ridiculous with T2D. Think not 150g , but 50 g a day. You will feel much better.0 -
Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »Yes! Sucks, doesn't it?
I've done all the countermeasures, too. I take a magnesium, calcium, zinc supplement at bedtime (plus a multivitamin for good measure). Things are worse when I'm particularly sore from exercising that day, for sure. Yes, I've been woken from a deep sleep and had to get out of bed to stretch it out. Inner thigh is definitely the most common spot, although I've gotten them in my feet as well.
If you figure out what helps, let me know!1 -
I am on a keto diet 30 g carbs I take magnesium in the evening and drink boullian for sodium. Do you think it could be electrolytes? Also potassium can help but I don't add that2
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About carbs? It sounds ridiculous with T2D. Think not 150g , but 50 g a day. You will feel much better.
1) My PCP is a Certified Diabetic Educator and is happy with me at 150
2) I reduced my A1c from 7.1 to 5.2 by staying in the neighborhood of 150g and taking no medication. I have also stayed between 5.2 and 5.5 for a number of years.
Diabetics need to control carbs. What that means is very individual and can mean eating 200 g or eating 20 g and the number should be determined by the patient and the health care provider.
Sorry for going off subject but I am OP so I get a pass and felt it necessary to correct this misinformation.
I have been 4 nights cramp free now. Woohoo! Only thing I am doing differently is laying under a heated blanket set to high for about 30 minutes while reading. I also have not had any days where I went significantly over my step goal or my carbs. Tomorrow is another garden winterizing day so fingers crossed the extra activity doesn't start them up again.12 -
I was getting them. I find doing daily streches for my sciatic nerve helps greatly. A tennis ball or softball(bigger than a baseball) wedged under the buttcheek on the side where the leg is sore helps too.
And yes, I take magnesium like everyone else says.2
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