anyone experiencing charley horses in your legs at night? mine have started up again and i know they should 'eventually' go away, but it's been about 3 nights now and my left leg is sometimes unbearable.

any hints or tricks you can suggest?

my work out usually consists of elliptical / stretch legs / bike / stretch legs

do i need to spend more time stretching? i usually do about a minute per leg if that.

thanks

My Doc requires a nutrient check. I've found when I forget to follow the program I too get severe muscle cramps. Sometimes bananas help, or a couple calcium/magnesium caps.

Aren't they caused by a potassium deficiency? The thing is that you have to be very careful supplementing with potassium....too much and it can affect your heart rhythms or something like that....can't remember exactly. Maybe Google "Charlie Horses" and see what comes up or check WebMD - Better information. Better health..

Thanks!!

it's funny, now when i go somewhere for answers, it's here ... lol ...

google? they aren't nearly as friendly ... :heh:

anyone experiencing charley horses in your legs at night? mine have started up again and i know they should 'eventually' go away, but it's been about 3 nights now and my left leg is sometimes unbearable.

any hints or tricks you can suggest?

Make sure you're taking a daily. Potassium is the culprit for me. Other elements can be a cause, too.

Also, don't go out and start takings lots of supplements. I've seen people do this reactively - bad thing. Take what you need and what's within safe guidelines, nothing more. Bad, bad things can come out of "harmlessly" taking too many Vitamins, potassium supplements, etc.

Someone recommended to me that when I get leg cramps - usually at night - to take a tablespoon of pickle juice. It works! Within minutes the cramp is gone and doesn't come back.

I have not yet been banded - have an appointment with my surgeon next Tuesday. But, pickle juice is a clear liquid, so I would think it would be okay.

Calcium is the most common culprit in leg cramps. Suplement with calcium any time you're going to be exercising or increasing your usual activity.

I've been taking it for 25 years, since I was pregnant with my second child. The only times I've had leg cramps is when I got complacent and went off the regimen.

It is usually from a lack of potassium or calcium. Easy fix have a bannan and a glass of milk. You don't need to go out and buy a suppliment. Good luck and tell us if any of the ideas help.

I was getting charley horses A LOT before surgery. Almost nightly!!! But since banding, I have not had one!!! That, I am glad of!! Good luck in finding the culprit and solving the problem!!

thanks so much for your replies. it has been about 5 nights without a charley horse ... yay!!

what did the trick was being 'foam rolled' by my trainer and DH ...

What does "foam rolled" mean????

Hi losing just me - my mom gets leg cramps alot and her doc told her to drink tonic Water with lime or lemon in it -

also our newspaper doctor advisor recommends putting a bar of deoderant soap at the foot of your bed under the sheets. Use anything but Dial - people swears this works and the doc doesn't know why----

good luck to you:ranger:

I have been getting night time leg cramps severely for several years, the worst being in my inner thighs(ouch!) They have definitely lessend in the past few months. Per Dr. advice I take an extra calcium/magnesium supplement and B complex supplement. I keep sugar free Powerade (works like Gatorade) on hand, which usually works when they're bad, since dehydration probably plays a key role in the cramps. For days when even that doesn't help, I have a RX for a muscle relaxer which I am grateful for. Hang in there, I am happy that with the weight loss and increased exercise, they ARE getting better. YAY!

hey Terri

(hopefully) attached is a picture of a foam roll. you basically get someone to 'foam roll' you ... use the attached and the person (i usually have my trainer do it, but sometimes DH can do it) pushes and s-l-o-w-l-y rolls it up and down whatever area needs to be rolled.

it works wonders for my back during cramps as well!!

I've been waking with Charley Horses in my calves and forearms. Painful as all get out. I'm taking supplements and Calcium. Not sure what the problem is!

Darr

WOW,

My husband suffers with them so bad that he screams and walks through the house up to several times a night sometimes. I thought it had something to do with his diabetes but it doesn't. Would you believe I've heard probably 10 people tell us to try the hotel soap bar under the sheets and I have a bunch of them from my banding in Mexico so I guess it's not going to hurt to try. I mean he will holler, scream and almost cry and I usually end of getting tickled at him and then he gets mad. He's tried all of the Vitamins and stuff but we also haven't tried the pickle juice. He'll think I'm wacked when I put soap under his sheets and give him pickle juice, oh well, he thinks I am half the time anyways. LOL.

Hugs,

Sherri Jo