charliehorse cramps!!!!!!!

kittyprincess

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OMG last night in the middle of the night I got the worst charlie horse cramp ever in my life, I woke up screaming
which then caused my boyfriend to wake up. It hurt so bad I was just about crying
My boyfriend rubbed my leg and then I guess we fell asleep because I dont remember anything else, lol. Now its 10 am and my leg (calf) still hurts!!!
I just wanted to know does any one know why we get them? especially in the middle of the freakin night, I was so asleep lol
 

arlyn

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When you get leg cramps, always get up and walk them off otherwise yes, you will get very stiff and sore.

Nocturnal leg cramps are typically mean a lack of sufficient ammounts of potasium.
Eat more bananas!
 
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kittyprincess

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Thats funny because my bf told me for vacation we are going to cape cod I have never been there before so I am on a diet, lol and I have been eatin a banana for lunch at work everyday for the past 3 days i guess I will have one for breakfast this morning too
 

arlyn

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I sometimes get sick of plain old bananas so I'll stick one in the blender with 8oz of nonfat milk and a 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla and make a nanner shake
 
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kittyprincess

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I just googled the nocturnal leg cramps an it said lack of calcium which is me
i hate milk!! i only like it in my cereal. but everynight before i go to bed i will try and drink a lil glass of milk
 

luckygirl

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I also hate milk! But I eat a weight watchers yogurt every day for breakfast. I also eat tons of part skim cheese, sugar free jello pudding (double chocolate! mmmmm..), and double churned light ice cream! All good sources of calcium! (you can also take a supplement!)
 

renny

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It's definitely a lack of calcium too...I used to get them all the time. You can get calcium supplements. I have these dissolvable calcium pills that will work while i have the cramp even. I try and take one once a day when i have them and then every few days when i don't. I'm just like you...i don't like milk (lactose intolerant)
 

arlyn

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I too hate milk, I take a coral calcium suppliment.
No nasty slimy feeling throat afterwards.
 

kittylover4ever

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Jerry takes potassium pills for his charlie horses........and it's worked!
 

annasmom

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I used to get them all the time when I was pregnant (likely b/c of calcium deficiency, although I didn't realize it at the time, you learn something new on TCS everyday
). I used to think of them as practice for labor. They are essentially contractions of your leg, rather than uterus. Since I had epidural with both of my girls, my charlie horses were the worst pain of my pregnancies!
 

solaritybengals

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I wonder if lack of calcium is for any kind of cramps? I got a really bad foot cramp on Friday and ever since I have that twingy feeling like I will have another any minute. I stopped a second one yesterday. Its so rare that I get these but they hurt horribly and to have it threatening to come back for a few days I guess I should figure out what my body is lacking...
 

hell603

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hmmm bananas never helped with my leg cramps. I also take a good multi vitamine which I thought should cover it but NOOOO. I still get them and the funny thing is it's only my right leg NEVER my left - weird??!!
 

arlyn

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Originally Posted by Hell603

hmmm bananas never helped with my leg cramps. I also take a good multi vitamine which I thought should cover it but NOOOO. I still get them and the funny thing is it's only my right leg NEVER my left - weird??!!
It's possibly that yours are caused by the way you walk or stand?
Without knowing it, I used to concentrate my weight mostly to my right side, which was giving me some pretty bad nocturnal cramps both in my right leg and toes.
 

hell603

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Originally Posted by Arlyn

It's possibly that yours are caused by the way you walk or stand?
Without knowing it, I used to concentrate my weight mostly to my right side, which was giving me some pretty bad nocturnal cramps both in my right leg and toes.
Well, I guess that could make good sense . Thanks for bringing it to my attention.
 

crittermom

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Another way to eat a banana if you're tired of eating it plain is to peel it,put it in a ziploc bag and then put it in the freezer until it's froze...........then eat it
They're good that way and my 4 kids LOVE them!!
Hubby got Charlie Horses all the time until he started taking Potasium pills
 

catlover19

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You can get orange juice that has calcium in it. It says right on the container that it is made for people who don't drink milk. I am lactose intollerant so I don't drink milk very often. Every once in a while I will get a small glass of milk, but its not something I drink often.
 

MoochNNoodles

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One way to relieve thoes kinds of cramps is flexing your foot. I've had them but usually when I get it I have more shooting pain in the arch of my foot. A friend was suggesting that to a pregnant friend of ours and it's worked for me ever since.
 

cyber cat

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Eat Banana's, lot's of Banana's.

If you wake up with another cramp in the calf, grab all your toes and pull them up towards your shin, that will take it away; it gets your blood circulation flowing.
 

lookingglass

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Are you about to start your period, or have you switched birth control recently? If these cramps continue call you OBGYN right away, it could be a sign of clotting.
 
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