Cramp - anyone else get it?

Hi xyzzy,

I work as a window cleaner, up and down ladders every day.
I often use to get leg cramps. Still do occasionally, but far less so, and more often now caused by falling asleep in a chair, and the subsequent position of my legs bringing something on, either on getting up or interrupting my night's sleep

A few years ago, I started getting attacks of gout. Okay at first - simply thought I'd stubbed my toe. Just couldn't remember when !
Then they worsened - extrememly painful toe, and shouting at the dog to keep away (he's so friendly, bless him)
I needed a solution, and google came to the rescue. I started taking baking soda, and effectively cured my gout. No subsequent attacks.

A few months ago, in the dr's surgery with high blood pressure, being told to lay off the baking soda (alleged sodium link to high BP)
Stopped for a while, and now take it occasionally.

Observation : the taking of baking soda for my gout seems to have improved my leg cramps. Possibly a coincidence, but again google would suggest otherwise :


"Baking Soda

Baking soda, again, like vinegar is helpful for so many things. All it takes is ¼ teaspoon of baking soda mixed with a glass of water after strenuous exercise or activity to prevent leg cramps. One reader claims the "soda neutralizes the lactic acid that forms in muscle upon heavy exercise." So if you have a problem with leg cramps, taking baking soda with a glass of water should prevent the cramps from happening in the first place."
http://voices.yahoo.com/home-remedies-l ... 60351.html

But I've also read that cramps can be caused by pregnancy. Might be worth checking

From an occasional fellow sufferer :cry:
Geoff

Alllllll the time Grazer. It's a thing with reducing carbs I think. I get some cracking cramps that are really quite severe muscle spasms, so much so, I have to be careful about having a good stretch in the mornings as this brings on some corkers. I've posted about it before as my feet can take on some interesting positions that I have no control over!

I got one recently whilst in the pub with some friends. All they could do was laugh as I lept about the place, clutching my leg.

wiflib

It's probably either a lack of sodium or potassium. Steve Phinney suggests you increase your consumption of both on a low-carb diet (unless you have high-blood pressure). He recommends that you drink some Boullion every day to take care of the sodium, and I reckon eating more avacado will improve the potassium.

wiflib said:

Alllllll the time Grazer

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Think you mean xyzzy? I've not posted on this thread yet! :eh: :crazy:
Anyway, I do have a "feory". When I was at sea and working in extreme heat conditions, we took salt tablets every day at breakfast to stop cramp. Although salt is apparently evil, you still need a certain amount for the body to function (bit like arsenic!We have that too, but too much ain't good!)
When you go lower carb, it's not the reduction in carbs causing the cramp. Much of the carby food you used to eat contained salt, so you're reducing your salt intake and hey presto, cramps. I started getting cramp when i reduced my carbs, so started putting salt on my food again. Hadn't done it for years on doc's orders because of borderline high blood pressure, but the lower carbs and exercise has brought my blood pressure to normal. As soon as I started putting salt on my food, the cramps vanished. And BP still down! A matter of balance as with all things.

No. I think Borofergie was posting while I was writing, but we're saying the same thing; lack of sodium (salt)
Up the salts and cramps should go. No carbs in salt! I think? :think:

I'm going to apologise for my mistake in the identification of the OP, but now I've lost the plot and am confused. Must be my lack of cake intake. Or something else.

wiflib (who is upset because on opening my fridge I have discovered there is NO CREAM)

Speak with your doctor about quinine tablets they will sort you out instantly or drink some (diet) tonic water before bed as that contains quinine.

I used to get very bad calf cramps when I was taking prednisolone which can cause cramps I got them so bad I could hardly walk the next day and the quinine tablets stopped it.

As borofergie says its often caused by a sodium deficiency.

wiflib said:

wiflib (who is upset because on opening my fridge I have discovered there is NO CREAM)

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Can't you keep some in the freezer for emergency rations?
And no need to apologise! Nice to know I was on your mind. I think. Unless you were holding a knife at the time.......

Sid Bonkers said:

Speak with your doctor about quinine tablets they will sort you out instantly or drink some (diet) tonic water before bed as that contains quinine.

I used to get very bad calf cramps when I was taking prednisolone which can cause cramps I got them so bad I could hardly walk the next day and the quinine tablets stopped it.

As borofergie says its often caused by a sodium deficiency.

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You beat me to it Sid, I was just going to post the same thing! I have had a reoccurence of this old problem, I am also taking diuretics (water tablets) which seems to make it worse.

Think I will go with the tonic water because it is bad ewnough being woken up with coughing, to get woken up with cramp as well is a blasted nuisance. :x

another snap
If they carry on see your doctor. Given that you already had too little potassium before you won't have the faintest notion which of the minerals are out of whack; and it is all about balance... it could be that you now have too much K or still too little. Who knows?
Make sure that you're drinking enough water.
Some people swear by tonic water to alleviate symptoms, interestingly this net doctor article suggests it or quinine tablets and at the same time discounts the mineral deficiency theory.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/ate/musclesj ... 01653.html

Hi

I had horrible cramps when i started on low carbing. But i tend to suffer from them anyway. I have not had any in a while. I do try to drink low calorie tonic water as that has quinine and it helps.

cramps are really horrible and painful so i do hope you wont get them anymore

cramps are really horrible and painful

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Yeah, I find I've got vocabulary I didn't even know I had when It wakes me up at night, and I can't stretch my leg straight :shock:

Geoff

When you get cramp in your leg, try not to jump up and run about, you'll just end up with a badly bruised muscle. Stretch your heel forward as much as you can, and stretch your toes backwards, towards you. Hold it there and you'll soon start to feel your muscle relax.

Since being a diabetic I get cramp alot in my toes and instep, especially when I'm lying down, but I do the same stretch and it helps.

Helena

Dear Xyzzy and Sid Bonkers, I had the worst leg cramps possible every night even to the extent one night causing me to lose consciousness. I went to the doctor (who I thought he thought I had been drinking ha ha ha) and he prescribed quinine sulphate which, until very recently, I had taken for some six to eight years continuously at night. During that time not once did I experience any leg discomfort whatsoever. NOW BEFORE YOU REJOICE - please ignore this advice!!!!!!! I have been diagnosed with some kidney malfunctions and distortions on scan investigations. My specialist researched in great detail all medication I have been using since my diagnosis (Type2) and found to his concern that the FDA HAS BANNED ALL SALES OF QUININE SULPHATE IN THE US HAVING CONCLUSIVELY PROVED THAT 90 DEATHS HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO LONG TERM USE OF QE FOR RESTLESS LEGS AND CRAMPING. the only reason that it is still available in Indonesia is because parts of the country have Malaria and QS has some beneficial effects.

Since discontinuing Quinine Sulphate I have noticed some slight minor cramping and strange leg pains during the day which do not last for long but nothing as painful or frightening as before. The doctor has prescribed Calos (Calcium) tabs 500mg and Neurobion (Vitamin B) which may have been successful in alleviating the condition but I will not know until the test period is concluded.

However, this is only my opinion, but I feel certain the leg cramps were caused by the onset of Diabetes which, at that time, I did not know I was experiencing and were possibly a strong indication at night that my sugar levels were harmful.

YES!! They are horrible. I have had them around four and a half years. I am on Quinine sulphate 300mg before bed. If I forget them, boy do I know it. I get cramp in my thigh, calf and toes. Nothing with the Quinine though.