Leg/Foot Cramps at Night

[Munchkin]

Who has them and who doesn't? Do you know why? What have you found that helps?

I do. Not all the time and my best guess is mine are exercise related. If I am more active than usual, I can bet money on having leg cramps in bed that night. And there is probably an age related factor here too. I seldom had cramps at all until I was in my mid 50's. I tend to think mine are not DS related because I didn't have them till I was already years postop. If I run ONE day, I will have them. If I run 5 days in a row, I won't.

I have tried all the electrolyte type things(salt/calcium/potassium/magnesium/iron even) and they don't seem to make a difference. What does fix mine immediately is to get out of bed and go sit at the computer for a while. So I usually get up for an hour or so. Makes no difference if I eat or drink.

The cramps are real. Sometimes you can actually see them. Occasionally they are so bad that my muscles are sore the next day.

 

[southernlady]

Sounds like restless leg syndrome given they attack mostly at night and movement helps. It’s possible it’s secondary which can mean a low ferritin or iron sat level. They can also be a result of varicose veins.

There is also primary RLS which is a neurological movement disorder and needs management with drugs. I was given Mirapex and Requi. I honestly don’t remember which helped more but I found out mine was secondary and iron related. As long as my iron panel is good, I’m fine. If my symptoms reappear, it’s time for an infusion.

 

[Webmommy]

I have terrible muscle spasms in my legs and everywhere due to fibromyalgia and probably the nerve damage in my spine. I can trigger them with stretching and it’s worse at night. It’s often visible to the eye and the pain lingers. Sometimes the spasms don’t want to let go and it can contort my fingers and thumb. It’s unpleasant. Taking a lot of magnesium glycinate helps but so does a nice muscle relaxant! I’m getting them less often at about once a week as opposed to daily or twice a day.

 

[Soonerjoseph]

I have constant leg/foot and even stomach(!!!)/hand/arm cramps in my muscles when I overwork them even the smallest amount. It happens in cold weather or hot weather (sweating or not sweating). I can sometimes preclude them from happening by buying a gallon of pickles and drinking half the pickle juice during the day. Otherwise I'll wake up with cramps that last 10+ minutes in a specific muscle area and no amount of working it out helps.

Mine are exactly like yours; You can see them happening with your eyes. And the soreness is very apparent the next day. It's definitely exercise/hard work related.

 

[JackieOnLine]

I wonder what it is about the pickle juice that works.

 

[Soonerjoseph]

I wonder what it is about the pickle juice that works.

I always thought it just pumped a massive amount of salt in my system but I'm getting cramps even when I don't sweat so I'm not sure. Unfortunately my youngest son who eats the pickles leftover from the jug has been at his moms' the past month so I haven't wanted to buy any pickles just to see them go to waste after chugging the juice down LOL!

 

[Georgepds]

I have foot pain/numbness due to diabetic neuropathy... one of my main reasons for DS ( boggles the mind how it can be both painful and numb... but that is how it's best described). It's no longer getting any better.. but at least it's not getting any worse.

My experience, different from yours, is that exercise moderates/reduces the discomfort

FWIIW, a neurologist can test for nerve damage using nerve conduction test..there are causes for this type of foot pain other than diabetes. Might help

 

[southernlady]

I have foot pain/numbness due to diabetic neuropathy... one of my main reasons for DS ( boggles the mind how it can be both painful and numb... but that is how it's best described). It's no longer getting any better.. but at least it's not getting any worse.

My experience, different from yours, is that exercise moderates/reduces the discomfort

FWIIW, a neurologist can test for nerve damage using nerve conduction test..there are causes for this type of foot pain other than diabetes. Might help

I was diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy in 1997. Between then and 2006, I went thru about 12 NCS (I was in a clinical study for 18 months and had 6 of them).

I told my newest neurologist, I don’t need one anymore. It hasn’t changed that much.

 

[Georgepds]

FWIIW, The neurologist can also do a blood test which will show MGUS, the precursor to myeloma, and another cause of neuropathy

 

[southernlady]

FWIIW, The neurologist can also do a blood test which will show MGUS, the precursor to myeloma, and another cause of neuropathy

Since the incidence of that is 3-5% in individuals over 50, I’m about 100% positive mine is cause by diabetes. .

 

[Marquis Mark]

I used to get them constantly and horribly. I was awoken 2-3 times a night by them. They virtually stopped when I reduced my calcium intake. Could be a coincidence, but the timing was unmistakable.

 

[Munchkin]

I have been lazy this Winter. Much less active so…no leg cramps. Haven’t had them in months. But I am gearing up to start doing yard work again. One new thing I have discovered is that if I know I am going to get them, taking a dose of Tylenol around bed time will usually stave them off. I don’t use much Tylenol but I bought some for my COVID kit because they recommended it over advil/aspirin.

 

[N00DLE]

I have struggled with severe cramping especially my feet and lower legs but also my stomach and thigh at times. At times my calf cramps were so bad that I would have to wake my husband up to apply pressure in order to get the cramp to release absolutely horrid. I had all my vitamin and minerals levels checked and they were in the good range and I have had nerve conduction tests. Then I found cramp defense. This coupled with making sure I get 40 to 50 oz of water a day at a minimum have made my cramps almost non-existent. Not sure why one in the morning and one in the evening seem to do the trick for me but it does
just my experience.

Cramp Defense®

Magnesium Supplements for Muscle Cramps and Leg Cramps Caused by Magnesium Deficiency.

www.crampdefense.com