Leg cramp relief

A while back someone posted about leg pain, and I think Nygirl mentioned something about drinking sports drinks to help balance electrolytes that might be out of whack from all the water we drink. It made sense to me and was worth trying because my legs were waking me up every morning about 4:30 hurting so bad that I had to get up and take something for the pain, and then I couldn't get back to sleep before the alarm went off. I finally remembered to buy a bottle of sports drink..G2 Thursday when I went to the grocery store, and this morning I realized that the past 2 mornings I have slept through until time to get up... no leg pain. I still get it other times in the day, but I can stand that.

I hope this will work as well for you other people who are having this problem.

Diane

[banarep]

you might also want to add in a banana or two every day and some oragne juice.  all will help with leg cramps.

[susan400]

Diane,

Here's 2 natural remedies.  The best one I know of is tonic water (which is what NYGirl does, too).  Also, make sure you're getting enough potassium in your diet with things like bananas, potatoes.  I like to occasional get some G2 Gatorade.

The other thing is:  A bar of soap in your bed, under the fitted sheet.  I know it is an old wive's tale and it sounds nuts.  I don't honestly know the science behind it, so don't ask me!  But, I swear even if it's psychosomatic, it works!

Those are my tips.  I know those darn leg cramps are a killer!  I get those and the feet cramps where your toes curl, I hate them!

Susan400

[spectda]

tonic water contains quinine which helps leg cramps and restless leg syndrome. A couple of years ago the FDA said that quinine poses health risks and I think the health food stores are not able to sell the supplement any longer. I am not sure if it's still in tonic water.

"Quinine Side Effects, Uses, Problems:
In recent years, quinine has also been discovered to provide aid for those patients who suffer from chronic leg cramps, and thousands of patients have been using it for this purpose. However, recent statistics have revealed several potentially-serious problems with the off-label use of this drug.
Heart Attack
Stroke
Quinine Cardiac arrhythmias
Thrombocytopenia
Liver failure or damage
Kidney failure or damage
Hearing loss
cardiovascular problems
allergic reactions to Quinine
Side effects that have been reported include cardiac arrhythmias, thrombocytopenia (a decrease in blood platelets that can cause hemorrhage or clotting problems) and severe hypersensitivity reactions. Quinine has also shown to cause problems in patients due to its negative reaction with other drugs that patients are taking at the time. Hundreds of patients have reported these side effects, and nearly 100 people have died as a result of these off-label uses of quinine.
Quinine and optic neuritis, blindness
Optic neuritis is inflammation of the optic nerve. Many of theses cases result from demyelinating disease, and multiple sclerosis. Chemicals such as Quinine and others have been known to cause optic neuritis.
FDA Reaction on Quinine
Officially, the FDA has approved only one drug, Mutual Pharmaceutical Company, Inc.'s Qualaquin, for use to treat malaria. No other quinine-containing drugs have been approved, even though hundreds of these drugs are currently on the market. Many of these products are also specifically marketed for this controversial off-label use.
In December of 2006, the FDA issued a press release announcing that firms were immediately ordered to stop manufacturing and marketing quinine-containing substances for off-label usages, specifically for the treatment of leg cramps. The government agency cited the troubling statistics above as a basis for this order."

[Diane12855]

I never heard of the soap thing. Am I supposed to put it under my sheets where my legs are or what?

[susan400]

You are supposed to put it down by your feet underneath the fitted sheet.  

As far as the quinine warning above, I specifically asked my doctor about using the tonic water and he said that the level of quinine in tonic water is very small and that at that level it would not hurt you and would help w/the leg cramps.  If you were to drink like a 2 liter bottle of it a day, then, some of the problems listed above may come into play, but drinking 4-8 oz a day, won't harm the vast majority of people.  There used to be a prescription strength of a pill that doctors prescribed to people, that was pure quinine and at that strength, it could potentially cause those side effects listed above.

Susan400

[Vic1967]

Ditto the soap thing.  Crazy but it works!  Husband doesn't like it on his side.  We push it back and forth with our feet!

[Lindaz]

Yeah you are right Diane........and who would believe but yes the bar of soap really does work!  I don't put it under the fitted sheet but just between the fitted and the top sheet.  Does the job!  I've been doing it for years!  

[IMstacie]

The soap thing is just so funny to me.  I've been getting leg & feet cramps for years.  I keep a bottle of potassium on hand  and pop a couple only when they are severe.  I also dring Gatorade during the day.  But, I checked out the "soap" prescription and even on snopes people have stated it works - it's just amazing to me. http://www.snopes.com/oldwives/legcramp.asp