Is anyone who is preggers having more 'charleyhorses' than usual in their legs?

Hi, all, I am suddenly getting really noticeable muscle cramping of the "charleyhorse" kind (you know, the horrible painful ones where a muscle seems to try to trade places with another muscle in your leg or foot and all you can do is moan until it rights itself).  I haven't had them except maybe once every 5 years, and just the other night in bed I had a whopper (was yelling OWWWWWW! OWWWWWW!  OWWWWWW! and my husband woke up and thought I was in labor and was yelling "WHAT'S WRONG?  WHAT'S WRONG?" and the cat ran off in terror), and now if I even point my toes casually I get one in the arch of my foot or near the toe.  Do you think it's a vitamin thing, and if so, what should I add?  (I'm taking a heck of a regimen already with my prenatals, Omega 3 and extra folate.)  Any advice, and do you think pregnancy increases the tendency for this to happen?

[cugirl]

I thought I was the only one.  Lately Ive had them the past few weeks.  I jump up in the bed in the middle of the night in pain...and being 33 weeks pregnant Im sure thats not a pretty sight.  Ive heard grape juice helps with cramps Ive been drinking some about everyday and it dont help.

[Jah02e]

I had those starting around 30 weeks and would get them several times a week.  I hated them.  They lasted until I was about 36 weeks I would say and then they just went away.  I hope yours don't last that long.  There wasn't anything I could really do for them.  I did get my DH to rub them, but then sometimes it would make them worse.

[nicki1010]

Im not prego but they sound like salt cramps to me. i get them every once in a while the ones that make your toe stiff and you cant move it . i put a lil salt in my hand and lick it it seems to help...

[AnnieBrooke]

Cugirl, that is exactly what I did, leaping up -- you just can't help it.  I'll try grape juice, may also try added potassium?  (Somewhere in the dim recesses of memory is a vague connection between charleyhorses and needing potassium.)

[cugirl]

Yeah the potassium thing,...I think grape juice has alot, also try bananas...ummm cant really think of anything else...minds drawing a blank.

[navywife41305]

i used to get charley horses ALL THE FREAKING TIME when i was growing up...havent got them yet now that im pregnant...but im prepared for when they do come...my dad told me to pinch your nose...the part inbetween your nostrils...that never worked for me...what really works for me, is flexing the foot of the leg that is cramping..it takes a little while, but is less painful than just waiting it out...after it goes away, i CAREFULLY massage the affected muscle and that seems to help it from coming back that night...i used to wake up screaming in pain and crying so bad...and  the next morning walking felt so wierd...i really couldnt walk on the leg that had the cramp

[Hope2OneDay]

Everyone gets these occasionally. When I do get them, I work the cramp out by rubbing the muscle downward. Someone told me a long time ago that when you get a charley horse, you should rub the tightened "ball" of muscle toward the ankle, sorta hard and fast, and it will help relax it (believe me, you'll be rubbing it VERY fast when you're in pain, while you're also praying it will go away!). It seems like it would work better and be easier to rub it "upward" but it doesn't! I also agree with bending the foot upward very slowly to help stretch the cramp out. If you can't rub it yourself, get your dh or whoever is handy to rub it for you...

Funny story:
One time, my mom was visiting from out of state, and she was sleeping with me in my room her first night in town (we had to do our "girls night of talking into the wee hours" ritual! :-)
Anyway, I had a charley horse in the middle of the night, and worked it out as quietly as I could. Well, afterwards, I went to use the bathroom and I started feeling all clammy. When I was coming back through the dark bedroom I called to my mom "Mama, I don't feel so good" (well, I was actually barely able to get the words out) and I fell to the floor! I guess the endorphins or something that kicked in during the muscle cramp ended up making me queasy and lightheaded, so I passed out! LOL MY mom jumped up and helped me get back into bed...but it was scary! I was like "Welcome home, Mom!".

[Morgan277]

yes, i had them my first pregnancy, pretty often.  now only in my 18th week so far, I only had one.  boy are they painful!!!!  i heard to drink more water.  not sure if that will help though.  i know i have been slacking drinking water so maybe.

[myproblem]

I had them so bad with dd. I would even get them in the bottom of my feet if I tried to stretch. Not too bad this pg, but I'm only 21 weeks.

[HIS GIFT TO US]

Same thing goes at my house only mine very early in the am, I finally figured out that if I get up in the middle of night to pee then I usually don't get one, but if I happen to be in bed for a full 6hrs I get em as soon as my eyes open. I read in a bk that you should point your toes up (not down) & do this often throughout the day & when you are going to bed, so far It's worked for me b/c I was getting them so bad my leg would feel frogged for days :) Hope this helps

[mslkpage]

I only carried my first pregnancy to 12 weeks, but I started having them. When I was 17, I fractured my pelvis, so even the slightest bone expansion affected me early on. Here's a pretty good article on leg cramps in pregnancy:

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/prenatalhealth/250.html

[siren of the sea]

oh annie i feel for you! i remember when i was pg with my son the same thing. woke up yelling and my dh freaking out to figure out what was wrong. one of the joys that go with pg. i really dont know if there is a fix for this in pregnancy. hopefully someone has a better answer!

[deb6572]

I get them real bad almost nightly. I am 26 weeks. MY OB said to take 2 tums and strech my calves before I go to bed and this seems to help when I do it. I also heard today at my ladies gym to put a bar of plain dial soap under my fitted sheet. Don't ask me why, but 2 ladies at the gym said it really works. Maybe it takes in moisture or the aroma or something.

[mumwith#4]

Hey - I had those with my first pregnancy only. My dr told me that it had to do with either too much salt in my diet OR not enough??? Go figure. Perhaps you need to drink more fluid? Or cut down on your salt intake...or vice versa. I could never figure it out either...it's a pain in the...(leg/foot)!!!

[Hope2OneDay]

Oh, I forgot to post this as well:

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/9/1665_53642.htm

[AnnieBrooke]

You're all so great with your comments!  I don't feel so out there alone.  It could be dehydration, but I've tried to be pretty careful about enough liquid.  If it happens in my leg, putting my foot at right angle to it (as it would be if I was standing barefoot) makes it go away faster than if I were to keep the toe pointed and try rubbing.  But otherwise I haven't found any tricks.  I will try the added liquid and the potassium too, though I can't remember if that really was it LOL.  I also as myproblem mentioned get them inside my arch of my foot if I casually point my toe.  And the place where the cramp was is so sore the next day!  Must be all that muscle stretching and softening stuff with pregnancy that makes them so much more frequent.  To go from one in 5 years to three in 5 days is very unpleasant!  Thanks so much to you all again!   Annie