Leg cramp - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

Serephina · 09-02-2009, 08:21 AM

I have been walking in the morning the last few days which is a very new thing for me. This morning I was woken up by a nasty charlie horse in one leg. You know the kind that will ache for a couple of days even tho the really hard pain goes away in a few minutes. So, now I am wondering if I should walk this morning or rest it this morning?

hpnodat · 09-02-2009, 08:26 AM

I've been having leg cramps for the last week, I'm not sure that mine is the same thing as yours though.

I work through mine. I exercise anyway. I look at it like another excuse to hold me back. I just take some ibuprofen and do it anyway.

I contribute my leg cramps to a magnesium deficiency. From drinking a lot of water. I think that's what its from anyway, I could be totally wrong about that. I've been taking a magnesium supplement and it seems to be working.

Serephina · 09-02-2009, 08:37 AM

Thank you hynodat. I am drinking water too, but probably not for long enough to affect my vitamins and minerals, I think my leg was just shocked that I made it walk at all. So one vote for walking.

Oh and I meant to add that I hope your supplements cure your cramps, Hynodat. These suckers are no fun.

annie175 · 09-02-2009, 09:07 AM

THis is going to sound crazy but it really works...put a bar of soap in your bed under the sheets near your feet/legs. Let it touch your feet/legs. Amazingly the cramps go away. Google it or Snoop it, it is true.

cheerios · 09-02-2009, 09:16 AM

aww man that sucks what works best for me is to get right up on the foot that got charlie horsed and hop on it and it goes away quickly and i feel nothing afterwards! you should try that next time instead of just waiting for it to go away.. in my opinion i think you should just walk slow to ease the pain off a bit

JayEll · 09-02-2009, 09:44 AM

Drinking a small can of V-8 juice in the evening helps prevent leg cramps. Try it! As for whether you should walk--yes, you should, but take it slowly.

Jay

bandit2 · 09-02-2009, 09:47 AM

Boy, those hurt.

I agree with Cheerios - as soon as I feel one coming on, I stretch out my leg completely & it goes away. Before I use to keep my leg bent and wait for the cramp to be over & my leg would be sore for days. This way it is OK
It is hard to stretch it out, but give it a try.

kaybelle9 · 09-02-2009, 10:29 AM

I've never heard of the soap thing!!!

it does sound like a myth!

I hardly get leg cramps, but boy, I sure did get them bad when I was pregnant. I feel you pain!! My doctor gave me an info sheet about them, I dug that up and I'll give you the gist of what it says:

Causes: Medications, heavy fatigue, new exercises, dehydration, high weight, and electrolyte imbalance.

Long term Remedies: Stay hydrated, stretch regularly, train gradually.

Short term Remedies: Massage the cramped muscle, gently stretch the muscle, hot shower or bath to relax the muscle.

I'd keep up the walking. Just take something for the pain, drink a Gatorade, go for your walk, and take a hot shower when you get home. Not going to lie, that actually sounds pretty fabulous.

Serephina · 09-02-2009, 10:37 AM

Hey Hypnodat! Your a genius! I walked my kids to school and my leg felt OK so I took my normal loop, maybe a little slower. I think my leg is less sore now! Thank you for the good advise!

LisaF · 09-02-2009, 10:39 AM

I've been told that not getting enough potassium can cause leg cramps.

Also, thyroid problems can cause leg cramps. It's not the biggest or most common symptom, but if you know that you have thyroid issues you might want to consider getting your TSH checked.

Lsia

Serephina · 09-02-2009, 10:40 AM

Wow! Thank you all ladies! Lots of good advise. I would never in a million years have thought of the soap thing. I drink a V8 in the morning already, so it will be easy to add one at night. I will try the stretching if another charlie horse comes on because I did exactly like you said, I bent my leg and waited for it to go away. But I can tell you walking helps because I just did that.

Thank you all again!

caryesings · 09-02-2009, 10:53 AM

I know some folks swear by the soap thing but did nothing for me. I have been fighting this problem since I was 11 years old (I'm 49 now). I leap out of bed still asleep when they hit and have to walk them off.

Serephina · 09-02-2009, 10:58 AM

Oh owie owie owie Cary! I hate these things! I cant imagine fighting them for years on end. I dont suppose any of the other advise is new to you and might help? Anyway that really sounds like no fun.

Institches21 · 09-02-2009, 01:04 PM

When I started to really exercise, I would get upper thigh cramps, usually when I was relaxing on the couch or while sleeping, they hurt so bad, I could not stand up if I wanted too, I had to just let it relax on it's own, sometimes just moving, would start the spasm again, just thinking about them now, makes my legs tingle.

The advice kaybelle9 gave you worked well for me, I still need to warm up and stretch {so super important for me} and of course the water, I can say I do not have those cramps anymore. They are terrible, and I know what you mean about sore, even after the pain is gone. Try not to stop, walking, you need to stretch those muscles, and taking it a bit slower will also help. Lots of great advice for you, never tried the soap, but if it works, thats great too.

caryesings · 09-02-2009, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serephina

Oh owie owie owie Cary! I hate these things! I cant imagine fighting them for years on end. I dont suppose any of the other advise is new to you and might help? Anyway that really sounds like no fun.

Thanks for the sympathy. When I was a kid, doctor's thought calcium issue. Over the years I've had potassium suggested and I've been tracking my diet for years on that mineral and even watching it as carefully as I do, have a really difficult time getting enough potassium from food.

The biggest help I found was not eating sugary food. Seems to break down to lactic acid that is pooling in my lower legs. Found got them about 80% less once I stopped eating candy. Then got another improvement by not drinking alchool in the evening. But just when I'm thinking I've got the right combo (good amount of potassium, no sugar, frequent exercise) I find myself propelled out of bed in excruciating pain.

The funny thing is, before I figured out how to cut down on the frequency, I had gotten so good at walking them off without waking myself up completely that I didn't remember the event the next morning. Had a boyfriend in my twenties who commented that he'd never seen me sleep through the night the entire time we were together. And I didn't know it!