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Stupid leg cramps

post #1 of 24
4/15/08 at 1:40pm
Thread Starter 
No matter what I try; they just keep on comin'. No stretches have helped; not stretching hasn't helped; massage hasn't helped...grrr. I just keep waking up randomly because of these wicked cramps in my calves. I know, I know, it's normal; but this is really un-fun. I'm starting to move into a stage where I can't get comfortable at night to save my life. End rant.
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post #2 of 24
4/15/08 at 1:44pm


Not in for ddc... but for me I get them while sleeping. The first thing I have to do when I wake up is flex my calves (move your feet upward) and then I don't get them when I get up. If I move my feet any other way when I wake up I get horrible cramps. Just letting you know what has worked for me...
post #3 of 24
4/15/08 at 1:55pm
For me, stretching is what causes the #*&$%@!!!! things. I wake up in the morning, stretch my legs a little and BAM!! Leg cramps. I get these horrible cramps in my feet too, and it's just excrutiating.

I never really had too much of a problem with these in previous pg's. Oh well, each one brings something new and interesting to the table, I suppose. :
post #4 of 24
4/15/08 at 2:00pm
I've been having the same problem. Usually the pain stops as quickly as it starts, but I had one on Thursday night and my calf hurt terribly for the next several days. By Sunday I got freaked out thinking it could be a blood clot, so I spent 4+ hours at the ER to get an ultrasound of my leg. They didn't find anything.

Anyway, I asked my midwife about it today at my appointment, and she said it could be a calcium deficiency. I'm not a milk drinker and I hate yogurt, so she suggested eating almonds, more cheese, and calcium-fortified orange juice. We'll see if it works!
post #5 of 24
4/15/08 at 2:01pm
You have probably already heard this, but have you tried taking any cal/mag supplimentation. I take mine in a creamy form and have had a lot less cramping (and braxton hicks contrax) since then.
post #6 of 24
4/15/08 at 4:30pm
I have been getting leg cramps too, especially when I am in bed at night. They are so painful they wake me up and the only thing I can do to make them stop is to get out of bed and stand up and walk around a little bit. Sometimes my calves will feel sore for days afterwards. The other evening while watching a movie I had a horrible cramp on the top of my foot. There was no way to bend my foot to help so I tried rubbing it which didn't even take it away completely but made it more tolerable. I agree it isn't at all fun!
post #7 of 24
4/15/08 at 4:39pm
Another thing that will cause leg cramps is a lack of potassium. Eating a bananna a day really does help.

Also, when you stretch, NEVER point your toes. Stretch but making sure your toes are pulled as far upward (toward your head) as possible. Also, when you feel a cramp coming on, pull your toes up as much as possible. It will stretch out the calf muscles and prevent the cramp. After a cramp, walk bare footed on a hard cold floor for a few minutes. It makes it all feel so much better.

Mostly, for me, if I up my potassium and calcium I don't have them any more.
post #8 of 24
4/15/08 at 4:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kidzaplenty View Post
Another thing that will cause leg cramps is a lack of potassium. Eating a bananna a day really does help.
I tried this and it did help with the leg cramps but then I became horribly constipated. Just a warning for anyone who tends to get 'stopped up' easily.
post #9 of 24
4/15/08 at 4:52pm

Just my 2 cents

I don't belong here (yet), but was lurking and since I am a natural physician and thought I might add my 2 cents:

In my experience working with many pregnant women with this problem magnesium is often the culprit. There is a wonderful product called "Mama Calm" a powder that will increase your magnesium levels thereby increasing calcium absorption as well (great for your bones too!). Be careful not to overdo it though as high levels of mg can cause diarrhea.

Many mamas have also reported to me that nettle tea works wonders for the night-time cramps.

Just soem thoughts, hope it helps! *wanders back to the TTC forums*
post #10 of 24
4/15/08 at 5:25pm
HATE these!!! I haven't had any yet this pregnancy (knock on wood)! They SUCK! My doc said all the same things - calcium, magnessium (sp?), and potassium! Another thing that sounds SOOO bizzarre but it WORKS! If your legs starts cramping up and you can't seem to uncramp it? Keep a cookie sheet beside your bed. For some reason, stepping onto the cold cookie sheet will help unknot it! I'm serious! Works for me every time!
post #11 of 24
4/15/08 at 7:35pm
Glad I'm not the only one - they just started in the past week and not looking forward to them getting worse. I'll check into that calcium thing.
post #12 of 24
4/15/08 at 7:50pm
This is crazy but I have heard that a bar of ivory soap under your sheets works. Google and snopes it. I swear. I am waiting til mine become unbearable before I try it From what I have read it seems like there are a lot of theories on why leg cramps happen but no one really seems to know.
post #13 of 24
4/15/08 at 9:28pm
Luckily I have not had any leg cramps this pregnancy but I had to weight in b/c my mom is always going on about how if you got a leg cramp in the middle of the night to point your toes (towards your head) to make them go away. I don't know first hand if it works but her and my father swear it does. Hope that helps!
post #14 of 24
4/15/08 at 9:52pm
another vote for a calcium/mag supplement. My midwife swears by it,and I have defiantly noticed a difference since starting it.
post #15 of 24
4/15/08 at 9:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by DawnaRose View Post
another vote for a calcium/mag supplement. My midwife swears by it,and I have defiantly noticed a difference since starting it.
: I had them bad also. But when I started taking a liquid calcium supplement they went away.

Oh and to the eating banana and getting constipated - are you eating them half riped, I notice alot of people up here do that. I eat up to two bananas a day and never had that problem I make sure they are ripe. But everybody is different
post #16 of 24
4/16/08 at 11:35am
I have been getting these for a week straight every single night and i wake up screaming.. OUCH! I was in Mexico so I am finally home and going to start taking some extra calcium and see if that helps
post #17 of 24
4/16/08 at 12:29pm
I agree about cal-mag and potassium helping. And if you do get the cramps, I also swear by the heel down, toes up thing. NOT toes down!

Sounds like many of us know the "secrets"!
post #18 of 24
4/16/08 at 12:32pm
OMG? Is this what happens sometimes in the middle of the night when my calf muscle seizes up (as if I am squeezing it as hard as I can)? I thought it was just a freaky thing that happened to me a few times. Talk about painful! It makes me scream it hurts so bad, which DH really appreciates at 2 am. Luckily it has only happened twice but it is so painful!
post #19 of 24
4/16/08 at 1:32pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by dex_millie View Post
Oh and to the eating banana and getting constipated - are you eating them half riped, I notice alot of people up here do that. I eat up to two bananas a day and never had that problem I make sure they are ripe. But everybody is different
I tend to prefer my bananas when they are not fully ripe....hence my constipation issue I guess.
post #20 of 24
4/16/08 at 10:43pm
Thread Starter 
So, I hear through the grapevine that calcium/magnesium/potassium helps...? Ok; I just started taking my vitamins again (I lost them when I moved and just found them after two weeks without); let's see what becomes of this now! Be gone leg cramps!!
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