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Anyone here get foot and leg cramps at night...

SilentStalkr

Wonna Be Badass
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Minuteman
  • Oct 8, 2012
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    Any of y’all have foot and leg cramps at night? I don’t know what’s going on. Docs say all is fine but it’s getting old. Wake up almost every hour at night now with my damn feet curled like damn eagle claws or something. Anyone got any ideas?
     
    This is a possible sign of Kidney disease. Find a doctor that can at least have a blood test done and check your GFR.
     
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    Might be potassium.
    could be calcium.
    might be sodium.

    Also, might be unrelated to electrolytes.

    Hmmm. For sure a new doc.
    And get the water tested. or swap to bottled for a week and see how it goes
     
    I get em all the time. Had doc give potassium pills, tried more fluid including Gatorade with not change. I gave up and wake up with good calf cramps almost daily. I get a physical at least yearly so nothing has came back out of normal on my labs. My wives grandfather had them real bad but they were related to his poly-neuropathy if I remember correctly.
     
    This is a possible sign of Kidney disease. Find a doctor that can at least have a blood test done and check your GFR.
    Last tests came back fine, as I recall but I’m going to call again on Monday and ask specifically about GFR. I think you may be on to something cause last night not only did I wake up every hour with foot or leg cramps, it seemed to subside almost immediately after urinating. Then I’d go back to sleep and bam another hour and I get woke up by it again, then urinate and back to sleep. That cycle went on all night last night. With increased urinating, the cramps etc. I think you are on to something. Damn. I just rolled over 40 and it seems like everything is going nuts.
     
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    My doc said I have a salt deficiency. I started taking salt tablets daily along with some electrolyte tablets and my foot pain was drastically reduced. One good thing about this I don't have to go on a low salt diet. I think I'm a very rare case though.
    Also do some research on Plantar Fasciitis. There are braces you wear at night that help a lot with keeping your foot pointed upward rather than curling down. You can also prop a board up at about a 30* angle and step on it with your ailing foot and leaning forward to stretch the tendons etc in your foot and up the back of your leg. Hold it there about 30 seconds and then do the other one.
     
    My doc said I have a salt deficiency. I started taking salt tablets daily along with some electrolyte tablets and my foot pain was drastically reduced. One good thing about this I don't have to go on a low salt diet. I think I'm a very rare case though.
    Also do some research on Plantar Fasciitis. There are braces you wear at night that help a lot with keeping your foot pointed upward rather than curling down. You can also prop a board up at about a 30* angle and step on it with your ailing foot and leaning forward to stretch the tendons etc in your foot and up the back of your leg. Hold it there about 30 seconds and then do the other one.
    Yes sir, got plantar to. Biggest difference for me there is shoes!
     
    Are you drinking enough water? Do you take any multivitamins? Is your diet someone to that of your twenties and early thirties? How's the stress in your life?

    Last time I had some words what you're describing, just a few months ago, I took multivitamins for couple of days, drink a lot of water and oddly enough I couldn't get enough orange juice. The short of it, my body was deficient in some type of nutrient. I haven't had a problem since.

    And yes, 40 seems to be a pivot point when the body says hahaha fucker you're getting old... and it starts to break down.

    You think it's bad now, just wait about another 4-5 years when all injuries you got between you're late teens through 20s set in. If you ever broke or dislocated anyting... It's going to hurt when the weather changes
     
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    Last tests came back fine, as I recall but I’m going to call again on Monday and ask specifically about GFR. I think you may be on to something cause last night not only did I wake up every hour with foot or leg cramps, it seemed to subside almost immediately after urinating. Then I’d go back to sleep and bam another hour and I get woke up by it again, then urinate and back to sleep. That cycle went on all night last night. With increased urinating, the cramps etc. I think you are on to something. Damn. I just rolled over 40 and it seems like everything is going nuts.

    Have them test your Creatinine level and eGFR. Creatinine is the waste products in your blood and the GFR is the actual function of your kidneys. The frequent urination at night could also be an indication of diabetes. Have them also check your A1C and anything over 7 could be concerning.

    Good Luck!
     
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    I get ‘em too. I make sure and drink some water and take a couple of aspirin before going to bed. Works like a champ for me.

    Be careful taking aspirin on an empty stomach and then going to bed. Aspirins have been known to rot the wall of your stomach. This can lead to many things including a stomach ulcer. You don't want a perforated ulcer.
     
    You have any lower back problems? I get them in my hamstrings, calves and feet and they are all directly related to nerve damage in my lower back. They come and go based on how irritated my back it.
     
    Are you drinking enough water? Do you take any multivitamins? Is your diet someone to that of your twenties and early thirties? How's the stress in your life?

    Last time I had some words what you're describing, just a few months ago, I took multivitamins for couple of days, drink a lot of water and oddly enough I couldn't get enough orange juice. The short of it, my body was deficient in some type of nutrient. I haven't had a problem since.

    And yes, 40 seems to be a pivot point when the body says hahaha fucker you're getting old... and it starts to break down.

    You think it's bad now, just wait about another 4-5 years when all injuries you got between you're late teens through 20s set in. If you ever broke or dislocated anyting... It's going to hurt when the weather changes
    Ha. Already have those issues. That’s what I tell people, it’s not the age but the miles.
     
    Yes sir, got plantar to. Biggest difference for me there is shoes!
    Get Dr Sholls Plantar insoles if you haven’t already done so. $20 or so at supermarkets and drug stores. They helped me when I had PF and still use them today. Nice and cushy when you step/land on the affected heel, softens the pain. And like @mtrmn said, stretch the foot out, esp before you get out of bed in the AM and start walking.
     
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    As most above have suggested get checked out for sure. Don't expect a pill to fix it.

    I've been having issues like you describe....It was my back.
     
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    I've been getting calf cramps lately . Been doin Keto and found that Gatorade Zero helps . The only other time I get calf , leg or foot cramps is when I fuck for more than eight hours straight .
     
    I occasionally get leg cramps that won't go away regardless of whether you are standing, laying down, or crawling on the ground.
    I have a mini fridge in my room with small glass bottles of tonic water and the small sunny d containers.
    The Tonic water contains Quinine which is what stops my cramps. The Sunny D is because I can not stand the taste of the tonic water.
    I take a small drink of the Sunny D and then top of the bottle with tonic water then shake and drink. It usually stops the cramp within a minute.
    By using the small glass bottles of tonic water I can get many doses out of each bottle.
    I tried once to have it pre mixed in the fridge and it grew mold so now I keep each in their own containers until needed.
     
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    I've been getting calf cramps lately . Been doin Keto and found that Gatorade Zero helps . The only other time I get calf , leg or foot cramps is when I fuck for more than eight hours straight .
    Ain’t that a bitch. I usually am good for about 1/2 hr lol before I start getting some! 8hrs lol.
     
    I occasionally get leg cramps that won't go away regardless of whether you are standing, laying down, or crawling on the ground.
    I have a mini fridge in my room with small glass bottles of tonic water and the small sunny d containers.
    The Tonic water contains Quinine which is what stops my cramps. The Sunny D is because I can not stand the taste of the tonic water.
    I take a small drink of the Sunny D and then top of the bottle with tonic water then shake and drink. It usually stops the cramp within a minute.
    By using the small glass bottles of tonic water I can get many doses out of each bottle.
    I tried once to have it pre mixed in the fridge and it grew mold so now I keep each in their own containers until needed.
    Yeah this is about all my doc said to do. But now I’m concerned about this kidney function deal I’ve been reading about. They seem to come and go, definitely not nightly. Definitely come after heavy drinking, and seem to one more when I’m sick, like present.
     
    Same here, with order of frequency, Feet/toes, calves/shins, thighs/hams-adductors. Upper leg is an out-of-bed olympic vault maneuver with prayers that nothing tears. Fortunately those pretty infrequent. All serologic test/values, bean function solid and pretty close correlation to fatigue. 62 and the wiring/insulation, terminal fuses/relays/motor units more finicky. Usually coincides with bladder drainage through my grapefruit prostate; 5 minutes later, all is well. Hot shower for relief on rare occasion. Turning into the grandparents on "Sixteen Candles" (Ecc 12:1-7)
     
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    Yeah this is about all my doc said to do. But now I’m concerned about this kidney function deal I’ve been reading about. They seem to come and go, definitely not nightly. Definitely come after heavy drinking, and seem to one more when I’m sick, like present.
    Ask your doctor for a Gen Chemistry blood/urine work up (I suspect you may have already received this but in case you haven’t). Should include eGFR (afam and non-afam), BUN, Creatine B/C ratio along with Potassium, Sodium, calcium, bilirubin, albumin, globulin, A/G ratio (I think these last three test liver function), A1C (you need to fast for an accurate A1C reading). There are other elements but those are most applicable to kidney/renal as far as I know.

    Your symptoms could be caused by a bunch of things but those lab results should confirm or deny a kidney function issue. Not sure what tests you already had but if included any of the above and your results were in the reference ranges and you don’t have any chronic or otherwise inexplicable pains in the Kidney area, no blood in urine or brownish urine, I’d think your kidneys are fine.
     
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    Could be Neurologic . Mine is to some extent . 5 Herniated discs and a metric tonne of soft tissue trauma throughout the yearz . Had an Eltro Mylogram that left me flopping around like a fucking cod outta water .
    The eletrical signal that the trace from point A to point B cause a shit ton of muscle spasms followed by fuckin tears and promises of death if the Doctor performing the test didn't make it stop . After it was all done the guy was ashen and shaken . Said he had never experienced that before .
    I responded with , " yeah right , me neither ." You have any neurologic/Herniations/Trauma ?
     
    My third leg gets stiff at night in bed along with god awful cramps that the wife has to work out by hand.
    In a physiologic transfer of power, it'll migrate away into your lower extremities as time goes by
     
    Definitely get a new doc. Couple things to try in no particular order.
    Eat a banana ever day for 5 days in a row= rule out potassium.
    Put a couple pillows under your legs so hips and knees are at 45 degrees for 5 days. See if its sciatica.
    Stretch calves 20 seconds a slow set of calf raises basically to failure (if over 40 reps 1legg ata time.
    Put a dime of iodized salt in palm chug it.
    Try Gatorade ideally powder.
    Google bunny yoga and give some remedial yoga a try. Taking pressure off your body helps everything regardless of your issue
    See what if any of these help.
     
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    Water, Bananas, Aspirin. Worked for me throughout the years. Get cramps every now and then, but, not bad anymore. I've just learned to live with em and just chock it up to old age. Mac
    ETA: or, just have the wife hop on and work it out. Just say'n!
     
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    All you guys with your "get up and mix some tonic and Suny D" or "drink pickle Juice" ain't got my cramps! I don't get them often, but when I do (cue the Dos Equis guy) my body goes into freeze mode; I can't move and try to just straighten out the leg slowly when I know that if I could just jump out of bed and put pressure on the ball of my foot it would probably go away. But my mind just seems to say, "don't be stupid - moving might make it worse!" After what seems like hours but is probably 30 seconds, it subsides and I wipe away the tears and hope I didn't let out the scream I heard in my mind. Wife probably couldn't hear it anyway (I have to shake her in the morning when her alarm goes off!). Fortunately I only get one per night, but if I get it I'll still have a knot in my leg in the morning.

    I get ALL the labs regularly (trying to sort out some thyroid and A1C issues) so most everything is within the acceptable ranges. Eat a banana at least five mornings a week, do pretty well at getting a minimum of half gallon of water each day in addition to coffee or other libations. Best I can tell it's electrolytes - too much water and not enough potassium and sodium to replace what I might lose to sweat during the day. I had water poisoning once (yep - too much water, cells swell up and body started to go into shock!) so I TRY to remember to drink a lot of Gatorade or my home-brew electrolyte solution. But my leg will likely let me know if I didn't do a good enough job of remembering.

    Seems what goes around, comes around - I had what my mom called "growing pain" cramps in my legs when I was about 10 or 12. Here I am nearly 60 years later and they're back.
     
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    If it is potassium, drinking more water could make it worse, depending on how you're losing it. If blood test shows low potassium, take to dr about finding out why it's low.

    I get cramps in my calf sometimes. Always spend a second or two hoping it just goes away before accepting the truth and getting up and walking it off. Sucks.
     
    If you could get some quinine that may help

    I'm guessing if regular blood work is "normal" then kidney function was checked. If you are drinking tons of water though, electrolytes may well be diluted at night.

    As for aspirin, they make EC, or enteric coated aspirin to save the gut.

    Which is better than uncoated aspirin, but if you're going to do it daily it may not hurt to pop a Pepcid a day too.
     
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    If you could get some quinine that may help

    I'm guessing if regular blood work is "normal" then kidney function was checked. If you are drinking tons of water though, electrolytes may well be diluted at night.



    Which is better than uncoated aspirin, but if you're going to do it daily it may not hurt to pop a Pepcid a day too.
    Like you know anything about the gut!! Silly skwerl
    🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
     
    If you could get some quinine that may help

    I'm guessing if regular blood work is "normal" then kidney function was checked. If you are drinking tons of water though, electrolytes may well be diluted at night.



    Which is better than uncoated aspirin, but if you're going to do it daily it may not hurt to pop a Pepcid a day too.

    If we could get some quinine, we could have all smashed the Rona.
     
    masterbate less often, I know it's tough, but you got to do what you got to do

    but really try some sports drinks, when I work in the yard a lot this happens to me if I don't down a propel or gatorade or something like that. Its shocking how much those sports drinks help. Water will make it worse, it will flush electrolytes out of you more if you are low on them.
     
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    My wife used to have problems with leg cramps. A big help was compression socks or leg sleeves. If she sweats a lot exercising on a particular day, she definitely has to add electrolytes to her fluid intake. Just watch the magnesium intake as it can cause diarrhea
     
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