Cramp

I get cramp frequently and it usually happens when I stretch my legs while changing position. It often leaves my calf painful and sore for a day or two. It is completely random and does not seem to relate to dehydration or exercise.

I didn't know it was so common that there was even a tablet for it. I feel very reassured by you GNers: Its not just me!

I was woken almost every night for months with painful leg cramps. Tried bananas/tonic water etc etc but nothing made a difference. I now take 1 x Crampex tablet (Boots) every night at bedtime and can't remember the last time I was woken by cramp.

Cramp in your calve can be relieved by pointing your toes towards your knee as hard as you can and waiting a few minutes. As you see them doing to footballers. I get cramp in feet, toes and hands and not just at night. Bloody annoying.

I thought cramp was something to do with salt - either too much or not enough. I get it often, usually in the evening or at night and worse when I've been on my feet all day so maybe it's caused by a build up of lactic acid in your muscles.
Stretching the affected muscles is supposed to stop it.
I get it more now I'm old but have you noticed that we don't get hiccups when we're old?

The best answer for cramp is to drink more and walk more! If I don't walk every day I get terrible cramp, when it strikes then I drink water immediately and try putting my feet on a cold floor.....that's if I can get there. It does work though. Crampex is useful in an emergency you can buy it over the counter.

I've found avocados and bananas good for mine!( both high in potassium)

Doctors don't like prescribing quinine unless they really have to and then advise not to take it for longer than needed [I assume the quinine in tonic water is very minimal]. I couldn't move at all when it happened.

I get cramp in my feet at night sometimes. I also have to get up and walk on the cold bathroom floor to ease it. Why at night? It never bothers me during the day.

I just rolled over onto my side as I was waking up and the cramp kept coming back in spasms . My calf still feels a bit odd even though the cramp was a week or so ago. Will have more sympathy watching any athletes that get cramp in future. Might start taking some of the many vitamin tablets I have that I buy and then forget to take; and drink more water [I always nag other people to drink more and don't do it myself]. I think I rubbed Voltarol onto my calf the following night [Voltarol being my cure all for everything muscular, replacing the horse linamnent stuff that my mum used to use].

I understand that quinine can be prescribed or bought OTC. When I had night cramps, I used to have to get up and walk around for a few minutes.

I had that one night last week too - I was going to post on here about it then forgot.
As so many of us have noticed it lately perhaps it's something to do with the hot weather. And I take statins too.

Pregnancy and taking oral contraceptives can cause muscle cramps but it is more likely that you are dehydrated or missing calcium or some other protein/vitamin.

Taking statins and some anti depressives can also cause it.

A lot of the time the cause is unknown. I have not had cramps since I had my knee replaced but that is rather an extreme method of curing it!

I used to grab my calf and start masasaging it vigorously because I am aware that the pain is horrendous.

I woke up last night with agonizing cramp and my calf was still sore this morning! I first had cramp in my calf when I was pregnant with DD but didn't have it again (apart from occasionally in my toes) until fairly recently. I couldn't blame the weather this time as it was a very warm night!!

Gosh I'm not alone then. I've never had an episode other than in bed at night. During the day, while driving would be awful. Oh dear.

I used to have dreadful night cramps in my feet and calves until I hit on the bright idea of trying bedsocks. And it worked. However, I still get cramp in my feet when I swim and I haven't dared to try aqua-aerobics since the time, two years ago, when I had to leave to pool because of the pain.

I keep worrying that, if it happens when I'm driving, I wouldn't be able to drive #alwaysthinkingworstcasescenrio

My sister fainted when she had an attack of cramp in her leg.

Same here Jane; had a cramp the other morning when I woke up that made me scream out when it kept coming back. My advice would be to see a doctor but I'm not taking my own advice . I did try drinking tonic water for a while but then forgot to buy some more. It did only happen the once but my leg still feels a bit sore. I think the time to worry is when cramps start after you've been walking for a while [that's what I'm telling myself, anyway]. I know a lot of people suffer from night cramps. The first time I had cramp when I was a child I thought I'd broken my leg [and I can still remember it happening].