Do you get leg/calf cramps in bed? So bad you have to JUMP OUT of bed to stretch them out?

[Eliot Rosewater]

So do I, or I did.

For years and for whatever reason almost every night I would get the most debilitating, painful cramps in my calves and I would have to jump out of bed and lean against the wall to stretch them to get them to stop. Only to have to repeat this 15 minutes later.

I used to buy the Hyland's leg cramp pills, expensive and didnt work all that well.

At one point I got my doc to prescribe the malaria drug that treats this, but he wouldnt refill it for me. Quinine sulfate I think it was. That is my memory anyway, was a long time ago, worked great. But you cant get it for that, normally.

Get to the POINT Eliot!

Get at least one, I use 3, bars of soap. Put them at the bottom of your bed on top of the fitted sheet, under the other sheet so they are near your legs without obstruction. I heard that lavender is better, not sure. I have two that are Dove lavender and then one Dove white bar of soap.

I have had one cramp in one year. I shit you not.

I know there is no scientific research to say this works, but it works for me.

You're welcome!

Please, if you have this problem PLEASE trust me and try this and get back to us here, thanks!

Two of these and one regular white bar

[Dream Girl]

1. How did you come up with this? What makes this work?

FYI - I don’t think Dove is technically soap.

[Eliot Rosewater]

11. Read it somewhere couple years ago.

[ret5hd]

2. Teaspoon of mustard before bed does it for me.

I learned this from a cyclist.

[Eliot Rosewater]

12. Good to know!

[Cousin Dupree]

31. Any time I get leg cramps, a teaspoon of mustard works almost immediately. Crazy but true

[Iliyah]

3. Yes! . . .

I have had them since childhood, and that is interesting.

[Chemisse]

4. Drinking extra water has helped me. n/t

[True Blue American]

10. That is what the Doctor recommends.

Lots and lots of water. That does not mean coffee and tea. You also need to keep those kidneys functioning.

[brush]

5. Sounds like you're not hydrating during exercising.

Drink more water and/or a sports drink like Gatorade during and after working out. And generally during the day. Our bodies need water.

I used to get those when I would walk a round of golf and not drink enough water. What I would do is massage the blue "Hot Ice" gel into the muscle vigorously. That would soon diminish the cramp.

[Eliot Rosewater]

15. Yeah, I dont drink enough water or get enough exercise, or didnt. But the soap thing

does work like a miracle.

I hope people who have the problem try it, because I will be very surprised if it doesnt work for most.

[brush]

19. If I get another one I'll try the soap solution. That's easy to do.

[pnwest]

6. I've heard this remedy before, I get

those leg cramps, too. I also have to stand up and stretch the calf to ease the cramp. I haven’t tried the soap thing, tho, cause Mr West would scoff... Maybe I will try it...

[Eliot Rosewater]

14. I will be shocked if it doesnt work for you, I am an extreme case.

Please try and get back to me here in this thread!

[pnwest]

36. I will let you know!

[IcyPeas]

7. is your magnesium low?

check out a supplement called "Calm" it's a calcium/magnesium supplement. flavored or unflavored or vegan gummies. It helps to relax muscles.

I have heard of this soap thing, but never tried it.

Hey, whatever works.

[Eliot Rosewater]

13. Didnt help me, but thanks. So far only the soap thing worked for me

[mopinko]

35. gavescon antacid works for me.

they fizz and get absorbed almost immediately.
also great for heartburn.

[Richard D]

18. I was going to say this . . .

. . . Calms magnesium powder. 2 teaspoons in a little hot water until it stops fizzing. Add a little more water and drink it down before bedtime.

[wnylib]

37. I get leg cramps sometimes that

are so painful that I cry. I drink some milk with Nestle chocolate syrup stirred into it and the cramps go away soon after. I have guessed that it is a combination of the calcium in the milk and the magnesium in the chocolate.

Any chocolate syrup would probably work, but I prefer Nestle because it does not have high fructose corn syrup in it (Hershey's does have it), and I like the taste of Nestle chocolate better.

[Totally Tunsie]

8. I've often seen this soap remedy as a

click-bait site at the bottom of legit articles, but I never cave to click-bait and have never pursued it. Interesting to hear it works for you, and I'm glad you found relief.

[Ritabert]

9. Vitamin B complex

Vitamin B complex. There is some evidence that taking a daily capsule containing eight B vitamins—B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6, B7 (biotin), B9 (folate), and B12—may prevent cramps.

[SheltieLover]

16. Magnesium citrate before bed

Great for all muaclea, inxlusung heart.

[brer cat]

17. Drinking dill pickle juice gets rid of them for me.

But then I have to repeat when they come back the next night. I also took the quinine sulfate pills which were great. Problem was that they are too expensive in US and it was a hassle to get them from England where they were very affordable.

I will give your soap remedy a try.

[Eliot Rosewater]

21. Good , cuz I bet it will work.

[doc03]

20. I started drinking one or two bottles of Body Armor during my bicycle rides

haven't had a problem with cramps all year.

[Wawannabe]

22. I get them. But it is my warning that I am not hydrating enough

Once I am rehydrated they stop.
But sure is debilitating, right?

Take care. I probably won't try unless hydration stops working for me. But certainly good know!

[LSparkle]

23. I have had debilitating cramps ... magnesium helps

But I’m open to the soap cure too. Nothing worse than not being able to sleep especially during this Covid nightmare.

[chowder66]

45. Some soap has magnesium in it so maybe that it somehow helps but how I couldn't say.

[cutroot]

24. Tonic water has quinine in it it works great

[Earthshine2]

25. Pre-emptive stretching?

I stretch my legs thoroughly before bed to prevent this from happening.

I hate that restless-leg thing!

[dhill926]

26. I use acupressure....

pinch my lower lip in the middle. Works every time...

[Eliot Rosewater]

28. Seriously? will try

[rurallib]

38. works for me also, but that is AFTER you get a cramp -- WHOOPS! Pinch the upper lip

in the middle - below your nose.

[blueinredohio]

27. Eat pickles or take apple cider vinegar pills

[Skittles]

29. I get them

one time my ENTIRE LEG cramped, to the point that it felt like a prosthetic leg

I'll try some of the suggestions in this thread

[Eliot Rosewater]

32. ...

Mine for sure, and if I ever get them again I will try the mustard idea.

[Cousin Dupree]

30. I put a bar of lavender soap under the bottom sheet on my husband's side of the bed.

He rarely gets “Jimmy legs” anymore.

[NBachers]

33. I had terrible thigh cramps- tried different Magnesiums-Mag R&R has finally fixed it for me.

Two capsules before bed, and I haven't had a cramp since I started taking it- 6 to 8 months now.

https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Relaxation-Supplement-Magnesium-Glycinate/dp/B01BRKA2YU/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=Mag+R%26R&qid=1603574220&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyR1gwVUY5RTZXUVpHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjExMzQzMktLRTkyN1QySFNOUCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNTMzNjM2MVI5WkRORzIwVzhTQyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

[Eliot Rosewater]

40. Thanks, will add to my Amazon wish list so it will be there in case I need it

[MoonchildCA]

34. Magnesium does the trick for me.

If I forget to take it for a few days, they come back with a vengeance.
I long for the days when it was only a Charlie horse in my calf. Now, they are on the sides of my legs, my shins, ankles, always somewhere weird. Standing doesn’t help anymore, though if I don’t stand, they become even more excruciating. I have to use a heating pad to make them go away.

Thanks for reminding me though, I’m off to take my magnesium now...

[OregonBlue]

39. My brother-in-law who was an infantry sargeant in Viet Nam told me almost all the guys got them

patrolling in the heat all day long. Their medic gave them each 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of plain old baking soda in a glass of warm water every night. It worked. They also started drink a glass before they went out on patrol.

I get them really bad many nights and I go mix up a 1/2 teaspoon of soda in just a few oz. warm water and they start to fade within just a couple of minutes. Not sure if it's bad for you but mine are so bad, I don't care. It works!!

[Marthe48]

43. baking soda is like an electrolyte

My best friend had kidney disease and had a lot of trouble with dehyrdation. You can't drink plain water and replace the electrolytes. She would mix 1/4 tsp. baking soda and 1/4 tsp salt in a liter of water and drink that if she walked or on hot days.
Potassium is another electrolyte, and you want to be sure to keep them all balanced so you don't run into heart and other problems.

[Marthe48]

41. I have restless leg syndrome and get cramps

I take Ambien to get to sleep. That usually gets me past the restless legs. I noticed that getting my feet flat, like getting out of bed, stopped the lower leg and foot cramps, so I make sure my feet are against the wooden footboard. If I start cramping, I jam my feet against the board, and it really helps. I am so used to doing it, I hardly wake.
I learned an exrcise where you sit and either lift your legs or not, but bend your feet toward your body. The exercise stretches the muscles most likely to cramp. I don't do this often, just when I think of it.

Maybe it is ingredients in soap, like potassium. Really glad you found a soluntion And I might try that, too.

[Eliot Rosewater]

42. I dont know, from what I have heard about Ambien, you might eat the soap!

Kidding, try the soap, make sure it is lavender!

[Marthe48]

44. Haha

If I don't get to bed pretty soon after I take my dose, I can go crazy in the kitchen. When my Mom was with me, we always had butter pecan ice cream in the freezer for her. I worked afternoons from home, and if I stayed up too long after taking my pill, I'd get the ice cream and start eating the pecans out of it, the whole time thinking, "I shouldn't be doing this!" lol