Leg Cramps

I am about a month out, and the last week or so I have been having terrible leg cramps. They seem to hit in the pre-dawn hours when I am asleep. They only happen when I am laying down. If I am having one, and I get upright, it goes away immediately.

Has anyone else had this issue, and if so, is there anything that can help this? As it is, I am getting up at 5am almost daily since these started.  I eat a lot of bananas, so I don't think potassium is an issue.

I am getting all my vitamins and calcium in,

I would appreciate any thoughts on this.

Thanks!

I seem to lose potassium easily so I must supplement with potassium tablets. They are available over the counter but, after poor labs came in, my doctor gave me a prescription for them. If potassium isn't the problem, then I have no idea. BTW, I have been told that stretching can bring on the cramps so never stretch out with your toes pointed in order to avoid a bad cramp. I've had them so bad that they actually sprain my calf muscles and they ache all day. Better up your potassium to be safe. There are a number of foods you can use but many would be hard on you this early out.

http://www.healthaliciousness.com/articles/food-sources-of-potassium.php

Potassium is the first thing that came to mind for me, too.  In fact, my levels dropped drastically after I had my surgery.  Fortunately, I was still in the hospital and they had something for me.

Thank you for the responses! I can try upping the potassium.

Potassium is tricky because docs are very persnickity about prescribing it.  I take OTC potassium every time I take a dose of anything which is 6-7 times a day, which is probably pointless because there is so little potassium in OTC potassium.  The best place to get potassium is through SALT SUBSTITUTE.  It is all potassium.  Also staying hydrated and NOT drinking anything that is dehydrating like soda, helps.  Also watch your Magnesium Citrate. 

Bananas do not have much potassium and are loaded with carbs.

I had terrible problems with cramps so I feel your pain.

~Becky

It's a balancing act.  Bananas are too carby for me to eat them regularly.  So I take all my calcium every day and alternate supplements for magnesium and potassium.  My leg cramps are usually fixed by magnesium.

I have been doing bananas and Peanut butter in my morning protein drink.

I got Potassium prescribed by Dr, but I have to break it up, as the pills are huge.

There are low carb ways to get potassium and there isn't much in bananas anyway.  Salt substitute is the best way I know to get potassium other than by prescription and you may be one of the lucky ones, like me, who need extra potassium forever and the docs are not going to prescribe you potassium forever.

~Becky

I started having leg cramps around 5 months out.  My PCP felt that they were attributable to my low iron levels.  My hematologist disagreed.  I looked into supplementing with postassium tablets, but was still a bit overwhelmed with all the pills I was taking at the time.  I tried to add a few bananas and baked potatoes into my diet.  While I didn't want the carbs, the leg cramps were driving me nuts.  And then, they were gone.  Well before I had any iron transfusions, they just went away.

I did start an exercise class about the same time and wonder if I just "overdid" the exercise at a time when I was still losing weight rapidly.  If I HAD to find a correlation, I blame it on the exercise, but admittedly, that might be a stretch.

The leg cramps lastsed a couple of months, on and off, and I have never had them since.  Blood potassium levels are great.  I'll never really know what caused them.