Bizarre Bed-fellow Prevents Cramps

I also suffered from severe cramps at night. Then a friend suggested to put a bar of soap under the bottom sheet. What a relief... no more cramps.

Last spring I experienced excruciatingly painful leg cramps (eventually foot cramps too). I finally went to the doctor, had blood work done, and found out my
hemoglobin rate was 4.7! They put me in the hospital, gave me two pints of blood, and ran tests. As soon as I had the blood infusions, the cramps stopped. I didn't even know this could be a symptom.

So, perhaps people should make sure their blood levels are adequate when experiencing chronic leg cramps.

Hi: A few weeks ago I stated that I took 500mg Magnesium and 3 Potassium each evening. I'm sorry I made an error...the 500 mg Mag. was too much for me. I find I'm okay taking 250 mg, plus the Potassium.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
Angela

A teaspoon of mustard, any variety, "down the hatch" helps instantly.

I have had this problem for years, intermittently. I am a physician so have access to medications and I find that 2.5mg to 5mg of Valium (diazepam) taken and bedtime and repeated if I wake up in the middle of the night works well. This is a sedative, but I can take this dose during the day if necessary (the normal dosage for muscle cramps is 3 to 4 times a day) and not note sedation.

I have investigated this and found no abnormalities - but my father and grandfather had the same problem.

However, as silly as it sounds, I did put some soap in the bed 2 nights ago but am not sure at this point if it is helpful.

I find it occurs more often if I do more than usual exercise,or something different - it is always worse when I first start cross-country skiing in Winter, or start bicycle riding in the Spring.

HELLO----
read your article for the first time today and THANK YOU
I'll be reading it regularly.

I too have occasional leg cramps that make my leg twist to the point I can't walk it out. Somewhere along the way I started using Potassium pills when this happens and it works! I buy them at the dollar stores and right now I am using 595 mg one caplet. I take potassium regularly with my other RX meds and I only use this when the cramp happens.

I have found that for me eating chocolate at night makes my legs cramp so I try to remember this.

I had six and a half feet of terminal ileum removed about 5 years ago as the result of blood clots. I now have problems with diarrhea, and, consequently, loss of electrolytes and cramping in the feet, legs and hands. I try to manage my life with diet and medication but have been having more trouble with the muscle cramps of late. Last night and today have been particularly difficult. I have taken tonic water, extra calcium and magnesium and several large swallows of pickle juice today. I am dreading bedtime.

Hello, I love your site and articles in the newspapers, that's how I found out about Maccaroons and the soap in the bed and also the gin soaked raisins which didn't help me, but I didn't try that one for long enough. One thing that really helped me though is the Ivory soap in the bed - I keep it right by my feet in-between the two sheets and in the past three years I have only had one cramp a year, way down from before I started to use it.

I think your help and advice is wonderful I am about to start using the apple cider vinegar in juice. I'm very optimistic about natural remedies, so I thank you very much for your help.
KJ

This year, when I turned 65, I have started getting cramps in my feet and in my hands. It's a real inconvenience to get cramps in all four extremities while driving down the freeway. About all I could do was look for the nearest exit to pull off and wait for the cramps to abate. I'm a Registered Pharmacist. I am a strong believer in home remedies. There is always a logical chemical or biological explanation for why these remedies work.

When I am home and suddenly get cramps in my feet and/or hands, I go straight to the refrigerator and take a couple of swallows of dill pickle juice, around 30 ml or a bit more. The cramps are gone in less than 45 seconds. I now carry a 4 fl oz bottle of pickle juice in my purse to stop those debilitating cramps when I am behind the wheel of the car. It works EVERY time. Thanks for giving me the "Miracle Cure" for cramps.

I bought some Ivory soap to try to eliminate night time leg cramps. Does anyone find that it works if you don't take off the wrapper? I'd rather not take off the wrapper because it's so soft and crumbly.

I suffered from restless leg syndrome for years - and soap under the sheets has literally saved my life and my sanity. I have used it for about six years. Last summer I had to drive 16 hours almost non-stop and by mid-afternoon started having those severe spasms in the calves of my legs.

I needed to make a pit stop and, noticing the liquid soap provided, applied it to both legs, just from the knees down. I had not even driven two miles when my legs quit hurting and jerking. It works!!

I was a skeptic of the bar soap for leg cramps remedy. I am no more. It works!!! I had leg cramps for four nights in a row, got the bar of soap, put it in the bed by my legs and have gone cramp free. Last night I woke up with a leg cramp, tried walking it off and tripped over the bar of soap I had kicked out of bed. Put it back in, legs calmed down and I went right back to sleep. I need to find a way to secure the soap...

I used to have nocturnal leg cramps several times a week. I have not had any at all since I started taking L-arginine capsules. They are available over the counter in the supplement section of most stores near the pharmacy section.

I find that I only need to take one 500mg capsule per day to keep my leg cramps under control. You should consult your doctor before taking L-arginine or any other supplement to make sure it is not contra-indicated for any medical conditions that you might have.

I had intense leg and feet cramping for a couple years... I have found that Vitamin D3 is a wonderful help in this department. I take 2000 units once a day and 600 mg of calcium and I can now walk again and only rarely have cramping at night. The mustard helped tremendously when I did have cramping but this eliminates the problem.

I took this amount for about 5-6 months and then had my blood tested with my Dr and he said the amount is good. If anything I am still a bit low in D but with summer coming on and I'm feeling better - maybe I can get outside and walk and get some natural D! I don't know if a person can get too much but I think it is a good idea to have it checked by the Dr. occasionally. Its not an expensive test.

Within the past two years (I am now 70) I suffered extensively from nocturnal leg cramps, often having multiple cramps in both legs. I tried bananas, vitamin C, and drinking a lot of water, the latter causing me to get up several times during the night. This past Thanksgiving, our son told me he had heard that 6 ounces of tonic water with quinine might provide relief.

Since trying it, to my amazement, I have had almost NO cramps. However, I have wondered about the long term effect of quinine which was taken off the market as a "medicine," because of possible "side effects." In today's paper, Dr. Paul Donahue's daily column, "To Your Good Health," says "it is fine" to use tonic water since it does not have enough quinine to cause whatever unwanted side effects might exist.

Elsewhere I read that the amount of quinine in tonic water is minute compared to that which occurred in the prescription level. At this point, I have reduced my consumption to 4-6 ounces every other day. For me, the tonic water appears to be a miracle drug--and the price is right! Best wishes.

Richard S., Dillsburg, PA

PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: TONIC WATER IS SAFE FOR MOST PEOPLE, BUT FOR THOSE WHO ARE SENSITIVE TO QUININE, EVEN A SMALL GLASS CAN BE DANGEROUS.

Am very interested in the leg cramp remedies, since I get very severe ones that come on so strong the pain actually make me sick to my stomach. Regarding the bars of soap, do you unwrap them or just leave it in the box? Bizarre... Cannot believe I am actually asking this, but at this point I will try anything. Will also try the mustard and pickle juice, but would like to prevent them from happening in the first place if I could.