Leg Pain/cramps - what deficiency might I be looking at

I have been having leg pain/cramps (Not charlie horses) at night and I have seen a post or two about this might signal a vitamin/mineral deficiency.  What one (s).  It will be hard for me to explain the cramps but they are painful and can start in my lower legs and move up.

Thank you.

A couple of thoughts...be sure you are very well hydrated, and try eating foods with a high potassium content such as banana. (Not sure his far out you are, but go gently with bananas too because of the sugar content if you are fairly nre post op.)

Dehydration and potassium are big culprits for leg cramps.  Potassium is usually what helps that.  Having said that, if you have had little to no salt and especially if you are in one of the states flaming with heat right now, you may need a LITTLE bit of salt back in your diet.  My daughter does cross country and track and many times the coach will tell them to eat a pickle before practice or before a race to prevent the cramps. 

Potassium
Magnesium
Dehydration
Vitamin D - if it's more of an ache pain, my experience anyway.
Calcium
Iron

Sorry I didn't look at your surgery date before replying.  When were your last labs or are you due for any soon?

Had my labs done in June and they were all very good, I had surgery on Mar.8.  Looks like from most replies I should be getting a bit more potassium and magnesium, I'll research what foods to eat to obtain those particular ones.  I take calcium and iron as prescribed by my surgeon.

I too was suffering from leg cramps mostly at night.  I thought it was potassium (nope) then calcium (nope).  Finally I read that it can be magnesium but I can't take that because I'm on a blood thinner.  Do ask your Nutritionist what you may be lacking, they're a great source of help.  Also, the next time you have a leg cramp immediatlely grab the yellow mustard which will stop the cramps in seconds or minutes depending on the severity.  Most say a teaspoon but I dabbed drops on my finger a little at a time until the cramp stopped.  I didn't want my pouch doing flip flops because mustard is strong. This is a trick used by airline pilots and it really works!

Dehydration!!!  Drink more water.

I am about 3 weeks behind you on surgery and I experience the same middle of the night leg cramps. I will contact my dietitian about this.

One thing I want to mention is the mal-absorbtion component of our surgery. Just because we eat something high in a specific vit or mineral does not mean that our bodies will absorb it. There are specific absorbtion sites for vits and minerals that have been removed with our surgery.

Looking forward to a full nights sleep!

Heather

What is your calcium level on your labs? Vit D?

What are you taking for those.

It is usually magnesium, which is one you adjust to how you feel vs labs. But it's magnesium CITRATE (not the bowel prep!) in pills or powder you want. You won't find it at a drug store, but more likely a health food store.

Calcium, magnesium and potassium work together. You can add sort of indefinitely to the calcium citrate and mag citrate and it can balance the potassium, as long as you are drinking lots of water, as in water.

I get the same thing and I know its from my low potassium.  I had issues with low potassium and low magnesium in the hospital after surgery.  They had to give me IV's for that.  My pcp has me take  potassium pills 2 pills 3 times a day.  I was on magnesium for a while after surgery, but I was taken off b/c my levels went up.  My pcp is always checking my blood to look at the potassium.  I just had my bloodwork done last week and I hope my potassium levels have gone up.  I hate swallowing those pills.  But I have a feeling I will always be taking them.