Leg/Foot Cramps at Night

Since surgery (5 weeks out), I have been getting pretty severe cramps in my calves, ankles, and feet. They are so painful that i am only getting a few hours a night. I'm not sure if it's related to my surgery/new diet, and I am going to the Dr next week. But, I was curious if anyone else has experienced this.

I believe the leg/foot cramps are often related to low magnesium/potassium and calcium...maybe try increasing some of these supplements? Oh and I also get leg cramps if I haven't had enough water but I suspect it's a mineral deficiency thing because your body just isn't getting the same levels it was pre-surgery. I hope it gets better quickly.

About 2 years after my RNY I started having very bad leg and foot cramps mainly in the evening. They would often be especially bad after a long day of walking or being on my feet. I complained to my chiropractor and she said to check to see if my calcium supplement included magnesium. I was doing the Bariatric Advantage chewables and they do not have any magnesium.

She explained to me that calcium is the hardener and magnesium is the softener. I take a calcium citrate with magnesium in addition to a potassium/magnesium capsule. I can still get leg cramps occasionally, but they're not as bad. I also have a spray on magnesium oil to use topically and I've found that elevating my legs above my heart helps a lot--just lay on the floor and putting my feet up for 10 minutes can make a difference.

So, it's likely that you might be low in magnesium--check your calcium supplement to see if it's included. Definitely check with your doc and try elevating your legs and feet for 10 minutes or so before bed. That will also help with fluid retention which could be impacting your circulation and causing the cramps. I'd never had bad leg cramps before and they are the pits!

Jen

Oh mah word. Yes! And it's the worst. The others are right, try magnesium and potassium. I've also found increasing my water has helped (and I already drink 100 oz). Doing a little stretching before bed has seemed to help as well!

I used to have terrible leg cramps at night. I take a magnesium supplement daily and never have them anymore.

I take magnesium morning and evening. I had stopped tge morning dose and found I was cramping at night. One dose I guess wasn't keeping my levels up for 24 hrs.

Brands make a difference too. You may absorb one better than another. Blood tests for magnesium are inaccurate do have to go by how you feel.

What brand of magnesium do you take?

I take KAL magnesium glycinate in the morning- I switched to vitamin shoppe brand because it was on sale and I think that's why I stopped for awhile-it wasn't working. Now that I'm back on KAL immediate difference.

At night I've been taking MagOx - first bottle though. That one I started more for sleep and help with bathroom habits.

I was getting massive cramping as well in all the same places. It turned out that my potassium was pretty low. My doc put me on potassium(it's a freakin horse pill! LOL!). I haven't had any more issues at all.

I hear you on the horse pills! For potassium, I switched last year to Potassium Citrate powder...waaaay easier to get down and lots more affordable. I use Now Foods brand, it's 448 mg in 1/4 level teaspoon that I mix with my daily metamucil (along with powdered calcium, magnesium and C). Might be an option for you :)