Cramp: A little tip for any of you... - Lung Conditions C...

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Cramp

AmethystAngel profile image
40 Replies

A little tip for any of you lovely people on this site who may be suffering with cramp... Try drinking a glass of tonic water each day. I tend to keep it in the fridge and have a glass on an evening (minus the gin, lol). I find it helps tremendously and hopefully any other sufferers of night time leaping round the bedroom will notice a difference too.

Xx

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AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel
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40 Replies
freefaller profile image
freefaller

Do you think this works better without the gin? I was getting cramp a week or so ago but found that just by drinking more water it went away. I eat lots of fruit and was told banana was good for cramp - something to do with the potassium. Don't think that actually ever worked for me. If I get cramp again I will try the tonic. I enjoy the occasional G&T but couldn't tell you the last time I actually had one - ah yes I can at a friend's house just over 2 weeks ago. Before that goodness; months ago. My other half has one and I sometimes take a mouthful out of his glass and the same goes for wine these days. Very rarely have a full glass of anything alcoholic. Enjoy my one cup of espresso more these days. Don't ever ask me to give up my strong tea though. Funny how our tastes change. Maybe one day I won't drink tea either. Isn't life weird.

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel in reply to freefaller

Life certainly is weird and I too have found my tastes have changed as I have become older. I was always a huge coffee drinker but now tend more towards tea... It seems more refreshing in this hot weather 😀

katieoxo60 profile image
katieoxo60

Thanks for the tip. :)

starveycat profile image
starveycat

Regularly get cramp so will try it many thanks :-)

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel in reply to starveycat

Hope it helps starveycat 😊

MarieW-F profile image
MarieW-F

I suffer terribly with cramp - to the point it affects my sleep and mood. I now drink more water and oddly I bought a new pair of slippers which have helped immensely - they are warmer and provide a bit more support to my feet. I have quinine to take if I need it but a glass of tonic is nice - I use it as an excuse to buy a really good tonic (fever tree) :-)

I did go to my GP and because I have blood tests each month there was nothing he could see from those that might have instigated it - potassium levels/salts etc.

Marie x

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel in reply to MarieW-F

Hi Marie,

It's the quinine in the tonic water that helps the cramps... Or so my GP told me.

Cath x

Bevvy profile image
Bevvy

I have a lot of problems with cramp in the middle of the night but hate the taste of quinine! I take quinine tablets from the GP and try to ensure I drink lots of water. Had a bad attack last night despite drinking loads. Unless you've suffered proper cramp people have no idea the agony it causes!

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel in reply to Bevvy

I have seen me be swinging on doors as unable to stand with the pain and to sit it gets worse... My husband looks at me as much to ask 'what the hell are you doing?' But he knows better than to voice his thoughts, lol.

My mum pulled the bedroom curtains down many years ago due to an attack of cramp, funny but not so funny if you're the one suffering.

freefaller profile image
freefaller in reply to AmethystAngel

Do you think there is a genetic thing to cramp? My Gran and Mum suffered but no one on my Dad's side but I have it too.

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel in reply to freefaller

I have never even thought about it being genetic... Hmmmm something to think about.

freefaller profile image
freefaller in reply to Bevvy

Oh no! No one who has not experienced cramp can even imagine what it is like. Oh My Goodness NO! I have been told that severe cramp can break bones - not surprising is it?

Sian

x

Bevvy profile image
Bevvy in reply to freefaller

No and no wonder if you get cramp in water that people drown! The pain is awful. I wake up swearing my head off in total agony. Each time I think is this the time my muscles will snap...... Horrible.

Had 2 bouts this week despite working hard to keep fluids up.

freefaller profile image
freefaller in reply to Bevvy

I have been lucky this week with only minor bouts of cramp. Have been drinking a lot more than normal - but then also awake most of the nights with the effects of steroids. Luckily been off them for 3 days now and OK. Thank goodness. Still not sleeping really well because of heat and sob now and again. Things are just not right with me. Just hope I gt my referral to Manchester soon.

Sian

xx

-glad profile image
-glad in reply to Bevvy

I too suffer with bad night cramps ,keeps me awake most of the night ,I drink loads of water ,but never tried Tonic water ,most of the time its my feet ,chiropodist has checked them said i have good circulation there,so its of to the docs to get it checked ,thinking it may be the Warfarin i am on . !!

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel in reply to -glad

Try the tonic water... It really does help 😊

-glad profile image
-glad in reply to AmethystAngel

I will try it but how much do you think i should have in a day ,? thanks

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel in reply to -glad

I tend to have a glass before I go to bed and find that is more than enough to keep cramp at bay x

-glad profile image
-glad in reply to AmethystAngel

Thanks for the tip i will try it tonight and let u know how i get on .

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel in reply to -glad

Hi -glad,

How did the tonic water/cramp situation go? Hope it helped 😃

-glad profile image
-glad in reply to AmethystAngel

Hi..Not been well enough to go out to get any ,but not feeling so bad this morning except CRAMP all night,so all being well i shall try it tonight fingersx .x

I find symbicort causes me to have bad cramps but tonic water seems to help with these.

MarieW-F profile image
MarieW-F in reply to

That's really interesting. My GP asked me how long I had been having cramp and I said as long as I have been taking Symbicort. He looked it up in his book and said that it wasn't a known side effect. I still completely blame it! :)

peege profile image
peege in reply to MarieW-F

It might be caused by the higher doses Marie. I got horrible foot cramps (all toes in spasm, like claws) when doc doubled Seretide to 500. Tonic Defoe helped. The cramps ceased completely once back on 250. P

-glad profile image
-glad in reply to peege

Hi doctors just changed my inhalor back to Seretide 250 from Fostair which was giving me chesty yukky cough,hopefully my cramps will get less too once i start drinking Tonic water

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel in reply to

Ahhhh will have to make note of that link, thank you roseuk.

Yes my husband found that works too - he gets cramps when he uses ventolin a little more than normal xx

emmo profile image
emmo

Yes. this is a well tried remedy, always works for me.

Nikkers profile image
Nikkers

I used to have horrendous cramp in both my legs and feet. The pain was worse than childbirth and had me in tears every night. I had tests at the hospital, saw specialists etc., but no one ever came up with a cause. The only thing that's ever relieved it is Quinine Bisulphate 300mg which my GP has given me for the past 10 years +. It's just a small tablet which is tasteless and easy to swallow, which I take each night at bedtime.. I could not go through that agony again and would advise anyone suffering to look into this solution...let's face it, you'll also be fully protected against Malaria as well, won't you? Lol. :-D

sassy59 profile image
sassy59

I get cramp at times especially in my feet but I do like tonic water - with the gin though! Thanks for the tip. xxxxx :)

O2Trees profile image
O2Trees

Magnesium deficiency also causes cramps. I was getting some - meds for reflux are notorious in stopping absorption of magnesium and calcium - and now i take a magnesium supplement and hardly ever get any cramp.

I'd never heard of tonic water as a cure.

Hope everyone stays cool in the heat - just heard on the radio that its not good to put very cold water on your body to cool down as it has the opposite reaction in the body making it hotter. Learn something every day :)

jaclin profile image
jaclin

Unfortunately Tonic water didn't work for me, I started getting excruciating cramp when first diagnosed 18 months ago, apparently Ventolin can cause it. I take a Magnesium capsule every day and a Quinine tablet from my GP at night and thank goodness the cramps have stopped. !!

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel in reply to jaclin

So sorry to read that tonic water didn't help jaclin but at least you now seem to have the cramps under control x

Dragonmum profile image
Dragonmum

L find that Seretide gives me cramp in the calf muscles - not been on it for ages and cramp disappeared; used it for a few days last week - back came the cramp,

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel in reply to Dragonmum

Try the tonic water Dragonmum... Morrisons do some rather nice flavoured tonic water 😊

starveycat profile image
starveycat

Bought some tonic water, had a glass last night, no cramp hurray .Thank you :-)

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel

So glad to read it worked for you Starveycat x

oulpete profile image
oulpete

I have found a half teaspoon of salt in water,not pleasant, will quickly relieve cramp.

AmethystAngel profile image
AmethystAngel

I shall stick with the tonic water as feel sick at the mere thought of drinking salty water but thank you for your comment.

AnnieEG profile image
AnnieEG

Hi All, Thanks AmethystAngel for the Post in response to Cramp. Haven't so far tried Tonic Water, as it isn't something I like yuk in fact lol! Having said that was interested to see there are flavoured tonic waters, so may have a look out for those. Am on the tablets prescribed by the Doc but still suffering badly, last night too, having just managed to drop off in the heat! Took quite some time to sort it, Big Toe this time! Calves seem to have a muscle pulling sensation in them a lot too besides the cramp! I shall give the Tonic a try and see it that also helps, sure home so!

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