Listen to Erathoniel ranting on and on in good ol' conservative Christian fashion.
Published on May 7, 2008 By erathoniel In Health & Medicine

    Now, somebody tell me if this is a medical problem, or just my dehydration (yes, I spend 80% of my time more or less dehydrated, but I do try not to be). Every morning (for the past four days), when I wake up, my calves cramp. I've torn my calf within the past year (six months ago), and these cramps have tear-like syndromes for about two or three hours, but I think that's just the severity. They're extremely painful, and used to be limited to occuring in my right calf (the one I hurt), but happened this morning in my left calf. Last Tuesday I started a swimming regimen (five or so laps, then cool-down swiming for about 25 minutes). Is this causing the cramps?

   Help me out here, people! For additional information: I'm male, a little overweight (not terribly, it doesn't affect my capacity, only stamina), and the cramps have caused a decrease in leg stamina.


Comments
on May 07, 2008

Could be sodium loss...getting enough salt?

Also...drink some freakin' water.  Dehydration is never good.

~Zoo

on May 07, 2008

Last summer while running I found my calves would start cramping right at the 10 k point like clockwork. I replaced the water I would drink before running with gatorade and voila, the cramps stopped. There are plenty of websites through the use of Dr. Google that will give you advice on leg cramps

on May 07, 2008

I'm not doing anything, though, I drink enough electrolytes (Propel [almost] every day), I'm drinking enough, get too much salt, and the Minocycline ain't doin' it. Any clues?

Yes, dehydration is bad, but it's when I wake up in the morning, so even if I go to bed totally hydrated, I still have the cramps by morning.

on May 08, 2008

Again this morning. Right leg. Hurts. Hard to get out of bed.

on May 08, 2008
Does it go away with stretching and walking around? How much walking do you get in during the day? If you're hydrated, stretching and/or walking doesn't do the trick, I would seek a medical opinion.
on May 08, 2008

My guess is that the cramps are caused by dehydration and that you need to find the reason for the dehydration.

Are you generally thirsty and has this become worse over the last few days?

Does it happen only in the mornings?

If there is thirst, is it caused by

a) you don't drink enough?

you sweat too much?

c) you pee a lot?

If it's the first, I suggest you drink more. Drink mineral water and no sodas for a few days.

If it's the second, look for an infection of some kind.

If it's the third, test blood glucose. Could be in the 180s or even higher, causing dehydration in the mornings as the kidneys try to get rid of the excess sugar.


Seek medical help!

Good luck.

 

on May 08, 2008

I can walk and stretch and it gets better in due time.

It happens only in the mornings, though I occasionally cramp up more often.

a) Been trying to, think I actually am. Drink no soda anyways.

I sweat, but not beyond what I should have.

c) Not terribly much. About four times a day, when drinking all I can. I do have diabetes in my family history (and not obesity), and my aunt's kidneys failed a year or two ago due to a blood problem. (TTP, I think it was, but I'm not sure)

I don't wanna go to the doctor! I'm due back soon enough for the Minocycline anyways.

My main fear is that I'm damaging the darn muscles or killing off my stamina in them.

on May 09, 2008

Update: No cramp today! I think it's because I drank 8 oz. of water just before going to bed.