Charley horse

I had my surgery March 18th at HRRH. Had a few problems but got out in 3 days so not too bad. Just after I got home I developed severe gout and my foot swelled like a football for over a month. It has finally gone but now I am getting a charley horse at night that wakes me up. I have to get up and walk them off. They seem to be occurring more and more often. Tonight I have had it in both legs starting with my feet....probably five times already this far! Has anyone else been bothered with these after surgery?if so is there anything I can do or take to help relieve them? Thanks,
Debbie

That is painful, have you been eating oatmeal? My husband has problems with gout once in a while and we finally figured out one of the contributors to the gout was oatmeal of all things!! 

I was eating oatmeal a lot right after I got home. I started taking cherry juice concentrate and vitamin C and that seemed to help get rid of the gout so I am still using them! I guess high protein and gout are to compatible!

My PCP had informed me that charley horses are due to low levels of potassium.  Her prescription was to have 1/2 a banana a day until it went away.

 

Judy

Thanks..I will try that as I don't usually eat bananas!

I somehow used my daughters account instead of mine. I am Grammaof3 not orcoco!

Hey Debbie:

I just figured you out.  I'm Darcy's sister Laurie, glad everything is going well (except for the charley horses).  are you taking your calcium.  I've been told they are caused by lack of calcium.

 

Laurie

Are you getting enough fluids in because sometimes charley horse can be cause by not drinking enough or gout can also be cause by something in your diet or vitamins being too low.  However, all these issue's you are having with your legs I would talk with your doctor as they could be signs of something else. 

I eat 1/3 of a banana every day. ( don't think I absorb potassium the way I should) - then no charley horses at night. I can skip 1 or 2 days without it - then I get the cramps again.

So daily 1/4 to 1/3 of a banana for me. 

I have also heard the potassium thing.  I have found that the quickest way to get them to subside is to put my foot on something really cold.  I used to get charley horses and I would keep an ice pack in a lunchbox cooler by my bed.  When  got a cramp, I'd immediately stick my foot on the ice pack and it would go away within seconds.   :)