29 weeks, 5 days: Too much blood, not enough heart

Diagnosis: Nocturnal Cramps in the Gastrocnemius

Layman's terms: Charlie horses in your calves while you are sleeping

Cause: Pregnancy. Increased blood volume and the inability of the heart to pump the blood efficiently, allows the blood to pool in legs and feet while laying down.



I wake up in the middle of the night, nearly every night, with horrendous cramps in my calf muscles. I am in so much pain I nearly start to cry. I have come thisclose to waking Chris up to help. I have to sit up and put my foot flat on the floor and voila, the cramp goes away. I then walk around with sore calf muscles the next day.



It started in Denver when I was 5 months pregnant. I sort of blew it off as the change in temperature and altitude, plus the increased chance that I was dehydrated. Then it started happening again a month ago.



I've also heard that lacking minerals can also cause a problem. However my blood work has all come back normal. I did some research and here are the minerals I need and the sources I can get those minerals from (strange enough most of these things I also crave):



Potassium - bananas (allergic to those), orange juice, oranges, artichoke, asparagus, peas, potato with skin, tomatoes



Magnesium - roasted pumpkin seeds, halibut, almonds, artichoke



Calcium - milk, cheese, yogurt, fortified orange juice



Sodium - salami, ham, ketchup, bread, corn flakes, pretzels, potato chips, soup, bacon, hot dog



Also, staying hydrated will help with leg cramps.



Here are the things I eat daily or weekly: yogurt, cheese, fortified orange juice, oranges, tomatoes, almonds, halibut, peas, potato with skin, ketchup, bread. I try to limit excess sodium since it can cause high blood pressure, plus it occurs naturally in a lot of food. I know I drink enough water since I have to go to the bathroom every 20-30 minutes.



Looks like diet is okay, I just have too much blood and not enough heart. Just in case, I'm off to drink some water, eat some yogurt and have an orange. Here's to hoping I don't have Nocturnal Cramps in the Gastrocnemius tonight!