Mike, I used to play a lot of tennis and perspired profusely. My cramps
were so severe, usually after a match in hot, humid weather, that I
would be literally immobilized in bed with cramps from head to foot. I
was effectively paralyzed and in great pain for 20-30 minutes on the
most severe occasions.
I tried the sports drinks, salt tabs and potassium. I stopped the
potassium when my physician observed the signature high potassium in my
electrocardiogram. The only thing that worked for me was calcium. At
the time I used bone meal, but you're better off with calcium citrate
because the lead level in bone meal can be high. One time when I had no
bone meal and I felt the cramps coming on after a match, I swigged down
almost a quart of milk, which nipped them in the bud.
Like Tom below, I now use a swig of tonic (sans booze) twice a day to
prevent leg, hand and chest cramps. (I seem to be unusually
susceptible; more so than anyone I've ever known. There are articles in
the medical journals supporting the use of quinine. In fact, I can send
you one if you're interested. No one seems to know why it works, but it
does.
73 and give my best to Ann and Jay.
Joe
K2XX
Tom Anderson wrote:
>Mike:
>
>I have had a similar problem only in my calf and thigh muscles mostly at
>night, but any hour of the day is possible. My physician hasn't
>diagnosed the cause yet, but he has said drinking quinine water
>occasionally will help (most of the time you'll find it on the grocery
>store mixer shelves as "tonic water with quinine". Also a recent column
>by a couple physicians in a local newspaper suggested occasionally
>eating a teaspoon of mustard (really) can help alleviate muscle cramps.
>These two docs that wrote the newspaper column suggested actually
>keeping some of those mustard packets that you get with a hamburger or
>hotdog, handy.
>
>Friday night while at Ham Com in Arlington TX I woke up about midnight
>with severe leg cramps that about drove me crazy. At home I keep one of
>those large handle mount vibrators that I massage my calf muscles with
>when this happens at home, but I didn't have it with me Saturday. First
>thing Saturday I went out from the hotel and found a grocery that
>carried tonic/quinine water. I downed a liter of it and haven't had a
>leg cramp since.
>
>At home we keep a couple 2 liters of it and if I feel a cramp coming on
>I quickly go drink a large glass of it and walk to massage the calf
>muscles and the combination seems to alleviate the cramp.
>
>As an aside in my much younger days I played in a slow pitch softball
>league and took calcium supplements to alleviate muscle pulls, plus I'd
>walk about a mile in warm-up about an hour before a game.
>
>Tom, WW5L
>
>
>
>Mike Wetzel wrote:
>
>
>
>>While working on top a tower yesterday at 140, in 90 degree, sunny, breezy
>>weather, I developed cramps in both arm biceps and decided I needed to come
>>down fairly quickly. Besides the ideas of eating bananas (potassium) and
>>drinking water are there any other suggestions as a way to avoid them?
>>
>>Mike W9RE
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>
>>See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
>>Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
>>questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>>
>>_______________________________________________
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>>TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>
>See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
>Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
>questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
>_______________________________________________
>TowerTalk mailing list
>TowerTalk@contesting.com
>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>
>
>
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather
Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
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