Some time ago I mentioned having leg cramps to niece Chrissie. I’ve had them off and on all my life, but they seem to be more frequent now. I heard that the potassium in bananas was a good antidote, and someone said drinking plenty of water should also help. She said with conviction, “Drink dill pickle juice.”
Dill pickle juice? Yes. I thought to myself, “And who would get up quickly in the middle of the night to bring me any kind of juice? No one!” I wouldn’t have been able to wake either John or David, and now I live alone. Dog Kacey doesn’t count from a practical point of view.
Her latest story was that husband Chris was practically levitating over the bed, in extreme pain from cramps. I presume she fetched dill pickle juice for him, because he drank some and almost instantly the cramps went away. It sounded miraculous. I believed her enough that when I fished out the last of the pickle slices, I put the jar back in the refrigerator. I was highly skeptical that I would walk the length of the house to get it, but it was there just in case.
Early this morning a cramp began in one calf, and before I could move, another started in the other leg. Hmmm. If I got up, would Kacey beg to go out? It was still pitch black outside. I tiptoed to the refrigerator, and with the door still open, took three small sips of pickle juice. Was that enough? The cramps were gone, perhaps before I opened the jar, but this could ward off another round. I shrugged my shoulders and tiptoed back to bed WITHOUT WAKING THE DOG!!! That was a miracle in itself, but I went back to sleep and had no more cramping.
The pickle juice stays. It stays right on the top shelf where I can’t miss it, even in a foggy state.
Mehrling Muse 
I’ve heard this before. Maybe keep a small glass of pickle juice on your bedside table during the night for just in case.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Keeping pickle juice next to the bed sounds easy enough, but I wouldn’t use it often enough to want it there all the time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! So glad that seems to have worked. I swear by it. I use a shot glass myself – 1.5 oz does the trick for me. Love Darlene’s thought of keeping it by your bed.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I have shot glasses. That would be easy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well that is amazing Anne. I had never heard of that. A friend of mine told me she rubs a mixture of cayenne pepper and olive oil on her only arthritic finger and puts a glove over it before bedtime and it helps and I had never heard of that.
LikeLike
Your friend would be pre-seasoned for a cannibal.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ha ha – you are right about that!
LikeLike
I’ve heard of that before, maybe I’ll try it next time I get leg cramps.
LikeLike
I’ve just read that lots of athletes swear by pickle juice. It was new to me.
LikeLike
Perhaps drinking a little before going to bed would work? I’ve heard of this before but not how to do it.
LikeLike
I’ve since read that a shot glass of pickle juice would be good before going to bed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s easier than creeping out to get it in the middle of the night hoping not to get Kacey excited!
LikeLike
I usually do things the hard way.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We all do! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get bad leg cramps and have attributed it to Parkinson’s disease. I take a supplement called taurine, an amino acid that among other thing helps with muscle recovery. I also use lavender essential oil mixed with a carrier oil like coconut oil to help the muscles relax. These are mostly effective. Now I have a third option, I always have a jar of pickles in the refrigerator. 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sounds like you have things under control.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My daughter told my husband this, and he sort of scoffed. But I’ll tell my husband to try it!
LikeLike
I read that lots of sports people swear by pickle juice.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Exactly what my daughter says. Big with runners
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is very interesting, wonder what is in the pickle juice to ease the cramps? Of course, I hope you won’t need it as often.
LikeLike
I wrote a reply, and it disappeared. I read that electrolytes and acetic acid were the things that combat cramps. Several recommended taking one sip of pickle juice every night before going to bed.
I’ve missed you. Hope everything is going well for you. I don’t even know what country you are in now.
LikeLike
I hope this keeps working out for you then. I might suggest it to someone I know who also have cramps. Oh, that is so sweet, Anne. I also missed you that is why I visited the first chance I got.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve heard the pickle juice theory but never tried it. I’ve also done tonic water, which seems to help. I’ve gotten bad leg cramps in the middle of the night sometimes, and I’ll drink a bit of tonic water before bed.
LikeLike
That sounds like a good idea.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Apple cider vinegar works as well. We keep a small plastic bottle full of vinegar next to our bed to grab when leg cramps strike in the middle of the night. It works almost instantaneously.
LikeLike
Great to know! Thank you.
LikeLike