cramp.

[Janos]

I get cramnp occasionally on deco stops. It hurts like buggery. I am well hydrated, warm, and as it's on deco I'm not exercising so it's not choice of fins. On one occasion I had to ask Mark to stretch it out for me. However on other (ie most) dives I haven't had a problem.

I don't like bananas but I'm told that potassium tablets have helped some people. I ought to get some.

Janos

[purple vonny]

Originally Posted by mala

they put the quinine in the gin.
they added tonic to make it more palatable.
hence

g+t.



.

Interesting facts about quinine in drinks

For hundreds of years quinine has been take as an antidote to fevers. Legends claim, that the first type of quinine water was used in the British colonies of India in the 17th century. As it has a very bitter taste the British would mix the quinine with a small amount of gin and lemon juice to make it more palatable to drink. Over time they got used to the taste of this drink. The original idea of tonic water is thought to have come from this.

Tonic water was granted an English patent in 1858, then in 1953 Schweppes brought tonic water to the USA. It is still to this day a popular mixer in both British and American culture.

As tonic water contains quinine, some people wonder whether they could just drink lots of tonic water instead of taking quinine tablets for the treatment of malaria. This would not really be possible because in 6 fluid ounces if tonic water there is approximately 20 mg of quinine. The recommended dose to treat malaria is 2/3 tablets of 350mg of quinine per day. Form this you can see that you would have to drink vast amounts of tonic water to obtain enough quinine to treat malaria.

Or to treat cramp. But it's worth a go!!!!!

[mala]

i always have 4 or 5 g+t before diving.
never get cramp just the early onset of narcosis -at about 6m.

[purple vonny]

I do apologise for being an anorack. It's the nurse in me. I get excited about prescription drugs.

[pauldiving]

i got a bad calf cramp a few weeks ago during a 6 mtr stop,

it happened as i had just bagged off so you can imagine the sight! he he

anyway it hurt so bad and i could not get rid of it for about 6 mins,

i thought i was bent in the leg!

i think it ripped my muscule as it has taken two weeks of limping about like a pimp "no offence pimps"

i hate bannanas but i think i should scoff some and loads more water!

[Ding Dang Doo]

Salt.

Put a bit more on your chips...

Alternatively, have a re hydration drink before diving... and one during the SI... should stop it.

Pete

[GaryC]

Lots of salt administered in the form of Chip Butties.

[Sharky&George]

Also magnesium tablets that you can buy in health shops also work, if you are unable to take quinnine, other than that just what's already been mentioned. (sorry, another nurse)
If you get cramp at night in your calf, pull your big toe, it releases the muscle, same principle as what you do with a fin when you're in the water

[scooba]

If you get cramp at night in your calf, pull your big toe,

If I get cramp in the night, I get a clip round the ear for leaping out of bed in pain and taking the quilt with me!!
Funnily enough the pain of the cramp goes away really quick then!

[uwila]

Originally Posted by Janos

I get cramnp occasionally on deco stops. It hurts like buggery.

Wow! I've not heard of anyone suffering that on top of the cramp on deco stops

Cold water gives me cramp too - I once had both legs cramp up together whilst swimming back to shore with an O/W class. My co-instructor thought I was taking the p!ss and was no help at all as all he did was laugh! A change of fins, from solid planks to jetfins has made a huge difference.