Hypo.......indeed they can, but K+and Na+ loss is almost always secondary to some obvious underlying disorder..e.g severe dehydration and i would have said an unusual cause of cramps.
take a Crampex pill before bed (available from chemists); works for me. Of course you don't know when you're going to have an attack but after she's had one she could try a tablet a night for a week maybe.
I used to have these, and did some research on nutrition. There were suggestions about what I might be lacking, and I was delighted to discover that whatever it was, it was abundant in plain chocolate and almonds. I now have the perfect excuse to eat chocolate marzipan and hardly ever get leg-cramps.
Doctors may well not take that seriously, but it certainly suits me !
Mrs stewey has the same pains. She always has a can of tonic water nearby; a few swallows of this and the pain is gone. Something to do with the quinine in it I think. Anyway, it works.
My twopennorth and I get them bad, believe me. The only relief I get is where there is no skin contact between the legs (jammies or jogging bottoms) and pressure on the legs with flight socks or elasticated knee supports.
I think tonic water helps....I certainly get more cramp when I haven't been drinking it.
I do sympathise as the pain is dreadful, then there is that awful period afterwards when you are terrififed to move in case it comes back.
My husband finds that his cramps get worse when he stops eating bananas. I try to get him to eat one a day, and he is usually ok but when he stops for a while, back come the crams. Is it due to potassium perhaps?