Muscle Cramps

[Pell Mell]

I've been suffering from terrible muscle cramps (Charly Horse) for months. I'm really blaming it on the Epidural injections I get perodically but the docs say that's not supposed to be a side effect.

I know lots of people suffer from them so I'm sure there are some here that have tried different cures. I keep myself hydrated and drink juices with lots of potassium, eat bananas, have tried different supplements like magnesium, tried Quinine water, etc. I get the cramps in feet, ankles, every damn muscle in my legs, rib cage and bad ones in my hands. The legs happen in bed at night but the hands happen during the day.

Docs say they don't really know what causes them and they know of no real cure. Any ideas anyone?

[GameTheory]

Originally Posted by Pell Mell

I've been suffering from terrible muscle cramps (Charly Horse) for months. I'm really blaming it on the Epidural injections I get perodically but the docs say that's not supposed to be a side effect.

I know lots of people suffer from them so I'm sure there are some here that have tried different cures. I keep myself hydrated and drink juices with lots of potassium, eat bananas, have tried different supplements like magnesium, tried Quinine water, etc. I get the cramps in feet, ankles, every damn muscle in my legs, rib cage and bad ones in my hands. The legs happen in bed at night but the hands happen during the day.

Docs say they don't really know what causes them and they know of no real cure. Any ideas anyone?

If you're getting injections, I assume you have gotten a general check-up, bloodwork, etc within recent memory? A few years ago I had all sorts of mild symptoms which I didn't put together as being related, one of which was frequent easily cramping muscles, especially in the legs when in bed. Turns out I was anemic (low red blood count) -- I was slowly bleeding internally for some time. I was half-dead and didn't know it.

[badcompany]

Do you do any stretching? If not, you should look into a routine. There's lots of stuff on the net for basic stretching and yoga.

[Steve 'StatMan']

I too experience quite nasty muscle crams in my legs for a period. I was also losing quite a lot of weight, and didn't realize it. It turns out, confirmed by a blood test, that I was experiencing problems with diabetes (better controlled now, no cramps last couple years, weight stabalized, even though far from ideal blood sugar levels.)

[johnhannibalsmith]

I have this problem and I can't make it better. It gets better and worse, but I tried to remedy it once by drinking Gatorade regularly and it only seemed to get worse. I stopped and drank more coffee and MT. Dew than usual and it became tolerable again. Anymore I just assume that I'm screwy in several ways and this is one of the symptoms.

[boxcar]

Some good advice here, especially with the stretches. Stretches can certainly help.

A lot of people who work out regularly will also pack electrolytes into their sports bags. For quite awhile now, I've been taking Electrolyte Harmony manufactured by Natural Sport. For the first year of so, I went through several bottles. But I bought a few bottles a couple of years ago to replenish, and I still haven't gone through the first one. So, I've improved greatly. Once in great while I'll cramp up in my feet while sleeping. When that happens and I can't shake it off, I go to the kitchen fridge and pop a couple of tablets, and 90% of the time 2 tabs will do the trick.

If you try this product, keep it refrigerated. Humidity is a killer to this product. Hope this helps, PM.

Boxcar
P.S. This product comes flavored too. I love the tangerine.

[Pell Mell]

Originally Posted by Steve 'StatMan'

I too experience quite nasty muscle crams in my legs for a period. I was also losing quite a lot of weight, and didn't realize it. It turns out, confirmed by a blood test, that I was experiencing problems with diabetes (better controlled now, no cramps last couple years, weight stabalized, even though far from ideal blood sugar levels.)

Have had recent blood work...everything Ok...no diabetes...have tried all kinds of cures...always did a lot of stretching but can only do them very carefully now or I'll get a cramp...I still think it's the steroids I'm getting but willing to try anything

Thanks for the ideas..

[Ocala Mike]

I used to get these quite often in my legs, usually awakening in the middle of the night with the pain. Now I take 1 250 mg tablet of magnesium daily, and the leg cramps have gone from 1-2 nightly to maybe 1 weekly.


Ocala Mike

[Let's Roll]

Pell Mell, do you get enough excercise ?

[Pell Mell]

[QUOTE=Let's Roll]Pell Mell, do you get enough excercise ?[/QUOTE

No! Can barely walk a few hundred feet my back is so bad...that's why I get the steroid shots...have 4 herniated discs...they want to fuse my spine in 4 places...that's major and that's why I'm trying to hold on with the epidural shots...I'm not partial to major surgery at my age..

[Pell Mell]

Originally Posted by Ocala Mike

I used to get these quite often in my legs, usually awakening in the middle of the night with the pain. Now I take 1 250 mg tablet of magnesium daily, and the leg cramps have gone from 1-2 nightly to maybe 1 weekly.


Ocala Mike

Tried that and all I got was a dozen trips to the john every day...

[ElKabong]

PM, if you find the solution, let us know

I'm somewhat relieved to see so many here have this problem. For 7 yrs now I've had night time leg cramps that are excrutiating. All times of the nite. Have to roll out of bed, lean on the foot (leg) to lessen the cramp but it still goes on for 40-60 seconds.

Eating chocolate seems to guarantee leg cramps within 4 hrs, but the night time leg cramps happen almost nightly. Very, very painful. I can see a person w/ a weak heart having a heart attack or somesuch from this stuff. It gives you a huge volt / shock

[Pell Mell]

Originally Posted by boxcar

Some good advice here, especially with the stretches. Stretches can certainly help.

A lot of people who work out regularly will also pack electrolytes into their sports bags. For quite awhile now, I've been taking Electrolyte Harmony manufactured by Natural Sport. For the first year of so, I went through several bottles. But I bought a few bottles a couple of years ago to replenish, and I still haven't gone through the first one. So, I've improved greatly. Once in great while I'll cramp up in my feet while sleeping. When that happens and I can't shake it off, I go to the kitchen fridge and pop a couple of tablets, and 90% of the time 2 tabs will do the trick.

If you try this product, keep it refrigerated. Humidity is a killer to this product. Hope this helps, PM.

Boxcar
P.S. This product comes flavored too. I love the tangerine.

That's one I haven't tried...I'll give it a shot..Thanks much!

[Striker]

[QUOTE=Pell Mell]

Originally Posted by Let's Roll

Pell Mell, do you get enough excercise ?[/QUOTE

No! Can barely walk a few hundred feet my back is so bad...that's why I get the steroid shots...have 4 herniated discs...they want to fuse my spine in 4 places...that's major and that's why I'm trying to hold on with the epidural shots...I'm not partial to major surgery at my age..

This is some terrible stuff Mel. Your lack of exercise and stretching is going to be a huge cause for these cramps. Imagine how much of a state of atrophy your body is in from your lack of movement/exercise, but with your back problems I can only imagine how tough this is for you. You have to seriously watch yourself for blood clots here also because of your lack of movement. All it takes is for one to form in your legs and it will work its way up to your heart and lungs.

[Let's Roll]

[QUOTE=Pell Mell]

Originally Posted by Let's Roll

Pell Mell, do you get enough excercise ?[/QUOTE

No! Can barely walk a few hundred feet my back is so bad...that's why I get the steroid shots...have 4 herniated discs...they want to fuse my spine in 4 places...that's major and that's why I'm trying to hold on with the epidural shots...I'm not partial to major surgery at my age..

Well.....I'm saying this although I'm not a doctor....The lack of muscle tone and excercise is the cause of muscle weakness......which in turn causes the spasms because it's the only thing a strained muscle can do..
You need excercise, physical therapy, and it will take a very long time.In this case, rest is the worst thing for you, it will take that much more time to regain strength. The excercise and therapy may be more painful than the spasms at first, if you can overcome that you may find relief. I know I did.

Good Luck !