Cramp / Spasm

okay 3 days ago i woke at 7am with pain in left calve and cramp in right calve so after 2-3 mins i realize it’s probably a spasm as it didn’t stop eventually it eased after approx 5 mins now 3rd day on im struggling on stairs and walking is painful i asked my ms nurse to email me last week shock horror no reply so to the folks that know does this sound familiar cheers in advance

respect sheep

Hi Sheep,

I have severe cramps lasting up to 15 minutes at times, and yes, if I’ve really pulled a muscle, it’s not unusual to be limping for a few days afterwards. Sometimes I can even see bruising, because the cramping was so intense it’s caused actual injury.

I’m now on Baclofen, quinine AND diazepam. With all of these combined, they’re thankfully less common, but I still get the odd bad one, for no obvious reason. As they only last 15 minutes, any top-up of my medication I might take is already too late, as it won’t have time to work before the cramp has worn off anyway (but still leaving the strained muscles). That hasn’t stopped me hobbling to the kitchen in agony, and frantically wolfing down an extra diazepam, even knowing it’s a wasted tablet, because the problem will have gone before it can work. I’ve even swigged down neat pickle juice before, after reading somewhere it can help (because of the electrolyte content). Believe me, you’ve got to be pretty desperate to drink vinegar - even if you’re a pickle lover! I didn’t care how bad it tasted. As commonplace and ordinary as it may be, I think cramp is the worst pain I’ve yet experienced (I’ve never tried childbirth!) If I get a really bad attack (thankfully, so far, they’ve only ever been at home, late at night, not in the middle of Sainsbury’s), I can’t sit, can’t stand - can’t find any position that’s bearable. My only consolation is focusing on the fact the agony won’t last more than 15 minutes, because it never yet has done, so that’s as long as I’ve got to bear it.

15 minutes of severe pain is still bad, but I just keep repeating: “It won’t be long, it won’t be long”. I also swear a lot (goodness knows what the neighbours think) because there’s evidence that letting rip with strong words can actually help deal with pain - probably by stimulating production of adrenalin. Apparently, it only works if you’re not regularly foul-mouthed, as something about the taboo nature of it helps psych you up.

Tina

x

Thanks Tina thats awful yep i did the same shoved down the diazepam and painkillers to no avail i was walking with a limp but was really bad on the stairs and why is it whenever you dont want to see another stair they are everywhere as for th swearing i got that part off to a tee :slight_smile: i hope you have a painfree day today and get out and about its not too bad today so im off out to find somewhere flat to wander :slight_smile: and ponder my thoughts as its probably by the sounds of it something im gonna need to get used to

sean x

Hi, I have started taking magnesium and my spasms are not has bad it might be a coincidence, also I find Reflexolgy really helps I get my Husband to do it! also special tea helps!!

Sue