Hello everyone, I would like to ask if anyone could help me with following. Since 3-4 months ago I have started to wake up at night with symptoms in my legs. The symptoms can vary from burning sensation in ankles to extremely painful cramps in my calves. I have to stand up and stretch so that they will disappear, but they usually come back after 2- 3 hours. My night sleep is broken and I cant get enough deep sleep because this happens and it is very tiring and frightening.
Gp has done bloods, all electrolytes are normal. I am on Atorvastin for high cholesterol but I have been on it about 20 years and Gp doesn't think it is causing the problem.
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Hi Even though your electrolytes show 'normal'-whatever that is, it might be worth trying some magnesium oil rubbed in, many people are very low on magnesium, anyway. There is a Sanctuary body cream, in a dark blue tube, which says it is a warming sensation after a WARM bath or shower. It has ginger in it and creates heat where it is applied like Deep Heat, but more sensuous! Do NOT use it after a hot bath or shower, you will burn up! Lovely scent and can help sleep. Sodium is the other thing which if too low can cause cramps.
These links are the first place to go on leg cramps. The third shows that Atorvastatin indeed causes leg cramps. I'm aged 79 and have taken simvastatin 20mg for 17 years and leg cramps occur from time to time. About 3 years ago these leg cramps occurred several times most nights and I had pain at that point in my leg during the day. After about 6 months they happened less often and only about 4 times this year and not nearly as bad as 3 years ago. So hopefully this will be the same for you - good luck.
Have you had your b12 checked ask your doctor. I had cramps in the legs with pins and needles . They never checked the b12 and when they did it was very low. So am on a course of b12 injection 6 in total. The cramps have virtually stopped. Worth asking. All the best
Hallo, your symptoms sound similar to mine and I've concluded mine are due to peripheral neuropathy - very heavy legs, burning feet nearly all the time but particularly in bed and wakes me up (I have a cold fan directed on my feet when it's really bad). Husband has to push me up the stairs very often as my legs won't get me there. It's a nerve problem and not much can be done to alleviate it, so I've heard. Without meaning to be too negative I think it slowly becomes worse - a friend now needs a wheely thingy to get about locally. I originally thought it was due to the heart failure I have but have had many tests done and no longer think that to be the case. All the very best to you. Fudgefuzz.
Hi I am suffering badly from pains in my legs and burning tingling feet and hands, I am also having trouble even lifting a glass of water at times and my legs feel like lead which wears off a bit as the day goes on. my gp has just done bloods to test for arthritis but it sounds more like peripheral neuropathy, can I ask how you were diagnosed with it? My symptoms have been getting steadily worse over the last year, I needed a water bottle with ice in it to sleep last summer. I did have heart failure which I thought caused it but I have had a transplant and its worse. Char
I should tell you that I haven't been formally diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy. It's not easy to see a GP at the moment, but the symptoms of my friend sound so like mine I suppose I have jumped to that conclusion.
I have had three open heart operations and take medication for heart failure which I thought may be causing the problems with my feet and legs as well as the cramp in my lower legs and ankles at night which I have quite often. I don't think that now as I have been taking the same medication for decades (Ramipril, Warfarin and Eplerenone) and the leg problem has only occurred seriously in the last twelve or fifteen months.
I hear that peripheral neuropathy is quite common. And I have to say that I have accepted the problem as something I have to live with and I do manage to ignore it when busy during the day - not so easy to do at night, though!
It must be awful to have this in your hands. I haven't had that and I don't think I would describe the heavy and tingling legs/feet I have as 'painful', but I am almost immobilised on some days by the difficulty with stairs and even walking on the flat. The burning sensation in my feet means I can't wear socks even in winter and have found that very open sandals are the only type of footwear I am comfortable in, even in winter - often noticed and remarked upon by other people who probably think I'm batty.
If you get to speak to your GP about the neuropathy idea I 'd be grateful if you'd let me know what he/she thinks.
Meanwhile I wish you the very best. I do my best to keep in mind that this only SLOWLY gets worse (in fact now I come to think about it, I remember having trouble with stairs almost thirty years ago). With very best wishes, Fudgefuzz.
Hi and thanks for your reply, I got the bloods done a week ago and results on Friday, which has confused me now! I only spoke to the receptionist and she said the thing they were concerned about was my kidney function? I know I have chronic kidney problems due to my transplant and the meds, my cardiac team monitor it all the time but I don't know what it has got to do with the symptoms I described to my GP re stiffness tingling etc. I now have to go back this morning to get more bloods done to check kidney function again. I am a bit confused although maybe it doesn't take much 😅I then will have to wait till Friday to speak to a doctor another week gone and I am none the wiser. Char
I have suffered from night time leg cramp for many years. I’ve tried every remedy in the book from ensuring I was well hydrated to reducing sugar intake. Nothing I tried seemed to be an out and out winner however I have taken to rubbing Deep Heat into my lower legs before bed and not only has it helped my poor aching legs it has, on most occasions, got me through the night. I’d certainly give it a try if I were you - at least it helps your poor aching legs. I must admit I am very tolerant of broken sleep since my OHS 3 years ago and probably don’t expect to sleep right through till morning but oh my, when I do I feel like I could run the world. What a difference a good night’s sleep can make! Sue X🙏
Same for me. over the last 3 months i started dreding going to bed because thats when it all seemed to kick off. I have also had various blood tests which have come back satisfactory so myself and the doctor are none the wiser. I am looking to have acupuncture to see if the symptons can be alleviated but i have also aquired a swelling at the top of my leg which is also baffling, so the answer is that, I'm just not made right! The saga continues.
Well I've been on Astorvastatin for 30 days and I get the same thing! I have switched to Crestor (Rosuvastatin). I am giving it a few days to get the Lipitor out of my system. My leg cramps are totally related to the Statin use.
Are you drinking enough water? Something as simple as dehydration could cause it. Its what caused mine and its SO painful so I know how you must be feeling.
Hi, I have been on Atorvastatin 40 mg for long time, maybe 10 years. Yesterday I had doctor's appointment and I asked her to change it to totally different type of cholesterol lowering medicine. There is something called Eze... She will look into it and consult cardiologist as she wasn't sure if the other one would be better for me or does it have less side-effects. I dont like when doctors start to talk about costs😐Because the newer ones are naturally more pricey, but I have been UK taxpayer for over 20 years ...
I had severe burning pain in my lower leg ankle and feet at night before being diagnosed with heart failure. Had tests on my legs for blockages but always came back normal. I think it’s low oxygen levels at night that drop when I go to sleep. I have an oximeter I clip to my thumb. Haven’t had the pain for quite a while now but I go a while then suddenly it returns after months or sometimes weeks. Not sure exactly what is causing mine. If you find out about your pain please let me know. Thanks, Joy
hi there. I have peripheral neuropathy in both my lower legs and feet which gives me partial numbness in my toes, and burning and hurting as if the pain was in my bones. It is worse when I am relaxing, and , like you, am lucky to get a few continuous hours of sleep. I went through about 6 neurologists over a period of about 8 years , with every conceivable test done, Finally was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy. I have been on GABAPENTIN now for about 3 years, which helped a bit, with no side affects- luckily! However it has recently become worse and I have been changed to DULOXETENE. Early days though , only been on them for less than a week. Unfortunately, the pain usually sets in between 4 am and onwards until I get up, when it improves tremendously. The Dr said he thinks I have been on the Gabapentin for so long that my body has got used to it- consequently the change. Hope you get a diagnosis soon and can start treatment. All the best.
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Leg and foot cramping
Night cramps 
leg cramps
Burning legs
