Leg and foot cramping

[YITOPM]

Last night I experienced a prolonged attack of calf and foot cramping in both legs and it was excruciating. As a last resort I used my GTN spray and the cramping almost immediately stopped. Has anyone else experienced this and know why it may be ? I’m now awaiting a GP econsult to discuss too. Thanks.

[Weetabixie]

Hi, I get calf and foot cramping , I'd say it was Atorvastatin but! I had before taking Atorvastatin so I can't say it's them. No i haven't ever taken gtn for it but now you've said that I will try it when it gets severe again. What I can tell you is I couldn't walk that far prior to my heart attack as my left leg became heavy numb and painful and once stent fitted after heart attack it improved. I take it for right upper arm and shoulder pain and it works, doesn't work for the left side only the right. Hopefully the GP will be able to help or refer you to someone who can. 🤞

[YITOPM in reply to Weetabixie]

Thanks for the response.

[gilreid1]

this is a common side effect of taking statin. I have suffered for years. Speak to your GP

[YITOPM in reply to gilreid1]

Been taking statins for 2 yrs. Had cramps very seldomly over that time and only in 1 leg at a time, resolved after 5 mins or so. Having just been discharged yesterday from A&E/Cardiology in the evening it happened to both legs and lasted for 30-40 mins twisting up feet/toes as well as calves …. Until I used GT as a last resort. But I don’t see why the GT would have stopped it. I have a call in to my GP and apparently I should get contacted by Feb 16th……

[Happyrosie]

I asked my pharmacist about cramps a few years ago. I suggested to him that I could take Dioralyte (for the replacement of essential body water and salts in the treatment of acute diarrhoea). He thought it a good idea, and sometimes it worked.

Then I had an acute cramp attack when with a group of friends in a pub. (I hadn’t had any alcohol). one of whom (a health professional) said pour some salt into your hand and swallow it. About a teaspoonful.. miracle!

I do take statins, but the cramp is no worse or indeed better than before I started on them.

[fishonabike]

interesting that GTN helped, it usually acts on the muscle of arteries to relax them and open up them up - i know it can be helpful in some cases of Gastro Oesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) - it might be worth checking with a pharmacist about using it for other conditions.....?

i would love to find an easy solution for the painful toe, oot and calf cramps i have experienced for years, which are getting more frequent and severe

i am not taking statins and the cramps started years ago, long before i ever took regular medication

i have tried various magnesium supplements with no positive effect (a few unpleasant gut effects!)

the cramps are usually triggered by specific movements and used to resolve if i stretched the affected muscle/s - but this does not work so well now

i''d be interested to hear if you get any help from your GP

[YITOPM in reply to fishonabike]

I’ll post an update after my GP gets back to me. I only tried the GT because I’d read about something called PAD and the cramps weren’t stopping.

[fishonabike in reply to YITOPM]

PAD usually means Peripheral Artery Disease in this context - have you been dignosed with this or suspect you have it?

[YITOPM in reply to fishonabike]

No, neither of those. I’m certainly not recommending a GTN as a treatment for cramping. Both legs at the same time was not a condition that I’d ever experienced before nor for such a length of time and intensity. It just felt like an option to try at 23:00. I’d only just that day been discharged from A&E after 36 hrs of no sleep on a corridor plastic chair.

[fishonabike in reply to YITOPM]

i hope this does not happen again for you, but at least you found something which helps if nothing else does!😉