Legs muscle cramps. : Legs muscle cramps... - Early CKD Support

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Legs muscle cramps.

fish320 profile image
28 Replies

Legs muscle cramps mostly in the night are my serious problem. I wake up from the sleep automatically screaming with serious pain. Guys this is so painful. It takes days after that for the pain to go down. Has any member of the community got this issue and how does he deal with it please?

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fish320 profile image
fish320
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28 Replies
Celtic profile image
Celtic

Try increasing high magnesium foods into your diet and a magnesium supplement if necessary. Also, before getting into bed, do leg stretches: stand facing the wall with your hands on the wall and do press ups in and out to the wall keeping your feet in the same position, thereby stretching the back of the calf as you bend your arms in and out. Hope that makes sense - together with the extra magnesium (I eat a few drinks dried apricots every morning). Hope it helps.

fish320 profile image
fish320 in reply toCeltic

Hi Celtics, I will definitely try those tips you gave me and will give feedback later in the coming days. Million thanks and stay blessed.

Impregilo profile image
Impregilo

I fully symparthise with you as I have exactly the same problem. I just do a massage and it disappears but I don’t feel pain afterwards like you have described.

Muscle stretching excercise would help but I would also consult GP.

Good luck

honkytonks profile image
honkytonks

I have found that a daily walk works. On the days I can’t get one in I will wake up in agony. My cramp also stays around for a while. I even fainted once the pain was so intense! I also have a glass of water before I go to bed. Hope you find relief x

lowraind profile image
lowraind

I drink a small glass of tonic water (per doctor's instructions) in the evening before going to bed. Also, I use Penetrex to rub into my legs. The use of both have helped.

Sally10255 profile image
Sally10255

If you are carefully watching sodium, sometimes it gets depleted. The stretching exercises are great, but what quickly works for me is a dash of salt in my mouth.

WYOAnne profile image
WYOAnne

The number one thing to do is to tell your doctor about the problem you are having. You probably should have labs done to see if you are dehydrated, low on magnesium and or potassium. I am post transplant and will still get those horrible leg and ankle cramps, that actually make my feet turn once in awhile. It always happens for me when I am dehydrated. My doctor says the cramps can be from low magnesium. So, call your doctor's office and let them know and see how he can help.

Christine501 profile image
Christine501

Hi, I had the same problem, plus Restless Leg Syndrome. My Nephrologist told me to stop taking my water tablets (Bendroflumenthiazide) and the cramps and the restless legs problems more or less stopped. Occasionally I still get violent cramps at night, but I haven't managed to work out if there are any triggers for them. My egfr is currently 13.

fish320 profile image
fish320 in reply toChristine501

Thanks a lot. I am not taking any of those mess now for like maybe 6 months and over. Will talk with my new doctor about it this week. Thanks guys.

captainlsu profile image
captainlsu

I've just recently been diagnosed with ckd this month. I get bad cramps in my calves during sleep from time to time. been going on for years.

panda22 profile image
panda22

I use to have the same problem you could actually see a swelling where the pain was coming from. Since then I have been on Quinine every day. It does work and you should ask your doctor for some tablets. Hope you soon find releif.

Gillian2Mc profile image
Gillian2Mc

I occasionally get leg cramps as well at night, but not as long-lasting as yours. I usually get up and go to the loo and the walk to the bathroom usually helps, but prior to that I can't put my foot to the ground without it being painful. Sometimes a glass of milk also helps.

Gillian

fish320 profile image
fish320

Thanks. I have just started magnesium suppliment last Sunday. Let's see how it works in the next few days.

panda22 profile image
panda22

I had the same problem and the pain was awful. My doctor put me on quinine and that sorted the problem

fish320 profile image
fish320

Started magnesium about 3 weeks ago. I just wanted to say thanks a lot for that piece of advice of taking more magnesium food/supplements if necessary. My legs cramp have reduced considerably. I get them occasionally and not as severe as they used to be. I believe I am on the right direction. Thanks once again.

fish320 profile image
fish320

Hi friends, has anyone experienced the continuous beating sound in the left ear, if yes how do you guys survived it? Do you know what really is causing the sound? It 1st started when I was lying down but now even when I am sitting or doing my daily activities it is still hanging there. It's just annoying sound. Thank you for your help.

glenn2 profile image
glenn2 in reply tofish320

Could it be blood trying to go through a not-so-unblocked carotid artery? Does the sound come with each heartbeat? Controlling my blood pressure further than just using blood pressure meds with both pomgranite and beet juices has helped mine so that I seldom feel it anymore. I drink a big glass of Indian tonic water (quinine for leg cramps) with both juices mentioned above just before going to bed each night, and I do not dare go to bed without first drinking this combination for fear of both problems that interrupt my sleep. Just a suggestion.

fish320 profile image
fish320 in reply toglenn2

I appreciate your advice so much. I will try all that stuff though my dietitian advice me to as little as nothing on beet juice. And also I should eat it only cook. I am so thankful to be in a community like this one. You guys stay blessed.

fish320 profile image
fish320

I have one more question for you friends, it looks silly somehow but it's something worrying me and I have planned to asked my doctor about it. As a IgA nephropathy patient I wish to know exactly how my kidneys looks like, e. g are they shrinking or swelling? What do they really look like? Does any one out there have an idea? Please help, I am a bit confused. Thanks.

fish320 profile image
fish320

I just want to throw this piece of advice to anyone out struggling with high phosphorus. My dietitian advice me to take tums(antacid tablet) with every meal I take. Trust me it worked like magic. Within a week my phosphorus was down one and half points. I hope this help someone out there. Thanks.

Hi there, my neurologist recommended Vitamin E? Please check with your Doctor first but it did help me. Good Luck

Lala

fish320 profile image
fish320 in reply to

What did your doctor recommend Vit E for? Phosphorus or cramps?

in reply tofish320

Hi there, My Nephrologist recommended vitamin E for leg cramps but, I may not be in the same Stage CKD as you I’m 3b not to say I don’t feel bad a lot!

I sure hope this helps out. Best of luck. Oh! Doc never gave me a amount to take he says as many as you need to help with the pain? He a old timer 😊

Belinda

fish320 profile image
fish320 in reply to

Thanks a lot Belinda. Stay blessed.

Susiegood profile image
Susiegood

Try topical magnesium spray on your legs. The magnesium goes straight into your muscles and not through your stomach, so does not impact your blood Mg levels.

fish320 profile image
fish320 in reply toSusiegood

Thanks, I will try that topical magnesium though lately the cramps has subsided. I appreciate your help. Stay blessed. 👍🏾

What seems to work for me is plain sodium bicarbonate tablets. I started this because my ph was so acidic and leg cramp relief and heartburn relief were side benefits with no pharmaceuticals involved. Three tablets morning and evening with my usual meds is what I am using. Check with your doctor though. I am pretty old (83) , my GFR is 21 with autosomal PKD, stage 4.

fish320 profile image
fish320 in reply to

Thanks a lot my friend. I will try that. Well, I will check with my doctor. I am on dialysis since October 2018. 😔

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