Awake in pain again

[Blueholidaytime]

I’m so sick of this. Yet again I can’t sleep. I’ve been up dancing around like a lunatic with excruciating leg cramps. Both thigh muscles cramped up and woke me from a nice sleep. I’ve now been awake for over two hours and my legs hurt. I’ve had three doses of 60mg of codeine, paracetamol and my usual Mirtazapine. Does anyone take anything for cramp? 😭

[honeybug]

hi Blueholidaytime 🌿🌸🦋

I lost my lengthy post I just wrote to you. I’m sight impaired and have limited typing ability.

Try an Epsom salts soak warm water for about 20 minutes. This relaxes sore muscles

Try talking to your chemist about a product called Theraworx. It’s a well advertised product across the pond here. If not available there he can suggest something available there.

Also my brother took too much pain medicine for his many problems and it lead to kidney and liver damage.

Try lower leg stretches before bedtime. If cramps still occur do this:

Straighten out your leg pull your foot up pointing toes to ceiling and keep it all stiff/rigid as long as you can before relaxing it. At the start of the cramping it will be extremely painful to put your leg in that rigid position but after the rigid stretch and the cramp leaves usually there isn’t that bruise like pain and limp that is left behind after a full blown cramp.

Do leg stretches everyday and before bedtime. You sound like me prone to cramping. Leg stretches are important to helping relieve cramping.

Best wishes for success with this.

Love and prayers.

EJ 🤣♥️🥰🙏🕊🌿🌸🦋

[Joan161]

Taking magnesium as a supplement or as a leg spray is meant to be so helpful with muscle cramps. Also magnesium helps to relax you and help with sleep. Maybe worth a try if you have never tried it. Hope you find something to ease them and get relief 💕

[Victoria7]

I know it’s so easy to overdose yourself when you’re frustrated, exhausted and in a lot of pain but it’s not worth the organ damage and problems it can cause in the long run. Stick to the recommended dosage of your painkillers and just make sure you take them strictly on time.

I’m on Dihydrocodeine it seems to manage my pain better than regular codeine so maybe you could talk to your doctor about that.

If I’m in a lot of pain I add in aspirin to give that extra boost of pain relief (obviously make sure you are ok to take them before starting).

Warm baths before bed can help cramps and make sure you’re getting enough exercise throughout the day (if you’re able to). I have a massive colouring book and pencil collection in my room that I go to if I can’t sleep and I’m in pain. It takes my mind off things whilst I let the medication do its thing and until I’m sleepy enough to try and sleep again.

[GreenEyeWriter]

My mom takes a cramping pill when she wakes in the night. She also eats yellow mustard daily. She go the cramping pill at the local pharmacy over the counter.

[saluhouse]

Hi. I sympathise - horrible pain. Bed socks. Since I’ve worn baggy bed socks the cramp hasn’t happened so often and isn’t so bad. Worth a try?

Best wishes Dianne xxx

[Blueholidaytime]

I’ve tried most things. I take daily magnesium and I sleep with an electric blanket under my legs, set on low. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[saj01 in reply to Blueholidaytime]

Hi It may be worth looking at which type of magnesium you take, some are better than others for nocturnal leg cramps... also potassium. I had spells of restless legs at night... drove me barmy, until i started eating a banana before going to bed. I also did leg stretches... like runners do... leaning forward with hands on the wall and one leg back on your toes... stretching out the muscles. Some people swear by magnesium oil but I found it irritated my skin so gave it away. x

[Yassytina FMA UK Volunteer]

Hi there , cramps are horrid 🙁 I agree with Honeybug a soak in bath with Epsom salts, massage and sometimes I use ibuprofen rub in gel. (always check with pharmacist if on other meds) nite time is worse for sure, I think Honeybug has given a really helpful reply back too you xx

[Letitiarose23]

I try to have a banana before bed but also I use a cream called warrior balm it's magic in a jar you can get it online or through Facebook amazing stuff I have fibromyalgia and it's the only thing that really helps with my meds of course aswell hope this helps

[saj01]

Hi Blue.. following on from my reply about magnesium, I've just looked up potassium...I didn't realise just how important it is It has a distinct connection with muscle problems. Have a read about it yourself, it may very well be that's the problem.. hope that helps x

[Wilson16]

I also take Co codamol but have added Amitryptaline at night. It definitely helps with legs pain/cramps x

[Meditationlover]

For muscle cramps, I find muscle relaxants work, I'm on gabapentin xx

[modover]

I have horrendous cramps at all times of day, so painful but also embarrassing when you start rolling around in agony. I have RA and was advised to drink tonic water daily. I found within days the amount and intensity of the cramps reduced. If I stopped the tonic water the cramps returned, so for me this definitely works.