Blinding pain...

[WildcatDan]

Blinding pain is no way to start off a peaceful Saturday morning... and yet that is exactly what I was experiencing when I woke up today. I occasionally get leg cramps and realize that I have forgotten to take my potassium (which I take to keep from getting leg cramps).

This particular leg cramp was unlike anything I have experienced before... the muscle actually seemed to be trying to crawl out of my skin. I sat bolt upright in bed out of a dead sleep and grabbed my calf. It looked like aliens were having a wrestling match to see if one could shove the other into either my ankle or knee. I have never seen a muscle actually writhe like that. It was all I could do not to scream out loud so instead I made loud moaning noises.

My uber compassionate wife said, "Be quiet or you will wake up the kids!"
I am pretty sure I said, "Urgle....umpfh....ugggg".

The pain actually caused my vision to turn red and seemed to go on forever but I am sure it was only, oh I don't know, 6 or 7 hours. I eventually managed to swing my legs out of bed and staggered around the room grimmacing until the bizzarre fluctuations simmered down a bit and it turned into a dull ache instead of the ice picks and switchblades that I was experiencing before.

From past experience I can tell you that it will be sore all week and I will live in fear that it will occur again when I least expect it.

Anyone else ever have this problem?

[capcat]

I haven't, but it sounds awful. Hope you'll check with your doctor to make sure nothing else is going on to have caused this.

[Will Lavender]

"Be quiet or you will wake up the kids!" :icon_mrgreen:

Sounds just like my wife. Those women, they sure are an empathetic lot. When I get hurt my wife usually shoots an angry glare my way and demands, "What did you do now?" :eek:

[baldcat]

Have you had any tests for deep vein thrombosis Dan?

I'm not a doctor or anything but it may be worth checking out.

[matt colvin]

Hope you'll check with your doctor to make sure nothing else is going on to have caused this.

:thumbup:, that's good advice capcat. I've had bad cramps in my calf before, but nothing remotely that bad. Usually eating a banana or some other source of potassium will cure my problems. You might wanna call your doctor Dan to see what can keep this from happening again.

[WildcatDan]

My sister is a PA (might as well be a doctor) and I have asked her about it before. She asked me about 10,000 questions and then told me to take potassium or keep a bunch of bananas around. So no, nothing serious, but it sure does hurt!

[freethrow]

Sorry to hear you have those cramp problems, Dan. My brother has had the same problem for as many years as I can remember. I get them too now and then for no reasons but not every single day like my brother does and probably not as severe. I hope you don't have another this severe again. I imagine that you will be sure and not miss your potassium for quite some time to come. :)

[BowlingGreenUKGrad]

I've gotten bad cramps in my calf before, but nothing that bad. The times I have had them is usually right around waking up too - so there must be something to that.

[Terry L. Wildcat]

Dan, Make sure you are drinking enough water as I also suffer calf cramps at times...you may also want to drink some Gatoraide before bedtime but just make sure you are well hydrated.

[Wildcat Larry]

If you drink Gatorade at bedtime, you'll also get to see the clock strike 3:00 am. :icon_lol:

I've had blinding pain before, but it was alway kidney stone related. Leg cramps are a possibility, but the symptoms seem a little more complicated than that. You need to get it checked out, dude!

[kydingbat]

If you drink Gatorade at bedtime, you'll also get to see the clock strike 3:00 am. :icon_lol:

I've had blinding pain before, but it was alway kidney stone related. Leg cramps are a possibility, but the symptoms seem a little more complicated than that. You need to get it checked out, dude!

If he drinks gatorade and doesn't wake up in the middle of the night, leg cramps may be the least of his problems. Seriously, though, you should get it checked. My husband had a stomach ache for a year or so, and he has chronic pancreatitis. Getting checked now might save you big problems later.

[boomdaddy]

My sister is a PA (might as well be a doctor) and I have asked her about it before. She asked me about 10,000 questions and then told me to take potassium or keep a bunch of bananas around. So no, nothing serious, but it sure does hurt!


A temporary cure for a cramp is to pinch your beer lip as hard as you can. You simply grab the center portion of the meat, that is directly below your nose and right above your top lip, with your thumb and finger and squeeze. There is a pressure point at this location and it will stop the cramping immediately.

[WildcatGirl]

got them all the time when I was pregnant sometimes twice in one night...you aren't pregnant are you Dan:icon_mrgreen:

Sorry, I just couldn't resist!:icon_lol: But seriously I've had those myself several times...even when I wasn't pregnant. Talk about a horrible way to wake up! Even worse than the ones in the calf are the ones in the feet that draw your toes back to touch your heel (or so it feels!):eek:

Like everyone said...the potassium, the hydration and if you did something to work your muscles more than usual one day, like a lot of extra walking or something, a little bit of massaging them before you go to bed really helps. (I used to have to do that all the time when I skated in competitions or as soon as I laid down and relaxed my legs would freak out and cramp up...and back then I didn't have age to blame...lol)

[scfcats]

My sister is a PA (might as well be a doctor) and I have asked her about it before. She asked me about 10,000 questions and then told me to take potassium or keep a bunch of bananas around. So no, nothing serious, but it sure does hurt!

Nothing against your sis, but I would at least make an appointment with your family Doc. 6-7 hours sounds bad. I'm not a Doctor, but that doesn't sound normal, especially if your taking potassium everyday.

[bigjeep]

I occasionally get them in the inside thigh part of my leg. I don`t care how tuff you are if you don`t scream you aren`t breathing...

[WILD1]

Yeah, absolutely, go to a doctor. Your basic leg cramp from exercise, lack of potassium, overexertion, etc. should NOT last 6-7 hours! It may in fact be nothing but you don't want to find out the hard way that it is serious. Let the professionals tell you what it is/isn't. Good luck!

[WildcatDan]

Lol... the 6-7 hours comment was a joke... it only SEEMED like it was that long... I guess the internet did not carry that sentiment to everyone here. No, the cramp probably lasted between 2 to 5 minutes at the most, but it is STILL sore to touch. My problem is that I will take the potassium for a while and then quit when I don't have any cramps for a while. Even if you stay hydrated (which I do) you still have to have the potassium to keep the cramps away.

Believe me, if it lasted more than 15 minutes I would have been headed to the HOSPITAL!

[lighthouse]

It sounds to me like you should still have it checked out by a DOCTOR. We men have a problem going to them sometimes.

[WildcatDan]

If I went to the doctor he would have his PA check me out... lol...

[JohnJ]

I have had some of those, except I have never been able to manage to take a look at my calf muscle when that is happening so I don't know if it is literally moving to where it is twitching like an alien is trying to climb out. I might be wary for two to five minutes, but have not actually had the pain last that long. Usually I buy a cluster of bananas and some Gatorade, so round 2 or 3 won't come around.

I know my father has had some of the same type of calf spasms.

[she~cat]

got them all the time when I was pregnant sometimes twice in one night...you aren't pregnant are you Dan:icon_mrgreen:

Sorry, I just couldn't resist!:icon_lol: But seriously I've had those myself several times...even when I wasn't pregnant. Talk about a horrible way to wake up! Even worse than the ones in the calf are the ones in the feet that draw your toes back to touch your heel (or so it feels!):eek:

Like everyone said...the potassium, the hydration and if you did something to work your muscles more than usual one day, like a lot of extra walking or something, a little bit of massaging them before you go to bed really helps. (I used to have to do that all the time when I skated in competitions or as soon as I laid down and relaxed my legs would freak out and cramp up...and back then I didn't have age to blame...lol)



lol...I would get them while I was pregnant too