HELP!!! - Leg Cramps :-(

[littlebump]

Hello!!

Is anyone else suffering from muscle cramps in the night? I'm getting them so often my muscles are starting to really ache from it - feels like I've run a marathon. And of course waking up several times each night from it is starting to make me feel really tired (and if anyone else tells me this is good practice for when baby comes along I think I might cry).

Any idea how I can stop it?

LBxx

 

[dani200420052000]

Hi Little bump!

I am so glad that someone else is suffering this terrible cramping.. It causes me to wake up at might, some times the pain has been that bad I actually cry... I don't know what it it.. But when I go to seem my midwife on Aug 18 th I will ask her then. But untill then I hope It subsides LOL

Love Danielle and Bubble xx

 

[littlebump]

Thanks Dani - let me know if you find anything! The thought of this for the last 3 months is too much to bear!!

LBxx

 

Hi girls - just wondering but is the pain in the back of you legs of calfs at all?

 

[bobtheunfortunateone]

Yep I get them, back of my calf and on top of my foot, when I try and move it kills! I just sit up and rub it (even that hurts) once gone I'm OK!

Also my legs ache when I am getting tired, not had that since I used to work in pubs & clubs! I hop it gets better! just started to struggle to get comfy, will have to invest in a few extra pillows or pregancy pillows!

 

[littlebump]

Hi Sami

Yes - pains in my calf muscles and on the soles of my feet.

Bob - I got one of those bump cushions and it is a bit more comfy lying down with one of those (doesn't seem to help with the cramps though!)

 

[newbump]

Yep me too, back of the calves have managed to stop the cramp just as it starts now but quickly pulling my foot right back!! But still aches in the morning and feels like ive been walking miles!!!

oh the joys of being pregnant!!!

Natalie x

 

[futuremum]

Hello!!!

I know what you all mean, last time i had a cramp in the back of the calf and gosh it was painful. the muscles did not like it, could not walk properly for 2 days, each time my left foot was touching the floor, the pain was there!!! mind you, I should have got up to go to work and was thinking of sleeping 5 more minutes, at least with a cramp that wakes you up.

Dani, glad to hear from you, did not see you for a while, how are you doing?

take care,

Nathalie

 

[Rosebay]

Can I join the cramping gang?!

I generally wake up swearing with a cramp every night and have to be so careful not to stretch my legs at all. I've been getting them behind my knee and in my feet and in my toes when I'm standing up sometimes- I hate them! I've always been a bit prone to them but I've never had them this bad. Still- I'm sleeping with a pillow between my legs at night at the moment to help the pain in my hips when I lie on the side and my legs are bent so maybe that's partly it. I've read that increased calcium can help but I've had so much soya milk I don't think that can be an issue. Grrr. If anyone finds a cure please let me know! My poor husband is putting up with so much every night what with my 3 or so trips to the loo, flatulence, hayfever sneezing fits and now having to grab my leg and push it in the right direction as I panic and swear! All these little things can really add up can't they?!

+++

 

you could always have a gin and tonic but of course with out the gin lol there is a natural ingedient in tonic water quinine (sp?) that prevents them, it worked for me quite well when i suffered from them. hope it helps



xxx love elaine and big bump xxx

 

[littlebump]

Hee hee - Gin and tonic doesn't work without the gin!!!

My grandma was suffering from cramps and her doctor apparently told her bananas are good due to the high levels of magnesium. I'm going to try that as I love bananas - can have them on my breakfast, in a sandwich and in a milkshake!! I'll let you know how I get on!

LBxx

 

[Rosebay]

But I'm in the midst of a banana craving obsession and am eating about 6 a day and I still get them!!

I'll try the tonic idea and see how it goes (will let you know!)

+++

 

Don't wanna worry anyone unecessarily but can't that calf and leg pain be possible DVT? Please don't think I'm trying to panic you - but maybe it's worth being checked? xx


DVT Symptoms

You may get swelling, pain, tenderness and redness especially at the back of the leg below the knee. DVT usually though not always affects only one leg.

The pain may be made worse by bending the foot upward towards the knee. In some cases there may be no signs or symptoms of DVT at all in the legs and problems only become obvious when a pulmonary embolus or PE develops from the clots in the legs. Fortunately PE is rare. PE can cause breathlessness, chest pain and in severe cases, collapse. Both DVT and PE, whatever the cause, are serious conditions and need urgent investigation and treatment.

 

[Manda]

Hiya,

I'm not sufering from these yet, but i had a quick look in my pregnancy diary and this is what it says

From around 27 weeks
Common discomforts
Leg and muscle cramps may be caused by fatigue, by pressure exerted on the nerves by the uterus, or by too little calcium.

Remedies
Exercise regularly, especially walking, wear low heeled shoes, elevate legsand flex toes when resting, increase milk consumption. Tonic water and bitter lemon can help relieve leg cramps

 

[littlebump]

Hi Sami

Don't think so in my case - particularly as pointing my foot upwards towards my knee is the only thing that gets rid of it. Worth knowing the symptoms though - thanks.

I'm drinking at least a pint of milk every day, though I have started getting a couple of those white flecks on my finger nails - maybe my calcium levels are STILL low! Will try that as well as tonic water - thanks Manda

LBxx

 

[Rosebay]

Yeah it's definitely cramp that I'm getting as when I get it in my lower legs it's bending the foot up that helps and behind my knee it's straightening the leg. I've always had a tendency to cramps anyway so I instinctively don't point my toes to stretch but I've never had toes and back of the knee go too. It's a really specific feeling too- really muscular, and bending it the other way immediately helps. I'm drinking lots of tonic today although thinking about it I get worse cramps when I've been walking a lot and yesterday I walked a long way around Bath shopping for clothes so that could have contributed. My husband is a keen footballer and he said that often at the end of the match when you're tired that's when the back of the leg muscles tend to cramp so it would make sense that muscle fatigue isn't helping.

+++

 

[-Cat-]

Don't wanna worry anyone unecessarily but can't that calf and leg pain be possible DVT? Please don't think I'm trying to panic you - but maybe it's worth being checked? xx

Okay before people start worrying, I recently had a DVT scare and had to have anti-coagulants and scans done. If you just experiencing leg cramps like in your calfs (in particular in the night) dont worry this is normal and not DVT. Normal cramp nomally goes away afer a few minutes of uncomfortable squerming! if you are suffering from DVT the pain WILL NOT GO AWAY! I suffered from the pain in my leg for three days and couldn't walk on it, which is a lot different, and even then chances of DVT are slim, they just take a lot of precautions while they find out for sure.

To help with cramp try to rotate your ankles regularly (a bit like with pelvis floor exercises) I find what helps is if first thing when you wake up, before having a stretch which invariably starts it off rotate your ankles a couple of times and this relaxes the ligaments and stops cramp from settling in.

 

[LouisecH]

Hope this helps:

What is causing my painful leg cramps?
Your heart, kidneys, and circulatory system work extra hard to help you function normally during pregnancy, and your muscles, which are bearing the increasing weight of your pregnancy, feel the strain, too. So as a result, your tired leg muscles may seize up and cramp in protest, especially during your second and third trimester. The pain can wake you from a deep sleep.


Muscle fatigue isn't the only reason you may be suffering from leg cramps. Too much phosphorus (found in processed meat, snack foods, and soda) and too little calcium and potassium circulating in your blood can also cause muscle spasms.


And a third reason is that as your uterus expands, it can put pressure on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs.


Is there anything I can do to stop it from happening?
Try our BabyCentre tip and eat a banana or drink a glass of milk before bed for a quick calcium and potassium boost. Don't take any herbal or vitamin supplements without first discussing it with a medical herbalist.


Here are some other tips for keeping muscle spasms at bay:

• Avoid standing or sitting with your legs crossed for long periods of time.

• Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes when you sit, eat dinner, or watch TV.

• Stretch your calf muscles (see How to get rid of leg cramps, below) several times before you go to bed.


How to get rid of leg cramps
If you do get a cramp, stretch the muscle straight away. Straighten your leg, heel first, and gently flex your ankles and toes. It might hurt at first, but the pain will gradually go away. You can also relax the cramp by massaging the muscle or warming it with a hot-water bottle. Walking around for a few minutes may help, too.


If your muscle pain is constant and not just an occasional cramp, or if you notice swelling or tenderness in your leg, contact your doctor. In rare cases (one in 2,000) a pregnant woman can develop venous thrombosis, or a blood clot, which requires immediate medical attention