Cramping

[livecam]

Cramping is a serious problem for people on dialysis and even those who have had transplants after being on dialysis.  Where is cramping most a problem for you?  What do you do to alleve the pain and help a cramp go away?  How do you handle cramping when you are hooked up and in the middle of a run?

[paddbear0000]

I'm not on dialysis yet, but I've recently started getting really bad cramping in my calves in the middle of the night once every so often. I wake my husband up dancing around the room, groaning in pain!

[boxman55]

I haven't cramped on the machine for over a month now. We have my dry weight pegged pretty good. When I have cramped it would be in my lower legs and being stuck to the machine there is nothing you can do not even stand up. And it hurts like a Motha F.....! The techs will rub it but most times that doesn't work you can try to press against the techs leg but, usually the only thing that works is to take on saline and try not to scream bloody murder...Boxman

[kimcanada]

I am like boxman, I hardly cramp at all but my dry weight is like peg on all the time now , but when I do its my lower legs, I have a new type of chair that has a foot thingy that you can plow your feet into... the chair is hard as hell on the butt , but for leg cramps its the bomb!

[Chris]

When I was on dialysis, I didn't cramp to much, but when I did, they just gave me some fluids. Post transplant though I would get them infrequently, but haven't had any in the last few months. They would always happen when I was getting up from bed. I never even got out of bed, just a twitch of my calf muscle set it off in either one leg or both. The only thing I did to relieve the pain was to slowly put my leg down and rub the calf muscle, then I would get some fluids in.

[livecam]

They could hit me anytime, most usually during treatment but also at any random time.  There is nothing like being asleep at 3AM and having a major cramp come out of nowhere.  Usually when that happens I'm under several layers of bedding and can't get out fast enough to put weight on it.  It doesn't happen very often now but it still does from time to time.  I think the pain of this type of cramp is the worst I've ever had from anything including broken bones, twisted tendons, and surgical pain.  It is intense.

[kellyt]

I am also not on dialysis, but I get the most intense leg cramp in my right hamstring!  It curls up so tight that I have to put my left foot under my right ankle and push like crazy to straighten out the leg.  It's like lifting heavy weights!
And the funny thing is if you look up a synonym for hamstring one of the choices is....cramp!  Go figure...

[2_DallasCowboys]

Don't know if I should mention this but here goes!
Now, I know alot of patients have to watch their sodium
intake (my husband is one of them) but I have read (and
did try this and it works)  dill pickle juice - the liquid in the
jars of dill pickles- will relieve the charlyhorse cramps almost
immediately. 
Two nites ago I got a terrific one in my leg, ran out of bed
and grabbed the damn jar of pckles- drank some of the
"juice" (ugh) and the cramp disappeared.  My friend
told me she saw the Eagles Football team drinking this
during one of their first games when it was still hot outside-
to prevent cramps.
I have also heard of people carrying those little squeeze packets of
yellow-not brown mustard.  It is supposed to get rid of them also
Anne

[paddbear0000]

Don't know if I should mention this but here goes!
Now, I know alot of patients have to watch their sodium
intake (my husband is one of them) but I have read (and
did try this and it works)  dill pickle juice - the liquid in the
jars of dill pickles- will relieve the charlyhorse cramps almost
immediately. 
Two nites ago I got a terrific one in my leg, ran out of bed
and grabbed the damn jar of pckles- drank some of the
"juice" (ugh) and the cramp disappeared.  My friend
told me she saw the Eagles Football team drinking this
during one of their first games when it was still hot outside-
to prevent cramps.
I have also heard of people carrying those little squeeze packets of
yellow-not brown mustard.  It is supposed to get rid of them also
Anne

I've heard that about pickle juice too. Although, when I've just been woken up from a deep sleep, I never think of trying that! Course, we rarely ever have pickles tho.

[Chris]

I'll stick with getting some other type of liquid infusion. Only like the sweet pickles anyway and I still won't drink that juice!  Could use a smiley face that turns green or blue for this one

[paddbear0000]

I'll stick with getting some other type of liquid infusion. Only like the sweet pickles anyway and I still won't drink that juice!  Could use a smiley face that turns green or blue for this one

Yum! Sweet Gherkins!   

[KT0930]

My nurse (one I don't really trust, so take it as you will...) said that swallowing a spoonful or two of vinegar will work. I would think, based on the previous posts and what I've heard that it's the vinegar in the pickles and the mustard that works.

I also get them in my lower legs, and like all of you, jumping/walking around moaning in pain usually does the trick. Besides, mine usually come in the middle of the night when I'm hooked up to the cycler and can't get down to the kitchen and pickles or vinegar.

[paddbear0000]

I also get them in my lower legs, and like all of you, jumping/walking around moaning in pain usually does the trick.

It's the moaning that does the trick, not the vinegar!      

[2_DallasCowboys]

I also get them in my lower legs, and like all of you, jumping/walking around moaning in pain usually does the trick.

It's the moaning that does the trick, not the vinegar!      

You are probably right.   And I have to say that damn pickle juice is
a real eye opener at 2AM fer sure

Anne

[skyedogrocks]

Rob had them before dialysis, due to diabetes.  Now he gets them from dialysis too.  He had one the other night when he took off too much fluid.  It was a bad one, but luckily he was able to stand up in time and I was able to give him saline.  I feel so helpless/useless when this happens.  I give oodles of props to him though, he is very calm through it.  When he was in center, his nurses told him it was the worst cramping they had ever seen.  That just breaks my heart. 

I might try the pickle juice though.  It's worth a shot! 

I'm sorry that you guys have to go through the pain of cramping. 

[boxman55]

I started to cramp yesterday it was the first time in months. I asked the tech how much was taken off, it was a kilo below my normal dry weight. I screamed who changed my dry weight and demanded .5 of saline which stopped it. Before I Left they changed it back. Good God you would think they would discuss it with you first. I am pretty sure they will with me from know on...Boxman

[Chris]

I started to cramp yesterday it was the first time in months. I asked the tech how much was taken off, it was a kilo below my normal dry weight. I screamed who changed my dry weight and demanded .5 of saline which stopped it. Before I Left they changed it back. Good God you would think they would discuss it with you first. I am pretty sure they will with me from know on...Boxman

What idiots, techs shouldn't be making decisions like that on their own.