cramps in legs

[Ohio Buckeye]

I've noticed that many of you have mentioned having restless legs but I have
a lot of leg cramps, mostly at night.  They get really bad.  Some nights maybe only a few
and other nights I hardly sleep because of them.  Do any of you have these or know
what causes them or anything that will help them?  I'm on several bp medications.
Don't know if that causes them.
Thanks for any info.

[angieskidney]

I've noticed that many of you have mentioned having restless legs but I have
a lot of leg cramps, mostly at night.  They get really bad.  Some nights maybe only a few
and other nights I hardly sleep because of them.  Do any of you have these or know
what causes them or anything that will help them?  I'm on several bp medications.
Don't know if that causes them.
Thanks for any info.

I used to get bad cramps until they raised my dry weight. Now I am feeling a lot better and my blood pressure is back to normal.

How is your blood pressure? Normal is 115/70 - 130/85

[Ohio Buckeye]

My bp had been out of control high and just recently has started coming down to more
normal levels.  But I am on 5 meds for it.  It is still not real stable yet but is in the
140+/80+  - 150+/80+ areas most of the time now.  Lower number stays pretty normal
but top number fluctuates more.  I'm on PD.  I'm probably about .6 more than the dry
wt. target they gave me, which I'm happy with.
 

[Joe Paul]

I agree with Angie, its probably your dry weight. My normal is 82 kilos, any less than that, my legs start the cramping too.

[Panda_9]

I used to get shocking cramps on PD. If your BP is 140/80+ and you are on 5 types of BP meds then I doubt you are too dry. What is your fluid restriction? Do you still urinate or eat much salt?

[charee]

I am not yet on dialysis but I get really bad leg cramps mostly at night . I have about 15% function .

[livecam]

Following a transplant my incidence of leg cramping dropped a bunch but they still happen from time to time. The damn things come on suddenly with no warning.  A bad cramp was my wake up call yesterday and it was just as intense as any that happened on dialysis.

[Ohio Buckeye]

I have 5pc function left.  I still urinate. Thank God.
I really watch the sodium.  They never gave me a exact number
regarding fluids but just to be moderate and not overdrink.
Everytime I have reached my dry wt. target it
has been lowered a little more.  I feel like I am where I should be but I am
slightly (maybe half pound) above it.  Last night was a bad night and I have to
work today. Not much sleep.  I can't connect the cramps to anything I eat or do
since some nights they are bad and others not and nothing seems to be
different that I do each of those days.  Stand up at work but I would think that
would be good for me. And it's not always a work day when I have them.
I'm only 3 mos. into this and I have so much to learn yet.  I have my cycler
training 8/9 & 8/10.  I'm anxious to see how that's going to work for me.

[BigSky]

A read a study about how cramping was reduced in dialysis patients who were given creatine monohydrate.

Might check with your doctor about it and see what he/she recommends.

Here is the study at the NDT Oxford journals site.


http://ndt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/17/11/1978

[SpeedFleX]

I get cramps sometimes so instead I going crazy and trying to sleep I usually get a bucket and put warm water in it and then I put my feet in it or at least the one thats cramping up and then goes away so then I wrap it in a towel because once it's a little cold it comes back again.


hope this helps!

It's just a temporary answer so u can get some sleep to work with full power the next day^^

[Mom3]

My son was given quinine for cramps. It is an old medicine and does work, but might mask the cause of the cramps! Bicyclists used to get that prescirbed for leg cramps for overexercising but I think that has come under scrutiny.

My mother who is not on dialysis has always been plagued by leg cramps and she drinks tonic water before bed. Real tonic water contains small amounts of quinine. Gives it the bitter taste.

Mom 3

[Sluff]

I was told to try tonic water and it appears to relieve the cramps a little.

[angieskidney]

ugh .. I hate the taste of Tonic Water but my friend Marco always loved it 

[Panda_9]

I used to have a small glass of indian tonic water before bed and it helped quite a lot. Tonic water contains quinine which is why it helps. I found the Indian Tonic water tasted nicer than others, and I dont think the cheaper ones had quinine in it. If you dont like it, put a bit of cordial in it or mix with half juice.

[Mom3]

If a doctor will prescribe the quinine it won't impact your fluid. You have to drink a lot of tonic water to get any significant quinine.my son's nephrologist prescribed it. He didn't ask, but I would have.


Mom 3

[Panda_9]

I know theres not much quinine, but Im just talking about my own experience. It may not help others. I drank 200mls at bedtime and it was enough to help with the cramps. I either only got mild ones, or none at all. If I forgot to drink it, I got bad cramps. It also helped both my dad and nan who also suffer cramps.

[angieskidney]

Wow this is very good to know! I used to get cramps even before I got back on dialysis and people told me to eat bananas.

[Ohio Buckeye]

Thanks for all for the suggestions.
I try to stretch and bend and works my legs before I go to bed.
I'm definitely going to try the tonic water. and the warm soaking sounds relaxing
especially on work days when I stand all day. Going to try to avoid another
medication if possible as I am on so many already.  Thanks again.

[redheadedangel]

The leg cramps could be due to neuropathy. If you get up and hang them down on the floor and the pain ceases it is most likely due to neuropathy. It took years for the Doctor's to diagnose mine. I now take a medication called Topomax which works wonders. No more cramps. Neuropathy is very common in diabetics. Ask your Doctors...Good luck and hope it ceases soon, as I know the misery. Sassy

[Black]

The leg cramps could be due to neuropathy. If you get up and hang them down on the floor and the pain ceases it is most likely due to neuropathy. It took years for the Doctor's to diagnose mine. I now take a medication called Topomax which works wonders. No more cramps. Neuropathy is very common in diabetics. Ask your Doctors...Good luck and hope it ceases soon, as I know the misery. Sassy

I agree that it may be neuropathy.  My husband takes Lyrica (half of a 50 mg) at bedtime and it has helped with the RLS, cramps, and the prickling/tingling, all of which used to disturb his sleep.  He is not diabetic, just toxic.

[Panda_9]

My cramps are pretty much non existant since I started nocturnal hemo. When I was on PD and getting poor clearances I had extreme cramping that kept me up all night, as well as restless legs. I now have next to no restless legs either. Im on gabapentin for neuropathy pain in my feet and it has done wonders.

[angieskidney]

Did you know that low ionized Calcium can make you get cramps? I was getting them just recently and found out my ionized calcium is too low