Scary Muscle Cramps!

[Farzana26]

Hi All,

In the last 6-8 months I've been getting unexpected (no warning whatsoever, and for no reason) muscle cramps in my legs. Sometimes below the legs near my ankles, behind calf, or, like yesterday, my thighs.

Yesterday was really scary. Came home after spending all day having fun at Drayton Manor Park, and was sitting on the bed normally chatting to my cousin. As soon as put my leg down on the floor my thighs contracted and it was PAINFUL. So much so, I had to press my hands on my thighs really hard and TRY to kneel down in a position so that the pain would limit or go away. Every time I moved it hurt and the muscles would contract, and when I tried to walk, I had to have my leg very straight (knees locked) and drag it along with me. After about 10-15 mins, I thought enough is enough...may be the cold air is getting to my legs and causing this, so i decided to run a hot bath and dipped myself in it and constantly massaged my legs to force the muscles to relax. After spending just over an hour in the bath I felt much better.

I know that a lot of people experience spasms and cramps daily, but this is quite new to me and a little bit scary as I seriously thought I was gonna lose the ability to work in just a few minutes! There have also been couple of times where I'm in deep sleep and then suddenly in middle of night I'd wake up, jump out of bed and walked around my room or kneel on the floor to get rid of the cramp.

Does Diabetes have anything to do with this? As I know there is a lot of stuff regarding nerve system/foot and Diabetes going round.

I am only 26 and had Diabetes for 13 years now.

Also, if you have had cramps before, are there any tips on what might help relieve it in the future?

 

[sparkyrich]

Horrible isn't it? And don't bother trying to describe it to a non-sufferer, they haven't been there so they don't know,

I've suffered with it terribly for years and I've tried all the remedies from quinine to exercise. None are guaranteed - just when you think you've found the cure, you wake up screaming!

I have found certain triggers that make it worse though...
Getting cold is the worst. My circulation must slow right down when I'm asleep cos my legs feel like ice sometimes. I've found a pair of pyjama bottoms a good idea.
A heavy duvet. Any weight on my legs when I go to sleep makes cramp a certainty.
Exercise. If I've been cycling, walking a long way or working up a step ladder I get it. Stretching out my legs like an athlete before bed helps with this one.
Avoid dehydration. If you've been sweating have water , or better, one of the electrolyte replacement drinks (for the lost salts).
Finally (at last!) others find tonic water (for the quinine), magnesium, and other supplements to be beneficial. They don't seem to make a difference to me but I suspect that, as in everything else to do with this life, everyone of us is different and we all have to find our own path...


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[sw11bloke]

I am a type 1 for 13 years too. I also go through periods where I cramp up really bady. I wake up in the nights where all my muscles in my feet and legs spasm and cramp that I cannot even walk. Happened on a flight once.

My dr prescribed quinine tablets. I dont take them all the time. if i start getting a cramp, id take 1 tablet for 3/4 days and they would stop.

Im sure it has something to do with diabetes. I find they come on when my control is bad or if I have been running high for a while.

 

[IanD]

I had disabling muscle cramps 5 years ago - and a change of diet changed my life to such an extent that I play tennis & table tennis to club standard - at 74. . I very rarely get cramps, but if I do, it's because my BG is increasing towards 7. I have to keep the average & the HbA1c below 6.5. Medication (quinine) did not help - & my wife gave it up because of quinine complications.

What is your diet, particular in terms of carbs? What are your BG readings & your HbA1c? What does your Dr advise?

Many diabetics with successful control use a low carb, increased fat diet - we have to get our energy from food, & if not carbs, fat - despite the low fat mantra we contrantly hear.

I wrote this in reply to another question - I hope it's helpful:

I'm T2 & 74 y-o so my advice is questionable BUT
diabetics can't digest carbs properly, - they tend to raise blood glucose, so you inject insulin to bring the BG down again, get a hypo & eat more carbs - you're seeing a trampoline effect.

IMO you need to eat sustaining food - proteins & fats that take longer to digest & therefore slower to raise BG AND maintain a healthy BG for longer.

I would suggest - porridge 50/50 with ground almonds & full fat milk;
scrambled egg made with butter;
cheese-on-toast, cheese sandwiches;

I'm not at this time suggesting a very low carb diet, but a more balanced diet. (I have corrected complications by low carb diet.)

I took my diet advice from a T1. See this link

 

[paul-1976]

It's agony isn't it! :thumbdown: It always used to be nightime when I got it and I'd be straight out of bed,hopping and howling in pain around the room,I don't know if it's coincidental but I was advised to add more salt to my diet as at the time I was avoiding it on the advice of the NHS but I don't fear salt now and touch wood my cramps are gone.

 

[noblehead]

[quote="Farzana26"Does Diabetes have anything to do with this? As I know there is a lot of stuff regarding nerve system/foot and Diabetes going round.

I am only 26 and had Diabetes for 13 years now.

Also, if you have had cramps before, are there any tips on what might help relieve it in the future?[/quote]


Unsure if your leg cramps are diabetes related as non-diabetics can suffer from leg cramps too. I had this when I was in my 20's and early 30's when I was working 12 hour shifts on my feet all the time, mine would come in the early hours of the morning and would awaken me with such a jolt it was frightening, not sure why they disappeared but not had any problems since this time.

My advice would be to go to your gp and discuss this with them, not nice having to put up with it and the sooner you get it sorted the better.....good luck!

 

[claymic]

i can get very painful cramps. they are horrible. it is scary how sometimes my feet or toes twist. I think it is all due to bad circulation, as i get them either in bed or when i am for example ironing so standing on the same spot for a long time.

i go from having cramps quite often to now not having had one in weeks (touch wood). i think things might have improved since using a bit of salt in my cooking etc. - well whatever it is i am not going to complain!!!!

 

[Yorksman]

In the last 6-8 months I've been getting unexpected (no warning whatsoever, and for no reason) muscle cramps in my legs. Sometimes below the legs near my ankles, behind calf, or, like yesterday, my thighs.

Yes, me too. It comes out of no where, mostly at night and can be very painful.

It's probably not diabetes related and, from the reading I have done, it is not understood why people get it. It is to do with circulation problems but not in an obvious way. Keeping well hydrated is very important. If you drink a lot of tea or coffee, drink less and drink more water, lots of it. Also, leg and calf stretching exercises help open up the blood vessels. http://tinyurl.com/ou8254f

I get these cramps much less frequently when I do these things.

Getting fitter and taking more exercise doesn't seem to help me much, to my surprise, but making sure I drink plenty of water does. Because I get them mostly in my calves and feet, I always wear bed socks and pyjama pants, not shorts, to keep my limbs warm.

 

[Yorksman]

i can get very painful cramps. they are horrible. it is scary how sometimes my feet or toes twist.

Do you get that thing where your big toe stands upright? What's that all about?

The twisting is funny, like your feet have a mind of their own and seem to want to wander off somewhere.

 

[claymic]

Yeah or when the calf muscle contacts so much that you can see the indentation in the leg......scary

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[cott97]

This all sounds so horribly familiar - started on my toes when I was very young, moved into my calves and then into my abdomen / chest area as I headed towards my mid forties. The only way to get relief was for someone to push with all their strength on the side of my abdomen where the cramp was - not something you can ask a stranger to do.... Got used to finding shelves and outcrops I could push into my side to relieve the pain - aaaaarhhh

But since I went gluten free and thereby relatively low carb I have only had one minor attack in my calf muscle in 5 months - I was getting at least one attack a day. I am not on any diabetes medication or statins and have not changed any other medicines to explain the relief.

I have no idea if its the reduction in carbs or going gluten free that has helped but something has changed. Would be interested if anyone else who has had cramp finds it lessens without carbs? Particularly if they are still eating wheat based products.

Meanwhile no one could persuade me to eat gluten or large amounts of carbs again for fear of the cramp returning and that jumping out of a warm bed to rub my calves and try to stop the pain.

You have my utmost sympathy and I hope you find something that n works for you

Cath
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