Nocturnal leg cramps - SEVERE! Meds??
 

I have RLS, TN, Carpal Tunnel, PN and SEVERE nighttime muscle cramps. I have been on Quinine for years. Two to three of the 324mg Qualaquin capsules daily. I KNOW it is hard on my body and would love to find something else.

Tricare insurance just told me they won't approve it for anything but Malaria.

I have heard people say Neurontin helps. I have tried drinking tonic water. No luck.

My right calf muscle cramps hard enough that I have to jump up in the air and land on the ball of my right foot, more than once, to relieve the cramp. I have a further complication. I have been on a LOT of antibiotics, including Cipro and Levaquin. A side effect of these is to weaken (?) the tendon holding the muscle on the bone. Currently, I have ruptured the tendon holding my right bicep to the bone. See why I am afraid of these cramps? I am so afraid I will jump up and when I land I will tear the calf muscle off the bone.

I don't like quinine. Wish we had something else. This forum might be my best hope.
Thanks for taking the time to read this...Dave

EDIT: My Primary Care doctor said he thought Mirapex for RLS would help the muscle cramps. News to me.

Gabapentin was the only drug that cured my night leg cramps.
David

You might want to try the Mirapex. I take it twice a day. I have spasms which start in my feet and work up my legs. Although it doesn't completely stop them at the dosage I'm taking, it is much more manageable.

Jalee, I take 1mg a day for my RLS, but when we doubled it I got sick. Have lost about 25-30 pounds in 4-6 weeks.

I am so tired right now I have trouble putting coherent sentences together.

Due to Nocturnal leg cramps I don't get enough sleep. My software indicates I get less than 4 hours sleep a night at least 25% of the time. And not much more than four hours unless I use Lunesta or Rozerem (8mg). I don't like taking pills, God knows I have taken thousands and thousands over the last 8 years.

I am taking Carafate for my stomach problems, and it is working. It is usually prescribed for ulcers. My wife is a true gift from God, she patiently tries dish after dish trying to find something I can eat without getting sick later. She is an angel.

I am awkwardly trying to say one change in meds is effecting me in many ways. All bad. Adding insult to injury, I just had a lab test indicate my PSA is 56+, so they have me on Cipro for 30 days. In February, when I complete this regimen, I will have consumed right at 300,000mg of anti-biotics in 4 years. THAT can't be good for me, but with lung infections, etc. I guess they have no choice.

Apologies for rambling, thanks for taking the time to help....Dave

This may sound stupid and I almost would not even respond, but I used to suffer from terrible leg cramps as well, and quite often. Someone, I know suggested regular yellow mustard, either down the throat or as a plast helps to relieve them, and for me at least it did the trick. Now I use mustard on many of the foods I eat just to keep them at bay, and have not had a single muscle cramps in at least a year. But that could maybe also be attributed to maybe primidone which I also started about 10 months ago. I hope things improve for you, as I know how painful they can be.

Well this may also sound stupid. I drink plenty of tonic water, but if I do not wear big fuzzy warm socks to bed I wake up with severe leg cramps. If I wear my regular gym socks, I will also get cramps. I also take one tab of vicodine (regular dose or 1/2 tab of extra strength) for RLS and as long as I wear the fuzzy socks I am fine. Best Wishes, Peg

Hi Dave,

I just joined to find out about my neuro's plan to cure my nocturnal leg cramps with mirapex.

Last year I had a bad bout with motor nerve neuropathy, and some of the nerves in my lower legs are now dead. I can walk almost normally again, Thank goodness, but I suffer with horrible cramps in my calves and ankles and feet at night. And in my hands and fingers during the day. :(

Last night I started Mirapex, 0.125 at 8:00 PM and another 0.125 at 11:00 PM. I felt like I had been slightly paralyzed, but could still feel the knotting of my muscles in preparation for cramping. But only one cramp broke through.

It is ruining my sleep, though, so I checked and tonight I can take a low dose of Lunesta.

I'll let you know if it works. Or have you started it yourself?

Gramma Ellie

yellow mustard & cramps
 

I 2nd the yellow mustard ( as crazy & economical as it sounds)
After sudden OA onset and resulting left hip replacement, trauma accelerated spinal stenosis followed by a ladder -involved spine fracture- nothing else helped my nightly and sometimes daily leg cramps-hamstring, calf, & foot. And my MD recommended it- although he didn't know why it works. (acetic acid possibly) I also tried dijon & another brown mustard first and they did nothing. Yellow mustard worked the 1st and every night I've taken about a teaspoon of it. I still get 'tremors' or spasms in the morning but nothing painful. Best nights sleep in years for 2 bucks a month.

Sound a lot like what I'm going through I take 400MG 0f Gabapentin 3 times aday.. No longer have the night cramps.. and even if I do, the pain and duration is much less.. I still have a problem if I try to walk a great distance.

Terrible nocturnal leg cramps
 

I am so happy to find this forum. I have had nocturnal leg cramps off and on for many years, but it was not a frequent thing and easily cured with a couple of spoonfuls of yellow mustard. However, the present time is a completely different story. For the past six months, the cramps have been occurring more and more frequently and more forceful. Now, the cramps occur several times a week. The muscles are so sore and painful that I suffer terribly the following day. I am losing sleep big time. I have always had trouble either going to sleep or staying asleep, but not due to pain; the reason was that my brain just would suddenly start thinking about something and I would awaken. However, now just entering my 70's, the lack of restful sleep is taking its toll on me. I yearn for a good night's sleep, but I am dreading going to sleep because I know I will be awakened by a horrible cramp. I used to only have a cramp in the calf of my left leg. Now the calf muscles in both legs and the thigh muscles are cramping. Sometimes, I feel the cramp beginning down in the foot and I can flex my feet and the cramp will pass, but my body never will relax afterwards and allow sleep to return.
I have enjoyed reading this forum and have gained some insights from all of you who share similar stories. I have tried some of the suggestions made by the group and I want to share my feelings and ask for your insight and suggestions. I am trying the exercises to length the calf muscle. I bought the Morton's Epson Salt lotion from Walmart and generously applied it on my legs twice yesterday and once today. I bought the Slo-Mag magnesium tablets yesterday and used them yesterday and this morning. Last night I did not have a cramp and slept more hours. My muscles had been very sore from the cramps the previous night and perhaps the Epson Salt lotion helped with the soreness. Now another problem reared its head today. I had terrible bloating and gastrointestinal distress most of the day. I bought a box of Gas-X strips and used 4 strips as directed this afternoon which helped a good bit. I also take Metformin for pre-diabetes and occasionally have some gas issues, but I have had no bloating. Can anyone offer insight here? I realize this is a very long conversation for my first post and I do apologize. Thanks so much