Chronic Pain Support Group

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New symptom?? Really???

yadlim
yadlim
So, just to keep life interesting, my system is throwing weird things at me again. I guess my life has not been challenging enough?

It started two days ago and has been steadily getting stronger. It only happens when I am lying down... So since I try to get in at least one nap (naps are GREAT!!!) that means I am fighting this twice a day lately.

How to explain this.... It is like just as I start to drift to sleep, my major muscles start randomly clenching. I am not talking about twitching, but fully contracted and they stay that way for about 30 seconds. Then a couple minutes later, a different muscle will contract. Full joints will move and bend - like my knees or elbows. There does not seem to be any rhyme or reason as to what muscles contract or for how long.

It is not painful, until it jerks my spine. Because of this, I can't sleep until it stops. Last night it went on for well over an hour. During my 2 hour nap this afternoon it might have lasted about 30 minutes.

I wonder if it is related to the shaking that I have been doing since coming off the barbiturates? I have no clue. I am about to head for bed. It is late and I can only hope that what ever this was it is over and done with now.

Yadlim and my Misha
Aronia
Aronia
Do you take any neuropathic agents?
Did anyone check your labs in the last month or so? Maybe there is a magnesium/potassium imbalance?
Hope you feel better soon!!
yadlim
yadlim
I had to go look up what a neuropathic agent was. LOL!!! but I believe the answer is no.

I would have to go with the magnesium/potassium imbalance. I ran out of my multivitamins last week and have not gotten more... The VA did bloodwork last week. I see a new VA doctor on Wednesday - I will ask.

thank you - this is easily fixable!! YAY!!!

Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!

OK, I am off to bed. I can check on electrolytes tomorrow.

Yadlim and co
billwfriend
billwfriend
Pedialyte might help w electrolytes I take centrum fifty plus mens vit daily
jeremy1999
jeremy1999
About two months after being released from the hospital after my DVT, my right leg began contracting every 3 minutes for hours one night. The next day I started taking 500 milligrams of potassium gluconate and the spasms and cramping have since gone away. It was painful enough to wake me out of a dead sleep and pain meds couldn't even touch one digit of the pain I had from those cramps. They were enough to bring me to my knees. They made me freak out and think damn I'll take my regular every day DVT leg pain over these cramps/spasms any day of the week. I hope I never have to experience that again. Ariona gave you some sound advice. We have a lot of astute people posting on this forum. Keep up the good work. I hope you get relief to these spasms, Yadlim. Hugs to everyone!
jeremy1999
jeremy1999
I wanted to tell you that along with potassium and magnesium supplements, a good Super B Complex supplement would also help you with nerve conductivity. B-12, B 6, Folic Acid, Niacin, Riboflavin, Biotin, an Thiamin will also help your nerve health. I started taking a Super B Complex after I got Bells Palsy again in February. It has helped my facial nerve regenerate. I don't know why I got cramps, or why you got cramps, but it could have something to do with Ischemia. That is a fancy word for loss of blood flow to a certain area, or organ in the body. Perhaps you're not getting enough blood flow in the legs which could also be causing the cramping. Any how, I hope you get it all straightened out soon.
redheaddiva
redheaddiva
When I had low potassium, this happened to me ALL the time! Mostly just in my legs but I'd get it elsewhere too. And they always happened at night or when I was trying to rest.

Once the VA found my low potassium doing routine bloodwork and I added more potassium-rich foods to my diet, the muscle contractions stopped.

Hope you can get the cause figured out and they stop!

~Michelle
yadlim
yadlim
This is why I love this site. There is a lot of information that we picked up along the way and this format allows us to share those tidbits of information, saving someone (me in this case) what could be months of trying to figure out what is wrong!!

I now have the tools to fix this problem. And like Jeremy said in a different post, anything we can do to get just a bit more comfortable helps.

thank you all so much!! I am bouncing off the walls with good spirits from you all!!

Yadlim and my Misha (LOL but it is Bucky who is curled up on my feet!!)
annettearizona
annettearizona
We learn by the trial and errors of paid proffesionals :p
journeythru
journeythru
I have this problem with my muscles. I added potassium, plus vitamin D. My Rhuemy checked my D and it was very low. That did help, but i can still get the cramping. Doesn't this just add insult to injury when all these other symptoms start to appear? Somedays, I just want scream, "Enough, already!"
yadlim
yadlim
Yeah - it is like, really? there is not enough going on in my life? now I have to add another symptom?

At least this one seems to be easily fixable. The only thing that HAS changed in the last few days is the loss of my vitamin supplements. I usually take a multi, B-complex, and vit D and I am out of everything but the vit D - which the VA sends me. Or I was - we picked them up today along with some pedialite so if the cramps are less tonight I know for sure what they were.

Yadlim and my Misha
gr8ful2b
gr8ful2b
Potassium is an ion in the heart that makes it tick. It would be negligent of me to not tell you to check with and get the recommended dosage, etc, from your doctor. I had to do the same thing for the same reason.

All we can do is share our experience. The doctor needs to set the dosage, etc.He may find that you don't need extra potassium. Maybe it's magnesium or something else. I hope you see the doctor soon to sort it out.
yadlim
yadlim
Well my friends - yeah... I took my normal multi vitamins yesterday after drinking an OTC electrolyte drink. The cramps are gone. It was an easy fix.

Hum - I wonder if this could be a symptom of the shaking that I have picked up this year. The only doctor who seems interested in finding the cause of it is a therapist!

But at least for now, one symptom knocked off my list!

Yadlim and critters
yadlim
yadlim
Noted - will do.

Yadlim and critters
yadlim
yadlim
Hate my doctor. I have an apt for mid-October... And I know that I will get yelled at for it not being a full year since I was last in. Sigh. I need a new Primary Care doctor.

Yadlim and critters
journeythru
journeythru
I think it's amazing, no, actually sad how many people hate their PC doctor. I don't like mine. But I love my Rhuemy; she actually listens and was the first doc to help me.

Yadlim, I hope you get some answers soon regarding you muscle spasms.

Jacquie
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