Severe muscle cramping and contractures

[Rosemary75]

Not sure of cause. Severe muscle cramping and contractures in legs, feet, hands and neck. For past 2 months,and 3 to 4 x nightly. Only one night without the cramping. I drink lots of fluids. Calcium, sodium and potassium levels ok. Have increased potassium foods intake and started on calcium supplements on my own.

I have them during the day when I sit in certain chairs, but not as severe as the ones I get at night. Have them while in swimming and getting out of the pool and while driving. I get them in my hands when I set my hair. In my neck when I yawn or move my head in a certain direction  I go to "Curves" and include  the stretching exercises. Bowl twice a week. Do my own gardening. Rest and pace my self. On Hctz 25mg, atenotol 50mg and plendil 2.5 mg daily. Borderline diabetic. Wt 160#  5' 6" In fairly good health otherwise despite my age of 77.

Nerve irritation somewhere?  Other causes beside low sodium, calcium and potassium? What other workups do you suggest?

Rosemary

[Matash]

Rosemary, I was in the same boat for several years with very severe leg cramps. The only thing that helped me was a prescription for flexeril, a muscle relaxer that blocks nerve impulses. The generic is cyclobenzaprine.  I take 10 mgs. before bed, and it's very effective.  Good luck!

[Rosemary75]

By Rosemary 75
Still having the spasms nightly. Not as severe. Sent for some quinine tabs. in a vitamin catalog. Hyland was a brand name the Rite Aid stores were selling but our two local stores were out of them. Wll let you know how they work.

[Rosemary75]

I do drink tonic water mixed with orange juice. Quinine tablets are no longer available unless you have malaria. I take fish oil capsules and use milled Flax seed in my oatmeal daily.

I drink a quart of fat-free milk a day. Used the sugar-free hot chocolate mix in each serving. Have since quit using the sugar-free mix as it contained aspartane. Trying to tolerate the plain milk or make my own with cocoa powder and Splenda.

Still having the severe cramping and contractures aspecially in the feet and ankles. See what happens in the 2 weeks. Seems to have eased in the legs, hands, thighs and calves.
Rosemary

[caregiver222]

Try a quinine drink and quinine sulfate tablets. These sometimes relieve the symptoms of "Charley Horse". Also try omega-3 oils and cod-liver oil. They increase micro-circulation. Often this is a calcium-channel issue, so drinking milk is a good idea, which I am sure you have been told.