Im not sure if this has anything to do with being pregnant.
But for the last few mornings, when im laying in bed, i stretch, and I get this absolutely, severe cramp in my calf muscle.
It feels like my calf muscle goes rock hard, and my entire leg is in agonising pain....this morning and the other day it was that bad, I was screaming, and crying....it was unbearable...I could move my whole leg from the pain....
My DP was asking me where the pain was, and i couldnt take a breath to answer him....the only way to relieve it was to move my leg, but i was in that much pain, i couldnt move....Instead i was screaming and crying....
It lasted about 2 mins.....
anyone get this...its really scary, cause its so painful, and comes on when im simply having a morning stretch
Yep, I was getting throughout Tristan's pregnancy. I did mention it to my OB but she didn't seem to concerned.... she said that along with the blurry vision, dizzy spells ect was because I had low Iron stores.
i had the exact same thing when i was pregnant! not a nice way to wake up, it is one of the most painful things ive ever experianced!! i would also be screaming + crying!
people told me lots of old wives tales say its because not enough salt in diet, calcium, drink tonic water etc, etc.. but i couldnt find any remedy to stop them. i just became very aware of how i moved and streched my legs in bed. although someone did tell me to put my leg on a cold surface and one morning i hobbled and sat on the bathroom floor with my leg out and that seemed to help.
good news is i havent had any since i had ds, so there is hope yet
I get terrible leg cramps too. Had them in both pregnancy's. Couple of things that can help - Make sure you are well hydrated during the day. And that your calcium intake is good. Sometimes if you wake in the night with the cramps, getting out of bed and standing on cold tiles can help take the pain away, A good massage before bed by either yourself or DH if he is willing, and sometimes when I was having bad cramps I would have a couple of renie (heartburn) chews and the magnesium helps too. My Ob suggested the calcium supplement if they got really bad, but again, he said it was just one of those pregnancy things.
But, make sure you mention it to your heath provider too, just to be on the safe side.
oh...thankyou so much...Im so glad others have had the same thing, as ive been so worried...because they are just so painful...and i think DP thinks im a drama queen when i start crying and screaming....
But its just not like a normal cramp...its so painful...and sometimes, if i dont get rid of it properly, my calf muscle aches for like 3 days afterward.
The bad one i had the otherday left me limping round the house for 3 days afterward....it was terrible.
I drink a fair bit of milk and that during the day.. im taking mylanta too, so hopefully that will work in the same way as a rennie.
I usually try and not stretch my legs, but when im half asleep i forget lol
My doctor recommends quinine to stop the leg cramps & I found it helped heaps. Essentially if you drink a small bottle of tonic water or bitter lemon soft drink (I think they are around 300ml) each night with dinner then you shouldn't get them too bad.
I got the a couple of times in my 2nd trimester but haven't since (thank goodness)! The first time I woke up screaming in agony and my DF thought I was dying lol.
Not fun at all, I hope they don't become too frequent for you!
get a magnesium supplement- deficiencies in magnesium usually cause cramps so might be well worth trying. My naturopath recommended it to me for cramps- i'm not pregnant though just used to get them.
I'm not pregnant, and have never been but i experience those severe cramps as well
My DP doesn't understand either, whenever i have an attack (thats what i call it) he constantly asks what is wrong... well if i am clutching my leg and screaming in pain then i have a cramp!! duh!!! I get them at night as well so i make sure i have a big glass of water before bed and i haven't had one in about 6 months now
As the others have said its quite common in pregnancy.
I think I had one nasty one in the early part of the pregnancy but didn't get anymore after that because I was living on Tums for indigestion. They are full of calcium which helps with cramps - both the leg kind & the tummy kind. I also never felt any BH during the pregnancy, not sure if it's related or not but could well be.
I actually read last night in my pregnancy book that they are very normal...I was shocked to actually see it mentioned in the book, it gave me shivers lol (just another realisation that its all happening, and that im pregnant lol)
It said similar things and that theres not much you can do but walk it out... But its so painful i dont think i could muster the strength to get out of bed and walk.
I had to be so careful this morning, cause i usually stretch when im half asleep, and i tried stretching like 10 times, but everytime i went to, i had to quickly remind myself to stop lol.
And yes, i totally agree with you 'tryingforbaby88'....
I wake up crying and screaming, and dp just lies there going...whats wrong? whats wrong?
meanwhile im curling over in pain, holding my calf muscle lol
My muscle has been that sore today, that i couldnt walk properly and had to hobble around the shops.
Its funny hat the after pain can come back and haunt you after 24 hours of the cramp happening
Cramping in general, pregnant or not can be caused by low salts in the body, which muscles need to function properly.
Salts such as potassium, magnesium, sodium etc. In you can get a mineral supplement that has a wide range of vitamins and minerals it should help replenish the body with the natural salts it needs to function properly.
When you're pregnant the baby takes up so much of your dietary needs to develop, which is why people start to experince this when they are pregnant.
Go to your health food shop and see what they can give you. Collodial minerals are fantastic, PM me if you want details or somewhere to get them from
Also, try a heat pack on the mucles to encourage blood flow and ease the pain of cramping, and if you can, treat yourself to a massage
Someone told me that you don't get them as badly if you can remember not to point your toes when you stretch your legs... It makes sense to me - it's usually just as my foot reaches full flexion that the cramp kicks in... Worth a try anyway!
I am scared to up my salt intake incase i do damage and go the complete opposite way...maybe if i eat ore bananas etc, as they are high in potassium, and seem helthy enough
How do i know, whats a safe ammount of sodium to be having?
I have also noticed that it isnt as bad if i dont point my tos, so i think your right with that one!! I have still given a little stretch, these last few mornings, and just tried not to point the toes, and so far so good
Touch wood haven't had too many yet but very common in pregnancy from 2nd trimesters and can get worse in 3rd. Depending on which book / article you read it can be blamed on * pressure on nerves from trunk to legs due to expanding uterus * additional weight we are carrying which leads to legs being tired * too much phosphorus or too little calcium or potassium in diet - take your pick !!!!
Things you can do to mimimise - eat banana or drink glass of milk before you go to bed which provides calcium/potassium boost - try to stretch muscles before going to bed - try to get a walk in each day (even 10 minutes can help) - if okay with care provider take magnesium tablets (some of the other girls have mentioned this already).
Trick when you do get a cramp is to stretch the leg immediately - will hurt but will also make it go away straighten from heel first and flex ankles and toes.
Are you taking any pregnancy suppliments already? Like Blackmores or Eleviate? They should help level out any deficiencies in your diet if there was any.
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Severe cramps in my calf muscles
I get them at night as well so i make sure i have a big glass of water before bed and i haven't had one in about 6 months now
straighten from heel first and flex ankles and toes.
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