please help with severe constant leg spasm!

[Featheredsamurai]

My poor mom is having leg spasms that are keeping her in bed, she's is unable to go to work, can barely get any sleep, and is on the brink of crying because nothing is working.

I don't know how I can help and it's terrible to see her like this, I've tried heating up damp towels to warm and relax her muscles, massaging her leg muscles, and reminded her to drink lots of water. My step dad just got home and he's much better at helping than me, I try really hard to help but sometimes I feel like I only make things worse

She's already been to the doctor, he gave her potassium supplements and painkillers after taking a blood sample(the blood samples showed no deficiencies though). After a day and a half there has been no improvement and she will be going back in to do more testing to see what is causing this.

Does anyone have any recommendations of what may help to relieve her pain some?

*edit*

I looked online for some help, but everything seems to be about average leg spasms. I found one person asking about longer spasms but the response was only they should see a doctor which my mom has done, and is going to do again.

 

[ShellyBorg]

I know Tums help with leg cramps. Or any bad cramp. They are safe would not hurt to try.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Thanks Shellyborg! We always have a few packs of tums around the house, I never new they helped. I'll let her know to try them.

 

[ShellyBorg]

I donate blood platelets and get sever spasms/cramps in my forearm above the needle site. 4 to 5 Tums and 5 to 10 min later and they are all gone.

 

[Greenwing]

Try tonic water... My grandmother Swore by it for leg cramps and spasms...

I read that it's really the quinine in tonic water.... and it use was common for leg cramps and spasms...

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I donate blood platelets and get sever spasms/cramps in my forearm above the needle site. 4 to 5 Tums and 5 to 10 min later and they are all gone.

So I went in her room to tell her, she was sleeping and I didn't want to wake her, but I saw a pack of tums on her night stand so I'm guessing she already knows. But I'll tell her when she wakes up just in case.

My step dad told me she has another doctors appointment tomorrow, Hopeful they will figure out what is wrong, or take various samples to figure it out.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

Try tonic water... My grandmother Swore by it for leg cramps and spasms...

I read that it's really the quinine in tonic water.... and it use was common for leg cramps and spasms...

We have tonic water(My parents like gin n tonic). Thank you so much!

 

[Kalidasa]

I went thru that about a year ago, and it progressed to the point where I needed a walker.
It was a form of sciatica. The symptoms were severe leg cramps ripping down the thighs like an electric current. Ask her when its the worst...if its the worst when she goes from sitting to standing, than its most likely the nerve.
Severe persistent leg spasms are not ever normal. They are almost always indicative of a spinal issue. And it DOES go away.
If she's agreeable to it, take her to the E.R.....the usual route for finding out what's going on is x-ray, and if nothing shows up there, then an MRI.
It goes away with time, physical therapy, perhaps a few steroid injections. I truly hope she feels better soon!

 

[Wdlodge]

Does she drink enough water throughout the day? I was thinking potassium but then you said the dr already checked that. Hmm wonder what's in the tums, calcium? Is she diabetic?or what about peripherial artery desease?

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I went thru that about a year ago, and it progressed to the point where I needed a walker.
It was a form of sciatica. The symptoms were severe leg cramps ripping down the thighs like an electric current. Ask her when its the worst...if its the worst when she goes from sitting to standing, than its most likely the nerve.
Severe persistent leg spasms are not ever normal. They are almost always indicative of a spinal issue. And it DOES go away.
If she's agreeable to it, take her to the E.R.....the usual route for finding out what's going on is x-ray, and if nothing shows up there, then an MRI.
It goes away with time, physical therapy, perhaps a few steroid injections. I truly hope she feels better soon!

oh, that sounds terrible! she has spasms at least every 20 minutes, and her muscles are constantly aching as well. She's already been to the doctor once, so she's definitely agreeable about the hopsital. She has a new appointment for tomorrow and the doctor thinks he knows what may be causing this, but only testing will tell.

She works as a case manager/family councilor at one of the best pediatric cancer clinic, and does on call in the pediatric severe care where she did her fellowship. She's such a strong amazing person, I could never do her job! She has watched so many children/babies whither away and die, and their heart broken parents look at her for support. She knows the harsh realities of how fragile a human is doesn't take chances when she feels wrong.

My step dad picked up some new pain pills that the doctor prescribed, and it also knocks her out so she's getting sleep.

Does she drink enough water throughout the day? I was thinking potassium but then you said the dr already checked that. Hmm wonder what's in the tums, calcium? Is she diabetic?or what about peripherial artery desease?

she's drinking enough, but not a whole lot. Since my step dad's been home he's been making sure she drinks more.
She does have diabetes, but she stays on top of it unlike many people.


When she finds out what is wrong I'll let everyone know, thankful so much for your support and ideas to help her! It means so much to me!

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

Leg spasms - the problem/pain generator could be elsewhere, such as lumbar spine, piriformis muscle, sacroliliac joint, tilted pelvis. A medical doctor specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation should be very helpful in this situation if it is determined to not be some sort of deficiency. These doctors are also called Physiatrists. Some specialize in pain management. If it is musculo-skeletal, your mom may need some targeted massage, or physical therapy to teach propery stretches and stabilization. If it is related to the vertebrae and is an extreme problem, there are injections called epidurals and facet blocks that can often offer immediate help. My dad has had many of these types of injections which have offered temporary or even long term/permanent relief for various problems over the years. I've had several and some were like miracles allowing me to stand up in little pain after having severe pain and spasms upon walking in to the physiatrist's office.

The other thing that I have had excellent results personally with after a back injury that caused severe pain and spasms down my leg is acupuncture. It was truly amazing.

Also, there are different schools of thought about heat packs vs. ice packs. Some injuries are best with ice. But, ice will not hurt injuries. However, heat can cause problems if not the right type of injury for heat therapy. Also, ice can make people's local pain calm down , so try 20 min of some kind of ice pack, but not too cold like a block of ice. frozen gel paks or frozen veggies are good too.

The best thing you can do is be supportive to your mom and let her know you want to help however she asks and that you are worried about her and feel badly that she is in pain. She'll let you know what you can do.

Best of luck. If you like, I'll send some remote remote reiki out to her.

 

[antoinette]

That is terrible OMG the pain must be absolutely awful
Sorry I have no answers, great advise given from members
I pray that they are able to assist your mom at the hospital and know exactly what the cause is.
You mom is so fortunate to have a loving and caring son
Please keep us updated

 

[Wdlodge]

She may want to increase her water intake and see if she gets any relief. So many people are dehydrated and they don't even realize it. Just food for thought. Google alpha lipoic acid, it can be taken with "cool" cayenne. Great for diabetes as well as pain.

 

[SandyBee]

Sorry to hear about your mom. wish I had more to add.

 

[JerseyWendy]

So sorry to hear about your mom, Ashley. I sure hope the doctors can figure this one out ASAP!

You are SO sweet and caring to take such good care of her!!

 

[crimson]

my mother suffered something similar with her legs, but it doesn't sound as bad as your poor mom!...my mom found relief in magnesium. like you said they lay there in agony and you feel helpless, wishing you could do more.
she would often get leg cramps (those nasty charlie horses), or twitches that would last for more than 15 minutes at a time, especially thru the night.
magnesium seemed to help. she also saw a very good chiropractor, which helped her in many ways.
Acupuncture may also be beneficial, I guess at this point you have to rule out any ailments, but if all turns out negative, I would go the holistic route.
there is nothing worse than dealing with chronic pain....

 

[Mayden]

Haven't read the entire thread as I don't have a great deal of time before I have to go but I'll give you a quick but as indepth run down as I can.

Muscle spasms or cramps can be caused by a number of things, most people tend to opt for something such as magnesium tablets, milk of magnesia etc and this generally eases the pain. But this is usually something for 'one off' type cramps, not constant.

Constant (or well, every 20 mins or so as you said) is more likely to be a back/neurological problem. I'm gonna go with back in the case of your mum, being a carer of some type, back complaints are preeeeetty common.

Things such as a slipped disc, trapped nerve, siatica, things like that are all big 'spasm givers'. And so... no home remedy are going to help. Your mom needs to speak to a doctor to confirm if there's a problem with her back (PLEASE don't ask her to try and exercise/sort her back out herself, backs are so so precious and if you put one wrong move, you can be buggered up for good, they're so so precious, let the pros deal with it!) and he'll then recommend appropriate treatment!

So yes, long story short;
Probably a back problem, no home remedy, dr's would be best and then probably physiotherapy/chiropractor from there!

I'm sorry she's in so much pain and I wish I could suggest something that would alleviate it for the time being but I can't.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

@Antoinette I'm a girl lol

@Mayden
She used to get lower back spasms, she did acupuncture and went to the chiropractor which did wonders! Hopefully this will have a easy fix like that, although who knows.

She's back from the hospital, a lot of testing was done but we don't have the results yet. I'm going to drive her back to the hospital later in the week, maybe they are going to talk about the results then unless they email them sooner.

 

[sodakat]

How horrible. Are the cramps in her thighs? Those large muscles are so huge to cramp. She must be miserable. I wish her the very best.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

How horrible. Are the cramps in her thighs? Those large muscles are so huge to cramp. She must be miserable. I wish her the very best.

It's all of her leg, her thigh muscles as well as her calves, and all her muscles are achy, even in her hands.

Her new pain meds are helping so much! They relax her whole body and they make her really sleepy too so she is able to sleep without waking up in sudden pain as often. She still is miserable, but at least she is no longer at the brink of tears all the time.