In AGONY!! Serious pain how can i make it stop?

[Monkey pants]

Im about to go crazy. For the past month or so i get a serious butt cramp at night on my left side. Not only am I getting up 2-3 times a night to pee Im in AGONY and cannot sleep because of this pain that runs down my thigh around my knee and to my calf. My partner rubs it, I soak in the bath, yoga, breathe, heat, etc. I just started crying last night because I was so tired but could not sleep due to my pain in the ass. Should I try Accupuncture, massage, chiropractic? If this continues until delivery I will be insane. HELP!!!!
Its hurting all day long pretty much but moving around helps but I cant sleep standing up....

[ashleybrook]

so sorry monkey pants! sounds not fun at all! i was having butt/leg pains, but they were sharp pains and not cramps...butt/thigh exercises have helped me the most. but it sounds like a different pain. i was also starting to have charlie horses in the night and the exercises have stopped that as well.

i hope you find some relief. i know bananas and i think magnesium is supposed to help with muscle cramps...but other than that i don't know that i have any more ideas.

hugs. hope you find relief soon! sounds like you're doing a lot already to support yourself!

ashley

[nintendork]

I was having trouble with muscle cramps and my doctor said to increase my potassium and calcium intakes. Eating a banana and yogurt everyday has really given me some relief.

So sorry to hear about your pain, I hope you get relief soon!

[Monkey pants]

Im going to eat a banana right now and see if it helps. I just took a walk as well no help, ate apple with peanut butter... B A N A N A here I come.

Ugg. I think its sciatia and I need to see the accupunctureist. I made the mistake of looking a 'What to expect when expecting' it said could be a blood clot. GASP! Surely not, right? I see midwife on Tuesday will ask her then.

Thanks ladies.

[Jenne]

You could also do calcium and magnesium. I do massage almost weekly for the tightness in my glutes. It is really helpful. Also Dh will take his elbow and rub out any knots that I can direct him too. Relief! Acupuncture would probably be great too. I find epsom salt baths and heating pads can also loosen things up.

I wish you good rest and loss of pain!
Jenne

[EdnaMarie]

Sounds like sciatica to me, a very classic case, and that is nerve pain and calcium and mag will not help because it's not muscle pain, it's nerve pain because of pressure on the nerve due to improper alignment.

I was able to get through with yoga (cat's crawl pose or somesuch, child's pose are good, and lunges are excellent for sciatica) and supportive shoes, but I would choose a chiro over an acupuncturist if I were to go to either one. Get one that specialized in pregnancy if you do.

It does NOT sound like a blood clot! Not that I'm an expert, but I do know two people who did have blood clots and it was totally different. Numbness, not radiating, not starting in the butt...

[Family4Christ]

Yup, magnesium. My prenatal has 500mg and I take an additional 500mg from a cal/mag. I'm considering upping it more as well. I have a lot of magnesium-related problems when pregnant.

[fihz]

Looks like sciatica to me

What works here is seeing a chiro to align things where they should be and an acuponcturist to release the inflammation... worked wonders in my last pregnancy!

Hope it'll get better for you too!

[trekkingirl]

I don't think you have sciatic nerve pain. That would start on the right or left side of your low back and run down your leg to your foot. It is not at all like a tightening muscle feeling. I have both sciatic pain and the severe muscle cramping while I sleep. On Wed night my calf tightened up so bad that it kept me up all night and is still rediculously sore. When I talked to my OB about it she said more bananas and tomatoes but I already eat these daily! I think I will try the calcium magnesium increase.

[EdnaMarie]

I don't think you have sciatic nerve pain. That would start on the right or left side of your low back and run down your leg to your foot. It is not at all like a tightening muscle feeling.

No, it can also start in the butt cheeck and go to the back of the knee. It varies.

[mrforbes]

In addition to some of the excellent supplement suggestions, I would go to the chiropractor and get a massage as well. Not in the same day of course. If you can, I've found pilates to be really good this time around at keeping aches and pains at bay this time - it's really helped w/my body's alignment and strengthening it so as to prevent new ones from popping up.

[iloveoregon]

I think I had what you are describing with my first pregnancy- but maybe not as far down. I am not having it with this pregnancy however, and I think it's because I'm more active. I take long walks when I can (not sure if your schedule allows), and the rest of the time I'm chasing a 3 year old. I also agree with pp about the bananas and yogurt. I am definately eating better this time around so maybe that is keeping them at bay?? Hope you find relief soon!

[Monkey pants]

Well I took a long walk yesterday, ate bananas, took a bath in epsom salts, drank water, yoga poses for this issue and had the Worst night ever.

sigh

Im going to midwife in morning maybe she can help me out somehow... I also have to do the GD test... BOOOO.

Going to Yoga tonight so we shall see.
Im pretty active during the day because I teach Middle School and Im up all day long walking etc...

Thanks for all the input.

[nintendork]

Man, I was really hoping the bananas would help! My fingers are crossed for your appt tomorrow, hope you find relief soon mama!

[cactuspear]

One more suggestion that hasn't been mentioned...

a tennis ball!

Put it on the ground or on a chair and roll your butt cheek around on it with all your weight for while each day. I started having hip joint and butt pain long before I got pregnant and I got the tennis ball tip from a running magazine. That combined with side leg lifts and hip/glute openers like pigeon pose have been life savers for me.