Leg cramps

[guestmama9920]

Or aches maybe is better, anyone else getting this?

[Belia]

Ooooo... be careful, mama!!!! I had horrible leg cramps in my right leg at about 7-8 weeks. They lasted 2 weeks and nothing helped. The pain started in my calf and gradually moved up and down my leg.

I finally got around to telling my midwife when I couldn't stand it anymore (and my nausea eased a bit), and she sent me for an ultrasound "just in case." Turns out it was an "extensive" DVT (blood clot). I had to be hospitalized for 3 days and now have to be on bloodthinners for the rest of the pg. It's a very scary thing- if any of the clot had broken loose and travelled to my heart, lungs, or brain, it would have been very bad. Clots can also cause miscarriage. Luckily, if the problem is caught, it is very manageable.

Hopefully what you're going through is NOTHING, but please! Talk to your HCP soon.

[guestmama9920]

Did you have any bruises? My leg is kind of achey vs crampy I guess I can't put my finger on the exact location of the pain, KWIM?

I'm scared now though, what should I do?

[Belia]

I did not have any bruises, but my leg and foot did start to swell slightly right before I went for the ultrasound.

As for the achy vs. crampy- I don't remember. But as time went on, it did become more and more painful. Like... I was limping pain.

I am so sorry if I scared you.... this is a nervewracking enough time, I know. I would just call your HCP sooner rather than later and run it past them. (In other words, don't be a dumbass like me and tough it out for 2 weeks!) You are probably FINE. And the good thing about something like this... even if you're not fine, the treatment to get fine is manageable.

[immamama]

Sometimes they are caused by a lack of potassium. Eat a lot of bananas and see if that helps! I sure hate them! I got Charlie Horses all the time when I was pregnant with my daughter until someone told me about eating bananas then it stopped!!!

[guestmama9920]

Did you all ever get leg aches as a kid? It's sort of like that, like the bone is hurting

Called on call doc but they don't give a toss

[AllieFaye]

For occasional Charliehorse cramps, I drink a small glass of tonic water (not just any fizzy water, but the real thing with quinine.) I never had low potassium, so bananas don't do much for me. Perhaps someone else knows why the quinine helps.

[Salema]

Just last night I had my first of the charlie horse cramps -- I stretch my legs frequently thru the night, always with my feet pointed. It immediately hurt and I remembered that I have to FLEX my feet or I get those cramps.

With my last pregnancy, my midwife told me to take my calcium at night for that. Prenatal vit's have almost no calcium, but lots of iron. So it means you have to remember to take the prenatal well before you take the calcium so it gets absorbed.

Potassium, calcium, sodium, and I think magnesium all have to be in balance. But it's anyone's guess what that balance is!