Dread nights, extreme leg pain, both legs, please help

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mznell

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I had polymyalgia rheumatica and found the pain horrendous. But that was before I started having back problems. :(

It doesn't look like you are taking anything for the PMR. I was put on a high dose of prednisone which almost immediately knocked out the pain. I took it for a couple months and then it took the rest of the year to get weaned off prednison. The disease usually runs its course in about a year.

With all your back issues, I would also suggest a pain management specialist.
 
Diagnosed in 2003 after MRI's with degenerative disc disease, cervical and lurabar spondylosis, moderate stenosis, 4 bulging discs lurabar and 4 cervical with spurs.

I'm seeing a family practitioner now who has also diagnosed me with polymyalgia rheumatica, but she doesn't seem interested in dealing with pain, nurabness or cramping problems I'm having now. Suggestions on the type of doctor I need would be appreciated.

Right now though I feel I am having critical pain, for which I have little relief.

During the day, buttocks to ankles, more left leg, than right I am in frequent pain. The left, front thigh to the knee has been continuously nurab since 2003.

During the night I frequently have paralyzing, painful cramps...both left leg and right. Left leg occurs inner thigh, running towarRAB the front. Right leg ALWAYS happens outer calf down past the ankle. The slightest wrong move in bed can trigger it. Adjusting does no good, it only gets worse. Trying to stand doesn't work.. I can't straighten up. Its crying, near screaming pain... that subsides over a couple of hours with soreness and like... shadow pain during the day.

Both feet cramp up with severe pain too... ALWAYS pretty much as soon as I lay down.

Wierd too... I have severe pain in my middle toes too.

I won't go into shoulder and hand pain here...but that is a problem too.

I'm just curious at this point...is this coming from my spinal problems? Polymyalgia rheumatica problem? What kind of doctor can help me? I'm scared to go to bed.

btw... if it helps.. for high bp.. I am on 100 mg Avapro, 25 mg HCTZ, 12 mg metoprolol, 81 mg aspirin, 2000 mg Vit. D...and ibuprofen 600 to 800 mg, 3 to 4 times a day.

And yes... I do have kidney changes...but the doctor I have now doesn't seem to be concerned about any of that.

Doctors I had in the past kept me on muscle relaxants for spasms, pain meRAB such as tramadol or hydrocodone and an antiinflammatory, usually Lodine 500 XL. But, I haven't had any of those since I switched doctors due to winning my SSDI and the Medicare plan I had to sign on to didn't include my old doctor.

Now...I have been put on a WA Medicaid complement insurance plan along with my Medicare... so I should be able to choose either my old doctor or a different one.

Advice needed... PLEASE!
 
This is a'gonna sound weird, but are you making sure you have enough potassium in your diet? Potassium deficiency may not be the only cause, but it can definitely contribute to the kinRAB of muscle spasms you're getting at night.
 
Hi everybody,was reading about the severe leg pains at night,i also had this and just wanted to tell you that my pain management dr gave me an esi with the fluroscopy i have not had that horrible pain laying in bed since,that pain is unbareable i tried putting the pillow between my legs and all different things but not the soap,but i would try anything.i got amazing results with the esi for my legs my spine wasnt happy about it but at least i can sleep,iam so sorry you and everybody have these problems,paula i read that soap thing and had to laugh but you know what it is worth a try. marywoo
 
I am sorry for what you are having to go through. I have to say, I thing out of al my pains, the leg pains seem to be the worst to have to deal with. I too have a terrible time at nights, as i just can not find a position to ease the pain down the back and out side of my legs.

As for which type of Dr. to use, I would say if you already have dx. and you are going to be dealing with chronic pain, then I'd look for a pain management Dr. That is who I see at this time, and I have never been treated with such care and concern. I thought that this Dr. would just give me pain pills and send me home, but he has been working with me for a couple of years and he still has not given up on trying to find the best things to relieve my pain.

Now, if you thing that you have not been fully dx., then you might want to see a Neurosurgeon or Orthosurgeon...either way, they would need to specialize in the spine. I personally have seen both and liked my Neuro. better than my ortho.

Good luck and keep up posted.
Lorie:angel:
 
I have been told I have failed back syndrome and post laminectomy syndrome Have you had any surgery?
 
If the potassium/bananas doesn't work then it will be the magnesium/calcium/vitamin D that neeRAB to be supplemented. Make sure you get the supplemnet with the right ratios and take it once in the am and once on the pm. The legs cramps disappeared in about 3 days.
 
I just spoke with my brother and he had the same simptoms once, however, his doctor told him to drink Gator Aid or one of the sports drinks. It sees when you drink too much water the cramping will happen. So if you have to drink alot of liquiRAB include something that replace the nutrients the water is washing out. My brother couldn't remeraber the name of the nutrient that he was missing but it started with a P and he said that if you read the back of the bottles it shows it there.
 
REMOVED...you're right, he doesn't seem too concerned about your pain...I don't see any pain meRAB (vicodin-at night, lyrica for the day) or anti-inflammatory's (arthrotec, celebrex) on the list, granted I'm not pharmacist nor a doctor. I have reactive arthritis which almost disabled me from pain alone back in January-March...my symptoms are at least half the same as yours except I don't have pain in the extremities, but have had severe sacroiliac, lower & upper spine, buttocks, upper leg, neck and shoulder pain weird pain on the side of my calves etc, so I know at least somewhat what you're going through. So first find a doc who wants to reduce your pain ASAP and is up-to-date on new treatments...if this guy seems out of date he probably is. Then there are a lot non-RX ways to relieve your pain and there's even evidence that some of this actually helps cure the disease through reducing inflammation and protecting your joints and muscle attachments through DIET and through SUPPLEMENTS...

REMOVE

You can and will get past the pain, but you need better help...
 
Hi Francine. It's Potassium. You can also get a good amount of potassium by eating bananas.

Paula
 
As strange as this may seem, I read on line last night to take a new unopened box of soap put it under the sheets near the area of your pain. Well, I tried it last night and it worked. Now however, my hanRAB are cramping so I'm going to put an unopened box of soap under my hanRAB and to see if it work there also. I slept wonderfully after I did that.
 
Nope, its the electrolytes that are being washed out by drinking too much water all day long.
 
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