Incredible Lower Leg Pain

O

Ove

New member
First off; I searched up and down, and couldn't find a specific place for this problem.

For the last 2 years or so, at a rate of about 25 - 50 times a year, I am awaken by an incredible pain in my calf. And I'm not talking about a cramp, I mean this is hellish to the point that I can't even think straight. It only lasts for about 50 seconds at a time (however, one night it lasted for what seemed to be almost 5 minutes, which was the absolute most physically painful moment of my life... Until this morning).

You see -- this morning, was insane. It was about 6:30am (I had gone to bed around 2:00am) and I remember, I simply curled the toes of my left foot, and then it hit me. I know the lead-up to it pretty well by now; it starts out with a simple tingling, then just out of nowhere it'll hit me like a damn truck on the freeway. I had begun to feel the tingling, and due to the fact (and this is usual) that I was in such a deep sleep, I simply didn't have it in me to react quick enough to try and make any sudden changes in my sleeping position, in hopes of the tingling simply fading away and going back to sleep.

Anyway, no luck on my side, it hits me.... But this was the most mind-numbing pain I've ever felt in my life time. I found myself on the ground (I fell from my bed) just screaming in tears. I remember there was a point that I literally couldn't even see straight. The screaming had waken the others in my home up, and one of them rushed down to my aid, and I distinctly remember being unable to even put together simple words such as "help" or "call someone". This lasted only 50 - 60 seconds or so, but it was enough to cause me to knock over everything on my bedside table, as well as tear my bed apart (mattress on the floor, etc.)

Can anybody tell me how to prevent such a thing from occurring again? Is this normal in any way at all?

And even more importantly (because I find it interesting) what are my calf muscles actually doing when this is happening?


Thank you very much for reading - and any help would be greatly appreciated! ^_^


Oh, and just in case, here's some basic info that may play some sort of role in it.

Age: 15
Sex: Male
Height: 5"4
Weight: 134lb
I don't play any sort of sports, however I have been skateboarding for the last 11 years of my life, but I don't see how that could have anything to do with it, seeing as this is just recent.

The pain also doesn't particularly happen to one leg all the time. It varies between both, but never both simultaneously.

Some times (such as today) I can still walk and all, but if I put too much pressure on the leg that suffered that morning, I get a tender (yet bearable) pain in my calf.


I can provide any additional info if required. :)
 
I am sorry to hear about this! Have you talked to a doctor about it? If it's that severe, I'd definitely look into seeing a doctor soon. It sounds like your muscles are cramping up extremely, not a typical "charlie's horse" type cramp. Perhaps it's something similar, only much more severe. What does your diet look like? Do you currently take any medication or multivitamins? Many muscle issues are related to not having enough of a vitamin, such as potassium. If this isn't the case, then a doctor may need to prescribe you a muscle relaxer of some sort to prevent this from happening. I hope you are able to find relief!!
 
These night cramps you are experiencing are also known as "rest cramps." Research "rest cramps" for more information.

When I was young my mother would scream out at night, "oh my leg, my leg is cramping." I thought, "cramping? Get over it. I get cramps every month and don't act like this!" She would drink vinegar or pickle juice until the cramp went away.

Years later when I was awoken by one of these leg cramps, I thought my leg was being possessed by a demon! My boyfriend turned on the lights and my calf muscles were contorting in every direction. The pain! And he looked at me with disbelief, just as I had looked at my mother! I massaged, I walked, nothing helped. It lasted a few minutes, which seemed like eternity. The next morning, the muscle was so sore, I had a noticeable limp. Someone at work recommended I drink tonic water with quinine (quinine pills used to be available over the counter) before going to bed. She told me if I was not used to tonic water, to mix it with orange juice. I didn't do this immediately, hoping that it was a one time occurrence. Well, it wasn't, and after several episodes, I finally bought the tonic water. She was right, I couldn't drink it straight. Very bitter. So for a few weeks, I drank a glass of orange juice with a couple ounces of tonic water, and no more cramps. That was 10+ years ago. After a couple months, I stopped the nightly drink ritual, and only drank the tonic water once I actually got a cramp. That was a pain in itself, getting to the kitchen to make the drink. Now, I can drink the tonic water straight, and I buy a 6 pack of 8 ounce bottles and keep a bottle on my bedside table. When a cramp happens, I drink 2-4 ounces and the cramp is gone. A 6 pack will last me about a year. Buying the small bottles rather than the liter bottles keeps it from going flat.

Because of your age, I would mention this to your doctor though. There are a few medical conditions that can cause this.
 
:eek:Those cramps are HORRIBLE! Oddly enough, when you see the doctor you may want to ask about thyroid. A low thyroid condition can cause leg & foot cramping like that. Good luck. I feel for ya!
 
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