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Leg cramps-anyone else get these?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 8/19/2007 11:00 AM (GMT -6)
Hey everyone!

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with my crohn's, but you all know there's so many obscure symptoms so you never know...

anyway, I get really, really bad leg cramps. I'm talking right up and down my legs, normally both of them and they last hours. Normally stretching and a heating pad doesn't work so the only thing that dulls the pain are painkillers. They seem to be becoming more frequent too...

Anyone have any suggestions why I'm getting these and how to make them stop?!!

Oh, btw, I'm on cellcept and entocort, that's it.

Posted 8/19/2007 12:24 PM (GMT -6)
Hi Hipsy, I hear ya about the leg cramps, only mine are the bad charley horses that make you scream with pain and take your breath away. You have not lived until you get a charley horse in your thigh, I thought calf muscles were bad, little did I know. I do not know what causes on me except I take a diurectic plus my BP meds have a diurectic. I take Potassium and eat bananas and baked potatoes. If I am a little on the dehydrated side I will also get them. I have had these long before crohns came along and was dx's w/that lovely disease. I really don't think the cd has anything to do with it. Susie
Posted 8/19/2007 12:29 PM (GMT -6)
I agree with eating bananas and staying hydrated.
Posted 8/19/2007 12:31 PM (GMT -6)
Hi Hipsy, Yes I get leg cramps. I have to take vicodin its the only thing that helps me.
Posted 8/19/2007 1:26 PM (GMT -6)
The most commmon cause is dehydration. Also low potassium, thyroid disease, and low calcium can cause them. You can try drinking tonic water which contains quinine; drink about six ounces before going to bed.

Posted 8/19/2007 4:55 PM (GMT -6)
Hi Hipsy:

I've always been one to get leg cramps, and have gotten them sporadically since my early teenage years. However, when I was going through my first really major Crohn's flare up (before I knew that's what I was going through), my leg cramps were horrid...it would happen every night and be so painful that sometimes I would cry. Also, they would take awhile to work out...I'd have to walk and stretch for quite awhile before they'd feel better and I could go back to sleep, sometimes only to have them re-spasm when I laid back down.

I will agree that the cramps probably weren't caused by Crohn's per se, but Crohn's can cause dehydration and vitamin malabsorption, and those things can lead to leg cramps. Upping my calcium intake before bed seemed to help me some, but it wasn't until my disease was under control that they really got better.

Best of luck to you in handling those nasty cramps!

--Allison
Posted 8/19/2007 5:14 PM (GMT -6)
I get really bad cramps in my calfs and feet and also sometimes in my back. I don't know if they're Crohn's related but since my GI increased my Remicade dosage the cramps aren't as bad.
Posted 8/19/2007 5:15 PM (GMT -6)
Hi Hispy I was getting dramped toes and fingers for awhile thet have seemed to atop. Sure can underatand your discomfort I had them in my calf but not all the way up my leg. Sure hope some of these suggestions people send you work.Let us know what you do to get rid of them. lol gail
Posted 8/19/2007 10:32 PM (GMT -6)
I get them as well and I agree with Susie that I don't believe that crohns has any thing to do with them either.Some times I will get one and go away and then come back in a hour or two.
Posted 8/20/2007 10:08 AM (GMT -6)
I get them especially bad when I'm on Prednisone which may really mean a Crohns flareup. I even get them in my arms and fingers.
Dave D
Posted 8/20/2007 10:13 AM (GMT -6)
I have them now - it feels like I've been working out to hard, but I havent. I get them on and off and attribute them as one of the many joys of UC.I figure its UC since thats the only other thing I also have all the time.
Posted 8/20/2007 5:38 PM (GMT -6)
I get terrible leg cramps when I flare. They feel like multiple charley horses in both legs (mostly calves for me) at the same time then my muscles would be constantly sore after the actual cramping subsided. I also had erythema nodosum (red painful lumps) at the same time not sure if the cramps were related or not. All of my electrolytes came back at normal levels so I just filed it under random CD symtpoms of which there seem to be endless varieties. Oddly enough, the first time it happened and before I was diagnosed with CD, I got relief after being on Cipro for a couple of days. Otherwise, heating pads, pain killers, and staying off of my feet were all that helped. Eventually, they resolved as I got my flare under control.
Posted 8/24/2007 5:13 AM (GMT -6)
I have been prone to these the last few months, and I am recently diagnosed with Crohn's. They are worst in my toes but I can feel my body kind of wanting to cramp up in lots of places. I also have widespread joint pain and general achiness. I suspect, like the pp'er that they may be malabsorption of calcium and such. I'm not eating a very wide variety right now as I'm still intro-ing on SCD, but I do eat a TON of bananas and yogurt so that should cover the potassium and calcium. Still I cramp up.
Posted 8/24/2007 7:21 PM (GMT -6)
I get the cramps, charlie horse or whatever, quite often in my legs, feet and my toes! OUCH... I hate it..
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