LEG CRAMPS DURING THE NIGHT

Hi "Juners" I am having severe cramps in my calves,toes,and shins. They are severe enough that they wake me and I have to walk around to make them go away for a couple of hours. I am 15 days out and wondered if anyone else has experienced this. Betsy

Wow, I hate leg cramps. I have had one or two, but nothing severe. I know that leg cramps can be caused by a lack of Potassium. Not to scare you but I also know that leg cramps can be a sign of blood clots, too. Maybe you should call the Dr.s office! Take care!

i have also heard that leg cramps can be a sign of blood clots, but also you can get cramps in your calves if you are retaining water. either way, i would just give a quick call to the doc's office. ease your mind at the very least! good luck!

Hi Betsy-- I agree that you definitely should give a shout to the doc about your cramps. You should have had on the flowtron boots around your calves while you were lying in bed in the hospital to prevent pulmonary embolism. (They blow air into each boot alternately to assist in circulation). My bariatric coordinator nurse at St. Barnabas, Danielle Hill, said that a pulmonary embolism could occur up to 30 days post surgery. So please be careful. (On the other side....it could simply be from walking and using muscles that haven't been woken up in a while...which happened to me!!! ) Good Luck!! -Cheri

Betsy, I have a fair amount of knowledge concerning supplements and nutrition, and because I was on Lasix pre-op, I had to concern myself with this kind of thing. Someone else replied that lack of potassium causes cramps---true. Also lack of fluids. Also exercising and not cooling down or warming up. But the one thing that is overlooked by even the doctors I've found, is magnesium. They emphasize the need for calcium supplementation, but calcium and magnesium work together and must be taken in a ration of 2 to 1. (600 Cal and 300 mag, for instance.) I knew this but mistakenly bought a bottle of calcium supplements (this is preop) without noticing that there was no magnesium. For 3 weeks I was fine, until one day I thought I was having a heart attack. It turned out to be a severe muscle spasm in my chest. I was getting muscle cramps everywhere, plus severe weakness and fatigue. Also erratic heart rate can occur. Within hours of taking the magnesium, my symptoms disappeared. I spent a weekend in the hospital for a cardiac workup when I had the cramp in my chest, and NO ONE even asked me what supplements I was taking. So my advice to you (if your doctor doesn't think to ask you), is to make sure you are taking cal/mag supplement. Good luck!