Anyone else have problems with leg spasms? At night it's been waking me up again, and I've tried a heating pad (which helps the charly horse pain that seems to follow, but not the spasms themselves).

Anyone have suggestions how to help stop the spasms (and the pain after)?

Thanks
-Cindy

Hello Cindy,

Are they like cramp or maybe they could be restless legs syndrome spasms? Cramps are easier for the doctors to treat. Restless legs syndrome is rather more of a weird thing and not so easy to sort out.

I have both. I get cramp in my calves and it is horrendous at times, very painful. The restless legs syndrome has my legs jumping about, and even though I feel when it is coming on I still don't get much warning when they are actually going to jump.

I am of course only speaking from my own personal experience, so any information given is not to be taken as a diagnosis of any type. Any forms of treatment are again only suggestions.

The doctor can actually prescribe anit-cramp tablets, which can be effective. For RLS, sometimes massage and application of cold compresses may provide temporary relief. Medications can be given, but obviously it varies from doctor to doctor and the results vary from patient to patient and the intensity of their symptoms. Researchers have suggested that correction of iron deficiency may improve symptoms for some patients. Because symptoms are normally worse when you are relaxing or lying down, this causes problems falling asleep because of the "activity" in our legs.

You really should go to see your doctor about this, and he may be able to help whether it is cramp or RLS. Hope this is of some help.

Take care.

goldenwings :angel:

When I take "LegCramps with Quinine" it seems to help with my legs cramping or aching and with my legs twitching and jumping around on their own. Of course you should still tell your dr. about your legs and make sure the above med. won't interfere with any meds you're already on. You can get it Wal-Mart or Wal-Greens, I haven't looked for it anywhere else. Hope this helps some.
April

At bedtime I take Flexeril for my muscle spasms and Klonopin to help me get to sleep. This combo has worked wonders for me. I think I went 6-8 weeks with barely any sleep. I not only get the leg spasms (RLS) but my whole body will also "jump", which makes sleeping or taking naps very difficult. I'll fall asleep on the couch and just on the verge of falling asleep, my leg, or arm, or even my head would jerk and therefore would be woken up. Maybe ask your doctor about these two meds, and see if they may help for you.

I also have heard that there is a new med out there specifically for RLS. I can't think of the name right now, but have seen it advertised on tv.

I was dxed with RLS from a sleep study. I also have PLM--Periodic Limb Movement. They feel totally different. The PLM makes me jump all the sudden or my leg to fly up while in bed. The RLS feels like thousands of creepy crawlers going on in my legs--like ants crawling around. It makes me want to stretch the legs or go and run to get the feeling out. Doctors prescribed Equip for the RLS and gave me 2 weeks worth in a special "starter" pkg. You have to titer up the dosage. Well I just took the 2 weeks because it cost right at $100 a month at Walgreens. I have insurance but I pay, then they pay me back and I can't "front" that kind of medicine. But if you just had a copay type of insurance it would probably be worth trying. But anyway, the RLS and PLM are separate issues..hopes this sheds some light.