Has anyone experienced charlie horse cramping in the calf region following back surgery? I don't consider this a muscle spasm, because it just hits when I get up from lying down. The flexoril doesn't seem to make any difference. I have tried stretching, eating bananas, etc., Anyone with this problem after surgery?
Bailey07

I have them in the hamstring, calf, and instep of foot. It only happens when I move a certain way. The doctor and PT could not answer why, they looked at me strange. I forgot, I am 8 weeks post up discectomy

Bailey -- I am medicated and not thinking 100% straight right now -- at least I am honest about it. LOL. If I remember right, you are one week 2. I began having cramps off and on from week 2 to 6. They were very severe. I tried orange juice, bannanas, bengay, heating pad (not when using bengay), hubby massaging them, running hot water over my legs, etc. It sometimes helped a little but nothing really helped 100%. I did find that when I took my muscle relaxer consistently on schedule even thru the night I was better off.

Just remember that I am not a doctor and severe calf cramps can be a sign of blood clots so please follow up with your doctor especially if you have any chest pains.

this could also just be a matter of low magnesium or potassium.try taking just a multivitamen(or just seperate potassium or magnesium tabs) for a few days in a row and see if this doesn't help.these two minerals are much more important than alot of people realize in just keeping muscles up to par.when my son was in liver failure,all of his body chemistry was off,he developed really nasty leg cramps one week because of low potassium,then the next week he developed actual muscle contortions in his arms,really horrid muscle flipping in his hands that would make them just snap around.it was really crazy to watch.this was just from very low magnesium.just try the vitamen thing,it may help.if not,well then it is something you can at least rule out.hope this goes away soon for ya.marcia

Right after my surgery I had a charlie horse feeling in the buttock and upper leg area. The Dr told me it was muscles. This was right after surgery

A few weeks later I did get a couple of charlie horses the kind that wake you up rubbing your leg. The Dr told me to take a multi V and this went away.

Hope you get to feeling better

Thank you for all the responses. The muscle cramps are still bad and cause me to flail myself back down on the couch or bed. It's only in my left leg, my affected leg. I have a call in to my M.D. but will start taking some potasium to see if this will help. I have never had anything like them. I am also trying to walk more today. Again thanks for the replies.
Bailey07

Have you had surgery? Mine was in my hip and buttock area and was just awful. The Dr said it was because he had to reposition all the muscles after surgery. He changed my muscle relaxer and it got better. I still get it but not to a pain point of 20

Hey Sis!

How are you? Are you still getting the Charlie Horse? I sure hope you don't have that problem anymore. Thinking of you as we recup together.

Harmony (Gail)

Hey Harmony,
I am having a better day. My cramps in the left calf when trying to get up were just awful. Pain level of 15 at its worst. I'm sure it's not a blood clot, but I was concerned for a while. I have been walking more, even tried the treadmill and did all right for 5 minutes. I am still taking pain meds around the clock. Do you ever feel your heart beating in the fusion area. You know that thumping pain? I hope your having a great weekend. Happy Easter!

Blessings,
Bailey07

Hi: I had this problem for years, but it wasn't after back surgery. You might fond out that this is related to your area of fusion, but for muscle cramping (charlie horses) calcium, magnesium, and potassium is recommended. You can also add vitamin K and manganese. I found that using begal oil helped a lot, and I don't know if they still make that. You have to buy it at a tack shop, but it works better than the topical muscle creams you find at your drug store. Ask your Dr about it to see if it's related to your area of injury, but using the begal oil, if you can find it, won't hurt anything. The vitamins will help you to heal faster as well since they are all bone building vits, and will also help to slow normal bone loss which starts with *everyone* around 30. Bone loss happens to us all, not just the octogenarians:) so fight it now...:bouncing:

Good luck:wave:

Yes, I had this horribly post op. I was calling my doc every hour. Crying all night long. Mine was a combination of not dringking enough water and the pain meds. The pain meds cause cramping as a side effect. I had horrible cramping just lying down. You have to drink lots and I mean lots water. When you add the muscle relaxers that means even more water needed. Mine started about 5 days post op. Also your muscles are all tight because they are trying to protect your injured back. So all your muscles are tight, even the calf muscles are freaking out. Not to mention, they are tightened up from the surgery. My advice is start downing as much water as possible. Keep chugin until you have to pee. Then start drinking normal 8-10 glasses a day. Hope this helps.
Sheri

[QUOTE=bailey07;2907573]Hey Harmony,
Do you ever feel your heart beating in the fusion area. You know that thumping pain?

Hi Bailey!

That's great the pain has subsided today! Wow, that must have been so painful to be a 15 at it's worse. You sound like you're doing so well walking and also on the treadmill some. No, I don't feel my heart beating in the fusion area or thumping pain. I know what you mean as I've had that other times but so far not for this. That's strange. I still am getting nerve related pain in my low back and sometimes my left foot goes numb. I don't know what that's all about. Otherwise, my worse pain is still gone that I had before surgery. I hope those charlie horses continue to stay away - you sure don't need more of that when you're trying to recuperate.

Happy Easter! :)

Harmony :wave:

Desert Bloom is correct! Your body needs calcium/magnesium/potassium for proper muscle contraction.

I had the horrible leg cramping after fusion surgery. Only mine would grab and travel into my groin and last for hours upon hours.

I was calling pharmacies all around to see what their customers use and what they might recommend that I could try OTC, as this was on a weekend. I stumbled onto an Alchemist pharamcy in my area and the guy took much time to explain what was probably going on with my body from the drugs, surgery and recovery. The body is OUT OF BALANCE after all this trauma and abuse.

He said if I did anything.. get a good calcium/magnesuim supplement. I was desperate and went and got some that day. Well that night.. NO CRAMPS at all and they stayed away! I was skeptical but desperate and it worked great for me. Best of all, it's natural and your body needs it.

Keep the healing going.. it's gets better!:wave:

Hi everyone,
I hope you all had a special Easter. I have started taking calcium, potasium and magnesium for my muscle cramps. I still get them periodically and I do think that when I don't get in my water, they are worse. So, I will try to drink lots of water. Some times when I get up from the couch, my hips feel like I have been riding a horse all day. This is truely a journey that begins new each day with new pains and feelings as well. Harmony, how much are you up standing and walking and sitting? I wonder if I am doing enough. I went for an hour drive yesterday and am feeling it today.
Bailey07

Hi There Bailey!

I hope you had a Happy Easter too even though in pain. I had a nice day with my daughter and grandkids over. They brought the food since I couldn't cook. :) I missed going to church though.

That's good you're drinking more water. I don't drink as much as I should either. I hope the charlie horse pain goes completely away for you, that has got to be so painful! :eek:

I can usually sit for about 20 minutes only without standing up and walking around some. Sitting is def. the hardest for me. I am doing a little too much of it probably but I get so tired of laying down so much as that is very boring and I end up falling asleep way too much. :yawn: Are you still sleeping a lot? I am only walking outside the home 5 minutes twice a day. I do walk around the house alternating walking, standing, sitting, laying down, that I feel like I can't get settled. :dizzy: I did take a 30 min. drive last Sat. and that was too much for me as I hurt more. I can see how your 1 hr. drive was tiring.

My biggest problem is my left foot being very numb and sometimes the entire left leg, along with some nerve pain in my lower back and buttocks. My follow up dr. appt. is Wed so I'll mention that to him. When is your follow up appt.?

Take care my friend and I'll look forward to hearing from you again. :wave:

Harmony

I get so tired of laying down so much as that is very boring and I end up falling asleep way too much.

Hi Harmony,
I wouldn't worry about falling asleep too much. When you're healing, you need a lot more sleep. This is a phase that will pass. It's okay to be sleeping more right now. I'm 6 months post-op, and I'm just in the last month or so feeling like I don't have to lay down and take a nap in the middle of the day.

Sleep is good! :)

Blessings,
Emily :wave:

Harmony -- I still am sleeping during the day and am 9 weeks out from my fusion. I become very miserable and once I lay down I like crash for 1 to 2 hours. I assume my body for whatever reason needs this sleep for healing. Just listen to your body - you had major surgery.

Try drinking tonic water - gross I know but helps.

Hey all, I'm glad to hear that I'm "normal" with the charley horses. I still am having them but not as severe. I've noticed that they start in the calf of my left leg and shoot into the sciatic region of my hip. I don't have any numbness in the left toes like before surgery. Harmony, I am glad to hear that you sleep alot too. I woke up today and felt like I had rode horses all night; my hips just ached. So I walked and tried to remember that walking is good. After getting my pain meds on board, I felt better and could walk normally. I laid down on the couch and the next time I opened my eyes, it was noon! I had some lunch, walked and laid down again and woke up 2 hours later. All I could do was sleep today. What's up with that, I guess my body needed it. Harmony, I hope your numbess eases up. I see my M.D. on Thursday after a 4 hour drive. That should be fun as we are making the trip in one day. I sure hope I can look back on this adventure and not regret having it done.:yawn:
Blessings,
Bailey07:angel:

Hi Bailey,

I'm glad the charlie horses are not as severe but sorry you're still getting it. Will you take several breaks with your long car drive Thursday? Sounds like we're both alike when it comes to sleeping. On top of this, last night I came down with the stomach flu and was up literally all night sick. I didn't take a pain med so it wasn't that. My daughter had been sick with it a week ago and we had Easter with her. It was terrible and drained me and a strain on my back. I know you can identify with getting sick from meds so much and how horrible it is. All I'm on is clear liquids today and not very much of that. Just stayed in bed all day and couldn't take my walks. Hopefully, I'll be ok for my appt. tomorrow morning with the surgeon. Are you getting any nerve pain at all in your lower back/buttocks area? That's great the numbness in your toes is better since your surgery.

Harmony

Hi Harmony,
Your not going to believe this but I had the throwing up syndrome today too. I ran out of my good pain meds that don't make me sick, and decided to try the old one since I was feeling better. Wrong. I guess I asked for that. Anyway tomorrow will be better. Have a good night.
Bailey07

Hi Sis!

Well, that's something! Sorry you were sick too! It's bummer when you're trying to heal isn't it. Yep, tomorrow will be better. I hope your trip Thurs. goes well for you. I'll let you know how my appt. goes tomorrow.
My prayers continue for you! I liked what you commented on about Easter and the pain Jesus endured on the cross for us in comparison to the pain we have. He paid the ultimate price for us and I am thankful as I know you are. That was encouraging and I want to thank you for sharing that.

I hope you sleep good tonight and have less pain and discomfort.

Harmony