Muscle spasms/cramps

[GeKoSc]

I eat every day a good peace of water melon which has helped me to get rid of the leg cramps....make sure to select those which are not imported from China.... 

[Krataiboy]

18 hours ago, Speedo1968 said:

I have had night leg cramps in the past, possibly related to the TIA's or strokes I have had and perhaps too much soy milk in my diet ( I am vegan for many years ).

I did find diet and not eating cold foods at night helped and agree with Sheryl that electrolyte imbalance could be a cause.      Too many bananas or Marmite etc., not rehydrating after walks, or not drinking water before walking.

 

When a cramp starts to occur in my legs I have found that deep breathing stops the cramp in less than a minute.   

It took a bit of practice to quickly start deep breathing, now my body seems to do it automatically when cramp occurs.

Also the after pain / discomfort from the cramp subsides very quickly.

Restless syndrome if that is what is causing the cramps - try managing the movement of the leg ( mind over body ), that is don't allow the leg to stretch quickly or as far as it is trying to do.

 

Take care.

If deep breathing eases the discomfort, the reason may well be because this exercise  tends to lower blood pressure - which could be causing or exacerbating the cramps.

 

In the original poster's situation, I would invest in a blood pressure monitor (Boots has them or you can buy them via mail order) and check your systolic and diastolic readings regularly.

[rumak]

1 hour ago, SpeakeasyThai said:

You need to ask an expert regarding this matter.

 

 

A Doctor.

The person who knows most about your health is you.  As Sherryl suggests get a physical and blood test done.... then try to assess who a GOOD doctor is.   I went to 3 "good doctors" who all prescribed anti-inflamatories for a pain I had for months in my hip area.  Did nothing to help !   

Finally I did find a good doctor.  3 minutes of evaluation and he said I think this is Bursitis.  I passed on his offer of more pills and asked for a shot (cortisone like).   Two days later all better and never returned.

He also fixed my frozen shoulder without surgery !   Sadly he is retired now....but he was very well known here in CM.

My experience is thus:    where you live find out which doctor is THE ONE

[csabo]

Magnesium deficiency. Take a supplement daily. 

[alant]

On 5/28/2018 at 11:31 AM, Lacessit said:

Quinine stops night cramps cold. Can be obtained on prescription. Need to take with food as it irritates the stomach.

I haven't needed quinine for years. Regular 1 hour massages ( 2 - 3 times a week ) are cheap here, and very effective in keeping muscles supple.

I tried magnesium supplements, and they did not work for me. That's not saying they won't work for the OP.

you get quinine on prescription in Thailand for cramps!!! Wow, I have never got past the malaria question when I asked for quinine, the only drug that stopped my major cramp problem.

Feel for the OP, no one seems to specialise in cramp and it is a serious quality of life issue.

[sawadee1947]

If your BP is OK, you would not need any medication for it. Also the drug interactions between prenolol and simvastatin is well described. See a good recommended hospital and undergo a test. Don't forget that those medication got an impact on your blood sugar levels 

[SpeakeasyThai]

1 hour ago, GeKoSc said:

I eat every day a good peace of water melon which has helped me to get rid of the leg cramps....make sure to select those which are not imported from China.... 

You don't like quality tourists?

[HHTel]

1 hour ago, alant said:

Quinine stops night cramps cold. Can be obtained on prescription.

Never mind prescriptions.  Drink lots and lots of gin and tonics.  Good source of quinine and you'll stay anaesthetised!!

[swissbie]

2 hours ago, anchadian said:

Appointment made for tomorrow with Camillian hospital Thonglor.

 

http://www.camillianhospital.org/en/program-executive-plus/

If you'll have to see a doctor more frequently then once every ten years, i would recommand you Thonburi 2 hospital, very easy to get there from Bang Kae.

[watcharacters]

4 hours ago, somtamgaiyang said:

And a good doctor is going to ask for a list of your current medications and be sure not to prescribe medications that interact with them poorly.

 

 

My reply stands and your reply begs the question as to what is a "good Doctor"?

 

Nothing personal here so please don't let it devolve to that.

 

The OP can choose do do what he wants with any medication issued to him.

 

 

[chiangraifalang]

7 hours ago, OmarZaid said:

oil -- I take 1-2 tablespoons daily of mixed olive, coconut, grapeseed, flaxseed daily,

That's sounds like a good selection, OmarZaid. Can you please tell me, where to get flaxseed oil in Thailand?

[scorecard]

"What I am concerned about is that if I visit a doctor, he or she will prescribe a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug which could have an adverse effect on my current medication.  Perhaps it would be sensible for a review of my BP medications."

 

Norgesic tabs work for me, maybe not for others. Norgesic is a 'skeletal muscle relaxant with analgesic' (from the pack)

Easy to buy over the counter everywhere quite inexpensive.

 

Blackmore 'Bio-Magnesium' tablets also work for me fro cramps.

 

Maybe worth a try. 

 

I get muscle cramps in my lower legs occasionally, I hold my toes strongly down for 4 or 5 seconds, and the the cramps go quickly. Not sure if that works for everybody.

 

 

[Lacessit]

3 hours ago, HHTel said:

Never mind prescriptions.  Drink lots and lots of gin and tonics.  Good source of quinine and you'll stay anaesthetised!!

Er - the quinine content of tonic water is limited to less than 100 mg/L. The recommended dose of quinine for night cramps is 500 - 1000 mg. So at minimum, the OP would have to drink 5 litres of gin and tonic. Anaesthetised is the wrong adjective - paralytic, perhaps?

[GTgrizzly]

12 hours ago, alfalfa19 said:

I'm going to try that, I suffer from the same problem, hamstrings and calves at night while sleeping, and feet in the days. 

Alfalfa

I also suffer from foot and leg cramps at night.. and only at night while in bed

I take 2 magnesium tablets per day which eliminates the cramps most of the time

But on the occasions when I do still get a cramp I find a heaped scoop of staminade in some water gives relief in a few minutes

Warning about magnesium,...to much can give you diarrhoea  

[lvr181]

Ok

[lvr181]

To the OP.

 

There is no empirical evidence substantiating magnesium working for cramps. Upping your potassium intake (from bananas) maybe better. But FIRST consult a REPUTABLE Dr.

 

Good reading here:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14170-leg-cramps-at-night

https://www.healthline.com/health/pain-relief/how-to-stop-leg-muscle-cramps

https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/muscle-spasms-cramps-charley-horse#1

https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/night-leg-cramps/basics/definition/sym-20050813

 

HTH

[atyclb]

10 hours ago, giddyup said:

On 5/28/2018 at 11:16 AM, simple1 said:

As suggested have a review with a specialist doctor. In the meantime I take magnesium tablet once a day for leg cramps / restless legs syndrome causing pain during the night and has resolved the issue.

The magnesium never worked for me, my RLS still continues unabated.

 

 

i suffer with RPS but my gf refused to let me see a doctor to resolve it

[connda]

1 hour ago, atyclb said:

 

 

i suffer with RPS but my gf refused to let me see a doctor to resolve it

Search for "Gabapentine" and "Restless legs syndrome" on the Internet.  Gabapentine is an OTC drug here in Thailand. 
Tell your GF to soak her head, then go see a doctor.  I get a similar reaction from my wife when I visit private doctors.  I've stopped taking her along if I need to visit a doctor and choose to go see a doctor in a private hospital as opposed to the local government hospital.  My wife will definitely NOT stop me from seeing a doctor if I perceive the need.  Your GF shouldn't have a say in your health matters.  Nobody should have the level of control over you. 

[alfalfa19]

1 hour ago, GTgrizzly said:

Alfalfa

I also suffer from foot and leg cramps at night.. and only at night while in bed

I take 2 magnesium tablets per day which eliminates the cramps most of the time

But on the occasions when I do still get a cramp I find a heaped scoop of staminade in some water gives relief in a few minutes

Warning about magnesium,...to much can give you diarrhoea  

thanks, Grizz, I will give the magnesium a try. 

[atyclb]

8 minutes ago, connda said:

1 hour ago, atyclb said:

 

 

i suffer with RPS but my gf refused to let me see a doctor to resolve it

Search for "Gabapentine" and "Restless legs syndrome" on the Internet.  Gabapentine is an OTC drug here in Thailand. 
Tell your GF to soak her head, then go see a doctor.  I get a similar reaction from my wife when I visit private doctors.  I've stopped taking her along if I need to visit a doctor and choose to go see a doctor in a private hospital as opposed to the local government hospital.  My wife will definitely NOT stop me from seeing a doctor if I perceive the need.  Your GF shouldn't have a say in your health matters.  Nobody should have the level of control over you. 

 

 

RPS ;   restless penis syndrome

[Puccini]

13 hours ago, OmarZaid said:

...I make sure I get a good dose of sunshine, palms-up, about 45-60 minutes weekly to assure utilization of Vit D = bio-photon therapy...

 

What difference does the position of the palms – up or down – make?

[Janner1]

On 5/28/2018 at 10:51 AM, Justfine said:

Improve your diet

See a good doctor

 

(Can't imagine it's wise to take meds for 9 years without seeing a doctor for regular checkups)

 

This is good advice and you may also care to check your salt intake in your daily diet and in any snacks or spreads like mayo if you use it

[anchadian]

After nine years, I attended Thonburi2 hospital this morning (as suggested by Sheryl) for a health check up.

 

I opted for the VIP5 program health check which was B6,850.  When I came to pay, the cashier only asked for B4,790. as the package was on promotion with the last day being today.

 

All results came back normal including EKG and XRay with the exception of Creatinine Enzymatic 1.4 against normal 0.7 - 1.2 and eGFR 49.5 against normal 90.0.  The doctor suggested a follow up appointment in two months to test again and too drink plenty of water.

 

Excellent service although having said that, this is first hospital in Thailand I've attended for many years.

 

  

[HHTel]

On 5/29/2018 at 5:10 PM, Lacessit said:

Er - the quinine content of tonic water is limited to less than 100 mg/L. The recommended dose of quinine for night cramps is 500 - 1000 mg. So at minimum, the OP would have to drink 5 litres of gin and tonic. Anaesthetised is the wrong adjective - paralytic, perhaps?

Yep.  Sounds good to me!!

[OmarZaid]

On 5/29/2018 at 9:35 PM, Puccini said:

 

What difference does the position of the palms – up or down – make?

there are photo-neuro-receptors in the palms (nowhere else) ... in the east one can still see stature of folks facing the sun )Like Pythagorous) palms up --- Try it ... you will experience them after about ten minutes ... kinda like a solar lamp-heat with a sensation of holding a ball ... gets stronger the longer held towards the sun (Best at 90%)  Naive American Shamans say the palms receive healing from the sun and distribute it's power (Chi) throughout the body ... best when feet are bare and on the ground --- better closer to tree roots or sandy shore lines . . .  this made a great deal of difference to my MS and energy levels ... I begin to sag if I abandon the practice for more than 2 weeks.

[OmarZaid]

On 5/29/2018 at 3:15 PM, chiangraifalang said:

That's sounds like a good selection, OmarZaid. Can you please tell me, where to get flaxseed oil in Thailand?

on occasion you can find it in some of the specialty shops for western food  -- I just used the last of mine purchased inan Chinese run organic shop in KL, Malaysia --- I saw some mixed with vigin olive oil in Chaing Mai at a shop near the airport (don't recall the name)

 

Also, my wife grows the vine in our garden and we make tea from the flowers as well ... I planted several new vines from seed that are doing well  

 

Cheers

 

[atyclb]

2 hours ago, OmarZaid said:

there are photo-neuro-receptors in the palms (nowhere else) ... in the east one can still see stature of folks facing the sun )Like Pythagorous) palms up --- Try it ... you will experience them after about ten minutes ... kinda like a solar lamp-heat with a sensation of holding a ball ... gets stronger the longer held towards the sun (Best at 90%)  Naive American Shamans say the palms receive healing from the sun and distribute it's power (Chi) throughout the body ... best when feet are bare and on the ground --- better closer to tree roots or sandy shore lines . . .  this made a great deal of difference to my MS and energy levels ... I begin to sag if I abandon the practice for more than 2 weeks.

 

 

i tried to find it but did not.

 

can you link to a medical-scientific site that elaborates on this?

[OmarZaid]

6 hours ago, atyclb said:

 

 

i tried to find it but did not.

 

can you link to a medical-scientific site that elaborates on this?

Here's what I found out about it when I started sometime last year ...

 

https://zaidpub.com/2017/06/23/how-sunlight-can-save-your-life-part-1/

 

I have elders here (locals) with dementia who were housebound doing it for a year now with great success ... they never miss their 15 minutes in the sun now (almost daily)

[Sheryl]

Sunlight  is indeed helpful in MS and there is some evidence to suggest it can be helpful in some cases of dementia as well, in both  instances improved Vitamin D level being the mechanism. There  is no evidence I am aware of that exposing the palms of the hand as opposed to other parts of the body is of special benefit.

 

And there is no such thing, in human physiology, as a "photo-neuro-receptor".  There are photoreceptors, located in the retina of the eye. There are neuroreceptors  located throughout the body. But no "photo-neuro-receptors".

[atyclb]

14 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Sunlight  is indeed helpful in MS and there is some evidence to suggest it can be helpful in some cases of dementia as well, in both  instances improved Vitamin D level being the mechanism. There  is no evidence I am aware of that exposing the palms of the hand as opposed to other parts of the body is of special benefit.

 

And there is no such thing, in human physiology, as a "photo-neuro-receptor".  There are photoreceptors, located in the retina of the eye. There are neuroreceptors  located throughout the body. But no "photo-neuro-receptors".

 

cool as i was worried there might be a completely revised guyton physiology out.