Leg Pain

[MaryKay]

I do take vitamin D and I get a bit of sun everyday. I take 2 types of diabetic viatamins per day also along with a calcium. So that's not an issue with me. My leg is feeling better already!

[Kate51]

What to do? Take a potassium supplement. Eat bananas, DARK veggies such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc; dark leafed lettuces such as endive, romaine lettuce, etc. So salads, especially spinach salads can help a lot. And did you know charley-horses can be caused by too little calcium, also. Now, where did the term Charley Horse come from?

Morris' Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins says, "Nobody is quite sure where the expression originated, but the general theory is that the first victim was a lamed race horse named Charlie or Charley."Another dictionary of word origins suggests that the original night watchmen in London were named Charleys after Charles I, who organized the watch in 1640. Later the term "Charley" became slang for all police officers. Still later, the term "Charley horse" developed since the police were on foot and thus developed aching feet and legs. Maybe so, but it seems far fetched.Moving on to The Historical Dictionary of American Slang, we glean a bit of charley-horse history. A newspaper first printed the expression "Charley-horse" in 1903. The quote from H. Spencer is: "We are indebted to the turf when an attack of rheumatism is denominated a 'dose of the Charley-horse.'" I wonder if "turf" is a horse racetrack or a baseball field. It's hard to dope out what this quote is talking about. At any rate, the term "charley horse" has been around, in writing, about a hundred years.(Answered September 6, 2002)Q. How do you get rid of Charley horses?
Shelby, Dequeen, Arkansas A. We all get them. Sometimes, as we're falling asleep or just waking up, we jerk awake with excruciating pain in a leg or foot. Charley horses almost always hit the instep of my foot, usually the left one, especially after a long hike. I leap out of bed and press my foot to the floor by standing on it with all my weight. Eventually that helps, the pain subsides and I, gingerly, return to bed.A Charley Horse is a muscular cramp caused by a contraction of the muscle. To stop the pain, we stop contracting the muscle by stretching it instead. In my case, I stand one-footed on the cramping foot with all my weight, which forces the muscles in my arch to stretch. If the cramp hits the calf, we need to stretch the calf muscle by pushing the heel forward, bending the ankle so the toe points up. Massaging the cramping muscle sometimes helps. Walking on the leg can help.Prevention has appeal. The Mayo Clinic suggests:
Drink plenty of fluids.
Stretch leg muscles before going to bed.
Get enough potassium (perhaps by eating bananas or drinking orange juice.

I get them in my feet if I don't take my Coral Calcium regularly. THEY HURT!!

[ladyraj]

Painful cramps...oh yes, the worse cramps would wake me up in the middle of the night.

1) I have been treated for hypothyroidism for about 25 years.
2) I experienced surgical menpause in my late 20's and used HRT until 6 years ago.
3) I'm short and have a small frame.
4) I smoked for 35 years.

What do all of these markers add up to? A diagnosis of osteoporosis that was confirmed by requesting a Dexa Scan. Spine was in the red zone, hips were in the yellow. Prior to a physician listening to my risk factors and granting my request for the test...other physicians assumed my symptoms were psychological.

The treatment of osteoporosis must be delayed until my D levels are brought back up in the normal range (mine were <4 and normal is 40). Once that occurs, I'll get an IV drip for a bone building drug annually from the VA. Since my diet and exercise is fine and I love my veggies...the underlying cause of the D dificiency must be examined.

I'm only 52 years old and this new finding is troublesome to me. I picture myself taking the place of Igor, Quasimodo, or the physically bent persona of the wicked witch. At 5'2" I can't afford to shrink much...I hate hemming my pants!

I walk alot but need to do more weight bearing exercises. Thank you for the vitamin and stretching advice...seems I have some lifestyle changes to make. Vaping helps. I hope I won't have to give up my fizzy Mountain Dew though...I drink so much of it I think it has replaced the blood in my veins!

[MaryKay]

I am 5'3 and 1/2..yes I count that half inch..lol I need all the help I can get! My goal was 5'5..I am still waiting
My Dexa done 2 weeks ago came back good! Thank goodness I was a tomboy as a kid and for my love of walking. But I have to say I detest milk! I will eat cheese and cottage cheese, but milk goes in my coffee and milkshakes (once in a blue moon).
I saw what Mom went through with her osteo. No thanks! I will take the once a week pill if I get it! She hardly ever took hers.
One exercize I do before I get out of bed, and before I go to sleep is I rotate my feet in circles, or write the alphabet with my toes..as big as I can without moving my legs. It helps to keep the cirulation in your feet and also helps with leg cramps. (Along with the toe raises on the step).
I need to worry about circulation as I am diabetic.
I guess we all have to think of new ways to keep what we have..it was so much easier to be be young and not have to pay attention!

[SudokuGal]

Originally Posted by ladyraj

What do all of these markers add up to? A diagnosis of osteoporosis that was confirmed by requesting a Dexa Scan. Spine was in the red zone, hips were in the yellow. Prior to a physician listening to my risk factors and granting my request for the test...other physicians assumed my symptoms were psychological.

Assuming it is pyschological is one of my MAJOR pet peeves!!! Now, if it were a man, there would not be that assumption.

Glad you finally found a doc who listened to you!!!!!

[Kate51]

I did bite on the "Dr. Barefoot" Okinawan Coral Calcium thing...I've been taking two a day for a number of years now, I figure it can't hurt. But more abosorbable calcium can probably be found by now. But it is really, can't say because I've not had a bone density done, ever. So how do we know that a dietary supplement is really effective, or is it something inevitable. Ladyraj you are so blessed to have such good care! At least you know where the dangers are. I'm 5'2", and I am so far upright and strong, but I have a sister who used to be 5'2" and is now about 4'9"! She's 68 this year. She's always had scoliosis, but she is really shrinking, not stooped over either so we think the problem is more in her hips and lower spine. Has always smoked as well. I do worry about her. So yes MK we do really pay attention to things we've never worried about before! I had cats that lived to be elderly, and that is pathetically heartbreaking to watch. One was 20 and one was 28, they got so frail looking, almost as if their bones were dissolving. Which I suppose they were in an manner of speaking. Both had kidney failure, which I understand is one of the dangers of osteoporosis and equally as frightening. Very sad.
But this thing with that old "Psycological" matter is maddening, HRT's thoroughly a Pharma shill game, and a good way for a Doctor to wear their welcome out for me. You're a woman, you have to expect some of these discomforts. Phoey. This Government Health Care is especially frightening. I hope some brilliant minds can find the best way to solve this without breaking our backs (No pun intended) with taxes and mindless debt. Otherwise any continued improvement in health care may be a moot subject in a very short time. My arthritis is getting to the point of my not being able to cope with it much longer, it's doing more damage all the time, will never be un-done. Oh boy my hands look awful. But for some reason it's only my hands, so I guess that's good! I never thought I'd be glad to be getting Medicare! 2 1/2 more years, I'll have it made, right?? Yikes, I'll be old(er)!

[SudokuGal]

Sending lotsa hugs to Kate So sorry you are in such pain.

I think one of the hardest things of the "getting older" diseases is that they interfer in even the simplest of things. I drove 90 minutes roundtrip for the Pinellas co. meetup yesterday. By the time I got home, the arthritis in my left wrist had kicked in, just from holding the steering wheel...can't bend it without it hurting. But I won't complain too much because at least a couple of days of anti-inflammatory meds, it will go away.

[Kate51]

My ex mother in law and her beloved mother both had crippling rheumatoid arthritis, I just keep thinking how they both kept going ~ Gram made the most beautiful intricate fine fine tatting, crochet work you would even imagine, she could barely hold the hook because of how her fingers were bent. And my mother in law worked to 65 in a huge Nursing Home Kitchen, cold water just killed her, but she kept going as well, full speed ahead. But could still hold her Grandkids with such gentle hands for hours on end. My own mother had artritis in her knees and feet, could hardly walk. But on a good day would go spend the whole afternoon at the grocery store, just to get out and keep going. Aspirin the next days.
So I guess what we do it keep going!! Life is too short. Yes there's pain but you have to keep moving or it would be worse! I hear you with your steering wheel hand SudokuGal! And thanks. I have a phone hand!