1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Anxiety Disorders

Severe cramping has caused anxiety agoraphobia

Posted , 2 users are following.

kayelene
kayelene

Has anybody else had their life put on hold due to cramping. I used to get foot cramps and calf cramps and could cope... but two years ago i went to stand up and my left thigh went into a massive cramp and my right thigh at the same time... its impossible to try to walk when both are gone. the pain was extreme and after 20 of scalding hot shower water it then went to my calf and then my foot and then my other calf and then my other foot... almost two hours of agony and i was exhusted and just wanted to end it. yes it got that way i was yelling out to god to take me... i was waiting for my heart to go due to the massive anxiety and pain i was in... I managed to get driven to the doctor and he has put me on tablets they use for parkinson desease as it is supposed to stop the brains signal to cramp. COLD WEATHER IS THE WORST. At night when it begins to get cold i feel one coming on and its the worst feeling because if this ever happened again to this extent i  just dont know if i would survive it.  I now have anxiety and this has now caused me to develop agroaphobia as i do not want to leave the house. I wont even go to the doctors as it would require me to leave the house and to have one of these episodes in public would shut me down. I have in the past had foot or calf cramps in public and i went crazy . however the full body two hour episode i can not imagine.  In two years i have left the house about 8 times. I couldnt even go to my nephews wedding or christening..  concerts booked in advance i had to forfeit.   I am the only person who has to wear thick socks and boots in the middle of summer ... even heatwaves ... i have to wear pants boots socks?  How stupid do i look... yes... another reason why i dont go outside.  I have the electric blanket on in summer????   My husband must be pushed to the end with me.... I dont shop... we can not go on holidays.....  I agreed to go away for 4 days recently where i drugged myself up just for the car trip and did not leave the hotel room for the whole time... not even for dinner....IS ANYBODY OUT THERE WHO IS GOING THROUGH A SIMILAR THING AS I FEEL SO ALONE WITH THIS

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • valerie39285
    valerie39285 kayelene

    Posted

    Hi kayelene, I've been going through similar symptoms for the past ten years, though my leg cramps only last for about half an hour. In the past when it has happened outside I have ended up in hospital - only three times, but the fear of it happening again brought on agoraphobia. There are days when no matter how hard I try I can't step out of my home. I also feel cold all the time and at the moment during this heatwave I'm dressed as if it were winter! You're not alone. I just wish I could give you some encouragement that it gets better...maybe others who suffer in this way have an answer...  
    • kayelene
      kayelene valerie39285

      Posted

      Dear Valerie hello its Kaye ... Lovely to meet you and greetings from Australiasmile  Just like myself.... you are the same.... I know its summer in the USA and its in the middle of winter here..... Winter is the worst time for this cramping.... around dinner time as the tempurature starts to drop i feel the sensation like it may happen tonight.... any moment... i have an electric blanket which has been a blessing... and i know that most of my problem is anxiety of not knowing when it will happen next... having these episodes in public is humiliating... i remember the first foot cramp was a friday night in the city... peak hour... it was raining and i went to a football match... my feet were soaked and cold... when i left the stadium with thousands of people around me it happened... my foot went balistic.... i was on the ground and people walked past thinking i was drunk .... i was crying and could not relive it... well little did i know that was the begining of my life downward spiral......   can i ask you if the cold weather is the worst for you as well.... is it not as bad in summer for  you???   I do not go anywhere... and if i absolutely have to i dope myself up to the point im in nowhere land.   I think my anxiety may bring one on as you become tense and being tense also tenses your muscles in return a cramp is the result so doping myself up gives me a little edge...   I live in thick socks and boots .... i can never wear female shoes again.... sandals ??  no way... my feet have to be as warm as possilbe no matter what the temperature is outside and i look like a fool
    • valerie39285
      valerie39285 kayelene

      Posted

      Hi Kaye, I live in the UK, my son lives in Australia. We used to live in NZ so I am familiar with winters down under. I used to hate the winters in NZ...wet, damp and cold, summers so hot and the humidity suffocating! I have PTSD, GAD and Agoraphobia. It sounds as if you have experienced the same situation as me...the first time it happened...when I 'came around' I was surrounded by people, a police car and ambulance, like you it was a very humiliating experience for me and I'm sure that is what encouraged the Agoraphobia to rear it's ugly head. I've been told it's the anxiety, as when it is at its worst I get the cramps. Triggers can start me off, my legs go like jelly and I collapse. When I come around I have no sensation in my legs...then the leg cramps start. OMG they are so painful! So I can just imagine what yours must be like, and yours last much longer than mine so that must be even worse. I never know when they are going to happen but I have bouts of them two or three times a week, all year round so I can't say that winter or cold is the reason for mine. But I do feel cold all the time so maybe you are correct in thinking that winter/cold is the instigator. I used to take extra tablets if I had an appointment at the hospital/dentist, etc. thinking that they would help me get through such anxious situations but last year, after having the worst cramps that I could ever remember over the last ten years I got it into my head that taking the extra Diazepam prior to going was the reason. Now I time my tablets for such events. In my case the Diazepam seems to be at their most active/effective two hours after taking my prescribed doses and the 'calming' effect seems to last about an hour. I'm in the middle of having dental treatment at the moment and I'm convinced 'timing' is working. I do take a handkerchief with me with several drops of a combination of Lavender and Geranium essential oil sprinkled onto it...last week my leg started 'jumping' (my hour was running out) and I kept sniffing my hanky evert chance that I could. But when I got out off the chair my toes were turning upwards with the cramps and my legs were very weak. I was practically carried to my assistant's car. Take care. Kindest regards. Val
Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.