Cramps

I  suggest he gets his Doctor to check his Magnesium levels...., and in the meantime google MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY

 

I have CKD3 and sometimes have dreadful night cramps in my calves, feet and toes.  It comes and goes - when it comes, it can last for several nights on the trot, and then I can be clear of it for a few weeks.  Although as our kidney function gets lower, cramp can be a common symptom, it can also be due to a deficiency of magnesium.  I've had my magnesium level checked and it was normal.  So I can't pin it down to anything.  Someone on the forum did mention that he found when he ate lots of red meat the cramp seemed to be worse and when he stopped eating it the cramp improved.  In your husband's case, I wouldn't be at all surprised if his very physical day at work yesterday caused such a bad night, especially as his forearms were involved.  One of my GPs recommended doing arm press-ups against the wall just before bedtime to stretch the calves - that really can help.  Best wishes to your husband with both the CKD and the cramps.

Hi Roundabout66,

As a CKD suffererwho has dealt with cramps over the course of 7+ years, I am something of a veteran on this topic.  I have some suggestions I know will help.

First, a basic explanation:  it is indeed possible that cramping can be due to dehydration so your husband should ensure he is drinking enough water.  However, this is a classic symptom of CKD so I can practically guarantee his cramps are due to elevated creatinine levels.  My theory is that the muscles become prone to irritation due to the higher levels of creatinine in the blood, and then cramp.  In particular, I found that strenuous workouts at the gym guaranteed cramping later that night (see below for strategies on that) and this would be because muscles become slightly "damaged" during physical activity, hence prone to becoming irritated and cramp up.  That said, physical activity is critical to ensure low blood pressure so I never stopped doing them, I simply found ways to cope.

Here are some strategies I can guarantee will help:

1)  Stretching right before bed.  This was the number one thing that always helped.  He should try and stretch every part of his legs before bed; personally, I found deep squats to be particularly helpful.  If he is getting cramps in his forearms, then I suggest he stretch those as well.  10 minutes worth of stretching before bed would often equate to a much less-disturbed sleep.

2)  Exercise - as stated above.  After each exercise routine, he should be sure to stretch thoroughly as well (mandatory).  This is in addition to stretching right before bed.

3)  Quinine tablets.  You referenced tonic water, which can indeed help with stretching, but according to my nephrologist he would have to drink an awful lot of it to make any difference (like, 2L+) in which case he would be up continually going pee which defeats the purpose.  I was prescribed quinine tablets and have them on hand; however, I should note that it is not recommended to take quinine every night as they have potential side effects.  Myself, I would take them roughly twice per week, generally if I suspected I was going to have a bad night cramping eg. if I had overdone it at the gym that day.  I found they took about an hour to kick in, so quite quickly.

4).  Avoid lying face-up.  People like us are just asking for cramps if we lie for prolonged periods on our backs; for whatever reason, it shortens the leg muscles.  He should sleep on his side, always.

I hope that helps!  Wishing your husband a more restful night's rest.

Hi I get cramps swelling of legs and hands I have been taking calcium tablets and quinine tablets been took off the quinine tablets as I was still getting cramps and put on pregabalin but I stop taking them because of the side affects tried tonic water also back at hospital in 4 weeks see what happens then

LynQ davey72 • 3 minutes agoHi,

I sufferd from terrible night time  cramps in my legs and feet for ages. I would get them as soon as I got into bed. It lasted for sometimes up to to an hour and would wake me several times a night.  It would twist my toes into incredible shapes and as soon as I got rid of it in one muscle, I would feel another muscle hhardening with it.  It was incredibly painful. I found that hear helped at first and bought an electirc duvet  but eventually it stopped helping. My consultant then prescribed quinine sulphate ( which has been withdrawn in the USA because of rare severe side effects).  It was like a miracle.  My cramps stopped straight away and I had no side effects.

Hello,

Yes, I take 200 mg at night just before I go to bed.  I feel the same way as your husband does about extra drugs- I don't take any pain meds apart from paracetamol although I have arthritis. occasionally, in summer, I go for a couple of days without to give my body a rest, but if I don't take them in the winter, I get cramp again.  I shold think that your husband could try just taking one when he gets cramp because they seem to work quickly.  Hope it helps!

Lyn