upper thigh muscle cramps

Hi, fellow sufferers. I had my first excruciating upper thigh spasm two months ago. My doctor is still trying to help me figure out why I am having these. I thought I had a blood clot and was going to die. I screamed out in pain and woke up my husband, in the bedroom. I was in the living room watching TV. He works nights, so retires early.

I've had x-rays and an MRI. I'm still awaiting results of the MRI. X-ray showed severe degenerative disc narrowing of the L5-S1. Age related, I'm guessing. I just turned 70 in July, 2017.

After reading all of these replies, I finally found immediate relief by swallowing a tablespoon of French's yellow. Stops spasm immediately. Got that advice from my sister-in-law who is a nurse. I also sip Tonic water with quinine all day and have it at night as I wake up to use the potty. I even tried the soap under the bottom sheet of the bed. All 3 worked, but I can't tell which specifically, except that mustard works during the day immediately to stop. I think the tonic water prevents. I don't know. The prescription drugs that the doctor prescribed took weeks to work. Much too long, and I worry about side effects.

I take Levothyroxin, 88 mg. and also Lisiniprol, 5 mg. My doctor recently lowered the dosage of these. I wonder if that's the cause. I'll check with her at my next appointment in a couple days.

But I need to know the cause so that I can eliminate this. I've not changed my diet, my activity level. I've just gotten to age 70, and the prescriptions were changed. HMMMM.

MUSTARD is our friend!

Thank you!

I have found this discussion both helpful & reassuring. I sometimes have lower leg cramps but last week experienced the most excruciating upper thigh cramps. Having read the other posts I can add my observations which I hope may be helpful to others. I am positive that my cramps are related to alcohol. They generally only occur during the night when I have drunk more than one glass of white wine sometime anytime during the day. I don't drink alcohol often, only socially & no more than 2 or 3 glasses with food. After last week's cramps I will abstain totally until I understand the causes of leg cramps a lot better. I drank 2 glasses of champagne, following each with a 400ml glass of water. I'm sure dehydration plays some part. Of some of the remedies mentioned, I have taken apple cider vinegar first thing in the morning for many years but will try having it nightly as well. I too find magnesium a relief but only magnesium chelates in powder form. Other magnesium tablets etc do not work for me even if taken daily. If I have had any wine during the day I take a standard dose of this magnesium before bed. If I wake with cramps I take another standard dose. By the time I return to bed the cramps have eased. I don't take magnesium daily. I take high blood pressure tablets & have been warned against taking more potassium. I am also wary of taking calcium, isn't it suspected of building up in your arteries? I am also on blood thinners & like others  suspect that medication may have a role in causing these terrible cramps. I try to eat a wholefood plant based diet but at times when I'm out I eat foods not normally part of my diet. The night of my excruciating cramps I ate both highly salted (dehydrating) pizza & some jube like lollies (containing aspartame?). So the mix of salt & aspartame could well be triggers along with alcohol, medication, dehydration etc.. I look forward to hearing the experiences of others . Thank you

I can't speak for anyone else but as I don't drink , perhaps a odd glass of wine at Christmas ,so my leg cramps are not brought on by alcohol. As I put in my last post mine only started after cortisone injections in my knees . I have tried magnesium ,potassium tablets and drinking tonic water that has quinine added nothing helps ! On my last visit to the doctors I asked if these cramps could be a result of the injections  and she said not possible ,it seems to much of a coincidence that they started days after . She said to do stretching exercises and if no help ,see her again and she will prescribe quinine tablets .So will carry on with my stretches and hope for a miracle cure .

I find it very alarming that the moderator of this forum deletes so many posts, undoubtedly because someone mentions an alternative solution or mentions a supplement by name. I will no longer be a part of this forum, because what's the point? Obviously, no one is getting answers from our current medical world, but God forbid someone mention something alternative, trying to help others. It's ridiculous. It'll be shocking if the moderator actually posts this reply and doesn't just delete it.. What power you have!!!

I started having these this year. Since I have started taking the magnesium, I have not had them, or if I feel them coming on, I take some and also taking calcium too. These two seems to have helped. Also drinking a Gatorade, G2. I have gastric bypass though, so I have a tendency to get low on vitamins. I am not sure why 15 years after the surgery this would start. Do you by any chance take Gabapentin? If we could all come together and figure out what might be the similar thing we do, we could fix this. I have read others that had knee issues that have had these cramps and they were wondering if it had anything to do with it. I do have two more shots (of something) in my knee.  I also have Fibromyalgia and have very weak muscles. I have started exercising to strengthen them. I notice my muscles start cramping after I get home from work, and sit for the evening in the recliner. I wonder if this is the same as others. Mine are always in the evening.

I started having these this year. Since I have started taking the magnesium, I have not had them, or if I feel them coming on, I take some and also taking calcium too. These two seems to have helped. Also drinking a Gatorade, G2. I have gastric bypass though, so I have a tendency to get low on vitamins. I am not sure why 15 years after the surgery this would start. Do you by any chance take Gabapentin? If we could all come together and figure out what might be the similar thing we do, we could fix this. I have read others that had knee issues that have had these cramps and they were wondering if it had anything to do with it. I do have two more shots (of something) in my knee.  I also have Fibromyalgia and have very weak muscles. I have started exercising to strengthen them. I notice my muscles start cramping after I get home from work, and sit for the evening in the recliner. I wonder if this is the same as others. Mine are always in the evening.

Well, I had a spasm attack at 4 am (usually happens early am) yesterday morning when getting up to go to  bathroom. When it happens in both thighs it is excruciating pain....I hollered, moaned, cried, began sweating and almost blacked out...It continued for 30 minutes as I moved my body in all manner knocking over stuff.  Reaching for my purse I found a bottle of essential oil which had in it peppermint, cloves etc.  It helped during the moment.  I was looking for anything to rub on me to get some relief...one day later my thighs still hurt.  I have been drinking  pickle juice, gatorade, eating bananas  It always is unexpected when it happens....and it is the worst pain ever.  I will start adding a calcium-magnesium pill to my routine again.  Someone said that taking a daily  prescribed diuretic can cause this as fluids are flushed from your system.  I am so glad you don't hear many complaints about children with this, because it is an awful feeling...it must be more of an aging issue, turning 60 this year.  Last night I was anxious thinking it would happen again but, I guess my intake of potassium related food/drink  helped.

You are rendered helpless especially when you live alone.  The conversation is appreciated to discuss with others who can relate to this experience!

Hi Roberta.

Once again I hear of this "Devils"" affliction striking again. I have just been struck again myself. I stopped taking the diabetes and blood pressure tablets and went without any pain for two weeks. The doctor had a fit and told me to take them or die. I took a metformin and that night it started. I have been sleeping(or trying to) in a chair ever since. The pain in my right leg is (literally) unbearable. If I lay down it starts, sit up on the edge of the bed it stops. I am still convinced it has something to do with fluid in the body, as a trigger. (In conjunction with certain drugs) The two that affect me are lisinopril  and metformin. I am at a loss to understand why doctors are not treating this pain inducing problem with more investigation. Anything that causes this degree of pain (10 on a 10 scale) warrants a closer look. They are hopeless. In fact I told my doctor he would be world famous if he could find a Cure/cause. I took double the dose of morphine and it did not even diminish the intensity of pain. I have asked them to come up with an alternative for the two drugs. I will let you know what happens. At the moment I feel like I am wandering around in the dark. All the best

Graeme