Calf pain

[Scully]

Hello Everyone,

 

I am wondering if anybody else has bouts of extreme calf pain. My left calf has been tight and very painful for 4-5 days now. It hurts to weight bear on it, the stairs are a real trial right now. It seems to ease off when I've been resting and during the night.

 

This left calf pain is pretty intense and it's gone on for quite a few days. Am popping Baclofen like smarties, and I've been doing some stretching exercises, also applying a hot water bottle to the calf seems to help.

 

I've not had this one calf play up for so long though. Do any of you have this tight painful calf for a long duration, or ought I maybe bother the doctor? I'm a bit flummoxed by it if I'm honest.

 

Scully

x

[derby42]

Hi scully. My calf was painful for quite a while when I was having traction and for a while after but I don't know if it was related.

It still hurts from time to time and as you describe gets very tight..if I were you id call use Gp. My Gp sent me for tests in case I had a blood clot . Its worth having it checked.

[Kyli]

Even though I have not yet received diagnosis, this is what initially started this bout of illness. I had a full two weeks of this before the rest of my right side seemed to give up(numbness and weakness). At first I thought I'd just over done it at the gym. After a 12 day stay in hospital, physio and reflexology the majority of symptoms have eased off but my calf tightness has not improved very much. It's been two months now and I'm starting to worry that it could be permanent damage. I'd get it checked out.

[Scully]

Hello,

 

Thanks for your replies. I have no swelling of redness on my calf at all. Baclofen does help ease it off for a while, as does warmth, a hot water bottle under the calf eases the pain. It's worse when I've been trying to walk or stand for any length of time.

 

I've had a lot of muscle spasm over the years, mainly in my legs, but arms and hands as well. It's one of my most troublesome symptoms, it's just kinda worse at the moment.

 

If its still the same tomorrow I will call the GP, I've a visit from the MS Nurse next week, so hopefully she will be able to advise as well.

 

Scully

x

[Deanne61]

I hope it eases up do you have a TENS machine that may help, my main symptom is extreme pain and I do find my TENS machine helps a lot.

[derby42]

Scully, is it tender to touch, quite firmly? My Gp hurt me when he checked it over he was that firm but I didn't have tenderness or redness either.

He just sent me to be absolutely sure it sure nothing sinister.

When I was at the hospital they just kept me overnight and did an xray on my lungs but they knew I had ms and didn't seem concerned about a clot. I think the Gp was just being thorough.

[Scully]

Hello Derby,

 

It can be painful to massage it deeply. There is no swelling and no redness either but it really hurts when I walk or stand for more than a few minutes.

 

I think I may see rhe GP tomorrow in any case, it's not getting any better and it's been days now !

 

Scully

x

[derby42]

It sounds a lot like what I had but you're right to get it checked out. Let us know how you get on.

[Christina]

Hi Scully

 

You're right to get it checked, just in case of a blood clot. Usually clots cause swelling, redness and tenderness, but it's best to be sure as sometimes these things don't always fit the medical model.

 

Chris x

[eliza]

Hope it goes away soon for you, consider tens. I got mine from the pain clinic, it seems such a faff. at first I was not using it as efficiently as I could.

It is worth just putting it near the area for two hours constantly, even thought the instructions dont say that. For chronic pain though the senior pain nurse told me this and for some reason seems to work?

Also take some magnesium supplements for a while, tonic with or without the gin. If warm is not working try cold freeze a bottle of water and roll up and down the calf or a cold bag freezer pack with some material round dont get frostburn. Massage would be good but it may be too painful to stand it.

No I havent had exactly what you have. I do get pain though. Sativex does help me for similar stuff. However if baclofen works for you they wont prescribe it.

How is it after a soak in the bath with maybe some epsom salts.

It will probably of passed soon hopefully so you wont need to try all this stuff.

[Scully]

Thanks Eliza,

 

All good advice, I have found that a warm bath does help the pain for a while. And I've just put a bottle of tonic water in the fridge to try later.

 

Am due at the doctors later this morning, so will see what he says. At the moment I am taking the highest dose allowed of Baclofen, so I doubt I can increase that.

 

It's all so very wearing and frustrating and of course takes a lot out of us when the pain levels are so high. The muscles in my right leg are aching like mad today, but I think that's because I'm struggling to walk properly and am putting extra strain on it ! Can't win can we? Will investigate the TENS machine also.

 

Scully

x

[Scully]

Hello All,

A little update on my visit to the docs about my calf pain and cramp.

 

He spent some time checking the pulses and reflexes in my left leg. Pluses are fine but some of the reflexes are absent, mainly to do with the front of the leg and foot. He explained that there are two sets of muscles that allow us to walk, both doing different tasks. Because rhe front set of muscles 'are taking a rest' the ones in the calf are having to work very hard.

 

Anyways. There is no DVT or blood clot, no infection, it's simply a prolonged muscle spasm that is, in turn causing severe cramp in my calf.

 

He wanted to put meon a course of Quinine tablets, but they interfere with the amitriptyline so can't do that. After much searching through the medications book. ( always find tht a little worrying lol ) he has said that I can twke up to 60mg a day of Baclofen. And, hopefully with rest as well, it should resolve itself. If not, he will have to twke me off the amitriptyline for a while, so I can take quinine. Then restart the amitriptyline.

 

I can try tonic water as the amount of quinine in tonic is pretty low and see if that helps. Try warmth or ice, whichever works best for me.

 

So there we are......put up and shut up really, till it buggers off!!

 

Scully

x

[derby42]

Good news that its nothing serious scully but not great that you have to maybe stop a med in order to start quinine.

I do hope it eases off soon for you, let us know how you resolve it, tried taking tonic water myself but don't really know if it works cos I didn't take it for long enough to find out.

[Hezza]

Scully,

I hope the increased Bacolfen, rest and tonic do the trick! If not and you have to tinker with your meds does your GP think there is another med for Neuropathic pain that they could put you on alongside the quinine if you have to stop your Amitryp?

 

that it settles soon.

 

xx

[Gig]

Hi to all,

 

I've been experiencing loads of calf pain yesterday and today, I'm on highest dose of tramadol but lowest dose of amatriptaline! I'm really struggling with the pain today :(

I will however take everyone's advice on this and give it a go!

 

Still waiting on my neuro app and still no diagnosis, it's driving me nuts.

 

Hope you all feel better soon

[pigeon64]

I am glad it is nothing serious. I do get calf pain and find it difficult to massage as it can be quite painful to do so. As you know I do not know what is causing my problems. I am on Quinine tablets as I stopped taking amitrips some time agao. I have been on them 2 weeks with no change but have been told it can take up to four weeks before they actually help. I hope it goes aawy soon for you xxx