Have you ever had a "Charley Horse" in your calf before? I'm guessing that everyone reading this has experienced this at least once in their life. Well try to imagine the worst Charley Horse you've ever had times 10 and that was what I experienced last night. This is not the first time this has happened to me. I have had one this bad only one other time and it was before I was pregnant. Now this is not the "middle of the night shoot straight up in bed and stretch your leg Charley Horse". This is the "your whole body is paralyzed and you can't even move to stretch your leg" kind of Charley Horse. I have always considered myself to be pretty tough but these two instances have sent me to a place that I would be embarrassed for anyone to have to see. Both times I completely lost control of my body and either went from the love sac to the floor or the couch to the floor literally screaming in pain. Poor Bud, the first time he had no idea what was wrong and I couldn't saying anything and he had to figure it out by my gestures. I'm pretty sure I freaked him out. Last night I screamed so loud he was afraid I was going to scare the neighbors. I have seriously NEVER screamed like I have these two times in my whole life. Thinking about it right now almost makes me want to cry. I don't know what I would have done last night had he not been there. I was in so much pain and so paralyzed I never would have been able to get into a position to stretch my own foot out. And even with his help it lasted for almost 5 - 8 min.
I know, I know...all you pregnant ladies out there are about to say this is a normal pregnancy thing. But I've never heard of anyone talk about ones this severe before. After it was over all I could think is that if labor hurts this bad I'm pretty sure I'm going to pass out. Bud then jokingly said, "If labor is this bad are you going to let them give you an epidural?". Are you kidding me? I'll let them give me 10 of them if it's even remotely this bad. I've always considered myself to be a pretty tough person. I've played lots of sports, been hit in the face with a basketball several times, taken line drives to the shin in softball, been hit in the head by a softball that has taken a bad hop, been in a wave running accident and more and I have NEVER reacted the way I have to these cramps. Maybe I'm turning into a wimp as I get older. Who knows...all I know is that I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since it happened.
So since I've only had this happen twice I decided to try and see what was similar about both times and I finally figured it out. Both days that it occurred I had worn a shoe with a small wedge heel ( no more than an inch to an inch and a half high). These are different shoes but both times I had worn them for more than 10 hours during the day due to things I had going on in the evening. They do say that heels shorten your calf muscle. The other cause can be not enough fluids and not enough calcium. I'm thinking maybe it was a combination of all of them. ANYWAY...I just felt like sharing what to me was a traumatic experience. Here's to hoping I don't have many more cramps like these!
13 comments:
Kim- I have them the same way. Not often, but I do get them the same way. MAtt is all but lost as to how to help (because nothing seems to help) and I am not a screamer- I go inside my head and just weep when the pain gets too bad. I can't talk or anything. Labor was on the same level when my epidural did not work with my last one. Sorry to share that one. :(
LOL...I'm sorry it sounds all to familiar. When I was pregnant with Joseph I woke David up screaming and of course David was freaking out. I couldn't even tell him what was wrong. Poor guy! He got used to it though and would just start rubbing my leg to help ease the pain. I've heard if you are having them you are lacking in water, calcium or potassium. I think I read that in one of my pregnancy books many moons ago. Hang in there.
By the way, I thought ya'll were moving to Texas? Have your plans changed?
WOW... that sucks!
EAT BANANAS!
They have potassium in them, and it helps with leg cramps, is what my OB said, anyway.
And HONEY, if you think LEG cramps are bad.... wait till you have a freakin' SKULL coming through your #*%&$@......... OH MY GOSH!
You will WANT the epidural. I promise.
love you. ha!
Shelley
ps. It's all worth it. Promise.
I don't think that my leg cramps ever got that bad, but I heard somewhere that if you ate bananas (lots of potassium) that they would go away... It seemed to work for me. When I was pregnant with Dallin and Addilyn, I craved smoothies every morning and I always had a banana in it. I didn't have one single leg cramp with either of those pregnancies so maybe there is something to the whole banana thing...I didn't ever put 2 and 2 together until just now though...but come to think of it, I didn't eat a lot of bananas with my first 2 and I had WAY more cramps...like at least one every other night!! So not fun!
I wouldn't worry too much about Buddy though. He has LOTS of experience with crazy women doing crazy things. Okay...maybe just me, but I'm sure your leg cramps ranked right up there when we woke Buddy up to watch the kids while Brandon took me to the hospital because of the seizure-like shaking I had for a few months after Brynlee was born, or the time where Buddy had to take me home from the hospital after surgery because Emma had a seizure while I was in surgery and Brandon had to meet her in the ER after she was sent in an ambulance from the babysitter and I was constantly throwing up in his car from the anesthesia and pain (luckily I made it in a barf bag and not all over his car!) Seriously, he's a seasoned pro now thanks to his lovely little four month stay in crazyville with me and my family!!! Good times!
Oh Kim! That is the worst. i hope you don't have any more. I never had these with my first 3 gals but the last pregnancy I had them weekly from around month 5-when she was here. I am a screamer(not good with my kids around..) and not tolerant of pain at all. I guess that puts me in the definite wuss dept. Anyhow. Bananas help a bit. best wishes. Never ever ever fun.
I totally forgot about those! I'm sure you'll forget about them too. I used to have them 3-4 times a night. I am so sorry that you're in this phase. First the morning/all day sickness, as soon as that goes away you get cramps in your legs. Then...your kid growing inside you decides to dance in your belly and kick your ribs, get hartburn like never before, and can't breath, pee all the time, hungry all the time...we haven't even got to the labor part...but would I do it all again? In a heartbeat. (But I think it would be smart to say months down the road.)
ouchey!!! so so sorry kim. i hope you feel better!
ps...get an epidural...they're heaven sent!!...really, you should get one!!!! :)
I'm so sorry Kim. That sounds terrible! Hope it never happens again.
You'll be fine Kim...just wear flats for now on ;)....your tall, like you need any kind of heel.......
You poor girl! I got leg cramps a lot when I was pregnant, and they aren't fun, but I've never had one like that!
About labor:
I had one epidural and one all natural. The reason I decided to go all natural the second time is because the first experience was so awful! I'm not saying you should forgo the epidural at all! I'm just saying if I could go back and do it again I would be 100% prepared to do it without, because like Piper, the epidural didn't work for me, plus I was progressing so slowly (even though contractions were killer and close together) and the doc. wouldn't let me have an epidural until I finally reached a 5, 21 hours later!
I'm sure this won't be the way things go for you, and I'm not trying to worry you. I just wish I had been more prepared to cope with the intensity. Learn all the techniques and then go for the drugs -- that way you're set!
Oh man, that's bad. I'm sure it has to do with all that running, and lactic acid buildup and potassium. Just like the other said, eat bananas (at least one every day) and drink TONS of water. And stretch really, really well. Go to yoga classes. You need to work those toxins out of your body in a major way. Those are signs that you need to slow down and take care of your body. The baby gets what she needs, but you will suffer if you don't help yourself. Good luck and I'm here if you have any more ?s :)
Kimberly, I got them too and still do now and then. Your right, pregnancy brings them on. Lack in potassium, fluids,etc. Also, NO labor is a much different pain. Don't let Shelley scare you. I had all 4 of you kids natural and it's a mind over body thing. You can do it. It's called labor for a reason. Use medication as an option not a rule. After I saw an epideral done I swore I would never have that in my spine, but you can only decide that. Hang in there baby! Love, Mom
Next time you feel that cramp coming on, jump out of bed as fast as you can and start putting a little bit of weight on it until you can stretch it out. It's the only way to get relief...don't let it seize control.
Are you thinking of having the baby "all natur-ell." Had all 10 of mine that way. Not because I was a naturalist but because epiderals weren't very trustworthy then. They are a lot better now, however, I have to say there is something to be said about letting the body do its thing and not interferring too much. Without the drugs you know when to push and how to push instictively. With the drug, that does not happen. I tend to lean in the direction of your Mom (I like her alot!) but if you get in the middle of labor and feel you need the epideral, it's OK and you don't need to feel defeated...of course, it may be too late by then and it won't matter!!! You'll get your wish either way!
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