Inner thigh cramps that make me pass out

Just a note to fellow suffers. I have been trying ( and touch wood!!! ) to follow all your recommendations. I often drink tonic water (for the quinine) I have had a very minor cramp start and whilst it was coming, I got to the fridge and drank the juice out of the pickle jar. I have been religiously taking magmin (magnesium tablets 1 per day) drinking water and generally stretching my inner thighs gently often. I do this while lying down and also lunging when standing. Together it all has helped. To date, since my posting in February, I have not had a cramp of crippling magnitude.. small ones have started a couple of times, but I quickly move my leg back to the position it was before it started and stretch it out and fortunately it has not developed. Whatever it is, I am sticking to this routine, as just the thought of one of those episodes, almost makes me puke!!! Please let me know if any of you are having success with 'Other remedies' .. Its great to know we are not alone. Oh to mention, I went on blood pressure tablets quite a few years ago and coincidentally, I had never had a cramp before that. Does anybody else have blood pressure issues?

I have vicious thigh, foot and leg cramps.  Interesting about the sugar posted above.  I take Quinine Sulfate, a prescription drug.  It eradicates the cramps and keeps them away for the rest of the night.  It also prevents that soreness that lingers for days after a particularly bad episode.  Has anyone heard that too much calcium can cause this too?

I had a mega episode Friday night! After being awakiened, I hurried into the bathroom before it was full blown in my thigh. I hung onto the vanity as the pain got worse and (first time for this) I gradually and slowly tumbled to the floor. My cramping leg just gave out on me and as I was going down, it felt as though I was getting lightheaded and going to pass out. I don't  know where my strength came from, but I pulled myself up and started to walk throughout the house as fast as I could, trying to walk the cramp out, knowing I did not want to end up laying on the bathroom floor passed out. Usually I can't even move the cramped leg. I walked and walked, stoping in the kitchen and drank a full glass of water. I still felt faint and sick. I sat on the bed massaging my leg and feeling sicker. I woke my husband, (deep sleeper), as time passed the pain started to pass but the sick feeling hung on and the dizzyness stayed. I finally was able to go back to sleep. Next morning I told my husband that I don't think I would be able to take the pain when I get older. I can't imagine living alone and going through these episodes. Scary. We did go out that Friday night for mexican and I had a couple of margaritas. I was thirsty afterwards but did not drink any water. I am guessing that I was dehydrated. I exercise everyday with my legs. I like the idea of the pickle juice. I get these cramps about every one or two months, but it seems like they are getting worse, especially with the feeling of passing out. This pain in my thigh feels like someone is taking a sludgehammer and breaking my leg. I have talked to my doctor before about it and she suggests keeping a bottle of tums next to my bed. Tried that but that didn't seem to help much. I just worry that there is something really wrong with all of us that they haven't found. I did just start increaseing my calcium lately, hummm. I wll keep checking this site. Good luck to all. Wish we could all call each other when we have our episodes in the middle of the night!

 

 

Hi all,

They vary for me. Sometimes on the front inner thigh and other times the back, but always on the inside. These cramps are umbearable and afterwards my thigh hurts for a few days. Been doing alot of resurch and reading about taking 2 tesp. apple cider vinegar & 1 tesp. honey mixed into a glass of warm water. Says to drink it daily and it should wart off future attacks. I'm going to give that a try. I'll try anything just about now! Also says chamomile tea, 5 cups a day for 2 weeks. Think I'll do the honey & vinegar first.

thank goodness other people know the difference between ordinary leg cramps which (although very painful) can be coped with by stretching, walking, vigorous massage.  This inner-thigh (right inside your leg) cramp is differendt and frightening.  Like other people, I nearly pass out with the pain.  i can't believe I'm typing this today because at 3.00 am I just wanted to die as quickly as possible. 
It's been suggested that this is a pain where sudden intervention may stop these spasms in their tracks.   If a robber came through the bedroom door would the rush of adrenaline make a difference because this is a chemical pain?  Consequently the idea of a hard and painful slap is the most sensible suggestion I've heard.  it may fool the body in some way to aledrt it to a different danger.
The most likely cause is statins.  I came off all statins for 3 months (it was only my 'good' cholesterol taking me over 5.00) and, although I still had ordinary musc le cramps from time to time, I didn't have these screamingly painful inner thigh cramps.
Hope this helps

I have suffered (and I don't use that word lightly--you all know how it is!) with these periodic inner thigh cramps for nearly 20 years.  For about the last year and a half, I had not had one.  Literally every day I gave thanks that I was spared this pain for another day. 

And suddenly they are back again.  Two nights ago I had this cramp simultaneously in both thighs and thought I would probably die from the pain--and as you all know, I kind of wished I would.  It was all the worse because it had been so long since I'd had one and truly thought that maybe they were gone forever.

Now it is back to square one with the pain that feels like the inner thigh muscle is twisting, twisting, twisting like a rubber band on an old-time toy airplane.  This bout lasted about 10 minutes, but each second feels like a year.

A couple of years ago I mentioned this problem to my doctor, who looked at me like I was crazy.  He had never heard of such a thing and had no recommendations for me.  For me, all of these remedies have been to no avail.  I am now in my late 60s and can't imagine going through this in my old age.  I wish someone would come up with a real and infallible prescription for help.

Thanks for 'listening', it is a big psychological help to know that there are others who also experience this and that we can share experiences here. 

I'll try the slap next time. I haven't had these thigh cramps for a while but they returned yesterday. I've been taking a medication that puts the water into your colon and I swear that's what is causing them. I take qualiquin when I just can't stand them any more but the medication is expensive. When they took quinine off the market for leg cramps my Dr. perscribed qualiquin and it is the same as quinine.

I too used to be on quinine for the cramps but the FDA stopped me from getting them because they are not approved for leg cramps. My doctor finally gave me a rx for qualiquin - it is the same as quinine but is very expensive.

I swear that the blood pressure pills cause the cramps. My Dr. had to give a rx for a blood pressure medication that wasn't so strong of a water pill. I think when the water is taken from your body either by blood pressure pills or possibly a strong laxative that you get the cramps. Only speaking for myself but that is my theory.

I just had an episode of severe inner thigh pain in both thighs while sitting.  I almost passed out twice and broke out in a cold sweat and felt nauseated.  They lasted for about 10 minutes and kept coming back.  It really scared me this time.  I have had them periodically over the last several years but they seem to be getting worse and lasting longer.  I will try pickle juice but I'm not sure how I will get to it because it completely paralyzes me during the episodes.  It rarely happens at night.  Usually I get them while sitting.  I exercise a lot and am in good health.  Not sure what to do.  I plan on seeing my doctor this time because this episode really scared me.

Gee, it's weird to find so many people with the same problem because when I tell anyone I know about the inner thigh cramps I have, they've never heard of it before.  Like so many of you, I get these cramps when lying on the sofa and move or twist to get up.  I am instantly incapacitated and have to holler for someone to get me an ice pack.  I keep several...large and small....handy in the freezer.  I had an episode last night and for the first time, I had it in both inner thighs at the same time....used to only be in the right side.  Plus, I had one in the back of my left thigh.  Those have started recently.  They are painful, but nothing like the inner thigh ones.  The squeezing is so horrible, I just shove the ice pack as hard as I can against my thigh(s), bend forward and CRY in agony.  I used to have a high tolerance for pain, but when it comes to these, I'd rather be in childbirth labor, which I used to think was the worst pain on earth.   An ice pack held tightly on the thigh used to ease the squeezing within a couple of minutes, but last night it lasted much, much longer.  i can't move, can't relax.  I've tried walking it off, stretching the leg but it only gets worse.  I was told about the pickle juice remedy.  I'll try anything, so next time it happens, I'm hollering for the pickle juice.  There have been a few times I've been home alone and had to hobble, in excruciating pain, to the freezer.  I didn't think I'd make it.  I'm afraid that some time it will happen in traffic.  Since I'm instantly out of commission, I fear I wouldn't be able to drive or even get over onto the shoulder of the road.  I guess I should carry pickle juice with me everywhere.  I'm always afraid I'll get one of those cramps in a public place because there is absolutely NO discreet way to handle it.  Though I usually get them lying on the sofa, I have had episodes while sitting in a chair.  I carry Icy Hot Roll On with me, too, just in case.  Never tried it during an episode, but I figure if it ever happens in public, that's easier than trying to find an ice pack available.  Walgreens sells these packets of dry ice that when you pull the sides, it becomes a cold ice pack.  I carry those in my car and have one in my desk at work. Someone mentioned Tums as a preventative.  I take Tums several times a day for heartburn and I still get these monstrous cramps.  I empathize with all of you because I know the horrific pain and have no clue what causes these crippling cramps.

The first time this happened my wife and I were in Las Vegas and a hot 110 degree day with did a lot of outdoor walking. I don't remember the things I ate; but that night, sometime in the early morning hours, I got the inner thigh crams in both legs. I thought it was a heart attack and crawled into the bath room to die. Didn't want to disturbed my wife with it... LOL.

Since that first experience I've analyzed what was causing it, and recently it appears to be candy; and I do over indulge at times. Starchy foods, such as potatoes, rice, pasta, bread and corn all convert into sugar. Similarly, fruits and some sweet vegetables and milk also contribute sugar to the diet. Basically I'm now watching how much candy I indulge. I do love pasta. I hope this helps some with this problem inner thigh cramping. Too much of any thing that tastes good is too much for the causal symptoms to reappear. All things in moderation is now the rule.

KumaBear, your first sentence was a big clue !
If I spend a hot day trekking around, I get prepared for an almost inevitable attack. Obviously, dehydration plays a major role in these episodes.
I do buy a form of (I guess) mild quinine called, appropriately "Leg Cramps" by Hyland at healthfood stores. Melts under tongue and seems to do the trick for me. my doctor said it , at least, shouldn't hurt.

camdar wrote:

KumaBear wrote:

The first time this happened my wife and I were in Las Vegas and a hot 110 degree day with did a lot of outdoor walking. I don't remember the things I ate; but that night, sometime in the early morning hours, I got the inner thigh crams in both legs. I thought it was a heart attack and crawled into the bath room to die. Didn't want to disturbed my wife with it... LOL.

Since that first experience I've analyzed what was causing it, and recently it appears to be candy; and I do over indulge at times. Starchy foods, such as potatoes, rice, pasta, bread and corn all convert into sugar. Similarly, fruits and some sweet vegetables and milk also contribute sugar to the diet. Basically I'm now watching how much candy I indulge. I do love pasta. I hope this helps some with this problem inner thigh cramping. Too much of any thing that tastes good is too much for the causal symptoms to reappear. All things in moderation is now the rule.

KumaBear, your first sentence was a big clue !
If I spend a hot day trekking around, I get prepared for an almost inevitable attack. Obviously, dehydration plays a major role in these episodes.
I do buy a form of (I guess) mild quinine called, appropriately "Leg Cramps" by Hyland at healthfood stores. Melts under tongue and seems to do the trick for me. my doctor said it , at least, shouldn't hurt.

I'm also on high blood pressure and cholesterol pills. Amlodipine 2.5 MG, Losartan 25 MG, and Simvastatin 10 MG. Never had a problem with leg cramps until these were introduced in to my regimen. I'm also told to lose weight and have dropped 19 pounds down to 196.5 now.

Any chemical or food we ingest can destabilize our own chemical balance.