Re: Another post about leg pain.....
From: heather (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu Feb 7 14:27:47 2002
i just had to write and say that i was so relieved to find this post. i
have been miserable with leg pain. my mother suggested that i might be
low in pottasium as her sister has the same problem. since her sister
is 40 years older than i am, i found it hard to believe that we could
have the same problem, but your post makes me reconsider.
the type of leg pain i have is not cramping. it is an ache, sometimes
sharp, that goes down the back of my legs, sometimes even into the back
of my foot. at times, my lower hip area will ache, too.
the irregular heartbeat is also something that i've been dealing with.
i've noticed it particularly when i am at rest.
i have a kidney deformity, so i am reluctant to take a potassium pill,
but if eating a banana or 2 a day will resolve this, i will consider
finding this post a huge blessing.
thank you, thank you, thank you.
--
heather luker
At Sat, 11 Aug 2001, cealleigh wrote:
>
>I find it so strange(& equally frustrating) that alot of us are
>complaining of this but none of our doctors have an answer & some even
>disregard it(as is my case). I feel like i've had these pains forever.
>I was on lupron for the 6 months and, aside from the headaches &
>hothothot forever flashes, it relieved alot of pain, the leg pains never
>did stop though. As far as personal experiments, i tried dahnhak (a
>chinese mix of taichi & yoga) and massage. The massuse i found is
>amazing, & she noticed that my sciatica was all knotted. Her
>suggestions, outside of the regular massage, are to correct my posture &
>to use a tennisball to massage it myself(mainly the hip joint and upper
>thigh in back). I didnt know what it was, so i looked it up. It refers
>to the back of the hip, and siatica is any painful disorder extending
>from the hip down the back of the thigh and the surrounding area.
>Exactly!
>As far as the book she had a few reasons & suggestions. The book is
>"Fibroid Tumors & Endometriosis:self help book" by Susan M. Lark M.D.
>First she related it to potassium deficiency. Along with calcium &
>magnesium, they help reduce cramps by regulating muscle contractions. It
>says..." women deficient in potassium may suffer from premenstrual
>uterine cramping, LEG CRAMPS, & even irregular heart beats. Potassium
>also plays a role in the maintenance of fluid balance & energy levels.
>Women low in potassium are more prone to PMS-related bloating, fatigue &
>weakness. Women suffering from endometriosis-related diarreah may lose
>significant amounts of potassium through watery bowel movements......
>the most common dosage available is a 99-milligram tablet or capsule.
>I(dr. lark) generally recommend taking 1 to 3 per day for up to one
>week premenstrually. Potassium, however, must be used cautiously. It
>should be avoided by women with kidney or cardiovascular disease,.....
>also, potassium can be irritating to the intestinal tract, so it should
>be taken with meals."
>SO, after all that i called my doctor & it was confirmed that I had
>between low & low normal levels of potassium in my blood work.
>Interesting. So that's another suggestion. Here's another...
>"When you are in physical & emotional stress, oxygen levels decrease.
>Breathing tends to become jagged, eratic, shallow........ In response
>to (pain) women involuntarily contract the muscles of the pelvis, low
>back & uterus. This is a natural response to pain..... metabolism of
>the muscles becomes less efficient, & fluid retention may become a
>problem in the pelvic area as well as the ankles & feet. Many women
>complain of drawing pain in their thighs & aching sensations in their
>legs." Aerobic exercise is her solution, tennis, swimming, walking,
>dancing:):) My opinion is that we need to get up & get out & have as
>much fun as possible, exercise is a side bonus of doing so. It's so
>hard sometimes, but for me, even a walk helps the pain.
>My pain description... well, it's mostly in my right leg & seems to
>hurt worse at night (all night) & when i sit too long (like when
>driving). It feels really deep, in my joint or back or pelvis, it's
>hard to pinpoint. Aches down my leg on the back side and up my lower
>back. Sometimes it's impossible to bend over or stand. Sort of a
>"sour" stabbing & aching. Hard to describe & even more difficult when
>you're getting an odd expression from your doc...
>I SO hope you find a solution & your pain subsides & goes away....
>mine too:) If you learn anything new, please let me know too, i'll do
>the same..
>:):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
>wishing you miles of smiles.
>
>Sincerely...
>cealleigh
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