I'm having leg cramps, worse in the calfs. Anyone else experience this? What helps the pain? I'm 6 days post surgery. Nurse told me I might be getting dehydrated and to drink more. Any other suggestions?:biggrin:

Had same thing. I was dehydrated. Drink as much as you can, it will get better! Hang in there.

same thing with me too .. im ALOT of drinking diet powerade

Drink your water as you have been told. Ask your doctor about Quinine (not sure of sp) tablets. They are over the counter at Walmart and the box just says "Leg Cramps". Red/white box. If your doctor allows carbonated beverages, you can get the same effect from Tonic water which has Quinine in it. Just add a crystal lite tube to help with the bitterness. Both work.

Darlean and others-

Try pedialyte or the off brand version of it - yes I know its for children but the point is to keep you hydrated. I purchased a couple different flavors - apple and orange I think and drank one a day for days 3 - 7 post surgery.

Also, just a note of caution on day 6 I had a bruise show up on my left calf, called the advice nurse for my PCP, she made an appt for me to come in just 20 mins from the phone call. Doc measured my calves the left was 2 cm bigger than the right so I was sent for an untrasound STAT - I was freaked out but happy they were moving so fast.

In the end I didn't have a clot but please take your legs very seriously.

I'm having leg cramps, worse in the calfs. Anyone else experience this? What helps the pain? I'm 6 days post surgery. Nurse told me I might be getting dehydrated and to drink more. Any other suggestions?:biggrin:

Definately keep a close eye on your legs. If they swell or one is bigger than the other and starts to look red make sure you see a doctor--a blood clot in your leg can cause some MAJOR problems and is nothing to mess around with!

Very surprised the nurse didn't suggest a DVT? I would call and speak with the surgeon directly. After experiencing this first hand I wouldn't chance it.

Also, my doctor said to move your legs, while standing up, as if you were riding a bike. This helps to get the circulation going, to prevent blod clots. Also rotate your ankles both clockwise and counter-clockwise. Walk, walk, walk. Drink, drink, drink. And if in doubt, call your doctor! As the others mentioned, this is one thing you don't want to mess around with.

I had simular pain in my calfs, and I was told it was from the compression sleeves they put on my legs during surgery. It went away after 2 or 3 days though.

Edited December 29, 200916 yr by Davidzthe1

They ended up doing an ultrasound and everything was fine. They suspect I wasn't drinking enough (probably right). I'm working on that. A week later I was hurting behind my right knee, was tender. That one turned out to be a Baker's cyst. They gave me an anti-inflammatory. When I crushed that, it burned my throat. Nurse says it is just really bitter and to try taking it with frozen yogurt instead of yogurt. Haven't tried that yet though. I'm trying to get by with Tylenol chewables.

All better now. Ultrasounds were negative. Drink drink drink.

I used to get cramping in my legs from drinking too much. I drank about a gallon and a half of water a day which can be a diuretic in itself and, as a result, created an electrolyte imbalance in my body. So too little or too much can be a problem.

Darlean, I am glad you posted that the US was OK, I was worried about a clot with your symptoms.

Mimi