Just a heads up on the Vitamin issue; please always get your levels checked after your surgery! I am now at 6 months out, and was just informed yesterday by my nurse practioner that my vitamin B12 is WAAAAYYYYY over - huh? - and I need to step AWAY from it until September....SEPTEMBER.

Then, my Vitamin D is waaaayyyyyyy down -huh?- and I need to step it up from 5000....yes 5000 to 10000 per day. Now, understand I have hyperparathyroidism, where vitamin D issues occur (had one of the glands removed in '09 due to a tumor), but even still, I have been doing 5000 units daily since then. And I'm very good about taking my Vitamins. Time for me to get the other glands checked out (we have a total of 4 parathyroid glands) as this CAN occur again.

Moral of the story: vitamin deficiencies CAN and DO occur, and you cannot necessarily know that without getting checked. Deficiencies can lead to ALOT of serious issues, especially if not corrected in time. For those who do not have a follow-up program, PLEASE have your PCP check your levels!

The worst part of the cramps is that I always wake up my poor husband. The intensity of the pain is just..... I'm writhing around in bed, moaning or even screaming for a minute or two and my poor husband thinks I'm dying. Sometimes I can stop them before they are in full swing by flexing my foot to be at a 90 degree angle to my shin and stretching out the muscle, but I have to be semi-awake to catch them before they really get going for that to work. If I'm dead asleep and don't get that warning twinge, then it's just like someone stuck a pitchfork into my calf and started twisting it. It's compelty excruciating. It's what I imagine the cruciatus curse from Harry Potter to feel like.

i too have low BP, and i know im not as hydrated as a should be, got the lecture about it again. my vit D is very low, im on 50 thousand units every 2 days now to keep it up and i take D daily as well, but im in new england and we dont getthat year round sun we need. . Iron supplements etc. B12 is one of the most common Vitamins by the way you get a lot from things like propel, or Vitamin Water etc. even your Protein shakes have tons of it. SO most times taking extra b12 is useless.

When they did my 3 month labs, i passed out after they drew out 10 vials of blood. Doesnt help that I am a huge needle phobe who gets way too anxious while waiting for blood draws and IV's. I have t go back for my 6 month, they wanted me to do it during my last visit but my bp was low and i was dehydrated so they nixed that. I have to go back with my wife so she can drive as they dont want me driving after having the blood drawn for at least a few hours. Sigh. To give you an idea, my vita D level was at 3. lol

Jamie i assume youve tried quinine sulfate with no results?

Jamie i assume youve tried quinine sulfate with no results?

I have a SUPER conservative doctor and she recommends against any medication with potential side effects unless I have real health risks. Since my leg cramps are sporadic and they aren't actually doing any long term harm to me, she doesn't want me taking quinine, which can actually have some pretty serious side effects from what she told me.

The worst part of the cramps is that I always wake up my poor husband. The intensity of the pain is just..... I'm writhing around in bed, moaning or even screaming for a minute or two and my poor husband thinks I'm dying. Sometimes I can stop them before they are in full swing by flexing my foot to be at a 90 degree angle to my shin and stretching out the muscle, but I have to be semi-awake to catch them before they really get going for that to work. If I'm dead asleep and don't get that warning twinge, then it's just like someone stuck a pitchfork into my calf and started twisting it. It's compelty excruciating. It's what I imagine the cruciatus curse from Harry Potter to feel like.

OMG I know EXACTLY what your talking about. I'm not a wuss with pain but those literally make me cry out. I once had one so bad it travled up my body and it felt like contractions!

Hahaha I love your Harry Potter comparison! So going to use that!